The rest of the conversations were boring. I was surprised when someone poked me in the back and I glanced over my shoulder to see it was Maren.
“Where’d you come from?” I asked.
“My mother and the authorities are still trying to determine that.”
She said it with such a straight face that for a second, I actually believed her. Maren’s face broke into a smile and she giggled. “I’m kidding, Eldwin. Has anyone told you that you’re too gullible?”
“You would be the first, actually,” I replied. “And I’m not gullible.”
“Right.” Maren offered me an exaggerated wink.
We reached the dining hall and my eyes widened as we entered. The room looked completely different from what it had just a few hours earlier. The tables had been rearranged and a stage had been erected in the back corner. A troop of performers was standing off to the side, talking among themselves. Master Pevus stood patiently near the doors. He waited until everyone had entered before speaking.
“You have all been assigned a Curate based on your housing assignment. Each table has been labeled with the wing and floor numbers. Please find your tables and take a seat.”
That caused some chaos as a hundred of us tried to navigate between the maze of tables to find where we belonged. A lot of unintentional pushing occurred, but eventually, everyone found their tables and sat down. I looked around at the others at my table and was surprised to find Maren and Simon were assigned to the same Curate I was. Obviously, I was happy about the first and disappointed by the second.
Servants rushed to finish placing food on the tables and once they had cleared the room, Master Pevus tapped his staff on the floor for attention.
“Before we eat, I’d like to introduce you all to your leaders. Curates, if you would?”
A group of robed men and women entered the dining hall and separated, each one standing next to a table. Our Curate was a man. He was middle-aged, with short brown hair and a clean-shaven face. His eyes were green and he had the whitest teeth I had ever seen.
“Greetings,” he said. “I am Curate Anesko. Once dinner is finished, I’ll lead you to your rooms and explain the rules of the school. There aren’t many, but they are important and in place for good reason. Enjoy the meal and the ceremony, for tomorrow begins the most difficult journey you’ve ever experienced.”
I exchanged looks with Maren. She shrugged and began filling her plate. I wasn’t very hungry, so I picked a few delicious looking items and ate sparingly. I knew I shouldn’t have eaten as much as I did earlier, but I couldn’t help it. I was parched and drank several cups of water. Before long, I could feel my bladder starting to cry out at me. I had no idea where I could relieve myself, so I tried to ignore my body by bouncing my leg beneath the table.
While I was looking around the room and trying not to piss myself, I noticed a red-faced man enter the dining hall. He seemed flustered and approached Master Pevus. They shared a whispered discussion and Master Pevus’s face seemed troubled. The messenger left and Master Pevus looked directly at me. I swallowed hard. Did he know about my earlier transgression with the dragon?
That intensified my need to relieve myself, but as the night continued on, he never said anything to me. Perhaps it was just my wild imagination. The performers entertained us with feats of acrobatics, juggling, and many other acts. Eventually, I found myself yawning and the need to empty my bladder was too strong. I rose from the table and approached Curate Anesko.
“Where are the lavatories from here?” I asked. My body was starting to get hot and sweaty.
I was certain he could see my discomfort. Curate Anesko motioned me to follow him and led me out of the dining hall. We went to the left and at the end of the hall, turned right. The mens bathing room that I had used earlier was on the right. I thanked the Curate and quickly relieved myself, breathing a sigh of relief.
“Tell your friend to watch her back,” a quiet voice said.
I turned to look, startled, but nobody was there.
5
After the ceremony was over, we followed Curate Anesko to the North Wing. A large staircase led up to the second floor and we all stood at the bottom. I’d forgotten which room the Provost had assigned me to. It seemed everyone else had as well.
The Curate ended up having to tell us which rooms to go to. I had assumed that we all had our own rooms, and was sorely disappointed when I realized that it was two students to every room. And of course, my roommate was Simon.
Before we were allowed to turn in for the night, Anesko demanded our undivided attention. We lined up single file, facing the Curate. He clasped his hands behind his back and slowly looked down the line of students, pausing a few seconds as he reached each of us.
“There are a few rules that you need to observe. It is of the utmost importance that you do not break these rules, or your time here will be very short.”
Anesko’s gaze lingered on me for some reason, and again I wondered if Maren and I had been seen by someone earlier. The Curate continued his speech, his stern gaze looking over everyone as if we were all criminals.
“Firstly, no one is allowed out of their room after curfew, which is the third bell after dinner. The bell rings every hour on the hour from dawn until curfew. If you are caught gallivanting around the grounds other than to use the lavatory, you will answer to me. Is that understood?”
We all nodded mutely.
“Good. Secondly, during the hours outside of curfew, you are allowed anywhere on the grounds except the dragon stables. Until you are promoted to the rank of Adept, you might be lucky enough to glimpse a dragon in passing. Dragons are powerful and cunning creatures, and until you’ve mastered the skills necessary to keep from falling under their power, you will not get within fifty feet of one. Is that also understood?”
