by B. T. Narro
Leo was speechless. He didn’t know how much it cost exactly, but it was probably more than the inns in southern Jatn, which were around five copper for just a room to sleep in. Here, Leo would require not just a room but a bath and a meal. It would probably be a few silver, judging by the fanciness of the place.
“That’s kind of you, Edward,” Andar said. “But we have enough. Our father left us a good amount of coin before he disappeared.”
They had told Edward and Jaimy of Darren and his work at the Digging Guild. He had been part of the team who had discovered the Tisary. Edward and Jaimy didn’t know of the extra coin paid to their father for this discovery, and Leo felt better keeping it that way. But it seemed that Andar had grown to trust them well enough to mention it.
“He was paid a bonus for the Tisary discovery,” Andar said. “Of course my brother and I would trade it all to see him again, but at least it helps.”
◆◆◆
Leo slept very well that night. He awoke clean and not even hungry for breakfast because of how much he’d eaten last night, though he enjoyed his poached eggs and buttered bread nonetheless. Soon he was in the wagon again, watching the stone walls of Halin shrink away.
The capital was the same distance from Halin as Jatn was from Halin, which meant they had another ten long days ahead of them. Leo tried to sleep through much of the boredom, but then he would stay awake at night. The four of them chatted, but there were only so many stories they could tell. Leo had recited the tales of all the books he remembered reading with Rygen. He’d even talked about her in depth, expressing his worries. Everyone assured him she seemed as though she would be well. He knew she would survive, of course, but he did not think she would be “well.”
On the eighteenth day, they traversed over the last hills that blocked their view of the Orello castle that sat below the northern mountains bordering the continent. Leo stared at the castle as they got closer, but it just looked like a gray blur.
It wasn’t until the day after that he was finally close enough to see it in detail. It was so large and sturdy that Leo imagined it could never be attacked, even by an army of thousands. What could they do against such enormous walls and towers? But when he asked Andar, it was Edward’s answer that surprised him.
“There are weapons,” Edward said. “Siege weapons,” he specified. “They can knock down the castle’s walls.”
Leo had not read anything about them. His brother seemed curious as well as he peered at Edward.
“There are catapults, ballistas, battering rams, and more.”
“Ballistae,” Jaimy said.
“What?” asked Edward.
“It’s not ‘ballistas.’ It’s ‘ballistae’ for plural.”
Edward made an annoyed face. “I say that’s doltish. Why not simply add an ‘s’ at the end?”
“I don’t know, but my tutor taught me that.”
Edward went on to describe each of the siege weapons. Then he explained that many of the castles had their own weapons to attack groups of enemies at once and even damage enemy siege weapons.
“Gods,” Leo muttered as he imagined the carnage. “Has any such battle occurred?”
“Not since the Orellos came to power. The battles since then have all been on the field, without the use of siege weapons.”
“And all were the king’s army against rebels,” Jaimy added.
“Don’t forget there have been many quarrels with barbarians,” Edward said.
“Oh, I wasn’t counting them. They have been too small.”
“Yes, I agree.”
As they fell silent again, Leo pictured a great battle around the castle. The road brought them in an arc away from the castle. By the end of the day, it had disappeared behind the hills. They would reach the capital tomorrow.
In the morning, Leo asked if Edward and Jaimy could tell him everything they knew about the capital again.
“You don’t remember?” Edward asked.
“I just want to hear about the training grounds once more,” Leo specified.
“They’re well known for being extravagant,” Edward said without the same enthusiasm as the first time he’d spoken about them. “Only mages with the king’s army are allowed to use them.”
“And that’s where we’ll be tested?”
“I don’t know.”
The driver surprised Leo by speaking up. “Yes, the training grounds are where I’m taking all of you.”
Edward rushed forward and put his knees on Andar and Leo’s bench. “Are they quite extravagant like we’ve heard?”
“Quite, now sit back. I don’t want you falling and hurting yourself when we’re so close.”
“We are?” Edward asked.
“Just after this hill, young sir. Sit back.”
“What else can you tell us about the training grounds?” Andar asked as Edward retook his seat.
“Eh, I’m driving. I don’t want to be chatting.”
“At least give us something else,” Andar urged.
But the driver didn’t speak again.
Leo turned with his brother to watch as the horse pulled them up the long hill. It wasn’t steep, but the poor animal seemed tired as it huffed and neighed. At times, Leo had forgotten that a single creature had pulled them nearly all the way to the capital. How marvelous it was not having to walk all this way, but now his feet were calling to be used. He shook his legs a bit to ready his muscles.
They came to the top of the hill. The capital didn’t look as interesting as Halin from afar because there was no wall surrounding the city. He’d heard from Edward that the king’s army held power over all the guilds here, but there still had to be some powerful ones like the Farmers’ Guild in Jatn, Leo figured. When he’d asked about it, however, Edward and Jaimy didn’t know.
There were many buildings, but only a few stood out because of their size. The tall ones were deeper in. It looked just like northern Jatn from afar.
