by Paul Heisel
“Yes,” she answered. It was an opportunity to find out what was really happening in Bora and report it back to Caleth as well. All of it was beginning to make sense. The threat to the Grand Master and the Accord of the Hand was coming from Bora, but not from Kara. Was that the truth of it?
“Very well,” Kara said. “This doesn’t give you special privileges or relieve you of your normal duties. If you are caught, well, let’s just say don’t get caught.”
“Understood.”
“When you’ve discovered Jerr’s plans, no matter what they are, tell me directly. Understood?”
“Yes master.”
Kara doused the lantern, dipping them in complete darkness. She escorted Owori by the arm to the door and opened it. Outside Pearl was waiting, her candle lantern flickering. The three of them took the stairs together. As they went out the door, Kara went one way while Pearl locked the door, then they went to the Elite barracks. Minutes later they were back in Owori’s room and Pearl left without comment. Owori lit a candle and stretched her arms, taking in a deep breath. She yawned.
She hung up the golden robe and folded her fighting clothes, setting them on the wooden chest. Her boots were put to the side of her bed. Once she was underneath her blankets she blew out the candle and curled up to go to sleep. Sleep wouldn’t come, though, as she kept thinking about her tasks. She had the urge to begin tonight, but she knew it wasn’t a wise thing to do. Additional time was needed to think about things, to formulate a plan, and to make sure she didn’t get caught. The first thing she needed to do was get some rest.
#
Days passed and Owori devised a plan to get more information on what Jerr was doing. It was simple, which was best in her estimation, and contained a minimal amount of risk. What she planned to do was infiltrate the Furies’ quarters in the evenings and listen to conversations. She could do it over a series of evenings and she wouldn’t miss any of her group activities.
The first three times she spied upon the Furies’ compound didn’t give her any useful information about Jerr and his plans. It did, though, give her a better idea of how Jerr ran things. He was efficient and brutal when it came to discipline. She couldn’t believe how organized his monks were. They worked together and the one hundred plus members of the Furies seemed to share the same attitude. Nothing was done half-assed, even when they were sparring. When she could, she spent time following Jerr around, but she was worried about him detecting her, so she stopped doing that after the first night.
The fourth time she discovered that there was going to be a meeting at the bathhouse in the middle of the night, for what purpose she couldn’t figure from the conversations she had heard. She didn’t know where it would take place, as the bathhouse contained numerous chambers, but she was certain it had to be one of the bigger baths. It was the only way a large group could be accommodated. The easiest thing to do would be to hide in the bathhouse, follow the Furies and spy upon them, then depart undetected when it was safe.
As she began, Owori was aware she was sweating. She did her best to calm her anxiousness, so she channeled her chi to aid in that effort. It amazed her each time what meditation could do; Pearl had it right, spiritual synergy did incredible things. It was late in the evening with no lanterns or candles burning, and it left her in the darkness that she had become so accustomed to. She used her magic to augment her vision, making it easier for her to walk through the halls. She was completely wrapped in black from head to toe, making it challenging for anyone to see her. At the bathhouse, she used her magic to blink. There was no sense in taking any chances. The air was heavy with moisture from the water, but not steamy. She watched silently as the last workers for the evening walked by and secured the doors, locking her in. With that, she settled into a spot against a far wall where she could see the entrance to the baths and another door. The Furies would come soon, and she would follow them.
Minutes passed and she dropped her chi, removing the magic so she was visible. She would be able to blink if they came through the door, so she wasn’t worried about them finding her upon entering. Meditation began, as best she could, to refill her reserves. Owori guessed she would need every ounce of strength tonight.
Time passed and by her estimation, the Furies should have been appearing by now. This was the first failure of her plan, a gamble she had taken. Now she knew the Furies had a separate, secret entrance to the baths. Owori blinked and slid through the inner door, taking her to the entrance to the baths. It was a simple layout, now familiar from spending time here each day. The baths were all on the same level, spread throughout many rooms in the structure. Above were cauldrons, fires, and basins of water. From there all the water in the baths were controlled and distributed. A series of signaling equipment allowed the workers to put the water into the correct bath. Below, in the basement, was where the dirty water drained, filtered, and was sluiced out of the building to be used in other ways.
