“Right now?”
“Yes, we leave after lunch. Now go.” He waved everyone out of the room.
I’m sure there should have been a thousand different thoughts running through my head, but all I could think of as I left Spats’ office was that I was finally going to see Red again. That is, until a more urgent thought took its place.
How in the name of Aldor was I going to break the news to Reevie?
“I guess this means we’ll be spending a lot more time together, Grey Eyes,” Sapphire said as we left Spats’ office and headed for the armory. The way she looked at me had somehow changed since the battle. She was uncomfortably close. I was glad we were friends, but the type of friend she seemed to want was more than I thought myself ready for. I was only thirteen. She was closer to fifteen. I’m not saying I didn’t think she was pretty. She was. Or that I wasn’t flattered by her attention. Who wouldn’t be? It’s just that it had barely been six months since I’d been banished from my home and had my whole life turned upside down. And even before then I’d never really been one to go for all that mushy stuff—not that I’d ever been given the opportunity. Romantic involvements of any kind before completing training was severely frowned on.
The armory was nearly as bare as when I had seen it last. Most of our weaponry hadn’t returned from the battle. Not that I was surprised. I don’t think a single member of this tribe had ever been trained to use a weapon. There hadn’t been any weapons to retrieve with the fallen. Avalanche had already picked them clean after the battle.
I gave the room a quick sweep, but saw nothing worth picking up, so I turned to leave.
“Aren’t you going to get a weapon?” Sapphire asked, playing with the end of her braid. “Walking into a Guild meeting without one is foolish. Each of the chiefs is bringing their biggest, toughest, meanest fighters with them.” She did her best to look down at me, which took some effort considering she was only a half-head taller. “If someone like you were to walk in there without a weapon, it might just give one of the other chief’s the push they need to attempt to put a quick end to us right there.”
“Trust me, I’m armed. Everything in here is just extra weight I don’t need.”
Sapphire took a step back and crossed her arms. She proceeded to scan me from head to toe, brow raised, taking a much longer time of it than necessary.
“Besides, isn’t there a rule against violence at the Guild meetings? It wouldn’t make much sense to attend a meeting if the other heads of the tribes could assassinate you right there.”
“There is,” she said, giving up on her attempt to determine what sort of weapon I had stashed away under my clothing. “But accidents have been known to happen.”
I stepped around her to leave but she grabbed my arm.
“I uh . . . I just wanted to say thanks.”
“For what?”
She didn’t look at me. Instead, she stared at the floor and poked a spot with the tip of her boot. “For what you did during the fight, for . . . coming for me.”
“That’s what friends do.”
She looked up. “We’re friends?”
“Why? You don’t want to be my friend?”
Her cheeks reddened. “I . . . don’t know. I suppose.”
“Are you sure? I remember you telling me something different the last time we spoke.” I rubbed my chin. “What was it? Something about it being safer to be alone, and that you couldn’t trust anyone but yourself.”
Sapphire humphed. “Well, if you’re an example of what friendship is then maybe I was right.” She strutted out the door without saying another word, making sure to playfully nudge my shoulder on the way by. I smiled, but I kept my back to her so she wouldn’t see. If I wasn’t careful, I was going to find myself enjoying her playful gestures. I took a moment to compose myself, then left the room and followed her down the hall.
Sapphire had almost made me forget about the conversation I was about to have with Reevie. I doubted it would be as enjoyable.
The closer we got to the kitchens the more hesitant I became, especially since everyone had noticed my new black vest. Hushed whispers followed us. I stopped outside the dining hall and looked for Reevie. He was at the back, spoon-feeding some of the wounded.
“I need to talk to Reevie.”
“I’ll save you a seat,” she said, walking over to get in line. “But hurry. We need to be ready whenever Spats decides to leave.”
I nodded and waited for another group of kids to enter before following them in. I wanted to get as close as I could before Reevie saw me. I was hoping to sneak up behind him and see how long it took for him to notice. He was so busy helping one of the amputees with their stew that he never saw me approach.
