Eliel had arrived at the meal building late. She grabbed her plate and got into line quickly, looking all around her. It took her a minute and a gentle prod from another student when she was holding up the line. But she spotted the little bitch she'd stoned. She was at a table with the other three girls that had been following her. Eliel took her meal and found a table near the main door where she could keep an eye on them.
Eliel kept her hair over her face and her shawl over her head so her hair wouldn't stand out. She needed to talk to that girl. Alone she hoped. She didn't want to get into a fight with them.
Eliel was in a true rage over what those Legionnaires had done to her. It was different for her when the young conscripts would come calling. It was business. “Take care of the Legion, and they'll take care of you,” She could hear her Mother's voice drilling the lesson into her.
She hadn't been so pissed about anything since she'd found poor Ira dead in her room; one of her customers had strangled her. She was fifteen when she'd found the woman cold and stiff with a look of terror frozen on her features. But her Mother's lessons held true. She remembered who had gone to her room with her, and the Legion was quick to respond.
That was different though; this was two Legionnaires that did it. She couldn't just go to a Legion tower by herself with the accusation, she needed this little bitch to go with her. If it was just her, they wouldn't take it seriously, and she was sure the two who had done it would likely find her and then she would be found. A victim of a robbery turned murder they would call it. She remembered her Mother's lessons well.
Two of the girls got up and left. The little blonde girl looked like hell now that she got a clear look at her. She had a bandage on her forehead, as well as over her nose. Eliel didn't feel one bit bad about the nose, she'd asked for that. But not the rest. That just left the tall girl.
That girl had hit her as hard as a young man in a bar had once. The bouncer didn't have a sense of humor about that kind of thing, unfortunately for him. Eliel smiled at the memory of kicking his teeth in while the bouncer held him for her.
The little blonde got up slowly, painfully. The tall girl helped steady her, and passed her a walking staff. Eliel's anger grew. She steadied herself slowly and began walking to the door with a whimper. The tall light brown haired girl held the door for the little blonde. When she passed through it, she went back to pick up their dishes.
Eliel bolted for the door quickly. She wasn't going to get another chance to talk to her alone. She caught up to her and said: “I'll go to the Legion tower with you to make the accusation. Those bastards need to fucking hang for what they did.”
The small girl snarled at her and screamed. “Fuck you, you fucking whore! If you tell anyone, I'll fucking kill you!”
Eliel was stunned. What the- she thought until the thought was cut short by arms wrapping around her neck and under one arm. Her arm was forced up, and she couldn't breathe at all. She reached for her pouch to grab her small knife. Then the tall girl dropped her weight, forcing her right arm away from her pouch putting her knee painfully into Eliel's right armpit.
“Listen to me whore, I'm only going to say this once: If you ever touch Tara again, I'll break your neck. I've been wrestling horses and men since I was eight years old, and I can do it, I promise you,” the tall girl said.
“I just wanted to talk to her,” Eliel croaked weakly; this was bad, she couldn't breathe. She was as scared as she had been in that alley.
Her grip loosened a bit letting Eliel get some sweet air. “You've done enough to her. More than enough. I wish those Legionnaires had held you for her so she could have beaten you bloody and fucked you with a cudgel like you did to her. Don't you ever talk to her or touch her again, got it?” She tightened her grip for emphasis.
Eliel squeaked out a “Yes,” and nodded as much as she could.
The tall girl dumped her on the ground, and Eliel laid there coughing until an Academy guard found her.
“Student, are you alright? What happened?” The woman asked, helping her up.
“I'm fine,” Eliel hacked. She couldn't blame the tall bitch for what she did with what Tara had told her. Eliel would have done the same if thought someone had hurt Thorel or Nigel like that. “I just swallowed wrong,” she hacked out.
“You're sure?” The woman looked at her suspiciously.
“Yeah, thanks.” Best to leave this lay. The only way to settle this would be to tell the guard everything that happened, starting with Tara's rape. Eliel hated her for lying to her friends, but she wouldn't do that to any woman, no matter what.
