Deviants of Giftborn (The Etherya Series Book 1)

by Amarcya, Zuri

  “What does that have to do with anything, Terris?” Nemma snapped.

  Terris lowered his eyes. “Alright, let me see if they will at least allow you to return to your room.”

  “Thank you.”

  He rose again, nodded at her.

  When he left, the small room she was being held in felt smaller. It held two wooden chairs and a table, a half-wall separated the main area from the wash room. The lack of windows and citrusy aroma made the room feel suffocating. Nemma resisted the urge to scream by placing her head down on the table and trying to sleep.

  A few hours later, Puryth Mayea entered.

  Nemma lifted her head from the table. “Greetings again, Puryth.”

  Mayea smiled. “You have managed to make powerful friends in training, Isa.”

  Nemma stayed silent as she sat down opposite her.

  “Your friend Terris has argued a convincing case that you are misguided about the boundaries expected. Your mentor and aide have both stated that you haven’t shown any other concerning behavior during your time here, and your trainers only have positive things to say about your abilities. Except for Govenyth Col.”

  Nemma leaned back in her chair. “Of course.”

  “He believes that you have a lack of respect for the Law. Would you say this is true?”

  Nemma closed her eyes and sighed.

  “Would you say that this is true?” Mayea repeated after a long silence.

  Nemma opened her eyes. “I have been in this room for days. I’m tired and hungry and my mind hurts. I’ve told you everything that happened. Anything else you will have to decide for yourself.”

  Mayea’s smile remained. “You told Terris that force-binds are painful. How do you know that?”

  Nemma’s wary mind sharpened at once.

  “No citizen, even fourth quarter citizens, would be detained using a force-bind. Only people from outside of the city would experience it, and the very occasional poor-adjusted scholar,” she continued, watching her. “So how have you?”

  Heat rose in Nemma. “I haven’t.”

  “So why did you say that?”

  Nemma sat up in her chair, heart pounding. “It looked painful. Abranya’s face was… She looked like she was dying.”

  The Puryth nodded, but did not respond. Nemma breathed slow and deep, trying to calm her heartbeat. Her physical reactions would probably be monitored, and she did not want to give the Puryth any reason to be suspicious.

  Finally she spoke. “Traumatic experiences sometimes cause us to behave in strange ways, Isa. For your protection you will need to undergo treatment to deal with whatever mental problems you have that are causing this behavior.”

  “But everyone said I’m doing well,” Nemma protested. “You’re putting me under treatment because of one action?”

  “That’s all it takes. Imagine a situation like this arises in the course of your duties later on? We need to know that you will respond within the parameters of the Law, which will be hard for you to do if you hold any kind of contempt for it. Thaide Adran is insisting that, with your skills, you pursue Thaide training. And your concern for others is a clear indication of how well you could do in that position. But all Thaide must have respect for other magiens and for Sovereign Law.”

  A whirl of dizziness swung around Nemma’s mind. She pressed her palms to her forehead.

  Concern seeped into Priestess Mayea’s face. “Treatment isn’t a bad thing, Isa. Don’t worry. It’s not painful or in any way unpleasant. We can schedule it around your training sessions. Next week your group will sit your preliminary assessments and your treatment should be over by then. And then it’s only a few weeks until you start transport duties in Torak, which I’m sure you are looking forward to.”

  Nemma closed her eyes and nodded.

  “For this evening, you may return to your rooms and get a good rest and a proper meal.” Mayea got up. “Your treatment will start tomorrow.”

  ***

  Nemma woke. A pearly shaft of moonlight streamed into her room and all was quiet. She sat up, memories of her talk with Puryth Mayea flooding back. Nausea rose in her throat and she swallowed hard, throwing her blankets back and heading to her wash room. She could not allow anyone to enter her mind or search her memories. The horror that would await her if that happened... The time had arrived. She had avoided thinking about escaping before because… Why? As she washed the answer dawned on her. She was comfortable. She liked the stability and standard of living. She liked clean clothes and delicious food. She liked not having to fight every day or look over her shoulder constantly. She liked Innogen and Terris and Othmar. She liked learning. She liked the respect the other students showed her, even if most of them resented her.

