He came lightly down on his feet just beside Jasper at last, and Jasper, who never laughed aloud, moved away saying, “The Sparrowhawk that can’t fly…”
“Is Jasper a precious stone?” Ged returned, grinning. “O jewel among sorcerers, O Gem of Havnor, sparkle for us!”
The lad that had set the lights dancing sent one down to dance and glitter about Jasper’s head. Not quite as cool as usual, frowning, Jasper brushed the light away and snuffed it out with one gesture. “I am sick of boys and noise and foolishness,” he said.
“You’re getting middle-aged, lad,” Vetch remarked from above.
“If silence and gloom is what you want,” put in one of the younger boys, “you could always try the Tower.”
Ged said to him, “What is it you want, then, Jasper?”
“I want the company of my equals,” Jasper said. “Come on, Vetch. Leave the prentices to their toys.”
Ged turned to face Jasper. “What do sorcerers have that prentices lack?” he inquired. His voice was quiet, but all the other boys suddenly fell still, for in his tone as in Jasper’s the spite between them now sounded plain and clear as steel coming out of a sheath.
“Power,” Jasper said.
“I’ll match your power act for act.”
“You challenge me?”
“I challenge you.”
Vetch had dropped down to the ground, and now he came between them, grim of face. “Duels in sorcery are forbidden to us, and well you know it. Let this cease!”
Both Ged and Jasper stood silent, for it was true they knew the law of Roke, and they also knew that Vetch was moved by love, and themselves by hate. Yet their anger was balked, not cooled. Presently, moving a little aside as if to be heard by Vetch alone, Jasper spoke, with his cool smile: “I think you’d better remind your goatherd friend again of the law that protects him. He looks sulky. I wonder, did he really think I’d accept a challenge from him? a fellow who smells of goats, a prentice who doesn’t know the First Change?”
“Jasper,” said Ged, “What do you know of what I know?”
For an instant, with no word spoken that any heard, Ged vanished from their sight, and where he had stood a great falcon hovered, opening its hooked beak to scream: for one instant, and then Ged stood again in the flickering torchlight, his dark gaze on Jasper.
Jasper had taken a step backward, in astonishment; but now he shrugged and said one word: “Illusion.”
The others muttered. Vetch said, “That was not illusion. It was true change. And enough. Jasper, listen-“
“Enough to prove that he sneaked a look in the Book of Shaping behind the Master’s back: what then? Go on, Goatherd. I like this trap you’re building for yourself. The more you try to prove yourself my equal, the more you show yourself for what you are.”
At that, Vetch turned from Jasper, and said very softly to Ged, “Sparrowhawk, will you be a man and drop this now – come with me-“
Ged looked at his friend and smiled, but all he said was, “Keep Hoeg for me a little while, will you?” He put into Vetch’s hands the little otak, which as usual had been riding on his shoulder. It had never let any but Ged touch it, but it came to Vetch now, and climbing up his arm cowered on his shoulder, its great bright eyes always on its master.
“Now,” Ged said to Jasper, quietly as before, what are you going to do to prove yourself my superior, Jasper?”
I don’t have to do anything, Goatherd. Yet I will. I will give you a chance – an opportunity. Envy eats you like a worm in an apple. Let’s let out the worm. Once by Roke Knoll you boasted that Gontish wizards don’t play games. Come to Roke Knoll now and show us what it is they do instead. And afterward, maybe I will show you a little sorcery.”
“Yes, I should like to see that,” Ged answered. The younger boys, used to seeing his black temper break out at the least hint of slight or insult, watched him in wonder at his coolness now. Vetch watched him not in wonder, but with growing fear. He tried to intervene again, but Jasper said, “Come, keep out of this, Vetch. What will you do with the chance I give you, Goatherd? Will you show us an illusion, a fireball, a charm to cure goats with the mange?”