Owori wondered, did workers stay behind to fill the baths for the Furies? She checked that notion. No, they wouldn’t. They were here to meet, not take baths. Earlier she had envisioned the Furies and Jerr, all taking a bath and discussing their rebellious plans. Now more things were beginning to make sense. The bathhouse was one of the few places that were locked at night. All other structures in the monastery either had monks or sleeping quarters or guards. No one could get inside with it being locked.
Invisible, she traveled along the main hallway, searching for signs of the Furies. They had to be in a room big enough to accommodate them, but it had to be interior so no sound would get through to the outside. She crept, moving methodically from bath to bath. They were empty. After several minutes of searching, she wondered if they had canceled the meeting. She cursed under her breath, missing her greatest opportunity because she had wrongly assumed details. A faint noise caught her attention and she became completely still. It was collective laughter coming from above. She looked up. They were upstairs in the waterworks. Why hadn’t she thought of that? Owori found the staircase at the end of the building and went up.
The waterworks was a rather quiet place when not being used. It smelled strongly of coal and creosote, and she had to laugh thinking these industrial odors were nothing like the wonderful salt-scented baths. The furnaces were burning low and gave off heat and orange light, and small amounts of steam floated into the air. Candles, having been blown out a short time ago by the workers, had been relit by the Furies. Along the walls were wooden tanks made of a reddish wood and bands of irons, different open sluiceways went in all directions over the tops of the baths. Levers and pulleys were everywhere, and Owori imagined it would take a worker a long time to learn how to operate the baths properly. Overhead iron hooks hung down on a greased metal track so heavy objects could be transported more easily the length and breadth of the building.
Another round of laughter came and went, sending a shiver up Owori’s spine. Gooseflesh covered her arms and legs. She crept forward, taking her time and avoiding pipes, hooks, and tools. Two Furies came into view. They were hulking men, brutes that she didn’t know the names of. They were what Pearl called the ‘head bashers’, as that was all they knew how to do with their magic. It augmented their strength and fighting capabilities, and didn’t manifest in a fire, frost, wind, or lightning. They wore orange robes tied tightly with black sashes, accentuating their broad shoulders. Both men had blank expressions as their eyes flitted about, scanning the waterworks. Behind them, Owori could see a gathering of the Furies. They were spaced oddly among the equipment and tanks, two sitting, one leaning, the other two standing with arms crossed. In all, there were Jerr and five others meeting with two guards watching for intruders. It looked to be the lieutenants within the Furies ranks, those that directly reported to Jerr.
Owori walked past the two guards slowly, making sure she didn’t cause any breeze or additional movement of the air. She was sure they couldn’t smell her, as the coal and creosote permeated everything. Once
she was close enough to the group to hear clearly, she found a spot with enough choices for exits if she had to flee suddenly. The meeting wouldn’t last too long, she was sure of that, and she would leave undetected after they had departed. Jerr continued talking to the group in a passionate low volume of voice. Owori wasn’t sure how much of the meeting she had missed. Her insides turned over at what she heard next.
#
Pearl and Kara sat in comfortable overstuffed chairs imported from a neighboring foreign kingdom. There were expensive, but the extravagant furniture was worth every silver coin. Both sipped aromatic tea. The room was part of Kara’s quarters, a luxurious retreat adjacent to her room that was normally reserved for visiting guests. It was rarely used except for that purpose, and Pearl wondered why Kara had summoned her. Pearl set her orange scented tea on an end table made of rosewood, adjusted her robe, and sat up. It wouldn’t surprise her if the meeting was about Owori. Again. For the past week, Kara had prodded and probed her for more information about Owori's abilities and Owori's future.
“I want to talk to you about Owori,” Kara said as she set her tea next to Pearl’s bowl.
“And why doesn’t this surprise me?”