* * *
Ari sat in the Magikal dueling and tactics class finishing her notes. The bells had already tolled to signal the end of the day. Master Rema sat at his desk writing.
The only person who shared this class with her was Ricard Quarrel, Jacon Quarrel's only child. The dark long haired young man was two years older than she was. He had three spirits attached to him by chains. She had avoided speaking with him since she had started at the academy, due to the antagonistic nature of their families' relationship. But he had grown a great deal more hostile since her counter-attack on his House.
“Milady Dothranan,” he said quietly. “A word, please?” He had the audacity to place his tattooed hand on her desk. She noted specks of silver inlaid with the black ink: she had never been close enough to see that before.
“You are respectful today. Why is that?” Ari asked, not looking up from her notes.
“I just wanted to say that I do respect you now. My father has made it clear that I am to treat you with the respect due your station. You are a ruthless, cunning opponent. And beautiful,” he touched her hair with his hand.
Ari shot out of her chair so quickly it went a full yard and crashed into the desk behind it. She gathered her full power for a greater lightning strike while erecting her strongest barrier. Ricard brought up a barrier, and his hands lit on fire. He was obviously surprised by her reaction though, as evinced by his wide eyes.
“STUDENTS!” Master Rema yelled loudly from his desk. “This is not the place to practice the principles I have been teaching you! If you truly intend to do this, we will go to the roof!”
Ari watched Ricard closely. He watched her just as closely. Master Rema stood with his staff in hand and walked to them.
“You are wasting energy, apprentices. Return your power, or I will expel you both. NOW!” Master Rema commanded.
Ricard returned his power: Ari watched it flow away. Interestingly, the flame he had generated seemed to dissipate, not return. That meant he was using a talisman for that. Ari returned her power.
Rema nodded at them both. “Good. Now, why did you almost turn my classroom into a battlefield?”
“Master, I did nothing to precipitate this,” Ricard asserted.
The hell if you didn't. Ari thought but said: “He touched me in a familiar way, Master,” her breathing was heavy.
“How did he touch you, Milady?” Master Rema asked directly, touching them both with the truth seer.
“I only touched her hair, Master,” Ricard said sincerely.
“He was uncharacteristically friendly, Master. Then he touched me without my leave,” Ari said, bringing her breathing under control.
Rema's eyebrow raised questioningly. “Mr. Quarrel, I would suggest you consider the implications of your actions. Had you been outside my purview, she would have been well within her rights to punish you harshly for such a thing. Now go Apprentice, I would speak with the Great Lady privately.”
“Yes Master,” he said, then looked at her directly. “Great Lady Dothranan, I truly meant no disrespect. I simply forgot myself. Forgive me,” he bowed his head to her.
Ari didn't know what to make of that. It completely went against everything she had ever considered real about any Quarrel.
Ricard Quarrel gathered his things and left quickly. Rema recalled his power.
When he left, she asked: “Master, was he speaking
the truth?”
“To a point Milady. He did not forget himself, though,” Rema said firmly watching the path Ricard had walked.
He touched me intentionally then. Bastard. Ari thought. “I will make him pay for that.”
Rema smiled sadly. “Milady, forgive me for saying this, but you are a very beautiful woman. He is a young man. I believe his desires simply overcame his good sense. I doubt he will forget this lesson though.”
“I could have taught him a lot better if you hadn't interfered, Master,” Ari spat out venomously.
“I have no doubt of that, Milady. He is an excellent student, but he doesn't have your talent, power or insight,” Rema said with a smile.
“What do you mean, Master?” Ari asked. She was genuinely curious about Master Rema's perceptions of her.
Master Rema went back to his desk and set his staff down. “Milady Dothranan, at the risk of sounding like a sycophant, I dare say you are the most talented student I have ever taught. Your insights are amazing.”
Ari was surprised to hear this. Rema was the man who would constantly challenge any idea she had that wasn't written and proven by a previous study. “Master, I thought you hated my constantly questioning established paradigm. You have always gone out of your way to prove me wrong.”
