by Ian Gregoire
The surrounding Sanatsai pulled back the hoods of their cloaks. One of them stepped forward towards Fay’s horse. He stood well over six feet tall, had short dark hair, a neatly trimmed beard, twinkling eyes, and appeared to be in his early forties.
“Is your young friend expecting trouble, Fay?” he asked with a chuckle.
“Perhaps,” Fay replied with a coy smile. “She certainly has the knack for finding it.”
Kayden would have taken issue with the jibe but she was too taken aback by the coquettish tone of voice Fay had affected.
“Or maybe, just like you, Sebasio, trouble just seeks her out.”
Although she had noticed how Fay’s demeanour and speech had become less formal since they left Antaris, Kayden had never before heard the woman speak in such an informal, familiar manner.
“Or maybe you’ve been filling her head with the ghost stories that keep people away from the bay,” said Sebasio, “and that’s why she’s so jumpy.”
“If ghosts were real they’d have more cause to fear her, than vice versa.” Fay turned to address Kayden. “You can put your weapon away, we are among friends here.”
She then dismounted with a graceful flourish, handing the reins of her horse to one of her fellow Sanatsai.
Kayden sheathed her sword then dismounted her ride. She watched as the two horses that had brought herself and Fay to the lake―—or the bay as the Sanatsai Sebasio had referred to it―—were led away in the direction of the nearby wooden buildings. The following few moments were spent silently observing as the remaining Sanatsai crowded around to warmly greet Fay like a long lost sister. There was an abundance of smiles, gripping of forearms, several fierce hugs, and a kiss on both cheeks from one of the female contingent.
Curiosity fell upon the apprentice accompanying Fay on her first return visit to Temis Rulan in three years. Fay casually introduced her to the other Sanatsai as Kayden Jayta, an over-achieving apprentice, originally hailing from the Kingdom of Astana, who had successfully completed the ‘capture the box’ exercise the previous night. Kayden felt a deep sense of gratification when everyone seemed so impressed by her accomplishment. It also served to make the unprecedented decision to bring an apprentice to Temis Rulan seem more reasonable―—which was just as well because she could see that Fay didn’t wish to dwell on the matter for too long.
Once the introductions were concluded the gathering of Sanatsai began to disperse, most of them heading towards the largest of the nearby wooden buildings: a two-storey structure resembling an inn with white smoke drifting up into the air from its chimney. A few made their way towards the other buildings that looked more like barracks, where Kayden now noted several more Sanatsai appearing from indoors, while the rest took up sentry positions. She and Fay were left alone in the company of Master Sebasio.
“You know,” said Sebasio, addressing Fay, “a great many of us are out of pocket because of you.”
“Me?” said Fay, surprised. “How so?”
“When the Council assigned you to Antaris as campus administrator, we started taking bets on how long it would be before they realised their error and recalled you.”
Kayden was intrigued. The way Fay told it, she had requested to take on the administrator’s post at Antaris campus. Yet Master Sebasio was indicating it was a decision made by the Council, which meant Fay had either lied about wanting the position, or she had concealed her desire to have the job from her colleagues.
“Most of us thought you’d be back within a month. Others wagered two months. Some, myself included, wagered three. There were even a handful who thought you’d be gone a full year before coming back.” Sebasio sounded exasperated when he added, “It’s been over three years, and still the Council has you playing the role of glorified headmistress…it’s madness!”
“Now, now, Seb. You’re not questioning the wisdom of the Council, are you?” teased Fay, playfully.
“No…of course not,” he replied in a more conciliatory in tone. “But can you tell me in all seriousness that being a campus administrator is a productive use of your time? You can’t possibly have enjoyed the last three years.”
Fay seemed to choose her words carefully when she replied, “It has been a challenging experience thus far, and while I realise I may not necessarily be the ideal person for the role, right now it’s where I need to be.”
Kayden silently wondered what exactly Fay meant by needing to be at Antaris campus. Why not one of the other campuses?
“So, how much longer do you think you’ll be stuck in the post?” pressed Sebasio.
