by NAK Baldron
". . . my father is a renowned blacksmith," Goban explained.
He'd been rambling for a few minutes, but Ren had been lost in thought about Abaze and fantasizing how he'd get rid of him if he could.
"What kind of blacksmith?" Shaya asked.
"Well." Goban paused. "All kinds. He's a master blacksmith."
They didn't respond.
"Every master has their own secrets, which allow them to make unique items or work metals in new ways. But any master can make nearly anything."
"Swords?"
"Oh yes!" Goban's voice cracked, and his red hair bounced as he coughed to clear his throat. "He's working on a new . . ."
"Yes?" Shaya urged.
"I can't." Goban looked down. "Sorry. I'm not supposed to speak about that. It smells good, let's eat."
Sure enough, the scent of fresh bread and spiced meat filled the corridors outside the dining hall. Inside the twins shared a table with over ten plates of food between them. Ren was disgusted by the waste. There was no way they'd be able to finish it all.
"They know how to cook," Abaze said in a way of a morning greeting.
Ren was always amazed at how nonchalant bullies could be. Especially the next day after picking on their victim. He'd witnessed it all too often with Johnathan. Clenching his teeth, Ren counted off his prime number chart—something every Pearl Nation child memorized.
At forty-three, Ren relaxed his jaw and followed Shaya's lead to a table which put two other tables between them and the twins.
"I'm starving," Goban said.
"Does your family not feed you?" Shaya asked.
"No, it's an expression," Goban said. "I'm just very hungry."
"I regret not eating last night," Ren said.
They each picked up a menu and read,
MEATS
Spiced Pork
Smoked Tuna
Bear Sausage
SIDES
Boiled Eggs
Dark Bread with Butter
Gouda with Strawberries
Steamed Greens
Fried Potatoes
DRINKS
Summer Ale
Fresh Juice
Spring Water
Coffee
Tea
Ren was shocked at how many options were available—expecting the Amethyst Nation to feed them in the same manner as Mr. Griffin had: plenty of inexpensive food.
"What are you getting?" Goban asked Ren, leaning over to see the exact same menu he held in his own hands.
"I'm not sure yet."
"Smoked salmon, steamed greens, and tea please." Shaya spoke clearly and her voice carried throughout the room. With a slight glow of green light, her food appeared before her.
"Sharp!" Goban said.
"Yeah. That's impressive," Ren said. "I wonder how they do it?"
"Spiced pork, dark bread with butter, summer ale, and gouda with strawberries," Goban ordered.
His food appeared with a faint green glow.
Ren had never eaten bear before, "Bear sausage, steamed greens, dark bread with butter, and coffee."
A green glow later, Ren was eagerly trying the food. The bear sausage wasn't quite what he expected. Not nearly as gamy as the elk he had previously, and it paired well with the dark bread. The greens were lacking flavor, or rather didn't have any spices to cover the taste of greens, but Ren forced himself to finish every last bite. He refused to waste food. The coffee was by far the best quality possible, not that Ren had much experience.
Did either of you see the book list left for us?" Goban said, between mouthfuls of food.
Ren and Shaya both shook their heads no.
"I brought mine down, never heard of any of these books before." Goban passed the list across the table for Ren and Shaya to read.
Mind of Water: An Apprentice's Guide to Clear Thoughts.
The Path to Mindfulness
A Guide to Discovering Mental Clarity
Ren wasn't happy to see how long the reading list was. He and Shaya sat sipping their drinks while Goban described the interior of the mountains back home in the Ruby Nation. For such a young boy, he drank quite a bit of ale. When he finished his third pint, he ordered a glass of spring water.
The twins kept to themselves, continuing their private feast.
The front doors of the Apprentices' Wing opened with a loud enough sound that it echoed off the back walls.
Nadia stood in the doorway. "Are you ready for your first day?"
Ren had the distinct impression the question was rhetorical.
"Yes," Goban called out.
Nadia smiled in their direction, and Ren realized she must have been chosen for her skills with children. Something Ren knew quite well, growing up in an orphanage.
Curious what he was supposed to do with his dishes, Ren looked around the dining room, but realized there was no sink, nor counters.
As if reading his mind, Nadia said, "Leave your plates and follow me outside where we will begin."
Shivers ran down Ren's arms, and his hair stood on end—it was official—he'd become an apprentice sorcerer. Silently he swore to himself that he'd do whatever it took to be the best. This was his one opportunity to separate himself from the shame of being an orphan, and allow him to cut his destiny into the stone of fate.
* * *
Ren should have worn warmer clothes. For nearly an hour, they'd listened to a presentation from Nadia on the dangers of sorcery. How it was their responsibility to watch out for one another and make sure no one attempted to cast spells beyond their skill. All Ren heard though, was don't trust Abaze's judgment.
The wind picked up and Ren's skin began to burn—the air this high up could be nearly as cold as those out on the ice plains. Nadia called Ren forward. Wishing he'd grabbed his new cloak, he stepped before her, his back to the class.
