by NAK Baldron
This is far more boring than trying to clear our thoughts, Abaze transmitted.
The doors to the chamber opened, and everyone turned to see Rayowa enter. She walked down the rug toward the children. As she approached, their father's face grew sterner.
"Dear, you can't interrupt," Mobo said.
"Yes, I can," Rayowa retorted. "Because it isn't their real naming day."
She embraced each of her children in a hug. "I love both of you so much and you both look amazing. I couldn't be prouder of you two."
"Thank you, mother," the twins said in unison.
Mobo's expression lightened as he watched the pride fill Rayowa's eyes. He examined his wife. She looked more tired than she had the night before. Her eyes were shadowed and heavy—she looked as if she'd lost several pounds overnight. It was plain to see that she was struggling to keep her hands from trembling as she held them down at her side.
"Rayowa, you look like you could use some more rest," Mobo said, with concern clear in his voice. "Why don't you have some handmaidens bring you some food up to your room."
"I'm okay," Rayowa said. "I would like to watch."
She took a seat in the front row, which none of the servants had taken. After a weak smile, she made a gesture with her hand for them to continue. Mobo stared at his wife for a moment, then finished instructing the twins through the ceremony. His tone had changed, and he continued to glance at his wife.
Once they'd finished their ceremony, their father came to them and placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "I'm proud of you two. You'll both do great as long as you remember the process. When there is an actual crowd, you have to ignore your nerves and follow the ceremony. After the actual ceremony, there will be a grand feast, but this will be all for today. I'm going to see your mother to her room. You two are free to go, but don't ruin your outfits on your way back to your rooms."
Something is wrong, Abaze transmitted. Not once has father told us he was proud. To others, yes. But never to us.
Both the twins bowed to their father as he walked to Rayowa and helped her to her feet. They watched as the two, and a handful of servants left the chamber. Other servants remained behind and began cleaning up the chamber.
I hope that mom is okay, Adaku transmitted.
She's probably just a little sick, Abaze transmitted, not wanting to face reality. It will go away.
* * *
The twins rose early and prepared themselves before any of the servants came to retrieve them for breakfast. They met in the common room, then walked together through the castle halls and up to Kelechi's practice room. When they entered the room, the sorcerer was already there waiting for them.
"Welcome," Kelechi said. "Are you two ready to begin your training this morning?"
"Yes," Abaze said.
The two quickly took their usual spots and began taking deep breaths. Kelechi closed his eyes, clearing his mind with them. As with each day before, the twins could clear their minds for the first few minutes, but thoughts other than their body continued to slide in. The tranquility they sought remained elusive.
Adaku took a moment to peer into Abaze's thoughts but found it fuzzy and harder to get into them. Then she thought to turn her mind toward Kelechi. What was he thinking about while they practiced? She pressed her mind into his and the sorcerer stood abruptly to his feet.
"Adaku, you will stay out of my thoughts," Kelechi said. "That isn't what we are working on. Now, try again."
The twins closed their eyes once more, and the sorcerer returned to his seat. Several minutes passed as the twins continued to practice, but Adaku found herself bored once more. She wondered if she could peek at someone's thoughts without them noticing, only using a small amount of energy rather than fully concentrating on their thoughts. She tried again to see Kelechi's thoughts but tried a less invasive approach—more akin to hearing a whisper than standing in an auditorium.
"Adaku, I told you." Kelechi rose to his feet once more. "If you don't do this right, then I'll cease helping you!"
The sorcerer took a few steps toward Adaku, which forced Abaze to his feet. He stood between the sorcerer and his sister with a cold look across his face. He rose a fist to show he wasn't afraid of a confrontation with the sorcerer, to protect his sister. Blood is all that matters.
"Now, look at that," Kelechi said and stepped back away from Abaze. "It seems when you concentrate solely on one thing, you can keep me out of your head. By you solely thinking about protecting your sister, you created a strong mental barrier for yourself."