He smiled behind his neat beard. “Is that how you saw it, Milady? I guess this is why I would have never done well in politics. The truth is you have an amazing mind, much like Council Master Osium's. Always questioning, searching for new truths. I challenged your ideas in order to make you think further, to force you to find the facts that will prove or disprove your ideas.”
Ari smiled thoughtfully. “Thank you Master, I had not considered that.”
“I'm glad I shared this with you then, Milady,” Rema smiled back.
* * *
Thorel was beginning to feel that working his mind all day was more tiring than doing his chores at home. He just finished his last class of the day, which was his etiquette class.
He likely wouldn't be this tired if he had his weekends off, the way most students did. But he had stayed with Ari in her study until past the twenty-second hour. She had taught him how to change which spirit he drew upon, as well as how to test his food and drink for toxins.
Ari also told him that she believed that his sight age was likely five, and not six due to the amount of power he required for various tasks. “I didn't see a spirit until I was six though,” Thorel had said. “It is likely that there were no spirits to see,” she had replied.
Thorel had been surprised by this. In his Basic Magikal Principles class, he had learned that many of the most noted Wizards throughout history had a sight age of five.
Thorel walked out of the classroom with Martin at his side. He was enjoying the man's company. He was an intelligent, well-mannered companion who he could discuss his Magikal studies with.
“Do you want to come to my house? My friends will be there, I'd like to introduce you to them,” Thorel asked.
“I'd like to. But my father is strict. He'd likely send out the Legion to search for me if I was late coming home,” he said with a laugh.
Thorel had no idea his father was such a strict man; this was the first time he had mentioned it. “Maybe I could come to your home and visit sometime then.”
“I'd like that. If I speak with my father, I may be able to stay out late some night,” Martin said.
“Well, I hope you can,” Thorel said sincerely.
Martin smiled. “I'll find out. But for today, I'd best be off. See you tomorrow, Thorel.”
Thorel took the man's hand firmly and smiled; “Until then.”
Thorel continued to the house. Nigel and Eliel were waiting outside. Nigel had a rather large bruise over his right eye, looking like a purple egg coming out of his head. Eliel's hair was over her face for some reason. They both looked happy to see him though.
“Nigel! What in the world happened to you, man?” Thorel asked.
“I had an argument with a sidewalk, and lost,” He laughed. “I don't even remember it. I can say I won't be tryin' to keep up with our championship drinker again though.”
Behind her hair, Eliel smiled at that. “Good idea, little man,” her voice was scratchy for some reason.
“All I know is that I won't be trying to keep up with either one of you!” Thorel said with a hearty laugh. Nigel and Eliel joined in with his laughter until Eliel started coughing.
The guardswoman at the door nodded and said “Welcome back, sir.”
“Thank you ma'am,” He replied. He opened the door and went in. Sergeant Greer and the maid greeted them. Thorel returned their greetings with a smile.
The three of them walked upstairs to the third-floor landing. Thorel put his bag in his bedroom on a chair and came out leaving the door open. He saw Nigel in the sitting area putting wineglasses on the table and uncorking a bottle.
“I'll have a glass, but we're not getting drunk,” Thorel said eyeing Nigel.
Nigel laughed. “I don't feel much like getting drunk either. I don't even remember getting home on Saturday.”
“Wow, you were that drunk?” Thorel asked, surprised.
Eliel smiled behind her hair. “Little man was so drunk that he mistook the bouncer for a woman!” She laughed.
Thorel smiled and wondered why Eliel covered her face with her hair today. She hadn't done that before. Then he remembered. “I went looking for the two of you on Saturday. I went to several taverns, but I couldn't find you. I don't know where your parents' house is either,” Thorel took a sip from the glass Nigel had poured for him.
“My house? It's on West Main about a mile east of Corina Manor. Rik's Bakes and Treats. We live upstairs,” Nigel said proudly.