"Please show the class how you were able to summon your orbs of light."
Ren closed his eyes to focus on the small core inside him where he felt all his magic emanated, and willed forth an orange ball of light. But nothing happened.
Again, he cleared his mind of the surrounding distractions, and tried to will forth a magic orb but it didn't work.
Defeated he was forced to say, "I can't."
Nadia looked at him for a moment. Perhaps judging if he were lying, then said, "At his examination, Henry Balton was able to produce two magic orbs and impress the examiners. Today he has failed. Without diligent study, you too may fail to call upon your magic in a crucial moment when your life depends on it. Let this be a warning to you all. Even the best of us can't always rely on our magic, and so you would be wise to avoid todesgrund. That moment where you either succeed or die."
The sounds of bells rung across the courtyard. Sounding from the tower, though the tower didn't have a belfry.
"Your lessons are done for the day. Return to your wing and become acquainted with the library. A booklist was provided on your trunk."
Nadia didn't wait for their acknowledgment and left at a brisk pace toward the tower. Otherwise, she would have seen Abaze openly sigh at the prospect of reading. Shaya led the way and Ren took long strides to catch up, with Goban close by. The twins walked at a slower pace keeping to themselves, which was fine with Ren.
The massive double doors opened to welcome them home, and Ren felt the odd sensation of being watched. As if the building were alive. But that's absurd, he told himself.
Before he could consider the idea further, Abaze was shoving Goban. "Out of my way, rock eater."
Ren had never heard the insult before. The Pearl Nation wasn't known for having many outsiders. Most of Fencura would rather go anywhere else than a place where ice buried the city for months during the winter.
"I'm no rock eater!" Goban pushed back, but Abaze was more than double his size, and his shove had no effect.
The five of them stood in the hallway, with Ren and Shaya taking Goban's side while Adaku stood by her twin. Ren didn't understand why she co
ntinued to defend her brother when she knew full well how corrupt a person he was.
Abaze threw a punch, which missed. Goban was agile and easily moved out of the way as Abaze continued to throw punches.
Ren moved to interfere, but Shaya stopped him. "It's his battle."
"But—"
"Watch." She nodded to the fight.
Abaze's face grew red from exertion and frustration, while Goban's demeanor remained calm. It almost looked like he was enjoying himself. Ren noticed Goban kept his left hand at his hip the entire time he moved side to side avoiding Abaze.
A sudden misstep meant Goban didn't dodge a punch, and when it grazed his shoulder, he punched Abaze with an open palm of his left hand. A red-tinted light struck Abaze dead center in his chest—he fell limp to the floor like a sack of potatoes.
Goban gave a curt bow. "Another time, perhaps." And without looking at the other four, made his way up the staircase.
Ren realized Goban never needed his help, and wondered what chance he had in progressing through the ranks of sorcerers if a twelve-year-old boy could do that.
"We should leave her," Shaya whispered in his ear.
Adaku attended to her brother, who slowly regained his wits.
Ren walked to his room, silent as the stone walls.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Texas, Earth
Thursday, October 20th
Lance: We need to meet. Bring Blake.
ASAP.
They were only ten days away from their attack on the mayor. They'd not done any more reconnaissance, other than Slava's spying. Something must have changed for him to call an emergency meeting. A few days before, the mayor had downsized his guards. Lance thought he felt safe since they hadn't gone near him in over a month.
Kandice sent Blake a text.
Kandice: I'm coming to get you. Lance needs to meet!
Blake: I'll be ready in 5.
Kandice locked up her apartment and smiled as she sped out of the complex. Her new car was still more toy than car to her.
* * *
"We got another letter," Lance said, when Kandice and Blake sat down.
Lance poured them each a drink, and Slava handed the letter over.
Dear Mr. Pukher,
It has been brought to our attention that the young seer named Kandice you've been in contact with has a brother, whom you've also been in contact with. We are disappointed to find out you didn't divulge this information when the Biancardi twins were at your home on the 5th.
Due to this new revelation, the Biancardi twins will return to Austin. They will keep a close eye on you and those in your company. We advise that you make yourself available upon their request. Failure to do so is ill-advised.
Sincerely,
Cara DiNapoli
P.S. Kandice has passed the level one test and is cleared to know the information that entails.
Kandice read the postscript a second time before handing the letter to her brother.
"What does she mean by level one?" she asked.
"You are cleared to know about The Council, and mission briefs," Slava said. "Mostly, what you already know. Anything more, I cannot say in front of Blake. It would put us all in danger."
"You said they only wanted to keep the existence of Aether Walkers secret," Kandice said. "You told me they would let us walk away. We would just have to cut ties. Now they're threatening my brother!"
Her cheeks grew hot. Getting involved with Lance may have been a huge mistake. Letting her brother get this close was a mistake.
Her mistake.
