by Lisa Cassidy
“They’re not,” Alyx seconded when Finn looked like he was about to continue anyway.
“All right, fine. We’re almost there, anyway.”
Once they’d reached the bustling town of Weeping Stead, it didn’t take too long to find the militia barracks situated along the western edge of the town. Cario remained with them as they turned the horses towards the barracks, seemingly ignorant of the surreptitious glances both Finn and Tarrick were giving him. Alyx spotted two Bluecoats coming out the front gates as they rode up.
“Lady Egalion.” Casta tipped his hat at her with a smile.
“Good morning, Casta, Tijer.” She returned his smile, pleased to see them. “You both look like you’re off duty.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Tijer said. “We thought we’d do some exploring.”
“Is Dash off duty too?”
“Yes, Lady Egalion.” Casta nodded. “But he was up and out early. He said something about finding a good game of cards.”
“Of course he did,” Alyx muttered, mostly to herself. “You haven’t had any problems with Commander Helson or the soldiers here?”
“No, ma’am. They’ve been very welcoming and have given us a section of the barracks to ourselves.” Tijer glanced at Casta. “We’re eager to get started working with them, truth be told. They seem like good men.”
“I’m glad to hear it. Make the most of today—it will be getting cold here very soon and there’s not much to do in the heavy snows.”
“Good to know. It was nice to see you, Lady Egalion.” Both young men tipped their hats politely and walked away in the direction of town.
“He’s not in?” Tarrick asked.
“No, but follow me. I’m pretty sure I can find him.”
Seventhday was market day in Weeping Stead, and the town was alive with farmers, stall-owners and villagers all out enjoying the last gasp of good weather before autumn brought its cool winds and early snows. After following directions from one stall-owner, Alyx led the others down the main street to the southern end of town where several inns were clustered over four blocks.
They found Dashan, at Alyx’s suggestion, inside a busy but slightly run-down inn named the Oak Leaf. She left the others waiting outside, intending to make excuses if she found Dashan drunk or otherwise incapable of being good company.
He sat at a table in the dim interior, right at the back of the room, playing cards with a small group of townsfolk. He wasn’t in uniform, wearing only plain brown breeches and a cream-coloured shirt rolled up to his elbows. The distinctive hat of the Blue Guard was also missing, and his dark brown hair—which had grown during their trip—had not yet been cut back to regulation length. Alyx could not prevent the rolling of her eyes as Dashan noticed her and smiled a greeting.
“Where’s your uniform?” she asked dryly. “Lose it somewhere?”
He shrugged. “I don’t see any of my commanders around to censure me. Besides, it’s my day off.”
“So you decided to wear that instead? Planning to dig a trench or herd some cows today?”
He affected a surprised expression. “I’m sorry, were you expecting me to be dressed in velvet breeches and a silk shirt like our friend Cayr?”
Alyx looked away. She so often forgot that Dashan didn’t have the wealth that she and Cayr had, that his father had cut him off completely and he survived only on the wage of a Blue Guardsman. Dragging her gaze back to him, she raised an eyebrow. “You look sober, I suppose.”
He grinned up at her. “It’s not even lunchtime. What are you doing here? Have they kicked you out already?”
“I already wish they had.” She mock-groaned. “But no, I was accepted back. We have a day off today though. One of the perks of being an apprentice is that we’re allowed off grounds.”
“And you came to visit me on your day off?” Dashan looked delighted.
“Tarrick and the twins are here,” she said. “When I told them you’d come back with me, they wanted to visit, though I have no idea why.”
“It’s probably my charming company.”
“I could probably think of a better word.”
“I’m sure you could.”
“There’s someone new. His name is Cario.” Alyx paused. “I’m not quite sure what to make of him yet and I don’t know why he’s with us today, but he seems all right, though a bit standoffish.”
“Okay, I’m sober, clean-shaven, and I even bathed this morning. Let them in. I promise not to embarrass you.” He winked.
