by Narro, B. T.
“But I’m sure Wilfre wasn’t the only instructor last year who wanted Peter gone from the Academy,” Cleve argued.
“No, but he’s the loudest and most powerful. Or he was when we still had a king.” Terren shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I can’t risk putting them together for such a stealthy task.”
“Then put Effie with us instead of Basen.” That way she would still be with Reela.
“The portals, Cleve,” Terren reminded him.
“It’s just as important for Basen to learn to make a portal to Trentyre, if that’s where our only known allies are.”
“Accessing the Fjallejon Pathway and Tenred are higher priorities.” Terren’s quick answer proved to Cleve that he’d already given this much thought. Cleve could feel defeat setting in as Terren put his hand on his shoulder. “I’ll have Penny keep a close eye on Effie. She’ll be well taken care of.”
“It’s after training when Effie falls into despair,” Cleve informed his uncle.
“Despair won’t kill her,” Terren answered somewhat coldly. “She needs to learn to deal with her grief.”
Although Cleve knew Terren was right, he still couldn’t let this go without a fight. “She needs Reela for a while longer. Otherwise she’ll turn to her jug of sakal for comfort even more than she already has.”
“This is war!” Anger colored Terren’s voice now. “She’s not going north with Reela! If you insist on them being together, I’ll switch Reela with Annah, but that means you will be apart from Reela instead of Effie!”
“Then that’s what must be done!”
Cleve hadn’t realized they both were shouting until the abrupt silence came.
“I apologize for my tone,” he said.
Terren sighed. “So it’ll be you, Peter, Basen, Alabell, and Annah. Are you satisfied?”
“I am if you’re confident that Steffen, Effie, and Reela won’t be harmed on the way to Trentyre.”
“They’ve proven themselves in the past, as you already know. I don’t know when you became so protective of your friends, but you need to remember that, although I’m your uncle, I’m also the headmaster!” It surprised Cleve that Terren was still yelling. “I wouldn’t listen to such demands from another student, and don’t let my leniency here give you the idea you can speak up again in the future.”
Cleve couldn’t remember when Terren had last taken such an imperial tone with him and was stunned into silence.
“Effie’s wounds caused by Alex’s death will never fully heal if she keeps using you or Reela as a crutch,” Terren went on. “And I have no more time to discuss this. I need to tell you more about your task. Are you listening?”
Cleve nodded.
“We won’t have a way to be in contact until you return. If there are complications, I won’t know. Do you understand what I’m saying? There will be no way to send for help, Cleve. It’ll be up to your leader to assess each situation and decide if you should continue or retreat. Now can you see how Effie’s loneliness matters little compared to this?”
Cleve ignored the rhetorical question. “Who is to lead us if not me? I’m well-trained for this. I know how to get to Tenred. I’ve been through the Fjallejon Pathway.”
“Mage Jackrie knows the Fjallejon Pathway better than you do, and she has more experience leading a group. Listen to everything she says.” Terren walked to his door and opened it. “Return safely.”
Cleve felt as if one of them should apologize, but he didn’t think it should be him. He slowly made his way out.
“Wait,” Terren said. Cleve turned, hoping to hear an apology. But Terren kept his same strict tone. “Jackrie will give Basen the order to create a quick portal once he’s found a location with enough bastial energy somewhere in the Fjallejon Mountains. But this is only to ensure he can make a portal to that location at a later time. Don’t go inside any portal, no matter what. We haven’t had a chance to test them yet, and Jack Rose believes even sticking your hand within one could crush your bones to dust. No matter what Basen or anyone in your group says, convince them not to enter any portal.”
“I will.” Cleve left without another word.
CHAPTER TEN
Basen was thankful that his instructor had mentioned nothing of meditation in the last two days of training. By now, Basen was supposed to have shown Penny that he’d learned how to do it, but he hadn’t had the will to begin trying. Meditation was a method to regain stamina while resting, but it seemed trivial now. He figured his instructor had come to the same belief. Everyone in the school seemed to know by now that Basen was extraordinarily skilled with bastial energy, and stamina was not a problem for him.
He and the other Group One mages recently had been training at the southern wall instead of in front of metal dummies. Here, Penny went over the tactics of stopping an advancing army and what to do if enemies broke in. It felt dangerous running back and forth on top of the ten-foot wall, as they often had to duck below the parapets to dodge imaginary arrows and fireballs, sprint around each other to change positions, or rush down the ramp when enemies reached the gate, all while avoiding bumping into other mages as they followed their instructor’s commands.
Basen tried to keep his mind off Sanya throughout the day, but it was difficult. He couldn’t help but wonder where she was now and what she had planned. There was one thing he knew for certain. He wasn’t going to make any portals for a week, at least not within the Academy’s walls where she could get to him.
Penny recommended that everyone stay in the same order on the wall so they could get used to each other’s movements. Basen partnered with Effie, though he couldn’t say they were as friendly as they’d been before Alex was killed.