“Rik's Bakes and Treats,” Thorel repeated quietly. “I won't forget.”
“We didn't get there until after the twenty-fourth hour that night, so you likely wouldn't have found us anyway,” Eliel said.
“So how was your weekend?” Nigel asked.
“My weekend... was crazy. So much happened I don't know where to start,” Thorel shook his head.
“Like what?” Nigel asked.
Thorel's brow wrinkled in thought. “I almost killed a man. I saw a woman hung. I wandered aimlessly searching for the two of you. I bought slaves for the Mistress; she nearly castrated a rapist right in front of me, then Ari taught me more about Magik.”
Nigel and Eliel's eyes said it all. In unison, they took a drink of their wine.
Eliel spoke first. “I'd have liked it better if she had castrated the bastard.”
Nigel and Thorel cringed at that.
“He'd already been made a slave by the Crown Lady for his crime, Eliel. Isn't that enough?” Thorel asked.
“Nope,” she said firmly, draining her glass.
“Don't piss her off if she becomes a noble!” Nigel said with a grin.
“Ha! Like that could ever happen!” Eliel said refilling her glass.
Thorel smiled and shook his head.
“Who was hung?” Nigel asked, the humor passing from his eyes.
“You remember the feast we went to with the Mistress? It was the woman who planted the detonation stones that killed the friends and family of the people there,” Thorel said grimly.
“Good. I'm glad they caught her,” Nigel said with a serious nod.
“Me too,” Thorel said quietly, keeping his feelings about the execution to himself.
“Why are you hiding your pretty face?” Thorel asked Eliel.
“I don't know. She won't tell me,” Nigel said eyeing Eliel with concern.
“Little man, you're great company, and I owe you a lot but could you go away just for once?” Eliel asked.
“What?” Nigel looked at her with pain and confusion in his eyes. Understanding dawned when he looked at Thorel. “Right!” He stood and drained his glass.
“You don't have to go,” Thorel caught his arm.
“Being a friend isn't always abo
ut being there. Sometimes it's knowing when to go away too. I'll see you later,” Nigel gripped Thorel's arm firmly.
“See you later,” Thorel smiled, slightly confused.
Eliel drained the wine bottle into her glass, filling it only partially. She went to the wine rack and retrieved a fresh bottle. She finished filling her glass looking at Thorel.
“Come on, I don't want people listening in,” with the bottle and glass in one hand, she took Thorel's hand in hers and led him to his room.
Thorel picked up his glass and followed. He pushed the door when he passed through it; it didn't quite close all the way, but it was enough where maids coming to clear the sitting room wouldn't overhear them.
Eliel sat on his bed, placing the wine bottle on the stand next to it. She took a drink of her wine and looked at him. “The girl I stoned and her friends caught up with me on Saturday night.”
“Are you alright?” Thorel asked with concern. She didn't look like she had been beaten to him, but the way she was acting was telling: hiding behind her hair, and she wasn't hanging on to him like usual. It was strange for him to admit, but he found he missed that.
“Mostly. They didn't get a chance to do much, but they damn near scared the life out of me,” Eliel shivered when she said it.
Thorel put his glass down beside the bottle and sat beside her. “What did they do?” He asked.
Eliel took a deep drink of her wine. “I was walking Nigel... he was so drunk he was passing out while walking,” she stood and took another drink. “Then three of them grabbed me, one of them had a towel or something she held over my mouth. I couldn't even scream.”
Thorel's anger swelled, but he pushed it aside with effort. What was done, was done. “What happened then?”
“They took me to an alley. The little bitch I stoned was there, waiting for me,” Eliel's hand shook, and she drained her glass. She refilled it before she continued. “She pulled out a knife and started cutting my face up!” Eliel sobbed and pulled her hair aside, revealing the partial design that had been carved into her forehead.
Thorel stood and went to her. He put his arms around her. He didn't know what else to do. Eliel sobbed into his chest uncontrollably. They just stood there for a time.
Spirit of Magik (The Dothranan Chronicles Book 1) Page 25
