by Eric Vall
“Suit yourself,” she replied simply.
Then the dream vanished around us like water draining down a sink.
I awoke with a startled thudding of my heart before I looked at the airship cabin around me.
On the bench across from Cyra and me, Erin and Layla were playing a card game together. I wasn’t sure where they had gotten the cards, but it was clear they weren’t taking the game too seriously.
“Chalice of Hearts beats Chalice of Knives,” Layla informed Erin with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“I’m pretty sure they’re equal,” the mimic replied as she pursed her lips.
Layla pointed at her own card. “Chalice of Hearts follows the power of love, so it gets extra points for superior morality.”
I turned to Cyra to see if she was watching the game, but the summoner was out cold and snoring softly into the crook of her arm.
The intercom crackled to life, and a voice from the speakers said, “Arrival at Varle in ten minutes. Repeat, arrival at Varle in ten minutes.”
Feedback whined from the speaker system and made us all wince. The sharp noise continued for a moment before they killed the intercom and cut the sound.
Cyra woke up with a bleary expression and stared at us with sleepy, half-closed eyes. “What’s the emergency?”
“None,” I told her as I stretched out the kinks in my neck. “We’ll be getting to Varle soon.”
“Oh,” the tawny-skinned summoner said simply. Then she tucked her head back into the crook of her arm and resumed sleeping.
“Impressive,” Layla commented approvingly.
“How does her back not hurt after that?” Erin asked in wonderment.
Layla nodded sagely. “It has to be all those Western stretches.”
I snorted and rolled my shoulders to loosen them. “You guys are ridiculous. Anyway, where’s Varleth?”
“He went to go relax at one of those nice viewing windows,” Layla replied. “Just keep going toward the front of the ship, I’m sure you’ll see him eventually.”
“Thanks,” I said as I unbuckled my safety belts.
“As a pilot, I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to leave those on when the ship is landing,” Erin said with her brows knitted in concern.
“I’ll be quick,” I promised. “I’m sure I can strap in again over by that viewing window if I get desperate.”
“Maker speed your journey,” Layla said solemnly as she bowed her head to emulate a priest.
I laughed, waved goodbye, exited our booth, and went out into the hallway.
Since this airship was such a large one, the ride was much smoother than usual. I didn’t stumble even once as I made my way down the long, furnished hallway, though I could’ve used any of the chairs bolted to the floor if I wanted to. The owners of this ship really thought of every possible convenience for their clients.
I found Varleth in front of an enormous, thick pane of glass set into the airship wall. Thin, metal bars crisscrossed the glass in a grid pattern to stabilize it, though they didn’t interrupt the panoramic view much. Across the window, the hallway opened up into a little alcove with seating and belts that passengers could take advantage of whenever they wanted.
Varleth leaned back in one of those chairs and gazed out the window with a relaxed, content expression.
“Varleth,” I greeted as I approached and sat next to him.
He glanced up and twitched his mouth into a barely-perceptible smile. “Hello.”
I leaned back and watched wisps of cloud whip by the window. Green plains of grass raced by below us, and I was struck by just how empty so much of the Wilds was. The human race seemed fragile and temporary when I looked at how little we’d actually conquered the wilderness.
“I need your advice,” I told Varleth.
He frowned. “I’m always happy to help, Gryff, but I’m not sure I’ve got any valuable advice. What’d you want to ask me about?”
I sighed and leaned back in my seat. “It’s about Sera.”
“Ah, her,” the gypsy responded with a loaded tone.
I nodded knowingly. “She says she can help us reach the Shadowscape by working through my body to open a portal.”
“And you’re asking me because I don’t have much personal attachment to Gawain?” Varleth concluded.
The two of them never got along, and their problems were exacerbated by Gawain’s insults against gypsies. Though the derogatory comments had stopped long ago, I understood why it was hard for Varleth to forgive Gawain. I was sure the fire mage had just used the gypsy comments to get under Varleth’s skin, but that didn’t make them sting any less.
