After waiting for what seemed a painfully long time the school remained dark and silent; rising cautiously to her feet Seiya could scarcely believe that surge of power in the middle of the night had attracted no attention. So much for a soft landing on damp ground, Seiya winced as her body ached all over, she should have known better than to attempt such an insane stunt. Taking a moment to get her bearings from the shape of the surrounding buildings Seiya started running towards one of the minor entrances to Rhianwater, hoping her black summoner uniform would blend into the night.
Seiya winced at each small creak, the wooden door protesting as she eased it open; the demon’s plan to use an entrance most people had forgotten about suddenly didn’t seem so brilliant. Seiya froze to the spot as the hinges gave a final squeal as the door shut behind her, expecting people to come rushing down at any second. Yet the corridors remained silent, the only thing Seiya could hear was her own pulse pounding away in her ears. Fervently she thanked whoever it was in the past that had decided to leave all Rhianwater’s doorways unlocked. As the only building on the island all the people lived inside its walls, who was left to break in?
Repeating the route in her mind Seiya started down the corridor; even after months at the school she still had no idea where the headmaster’s rooms were located, relying on the original demon architects to teach her the quickest way. At least the office was located on the same floor as the classrooms, all empty in the dead of night. Seiya seriously doubted she would have had the courage to walk along the corridors with students and Masters sleeping just the other side of closed doors. Rounding the corner she began counting off the rooms, moving stealthily along she placed each foot gently on the stones, determined to make no sound. Reaching the count of five Seiya leaned forward and placed her ear to the wooden door; all she could hear was her own breathing, harsh and ragged, as if she’d run through the school rather than crept.
The longer she stood around the more chance she would be caught. Taking a deep breath Seiya wrapped her hand around the handle and tried to ease the door open; stifling the urge to kick it as the wood refused to budge. Of course it would be locked, Seiya cursed herself for thinking otherwise and stared at the solid frame. Even if she did have the strength to physically break it down the noise would be deafening, summoning a demon to do it for her would make no difference.
Unless, Seiya laid her hands around the lock and tried to squint through the gap between door and frame; it was only a small metal bar holding it shut, shooting from the door to the waiting hole in the frame as the key was turned. If I could remove it, Seiya pictured the demons claws, even with the blades on a wild she didn’t think they could cut through metal. What if she didn’t attack the metal? Excitement built as she examined the mechanism once more, it would be just as effective removing the lock altogether, surely a small tightly controlled fire would manage? That would mean summoning though, Seiya pursed her lips thoughtfully and looked up and down the corridor. There shouldn’t be anyone around, and the fire elemental could be as low as rank one, if such a thing existed. For the first time in her life Seiya wove the gateway pattern slowly, the lines steadily building as her power gradually increased, her eyes constantly flicking from side to side, alert for any hint of movement. Still nobody stirred, Seiya wiped sweaty palms on her summoner tunic as the tension continued to mount. To her relief when the fire elemental came across it understood immediately, the lock soon outlined in blackened wood, the fire smouldering in the door itself and producing no flames or smoke. Crafting the dismissal with equal care Seiya stepped into the room cautiously. She cast a regretful look towards the lock hovering in mid-air, still fixed securely to the wooden frame. So much for her hope nobody would know anyone had been here.
Not that she had time to spare; heading straight to the back of the room Seiya crouched down by the bookshelves. The demons had been very specific about the hiding place, removing the volumes on the bottom level she pressed her palm to the stones behind. The hairs on the back of her neck prickled in instinctive paranoia as she worked, with her back to the entrance she would be vulnerable if somebody saw the burnt door and decided to investigate. Just as Seiya started to consider giving up she felt one of the stones move slightly. Lying flat on her belly she wriggled her fingers into the gap at the side of the block, preparing to drag it out. It wasn’t necessary; at the smallest pressure the stone slid sideways, disappearing into its neighbour. Seiya marvelled at the elegant design, she had begun to doubt if anyone would use such a tricky hiding pace. It was certainly well hidden though; stretching her arm into the large cavity behind she brushed her fingers from side to side until they hit paper. Exhilaration gave her a heady burst of adrenalin, she’d been so worried the book would have been moved. Luckily it seemed Amaran, if he was indeed the new headmaster, considered this the safest place. Firmly gripping the spine she pulled the tome back with her, placing it to one side she stretched in again to check there was nothing else to find.