Once they entered the city in their wagon, Leo studied the people. There was something about them that made them seem different from those in Jatn and Halin, though they looked the same. Leo couldn’t figure out what it was.
His brother answered his unspoken question. “No one’s looking at us.”
“Yes, but why?” Edward asked no one in particular.
“Keep quiet for now, young sirs and madam,” the driver turned to tell them in a hushed voice. “Don’t want to draw too much attention.”
That puzzled Leo. He watched the people carrying baskets or rolling barrels down the road. Most seemed to be focused on their tasks. Leo observed none standing leisurely for a chat or walking slowly as if without a destination. He did see some people looking out from their second-story windows. But as soon as Leo met gazes with any of them, they closed their shutters.
The wagon went through the city drawing no one’s attention until a man in uniform stepped in front of it. He had stripes across his chest, marking him as someone with power, most likely.
With the horse coming to a stop, the army official walked over to the driver’s side. He held a scowl. “Who are you?” he asked.
The driver handed over some papers. Leo assumed the man’s identity and possibly his task were written on them.
The army man read over them, then glanced up at Leo and the others with a disapproving look.
The man pointed at Leo. “That boy is certainly not fourteen.”
“He’s ten and a half, sir,” answered the driver. “But he was approved by the recruitment officer in Jatn.”
“Jatn.” The army man scoffed. “A city of thieves, cheats, and rebels.” He approached Leo. “Let me see your papers.”
Leo handed them over, content not to speak if he didn’t have to.
“Leo Litxer…” The man read and seemed to be done a moment later as he looked up, but he would not hand Leo back his papers. “What do you have skill with? Artistry?”
“Yes sir.”
“Prove it.”
“Quiet. Let me see him prove it.”
Leo thought twice against linking this man’s feet together. Instead, he concentrated for a moment and connected his papers in the army man’s hands with Andar’s papers. His brother had them out as if ready to hand them over.
“I’ve linked the papers.” Leo gestured at them.
The official made a twisted face of anger. “If you’re lying, I might believe you are a rebel attempting to gain access to the army’s training center.”
Leo’s nerves almost made him lose the connection, but he held firm. “I’m not lying.”
“Right.” But the guard was shocked as he moved Leo’s papers to the side and Andar’s papers lifted up off his hands. They floated in the air. Leo knew that to anyone else, it might’ve looked like a trick. But Leo could almost see the tube of Artistry holding them together as he concentrated to ensure it would not break.
“You’re not doing this,” the guard said with some doubt. He moved Leo’s papers around, and Andar’s mimicked the movement through the air. “It must be one of the others on the cart.”
“It’s only my brother,” Andar confirmed. “He shocked the recruitment officer in the same way. Can we please pass now?”
“I’m not finished with you.” The guard still wouldn’t give Leo back his papers. “Tell me boy, why are you here?”
“To join the army,” Leo said.
“And why do you wish to do that?”
Confused, Leo asked him, “Are you the test giver who decides who joins?”
The man took two sharp breaths as he muttered something. “I’m Aaron Elm, the director of the city perseverance!” Leo didn’t know what this meant, but Aaron certainly made it sound important. “You speak of Farns, the trainer. All he does is decide who has enough skill to be trained as a mage. He is a fool who would be out of work if it were up to me. He trained many mages who went on to leave the army and eventually became rebels.”
Leo’s heart trilled as he wondered if Aaron might be on to them.
“And while Farns was training rebels,” Aaron continued, “I caught hundreds of them. You will answer my questions, or you can refuse. But only rebels refuse to answer.” He stood close to Leo’s face. “Why do you want to join the army?”
Fortunately, he had much practice speaking about this with the others on the way here.
“I was poor in Jatn. My family owned nothing but a few clothes. My mother died when I was too young to remember her, and my father was killed recently, I think. We are still waiting for news of his body.”
Leo expected these words to soften the scowl on Aaron’s face, but they did nothing.
“I wish to join the army because I wish for a better life,” Leo said. “My brother taught me how to feel Artistry. We’ve learned how to use it together, but we don’t have time to practice, and we don’t have coin to pay for a trainer. We’ve seen death because of rebels in Jatn. The city would’ve been better off if they had never come.” His stomach soured at saying the words, but the next part was true. “I want to become an Ascendant to bring peace to the other cities. I want to find everyone who wishes to fight and stop them before more die.”
“I’ll find out if that’s true or not eventually.” Aaron shoved Leo’s papers into his hands, not seeming to care that it made Andar’s papers move also. Andar reached up and grabbed his, and Leo broke the link. Aaron pointed at the other three. “I will find out the truth about all of you if you hope to rebel.”
The driver got the horse going again as soon as Aaron turned away.
“Why is he like that?” Andar asked the driver.
“Don’t know” was all the man said.
Edward got up and leaned against the divider to ask the driver, “Have you met him before?”
“Yes, plenty of times.”
“Has he ever taken anyone away before they reached the test giver?”
