Rules of Stone: Great Falls Academy, Episode 1

by Alex Lidell

  I’m speechless for a moment, unsure whether to laugh hysterically or scream. “Bloody stars, Gavriel. You are as insane as Zake.” My headache creeps back even without the amulet, and I squeeze my temples to avoid shaking him. “Listen to me. I’m not a lone hero returned to battle beasts untold. I’m here as part of a five-warrior quint ordered to find and seal a crack in the wards protecting the mortal realm from magic.”

  For the first time since walking into the library, I see Gavriel’s scholarly face rippling with confusion. “Five-warrior quint? No. No, that can’t be right.” He huffs. “That wasn’t in the prophecy. These texts have been studied and deciphered by the kingdom’s greatest minds. The Protector comes alone.”

  “Then we both agree I’m not the Protector you are waiting for.” I force my voice under control and lean toward him with the most polite demeanor I can manage. “But if you could see your way to using all those centuries of knowledge to help me find a way out of the mess I’m actually in, I’d be most obliged. Yesterday, River, Coal, Shade, Tye, and I were approaching the Academy when I heard a static-like noise. I took off my amulet to investigate, but my horse tripped over what seemed to be an old rune-covered tablet. There was a flash, and I was unconscious for some time. When I finally made my way to the Academy, I discovered that the males now actually believe the veil amulet’s legends. I need to get their memories back. Can you help?”

  Gavriel stares at me, his mouth working without sound.

  I wait, holding his gaze and my breath.

  After a few heartbeats, the man shakes himself and pulls a sheet of handwritten notes from inside his breast pocket. “There have been reports of wild animal assaults from some of Great Falls’s farms, but what I’ve been able to glean suggests beasts from another realm,” Gavriel says as if I’d not spoken at all. “Skysis—”

  “Sclices.”

  “Ah, sclices. I will make the correction. I believe sclices to be the culprits and have outlined the details here. This should be our first line of attack.” He slides the sheet over to me and takes off his glasses, polishing them intently on his wool robe. “Since the prophecy mentions nothing of companions, there is no cause to focus there.”

  “Wait, what?” I blink. Rub my eyes. Blink again. “Gavriel… I little care what the prophecy says. I care about reversing what happened to my quint so we can continue with our very real and very urgent mission.” A mission, I realize, which my males remember no more than they recall the veil amulets or sclices or anything else they’ve encountered over centuries in Lunos. “Do you…do you understand what I’m trying to say at all?”

  His jaw tightens. “If your companions were important, the prophecy would have mentioned them. And given the rather prominent Academy personnel you are naming, it is entirely possible that their role in this affair is to be played out from their current personas. We need to focus on protecting the mortal realm. Nothing else.”

  “I don’t think there is a we, then.” Rising to my feet, I clip the veil amulet back onto my neck and start for the door.

  “There is something else you should know,” Gavriel calls after me. “Your old master has been stirring up fuss about fae, accusing the immortals of everything from replacing healthy babes with ill ones to killing livestock, and worse. It’s taken hold—hate, I fear, is rather easy to spread.”

  “I grew up next to Mystwood,” I say without turning. “Tales of murderous fae are nothing new to me.”

  “No.” Gavriel’s voice sharpens. “I speak not of legends and children’s tales of far-off beasts. Zake and his inquisitors are arresting people on charges of being fae blood carriers and sympathizers. By the time they are done questioning or cleansing or whatever name they give torture nowadays, there is usually little left but a confession. And execution.”

  I shake my head. “There are no fae in the mortal lands, bar the five of us. And we came just a day ago.”

  “I’m certain the families of five hundred of Zake’s victims will be pleased to hear that,” says Gavriel.

  “Why are you telling me this?” I ask, ice gripping my chest as tightly as I grip the doorknob.

  “So you know what is likely to happen if you yank off your amulet in front of the Academy’s deputy headmaster, as I believe you might consider doing. Either that, or accuse River, Coal, Shade, Tye, or anyone else of fae craft.”

