by B. T. Narro
I felt like this scroll had given me my first real lesson in sorcery. I longed to speak to the author. He sounded like a much better instructor than Leon. Why couldn’t the king have found someone like the author of this scroll to instruct us?
I stopped myself right there. This kind of thinking was a magnet for negativity. It was important to be grateful for what I had, not to long for what I didn’t have. I was lucky to be here, and I did appreciate Leon for what he could do for us. How could I not when he was suffering through the effects of dteria just to help us train? Perhaps I hadn’t given him enough credit until now.
I checked on everyone in the courtyard. They were gone. There was still plenty of daylight left. Could they have gone to supper early?
I wished I had more time to at least attempt Heal a few times now that I could reliably change my mana into the note of F. It would still be hours, most likely, before I could even cast the spell one time effectively. Maybe I could practice after I ate if I hurried.
I put on one of my new woolen shirts with long sleeves, amazed it did not itch. I really enjoyed living in a city where I could purchase quality clothing like this. Our weekly stipend was coming tomorrow. Even though I didn’t think I needed anymore clothing right now, it sure would be good to have more money.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Leon started shouting at me as soon as I walked into the dining hall. “Jon! Get over here.”
I figured he would calm down after an explanation. I left the last plate on the table near the door for now and jogged over to him as he sat alone in his usual, sad corner.
“The hell were you?”
“I’m sorry. I went—”
“Are you actually sorry?”
I thought for a moment. “No.”
“Then don’t apologize. Tell me like a man. Are you chasing the king’s daughter around the castle?”
“No! Oh god, no!” I was horrified Leon had assumed this. Did that mean others assumed it as well?
“So you realize how inappropriate that would be?”
“Yes, a thousand times yes.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that. Because everybody saw her coming out of the apartments, twice. I know you were in there.”
“I wasn’t trying to hide where I was.”
“Then what the hell were you doing?”
“I should’ve asked first, and for that I am actually sorry. I ate lunch quickly to give myself time to practice the healing spell you used, but I got a little too—”
“Ohhh,” he interrupted. “All right, I understand.”
“You don’t need me to explain?”
He stuffed his mouth as he answered. “I know you, Jon. You don’t need to explain when you’re working on a new spell. Just tell me beforehand next time.”
“Thank you.”
“And eat quickly,” he said as I was leaving. “We’re going to spend the night in the forest. We have to arrive before sundown.”
“Did Aliana request that?”
“What?”
“Never mind.” I guessed it was a coincidence that she’d mentioned going into the forest earlier.
I grabbed my plate and sat beside Michael. It seemed that we each had our own spots now, with Charlie across from me and Reuben beside him. I was glad for it. I appreciated routine. It helped me focus on the things that actually mattered.
Michael bombarded me with questions about where I was and what I was doing with the princess. I gave him the same answers I had Leon, with the same horror about his assumptions. Next time I would be very clear beforehand that I was going to my room to practice.
“How close are you to being able to heal me…if I fall down and hurt meself?” Michael asked, his tone imitating a toddler.
“I think I should be able to tomorrow if the forest will help me progress as much as it did the last time I was there.”
“The last time you went so deep you almost got yourself killed,” he retorted. “I wouldn’t expect us to be walking that far.”
“You never know with Leon.”
“True,” Michael answered.
“But I’m glad he’s putting so much effort into this now. I don’t think many other instructors would poison themselves with dteria just to help us learn to resist.”
Charlie seemed stunned as he looked up from his plate at me. “You’re right! Does that mean Leon is actually a good instructor?”
“No. It’s the least he can do,” Reuben replied. “After nearly starting a war with the krepps.”
“You’ve got a point,” Michael agreed.
“Do you know where the king went?” I asked Reuben. Just the princess and the queen were at the royal table, the king’s empty seat between them.
“The king’s business is not yours,” Reuben lectured me.
“It is if he could be in danger,” I replied. “Remember the contract.”
“I wouldn’t forget something like that.” Reuben sounded insulted.
“I’ll take that to mean you don’t know where the king is.”
“Here’s an idea.” He folded his arms and leaned on the table. “Why don’t you go over to the queen and ask her where he is? Or better yet, ask the princess. You’ve been spending an inappropriate amount of time with her already. A little question isn’t going to make it worse.”
“All right, I got the point,” I said, not wanting to argue.
Hell, did everyone think I had been spending an inappropriate amount of time with the princess? Perhaps I would be better off telling her to leave me alone the next time she showed up at my room, but I wasn’t sure I had the stomach for that.
“What…?” Michael noticed something toward the entrance to the dining hall.
One of the guards who usually stood outside the castle was walking over to speak with Leon. He handed Leon something, possibly a letter, and said a few words. We were too far away to hear.
Leon looked at the letter for just a moment before he bolted out of his chair.
“That’s not good,” Michael said.
Leon started toward our table near the center of the dining hall.
“Better finish up quickly,” Michael advised. “Looks like something’s about to happen.”