“Because you’re smart and the wisest of us all. That’s why you’re the leader of the Elites.”
As usual, Pearl shrugged off the sugary compliment with indifference. She cared not what anyone thought about her, nor did she trade favors for compliments as was often expected. She was true to her purpose and goals, and wouldn’t let anything get in the way of that. She was here to train the gifted in a safe environment. She thought Kara was on the verge of understanding that, but it appeared not all of her advice had sunk in. Pity, it was a true pity that Kara didn’t understand what was happening beyond these mundane walls.
“Get to the point,” Pearl said.
“You seem impatient. Picking up some of Owori's habits?”
“Not impatient. I’ve already anticipated what you want to talk about, and I don’t like it. It’s not part of our bargain. You can't change our agreement.”
Kara crossed her arms and slumped in her chair as if the weight of the world was on her. Her dark eyes looked at Pearl. “I took you in. I’ve allowed you to train without interference…”
“That is the key word,” Pearl interrupted. “Interference. By asking me what you are about to ask, it’s interference.”
“I will still ask, and I will insist that you listen to me.”
Pearl took in a deep breath. She could feel the magic boiling inside and it was seeking a way to get out. Her defensive sense came alight and her magical intuition told her to be more cautious than normal. What was Kara doing? “I’ll listen to what you have to say. But listening is no guarantee I will comply. It never was and never will be. We have an agreement.”
“Then I’ll come straight to the point. I want to keep Owori,” Kara said. She sat up and leaned forward, getting closer to Pearl. “I want her to lead a new group once we’ve defused Jerr and his Furies. She has the skills to be as good as you. She’ll be a good leader.”
“Kara.” Pearl reached out and grabbed Kara’s hands. Kara didn't resist. “I have to take her. With her skills, they will never allow her to return here. She’s the rarest of the rare. They won’t let her go. Besides, any one of my Elites could lead this group of yours.”
“You can simply bring her back, just like the others. There needs to be no mention of her abilities to your contacts.”
“They wouldn’t allow it and I would be risking the future of this place. It would be against everything we have agreed. Only the ones that wish to come back and are allowed to come back, rejoin your monastery. I can’t do it, not for Owori, not for anyone. This is not our decision. It is out of our hands; you must accept that.”
“Perhaps they can be persuaded? Bought? I have a bountiful treasury.”
She laughed. “Not a chance.” Pearl didn't elaborate.
Kara dropped her hands and made Pearl release her grip. “Just think about it,” Kara said. “That’s all I ask. She would be a great asset, particularly if Jerr intends to incite civil war, or worse, harm the Grand Master.”
Pearl stood up. “My decision with Owori is final. She needs to go home, where she belongs.”
“Think about it. Think about what would happen if your secret here was exposed. I may not be able to protect you and your Elites. Bad things happen when secrets are exposed.”
“She isn’t going to stay with you,” Pearl said. “I have no secrets. You’re the one who should be worried about secrets. Your threats are idle; you know it and I know it.”
“We’ll see about that. You’re dismissed.”
Pearl turned on her heels and departed. She shut the door behind her and jogged down the hallway, letting the anger go from boiling to simmer. This wasn’t what they had agreed. Pearl was more determined than ever to make sure Owori left Bora. It would be the safest, and surest, thing to do. It worried her that Kara seemed so confident in her ability to keep Owori here, perhaps there was another plan that she didn’t know about, one that Kara was going to put into motion soon. Pearl, not one to take chances with her Elites, decided it had to be done. Tonight.
#
The last of the Furies departed. They all left at different times and intervals, and she was certain they were smart enough to go a variety of directions and return to their quarters via uncommon routes. Once they were gone, she dropped her chi and rested, meditating to replenish the magic she had lost while listening to the conversation. Some of it she must have missed, as it didn’t make sense. They talked about the Accord of the Hand splitting into factions, a plan to assassinate the Grand Master, and an upcoming civil conflict – a war between the monasteries.