Abaze backed down and took his seat next to his sister once more.
"You're making progress," Kelechi said. "Though, Adaku, you need to practice mental defense, rather than prying into people's minds."
"I'm ready to learn more," Adaku said.
"You must master one skill, before moving onto another," Kelechi said. "Now, you two run along and get yourself some food."
The twins nodded and left Kelechi behind, while they went about trying to enjoy their last day before their naming ceremony. Which would officially mark the end of their childhoods and the beginning of their obligations to the kingdom.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Amethyst Nation, Fencura
"What do you suspect they will have us do next?" Ren asked.
"We'll have to wait and find out," Shaya said.
The four of them lingered in a spacious room, with a central fireplace—filling the chamber with the scent of an oak forest. It reminded Ren of home, with the cozy fire and plush leather chairs. The far stone wall curved in on itself ever so slightly, and in the center of the wall sat a massive window, wider than Ren was tall, higher than he could jump. Through which was a glorious view of clouds as they got the last remnants of the source-light.
The twins sequestered themselves to a corner of the room by the window, where they continued to whisper to each other. No doubt wondering if their secrets were safe after the chronicler was finished with them. Ren had nothing to fear, for his secrets weren't overly shameful. The worst the chronicler forced Ren to recall was the debt he owed the Belfry's, but that wouldn't be due for many years.
A stone wall adjacent to the window slid aside, and the young boy from the Ruby Nation joined them: eyes red and puffy from crying. The next moment another hole appeared on the opposite side from the window, and a tall woman with fair skin glided into the room.
Where are the doors?
"I'm Master Nadia, and while you're here, you'll do as I say."
Her voice was scratchy, and each word sounded as if she were trying to cough up a bit of food stuck in the back of her throat.
"You've all passed the initial exam and are now fully recognized apprentices. Welcome to the Amethyst Nation. No doubt you have many questions, but I'll ask that you keep them to yourselves until tomorrow. For now, I'll show you to your rooms."
The section of wall she'd walked through slid aside again—stone disappearing into itself.
Ren followed the group into a narrow stone hallway, which gradually curved and every twenty feet or so they'd come to another set of stairs. They were slowly climbing down what had to be the stone tower he'd seen upon their arrival.
Occasionally he'd hear the voice of another sorcerer. Still, for all practical purposes they were alone. As Nadia led them down what was beginning to feel like a never-ending staircase.
When they reached the bottom floor, the walls stopped curving and turned into traditional squared-off sections. The top of the tower was fifty floors up. Ren suspected it took them over a quarter-hour to walk from the top to where they stood now.
"This way. Keep up."
Nadia kept her brisk pace and expected them to follow close at heel. Two massive wooden doors on the bottom floor opened, unassisted, to a large courtyard broken up by small stone walls into small sections. As Ren entered the courtyard, he was able to note that each section was about the size of the university's back home.
Stone buildi
ngs of all sizes surrounded the courtyard. The sprawling grounds were more impressive than those belonging to the Emperor of the Sapphire Nation. Some only three floors tall, and others were towers, stretching twenty floors high into the clouds. But none stood as tall as the tower they'd just left.
Following Nadia's lead, they made their way across the courtyard of well-trimmed grass, making sure to stay on the white stone path. One of many which crisscrossed through the grass. In the center of the grass field stood a circular water fountain. Wide enough that Ren could swim across and tall enough that the water arch created a faint mist in the air overhead, as the group wound its way around it.
On the opposite side of the courtyard from where they'd started stretched a short but wide building.
"This is the Apprentices' Wing." Nadia gestured to the building before them as she glided toward a set of doors. "You'll call this home, until such time as a master chooses to take you on as their personal pupil."
This was news to Ren. He knew nothing of the actual educational process of becoming a sorcerer. Brandon hadn't known much, other than the process was strenuous and made the university back home look simple by comparison. Rumors persisted that the Amethyst Nation had access to every bit of information one could ever want. Essentially the greatest university that ever was, or ever would be. And the only place in Fencura where you could learn real magic. The kind that could shape the fabric of reality, not just the ability to use magical artifacts like Captain Kaito had shown him.