  13

  Lera

  I rush out of the library into the long, torch-lit hallway so quickly that I crash into Tye for the second time that day. The male’s pine-and-citrus scent alerts me to his identity a moment before his firm, warm hands steady my elbows. I resist the urge to press into his hard chest, though every instinct in my body tells me I belong there.

  “Are you all right?” Arisha asks with wide blue eyes, holding her armful of books closer to her chest. “Is there something in there?”

  “Yes. Stupid ideas,” I mutter, though not quietly enough to get past Tye’s keen hearing.

  Throwing his head back, the male laughs, the sound rich and easy. Releasing me much earlier than I wish, he sticks his hands into his pockets, the movement shifting his vest to reveal an embroidered shirt beneath the velvet. The rich blue-and-gold crest of the Prowess Trials—the Alliance’s grand competition of strength and agility—winks at me from the fabric. In Lunos, Tye was once heading for authentic glory, until a jealous prince forced him to abandon the life dream. Now it seems the amulet is giving Tye another chance.

  “How old are you, Tye?” I blurt, speaking over whatever Tye or Arisha were about to say next.

  He blinks once. “Twenty-two.”

  Bloody hell take me. “What do you think of fae?” I press on, little caring for how odd the question sounds. My heart beats fast and shallow against my ribs. I need to know whether Gavriel’s assessment of the danger is true. And I need to know quickly.

  Tye cocks his right brow, his wickedly handsome face and green eyes taking on a mischievous tinge. “I think anyone immortal likely has access to old expensive things. And I think I can make good use of such items. Is there one sitting in the library?”

  “Tyelor,” Arisha hisses at him. “That is not amusing.”

  “You only think so because you can’t see your own face just now.” Tye opens his eyes wide in a fair imitation of Arisha before returning his gaze to me, the humor fading. “Word about fae is that a small gang of the bastards came through Mystwood and kidnapped a virgin last year—and more have crept in since to do murder and worse. Does no good gossip reach Osprey?”

  “You don’t actually believe that, do you?” I ask. “About fae being evil, I mean, not gossip’s travel patterns.”

  “Don’t know either way, and it doesn’t matter. Braids here is right.” Tye tugs on Arisha’s hair, making the woman scowl. “Talking about fae craft is a great way to end up on an inquisitor’s table having your joints measured for length. And whispering of it on Academy grounds—even theoretically—is a sure way to end up in River’s study.” Tye takes a step toward me, his voice dropping dramatically. “Which means you are a dangerous woman already.”

  You have no idea.

  “Are you two going to study or exchange taunts?” Arisha demands, tucking her braids out of harm’s reach.

  I pull my shawl tighter around my shoulders. “Neither for me, I’m afraid. It’s been a bit of a trying first day, and I’m turning in early. Please enjoy mathematics without my company.” I hurry down the broad stone steps outside before either can ask questions, pausing only to call over my shoulder, “If you are such an impressive athlete, Tye, you could carry Arisha’s books, you know.”

  “The lass won’t let me,” Tye calls after me. “Apparently, I’m not to be trusted with such precious artifacts.”

  The light notes of Tye’s voice haunt me all the way back to my bedchamber, where I shut the door and slide my back down it until I’m sitting on the cold floor. My hands tremble, and I force myself to take deep, even breaths the way Coal—my Coal—would have tol
d me to do now. This whole mess isn’t prophecy. It’s a mistake. An accident. A by-product of a magical relic shattering beneath a running horse’s hooves.

  No, not shattered. I jerk to my feet, my mind racing. The relic was never shattered, just cracked. The pieces might still be reassembled into a whole. If I can find my way back to where it all happened before weather covers the tracks or wrecks the softer insides of the tablet.

  Crossing the room, I survey the settling evening through my large window. I’ll have to wait until darkness before standing a chance of going over the Academy wall undetected. Whether the night’s full moon and my immortal eyes will prove enough to let me follow my own tracks back to the forked road where it all started remains to be seen. At worst, I’ll have to wait out in the woods until sunrise. Either way, it’s a plan. After a day stuck in my disguise, going through the motions, it’s action. And that makes me feel better.

