beats per minute

by Alex Mae

  Max nodded at Raegan to dismiss her. Briefly he glanced at Con; then, with surprising tact, he crossed the large room as if singularly fixated on the opposite window. Bree followed. With their other companions now a distance apart, their backs to them, Raegan and Con finally had some privacy.

  A few minutes ago she had been anxious to get going, bored of sitting there, unnoticed, unable to follow the conversation; now, as she turned to look at Con, it felt as if the moment had come too soon.

  She couldn’t meet his eyes or she might burst into tears. She focused on her scuffed trainers instead. ‘Thank you, Grandda.’ The words wouldn’t come out easily; she was forced to mutter. ‘Give my love to Bridey.’

  He covered the small distance between them in seconds, and she was enfolded in his arms. Crushed against his greatcoat, she breathed in his familiar outdoorsy smell and thought how unfair it was that she had only just realised that she liked her grandfather, let alone loved him.

  ‘I wish we had more time,’ she mumbled into the material.

  Con pulled back to comprehend her from his great height. ‘Soon any wishes you make about time you will be able to grant yourself.’ His eyes sparkled. ‘I know you’ll do great things, child. I only wish I could stay.‘

  She clung to him. ‘I wish you could, too.’

  ‘Believe in yourself. This was meant to be, lass. You’ll come right.’

  Gently, he disengaged himself.

  ‘No goodbyes now. I’ll be seeing you.’

  She watched him go from the window. The huge shoulders seemed hunched; she even thought they might be shaking. He disappeared through the dark veil at the back of the fort, and there was a moment of panic when she did not see him emerge on the other side.

  And then the distinctive, piercing cry of an eagle shattered the night’s stillness, and suddenly the silhouette of his wings traced against the moon. In the melancholy bird’s song she could hear the pain he had tried to hide; but as it soared, pride seemed to resonate in the eagle’s voice. The tears dried on her face and she laughed as the bird looped and darted in the night sky, pirouetting amongst the stars, displaying the goofy elation that her taciturn grandfather, in his human form, could not.

  Whatever he was trying to show, she had never felt more like his granddaughter.

  But then the slight pressure of a hand on her shoulder reminded her. To all intents and purposes, after this moment, she was no longer his granddaughter. She was not only saying goodbye to her grandfather; she was saying goodbye to everything.

  It was time.

  Chapter Eight: Body, Heart, Brain

  Yali Nureyev was a patient man. After several years’ absence from the Regency, in which he studied with Tibetan monks in the Dzogchen monastery, he had learned not to sweat the small stuff. He was the perfect second-in-command to the erratic, hot-tempered Max Savage, as he was largely unperturbed by Max’s frequent unpredictability. This being so, he did not bat an eyelid when the Praetor demanded that he return from his supervision of the exercises in the Russian mountains, where the majority of the Unit were currently stationed. He did not complain when Max explained that he would be teaching two new recruits, who needed to be brought up to a Level One status by the end of the first week. Certainly, it was a gargantuan task, not to mention most disruptive to his schedule – but Yali took it in his stride.

  He was, however, a creature of habit; and he had a particular fondness for taking a meal alone each day and quietening his mind. The whirlwind progression of events that had taken place since his arrival back at Unit Prime had not provided him with much opportunity. It was therefore with a sense of quiet anticipation that Yali worked through the morning’s exercise on the fifth, gruelling day of training. He had finally been able to allot himself fifteen minutes for a peaceful lunch in Centurion House, deliberately choosing a time when all other teachers would be busy. The silence was a lullaby to his ears when he finally sat down at the kitchen table. He would savour every bite.

  Such was his supreme self will that he did not even flinch when, at that very moment, the door flew open, and a cacophony of noise burst in with it.

  It was a disappointment but not entirely unexpected. Interruptions were frequent at Centurion House - not least because of it its central position. Unit Prime was organised like a traditional Roman encampment and Centurion House was therefore one of the focal points, situated directly behind the Praetor’s house on the main street or via principalis.