Chuckling despite herself, Alyx went to the door and waved them all in.
“Dashan!” Tarrick strode forward with a smile, hand outstretched. “It’s good to see you.”
“And you, Tarrick.” Dashan stood and shook Tarrick’s hand warmly. “Finn, you’re looking well, mate. And you’re as lovely as ever, Dawn.”
“Thanks, Dash,” she said, turning pink. “It’s nice to see you too.”
“You must be Cario?” Dashan’s gaze shifted, and he took in Cario’s attire and demeanour in a single glance.
“Yes, Cario Duneskal.” He shook Dashan’s hand politely. “You command Alyx’s protective guard detail?”
“That’s right.”
“Shiven-Rionnan relations aren’t good at the best of times, so I imagine you must be very good to have been chosen for the job.” Cario’s words were evenly spoken, and it was hard to tell whether he meant them as a compliment or not.
“We’re all trained to be elite,” Dashan spoke just as evenly. “You seem to know a lot about Shiven-Rionnan relations for a Tregayan.”
“I have had an education, yes.”
Dashan grinned at that, clearly deciding not to take offence. “Would any of you like to join our game?”
Finn dropped into an empty seat with an eager nod, Tarrick following suit. While they introduced themselves to the others at the table, Dashan took a moment to look Alyx up and down.
“You look all right,” he said.
She raised an eyebrow. “What were you expecting?”
“I remember visiting you at DarkSkull last year. You were pale, haggard and looked like a stiff breeze could knock you over.”
“Give me a few more weeks,” she grumbled. “I’ve only been here a day.”
Dashan gave Alyx one more look over, then glanced at Cario with a slight frown before taking his seat at the table.
Alyx and Dawn spent the next hour or so in vocal support for their chosen player—Tarrick and Dashan respectively. Cario stood back from the table, hands casually in his pockets, blue eyes seemingly focused on the game. His presence niggled at Alyx, and after a while she went over to join him. He acknowledged her arrival with a quick glance but said nothing.
“Surely you have better places to be?” she asked.
“Watching the game is interesting enough. Finn’s going to beat them all. He plays cleverly—he’s lulling them all into thinking he’s inexperienced.”
Alyx hadn’t noticed that but wasn’t surprised. “Finn is the smartest of all of us.”
“I heard talk that you were nobility from Rionn. After the way those soldiers addressed you earlier, I see the talk is true.”
“That’s right. My father is our king’s most senior advisor.” She glanced at him. “The prince of Rionn is my... likely future husband.”
A finely arched eyebrow. “So not just nobility, but high nobility. Yet you’re happy to spend your day off with a common soldier that commands your guard detail?”
He was perceptive, she’d give him that. She would need to watch what she said around him until she knew him better. “We’ve known each other a long time.”
“I see.”
“Tarrick tells me you’re nobility too.” Alyx probed, keen to get a better handle on his motives. He seemed harmless, but she could think of no good explanation for his presence. Why wasn’t he with Galien and the others?
“Indeed. My grandfather is on the council, and my father will all but certainly get the next seat available
.”
“If that’s true, how did you end up placed in Master Howell’s group?”
Cario raised an eyebrow at her.
She returned his look. “Don’t pretend not to understand, I’m no fool. Someone like you could be placed in any training group he liked. Why pick the least-talented and least-popular group?”
“That’s easy.” He shrugged. “I didn’t pick your group.”
“Right.” She huffed out a breath and looked away.
“You don’t believe me.”
“Not for a second. I learned last year how it works with mages, in many ways it’s no different than the world I come from. Those from rich mage families are treated like royalty, and they look down on those that have little magical heritage. That means someone like you gets a free pass. You sit with the other ‘royal’ students at DarkSkull and you have far more influence with the masters than the rest of us do.”
Amusement flickered in Cario’s eyes. “You certainly understand the way DarkSkull works very well.”
“You disagree?”