  But that would all disappear as soon as her treatment started. Even if some miracle occurred that allowed her to get through it without being exposed, Adran would push for her to become a Thaide. She would have to find a way of preventing that without drawing attention to herself. Old yearnings for a modest, safe life resurfaced. If she could find a way leave the city, and indeed the country, maybe it would not be so unrealistic. She dried and started to dress.

  The only place in the Academy that she had noticed did not have high solid walls was the training grounds. Escaping may not be as simple as crossing over the lattice wall on a platform, but it would be worth a try.

  She pulled her carrysack out from under her bed and packed as many robes and undergarments as she could on top of the poa stones and wedged her reading and writing materials among her belongings. She dressed in her usual gray robes and surveyed the room before slipping through the door.

  The skies brightened with each step she took and, as she navigated through the corridors, aides were making their daily rounds. She stopped by an unattended cart to drop a selection of fruit into her carrysack and continued out into the courtyard towards the training grounds.

  “Isa!”

  Nemma spun around and saw Innogen running towards her, her pink dress swishing across her knees.

  “Where are you going?” Innogen asked. “You have your treatment.”

  “Innogen,” Nemma said. “Go back to your duties.”

  “They told me to come and get you, the Thaide are waiting,” Innogen said, gesturing behind her where three Thaide stood by the main entrance watching them.

  Innogen frowned. ”Why do you have your carrysack?”

  “Why are there three Thaide?” Nemma asked, bewildered. She accessed the Gift and realized, with relief, they were at rest.

  “Just to assist me if necessary,” Innogen assured. “Nothing to worry about.”

  Nemma squinted her eyes. “Nothing to worry about? Innogen, they want to force me to do this treatment against my will.”

  Innogen placed a hand on her shoulder. “But what if you do really need it, Isa. It can only help.”

  Nemma shook her head. She pulled Innogen towards her and hugged her. She smelled of kitchen spices and the earthy green of the gardens. “Look after yourself, Innogen.”

  Innogen spluttered and hugged her back.

  Tears pricked Nemma’s eyes. She released Innogen and ran in the other direction. As she took off, the Thaide accessed the Gift and she pulled on earth and air energy to create a shield. She darted through the next smaller yard and rounded a corner into the training grounds, heading for the lattice wall. Slowing, she probed the wall and the area above it with her reach. The wall vibrated with energy and the area above it seemed clear, but there was no way to tell if the wall was coded. What if it attacked her when she passed over it?

  A soft vibration came closer behind her and as she turned Innogen rounded the corner and ran towards her.

  “Innogen, stop,” Nemma called. “Go back in.”

  Innogen slowed and stopped, out of breath. “Isa, you’re going to be in trouble if you don’t come now!” she cried, glancing back as the three Thaide rounded the corner into the training grounds, their white and blue robes swaying
in unison.

  Nemma rotated the earth energy in her shield in one direction and the air energy in the other. The Thaide stopped a few feet behind Isa, all vibrating with the Gift.

  “Please come with us,” one of them called out.

  Nemma create a platform in front of her and as soon as she stepped on it, one of the Thaide released a striker. Her heart jumped into her mouth as it headed towards Innogen. Concentrating, Nemma pulled a shield up around Innogen, just as the striker passed by her, half of it crushing into the shield. Innogen yelled out in shock and two of the Thaide gestured wildly to the one that released the striker.

  Nemma lifted her platform, feeling it slip in and out of both channels as she rose higher. The rest of the striker followed her. It hit her shield and rebounded back out to the ground with a flash. The Thaide stopped talking and looked at her.

  Focusing her mind, she created a platform underneath Innogen’s feet and lifted her into the air. Innogen lost her balance and fell onto the platform, screaming again and curling up on it as it headed to Nemma.

