Distracted: Tales of the Wild

By Peter Thomson

Effran has a talent for magic. He is also a teenager and has trouble keeping his mind on the job. When some disastrous accidents keep him from entering college, his parents turn to another solution. Is Magistra Solstra just a teacher, or does she have a sinister plan? Why is her library full of snakes? Why does his fellow student carry a skull around? A story of learning magic and exploring the Wild.

This novella joins the other Tales of the Wild by Peter Thomson: A Walk in the Wild, The Servant's Story and The Forked Path, available on-line and in print.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Peter Thomson
• Release date: Apr 16, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215341117

Peter Thomson

P Thomson lives in Canberra, which most people mistake for the capital of Australia, and passes the time writing and telling stories to children. Authors always mention pets, so they have one dog and at least two possums. The books started with 'what would a world with sensible magic look like?' and went on from there - to lawyers dealing with magicians and trainee spies and sensible middle-aged ladies sorting out the uncanny. He can be reached at [e-mail]

Book preview

DISTRACTED

Chapter 1

I am sorry, but I cannot accept Effran at this school. The headmaster’s voice was quiet, firm, inflexible. He sat quietly behind his broad desk, hands squarely to the front, back straight, eyes level. Across from him sat Effran’s parents; the father a prosperous baker, uncomfortable in a short jacket that did not quite meet across his stomach and a tight sarong; mother more at ease in the black tunic and short skirt of the Municipal Guard, the green sash of a sergeant broad across her chest. The father made a tentative offer.

We can pay a higher fee, if that would help. His voice trailed off.

I am sorry, the headmaster repeated. No, it is not a matter of fees.

Well, what is it then? asked Effran’s mother directly. Effran’s teachers have assured us that he has a rare aptitude for magic. Although his grades are not of the highest, he has passed the entry tests for this and other academies of the art.

The headmaster steepled his fingers. How shall I put this? The lad does indeed have a talent for magic. I would judge his natural abilities would be above those of half our current pupils. However, - and here he raised a finger to forestall any immediate query, Effran lacks the ability to maintain concentration for any length of time. It is, unfortunately, an essential of the magician’s art.

The mother bridled at this slur on her son. Effran may be a little easily distracted at times, but surely it’s your job to teach young people how to overcome this? We in the Guard drill it out of young recruits, and if we can do it, surely you can.

The headmaster reached into a drawer, took out a flat box and set it on the desk. Opened, it showed three rows of small skulls, each in its padded compartment, neatly labelled. The headmaster deftly extracted a skull with a pair of wooden sticks and placed it before the parents. The father looked at it dubiously. He was familiar with rodent skeletons, and this was clearly an ex-rat.

We record practices in the art that reach above a certain threshold. This holds the memory of Effran’s third attempt at Mage-Light. I recommend you hold a finger above it, close your eyes and then make contact.

The parent did as instructed, squinching eyes tight and gingerly lowering their fingers. Both recoiled almost as one, touched again, snatched their hands back and sat there furiously blinking reddened eyes.

That was Effran? Our boy? the mother asked.

The headmaster was clear. It was, just before one of the staff cast a counter-spell. Two people had to be treated for blindness (temporary, I assure you) and the curtains will need to be replaced. Nor, he went on is that all. Effran did not adjust for a double-keyed strand, although reminded to do so several times, which caused the Faithful Scribe to write the entirety of the regulations pertaining to beavers on the ceiling of the dining hall. A similar mishap with the Clean Spirit left polish on the inside of every boot in the place. Quite simply, Effran’s inattention endangers both himself and the school. I cannot in conscience put pupils and staff at risk.

The parents glumly digested this. When the headmaster gently asked if they had thought about some other career for their son, they exchanged glances. It appeared Effran was not suited to baking, as evidenced by instances where the pastries had needed to be subdued with clubs. The mother was equally dubious about the Guard. After a silent moment, the mother asked what would happen if Effran’s talent for magic was left uncultivated.

Most probably, his capacity for the art would  fade away. In a few years Effran will be no more gifted than the general run, the headmaster told them.

Leaving him fit only to be dock labourer or street sweeper. We hope for a better future for our son, the mother muttered to her husband.

There is another possibility, the headmaster told them. Both leaned forward. An acquaintance of mine – Magistra Solstra, very experienced in the art – has had considerable success in helping those who are unable to realise their gifts. Her methods are her own, and involve intensive instruction in her countryside retreat for two or more years. Her charges are reasonable – rather less than our fees, in fact.

To their credit, saving money was not the foremost consideration for Effran’s parents. Although eager for their son to receive an education suited to his talents, they wanted to know more about this acquaintance and her methods. Was any abuse or harsh treatment involved? Would Effran be able to visit them? Could this person provide references or other assurances? The headmaster’s answers were sufficiently satisfactory that they agreed to meet Solstra as soon as could