I smiled and shook my head. “No, it’s not because you two aren’t friends. I’m asking you because you’re the most levelheaded, realistic thinker I know. You’re a little cynical, but I think your skepticism can be really useful in this kind of situation.”
“Thanks,” Varleth said in genuine surprise.
“So,” I asked, “what do you think? Should we take Sera up on her offer?”
“I think she’s extremely untrustworthy,” he hummed contemplatively. “That said, we already know your mind is strong enough to fight her off if you’re given the chance. Maybe there is a way to restrain you during the process? Still sounds risky.”
I nodded thoughtfully. “So, we could wrap me up in chains before we ask her to do her thing.
“Seems like it would be a last option though.” Varleth shrugged. “We’ll have to ask Arwyn and some of the other academic people what they think. Phi took over Gawain, and I’d hate for Sera to take over you too.”
“Ahhh, I knew it,” I laughed. “You do love me.”
The banisher shrugged again and gave me a crooked, teasing grin. “Frankly, it’s a nice boost to my ego whenever you come to me for advice.”
“Don’t count on it happening again,” I warned him with a smile in return, and then we both shared a laugh.
The airship announcement crackled to life to announce our descent, and I obligingly strapped myself in with the safety harness.
It was truly amazing to watch the airship ground itself through the enormous panoramic window. The distant green fields and tiny houses approached with startling speed, and for a moment I wondered if something had gone wrong. Then, once we neared the ground, the airship slowed its descent and drifted at a more leisurely pace into its final landing.
The ship set down on the ground with a final bump that vibrated the entire hold, and I stripped my safety harness off. Then Varleth and I hurried down the hallway back to where the girls were seated. I was sure none of us wanted to return to the Academy as anything less than a unified group.
We didn’t know whether the Academy had stabilized with Arwyn, Nia, and her father intervening, and we weren’t sure if Goredrin Madox was on our side or not.
Varleth and I found our booth and waited for the girls to get up. Erin and Layla put away their playing cards while Cyra sleepily rose and stretched.
“Ready to figure out if we’re enemies of the military?” Layla asked as she patted me on the back.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I responded with a grin. “Though I think we should try to find Arwyn first, just to avoid any possible trouble.”
Together, the five of us slowly filed out of the airship. We were sandwiched between hordes of tourists with enormous bags stuffed with souvenirs from their time in Polkenny. Squealing children from wealthy families shrieked to be let off the ship while weary attendants tried to calm them.
Finally, we were off. From there, it was a simple matter of taking the familiar route back to the Academy. We went up the main lift and dodged through the streets past the Retching Goblin before we arrived at the gates of the school.
I glanced at the massive black oak doors that guarded the school’s main entrance. They still looked just as impressive as they had the first day I came here, and their gold trim was as stunning as all the beasts carved into their wood. Now that I’d been
a student for over a year, however, I knew there were other ways to get into the school.
We took the side entrance by trailing along the edge of the main pentagonal building until we reached a small, unmarked wooden door. Then I rapped my knuckles against its surface until the door opened.
A confused student in earth mage robes stood in the opening and examined us with a critical eye. He had a pinched expression, and his robes were pressed crisply enough to cut glass.
“We’re students, please let us in,” Cyra requested in a melodic, pleasant voice.
I tried to follow her lead as I smiled with as much patience and politeness as I could muster.
“How’d ya get out there?” the earth mage asked in a nasally voice.
“Monster response squad,” Varleth replied simply. “Special circumstances.”
The student jerked his head at me. “I recognize that one from the Magicae Nito. Come on in.”
We walked in after the student and found ourselves in the corner of the cafeteria. Smatterings of students sat and ate early lunches in small groups throughout the room.
The cafeteria side door was a sure way to get inside, since there was usually a willing student nearby to answer when somebody knocked.
“Just out of curiosity,” I asked as I turned to the earth mage, “who’s running this school?”