The plan to assassinate the Grand Master was confusing at best. She wasn’t sure what they were talking about, but at times they were referring to another person’s plan. Now she wasn’t sure what she had stumbled into, and it made her concerned about reporting anything back to Kara. The trap she was in had already snapped shut, though, and there was no way out - she would have to say something. Prior to tonight, she had envisioned an angry Jerr rallying his leaders into a frenzy and the group breaking off to put their vicious plan into effect. The meeting, though, had been nothing like the energetic gathering she had anticipated. They had shown uncommon concern about the Accord of the Hand. Jerr had been calm and had spoken eloquently about fostering change and bringing about new thinking, all for the good of the Accord of the Hand. He wanted to start his own monastery, but he felt trapped by Kara and was trying to find a way to garner support from the Grand Master. Owori thought, this was all wrong. If only she had heard the whole conversation! She thought it would be best for her to wait in the baths longer, taking more time than needed to ensure Jerr and his Furies were gone. She would return to her room later tonight, sort out her thoughts, and figure out what to do come morning. Given that she thought Jerr wasn’t the source of the discontent within the Bora monastery, it had to be Kara.
Her heart sank.
And Pearl. Tasha and Ash as well, maybe, who knew? Now she wasn’t sure. She would have to devise a reasonable explanation for Jerr’s behavior, feed Kara a believable story, then she would have to begin spying on Kara. She wondered, could she use this sudden trust shown by Kara to her advantage? Would that trust last? But what story would she have to concoct? Without knowing the full situation, she hesitated to make up stories that would be plausible. One slip could lead to disaster. Maybe Kara never intended for her to find out anything about Jerr. Perhaps Kara had given her the mission so she would trust her or worse, get caught by Jerr. Now she was stuck.
Owori took a step forward, her light boots pattering on the stout wood floors. She made her way back through the waterworks, being sure not to touch anything. She was invisible now, taking great care to move slowly. Tiredness set in, yet she didn’t let it overwhelm her. She needed to get back to her quarters without incident. As she neared
the stairs, she felt the air change. It was cold. A slow breeze shot up from the stairs, bringing with it a frost. The water on the moist walls iced over quickly, spreading unhindered. She stopped twenty feet from the stairwell.
Just as she was retreating, the top of Jerr’s head appeared.
He was moving cautiously up the stairs and held a defensive stance once he reached the top. His eyes darted this way and that. His fists were covered with ice, the cold sucking the heat out of the air. Owori walked away, remembering he could sense the heat she gave off. She hid behind a tank.
“I know you’re here,” Jerr announced to the silent waterworks. “When I find you, I promise I’m going to kill you.” Jerr lifted his arms and sent out a spray of cold. The air tinked as the moisture froze into crystals. It began to snow. Frost covered every surface and kept moving down the length of the building in a steady wave. “This is the only exit,” Jerr said. “I will freeze this entire building into a block of ice. There’s no escape.”
True to his word, the ice crystals grew. Every object was freezing. The wooden tanks creaked and groaned, a symphony of ominous sounds emitted as the water became ice and expanded. Owori warded off the cold the best she could, but even with her magic she couldn’t get warm. She couldn’t hide behind the water tanks forever, so she would have to find a way to sneak by him. She could probably create a diversion and dart by the entrance, then make a run for it down the stairs and through the bathhouse. Invisible and with her shield up, she walked into the open and headed for the stairs. Jerr was methodically spraying cold in all directions. His body had turned blue and he was covered with ice. His close-cropped hair was frozen with spikes. He stopped, clenched his icy fists, and put them at his side.
“There is no sense in hiding. I see you. I see your footprints. I see your breath.”
Owori stopped.
The snowy floor did show her trail and wisp of white came when she exhaled. Besides her being too distant from the stairs, the floor was slippery and footing was poor. The other problem was Jerr had sealed the stairway with a wall of ice. There truly was no way out except through Jeff. She became visible. There was no sense in trying to sneak out, as it would be impossible. She would have to find another way, but didn't like the prospect of fighting Jeff. The cold seeped in and she shivered.