  “Innogen,” Nemma called to her as she approached. “Open your eyes.”

  Innogen had her head down with her eyes squeezed shut as Nemma lined up their platforms.

  “Innogen,” Nemma coaxed again, “everything will be fine just open your eyes and look at me.”

  Innogen inched her eyes open, whimpering, and lifted her head to look at Nemma.

  “Good, now give me your hand.”

  The Thaide below strode forward, watching as Innogen stepped onto Nemma’s platform.

  “Isa,” one of them called out, his voice amplified. “Please accept our apologies for that stray striker. It was released in error.”

  Nemma ignored them. “Are you alright?”

  Innogen crouched on the platform gripping Nemma’s arm. “No,” she cried. “I hate being up here. Put me down.”

  “Innogen, they just attacked you.” Nemma said, in a low voice. “If I put you down they may hurt you to get me to surrender.”

  “So surrender,” Innogen pleaded. “What are you planning on doing anyway? They’ll punish you if you continue to disobey them.”

  “Isa, there’s nowhere to go,” the Thaide called from below. “You can’t pass over the wall without losing your platform. Please come down. Your aide is in danger up there. Come down so you can both be safe.”

  Nemma looked down at them, and could feel them sending out pulses of energy shooting out towards other parts of the Academy. She only had a few moments.

  “Lie down,” she ordered Innogen.

  “What? No.”

  Nemma sat down on the platform and grabbed Innogen’s shoulders. “Just lie down,” she said, pulling her down towards the platform. “Put your arms around me.”

  When they were both lying down with their arms around each other, Nemma curved the platform and shield to cocoon them. Innogen started crying.

  “Close your eyes, Innogen,” Nemma whispered into her ear. “This will all be over soon.”

  As she spoke the Thaide rose into the air. She turned the tube vertically and, over Innogen’s shoulder, saw them all on platforms heading her way. She could feel a number of magiens on the ground heading towards them from inside the Academy.

  Rotating to face the other way, she looked at the lattice wall.

  “Don’t risk your health or your aide’s safety,” one of the Thaide said. They were close behind her.

  “Please Isa,” whispered Innogen. “They can help you.”

  “Hold tight,” Nemma ordered.

  Turning the tube horizontally, Nemma shot towards the wall. Innogen screamed and clung to her tighter. As they passed over the wall, there was a slight pull on her platform energy. She tugged more energy from below into her platform and it strengthened, allowing them to hurtle away from the Academy.

  ***

  Innogen sobbed as Nemma navigated the cocoon. The Arc stretched out underneath them and was a soft multi-colored landscape punctuated by vibrant greens. Magiens traveled on platforms in streams mid air or walked amongst the buildings. None of them looked up.

  “Shh, Innogen,” Nemma murmured, looking as far as she could in every direction as they sped along. It was difficult to tell where they should head.

  Nemma slowed the platform and rose higher and higher until the city shrunk so she could see just beyond it. In one direction lay the sea, in another flat land and in another the Arc wall beyond which lay more buildings. Twisting the platform, she lowered and headed in the direction of the Arc wall, picking up speed as she went.

  Within the cocoon it was difficult to hear if any Thaide were in pursuit, particularly with Innogen crying in one ear, but no vibrations were nearby apart from those below. Nemma tried to keep her mind blank and focus on her senses to keep aware of her surroundings. After a few moments she felt vibrations far behind her that could only be the Thaide in pursuit. She pushed her fear deep down in her chest and maintained her focus on navigating the cocoon.

  But as they dashed closer to Torak, her anxiety rose with a pinch of hope. Perhaps they would not be able to catch up with her before she crossed the Arc wall. Maybe she would be able to lose herself and Innogen in Torak city, and find a way out before they were even able to –

  “Halt!”

  Nemma lifted her head higher, peering ahead of them and her hope plummeted. Slowing, she turned the cocoon upright. About twenty Thaide hovered on platforms in front of her before the Arc wall, all shielded. Nemma’s heart quickened at the sight of so many Thaide in one place.