“It’s been a while since you fed me like that,” I said, hoping to put him in a good mood and soften the scolding I was sure to get when he saw what I was wearing.
Reevie started to turn. “If you miss it so much then go get your arm chopped–Black vomit!” he shouted when he saw my vest.
All noise in the room died. You could have heard a spoon drop, in fact, there were a few that did. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on us. When your healer starts hollering about black vomit in the middle of the dining hall, it tends to put everyone on edge.
“Sorry,” Reevie said, waving his hand in the air. “Misdiagnosis. Nothing to worry about. Go back to your eating.” He grabbed me by the arm and marched me out the back door and onto the covered the walkway that led to the sleeping quarters.
“What’s this?” Reevie said grabbing and tugging at my new outerwear. “I thought I told you to stay out of trouble; not jump in feet-first.” His eyes were bloodshot. I couldn’t tell if it was from the sudden outburst or the lack of sleep over the last week. “Now you’ve gone and done it! How are you going to get back to the granary now? You’re stuck here. You’re Spats’ little protector. You’ll be at his beck and call night and day from now–”
“Look,” I said, calmly, but still firm. “I didn’t have a choice. What was I going to do, leave everyone there to die?” I glanced around to make sure no one was close enough to listen. “Would you rather I had let them all get slaughtered?”
Reevie sighed. “I suppose not.” His words almost seemed forced.
“And what was I supposed to do when Spats handed me the vest and told me that he was going to do what no other chief had done and promote me without undergoing something called the Sor . . . Sor—”
“Soren Challenge.”
“Right, the Soren Challenge. What was I supposed to do, toss the vest back in his face and tell him that Reevie wouldn’t let me take it?”
Reevie nearly choked.
“What’s this Soren Challenge, anyway?”
“It’s a test of skill, bravery, and downright madness, if you ask me. You have to pass it to join the Guard. It’s one of the reasons so many of the other kids fear and respect the Guard. The fact that Spats is breaking with tradition and simply handing you your vest means there must have been more to that battle than what you told me.” He studied my face, looking for confirmation.
“Okay, I might have put up more of a fight than what I let on, but like I said, I didn’t have much of a choice.” Since we were already having such a pleasant conversation, I figured I might as well tell him the rest. “Oh, and Spats just picked me to escort him to a Guild meeting this afternoon.”
“He did what?” Reevie looked like he was about to punch me. His face had turned a nice shade of plum. “The Guild? Are you insane! Those meetings can be dangerous!”
“Which is why Spats said he wants me by his side when he goes. Don’t worry, it’s not like I’ll be going alone. Sapphire will be there.”
“Sapphire?” Reevie was having a hard time catching his breath. “Well, at least one of you will have a lick of common sense.” He opened the door. “You’ve either got the best–or worst–luck of anyone I’ve ever known. And don’t ask me which. I’ll let you know if you make it back from the G
uild in one piece.” Reevie shook his head and stepped inside.
I definitely couldn’t argue with that.
The growing silence between us did nothing to soothe my nerves as Sapphire and I accompanied Spats from the Temple to the Guild. It felt oddly strange to be clean again. I’d almost grown accustomed to the smell of my own body. Now it was the smell of mint and something else I couldn’t quite put my finger on that had me constantly sniffing. Spats wanted to make sure we were presentable for the meeting.
Like Sapphire, I was wearing my best outfit, which in my case was my only outfit. Spats, too, had dressed up for the occasion. The mostly-clean clothes and washed bodies helped us to blend in as we moved through the busy streets. We could have passed for a group of merchant’s children.
At the Temple, everyone was quick to get out of the Guard’s way, but not the good citizens of Aramoor. More often than not, we were the ones moving to avoid getting trampled.
