We did several jobs for ‘em, always as equal partners.
“Only… there were contracts to sign. One time we had to accept one and get right to work if the terms were all right. When Pyrrhus had to read it to me, the councilors-well, they wanted’t’ change the terms.
I knew them high-an’-mighties never liked me from the first, ‘cause I come outa the gutter. But I can talk good enough if I have to, and Pyrrhus insisted we worked together or not at all.
“But when they found out I’m… illiterate, they told Pyrrhus he could have that job or any future ones alone, and he could hire me if he wanted to-but they wouldn’t make any more contracts with me.”
“And what did Pyrrhus say to that?” Julia asked.
Wicket gave a quavering smile. “I didn’t know he even knew some of the words he used. If he hadn’t got so angry, we mighta worked it out. I wouldn’t of minded working for him-it’s Pyrrhus insisted we were partners.”
“Wasn’t he drawing on your experience?” Julia asked.
“Yeah, I guess. Street experience. But I shoulda known better than’t’ think, even with Pyrrhus’ help, I could have what amounts to a government post-when I can’t even learn to read. I’m just stupid, that’s all.”
“Wicket, I’ve known you long enough to know you’re not stupid,” said Julia. “Open to Reading and look at the Code.”
“Eh?”
“Just do it. “
He shrugged, and complied. Julia closed her eyes and Read through Wicket’s. As he had said, it was a jumble of letters, not the words she knew. Even as he stared at them, they shifted into new combinations.
“No wonder you couldn’t learn,” said Julia. “Now close your eyes.”
She opened her eyes, and let Wicket Read what she saw and read. He gasped. “It makes sense! I got as far as learning the sounds of the letters-this way they make words!”
He opened his eyes and turned to stare at her. “How did you do that?”
“You can always Read through a stronger Reader,” she replied. “I don’t know much about your problem with words, but I’ll bet Master Clement does. I do know that some people have trouble learning to read.
If you’re a farmer or a cobbler, who cares? But if you’re a city official-”
Wicket sighed. “I shoulda told Lady Aradia. Pyrrhus has been covering up for me, reading all the directives we get. But you’re right: how could I read an urgent written message if he wasn’t available?”
“As long as someone else was,” said Julia, “you’d be all right. Perhaps you can learn to visualize.”
“To what?”
“Let’s find out if you’re doing it already. Read the next room for me, Wicket.”
Julia Read only through him, and perceived the usual sense that there were several people there, without identifying them. “Withdraw,” she instructed. “Do not invade their privacy.”
“Uh… you didn’t say that out loud,” Wicket observed.
“No-you try it.”
“Why can’t we Read the next room?”
“Because we haven’t asked those people’s permission to practice on them. I will in a moment. But people are easy. You’ve been Reading objects like locking mechanisms and dice without knowing it-and that’s really hard. Try the room behind that wall.”
It was Master Clement’s outer office. His assistant was not there at the moment, so the room was empty of people. At first all Wicket Read was shapes of furniture. “Try to see what color the walls are,” Julia suggested.
Hazily, the room “appeared” in her mind. The furnishings were only vague shapes, but the soft blue of the walls was definite. She smiled. “You can visualize already. That’s a high-level skill, Wicket. If you can hone it, then you won’t need anyone to read your messages for you. They won’t get all jumbled up if you Read them.”
He grinned. “This is fun. What next?”
She put him through every test she could think of, stopping him each time he would have stepped beyond the confines of the Code. They got permission to practice Reading the class in the next room, and when their lesson was over two of the children were happy to play Reading games with them, each designed to teach or strengthen a Reading skill.
Julia spent several hours with him each day, and Wicket made rapid progress. He was unusually good at details and close work, but had a very limited range. That did not disturb him-until Pyrrhus complained.
When Pyrrhus demanded a different teacher for
Wicket, Master Clement called Julia and Wicket to meet with them.
“Julia has done an excellent job,” Master Clement insisted. “Pyrrhus, surely you recall enough from training Readers yourself to recognize how well Wicket is doing.”
“Yes-at what she’s teaching him. Wicket can tell me every item in my pocket, but he can hardly Read into the next street! We need range for our work, Clement. Get Wicket a tutor who can Read beyond the city walls.”
“I can Read beyond the city walls!” Julia protested.
“Then why can’t Wicket?” Pyrrhus demanded.
“I told you,” Wicket protested. “I’m never gonna be a Master Reader! Why can’t you accept that?”
“I’m afraid you do have to accept it, Pyrrhus,” said Master Clement. “Had Wicket’s Reading manifested in childhood, he might have accomplished a bit more than he can now, but not much more. He’s very good at fine discernment, but he does not have the power for great range. I would not even consider trying to teach him to leave his body. It would be too dangerous. Wicket is a Dark Moon Reader, Pyrrhus-not because I say so, but because that is the limit of his talent.”
Pyrrhus rose from his chair, fists clenched, and paced away from the other three. “I’d hoped…”
Master Clement said, very gently, “You hoped your friend would have all the powers you have lost. I’m sorry. We’ve taught him all we can. Remember that he has both Reading and Adept talents. Your job now is to work out how best to combine the powers you have between the two of you.”
“Combine!” exclaimed Julia. “That’s it, Pyrrhus!”
He turned, and stared at her blankly. “What’s it?”
“You want Wicket to Read beyond the city walls. He can’t with his own powers-but he can with yours!”
Pyrrhus frowned at her, his dark eyes wary.
Master Clement said, “Julia, I had not thought of that. Sit down, Pyrrhus. At least try the experiment.”
“What experiment?” Pyrrhus asked suspiciously, but he sat.
“That is the disadvantage of growing up in the Academy,” said Master Clement. “We teach the same techniques to one generation after another, and do not think beyond them. Wicket knows what experiment. He and Julia are not bound by what has always been done.”
Pyrrhus turned a challenging look on Wicket, who said, “A weak Reader can Read through a stronger Reader. You can Read beyond the city walls, Pyrrhus.”
“What good does that do me if I don’t know what I’ve… oh.” The incipient anger drained from his face.
“Yes!” he said in an intense whisper. “Let’s try it!”
Pyrrhus opened to Reading. He was helpless to focus his powers precisely, but he directed them toward the lands south of the city. Julia was reminded of Reading with her father, for Pyrrhus’ range was that of a Master Reader, taking them far beyond the grounds of the summer fair and horse market, to farms and woodlands gray under a lowering sky. Winter was lingering beyond its time this year as if to underscore their other frustrations.
“It’s cold,” said Wicket. “There’s some woodcutters out, but nobody else. There’s a village, people gathered around their fires, pots of soup cooking-I can smell it! And bread baking. They’re tired of the cold weather, but happy to have warm homes and enough to eat.
“Then, maybe two miles farther south, there’s a big farm with a huge new house. Man and his wife in the main room, talkin’ about-”
“Privacy, Wicket!” Pyrrhus warned automatically, and for the first time Julia truly believed that he had once taught in an Academy.