He shrugged. “Dunno. I just go to classes here.”
“Thanks,” I managed to say as I raised my eyebrows.
It seemed to me like he’d have to be willfully ignorant to have so little idea about what was going on.
“I guess we go to Arwyn, then,” Varleth suggested.
We made our way down to Arwyn’s office, but I stopped in my tracks at the sight of a familiar, ashen-haired beauty carrying a pile of books down the hallway.
“Nia, over here!” I called out to her.
She turned around with a harried expression while her eyes blazed with irritation. Then the snapping rage in her blue eyes melted away and turned to joy.
“You’re back!” she exclaimed as she rushed over to us.
“We are,” I announced needlessly with a grin.
Nia rolled her eyes as she hugged the girls in turn. “I never doubted you, farm boy. I can’t seem to get rid of you. It was everybody else I was worried about.”
“I missed you so much,” Layla admitted as she squeezed the elemental mage.
Nia’s eyes shot down to the heavy bag at Cyra’s side. “Did you guys get the ciphers back? What did you do about Gawain?”
I held up my hands to slow the questions. “It’s not all good news. We’re still missing two of the ciphers. He got away through a portal, but we’re going to go after him eventually.”
Nia frowned in confusion. “A portal?”
I heaved out a huge sigh. “It’s a long story, so we’ll tell you once everybody else is with us in the same room. In short, it’s not Gawain’s fault he stole the ciphers. How are things here? Are you doing okay?”
Nia nodded and bit her lip absentmindedly. “Things aren’t going perfectly here. We’ve been in a stalemate for a long time, so nothing is getting done.” She shifted her stack of books with some discomfort, so I held out my arms to take some, and she handed over half of the stack gratefully.
“A stalemate?” I asked with a concerned frown. “Is Goredrin giving you trouble?”
Nia clutched her books more tightly. “No, not really. He’s not getting in our way, though he’s not making things easier. We’re just fighting against some legal stuff.”
“Understandable,” Varleth added with a thoughtful nod. “General Kenefick killed the last councilmember, so it’s practically a countrywide military coup.”
I hadn’t thought about it that way, but it did make sense.
I frowned and glanced around the quiet, peaceful environment of the school. “Does anybody actually mind the idea of Kenefick in charge?”
Nia pursed her lips. “It’s not really about him. It’s more about the general concept of a military uprising. My father has technically broken laws, but there’s nobody left to charge him with anything. He could step up and take charge to pardon himself, but it would look like a power grab.”
Erin grimaced. “The nobles would be more than a little unhappy with that. They don’t like that kind of threat to their social status.”
“This sounds like a mess,” I admitted. “I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
Nia put her free hand on her hip and smiled. “That’s why I came back to the Academy and not with you, farm boy.”
I gave her a cocky grin. “Farm boy again? What can I do to earn my name back, Kenefick?”
Varleth interrupted us with an impatient huff. “You two can flirt after we’ve returned the ciphers and saved the school.”
“We were going to see Arwyn, can you take us to her?” Layla chimed in.
“Only because you’re the one who’s asking,” Nia said sweetly.
She beckoned for our group to follow, and the six of us traveled through the school building and over to the healing clinic. We went in and nearly ran straight into Meridan as she clicked her way hurriedly through the waiting room.
“Oh!” she chirped as she wrung her hands over the sight of us. “You’re all back! Maelor’s going to be so happy. Ah, but please don’t tell me you’ve gotten yourselves injured.”
“We’re fine,” I assured her quickly to stave off an oncoming lecture.
“Excellent to hear,” the plump-faced healer replied with a smile.
“We’ve come to see Arwyn,” Nia explained.
“Of course,” Meridan replied. “I’m sure you have so much news for her.”
“How is Sleet doing?” Varleth asked cautiously.