“That is a better question than you might realise, Seb,” replied Fay. “I suspect I’ll have a clearer idea by the end of my visit. But I certainly don’t plan to leave the post while I have unfinished business.”
“There’s a boat approaching,” interjected Kayden. “There looks to be half a dozen Sanatsai on board.”
“That will be our ride,” Fay said matter-of-factly, staring out at the water.
“If you’re in no hurry to get to the island,” said Sebasio, “we’ll be sitting down for tea shortly. Both you and Kayden are more than welcome to join us.”
“Thank you, Seb. But we’re already running late, I’d rather not delay any further.”
Fay began to amble towards the bank.
Sebasio kept pace at her side. “As you wish,” he replied.
Kayden trailed behind the two Sanatsai as they meandered to the bank to await the arrival of the incoming boat. So, Temis Rulan is on an island, or is an island, Kayden mused to herself. She had not considered that possibility while contemplating the location of the Order’s home.
Before long, the incoming boat lurched to a halt as it landed on the bank. There were five Sanatsai aboard the rowing boat, four of them serving as oarsmen. When the fifth jumped from the vessel, landing on the muddy ground to greet the waiting trio, Kayden was surprised to find she recognised him.
Nando Benidas had been an apprentice at Antaris campus until he was inducted into the Order two years ago. Unfortunately, the only two occasions Kayden’s path had crossed his on campus had both been negative encounters, to say the least.
The first time was in the mess hall during the breakfast period one morning. She was sitting by herself at a table when a group of level eight apprentices sat themselves down on the unoccupied spaces of the benches at her table. There wasn’t enough space for Nando to have a seat at the table so he asked if she would vacate her place and find another table to sit at. Her far from polite refusal ruffled his feathers prompting him to advise her that she needed to learn to respect her elders. She in turn told him he should learn to respect his superiors. A Sanatsai sitting at a nearby table walked over to instruct her to sit elsewhere and not cause a scene. Kayden subsequently picked up her bowl of semolina and poured it all over Nando’s head, to rapturous cheers, earning her yet another visit to the administrator’s office.
The second incident occurred in the library, one afternoon. They were both in the same aisle searching the same bookshelf. As Kayden reached up for the book she was looking for, Nando grabbed it first. The ensuing commotion led to the defacement of the book resulting in them both being banned from the library for a month.
If Nando was the type to hold a grudge, this reunion could prove to be awkward.
“How goes it, Seb?” said Nando gripping the forearm of the bearded Sanatsai. “It’s really good to see you again, Master Fay.” He clasped Fay by the forearm with a bright smile.
“You’re not an apprentice any more, Kai Benidas,” Fay replied warmly. “There’s no need to address me as Master, my rank will suffice.”
“Of course…Danai Annis,” he managed, sheepishly. “Though it will take some time to get used to not calling you Master.”
Kayden rolled her eyes. What a suck up! He’d only known the woman for a year back at Antaris.
Nando turned his attention to her, and Kayden saw the recognition in his eyes when his smile quickly ev
aporated. He glared at her then looked her up and down, taking in the sight of her uniform. Looking puzzled, he turned back to Fay.
“We were told you would be travelling with a guest,” he said. “But surely you’re not bringing her? I thought it was forbidden for an apprentice to come to Temis Rulan.”
“That still remains so. But Kayden is a special case.”
As Nando glanced back at her, Kayden duly gave him a smirk. The corner of her mouth curved up just enough to say, that’s right! Special Case. Now stew on that for a while.
“In that case,” he said addressing Fay, “why don’t we get going?”
Kayden joined Fay and Nando in bidding Master Sebasio farewell before getting aboard the waiting boat. Moments later they were pulling away from the muddy bank.
Next stop, Temis Rulan.
Kayden sat on the bench in the rear of the boat, alongside Fay. In front of them, four Sanatsai were maintaining a swift, steady rhythm on the oars, while Nando sat at the front of the boat staring out over the water.
