"No, that’s not it. I made such a terrible mistake, I hurt everyone. How can I continue to live the same life? My presence alone must be a pain to everyone."
"That’s what you tell yourself. That’s what lets you keep hurting yourself, and hurting the people around you. It is not true. If you look deep into your heart, truly look, you will see that it is pride." The woman’s glare was like a razor. "Yes, pride. Your pride. I’ve been watching you, Ella. You are the young woman who stood in front of the final year’s lore students, the brightest young minds in Altura, and showed them that you were the best of them all. You are the young woman who has the most potential I have ever seen. A little pride is deserved?"
Ella blushed, caught somewhere between pleasure and shame.
"Yet you sit out here on the edge of Sarostar in self-imposed exile. Why? Pride. Your house needs good enchanters, the best enchanters, but you don’t want to help your house. Your brother needs you — people need someone to lean on themselves sometimes — but you don’t want to help him."
Ella hated this. It made her sound so selfish. She just wanted the berating to end.
"Is something I am saying incorrect? I don’t believe anything I am saying is untrue — do you?"
"Please, don’t make me go back there," Ella sobbed.
"Make you? Girl, we have better things to do than force students to learn what we have to teach. The life of an enchantress is a life of discipline. You have one final chance. The Academy leaders will allow you one more opportunity to join your fellows, finish your studies, and graduate in a month along with the rest of your peers. I think you have been punished enough. You have learned the dangers of essence, better than anyone I would say. You still have a chance to learn the joys of real enchantment. Of creation. Do you want that chance?"
"I… I think I do." Ella met the woman’s gaze. "I do."
"Good." High Enchantress Evora rose. "You will be expected at class, the day after the morrow."
"Not tomorrow?"
"No, I’m afraid not. I believe you have been punished enough, but that doesn’t satisfy everyone. Tomorrow you will present yourself at the Great Court at noon. The entire staff and student body will be present to witness your punishment. Tomorrow, you are to be wracked."
~
ELLA held her head high and her back erect. She was terrified. Every part of her being wanted to leave this terrible business behind. Instead she had put on her green woollen student’s gown, a familiar weight about her body, and presented herself at the Academy of Enchanters at the appointed hour.
Even at previous graduation ceremonies she hadn’t seen so many Academy staff and students in one place before. The masters sat in a row, a long table of redwood planks in front of them while the students congregated, standing in rows and columns, a sombre mass of youth. The High Enchantress was not present. She was rarely seen outside the Crystal Palace or the Green Tower.
Ella had never seen an actual wracking before, and couldn’t believe it was her being wracked. She still felt like she must be in some terrible nightmare, from which she would wake at any moment.
To the side of the masters stood the Block — a massive square of black iron, stern and unyielding. It was about three feet in height and twice the length of a man on each side. Ella tried not to look at it but couldn’t help herself. She could see the faint outlines of runes on its surface.
Ella stood now in front of the masters. Their expressions were grave.
"Ella," began Master Merlon, the most senior. "For breaking into a master’s workroom, and for the misuse of Academy essence, you are summoned here this day."
Ella, her eyes downcast, stood firm, her heart racing.
"We, the masters of the Academy of Enchanters, have decided your sentence, to be carried out immediately." He paused, looking around at the students. "For misconduct leading to the death of Talwin Horstan, you are sentenced to be wracked."
Master Merlon placed two wooden cuffs on the table in front of him. "It is to be a full wracking." He placed two more wooden cuffs on the table. "May the pain you feel this day lead you away from future misdeeds. May the Lord of the Sky guide your path away from error."
Ella knew what was expected of her. She walked forward and took the first manacle — an ancient loop of wood engraved with runes.
"Sum-pu-nala," she said. The loop sprung open along a previously invisible seam. Ella put the loop around her ankle. "Sum-sun." The loop closed.
After her ankles Ella locked the loops around her wrists. They felt heavy. Her breath started to deepen and her heart raced. She tried to show nothing and to face her punishment with honour.
In unison, the masters nodded. It was part of the process: Ella had to commence the punishment herself; they were only spectators.