Too late she heard the footfall, laying on the ground, with one arm stretched out Seiya had no opportunity to react. Fingers coiled into her hair and yanked her head back, straining her neck so far she thought she was going to asphyxiate. Then a sweet-smelling cloth was clamped over her face, the cloying scent clogging up her nose and mouth, her body trying to gag in reflex. A weight on the back of her shoulders pressed her even harder into the stone, pinning her as she struggled. Blood roaring in her ears Seiya struggled to breathe, the urge to vomit overwhelming as her head began to swim, consciousness slipping away even as she desperately tried to hold on.
‘You can stop pretending.’
Seiya reluctantly cracked open one eye and searched for the source of the familiar voice.
‘Is this headache pretend as well?’ closing both eyes again Seiya exhaled noisily, pinching the bridge of her nose she tried to pressure the pounding behind her eyes into submission.
‘I’m sorry,’ despite herself Seiya let her head roll and opened her eyes properly to look at Havir. Crouched on a stool in the corner of her cell he looked anything but comfortable. His apology was sincere though, a moment later a cold hand rested gently across her forehead.
‘Better?’ Seiya answered with a sigh of relief and moved the soothing coolness down to cover her eyes.
‘Much,’ Seiya even forced herself to smile. The relief was only temporary though, already his hand was warming against her skin.
‘So why are you here?’ she kept her voice as light as possible, but it took a lot of effort.
‘He wanted to make sure you were okay,’ Seiya kept quiet as Havir swapped his hands over, there was no need to ask who “he” was.
‘I have him to thank then?’ Seiya gestured at the bare room around her, the lack of windows in the stone walls and the smallest barred opening in the door left no doubt as to where she was being held. The soft mattress beneath her was a surprise; it almost certainly wasn’t a normal part of the cell’s furniture.
‘There’s some kind of seal that prevents summoning,’ Havir told her flatly, ‘but you can have whatever you wish down here.’
‘How kind,’ Seiya murmured sarcastically under her breath. Havir still heard though and his expression hardened.
‘He insisted on the bed, even though you could have woken at any time and bolted out the door,’ Havir chastised her as if she were some spoilt brat, ‘and made me promise to stay until you woke up to make sure you weren’t suffering.’ His eyes challenged her to contradict him, ‘so yes, he is being very kind.’
‘He’s locked me in a cell!’ Seiya cried indignantly.
‘What did you expect him to do?’ Havir’s tone may have been annoyed but Seiya could see the frustration and concern in his face. Instantly she felt ashamed, Havir didn’t need to be with her, and she was forced to admit he was right. She had knowingly put herself in this position, what right did she have to complain?
‘I’m sorry,’ weariness flowed through Seiya that had nothing to do with her painful
head. Amaran had given her the chance to live freely with her family and she’d thrown it all away.
‘I should hope so,’ the voice emanated from the cell door and Seiya’s eyes flew open again. Unable to see through the small barred window from the bed she waited impatiently as the door swung open. Havir laid a restraining hand on her arm but it wasn’t necessary, Seiya knew she was helpless without her summoning power. Against one of them she may have had a chance, but lying on a bed still recovering from being drugged? She’d probably collapse from dizziness the moment she leapt to her feet.
Seiya held her tongue as she saw Havir’s gaze lock with Amaran’s, the grip on her arm became an encouraging squeeze as Havir turned to face his friend.