Meridan tutted and shook her head. “He’s sleeping right now, so I can’t let you in to see him. He’s not a young man, and even with the finest potions in Varle, he can’t bounce back from this like one of you would. That said, he’s been up and about a few times as he deals with the leadership crisis here in Varle. I’ll let him know you’ve arrived once he wakes up. Perhaps you can expect a visit from him later.”
I twisted my mouth into a reluctant smile and nodded. “We understand. Headmaster Sleet needs to focus on recovery.”
Meridan smiled and patted my cheek before she did the same to Varleth. “You’re some of the good ones. Of course you understand.”
After that, Meridan led us back to Arwyn, who was in one of the adjoining lab rooms I hadn’t seen before. The red haired professor was bent over a table full of documents, and she scribbled furiously at the papers in front of her. She looked up when Meridan knocked on the doorframe.
Then Arwyn blinked and gasped before she smiled broadly and surged to her feet.
“I’m so happy you’re all back,” Arwyn told us as she came over to give us all hugs.
“We’re happy to be back,” Erin replied with a smile.
After I’d gotten my hug, Arwyn gripped me by the shoulders and held me back to examine me with a critical eye. “You don’t look beaten up, for once,” she joked. “This must mean the end of the world.”
The comment echoed what Gawain had said to me before he’d vanished, and I laughed nervously as it struck close to home.
I squeezed Arwyn’s shoulder. “I sure hope it isn’t.”
The healer smiled warmly back at me and brushed her flame-red hair behind one ear. “Just put those books on the table.”
Nia and I set down our stacks of books in the one clear spot left on the table. I glanced curiously at the covers, and I noticed all the titles were about law, political history, or other legal information.
“What are you working on?” Layla asked as she went over to look at the papers on the table.
Arwyn ran a weary hand along the back of her neck. “Not much. I’m just trying to figure out a way to put General Kenefick in charge without upsetting half of Mistral.”
“Well, the stakes sound pretty low,” Varleth replied
dryly.
Arwyn pushed her chair in. “Believe me, it isn’t complicated work. But I have to read so much legal jargon, it’s almost like they didn’t want anybody to understand it.”
Erin smiled wryly. “I’m pretty sure they write it that way on purpose.”
“I’m sure they do,” Arwyn huffed and let out a low laugh. “Now, you five need to tell me everything that’s happened. I don’t see Gawain with you, so I assume he’s still on the run with the ciphers?”
“Not all of them,” I said as I pointed to the bag slung across Cyra’s shoulder.
“Four ciphers and all the tomes,” Cyra reported. “Gawain ran off with the other two ciphers.”
“Thank Varleth’s speedy action we got any of them back at all,” I said.
Varleth rolled his eyes. “Sure, but I wouldn’t have been able to do anything without the incredible plan, summoning, or earth magic that grounded Gawain during the fight.”
“Technically, Almasy gets props for the earth magic,” Erin piped up.
“Alright,” Nia said in a clear voice that cut through the discussion instantly. “Now that Arwyn is here, can you please tell me what happened from the beginning?”
Since we were all properly cowed by Nia’s exasperation, we took turns describing the journey we’d taken on our hunt for Gawain. I covered the events with Sera using what I hoped was my most neutral, unafraid tone, but Nia and Arwyn seemed alarmed anyway.
“What do you mean, she’s still in your head?” Nia asked as her eyes flashed with righteous indignation. “She’s not getting your body or your mind. It simply won’t happen.”
When the ashen-haired mage said it with such conviction, I really had to agree. It sounded like Nia herself would personally beat the Archon out of my head if she had the chance.
She sounds like quite the formidable foe, Sera said slyly. Say, if you give me your body, she could get her opportunity to fight me.
Not a chance in hell, I thought back to the Archon.
“I can’t get her to leave,” I said in helpless frustration. “As far as I know, she’s just as stuck with me as I’m stuck with her.”
Can you be so sure? Sera purred. Maybe I’ll leave your head and try one of your little friends to see if they’re more accommodating.
