"Let me make it up to you," he said, going around her and lathering her back with the bar of soap.

"Well, alright, but I wouldn't let anyone else do this," she said, allowing him to wash her back. "How have you been?"

"Busy," he said.

"I heard. Are you alright?"

"I've healed up, but there have been some side effects. Sorry if I don't go into them right now."

"That's alright. Did you know that I'm almost done with the Novitiate?"

"No. That was some quick work."

"The training I got from Gerin really helped," she said. "He was alot more than a herbalist. He was very interested in the world, and he taught me alot of it. I was allowed to skip over alot of classes."

"Congratulations," he told her.

"Thanks. What's the Initiate like?"

"I really haven't been in it long enough to form any opinions, Tiella," he told her. "So far, it's been just like the Novitiate, except without all the silly rules. We can eat when we want and bathe when we want, and our time outside of classes is our own."

"That sounds almost dreamy compared to the schedules," she said sourly. "I'm tired of living by the clock."

"Well, just buckle down," he told her. "When do you take the final test?"

"In five days," she replied. "I've already been told that I shouldn't have any trouble passing it. Then I'll move to the Initiate."

"Hmm," Tarrin said. "This may change some things."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you still clean the Keeper's office?"

"Yes," she replied. "Every day."

"Then I want you to do me a favor," he said quietly. "But it may get you in trouble."

"What's the favor?"

"If you see anything about me, or hear them talking about me, or about what happened to me, could you pass that along?" he asked. "Anything that sounds like it'll affect me."

"I guess so," she said after a moment. "Why do you want to know that?"

"Something's going on, Tiella," he told her. "They want something from me, or want me to do something for them, but they won't tell me what it is. Well, I want to know before they ask me to do it. I want to know what I may be getting myself into."

"Oh," she said after a moment. "I can do that for you, Tarrin," she said. "I think I've already seen some things, and I know that the Keeper asks how you're coming along almost every day. When you were missing, she was almost in a constant rage."

"I know," Tarrin said quietly. "What did you hear?"

"Well, they were trying to get the Wikuni to give them a clipper and a crew," she said. "It sounded awfully important, but the Wikuni are mad at them for some reason, and won't do it. They keep talking about someone's education. It's a really big thing. The Keeper and that stupid-looking rabbit Wikuni were even shouting at each other yesterday."

"I know what that's all about," Tarrin grunted. "What about the ship? Did they say why they wanted it?"

"I think I heard the Keeper tell him that they needed it to get somewhere," she said. "She was flattering the Wikuni with how his people were the best sailors, and they'd need that skill."

"They are," Tarrin told her absently. "But she never said why?"

"No," she told him. "Just that they wanted one. Maybe they want to send some Sorcerers to the Stormhaven Isles or something."

"Maybe it's important, maybe not," Tarrin said. "Anything else you can remember?"

Tiella was quiet for a few moments. "Not really," she said finally. "They really don't talk around us that much, Tarrin, and we're only in there for a couple of hours at the most."

"Well, that may change," he said. "What time do you clean her office?"

"After lunch, every day," she replied.

"Well, do me a favor and keep your ears open," he told her. "I have the feeling that the Keeper may be very talkative for the next few days."

"Why do you say that?"

"Just trust me," he said with a chuckle. "I can't come and talk to you ever morning. That'll look very suspicious. So I'm sending someone. You remember my roommate in the Novitiate, Dar?"

"The cute Arkisian?" she asked as she rinsed herself off and turned to face him. Tarrin noticed that she was blushing. "Yes, I remember him."

"Good. He's the one you'll need to talk to. If you have anything you want me to know, tell him, and he'll give it to me." He gave her a look. "You like him."

She blushed deeper. "Well, he is cute, Tarrin, and he has nice manners and he's been nice to me when we talk. And I have to stand here and talk to him while I'm naked as the day I was born."

"He will be too, so it's not like you're not on even ground," he reminded her. "I'll tell him to be very friendly to you. If it looks like you two are sweet on each other, it won't look unusual if you're talking in whispers."

Tiella blushed furiously, and gave him a murderous look. Tarrin realized that Tiella had a crush on Dar. That was almost perfect. He could orchestrate a bit of matchmaking easily. Dar needed a girlfriend, and there weren't many girls out there better than Tiella. Tarrin would make sure that Tiella was well rewarded for her risk, and giving her the object of her affection seemed a very appropriate gift.

No friend of Tarrin's went hungry.

"You'll do it for me?" Tarrin asked seriously.

"I'll do it," she almost fumed. "But I'm mad at you."

"What for?"

"Making me whisper and get close to Dar?" she said.

"Don't worry," Tarrin said with a wink. "He'll be very receptive. Even if I have to grab him by the neck and shake him."

"Tarrin!" she gasped.

He only smiled at her. "I'll see you when you're in red, Tiella. Good luck."

"That's it? You're leaving?"

"I'm skipping my morning class," he said with a wicked smile. "I figure they'll find me in about ten minutes. I don't think you want to be around me when they catch up with me."

"Uh oh," she laughed. "Are you going to be nice?"

"No," he said in a flat voice.

She laughed again. "Then I think I want to be out of here," she agreed. She reached up and patted him on the cheek. "I'll keep my ears open for you, Tarrin," she promised.

"I appreciate it," he told her.

"Now, I think it's time for us to go," she said. "It's almost time for my breakfast, and I don't want to go to class hungry."

"I should find a quiet place, so my yelling doesn't raise a fuss," he winked.

"You do that," she laughed. "Now turn around so I can get out of the pool."

"You are such a wimp," he teased, going to the edge and pulling himself out. He shook himself to get rid the excess water, then picked up a towel from a chair. "See you later," he told her, walking over towards his clothes.

Five days. It wasn't that much time, and it may not do him much good, but Tarrin could fix that. So, the Keeper raged. Tarrin's mother also raged, and the one thing he knew about her was that when someone is in a rage, it's nearly impossible for them to keep quiet about why they're so upset. Tarrin would make sure that the Keeper was very talkative when Tiella and the other Novice workers arrived to clean her office. If Keritanima was right, they'd come find him in a tizzy, and would send him somewhere for him to work on fixing his problem. The worst thing he could do to set the Keeper off was refuse to go.

That was easy enough.

After drying off and dressing, Tarrin started back upstairs. He'd eaten before coming to the baths, and that book on the Weave was unfinished. It was a fascinating book, and he'd already sent Keritanima off to get her own copy that morning. He would probably finish it by lunch, and there was an entire library of interesting books there waiting for him.

He was met at the top landing by three Sorcerers. One of them he identified as Amelyn, the Mind Seat. She had a very perturbed look on her face. "Where have you been?" she demanded. "You didn't show up for class today!"