by Ian Gregoire
“Kayden might have had the upper hand,” conceded Neryssa, “but that was before Vartan tried to kill her with a dagger in the back.” The revelation caused Yanina to stare at her in wide-eyed disbelief. “It was Master Fay who saved her ungrateful life.”
An outbreak of laughter from the other bed intruded upon the conversation.
Neryssa glared across at the Malorini twins. “Does that amuse you?” she snapped angrily.
Vida stopped laughing first. “How could it not?” she replied. “Not only does she get caught fighting by Master Fay, of all people, it’s a fight in which the participants were actually trying to kill each other. I would hate to have been in the shoes of any of the apprentices involved.”
“Exactly!” agreed Aida. “So how severe was the punishment meted out by Master Fay?”
“We don’t know, yet,” admitted Neryssa. “Master Fay instructed me to bring Kayden back to the dorm then wait for her to arrive.”
“She’s coming here?” gasped Yanina. “Why didn’t you say so from the start?” Immediately, she sprang into action, making a fuss around the dorm room—smoothing bed sheets and clearing clutter from the floor.
“Yanina, would you cool your boots,” said Vida. “Since when does the administrator visit an apprentice in their dorm?”
“Exactly!” concurred Aida. “When Master Fay wants to see you, you must go to her, she doesn’t come to you.”
“And yet,” said Kayden. “I don’t have to go to her, she has to come to me.” The trademark smug condescension was back in her voice. “How jealous are you, both, right now?” she concluded, mockingly.
Aida looked for all the world as if she was about to spring forward from the other bed to attack Kayden. But her attention was diverted back to Yanina when she returned to stand in the space between the two beds.
“You may not like it, but if you believe the gossip about Master Fay,” she said to the twins, “Kayden is the one apprentice on campus she’d go out of her way for.”
“What gossip?” the Malorini twins asked, in unison.
“Apparently,” began Yanina, “in recent months several of the Masters have been overheard complaining about having to tolerate Kayden’s frequent misconduct because she is Master Fay’s favourite apprentice.”
“You have got to be joking!” Kayden was unable to keep the incredulity from her voice.
“Not only that,” Yanina turned to address Kayden directly. “There also seems to be a great deal of speculation about why Master Fay has taken special interest in your training and development.”
“Now you’re just being ridiculous,” said Kayden in irritation. “You need to stop giving an ear to absurd rumour-mongers. The truth is, that woman has it in for me.”
“All right, don’t bite my head off,” retorted Yanina, holding her hands up in a placating gesture. “I’m only repeating what more and more people are beginning to say.”
“Well, I for one don’t believe a word of it,” said Aida unreservedly. “Why would Kayden be Master Fay’s favourite anything?”
“Look, I’m not saying I’m entirely convinced myself,” Yanina conceded. “But if Kayden escapes punishment for her involvement in the fight, it’ll give the rumours some credence.”
There were three solid knocks on the door.
Neryssa rose swiftly to her feet. “That must be Master Fay, now.”
The urgency in her voice prompted Vida and Aida to to rise to their feet, joining herself and Yanina in standing to attention for their expected visitor. Kayden nonchalantly remained seated.
“Please, enter,” Neryssa called out.
Peering back over her shoulder, Kayden saw the door swing open. It was, indeed, the campus administrator who entered the dorm, closing the door behind her. As Fay approached the beds that they were standing between, Kayden was startled by a kick to the shin from Neryssa; it was presumably an effort to make her stand to attention.
“There’s no need to stand, Kayden,” said Fay.
Kayden glanced up at her roommate, to smirk.
“The rest of you, please continue with whatever it is you were doing. If you will excuse my intrusion I need to have a word with Kayden.”
Vida and Aida quickly went to their respective beds to sit down. They each grabbed a book from their bedside drawer and pretended to read—all the while keeping an eye and ear on whatever was about to transpire next. Neryssa and Yanina, for their part, both sat down on the edge of Yanina’s bed—newly vacated by the twins—making no effort to conceal the fact they had every intention of listening in on the coming conversation between master and apprentice.