  I change from my dress into a dark suit of soft leather I’d brought from Lunos, getting myself ready and under the covers before Arisha returns to the darkened room. The woman whispers my name and, upon discovering me seemingly asleep, makes quick and quiet work of getting into bed herself. A quarter hour later, her soft steady breathing fills the bedchamber.

  I hope you are a heavy sleeper, Arisha, I mouth shortly after the Academy’s bell tolls ten-o’clock curfew. Swinging myself out of bed, I sheathe my blade down the length of my spine and tuck Shade’s mittens into my belt. Using a few drops of oil from the lock-picking kit, I lubricate the window hinges before swinging them open into the cold crisp night.

  The fifteen-foot drop to the ground makes my stomach tighten, but there is little help for it since the door leads to the central square courtyard, where a pair of the Academy’s guardsmen stand watch. Plus, having seen Tye make a similar jump this morning for the sheer showiness of it, I know it can be done. Not letting myself fret over it further, I throw my legs over the window ledge, dangle in the air, and let go.

  My legs flex, taking my weight as I land on the soft earth and curse. The jump didn’t break my legs, but I did nearly twist an ankle. A fae body is a nice thing, but without the centuries of training the males have, it will be a long time yet before I can use its full ability. Coal had been working with me on that before we left. Coal. My heart squeezes.

  Drawing a few deep breaths, I turn about to examine my surroundings. The backdrop of trees stares back at me, the Academy eerily quiet in the darkness. Closing my eyes, I press into a great oak’s shadow and listen. It truly isn’t fair how much I can hear the humans, their measured steps along the cobblestone paths on the other side of the dormitory, their softly exchanged reports. Curt, professional words of a well-trained guard force.

  Great Falls Academy is not taking any chances with security. River is not taking any chances. Except for the one he knows nothing about.

  Taking a breath, I move deeper into the buffer of wilderness separating the Academy’s core complex from the protective wall around it, a moat of oaks and pines concealing the tall stone eyesore from sight. I marked one of those oaks earlier, with its sturdy branches and close-to-the-wall location, as my exit point. Silvery moonlight slants down through the branches, giving me just enough light. Not an easy climb, but doable. And certainly better than trying to talk my way past the guards at the gate. Finding the tree, I rub my hands over the wide trunk.

  “I wouldn’t do that.” The self-satisfied voice purrs so close to my ear that my heart jumps inside my ribs. Tye may not know he’s fae, but he certainly kept both his instincts and feline impertinence when the veil settled over him. “You’ll get yourself caught faster than you can say ‘get lost, Tyelor gorgeous.’”

  Heart still pounding, I twist to find Tye leaning against the tree next to mine, his muscled arms crossed over his leather-clad chest. Emerald eyes glowing in the moonlight slide up over my hips and breasts before finally settling on my face, the predatory glint in them so familiar that it hurts, for there is no recognition lurking behind it.

  “What are you doing here?” I demand.

  “Saving you from a fairly severe thrashing, by the looks of it.” Tye jerks his chin from the tree to the wall. “Do you imagine you’re the first to discover this oak’s convenient location? There’s going to be a guard near here any moment. If you want to get over the wall—and I am rather curious as to what you think you’re going to find there—you’ll have to work a little harder for it.”

  “And you’ve an idea of a better path?” I ask. Whether the veil imparted Tye with such knowledge or the rogue’s trained eye deduced it on instinct, I trust the male’s criminal-mindedness over my own any day.

  “Aye.” Tye stretches lazily, pausing in midmotion, his head cocking attentively to one side. When I open my mouth to ask what he’s marking, Tye clamps his palm over it, his other arm jerking me against his chest. “Shhhh. Behind us.” Tye’s lips are so close to my ear, the whispered words tickle, his warmth and breathing steady against my back. “I told you the guards patrol this all the time. This way.”