  The Sentinel was extremely proud of its ancient roots and had based its ranking system on the Roman military. All the teachers from all three departments (Brain, Body and Heart) lived in Centurion House. One centurion (the department leader) presided over two optiones (the deputies) and also a tesserarius, who was the leading candidate from the Regent cadets. Each teacher was a specialist in his own right; Yali, the centurion of the Brain cohort, was a master of meditation and core strength, as a well as a teacher of philosophy. As one might expect, the teachers from the three disciplines were all vastly different in character – and though Yali adhered to the system and respected his peers, he did sometimes wonder whether enforced co-habitation was an optimum state.

  Particularly when he was trying to have his lunch and two brawny, over-excited optiones seemed determined to destroy the peace.

  Rico Shadrach, the Body optio in charge of drills and circuit training, was the first to arrive. He came barrelling in, carrying a small television set and hollering over his shoulder at Robert Oaksey, his fellow optio, who was presumably not far behind. Without a thought for Yali he slammed the device down on the table.

  ‘They’ll be starting soon, so move your butt!’

  Really, Yali wondered as he examined his cuticles, was there any need to shout in such a confined space?

  Robert entered and closed the door gently. He started to speak and then caught sight of Yali. ‘Sir. I hope we’re not interrupting.’

  Finally Rico noticed the centurion. ‘Didn’t see you there. How’s it going?’ Without giving him a moment to answer, and with customary arrogance, he started to fiddle with the television set. ‘Are you done? Only we’re going to need this table to take notes. Got the new pair out there on the obstacle course. The weather’s a real pisser! It’s going to be a doozy.’

  Yali nodded at Robert, who was waiting for a response from his senior officer. As well he should. ‘At ease.’ Was that a flicker of guilt he spotted in Rico’s eyes as he looked up at him, shiftily, recognising his faux pas? Yali was a fair man. He decided to give the optio a break. ‘So, Rico, how are our little ones getting along? Are you not running behind schedule? It seems rather late in the day for Body training.’

  Rico grunted, bringing his meaty arm down on the top of the television set – presumably to improve the signal. ‘The girl was late. Spouting some crap about how she got locked in the changing room. Probably her time of the month.’

  The picture came slowly into focus, showing two small figures on a track, stretching. Another person stood nearby, checking the device in his/her hand and apparently shouting instructions.

  ‘I see.’ Yali was still pondering Rico’s reportage. ‘That doesn’t sound like Miss O’Roarke as I have known her. She is always prompt. Though, come to think of it, I did overhear her mentioning a similar mishap to Mr Becker just yesterday. Something about her uniform being stolen. I wondered if it was a prank. A – what is it you say – new girl’s tease?’

  His subordinate shrugged. ‘If she’s pairing up with Sam, she deserves what’s coming to her. Kid’s a sure target. He’s always been a wuss.’

  The rain intensified from a drizzle to a downpour. Rico’s attention, ever fragile, was immediately diverted back to the screen. ‘Oops!’ The exclamation was devoid of apology. ‘I guess they’re good and soaked now. That’ll put hairs on their chest! The more that’s against you in the early days, the better, in my opinion. Don’t you agree, Bobby?’

  Robert shrugged good-naturedly. Yali looked at him for a m
oment, noting his carefully groomed blonde hair and well pressed shirt, and nodded approvingly to himself. Unlike his muscle-bound ape of a companion, the boy had class. Yali liked him; he liked him even more when he heard the measured, even tones of his response. ‘Well, it’ll certainly test their mettle. I’m still not sure they were quite ready for the Lab, Rico – particularly not in this weather. ’ Lab was short for Labyrinth: their nickname for the complicated maze of obstacles that made up the practice course.

  ‘I don’t give a damn if they’re ready. They’ve been coddled enough, and it’s time for them to earn their stripes.’ Rico’s eyes glinted maliciously. ‘I always say that there’s no better way to put a newcomer in his place than with a few broken bones – and they could both use knocking down a peg or two.’ He leaned into the small screen almost hungrily. ‘Especially the boy.’

  Yali’s eyes flicked sharply to Rico’s hunched form. ‘How long have they been out there?’