Kayden was surprised when Fay sat down beside her on the bed. She visibly flinched when the Sanatsai reached for the bloody cloth she was still pressing to her head.
“Here, let me take a look at that,” said Fay, prising the rag from her grasp. She grimaced slightly as she examined the laceration above Kayden’s eye. “For most people, such a wound would require stitches and leave a nice little scar.” She dropped the bloodstained cloth then placed her hand against the side of Kayden’s face. “Fortunately for you, that won’t be necessary.”
Kayden felt a warm, tingling sensation spread all over her face from Fay’s touch. The sharp, stinging pain from the cut above her eye, dissipated, as did the numbness of her mouth. She knew right away from the awed expressions on the faces of both Neryssa and Yanina that her facial injuries must have healed instantaneously. If that was the case, they certainly had every reason to be impressed. Kayden was unaware of Sanatsai having this aptitude in their repertoire. By contrast, the healing capabilities of the Sisters who manned the infirmary would have simply accelerated the natural healing process, allowing her injuries to heal in minutes, rather than hours or days. It was by no means the instantaneous process just demonstrated by the administrator.
Kayden mentally added another entry to her rapidly dwindling list of applications of Zarantar she intended to gain mastery of.
Gently, Fay withdrew her hand from Kayden’s face. “Though it should be noted that your injuries were minor compared to those suffered by Vartan, Lazar and Gordo.” The look upon her face mirrored the reproach in her voice.
Now we’re getting to it, thought Kayden. “If you plan to use the incident in the old arena as a pretext for my expulsion, I won’t allow you to do that.” Her words were blunt; but now was the time for candour. “I will vigorously appeal such a decision before the other Sanatsai, if I have to.”
“Do not concern yourself about what happened earlier. That matter has now been dealt with.” It was Fay’s turn to be forthright. “But, be that as it may, the incident could easily have been averted if you had refrained from getting involved in the first place. Once you became aware of the intentions of Lazar and Vartan, you should have come to myself or another member of staff to report the matter.”
Although she felt laughter was the only appropriate response to that suggestion, Kayden remained silent.
“Having said that, I will not be taking any action against you. I accept you were the intended victim today, not the instigator, so there is no need for us to discuss the matter any further.”
Kayden noted the expression on Yanina’s face, directed at her from the adjacent bed. It seemed the apprentice was starting to buy into the rumours she had relayed earlier. And though she didn’t share that sentiment herself, Kayden was just as surprised to hear that there would be no repercussions for her involvement in the fight.
“I was actually preparing to pay you a visit, about another matter, when Neryssa came to inform me of the trouble you were walking into.”
“Another matter?” asked Kayden. It could only be about the ‘capture the box’ exercise the previous night.
“I have some urgent business with the Council to attend to,” said Fay in explanation. “I will be leaving campus for Temis Rulan, shortly, and I will be taking you with me.”
“What?” Kayden gasped. “Why?”
F
ay ignored the questions and continued. “I had intended to leave at Thirteenth Hour, on the dot. It’s almost that time now. But, obviously, dealing with the aftermath of the misbehaviour at the old arena has delayed me.” She rose to her feet, staring down at Kayden. “You have half an hour to get yourself ready to join me. You should dress in full ceremonial attire, and be sure to collect your weapons from the armoury.”
Kayden felt her anxiety begin to grow. If Fay truly intended for the two of them to travel to the headquarters of the Order, why was it necessary to be armed? “I don’t understand,” she conceded.
Again, Fay continued speaking as though she hadn’t heard Kayden. “Once you are ready, proceed immediately to the administration building. I will await your arrival.”
Fay stepped away from the bed and began marching towards the door. She hadn’t taken half a dozen steps before she was stopped in her tracks by one of the apprentices.
“Master Fay?” called out Neryssa.
Peering back over her shoulder, Fay saw Neryssa standing a couple of paces behind her. “What is it, apprentice?”
“If I may ask,” said Neryssa, nervously. “Can you tell us what’s going to happen to Vartan?”
Fay turned round to face the apprentice. “Vartan has been expelled with immediate effect; he is having his Zarantar bound as we speak. He will shortly, thereafter, begin his journey home—to resume the life he had before coming here to Antaris.”