I swallowed hard and nodded, remembering how the dragon earlier had only been a few feet away. Not only could the dragon have eaten me, but it seemed that they had powers? Were they able to use magic like sorcerers? I knew that a dragoon and a dragon had a special bond, but apart from that small knowledge, my father hadn’t told me much more.
“Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, you must not share the details of your tests with each other. The tests you will go through are different for every student and the results are for the Curates and Master Pevus to determine your worthiness of bonding with a dragon. If you share your test details, you will immediately be removed from the Citadel and your memory will be magically wiped. You will not remember this place, or of ever being here.”
My eyes widened in surprise. I knew less about magic than I did about dragons. The idea that a single person had the power to remove memories was … frightening, at the least. If a sorcerer could do that, what else were they capable of?
“There are other, minor rules, but these three are inarguable. You will not be able to contest them if you are guilty of breaking them. Do you all understand the rules as I have explained them?”
There was more nodding, but Anesko didn’t seem satisfied.
“I want to hear your understanding,” he said.
“Yes, Curate,” a few of us said.
“Everyone at once,” he demanded.
“Yes, Curate,” all of our voices rose together.
“Excellent. Normally, testing would begin in the morning, but Master Pevus has decided to push it back a day. You are all free tomorrow to enjoy the day as you see fit. I would suggest getting to know your surroundings and learning the maze of hallways. Meals are served at the second bell, the seventh bell, and the thirteenth bell. If you don’t eat at the designated times, you don’t eat.”
This was supposed to be a school. Why were the rules so harsh? Forcing students to go hungry seemed wrong. Granted, going hungry was something I was accustomed to, but still. None of the nobles probably knew what going hungry meant. I found some satisfaction with that idea. A spoiled noble going hungry might teach them
something.
“You are all dismissed,” Anesko said, then turned on his heel and left.
After he had disappeared from view, Maren loudly joked, “That guy needs to lighten up. Life is not that serious.”
I grinned at her, but everyone else ignored her and trekked up the staircase that led to our rooms. Maren and I went up last. She kept glancing around and I had a feeling she was up to something.
“What are you doing tomorrow?” she asked, her voice much lower than before.
“Learning my way around the school,” I replied.
“That sounds boring,” she huffed. “Want to go see the dragons again? Maybe this time one won’t throw up on you and we’ll get to touch one.”
I stopped mid-step and looked at her incredulously. “Were you not listening to the Curate, or are you itching for trouble? We’re not allowed to go into the stables.”
“Rules were made to be broken, Eldwin.”
“Trust me,” I said, raising my mangled hand for her to see. “Rules are in place for good reason.”
Maren stared at my hand in silence for a moment, then opened her mouth as if she was going to say something. Instead, she pursed her lips and nodded once, then continued up the stairs. Finally. Maybe she could learn to follow the rules after all.
I stepped into my room, the third door from the staircase. Simon was already inside. He’d had his belongings delivered by a servant, and his stuff was neatly arranged on one side of the room. I only had the clothes I was wearing. It didn’t bother me too much. I tried to look at the bright side. After all, I didn’t have to lug around a bunch of things.
I sat on my bed and slipped my worn boots off, then laid back and stared up at the ceiling. From the corner of my eye, I could see that Simon was blatantly ignoring me. I tried to hide my smile, just in case he was looking my way. Maren had a fiery, rebellious personality. That wouldn’t be a bad thing if she were a noble, but low borns couldn’t get away with acting rash like that.
Still, I found her alluring like a poisonous flower. She was nice to look at, but if you got too close, she would infect you. Perhaps that wouldn’t be so bad. So long as she didn’t get me kicked out of the Citadel, I could deal with her intrepid nature.
“Hey,” Simon said brusquely.
“I know, ‘Tell my friend to watch her back.’ I got your warning, Simon.”
“What are you blabbering on about?” he asked.
I sat up and looked at him. “In the lavatory. I heard your veiled threat about Maren.”
Simon looked genuinely confused. “I don’t know who you heard, but it wasn’t me.” He shook his head and muttered something under his breath.
“Right. What did you want to say, then?” I asked.
“I was going to say that I think it would be best if you left now while you have a choice in the matter. That hand isn’t going to do you any favors around here.”
“How selfless of you,” I replied, then laid back down.
“I’m trying to help you keep your honor intact,” Simon said. “You may not have been born a noble, but your father’s Deed shouldn’t be disparaged because you’re too stubborn to give up.”
“I can’t give up,” I said. “I have nothing without this school.”
There was a long moment of silence. I looked over at Simon to see why he hadn’t said anything. He was on his bed, his back to me. I rolled my eyes. How dare he try to tell me what my father’s honor was worth? I knew more than anyone, especially some spoiled noble brat. I was still fuming when I heard Simon snoring. It wasn’t too loud, but I was having trouble falling asleep and the sound was annoying.
I rolled off the bed and left the room, then headed down the stairs and navigated my way to the lavatory. The stone floor was cold on my feet, but it felt good. I splashed some water from a bucket onto my face and stared into one of the mirrors that hung on the wall.