“Oh, my family would very much agree with you. Some mages are better, stronger and more important than others. It’s just the way things are.”
“And what do you think?”
Cario gave a slight shrug. “I don’t really care enough to have an opinion.”
“I don’t believe that either.”
He gave a faint smile and pushed away from the wall. “Another thing I don’t much care about. I’ll see you later, Alyx Egalion.”
Alyx watched him leave the inn—understanding Cario no better now than before she’d spoken to him. He was a mystery; friendly on the surface, polite, yet coolly distant at the same time. There was intelligence there, too, and she wondered what he was hiding beneath the polite mask.
Chapter 9
Eventually Tarrick and the twins said their farewells to Dashan and left to go shopping, all of them wanting to purchase a thick cloak for the coming winter. Alyx stayed to finish the drink she’d ordered but found herself shortly after being hustled out by Dashan.
“Come on, Lady Egalion, a dark seedy tavern is no place for a high-born lass such as yourself.”
“It didn’t seem to bother you for the past few hours.”
“Well, I was gambling then. I couldn’t interrupt the fantastic losing streak I was on, could I?”
She forced back a smile. “I’m just an apprentice mage here, Dash. Nothing more.”
“In my world, you’re always going to be Lady Egalion,” he said, opening the door and ushering her out into the street. There was a bleak note to his voice that made her frown, but he continued before she could say anything. “Come on, I’ll walk you to find the others.”
“You want to accompany us shopping?” she asked sceptically.
“Not for a second. I’ll take you to find them, then I’m out of... what the hell happened to your fingers?”
Dashan frowned, stopping dead in the street. Alyx’s hand froze where she’d lifted it to brush a loose strand of hair behind her ears. He reached out to gently catch hold of her three bruised and swollen fingers.
“It’s nothing,” she said with a shrug, made uncomfortable by his scrutiny—damn, why didn’t I keep my hand better hidden from him? “It happened at morning sparring lessons. The same thing happened last year. The sparring master dislikes me intensely and he’s paired me with somebody better than me at fighting.”
“You need to learn how to fight. Clearly you’re not very good at it.”
She snatched her hand away. “Thank you for that astute observation.”
He studied her for a minute. “I’ll teach you.”
“What?”
“You heard me. I’ll teach you. The boys and I start working with the local command tomorrow, but I’ll still have some free time, like you.”
“You’re serious?”
“Absolutely. I can even come to you,” he said. “Send me a note when you know you’ll have some free time, and I’ll try and meet you. Deal?”
Alyx was confused. “Teaching me to fight, in your free time no less, has got to be a tedious prospect for you.”
“The thought of beating you over the head with a staff appeals to me.” He grinned.
“Dash, be serious!” she snapped.
He sighed. “I’m following orders, all right? Part of protecting you means not allowing you to be killed or badly hurt at sparring practice.”
“Fine.” She shrugged, giving in. “Teach me how to fight.”
Finn’s voice suddenly sounded from down the street. “Alyx, come on. We have to be back before dinner or you know we won’t eat till morning,”
“Coming!”
Dashan caught her shoulder as she turned to go. “Have you talked to them about your nightmare yet?”
She shook her head. “The more I think about it, I was probably just overreacting because of how terrifying the dream was.”
“Tell them anyway,” he insisted. “If you don’t, I will the next time I see them.”
“Yes, sir!” Alyx rolled her eyes at him, then turned and jogged towards her friends.
They arrived back at DarkSkull in time for dinner, Tarrick and the twins all pleased with their purchases. Dawn kept giving her brother warm hugs for using his card game winnings to buy her the nicest cloak available until he was forced to push her away in embarrassment.
Once she’d eaten, Alyx left the others to finish their dinner in a more leisurely fashion and headed to the library. If she wanted to succeed in the near-impossible task of catching up on her classes, it meant studying on her day off. If Howell was there, she might even be able to convince him to tutor her for a while, although Finn had promised to come and join her later.