Kayden glanced silently around the dorm room to see the reactions of the other apprentices to the news. She saw stunned surprise etched on all their faces. She was certain that if she could see her own face in that moment she would observe a similar expression upon it. She rose swiftly to her feet to address Fay. She was unexpectedly experiencing some feelings of regret at the news of Vartan’s expulsion, and the role she no doubt played in it.
“Administrator Annis! It was not my intention to get Vartan expelled,” Kayden blurted. “I would never want another apprentice kicked out on my account.”
“For the record, Vartan was not expelled because of anything you did, Kayden. His punishment is the result of his own actions. The Order cannot have would-be murderers in its ranks.” Fay spoke in that characteristically matter-of-fact tone that Kayden invariably found so irksome. “Think no more upon it, any of you.”
Kayden looked on in silence as Fay turned on her heels then resumed her exit from the dorm, without another word. The instant the door closed behind the Sanatsai the other apprentices hurriedly gathered around Kayden with disbelieving expressions on their faces.
“Hey! Stop crowding me,” she grumbled, before slowly sitting down on her bed again.
Neryssa promptly sat down beside her. “Kayden, this is unbelievable.” Evidently, she was excited about something. But she was an excitable young woman.
“I know. I almost feel bad for Vartan.”
“I’m not talking about Vartan, silly; he got what he deserved,” replied Neryssa, dismissively. “I’m talking about you—going to the headquarters of the Order. And in the company of Fay Annis, no less.”
“You’re right not to believe it,” said Kayden. “I know I don’t believe it. The location of Temis Rulan is a closely guarded secret, known only to the members of the Order, and the Sisterhood; not even the royal families of the Nine Kingdoms know. There’s no feasible way that a mere apprentice would be permitted to know where it is, much less be allowed to go there.”
“You’re probably in so much trouble that an exception had to be made just for you,” said Aida, with a chuckle. “I would hate to be in your shoes right about now.”
“Exactly!” agreed Vida, before joining her twin sister in a fit of giggles.
Kayden didn’t say anything; the same thought had already crossed her mind. But she had never read or heard of an expulsion of any apprentice that required a journey to Temis Rulan.
“Don’t listen to them, Kayden.” Neryssa gave the Malorini siblings a reproachful glare before returning her gaze to Kayden. “I imagine Master Fay is taking you to Temis Rulan to receive some kind of special commendation—for being the first apprentice to best the ‘capture the box’ exercise, last night.”
“I suspect that’s not nearly as silly as it would have sounded yesterday,” said Yanina. “For one thing, Master Fay just let you escape punishment for your involvement in the fight earlier. If we add that to the rumours you’re her favourite apprentice, it’s actually plausible that you are going to be honoured in some way. Why else would she make an exception to the rule so you can accompany her to Temis Rulan?”
Kayden thought back to her confrontation with Fay in the abandoned stables the previous night, how she had insulted the Sanatsai in an attempt to provoke a response from the stoic woman. If the expression that briefly passed over her face, and the look in her eyes was indicative of Fay’s true intentions, then wherever it was she was planning on taking Kayden, one of them surely wouldn’t be coming back.
The campus clock tower sounded, announcing the arrival of Thirteenth Hour, the end of lunch, and the beginning of the first afternoon classes of the day. The twins and Yanina took this as their cue to start gathering their things for their next lesson.
Noting that Neryssa had made no effort to get off the bed to gather her own stuff, Kayden frowned at her. “Aren’t you planning to go to class?”
“I will,” replied Neryssa. “Just as soon as I’ve finished helping you to get ready for your journey.”
“You’ll be late.”
“Who cares? This is so much more important.” There was no hiding Neryssa’s excitement. “I am witnessing history being made today. You will be the first apprentice to travel to Temis Rulan before actually being inducted into the Order. I don’t imagine that’s likely to happen again any time soon…if ever.” She smiled then added, “In light of that, I’m quite sure Master Darrian will forgive my tardiness on this occasion.”