"This is a private section of the city for the five of you during your apprenticeship."
The double doors swung out on their own accord—as if welcoming its new apprentices into a warm hug—and Nadia led the way inside the oversized building, for just the five of them.
Nadia pointed straight ahead through another set of double doors. "In there is your dining hall. Three times a day you'll be able to order off the menus provided."
They made their way to the right where a large staircase—wide enough that all six of them could share a stair—filled the area. The second floor looked much the same as the first, with a set of double doors halfway down a long hallway.
"That's the library. You'll spend your days there unless I or another sorcerer escort you out."
The third floor offered a wide hallway with doors on either side spaced ten feet apart.
"These are the apprentice dorms," Nadia said. "Women on the right. Men on the left. You will find each room has two sets of bunk beds. You are free to share, or you can claim a private room. The class before you have all moved on; the whole floor, for only the five of you."
She was halfway down the first set of stairs before Ren realized she was leaving. "Wait. What are we supposed to do? What about classes and learning?"
"Settle in. You can attend the dining hall for a meal." Nadia began to descend again. "The menus are on the tables."
"What about my wardrobe?" Abaze demanded.
Nadia was out of sight but she called back, "Your personal effects will be here in the morning. Relax."
They were alone.
The halls, like everywhere in the Amethyst Nation, were lit by amethyst lanterns. Ren hadn't seen a single torch. It gave the whole floating city a twilight glow.
"Scrawny peasant," Abaze said.
Ren turned to find Abaze holding Goban back with his arm while he examined something he'd taken from the boy.
"Give it back!" Goban's voice cracked at the end. "I'm no peasant. My father is a noble blacksmith, and if you don't—"
"If I don't what?"
Abaze pulled the boy by the shirt and brought back his fist which clinched the metal pendant he'd taken. Threatening to punch the boy. Adaku stood by silently pleading with her brother to let it go and drop the boy. Shaya looked inside the room behind the first door, ignoring the struggle between the boys.
"Let the boy go," Ren said.
Abaze turned his head back. "Or what?"
Ren stepped closer. "Or I'll make you regret it."
He didn't feel as brave as he acted. Abaze had already beaten him once, but he couldn't stand by and watch as he bullied Goban. Sometimes, people like Abaze needed to be taught a lesson. Shaya stuck her head out of the room, and Ren nodded toward Abaze. Shaya silently slid behind Abaze to back up Ren if he really chose to follow through with his crazy idea.
"Abaze. Please," Adaku pleaded.
He turned to face her and found Shaya standing within striking distance. "Fine. I'll leave the little peasant alone. Besides, I have new rooms to explore. No doubt they'll be of inferior quality to what I'm owed."
The last was said more to Adaku than the rest of them.
"I'm sorry," Adaku said. "He's not always like this. Most of the time he's a nice person. I think all the traveling has made him irritable."
She left them to follow her brother and find her own room.
Ren didn't care why Abaze was an asshole, only that he was bullying Goban. After surviving his own hell under the constant bullying of Johnathan, there was no way he'd stand by and watch someone else bullied.
"Thank you." Goban reached his arm out to Ren.
"You're welcome," Ren said. "I might not be there next time, but I don't think he'll be in any hurry to pick on you again. I'm Ren by the way, and that's Shaya."
"Goban."
Shaya nodded and left them. No doubt in search of a room to call her own.
"Are you going to get a room to yourself?" Goban asked.
"Yes," Ren said. "But you can get the room next to me."
Goban nearly jumped with excitement, and the two of them walked down the hall to find rooms that fit their mood. Ren wanted a view of the main tower, and found that each room had a large window—which took up most of the wall—with just such a view.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Texas, Earth
Tuesday, October 11th
Kandice, Blake, and Lance were driving to the mayor's street in a new Escalade courtesy of Mike. It was a typical pearl-white with the metal chromed-out and windows tinted as dark as the law allowed.