Alyx had only seen Galien from a distance in the two days she’d been back at DarkSkull, so she wasn’t quite prepared to round a corner and have him step out from the shadows in front of her.
Fear leapt uncontrollably in her chest and she took an unconscious step back, her gaze scanning their surroundings. She was in the main hall leading to the library. Night had fallen, and the only light came from a series of lamps along the walls. Master Renwick stood in discussion with an apprentice near the library entrance, though, his voice carrying down the hall. Her tensed shoulders relaxed slightly.
“Well, if it isn’t Lady Egalion.” Galien smiled, and the quality of it sent a shiver down Alyx’s spine, despite her determination not to be afraid. The lean fingers of his left hand tapped idly against his leg, smile widening fractionally as he enjoyed her discomfort. He’d cut his lengthy brown hair over the summer, bringing into sharp prominence his dark Shiven eyes and arched cheekbones.
“Galien. Did you want something?” She tried, and mostly succeeded, in keeping her voice even. He towered over her, and there was barely an inch between her back and the wall. Her hands curled tightly around the books she held, the leather cutting into her skin.
“You shouldn’t have come back here. You’re not welcome.”
“That’s not your decision to make.”
Galien’s mouth curled in another cold little smile and he stepped closer again, utterly invading her personal space with his physical presence. Alyx gritted her teeth, fighting to stand still.
“I wonder how long you’ll last,” he murmured.
His hand lazily drifted up towards her head, a tiny fireball igniting to spin idly in his palm— a demonstration of power, and a threat. He brought the fire closer to her ear, until the heat of the flame burned against her skin. Dark eyes bored into her face, filled with menace. It took everything she had not to flinch, and even then she couldn’t keep the fear from her face. It made him chuckle softly in triumph.
“Good night, Galien.”
Alyx did the only thing she could think to do, push past him and walk towards the library. She felt his eyes on her back all the way down the hall. Once inside the relative safety of the entrance, she let out the breath she’d been holding, her shoulders sagging as
adrenalin fled her body.
Howell wasn’t there, so Alyx chose a table in the middle of the open floor and sat with her books. Breathing deeply, she tried to calm her heartbeat and focus on her studies. It wasn’t long before Finn joined her, looking cheerful until he caught a look at her face as he sat.
“What happened?” he asked.
“Run-in with Galien.”
He stiffened, mingled fear and concern flashing over his face. “Did he try anything?”
“No. We were out in the hall, too many witnesses.” She grimaced. “He threatened me though.”
“It’ll be okay,” he said firmly, sounding like he was trying to reassure himself as much as her. “We’ll go back to doing what we did last year. None of us walk around alone, and we do our best to avoid him. We survived last year and we’re going to survive this year too.”
“You’re right.” Alyx nodded, braced by his words. “Come on, teach me all about Zandian grammar.”
She allowed herself to be drawn into learning about grammar and vocabulary. Finn was a good teacher. He explained things in a way she understood quickly, so it wasn’t hard to pay attention.
Alyx glanced up once, when Galien came into the library not long after Finn. He crossed straight to a table on the opposite side of the room where Parja, Tarran and Oscar sat. She watched him a moment, thinking.
“You all right?” Finn nudged her elbow.
Alyx turned to smile at him. “Yes, I am. I’m not alone.”
“No.” Finn’s gaze turned to Galien too. “None of us are.”
“Okay, so I finished the questions Prajana set us for next class. Can you look them over?”
She waited, tapping her fingers on the table, while Finn read over her answers. A few moments later, his head shot up in surprise.
“Hey, you got this right!”
The surprise in his tone made her laugh. “You don’t have to sound so shocked. I’m not a complete dullard.”
“I didn’t mean to imply that,” he told her impatiently. “But look, you’ve got the whole paragraph right. Every sentence is grammatically correct.”
Alyx glanced at it. “This is pretty basic stuff.”