The Knowing One

by Lexy Wolfe

  "Uh, Captain Nolyn," Terrence began, looking at Storm sideways as she stared at Nolyn like a predator challenging another. Worried about Storm enduring another bout of hypothermia, he temporized, "We were just going to be heading back to Illaini Magus Ash's home. If you wish to speak with Swordanzen Storm, you could—"

  Nolyn did not look away from Storm's penetrating stare as he waved a dismissive hand towards Terrence. "You can assure Master Ash I will make certain to return Dusvet Guardian Almek's student to him whole and unharmed."

  "But, Captain Nolyn," Terrence began.

  "I can find my own way back if necessary, Terrence." Storm finally looked away from Nolyn to her companions. "I have all I require to prepare for your ceremony. I will not be long." Stooping down to retrieve the gloves she'd shed to make certain her grip was sure on both Skyfire who braced her and the young man who had fallen, she tugged them back on. "The weather is tolerable enough today."

  "See?" Nolyn smiled charmingly at the bristling Desanti woman. "It will be fine, Journeyman."

  Terrence did not seem convinced of the wisdom of leaving Storm, but finally relented. "Yes, Captain Nolyn." He watched the two turn and walk down the bridge, the crowds clearing the path hastily before the pair. "I hope this is a good idea," he muttered."

  Skyfire put a reassuring hand on Terrence's shoulder. "Do not worry, my friend. You know Storm will do nothing unless provoked."

  "That's what I worry about. What might she consider provocation and what Forenten consider provocation are not always in sync together." Sighing, Terrence shook his head, taking Jaline's hand in his. "Come, we should head back before we are late for dinner. We'll walk you back to your shop, Jaline."

  Chapter 21

  Leaving the crowded area around the heart of Market Circle, the two made their way towards a great tree that was spotted with awnings protecting many entrances. Some narrow bridges ringed the tree, connecting them to the main bridges, and others only had ropes that offered any secure means to access them.

  Storm did not look at Nolyn as they made their way from the bustle of the crowded market bridges, though he watched her almost unwaveringly. He paused at the juncture between the sturdy bridge and a very narrow sway bridge, as if only just realizing his goal was a little less reachable by non-Forenten than most places in Ithesra. He blinked when Storm stepped up onto the walkway without a word and easily walked along it, having no patience to wait for him.

  "Turn into the first entrance you come to," Nolyn said as he hurried to follow her. He explained, "It is my home." She cast a wintry look over her shoulder at him, but ducked into the small hollow in the great tree without a word.

  Nolyn could not help but smile a little as Storm prowled the two-room place with the suspicious nature of one of the great cats. He went to the cabinet to retrieve a bottle of wine and two glasses.

  "I thought Forenta provided for their master mages," Storm finally stated.

  Glad his back was to her so she did not see his smile, Nolyn schooled his features to a pleasant curiosity. He waved her to one of two seats, sitting the glasses on the small table. "Why do you think they do not?" Pouring the wine, he sat down after she did, taking a sip as he watched her.

  "Compared to Ash's place, this is pitifully small." She eyed the glass warily, only lifting it to her lips after he'd taken a sip from his. "It feels like this is where they put people they wish to forget exist. Not the respect I would think they would give someone who is an acknowledged master, even for Forenten."

  Nolyn blinked and lowered his glass. "How can you tell I am a mage? I do not advertise my status."

  Storm remained silent for a time, green-gold eyes studying Nolyn before speaking again. "Even without people deferring to you nearly as much as they defer to Ash, without the cloud of magic I can all but taste in the air around you, you... carry yourself differently."

  "I do?" Nolyn glanced down at himself with some amusement. "I did not think I was that obvious. Now I will be selfconscious," he stated in good humor.

  "You carry yourself with the confidence of a man who knows himself. Only one who has mastered themselves can master their art." Setting her glass on the low table, Storm crossed her arms. "What do you want from me, treewalker?"