“Aye, plenty of times.”
A moment of shock passed.
“What happens to them?” Andar asked.
“Don’t know. Don’t see them again.”
Angrily, Andar said, “Why didn’t you warn us about him!”
“Keep your voice down and I’ll tell you, but you mustn’t speak of this anymore, all right, young sir?”
“All right.”
“I can’t say anything to warn the mages in training like yourselves because Aaron might find out and think me to be a rebel protector.”
“That’s absurd,” Andar commented.
The driver threw one hand into the air. “Nothing I can do about that. How he catches rebels is not my business. I’m loyal to the army and won’t do anything to change that.”
“Yeah, loyal to the pay,” Andar whispered to the others. They muffled laughter.
Leo noticed again how everyone tended to their own business. He imagined they had all seen Aaron, or perhaps others like Aaron, dragging off innocent people because of a suspicion. Leo wondered what horrible things were done to them. Everyone knew the king’s army tortured. It was their method of torturing that remained in rumor.
Leo was not innocent, though. And he was beginning to feel sympathy toward more rebels than just his father.
They did not need to go much farther to reach the training place. Leo forgot his anger as he was taken by awe.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The training grounds was not a large place, but it was extravagant. Leo already felt as though he was part of something bigger than himself when he stood outside its entrance. The long wall of white reminded Leo of a castle but with much more decoration. Towers composed the front corners, with statues standing on small awnings against the towers’ faces. Massive engravings swirled and flowed above two wooden doors striped with brass. At the top of the whole structure was a huge circle with a clear glass opening. Leo could see the sky behind it, painting the glass blue and white.
There was a guard outside the closed door. The driver walked over to him as Leo and the others followed. The driver presented the four forms to the man, who looked at each one closely.
“From Jatn?” the guard inquired.
“Yes.”
“Where are the other mages from?” Andar asked the guard.
“From every city,” the guard murmured without looking up from the documents. He took his time with each of them until he came to Leo’s. “Ten years old?” He had an inquisitive look at Leo before turning to the driver. “The officer was certain about him?”
“He was,” said the driver. Then he coughed a few times as if on purpose, and made his hands plainly visible.
“You’ll be paid in a moment,” the guard said. “Let me take them inside first.” He pocketed the forms and placed his hands against the door. He pushed hard to open it, but it soon gained momentum and glided the rest of the way.
Everyone murmured with admiration. The interior was long and wide with a higher ceiling than Leo had ever seen. Enormous pillars striped black and gold made up a walkway. Leo felt prickles as he followed the guard down it.
“So much gold,” he heard Andar murmur to himself.
Paintings of men and nature covered the high walls. The floor was shiny, and Leo didn’t understand how. Doorways branched off into more halls. The guard took them down one of them.
The training grounds was so spacious. There were many people walking around, but this place could never be crowded. Leo forgot all desire to rebel. He just wanted to be here for a while. Did the trainees actually live here?
Rygen should be here with us.
He was a little irritated with her that she had chosen to miss this, not that he knew why it irked him. He should feel only pity, but the more he focused on his anger, the hotter it became.
She was probably miserable in Jatn right now when she could be here. She was not usually stubborn.
Guilt came as he realized he should’ve tried harder to convince her.
The guard brought them to a door
where two benches rested near the walls. A group of young men and women were seated on one. They stared at Leo’s group. He supposed these people were trainees as well. All were around Edward’s age, or maybe even older. Leo drew a few puzzled looks as they noticed him.
“Sit and wait to be called,” the guard instructed. “Do not wander or you will be disqualified without a test.”
They sat on the bench adjacent to the other one. The guard knocked on the closed door and called out, “I’ve got four more here.”
A long while went by before the door cracked open. An arm with thick gray hair reached out. The guard handed over the forms. The door shut.
“Don’t move,” the guard reminded them as he walked away. He looked back once, and then he was gone.
One by one, four young men and woman left the room before another was called in. Some tests were short. Others were long. Only one of them appeared happy when she left, and her test was the shortest. She practically skipped down the hall, toward another room. The others hid their expressions as they looked away and hurried off toward the entrance. Leo couldn’t imagine the horror of coming all this way only to be denied.
His nerves got the better of him when Edward was called first. Leo tried to make a link between his own boots as he waited, for practice, but found it impossible to focus.
“I can’t do it!” he told his brother in a shaky voice.
“What can’t you do?”
“I can’t make a link anymore!”
“That’s absurd. You’ve done it a thousand times.”
“I’m trying. I can’t.” Leo noticed his hands shaking as he moved them to help his mind grasp the Artistry, but he continued to fail.
“Relax,” Andar said with a chuckle. “You’re just nervous. I’m sure you’ll be able to.”
Edward was in the room for a long time, giving Leo plenty of time to practice. Eventually, he could focus again and found control over the Artistry once more. He had a breath of relief.
But it went away when Edward emerged with a grin and the trainer called out, “Leo Litxer, you’re next.”