  “What’s happening?” Innogen spluttered. “Who was that?”

  Nemma, glad that Innogen could not see, patted her back in response. She stopped in mid-air, the vibrations behind her coming nearer.

  Nemma thought back to her training sessions where they had discussed combat. Thaide Adran had avoided it, preferring to work on their reflexes and logic. She would have to rely on her shield. She pulled more earth energy and fed it into her shield but pushed it in a different direction from the other two rotating energies. She repeated the same with more air energy until her shield became a multi-rotating rush of energy.

  “Your heart is beating so fast,” Innogen whispered. “Just explain that you’re scared. They’ll understand, Isa.”

  Nemma looked at each of the Thaide. Although they clearly had different backgrounds and upbringing, they all had the same tense, fixed, dark expression on their faces, and she realized they were determined not to let her pass. They would rather kill her.

  “Nemma.”

  Nemma started at the sound of her name. It came from a Thaide rising from the ground. His robes seemed the same as the others at first glance but as he drew in line with the other Thaide it became clear that his blue swirl designs were thicker than the rest. At the same time she felt the magiens behind her slow to a stop.

  “You are under arrest,” the new Thaide said. His black hair swayed around his head and although a there was a calmness to his demeanor, his black eyes were wild with an intensity that made her shiver. “I would prefer not to hurt you or your friend but I cannot allow you to go any further.”

  Nemma swallowed. She could not put Innogen at risk.

  “Please release your shield and flatten your platform,” he was saying.

  “So you won’t harm Innogen if I surrender?” Nemma called out.

  The Thaide did not answer. He just watched her.

  “I want to know that Innogen won’t be harmed!”

  “I can’t promise anything to you,” he said. “Release your shield.”

  Nemma gritted her teeth. She had tried to protect Innogen by bringing her along, and it seemed she may have put her in danger instead.

  Before she could decide to do anything, the new Thaide looked at a man to his left who started to extend his reach towards her. Nemma gripped Innogen tight, goosebumps running all over her.

  However when his Gift reached her, nothing happened.

  The commanding Tha
ide glanced at across the rest of the men and all of the Thaide began to extend their Gift.

  Nemma watched them all, confused. Were they trying to take command of her platform?

  The main Thaide, who was likely the Thaide Priest she had heard so much about from Terris, created three strikers and shot them at her. She winced as they hit her rotating shield but they rebounded back out in a flash and hit the Thaide all around her. Some of them lost their shields and others their platforms, shouting out as they fell.

  Moving quickly, she tilted the cocoon and rose high into the air again. Pulling even more energy from around her and into her shield and platform, she shot forward, barely feeling anything except Innogen’s tight grip.

  Then she was past them and over the Arc wall.

  Nineteen

  Cookeries in Torak varied from noisy, busy places serving greasy, common dishes visited by third and fourth quarter citizens to establishments concerned with serving first quarter Lords and merchants the highest quality international and traditional food. They differed from taverns only in that they specialized in food, rather than drink.

  Cookeries in the Arc, however, did not compare. Clisantha arrived at one just after sun-rise and even the square building amazed her. A transparent rose-tinted panel slid across the lemon walls, allowing passersby a tinted glimpse into the dining area.

  Inside, a handful of magiens dined on square cut glass tables and pastel-colored glass chairs. Some of the table sets sat on circular platforms hovering at least five paces above her head. A young male server led her to a small table at the back. The traditional Hanwyan morning meal of basil mashed eggs, liver bacon, freshly baked breadcakes and marinated mushrooms tasted beyond anything she could have imagined. She savored every mouthful, including the complimentary pot of velvety fenyac, which exploded a mellow, smoky honey flavor into her mouth with every sip. Her server knew the menu well and was able to offer good suggestions for a second course, bringing with it a jug of the purest sweet water she had ever tasted.