‘She’s still weak,’ Havir’s voice was meant to be neutral but Seiya detected a slight edge to his tone, ‘there’s no point in you being here if you only intend to fight.’ There was no escaping Havir’s message as he stood between her and Amaran, blocking them from each other’s view and preventing Amaran from taking even a single step into the cell.
‘Alright,’ Amaran held up his hands in mock surrender, ‘I’ll behave.’
Seiya blinked to hide her astonishment, she had never heard Amaran talk this way, but then she’d never really heard the two speaking in private, the subtle but unmistakable aura of command Amaran had over the other class members was missing. As Havir glanced back at her over his shoulder he looked unconvinced, but shrugged and stepped aside regardless.
‘I’ll have some food sent down at dinner,’ Havir’s eyes lingered on Amaran as he opened the door, ‘be nice.’ The last was barely audible as he left, pulling the door shut behind him.
‘You won then?’ Seiya forced her voice to sound conversational, breaking the awkward silence that remained after Havir’s exit.
‘Of course,’ Seiya raised an eye brow at the dismissive tone. ‘Youally isn’t particularly strong,’ Amaran hastened to explain after seeing her expression, ‘that’s why he got so annoyed when he sensed a rank thirteen on the first assignment, I don’t think he can summon one.’
‘So why was he trying to become headmaster then?’
‘Ambition,’ Amaran shrugged, ‘and he had the support from the other key summoner families and the majority of the Masters.’
‘It’s amazing how much people like you when you offer to make them rich and powerful,’ Seiya observed sarcastically, ‘is that why you gave Carapel to Jamen?’
‘You shouldn’t have come back,’ Amaran completely ignored her question, a slight tightening in his face the only clue he had even heard.
‘Did you think just because you helped me I’d stand back and let you kill innocent people?’
‘I wasn’t just helping you,’ Seiya had to resist the temptation to scream in frustration as Amaran once more remained deaf to the main part of her question. ‘Once Youally had imprisoned you in that collar he would have rallied his supporters and focused all his attention on to me.’
‘So you wanted to get in there first?’
‘He couldn’t refuse,’ Amaran agreed, ‘not with those Master’s acting as witnesses, to back down would look weak.’
‘Not as weak as losing,’ Seiya reminded him, ‘but I still want to thank you, if those Masters had all sent demons after me I never would have escaped.’
‘’You would have found a way,’ clearly thinking he was back on firm ground Amaran risked a smile, ‘after all you made me as strong as I am.’ The smile widened as Seiya stared at him in surprise. ‘If I hadn’t been able to train with you I never would have improved.’
‘What about Havir?’ Seiya asked curiously, though she was aware Amaran was deliberately distracting her from the awkward questions, ‘surely he’s strong enough.’
‘In terms of raw power? Sure,’ Amaran leant back against the cell wall and Seiya noted he still stayed nearer the door than her. Although his pose was meant to imply he was relaxed the tension in his body betrayed him. ‘But he lacks your range of abilities.’
‘Why are you killing people in Carapel?’ the abrupt change of subject caught Amaran off guard and Seiya made the most of the opportunity. ‘There’s no war there, no need to have peace enforced and now you’re killing not only criminals but anyone who speaks against summoners.’
‘The only ones who were killed were criminals sentenced to death anyway,’ Amaran stood up straight as he confronted her, ‘murderers and rapists.’ His eyes sought hers and held them, ‘no more students die in the level four exam, it’s conducted in the normal hall, with extra Masters in reserve with rank nine wilds.’ Belatedly Seiya realised he was looking for her approval, the uncertainty in his expression surprised her, he needed her approval. Well he wasn’t going to get it.
‘Free the demons,’ she demanded, ‘and then no one has to be killed.’
‘Maybe once we’re at peace,’ Amaran countered, slouching back again. He had recovered so quickly from her refusal to support him that Seiya wondered if she’d imagined the vulnerability, ‘but until then I need the demons to fight.’