But I lost my appetite as I saw Leon’s expression. I wasn’t sure I had ever seen him this worried, even after I had returned from the forest with blood on my clothes.
“Ladies, bring your food over here,” Leon said, “and hurry up about it.”
The girls picked up their plates and moved down to us.
“Eat while I talk. There isn’t a lot of time,” Leon said. “I have to figure out which of you I’m going to send to Koluk.”
Everyone suddenly looked down at their plates, hoping not to be noticed.
My father had told me a little about Koluk. It was a haven for criminals. There was no wall around the city, and it was close to the northern side of Curdith Forest. A murderer could flee from another town and hide in Koluk for years.
“What’s going on?” Reuben asked.
Leon shook the small note in his hand. “A friend needs help.”
“You have a friend?” Michael teased.
“Shut up. I don’t imagine any of you city daisies know how to ride a horse except Reuben and Kataleya. Am I right?” He seemed to be asking Kataleya.
“I do,” she said.
“So do I,” Reuben confirmed.
“Who else?”
I sighed. “I do as well.”
Many people ate with their heads down. Leon waited for others to answer. I figured they all had too much honor to withhold the truth about something that seemed important. Still, I was a little surprised that so few of my peers knew how to ride a horse.
They had all grown up in Newhaven, I reminded myself. There was no need for them to learn. But more than that, many of them never had the money for a horse.
“Yes, this might work with just the three of you, if Jon’s going,” Leon said.
I could feel Reube
n’s jealousy as he scoffed.
“Have any of you been to Koluk before?” Leon asked.
“Once,” Kataleya said.
“When? Would you be recognized by anyone if you go at night?”
“It was a few years ago. I don’t think I would be.”
“This will work after all.” Leon sounded a little relieved. “All the three of you have to do is find a way into the city without being seen. Wanted men do it all the time. It isn’t hard. Leave your horses in the forest when you’re close and walk the rest of the way. Go to the Groovewater Tavern. You know where it is, Kataleya?”
She gave a nervous laugh as if overwhelmed. “I don’t have a clue!”
Leon groaned. “I will draw you a map before you leave.”
“Aren’t you coming with us?” Reuben asked.
“No, I might be recognized.”
“What’s the harm in that?” Reuben asked. “You haven’t explained anything.”
Leon made a fist in his hair and pulled. “This dteria is messing everything up. What have I said so far?”
“Just to go to Groovewater Tavern without being seen,” I reiterated. “Why are we going?”
“There is a woman there who needs our help. She has been fighting against corruption in Koluk for many years because the lord of the city is useless. More than useless. He’s probably working against us. Cason Clay is the man really in charge, a dteria spreader who has come out of hiding because he’s no longer scared of capture. Most guards in Koluk just watch over the people in the most cursory ways, like arresting obvious criminals to keep some semblance of peace, or putting on a show of searching for others. They take coin from wherever they can get it, sometimes from innocent people. Other times they’re expected to be paid by the citizens for a service. Some have retired, while others have quietly joined Cason. There aren’t many others.”
I wondered why the king hadn’t done anything about this. It couldn’t be that he didn’t care. It seemed more likely that there wasn’t much he could do. It wasn’t like he could burn the city to the ground, but didn’t he have troops to take control of this city? Perhaps he did, but it would fall into anarchy afterward. No matter what the answer was, it seemed like a difficult place for the people who lived there.
“This shouldn’t be dangerous,” Leon said. “I trust that my friend wouldn’t invite you into a situation where you’re likely to get caught. Just don’t be stupid about it.”
“What would happen if we were caught?” Reuben asked.
“If Cason’s men find out you’re trying to aid someone who’s spying on him, then you’re likely to be tortured.”
“What?” Reuben stopped eating. He looked around as if hoping someone else would speak up, but we all waited for him to continue. “Shouldn’t you send word to the king about this before we commit to anything?”
Leon’s lips went white as he pressed them together. “I will leave a message for when the king returns. He will know where all of you are going and what you’ll be doing. I’m taking the rest of you into the forest. We are still going to spend the night there. All of us will meet back here in the morning.”
“I think I should stay in the castle,” Charlie said. “I’ve already mastered mtalia. Time in the forest will do me no good.”
“You can remain here, Spayker.”
Kataleya asked, “Why was a letter delivered from your friend if she needs our help? Why didn’t she just come here?”
“Kataleya, I expect more from you. She obviously cannot come herself because she’s involved in something.”
Kataleya’s mouth twisted. “I don’t know how I’m expected to know that. You still haven’t told us much.”
“Because I keep getting interrupted!”
Kataleya looked as if she was holding in words.
Leon put down his head and shook it. “Forgive me. The dteria…” He had a breath. “All I can think about is throwing this damn table across the room. What questions do you have?”