It had been a week since Kandice's interview with the Biancardi twins, and the visit was still unsettling with everyone. She spent most of the time gathering information on the mayor with Slava.
Blake had also been hanging around Lance's house a lot more. He came to help solidify a plan for getting around the mayor's security system and guards.
Lance and Slava still fought about what was said in Italian to the Biancardi twins. Slava refused to say anything more than it was personal, and Lance flooded him with questions at every chance.
Blake and Kandice had gone home one night when it got bad. Slava and Lance ended up yelling at the top of their lungs at one another in Russian. It reminded Kandice of old sitcoms, but it wasn't quite as funny in real life. She got the impression that Lance was unaware there had been secrets between them until now.
"We'll do two passes," Lance said from the front seat.
Kandice and Blake sat in the back with their phones ready to record.
Lance made the final bend in the road and slowed down to about twenty mph. Lance figured ahead of time that twenty would be slow, but not so slow as to draw a lot of attention on them. Kandice and Blake filmed what they could see through the gate.
When they had taken the bend all the way around, and away from the mayor's house, Lance pulled over to the side of the road. Blake showed his film first. They could see three guards between the gate and front door.
Kandice's film showed little more, with the female assistant in a window, dressed in a black dress, and bright-red hair. The red that was an obvious shade of fake, but still looked good for some people. She was not one of those people.
"We'll do one more pass," Lance said. "I'll have to go a little faster. I don't want them to mark this vehicle."
Lance turned the SUV around and headed back. This time, they passed doing thirty-five mph. Kandice and Blake both filmed again, but their film showed nothing new
. The guards were moving, but they just switched positions with each other.
The inside of the house looked dark, and the only light seemed to be in the mayor's office.
Slava's reconnaissance showed that the mayor spent most of his time in the office. He only left when he was ready to go to his bedroom for the night.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Amethyst Nation, Fencura
The next morning Ren awoke hungry. With the excitement of the exam and discovering what the Amethyst Nation looked like, he hadn't taken time to eat and found himself falling into a dead sleep moments after lying down.
A grumbling sound in his stomach forced him out of bed. He quickly dug through his trunk, which arrived while he slept. The tablet Brandon gave him wouldn't turn on—most likely it needed to be charged. Ren hadn't the slightest idea if the Amethyst Nation used electricity. The lamps which permeated the city weren't powered by an electrical grid, like the ones back home.
To Ren's surprise a wardrobe was provided: a full-length black robe, black three-quarter cloak, three tunics, pants, socks, boots, and two longer strips of cloth he didn't recognize, but were clearly not scarfs. With a fresh set of clothes on, Ren was eager to eat. The idea of ordering from an enchanted menu had caught his attention from the moment Nadia mentioned it. When he opened the door, Ren found Goban waiting in the hallway.
"Are you going to breakfast?"
"Um, yes," Ren said.
"Sharp. I thought we might eat together."
Shaya had just walked out of her own room and was giving Ren a lecturing stare. As if to say, this is why you don't interfere with things that don't concern you.
"Yes, we can all eat together." Ren gestured to Shaya, and returned a look which he hoped expressed damn your smugness.
Goban was bouncing on the balls of his feet as they walked down the hallway toward the stairs. The third floor offered forty rooms to choose from—Ren and Shaya had chosen rooms across from one another about halfway down. His view of the tower was excellent, but he figured it was good from every room on his side of the building. He hadn't yet been in Shaya's room to see her view. Goban of course, took a room next to Ren, which he was fine with. He'd been a lonely twelve-year-old boy before, and he refused to hold it against Goban. The Twins had examined every room and Abaze complained loudly about them not being good enough for their station. Part of Ren wished Abaze would become so offended he'd leave, but knew that was a preposterous wish.