Yanina, Vida and Aida headed quickly for the door—books and other paraphernalia in hand. Neryssa called out to the trio before they could leave. “Could you let Master Darrian know I’m running late. I’m helping Kayden get ready for her big moment.”
“All right,” replied Yanina. “We’ll see you in class.”
As Yanina and the twins exited the dorm room, five more apprentices entered, in quick succession. They each hurriedly went to their respective beds and drawers to collect their own things for their upcoming classes.
“Don’t the two of you have to go to class?” asked one of the latecomers as she noticed both Kayden and Neryssa sitting idly on the former’s bed.
“I have a class to get to,” admitted Neryssa. “Kayden, on the other hand, is preparing to embark upon a journey to Temis Rulan with Master Fay.”
“Uh huh, of course she is.” The response was uttered sarcastically, but the apprentice’s initial incredulity quickly evaporated once she realised Neryssa wasn’t being facetious. “Oh, wait, you’re not joking, are you?” Without waiting for an answer, she addressed Kayden, “What kind of trouble have you got yourself into this time? There’s a rumour going around that you sent three apprentices to the infirmary, but you must have done something much more serious than that for Master Fay to take you to Temis Rulan.”
“There’s no reason to believe that Kayden’s in any kind of trouble,” said Neryssa.
“But it’s a safe assumption.” quipped Kayden.
“Well, Neryssa, you’ll have to tell me all about it later this afternoon, I need to get to class. Kayden, if I don’t see you again…well, goodbye and best of luck with whatever you do in future.”
Moments later, the last of the apprentices had vacated the dorm leaving Kayden and Neryssa alone. It was Neryssa who rose to her feet first. She looked down at Kayden, smiling. “Let’s not keep Master Fay waiting any longer than necessary,” she said, cheerfully. “It’s time to get you ready.”
Fay stood at the reception desk of the lobby in the south of the administration building. She spok
e briefly to Marla—the receptionist on duty that afternoon—to inform her that an apprentice would be arriving some time around half past the hour to see her. The apprentice was called Kayden Jayta, and as soon as she arrived, Marla should instruct her to go immediately to the staff common room on the floor above, where Fay would be waiting.
Having conveyed the message, Fay made her way up the stairs to the top floor. She proceeded swiftly to her office then headed up to her rooftop living quarters where she spent a few moments retrieving her weapons—a sword and twin daggers—from where they were displayed on the wall above the mantelpiece. She fitted the sword into place, secured in the black leather baldric she wore, its hilt within easy reach behind her right shoulder. The twin daggers she fixed into place, one on either hip.
Without further delay, Fay left her quarters and vacated the office to go to the staff common room where she had requested Isko Nardini to meet with her and Sister Elsa. All the while, her thoughts were preoccupied with her upcoming excursion with Kayden. Although she was unaccustomed to feeling nervous, her trepidation about what she had set in motion was undeniable.
Fay entered the staff common room through its double doors, without ceremony. She was pleased to see that both Isko and Elsa were already present. They were both seated on one of the couches at the centre of the room, being served tea by another Sister, Alina Grinello, one of the infirmary staff. Fay approached the couch with a smile for her colleagues; they duly reciprocated. She perched on the arm of the couch to join the seated pair.
“Would you care for some peppermint tea?” Alina inquired, cordially.
“No thank you, Sister.”
Alina poured herself a cup of tea then withdrew to sit alone at a table in the corner, several feet away, so the trio may speak freely.
Fay looked toward the middle-aged Sanatsai, Isko Nardini. He was still an imposing figure, in spite of his advancing years. He remained a fine physical specimen—trim and athletic, with just a few flecks of grey in his hair and beard, and even fewer wrinkles on his face. She’d got to know him well during the Leshek campaign. They had both served on the front line after the forces of Sirathania had launched a surprise invasion of Leshek in an ill-fated attempt to annex the island from the dominion of the Kingdom of Darmitana. Upon taking up the administrator’s post at Antaris, Fay was gratified to have Isko on her staff; his experience made him an exceptional instructor to the level eight, nine, and ten apprentices. It also made him the ideal person to act in her stead while she was away from campus.