  Nolyn opened his mouth, then shut it again, allowing his smile to reveal itself. "You are temperamental, aren't you?" Setting his own glass down with care, Nolyn's smile softened. "I want nothing from you, Githalin Swordanzen. I simply wanted to meet the woman capable of unsettling my brother. And you seemed chilled, so I thought bringing you here would be more pleasant than suffering the hostile stares my people are so fond of giving at one of the Hollows."

  Storm straightened abruptly, narrowing her eyes. "'Brother'? Ash said he had no family."

  Bewildered at the unexpected hostility, Nolyn held up both hands defensively, displaying the star-shaped scar on his right palm. "Not brothers by blood. His master and mine were the same, so we became good friends."

  "What is that scar?" Storm demanded with the same abruptness. "On your right hand."

  Turning his hand over to look at the mark, bewildered by the sudden change of focus, Nolyn said, "It is... was from when we were apprentices. Just a childish gesture to promise our loyal friendship to one another." She held her hand out for his imperatively, and he finally relented, shivering as she traced the lines of the five-point star.

  Silent for many minutes, eyes half closed, Storm stated flatly, "This is no childish thing. I can sense the power within it." Hard, predatory eyes leveled on him.

  "Erm, yes. Well..." Feeling his cheeks flush, Nolyn confessed, "There was an old ritual that we discovered in the old Avarian texts after Master Bennu took us both in as apprentices. We honestly believed it was merely an inconsequential ceremony. Just for show and would only mean something to us, but..."

  "It tied you to one another," Storm finished for him. She did not look up to meet his startled eyes, still holding his hand and tracing the scar with her thumb. "Heart to heart and soul to soul."

  "Ah. Yes. You are correct." Nolyn stated hurriedly, as if assuming her odd behavior was prelude to her lashing out, "We can't hear each other's thoughts, but we can tell when the other is feeling strong emotions or pain." He sighed a little as he pulled his hand out of hers, rubbing his thumb into his palm reflexively. "His journey outside of Forenta had been rather... distracting."

  Storm's features were creased with a pensive frown. "Bayuli-volsha," she stated quietly. She looked up at Nolyn, expression intent. "The bayuli-volsha is sacred to my people. Why would defilers..." She looked away, jaw tightening. "The bond is not something made lightly. It is as much a curse as it is a blessing."

  "I assure you, it was not done lightly, even if we first thought it was merely for show." Nolyn's levity had vanished the moment she spoke the epithet. "This... bayuli-volsha has been invaluable to both of us. It has been the only way he could know if I needed help, and I could know he needed help. It was the only way we could be each other's strength when we were separated." Pulling his hand back, he rubbed the scar thoughtfully. "It saved my life."

  The guardsman captain expected her to ask how it saved his life, or something else equally personal. He looked up in surprise when she stated, "You do not trust me. Does he know you try to protect him by seeking to determine my worth?"

  "It isn't that I do not trust you. Ash trusts you, so I trust you. I merely do not know you and wished to rectify that in a less public setting," Nolyn corrected, his smile returning. "Beyond this..." He held up his scarred hand briefly. "...and a very small number of specific individuals, Ash has never felt very strongly for anything or anyone. At least, nothing beyond disgust or outright hatred. He does not allow himself to." Smiling ruefully, he said, "Forenten tend to feel that unchecked emotions are a detriment."

  "You disagree?" Storm asked, arching an eyebrow.

  Nolyn waved a hand at the small dwelling and says, "You said yourself, this seemed a place where they put those they
wish to forget exist. It is also a place where those who wish to be forgotten and left alone by those snobbish, pretentious twits go as well."

  "I see." Storm lowered her eyes to study the wood grain of the table, finger lightly tracing a particularly strong pattern. "Ash cares fiercely about his journeyman. Terrence has a good heart."

  "Ash cares about you, too, Githalin Swordanzen. More than he wants to." Nolyn touched the back of her hand, meeting her unfathomable green-gold eyes. "There is a good man under the hard exterior he has to maintain."