‘Why?’ Seiya pounded the bed in frustration but didn’t get up. She suspected any sudden moves on her part and Amaran would be straight out the door. ‘It’s only been a few months and already a summoner is abusing their power; killing at whim, profiting from others,’ Seiya had no proof of the latter but knowing Jamen it was certain to be true. ‘I thought that was Youally’s dream?’
‘Whoever told you that is lying,’ Amaran insisted stubbornly, pushing off the wall he glared at her, throwing away all pretence of being relaxed.
‘When did you last visit Carapel?’ Seiya demanded, still seated on the bed she was forced to look up at him. ‘How many months?’ she pushed when Amaran hesitated.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ Amaran abruptly broke eye contact, ‘Jamen had strict instructions-’
‘Delivered by Youally twice a week?’ Seiya smiled coldly at Amaran’s look of shocked disbelief. ‘Or didn’t you know he was visiting Carapel either?’
‘Who told you that?’
‘Who do you think?’ Seiya watched Amaran’s expression as he caught her meaning.
‘So they really do pass information on to you,’ Amaran murmured, apparently talking to himself. Seiya held her tongue, Amaran didn’t need to know she had only recently taken an interest in summoners once more.
‘Did you deliberately let that flying demon overhear about the book?’ Seiya had to ask; from the start she had suspected it may have been a trap. It had seemed too convenient that the demon had managed to overhear such an important piece of information when Amaran was being so careful.
‘Not intentionally,’ Amaran replied hesitantly, ‘I realised my mistake after I dismissed the demon, it’s easy to forget they’re there, when you’re in the basket and they’re not right in front of your face.’
‘Why is Youally still around?’ that bothered Seiya more than anything else though she was aware her continuous barrage might start feeling like an interrogation. It was worth the risk, she wanted to get all her questions in while Amaran was in the mood to talk. ‘I can’t believe he’s willing to follow you.’ She waited quietly as Amaran walked to the cell door, peering out through the bars.
‘I didn’t have a choice,’ he spoke softly, walking nearer the bed so she could still hear. Swinging her legs over the edge Seiya perched at one end, gesturing for him to take the other. Amaran approached warily, sitting down as if the mattress may burn him at any moment. Near enough so they could talk quietly without anyone outside overhearing, but far enough apart that neither one could attack the other.
‘When we returned from the Mercadi-Tamboria border we found the headmaster had died,’ Amaran motioned Seiya to silence with his hand as she went to speak. ‘They think it was a heart attack but I doubt it,’ his voice was low but Seiya could see the smouldering anger in his eyes, ‘it was all too convenient.’
‘Youally,’ it wasn’t a question but Amaran nodded anyway.
‘He
tried to take over the Council and get them to make him headmaster but I opposed him.’
‘And they’d witnessed you defeat him,’ Seiya nodded slowly, imagining how it had played out in Youally’s mind when he planned it. Returning from the assignment triumphantly with a dangerous summoner subdued and held captive in the Kurlin-Ra he would instantly have had the Council’s backing. With Amaran not yet proclaimed a Master it would have been difficult to mount a challenge. Yet it hadn’t gone according to plan, Youally forcing Amaran into the one action that spelt the end to his dreams of power.
‘It wasn’t that simple,’ Seiya watched Amaran’s fingers drum the mattress lightly, ‘those who supported Youally remained his, claimed the headmaster didn’t have to be the strongest summoner, that I was too young and inexperienced.’ Amaran shrugged and Seiya looked away from the mocking smile. ‘The only way to stop the Council splitting into two factions was to make Youally my second-in-command, let him not just stay a Master but make him superior to everyone except me.’
‘You know he won’t stop until he’s the one in control,’ Seiya looked over and instantly regretted meeting Amaran’s gaze.
‘I didn’t have a choice, without your power-’
‘I never said I’d help you!’ Seiya shied away from the accusation in his tone. ‘I told you I just wanted to go-’
Summoner's Call (The Summoner Trilogy Book 1) Page 26