My eyes were red. I was physically exhausted, but I couldn’t sleep. My mind was running in every direction. I headed back to the North Wing intending to try and force myself to sleep, but I saw a shadow dart down the hall to the left. I knew I should have just minded my own business, but my curiosity was piqued, and I slowly followed after the shadow.
As I turned the corner, I recognized Maren. She was surprisingly quiet for how fast she was moving.
“Maren!” I whispered loudly.
She must not have heard me, for she disappeared into the shadows. I almost went after her, but I didn’t want to risk being caught by the Curate. I made it back to my room and climbed into bed, then laid there and tried to clear my mind.
When the sun rose and Simon got up, I was still awake. The day was going to be a rough one.
6
I managed to get down to the dining hall in time for breakfast.
There were small mountains of scrambled eggs, buttered toast, and thick sausages piled on the serving table. I wasn’t as hungry as I expected to be, so I ate a minimal amount and listened to the conversations around me. A few people talked about how they thought the Curate was rude, and others talked about wanting to see the dragons.
Maren was unsurprisingly absent. I figured she had probably snuck down to see the dragons already. She was going to get caught, I was sure of it. I’d be sad to see her go, but it would be her fault for breaking the rules. I wondered where she had gone last night, but there was no telling. She was a free spirit.
I decided to check out the market in Autumnwick since I doubted that we would get many days to ourselves. I didn’t have any money to spend, but I just wanted to get some fresh air. It was surprising that I wasn’t falling asleep standing up since I hadn’t slept at all the night before.
As I walked down the various aisles of stalls, I saw wares of all kinds. Swords and armor, meats and pastries, and many things I didn’t recognize. Since it was still early in the morning, the crowds were light. I stopped at a stall that had daggers and admired the craftsmanship.
One, in particular, caught my eye. The hilt was fashioned in the design of a dragon’s head, and the blade was curved like a dragon tooth. It would be a good match for my sword, but I didn’t bother asking the vendor how much it cost. Someone came up beside me and I moved aside to give them space.
“Eldwin.” It was Simon’s voice.
I looked over, surprised to find him in the market. Nobles usually sent servants out for them, but considering he was in the school now, I supposed Simon would have to get used to doing things for himself.
“Simon,” I replied tersely.
“I wanted to apologize for what I said last night,” he said.
Confusion assaulted my mind. Simon wanted to apologize? I blinked a few times, my mind trying to wrap itself around his words.
“I could have been less abrasive with what I said. It’s just hard to hear everyone talking badly about you because of your hand. Your father was a hero, and even though he was low born, it’s not right. I was just trying to help.”
“Well, you were also talking about my hand.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
Simon was confusing me. He was a noble, and nobles were all the same. Selfish, self-absorbed, and high maintenance. Yet here he was apologizing. I would never have imagined a noble apologizing in general, but especially not to me.
“Don’t worry about it,” I said. “I’m used to it, trust me.”
“I want to make it up to you,” Simon said.
“You don’t have to,” I said.
“I want to,” he replied. “Come with me.”
Simon walked away before I could argue. I watched him and debated on whether or not to follow him. The internal debate lasted a few seconds, then I sighed and hurried to catch up to him. I wasn’t too proud.
“Really,” I said. “You don’t have to do anything.”
“It’s the least I can do.”
Simon turned to the left, away from the market and down an alley. I wasn’t sure where
he was leading me, but I continued to follow him. Another left took us behind a building. There was a group of guards leaning against the building’s wall. A feeling of uneasiness swept over me as I saw the men were city guards.
I started to backstep, but the clink of chainmail alerted me to more guards closing in from behind. I instinctively reached for my sword but remembered it was in the Citadel’s armory. My heart started hammering in my chest.
“Well done, Simon,” one of the guards said. “I was starting to think he had left the city before I could give him a proper introduction to Autumnwick.”
The guard who spoke stepped forward and I recognized him from the other day. He was the one who had accosted Maren before I intervened. I swallowed hard, knowing that whatever he had in store for me, it couldn’t be good.
“What’s your name?” the guard asked.
I remained silent, but Simon spoke up.
“His name is Eldwin. His father was Matthias Baines.”
The guard tilted his head slightly. “The war hero?” he asked.
“The same,” Simon answered.
“It’s a shame he raised a son who doesn’t know how to mind his own business. Either way, I’m going to enjoy teaching him a lesson.” He motioned with his hand and the guards behind me grabbed my arms roughly, holding me in place.
“You see, Eldwin, here in Autumnwick, we city guards don’t care for dragoons. Granted, you aren’t one yet, but you’re trying to earn your way in. Do you know why we don’t like dragoons?”
I stared back at him, trying to make myself look defiant. If it worked, the guard didn’t bother to acknowledge it.
“It’s because they let people like you in. Crippled, low born, damaged people. How do they expect people like you to defend the kingdom?” He shook his head. “Look at his blasted hand! He can’t even properly hold a sword.”
“I can wield a blade,” I finally spoke.
Trial by Sorcery Page 3