  ‘We had them on manoeuvres since your class finished at 11,’ Rico said airily. ‘Good to get their muscles warm before tackling the Lab.’

  ‘Unsupervised?’ Yali asked quietly.

  Rico looked up, catching the disapproval in his voice. ‘Bree’s with them. She’s our tess, after all; it’s good for her to have some responsibility.’ His bravado failed slightly as Yali continued to look at him. ‘Well, that’s what I thought – sir.’

  ‘And you have checked that the weather will not worsen? I would think carefully about allowing this to go ahead.’

  ‘With all respect, sir, a bit of rain never hurt anyone. Doesn’t look like a storm.’

  Yali placed his hands under his chin. His eyes, which had always reminded Rico of a tiger’s, were thoughtful. ‘Optio, I am unsure that the Praetor would share your reasoning. Two green cadets out in perilous weather conditions, with only a tesserarius – admittedly, an extremely fine tesserarius, but still only that - watching over them?’

  ‘And Sam- I mean, Mr Becker,’ Rico muttered, no longer able to meet Yali’s eyes. ‘He used to be of rank.’

  ‘But is no longer. And if there were to be any broken bones, I am sure the Praetor would be rather put out to hear that you were inside, warm and dry, for the duration.’ He continued to stare at him over his fingers, a stare that was both unyielding and appraising. ‘Indeed, it is a most interesting situation that you find yourself in.’

  Rico soon buckled under the weight of Yali’s gaze. With studied nonchalance, he cleared his throat. ‘I’d like to watch from outside, I think. Get a closer view. My report would surely benefit from it.’

  ‘Indubitably,’ Yali murmured, helping himself to a piece of black bread and chewing it languidly as the door slammed to signal Rico’s hasty retreat.

  His ever-active amber gaze soon settled on Robert. ‘Has Optio Ostergaard been updated? This exercise, running late, will surely cut into his lesson.’

  ‘Yes, sir. I informed him at once.’

  ‘Good.’ Ingmar Ostergaard was not only a brilliant teacher but a dear friend of Yali’s. Eccentric, intellectual, and rather wild of appearance, his mild manners invited rough treatment from the more domineering members of staff. ‘I always feel that though Regent History has less immediate significance than our more visceral disciplines, it represents a vital element of the cadets’ training programme – though I do not imagine Optio Shadrach would share my sensibilities.’

  Robert inclined his head in silent acquiescence. After a respectful pause, he gestured to the chair next to the centurion. ‘May I join you?’

  ‘Of course.’ He pushed the plate toward him. ‘Please, help yourself if you are hungry. My eyes have certainly been bigger than my stomach.’

  Robert inclined his head gratefully. ‘Thank you. Will you stay and watch? I’d like to hear your opinion on their progress. I think the girl’s form has improved immeasurably since we have begun fencing; I’m curious to see if this will translate to her movements over the course.’

  The older man smiled. ‘I would be delighted. Though,’ he pulled his woollen cardigan more tightly over his shoulders and shivered, ‘I cannot pretend I am envious of their position. I would not like to be attempting the Labyrinth in this weather.’

  Their attention turned to the small figures on the screen, who were now moving into position near the starting line.

  ‘Ah, but remember how exciting it all was in the beginning?’ Robert smiled jovially. ‘I am sure they are having the time of their lives.’

  ***

  Raegan was having an awful time. Not only had she been in thrown in at the deep-end, with barely a second to even think about the crazy, scary changes she was going through, not only had she been experiencing a run of bad luck – which she suspected was not bad luck at all but someone’s idea of a laugh, playing pranks on the new girl - but she was expected to settle in faster than the regular cadets. And then there was the training. The average programme was rumoured to be gruelling; hers, designed to catch her up with the rest of her year double quick, was something else.

  As Max had touched on in their meeting, the programme focused on three main disciplines, designed to maximise and hone all of the Regent’s potential. Essentially these disciplines corresponded to the epicentres of a Regent’s powers: brain, body, and heart. Every day was a triple attack on the cadet’s endurance, strength and agility.