While Fay was engaged in idle chit-chat with the oarsmen, catching up on three years worth of gossip within the Order, Kayden was doing her best to mentally block it all out. She wanted to keep her focus on looking out for Temis Rulan, plus she was hoping to identify distinguishing landmarks that might help her pinpoint where in the world they were. It was a thankless task thus far, as was trying to block out the conversation and banter of the Sanatsai. She couldn’t fathom how Fay was seemingly so popular and well regarded by everyone. Not to mention her easygoing manner and laughter were completely at odds with the woman Kayden knew back at Antaris campus.
All of a sudden, Kayden felt her senses struck by Zarantar emanating from directly in front of the boat, though she could see nothing but clear blue, calm waters ahead. Ordinarily, it would not be cause for such heightened alarm but what she was feeling now was more Zarantar than she had ever felt in her life. She had never encountered anything so powerful before. Instinctively, she stood up to stare straight ahead hoping to identify the source of the disturbance.
“Apprentice! Sit back down,” cried one of the Sanatsai, “before we have to fish you out of the bay.”
Fish her out of the bay? There was no need for exaggeration, thought Kayden. Even if she didn’t already know how to swim, if she did fall overboard she would simply levitate back out of the water. She glanced imploringly down at Fay who was looking up at her.
“But there’s something―—”
Reaching up, Fay gave Kayden’s hand a gentle squeeze.
“I know what you’re going to say,” she said cutting the apprentice off.
Her eyes conveyed the message that Kayden shouldn’t give voice to her feelings. “I feel it, too. Sit back down, your concern will be alleviated soon enough.”
Kayden reluctantly sat back down beside Fay. She remained tense; the Zarantar she sensed was coming closer―—or more to the point, they were drawing nearer to its source. Moments later, she was taken by surprise when the front of the boat began to disappear, along with Nando. It was as though the boat had come into contact with some unseen force that was now rapidly consuming it and its passengers.
More of the boat disappeared, taking the first two oarsmen also.
Before Kayden could react Fay placed a reassuring hand on her thigh. “Don’t be alarmed,” she said gently.
Kayden had little choice but to trust that everything would be all right. She watched and waited for herself and Fay to disappear just as the rest of the boat and its occupants had done. Suddenly, she could see the whole boat again, including its passengers―—all present and accounted for. She released the breath she didn’t realise she was holding, then marvelled at the sight before her. There was a large island looming a short distance away.
“Temis Rulan?” she asked breathlessly.
“No,” replied Fay. “But Temis Rulan is located on the island.”
“Concealing an entire island from view must require an unbelievable amount of Zarantar.” Kayden was awed. “How in the world did anyone manage to accomplish such a feat?”
“The island is the ancestral home of the Sisterhood―—the centre of their power. It is said that the island is situated at a nexus point, a place where over a hundred ley-lines intersect. Keeping the island permanently cloaked from view is easy enough for the Jaymidari―—their Zarantar is strongest here. That’s why you won’t find this island on any map less than two thousand years old.”
Kayden could feel her excitement and anticipation growing. When she had originally been told she was to accompany Fay to Temis Rulan, she hadn’t truly believed it. She was so certain the journey was just a ruse to get her away from Antaris, a malicious plot hatched by Fay to end her life and dispose of her body. But now there was no reason to doubt where she was going. She would be arriving at Temis Rulan, soon, though the purpose of the visit remained shrouded in mystery.
The boat was moored at the docks of a small port town on the southern shore of the island. Though the waterfront couldn’t be described as a hive of activity, there were several people present, many dressed in the garb of the Order. Some were helping to unload cargo from docked barges, while others transported goods to storage buildings. A small number of vessels could be seen departing and approaching the island to and from both the east and from the west, across the placid bay.
Kayden disembarked with Fay and the other occupants. She glanced quickly around the waterfront, but before she could wonder what their next move might be, Nando pointed Fay in the direction of a female Sanatsai standing outside a nearby storage building. At least Kayden assumed it was a woman, she couldn’t be absolutely certain from a distance. The Sanatsai waved enthusiastically in their direction once Fay caught sight of her, prompting Fay to duly raise a hand in acknowledgement with a big smile on her face.