Effie had stumbled over to Basen’s campus home while extremely drunk the night before. She’d cried in his room and then yelled in anger, blaming Basen for Alex’s death. And then herself shortly after. She’d cried some more, then tried kissing Basen when he comforted her. He’d walked her home after that and hadn’t been able to stop worrying about her.
Effie had mentioned nothing of it so far. She looked tired and miserable and so delicate. Basen figured that if someone even mentioned Alex’s name, she’d be overcome by grief.
Jack Rose came to the southern wall to interrupt their training. He spoke to Penny for just a moment, and then she nodded and called out, “Basen and Effie, go with Chemist Master Jack.”
They followed him away from the wall. Whatever he wanted to tell them, it seemed as if privacy was necessary.
“Where are we going?” Basen asked to break the awkward silence.
“Toward your student houses,” Jack answered in a calm voice Basen wasn’t used to. The middle-aged chemist had only ever been excited around Basen, and his tone always showed it. Now he walked quickly and with purpose, indicating this was a serious matter.
“Both of you have been selected for important missions,” Jack explained. “Basen, Mage Jackrie will be leading you and a team to Tenred. You’ll be taking the shortest route there, through the Fjallejon Mountains. We don’t know how many of Tauwin’s men will be watching the pathway. We figure there can’t be too many because they expect us to go around the mountains to the east, which is why Jackrie will take you straight through instead.”
“There’s nowhere to run in there,” Effie noted with cold indifference, as if she didn’t care but felt the need to say it anyway. “They could see us from the top of the mountain and kill us before we have a chance to fight back.”
“You don’t need to worry about that,” Jack said. “You’re going south to Trentyre.”
Basen felt a prickle of excitement. “Let me go to Trentyre. My father is there.”
“Yes, we believe he’s leading the defense of the city, but we need you to go to Tenred, Basen.” Jack finally cracked a smile, looking as if Basen had impressed him with something. “You’re the only one who knows how to make portals, and we need a way into the Fjallejon Mountains and Tenred, if such things a
re possible.”
“I can already make a portal to Tenred—”
“Do not go through any portals!” Jack’s demeanor changed drastically as he looked at Basen sternly. “Do not so much as put any of your limbs near a portal. Testing still needs to be done, but there isn’t time. We expect a battle soon, and we need more soldiers. Although the two of you are going in opposite directions, your tasks are the same: to coordinate with our allies. Once you return, I believe I will have done enough research to be ready to test a portal. I will not have anyone going through portals until then, even if you can make one into Tenred’s castle.”
“I understand,” Basen said, “but could battle occur before we return?”
“Yes.”
“And if the Academy is taken while we’re away?”
Jack seemed perturbed by the question, clearing his throat awkwardly. “Mage Jackrie knows what to do for every possible circumstance. Just follow her lead.”
Effie spoke up in her emotionless voice. “Who will lead my group?”
“Liaison Wilfre.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Why must he come?”
“He’s the reason behind your trip! He’ll be the intermediary between us and our allies in Trentyre as soon as we establish a way to communicate with them. You’ll help him find a route through Raywhite Forest that he can use while we train carrier pigeons. You’ll take two birds that know to fly back to the Academy once released. Get them to Henry Hiller or the next best man or woman.”
“Did Wilfre actually agree to do something this dangerous?” Effie didn’t bother hiding her disrespect.
Jack rubbed his head and closed his eyes. “He’s not a coward.”
“Then he plays the part of one very well.”
“Effie,” Jack reprimanded, “respect your commanders.”
“Sorry,” she muttered.
When they reached the student housing area, Jack stopped there.
“You’ll move at night, so sleep as long as you can before then. A psychic will come by soon to help you rest.”
“Can you send Reela?” Effie asked.
“Of course. She’s going with you to Trentyre, along with Steffen Duroby.”
Effie let out a breath of relief.
“Who’s coming with me?” Basen asked.
“You’ll find out soon enough.”
Basen thought about it for a moment. “You’re worried I won’t sleep as well if I know?”
Jack grinned apologetically. “Try to get some rest.” He put one hand on each of their shoulders. “Good luck, and thank you both.”
After the instructor left, Basen could feel Effie staring at him. He glanced over to meet her bleary gaze. She looked as if she longed to speak, yet she remained silent.
Basen broke the silence. “I don’t like being thanked for something I’m forced to do.”
She laughed softly. “Neither do I.”
A long moment passed as Basen gave her another chance to speak her mind. When she didn’t, he started toward his house. “We’ll see each other when we return, then.”
“I’m sorry I came to your house…drunk.”
He stopped and walked back to her. “It’s fine.”
“I don’t blame you.”
He didn’t quite believe her, but he nodded as if he did. “I hope you don’t blame yourself, either.”
“I don’t.” This time, he could tell she was lying.
He wrapped his arms around her and held her against his chest. She clutched his back, and he could feel her holding in tears.
After possibly the longest moment spent between them without speaking, he let her go. They shared one last look—a silent goodbye—and went their separate ways.