It would have been a beautiful day for a stroll if my head hadn’t been pounding. Like my visions, it seemed to be warning me of what was coming. The further we wandered into the city the more anxious I became. Other than worrying about what would be expected of me when we got there, my only thought was that I was finally going to be standing in the same room as Red. I would once again have the opportunity to look my enemy in the eyes. Unfortunately, looking her in the eyes was the only thing I would be able to do. It wasn’t like I could attack a tribal chief right in the middle of the Guild assembly. Could I?
I took a deep breath to calm my nerves.
The warm breeze blowing in off the bay kept the clouds moving at a steady pace, casting fleeting shadows across the flowing tide of people around us. The shade, when it came, was appreciated. I could already feel sweat running down my back as we crossed one of the Tansian River’s many bridges. The heavy black vest pressing my shirt to my skin didn’t help.
I had been excited to find that my vest had a number of small straps sewn into the lining. Much like the pockets I had sewn on my jerkin, they let me keep my blade available and out of sight. I allowed myself to daydream about it making an appearance at the upcoming meeting, but I pushed the thought down. Attacking Red at the meeting would be foolish. I might have been banished, but I was still Upaka. I needed to be patient. I would wait until I was reasonably sure I could both hit my target and manage a safe escape just as I’d been trained to do.
No matter what humiliation I had suffered at Red’s hands, I couldn’t let that anger control me, even though right now, I felt some vindication was exactly what I needed.
A gust of wind blew several strands of hair into my eyes. I tucked them back behind my ear and cast a furtive glance at Sapphire. The sleeves of her white tunic were tied off halfway up her arms. She moved with determination, her stern gaze letting those around her know that she was not someone you wanted to mess with. It was clear why Spats had chosen her as his first. I had no idea what the duties of the Guard entailed, other than the obvious, protecting Spats. All I could do was follow along, since I had no idea where the Guild Hall was located.
The streets of Aramoor were laden with the sounds of commerce. Costermongers lined both sides of South Avis leading into the Merchant District. Their calls blended together into a single chorus of desperation as they worked to draw customers to their wares. Watching the vendors sell from their carts, I was reminded of Neelan the farmer and his wife and son. I wondered if they were here. I studied the faces of those we passed, hoping to catch a glimpse that never came.
There was a noticeable difference between the glamor of the Merchant District and the hovels found in Cheapside. The streets were cleaner. The buildings were of such grand design and magnitude that even the largest of the shops operating in the lower district would have fit into a single one of their cellars.
Carriages and carts moved slowly up and down the South Avis like boats on the Tansian River, transporting goods and passengers. The very air smelled of new leather, perfumed bodies, and fresh baked goods, a sharp contrast to the hard sweat, urine, and sour ale found in the lower regions.
Like King’s Way East and King’s Way West, North and South Avis ran from one end of Aramoor to the other. Both of these streets met at King’s Square at the center of the Merchant District. The square’s main feature was a large park.
Spats led us to one of the fountains inside the park. At its center was an enormous statue of a man on top a powerful steed. He wore an elaborate crown and held a sword overhead as if signaling a charge in battle.
“Is that the king?” I asked Sapphire, keeping my voice low so as not to sound ignorant to anyone nearby.
Sapphire nodded.
Spats pulled out a small pouch of coins. He dug through until he’d found a single copper piece. He lifted the coin to his lips, and then tossed it into the fountain.
“For luck,” Sapphire said when she saw the confused expression on my face. I wasn’t sure how kissing a piece of copper and tossing it into a pool of water was going to bring good luck, but we needed all the help we could get. In fact, if I had owned a copper piece myself, I might have been tempted to do the same.
The coin barely had time to hit the bottom before Spats was off again. We left the fountain and took the north trail out of the park. From there we followed King’s Way West which was crowded with carriages, horses, and pedestrians. The wonderful smell of roast pheasant and freshly baked bread coming from some of the nearby eateries set my stomach to grumbling again.