“I appreciate the ride,” said Fay, turning to her colleagues. “It was good to see you all again. But for now, Kayden and I must get going.”
The gathered Sanatsai bid a fond farewell to Fay, declaring their hopes to catch up with her back at Temis Rulan during her stay. Kayden was, likewise, given a warm departure, though only from the four Sanatsai who had manned the oars of the boat. Nando pointedly ignored her.
“Follow me,” Fay instructed Kayden, as she set off briskly towards her awaiting counterpart.
Kayden found herself needing to walk more quickly than before to keep pace. If she didn’t know better, she would think Fay was actually excited to see the other Sanatsai, whom she could now clearly discern was a woman. She was of medium height, slender frame, average looks with dark hair tightly braided into rows. The moment they reached the storage building Kayden looked on in astonishment as Fay and her colleague embraced each other fiercely―—neither seemingly inclined to release the other. Will wonders never cease? Kayden mused to herself. Fay was genuinely pleased to see the other woman.
“Dora! It’s so good to see you again,” said Fay.
“You too, Red.” The unrestrained glee in Dora’s reply made it apparent just how happy she was to see Fay. Though why did she just call her Red? Fay’s unusual hair colouring, perhaps? “You’ve been gone too long; I’ve missed you so much.”
Eventually, the two Sanatsai released each other, stepping back an arms length to smile warmly at the other.
“You are the last person I expected to greet us here,” said Fay, cheerily. “The last I heard, you were among the contingent the Council deployed to Yaristana to assist the kingdom in a border dispute with Randissar.”
“I still am. But as luck would have it I arrived at the Beltranis campus first thing this morning to send a progress report back to the Council. When I was informed of your visit to Temis Rulan today, I immediately requested a couple of days leave, so here I am!”
“I’m pleased. So how has the mission been progressing?”
“We can discuss that later.” Dora smiled while waving a dismissive hand. “First, why don’t you introduce me to
your companion. I heard you would be bringing an apprentice with you; I wasn’t sure I believed it until now.”
Finally! Kayden was beginning to feel as though her presence had been forgotten during the nausea-inducing reunion.
“Of course,” replied Fay. “Dora, this is Kayden Jayta, currently a level seven apprentice at Antaris campus. Kayden, meet Master Dora Bendatis.”
Kayden accepted Dora’s outstretched hand, gripping the Sanatsai firmly by the forearm in greeting.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Master Dora.”
“And you, Kayden.” said Dora. She affected a serious tone of voice when she added, “You must have made quite an impression on your master for her to breach protocol bringing you here. You must be in a great deal of trouble.”
That was unexpected. But Kayden didn’t allow the words to faze her. “You’re not the first person to suggest that today, Master,” she replied, evenly.
Dora didn’t immediately reply. Slowly, a smile began to curl her lips then she started laughing.
“I’m so sorry, Kayden,” she managed to say, stifling her fit of laughter, “I’m just pulling your leg.”
“Don’t tease her like that,” Fay chided her friend.
“Oh, don’t mind me, Kayden.” Dora stopped laughing. “Knowing your master like I do, the mere fact she has taken you under her wing and brought you here can only mean you are one exceptional individual.” She glanced at Fay; admiration for her friend positively beamed from her face. “Take it from me, you are most fortunate to have someone like her take a special interest in your ongoing development.”
Wanting to roll her eyes, Kayden, instead, managed a simple, “So I’ve been hearing.”
“Perhaps we should get going,” prompted Fay.
“Right you are,” said Dora, cheerily. “Tobin is waiting on the outskirts of town with our horses. Follow me.”
Kayden fell into step behind the two Sanatsai as they departed, Dora placing a friendly arm around Fay’s shoulder. She followed a few paces back while the pair made small talk. It was disconcerting just how different a person Fay seemed to be away from campus. Over the course of the last half hour or more, in the presence of fellow Sanatsai, Fay had transformed from a cold, standoffish, taciturn woman―—who frequently aroused Kayden’s ire back at Antaris―—into a warm and friendly, approachable person.