"Technically," Lance said. "They're threatening Slava and I. We're not supposed to share information about what we do. Since we've never sworn loyalty, we're in a weird loophole where we've not violated any rules."
"You could see the Aether Walkers," Slava said. "And so can Blake. That means we can talk about them with you. However, The Council is off-limits. Or, it should be."
They continued to argue about Blake being let in on level one information. Once they filled her in, there was no doubt in her mind she would fill Blake in. Lance tried to convince her it would put him in danger to know any more than he already did.
Since Blake was untrained and couldn't shift, he wouldn't be able to take the test. The Council viewed outsiders being aware of them as a major threat. They wouldn't kill him, but they could get Blake and Kandice locked up if they thought they were a large enough threat.
Kandice gave in and agreed to keep Blake in the dark after it was clear Lance wouldn't. It didn't change their current mission to kill the mayor, but it was something she planned to revisit once they finished.
"So, what do we do about the Biancardi twins?" she asked.
"There's nothing to be done," Lance said. "We just have to wait, and if they contact us, we'll address it then. They may want to meet Blake, but I doubt it, since it would make the Council more vulnerable."
They discussed their plans, but it was so airtight they were just repeating themselves for the umpteenth time. Lance made dinner as planning had become boring.
When they finished eating, they did something they had never done before. Sat on the couch and watched a movie.
Kandice was at home. This was her family. But if that was so, Lance would be what to her? Maybe a hot cousin she wanted to fuck? Slava was the protective grandfather. They had both accepted Blake.
The ideal nuclear family was dead for most American families, but not during her childhood. Her parents had been perfect, and Blake had been an outgoing and fun brother. Now they were lost and only had each other. The prospect of finding a group to belong to was too much to pass up.
Over the past few weeks, Blake had grown out of his dark shell, and was sociable again. It had to be the mission. Having something important to do helped get him out of his rut and focused on something bigger than himself.
They all got too drunk to drive, so Kandice and Blake slept on the couch again. Lance was prepared with pillows and blankets that were far more comfortable than what they had the last time.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Amethyst Nation, Fencura
They designed the library like a labyrinth, with tables and chairs tucked in alcoves for the apprentices to study. The bookshelves stretched from floor to ceiling and faced one another, creating long corridors of books, until abruptly taking a sharp turn.
Ren sat at a table in the center of one such square of shelves—a small alcove just large enough for two. His portable terminal lay beside him, a glorified paperweight. Despite their advanced state, the Amethyst Nation didn't use electricity but magic for the wonders around them. This left Ren in an awful position of having to find and read the books. Rather than accessing the information on his terminal screen, making the process a grueling experience. Afraid Shaya would think less of him, he had slipped away when she picked out a book, using a weak excuse of finding another copy.
Slowly, Ren managed to decipher the words on the page, and read the first chapter of Mind of Water: an apprentice's guide to clear thoughts. The premise was that by letting go of the desire to control his thoughts, Ren would gain control of his magic. He wasn't sure that made sense, but it's what the author had intended.
Ren's stomach grumbled. Tucked away inside the maze of books, it was impossible for Ren to know what time it was. There were no windows, only lanterns casting a constant glow throughout the library. Each table had its own lamp to ensure the best possible reading light. His brain hurt from struggling with the script, and he didn't feel like letting go of his thoughts of hunger.
Careful not to damage the spine, Ren returned the book to its spot on the shelf, and made note of its location in case he needed to read it again—though there were multiple copies of each book throughout the library. Discovering them proved difficult in the labyrinth of shelves.
Ren traced his steps back to where he'd left Shaya, only to find she'd gone.
Probably went to lunch.
Lunch was exactly wha
t he needed to feel better.
It took him five minutes to make it to the dining hall, after making a wrong turn in the shelves and having to backtrack.
The twins were missing, but Shaya and Goban sat together, their meals half gone.
"Hello," Goban said.
"Where did you go off to?" Shaya said.
"I got lost," Ren lied, "and decided to sit down and read rather than find my way back."
Shaya gestured for him to sit next to her.
"Goban was just telling me that he's already familiar with the process of clearing the mind. It's apparently part of his smithing training."
"Shh." Goban's eyes widened. "I'm not supposed to share Ruby Nation secrets. Promise me, you two won't talk about this."
"Promise," they said in unison.
Ren couldn't care less at that moment about Ruby Nation secrets. His stomach was threatening to claw its way out of his belly and eat without him if he didn't order food.
He glanced at the menu and ordered, "Duck, steamed asparagus, buttered potatoes, and red wine."
A glow of green light faded, and Ren's lunch sat before him. He didn't bother to be polite and immediately began eating his duck leg. The three of them ate in silence, and despite their head start, he finished his plate at the same time. With his stomach satiated, his mind was able to focus again.
"How far did you get in the book?" Ren asked.
"I stopped after chapter three," Shaya said.
"Chapter three as well," Goban said.
Wanting to avoid admitting he'd only finished the first chapter, he asked, "Do you think we'll be tested on it later?"