It wasn’t long after Basen reached his campus home that Annah arrived. She skipped into his room, beaming with glee. “Terren told me I’m one of the strongest psychics in the Academy.”
Basen sat up in bed. “Congratulations. Perhaps one day you’ll be legendary like me.”
“Pshaw. You’re not legendary yet.” She picked up the chair by his desk and happily waddled over with it, then gave it a quick brush before sitting and crossing her legs. She leaned forward, extending her hand toward him. “Are you ready for sleep?”
The excited twinkle in her blue eyes told him something. “Are you coming with me to Tenred?” He lay back down.
She put her soft hand on his forehead. “Did Jack tell you?”
“I guessed it. Do you know who else is going?”
She took her hand off. “Terren told me not to tell you. Sorry.”
Basen chuckled bitterly. “There’s no one I can think of who would make me more nervous about this trip than I already am. Go ahead and put me to sleep, though it might take a lot of psyche.”
“That’s fine. The exertion might help tire me, which will make it easier to put myself to sleep when I’m done.”
He took hold of her hand to stop her. “What it’s like to put yourself to sleep?”
“You’re curious now? When it’s most important that we rest?”
“I’m trying to learn more about psychics.” Because I might need to defend myself against them in the near future.
“I think of it like forcing myself to laugh. It requires focus, but once you start, it can take over and feel natural. It happens quickly. The feeling is like sitting in a boat on the edge of a river and pushing yourself into it. There’s little transition between land and water.”
“All psychics can do this?”
“Any real psychic.”
“What do you mean?”
“Many people have a small amount of psychic ability, but they never do much with it. Unfortunately, more than half of the students here will end up fitting that description.”
“Half?” That seemed like too many to be true.
“Yes.”
“What happens to them?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, but they must have trouble finding work.”
“Are they incapable of improvement?”
“I think most of them can improve, but they just don’t. First-year students like me have to find a way to teach ourselves to be better psychics. Our instructors give us the tools we need to study and practice, but they really don’t do much else for us. They’re here more as guides to make sure we’re training correctly. I don’t blame them because it’s sometimes impossible to teach psyche to another person.” She put her hand on his head. “I could talk to you about psyche for hours, but Alabell is waiting for me to get to her before I put myself to sleep.”
“She’s coming?”
“Don’t get too excited. You’re trying to sleep, after all.”
*****
Someone knocking on the door to his house awoke him. “Basen and Annah, it’s time to leave.”
He sleepily arose from his bed and stumbled over to open his bedroom door. “Coming,” he said in a gravelly voice.
As he blinked and yawned, he could hear his messenger walking away. It was probably a wall guard. Basen hoped there wasn’t any resentment that they spent all their waking hours watching for an attack and delivering messages for men and women younger than them.
He knocked on Annah’s door because she hadn’t seemed to awaken. “It’s time, Annah.”
Soon they were on their way to meet with the rest of their group at the wall. Annah was a deep sleeper and took longer than Basen to fully wake up, so he gave her some time and then asked, “How much do you know about the wall guards?”
“I know a few of their names and a little about them. Why?”
“Are they bored? Do they resent us?” The psychic would know better than most.
“They duel each other for sport and for practice, and they do much more than just watch the wall when they’re on duty. They don’t get bored. Some are graduates of the Academy, so they don’t resent us. They’re going to fight beside us.” By the sound of her worried tone, it seemed as if the upcoming battle was something she wanted to forget.
“Abith Max might attack while we’re gone.”
“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“I guess not.”
Basen’s sword felt heavy during the long walk. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever traveled with one strapped to his belt before, and he wasn’t sure he would get used to the weight before he returned to the Academy. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to use it, or his wand strapped to the other side of his belt.
“Terren told me that Tauwin’s men are watching each gate,” Annah informed him. “That’s why we need to jump off the wall from the northwestern corner, but we might need to wait a while for our wall guards to signal that the corner isn’t being watched.”
“And who will we be waiting with?”
“Alabell, Cleve, Peter, and Mage Jackrie.”
Peter must’ve been the reason Annah had waited this long to inform him who else was in their group. Someone must’ve seen the fight between him and Peter and told people, because Basen had heard gossip about it since then. Most of the rumors were an exaggeration of the truth, that Basen had beaten Peter in a sword fight. In actuality, it was quite different. Peter had been drunk while Basen had fought with Sanya against him, and Annah had ended the fight with a powerful spell of pain.
In the few times Basen had met eyes with Peter while walking past Warrior’s Field or in the dining hall, it looked as if Peter wanted to prove to everyone how wrong they were to believe Basen could beat him.
But the memory of that brawl just reminded Basen that he’d defended and cared for Sanya, who had killed Nick and Alex. Every time he thought of it, he wanted to make a portal just to anger her. But she’d spared his life when she could’ve killed him, and she wasn’t likely to do it again.
“I need to learn how to resist psyche,” he remarked.