  Five days in, Raegan didn’t think she was doing well in any class, though she probably struggled most with Body. This was Bree’s speciality and she was doing her best to help Raegan improve. Unfortunately, this meant getting her out of bed even earlier than normal for a run before the morning’s training began. Bree was tough but fair, and when she was in the right mood she could be a real laugh - but she didn’t believe in sleep.

  ‘If you think this is bad,’ Bree had said on their first morning, as Raegan puffed around the track alongside her, ‘Wait ‘til Yali finishes with you!’

  She hadn’t been exaggerating. A key component of Brain training was the focusing of the mind through physical exertion. Raegan, completely inflexible, was useless at this to begin with. She couldn’t even manage a simple headstand. The strong, silent Yali was a kind and patient mentor, but pretty imposing; his body seemed capable of anything. It was also impossible to cover up your mistakes. Nothing evaded his notice. Still, she liked him. Next to Ingmar, the hyperactive Regent History tutor, Yali was probably her favourite teacher. She was less keen on Rico. The sadistic drill instructor looked for any excuse to make his students run endless laps; but here, at least, Raegan caught her stride. She might not be that strong or graceful but her long, gangly limbs had always been good for cross-country running.

  And then there was Liana. The centurion of Heart was like no-one else. A diminutive black woman, with huge eyes and a calm, smooth face, she radiated power. In a way, she was similar to Yali; but where Yali was cool, unmoving, like an ancient stone, Liana was a coiled spring, held in place by huge, fiery strength. There was something wild and almost primal about her; and maybe this was to be expected, for she was the one in charge of the Awakening – the name given to the process the Regents went through in learning to open themselves up to their powers. The Awakening began within a few weeks of every Regent’s sixteenth birthday. This was the only class in which Raegan was completely alone, without any of the optiones or tesserarii. This was the class in which Raegan was expected to plumb the depths of her soul.

  It was long, stretching over hours; and afterwards Raegan couldn’t remember exactly what had happened. She would enter the studio, warmly lit by candles, aware of the crystals in each corner. Thanks to her discussion with Max, she looked on these with friendly eyes; she even reckoned that she could feel their power now, radiating through the compound like a protective cocoon. The first time she met Liana she had said as much.

  Liana smiled. ‘The crystals are essential. We do great work here, but for many of our pupils time is still an experiment.’ she explained, in that even, serene manner. �
�We must have safeguards in place to protect the equilibrium. The merest skip of a Regent’s heartbeat, cadet or not, and for whatever reason – physical exertion, anger, fear – would cause time to jump. Your traverse’, the name given to the phenomenon of altering time and functioning within the altered time plane, as Max had explained on that first night, ‘might last only seconds – but that is enough. Your bpm is still too fragile to take chances with.’

  The crystals helped the teachers to channel their powers, keeping the cadets within a linear, constant time continuum. Raegan now understood that in Max’s office she had been held in place by his power; except for those few seconds when their eyes were locked together and she had begun to break free. Now that she knew more, the memory was incredibly scary – and she wondered how he felt about it. She was sure that she should not have able to do that to him, the Magister, the Praetor of the camp. She had not mentioned the incident to Liana.

  Not that she and Liana had much time to talk, anyway; her class was about deep concentration, feeding into Yali’s work, following the instructions and the rhythm of her drum. Raegan would stand inside a circle of salt and Liana would murmur incantations, all the while instructing her, in a low tone, to do various things. Raegan had never been in a trance, but this must be close to what it would feel like: it was weird, intense, as if her body was broken up into tiny molecules and each one was thrumming, connected to everything else in the room, stemming from her own heartbeat.

  Last night, something else had happened. For the first time, Liana had stepped into the circle with her. Before Raegan could feel distantly afraid, or nervous, Liana was moving; she placed her right hand into the middle of the circle, and Raegan followed suit. By this time, deep into whatever zone Liana had put her in, she mimicked her actions without pause for conscious thought. Liana then elevated her right hand to Raegan’s chest, lightly pressing over her heart; Raegan did the same. They stood there for what felt like a very long time. Their hearts beat at the same rate as the drum had the moment before, passing up and down their alternate fingertips.