  14

  River

  River laid the latest grim report on Headmaster Sage’s desk and stepped back, putting his hands into the small of his back. Great Falls Academy held to the military protocol and, like River himself, Headmaster Sage was a lifelong soldier. That was where the similarity ended. With thin shoulders, a gleaming bald pate, and pointed features that seemed stuck in a permanent pinch, Sage led his troops from behind paper and ink. “That is the fifth unexplained attack in a week, sir, and three dead,” River said, inclining his head. “Should we send the students home until—”

  “Of course not. If you’ve lost your mind, sir, please be good enough to inform me in writing.” Leaning back in his chair, Sage studied the reports, his sour expression hardening.

  River knew what the smaller man was reading. Assault after assault, with culprits named as everything from wild animals to bandits to fae spirits. So far, all the misadventures remained outside the Academy walls, the attacks occurring on the farms and the small town near the estate. But it kept happening.

  Sage shook his head, stacking the reports into a perfectly neat pile to match all the other neat piles in his office. Even the logs in the crackling fireplace had been laid out in strict parallels. “The Academy’s stronghold has stood for two hundred years. Shutting our doors will destroy everything King Zenith has worked for.”

  As well as destroy Sage’s career. But that little needed to be said.

  “With due respect, sir,” River said, his voice a calm contrast to Sage’s heated tone. “If we lose a student to whatever wild beasts are hunting these grounds, the Academy’s reputation would suffer a worse blow.”

  “I was under the impression that student safety was the reason I brought you here to begin with, Captain River. I have already issued instructions prohibiting the cadets from leaving Academy walls. Am I to understand that you find yourself unable to keep them to such basic discipline?” The man flicked the air with his hand. “If so, I urge you to make an example of one, and the rest will lie as quiet as the sheep they are.”

  Not the description River would have applied to any of the Academy students, but there was nothing to be gained by arguing that point. More importantly, River wished to give Sage no reason to demonstrate his methods. In a microcosm of two hundred would-be generals, keeping a bit firmly in the cadets’ mouths was paramount; abusing them under the flag of the Academy’s authority was an entirely different matter. Sage would toe the line with Zenith’s daughter Katita and the other royalty, but the offspring of lesser nobles would have no such protection.

  Pulling out a handkerchief, Sage coughed wetly. “Meanwhile, see if you can’t find the town’s wandering monster. Once you get your hands dirty, I predict you’ll discover these menacing assaults coming from no more than an overactive wolf or two. If not for this bloody chill, I’d take care of it myself.”

  Striding out of Sage’s office into the keep’s long torch-li
t corridor, River called on one of the pages to find Coal and Shade—the only two men he intended to take on the night’s outing. Sage might not have intended for him to go tonight, but River wouldn’t wait another minute with the safety of Great Falls at risk. The page, a small lad nicknamed Rabbit, paled at once, giving River a dubious look over a promise that Coal would not smite him on sight.

  Coal had that effect on people, River thought, heading down a long spiraling staircase. On most people. Though Coal’s latest charge, Leralynn of Osprey, appeared to have missed the announcement. The young woman would no doubt discover her oversight—to her peril.

  River paused, gripping the railing as sudden nausea rolled over him. The new cadet looked so like River’s late wife that he’d nearly grabbed her. Eyes the color of liquid chocolate, lush auburn hair, a self-assured confidence teetering on impertinence that no doubt got her in trouble more often than not. After a quick glance to ensure he was, in fact, alone on the stairs, River let himself sag against the rail for a moment as he rubbed his face. He’d been the one to gift Diana with the mare that threw her to her death. River, who had vowed to protect her with his life, had failed.

  The bitter irony of it all was that River had accepted the position at Great Falls to get away from memories of Diana, and here was her ghost walking back into his life.

  Two hours later, with the Academy bedded down for the night, River led Coal and Shade out of the compound’s main gate. Dressed in his signature black, Coal was a specter against the night, only his blond hair pulled up into a warrior’s bun providing any relief from the darkness. A darkness that the warrior’s eyes echoed too—had ever since he escaped captivity. What exactly happened to Coal when the islanders took him during that ill-fated scouting trip two years ago, River didn’t know. Not even a direct order to speak of it had worked, and River knew better than to try again.