I asked, “What does your friend look like so we can find her?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen Jennava in a long time. Just go to the basement of the Groovewater Tavern. She will be hidden somewhere in the cellar throughout the night. The time you arrive doesn’t matter, but try to be there just after nightfall. The passcode is ‘white willow.’ Say it once you are there and she will show herself. I have no way of getting a message back to her. Apparently, a dirty child was the one who delivered the letter to one of the guards outside. I imagine Jennava and a few others are probably on someone’s list and could only send an unsuspected boy. Bring your swords, conceal them in a cloak. Kataleya, you’re taking a dagger, but none of you should be seen on the street with visible weapons, not in Newhaven or Koluk.”
Leon held his hand over his forehead as if he had a sharp pain there. “What else? Oh, try to convince her to return with you. We want her here, trust me. Go get ready to leave. If I think of something else, I’ll tell you.”
“The map,” Kataleya said as we stood.
“Right.” Leon rushed over to the royal table, most likely to request parchment and ink.
Everyone stood. There was still food on many plates.
“I guess we’ll see all of you tomorrow,” I said.
It was a tense goodbye as many of us shared looks and a few words. I really hoped Leon was right that this wasn’t a dangerous task.
I went back to the apartments with Kataleya and Reuben.
“I really don’t know Koluk very well,” Kataleya said as we walked. “The map needs to be clear or we’ll never find the tavern.”
A strong gust of wind caused all of us to hunch our shoulders. Gray clouds hovered ominously in the sky.
We each went to our own rooms to don our cloaks, and Reuben and I our swords. Soon we were meeting back in the hall.
“How well do you know how to ride?” Reuben asked me. He seemed more worried than trying to insinuate anything.
“Very well,” I told him.
“Good.”
We met Leon in the courtyard. He handed Kataleya a paper. I looked over her shoulder as Leon explained how to get to the tavern. It was close to the southeastern side of the city, the direction we would be coming from, surely planned by this woman to make it easier for us to arrive safely. All in all, it didn’t seem too dangerous. We were just sneaking into a city that was easy to sneak into and speaking with a woman. It was what happened afterward that might prove risky.
“Don’t do anything stupid,” Leon repeated when it was time to leave. “Just listen to what Jennava tells you, and do it. I would trust her with my life, so you can too. Three horses are waiting for you outside the castle. If a decision needs to be made, Jon you’re in charge.”
“Why him?” Reuben asked.
“Because unlike you, he’ll actually listen to other opinions.”
Reuben didn’t argue against that.
Leon handed Kataleya a dagger.
“I have nowhere to put it,” she said nervously.
As he took off his belt, Leon grumbled something about how Kataleya really should’ve purchased a holster earlier. “Let’s hope this fits you.” He took the dagger back from her hand so she would have both free.
Kataleya secured Leon’s belt around her narrow waist using the last punch hole. There was a small sheath for the dagger on her left hip.
“Shouldn’t it be on the other side?” she asked as she gestured at it.
“You reach across and pull out the dagger by the handle. That way it will be in your right hand at the correct angle. Airinold’s taint, you’ve never even used a dagger before?”
She shook her head.
“Tell me you can at least cast Fire? It’s only one note lower at the third.”
“I know,” Kataleya said. “But I haven’t practiced it.”
“God, all right.” He crouched down a little to meet her eye level. “Just…” He couldn’t seem to find the right words. “Just stay back if something
happens.”
“I can fight,” she said proudly.
“You just said you can’t.”
“With Water.”
He straightened his back. “We’re practicing Fire as soon as you get back.”
Kataleya didn’t appear pleased about that.
*****
There was maybe an hour of daylight left by the time we were trotting through Newhaven. Any three people going through the capital on horseback would draw many looks, but it seemed to be especially true for the three of us. I assumed because of our ages.
I let Reuben take the lead. I was still learning my way around the city. This would be the first time I’d left Newhaven since arriving about a week ago. It was just starting to feel like my home.
I was warm enough in my cloak, but I was stronger than most men. Reuben was tall as well, with some girth to his arms and body. Kataleya was much smaller, her shoulders hunched.
By the time Newhaven’s wall was behind us, Kataleya looked as if she was holding back shivers. Her wavy blonde hair was tied in a tail behind her. I tried to get a read on her emotions, wondering how much I might need to assist her if a fight did break out.
She caught me staring and lifted her eyebrows at me. I thought of a question that had been bugging me a little.
“Isn’t it strange that Leon said he hasn’t seen this woman in so long that he can’t even describe her anymore?”
“Very,” she said.
“I mean how old can Leon be?” I wondered.
Reuben was riding ahead of us. He looked back. “He’s probably been blessed with life. You should be, too. You don’t even know it, do you?”
In the back of my mind, I had wondered about that many times after Leon and Barrett had tested my range of mana. They’d claimed that I was stronger and didn’t have to eat as much because of my natural affinity with uF. Barrett had even said that I may live longer. Leon had replied that it was a curse. I might’ve been engrossed in finding out more if Barrett hadn’t said there was little science behind it.
“You’re talking about the effects of uF on me,” I said to Reuben.