Once outside the main shopping district, we headed northeast. The buildings in this part of the city were even grander than those in King’s Square. Five in particular towered over the rest. They were round, like giant pillars, with a network of enclosed walkways stringing them together. I could only imagine something like that being built with magic.
Some of the walkways rose hundreds of feet in the air. Others were low enough for me to see the people walking through. Excited children pressed their faces to the glass and waved at the crowds below.
I hoped that the Guild Hall was in one of those five buildings, just for the chance to walk across one of the elevated walkways. And as if he’d heard my unspoken wish, Spats lead us across the road, dodging carriages as we went. I could barely contain my excitement when we entered the first building on the left. We were standing in an open foyer that rose all the way to the top. I couldn’t count the floors. It seemed to reach to the clouds. At the center was a circular stairwell filled with bodies, their heads bobbing up and down as they ascended and descended in an orderly fashion.
Both the floors and the walls were made of a soft grey marble with dark red veins that gently reflected the light from the windows above. All the pillars, railings, and archways were trimmed in gold-leaf. Life-size murals filled the empty spaces between windows, and long tapestries hung from each floor. In a way it reminded me of the Temple. While it didn’t have the delicate features and smooth curvature of the Temple’s architecture, it definitely had the rich coloring.
Spats and Sapphire had already started up the stairs before I realized I was still standing in the entrance, mouth open. I ran to catch up. More than one person cast a scrutinizing glare our way. Even wearing our best outfits, we still seemed to stick out. The looks didn’t seem to bother Spats or Sapphire and no one tried to stop us.
I found if I walked close to one of the women heading in the same direction that the stares ceased. No one seemed to care as long as we appeared to be chaperoned.
We climbed for what felt like hours. About halfway up, Spats finally exited the stairs and headed for one of the connecting walkways. My heart raced. Both he and Sapphire made it a few steps in before turning around to look at me. The expression on my face as I cautiously made my way out onto the covered bridge must have been what they were hoping for as they shared a satisfied grin.
“Bet you’ve never seen anything like this before,” Spats said in his high-pitched voice, which I was too overwhelmed to even find annoying. I wa
s standing on a walkway that was probably a hundred feet in the air and yet lacked any kind of truss or crossbeam support.
We paused long enough to look out one of the windows. Even though I’d had the fear of heights trained out of me, this was something totally different. I squashed the queasy feeling and told myself that people had been using these things for years and therefore they must be safe.
“Wizards built this over a thousand years ago,” Spats said, as if reading my thoughts.
A thousand years? He could have kept that little tidbit to himself. A thousand-year-old walkway . . . what could be safer? With all the fear and hate of magic and its uses, I was surprised these buildings were still allowed to stand–or be used.
Sapphire smiled and reached for my hand as we stared out the window at the ant-size people below. A tingling sensation flooded through me much the way my magic would when I called it forth. Suddenly, all those emotions of imagining myself plummeting to my death disappeared, and had me questioning whether all that mushy stuff wasn’t so bad after all. My hand felt hot and sweaty, but the thrill made it worth it.
“Come on,” Spats said as he pushed off from the glass and started across the walkway, “I don’t want to be late.”
Sapphire released my hand and we fell into place behind him, neither of us saying a word.
Once inside the next building, we took the stairs up two levels and started down another set of corridors. Each floor seemed to have its own color scheme. This particular hallway was lined by a thick woven runner of dark teal with gold tasseling. Even the decorative vases on the tables were teal and gold, complete with meticulous flower arrangements of the same colors.
The last two passageways were empty. Apart from our footsteps and the flickering hiss of the torches that lined the walls on either side, there was very little noise. Up ahead, I could see a small gathering outside a set of open double doors. There were two well-dressed boys, who looked more like young men by their size, talking off to the side. It was easy to spot them as being the heads of their tribes since each boy had two guards standing directly behind them, just far enough not to appear to be eavesdropping but close enough to react if the need arose. Spats lack of reaction let me know that neither of the two boys was Cutter.
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