  Cutting him off from saying more, Storm stated in sharp tones, "He is one of Lord Almek's students, Captain Nolyn. I am sworn to protect his students." Storm stood, walking to the entrance. "There is nothing more between us."

  "Wait!" Nolyn drained his glass before hurrying to catch up to her. "Permit me to escort you back."

  Storm stated with the patience of a teacher to a particularly dense student, "I can protect myself. I need no one to protect me." She walked out and started down the narrow walkway where they had come from.

  "Githalin Swordanzen. If you can keep up, I know a shortcut?" Nolyn smiled inwardly when the woman stopped, looking back with interest. Joining her, he added, "And since you're going be at the ceremony, I can give you some advice to make dealing with the typical attitudes you'll encounter."

  Surprised, Storm looked at Nolyn's profile. "As much as everyone goes on about this ceremony, I am surprised you will not be there."

  Nolyn made a face as he took hold of a rope and started climbing up the side of the massive tree. "I avoid going into the mountain if I can help it. I hate the Academy." He smiled as her words carried up to him.

  "Then you and I have something in common."

  Chapter 22

  The day of the ceremony promised to be clear and brisk. The sky, glowing with the false dawn, barely provided enough light to see by, making the whisper of the wind through the forest sound colder than it actually felt. None of the servants had yet roused to attend to the day's tasks.

  The magelight lamps brightened as Ash came into the hall. His new robes, decorated with elaborate embroidery, were still stiff with newness. He held up his right hand, regarding it thoughtfully as a ghost of an eternal knot design became briefly visible. The image faded when he heard another. He looked up and smiled faintly to his journeyman. "Good morning, Journeyman Terrence."

  The solemnity of the respectful bow the young man offered his master was broken when he smiled brightly at the Illaini Magus. "Good morning, Master Ash." He glanced down the residential hall. "Do you think she will come? She has been unusually withdrawn since the day I had taken her and Skyfire to Market Circle." Worriedly, he said quietly, "I do not think she would still be teaching us if we did not ask and Master Skyfire and Master Mureln did not prod her to continue."

  Ash forced himself not to look down the hall or allow any of his own concern to show on his face. "Storm gave me her word that she would accompany us. I do not need more reassurance than that." He appraised Terrence for several long moments. "Journeyman, you know you could request being tested for mastery. You are well ready for it."

  The younger man flushed at the praise, lowering his eyes. "But I am not nearly old enough to test for mastery yet," Terrence pointed out. "You always said mastery is not just knowledge but experience. I'm too young to—"

  Ash arched an eyebrow. "Age and experience are not intertwined, Terrence. You have more experience than half the idiots who claim mastery will ever see. You know that. And do not give me any nonsense about age. I was younger than you when I tested for my mastery, and around your age when the goddess chose me as her Illaini. You know this."

  Terrence lowered his eyes, scuffing the floor as he would when he felt he was doing something wrong. "Yes, Master, I know, it's just..."

  The Illaini Magus shook his journeyman's shoulder lightly. "What, Terrence? If you know it's nonsense about claiming age or experience as an excuse, why won't you test?"

  "Because I am not ready. Truly, Master." Terrence glanced up then averted his gaze. "I know in my mind I am ready, Master Ash. But I am not ready in my heart." He looked up, his expression quietly earnest. "I am not ready to lose you as my master. You have been more family to me than the one I was born into. Once I attain my mastery..."

  The Illaini Magus blinked. His expression softened as he put his hands on his journeyman's shoulders. "Terrence, mastery would not preclude us from interacting at all, and there is usually a period the master will help a new master settle into their position." He smiled sadly. "Master Ellis did so for me, since his brother, my own master Bennu had died."

  "I... I did not know that, Master," Terrence admitted, looking up.

  "If you wished, you would be welcome to continue living here, as you do not have family in Ithesra. We all must learn to stand alone at some point. Forenta needs a heart as pure as yours to help guide her out of the darkness she strayed into." After a moment, he said quietly, "I am proud of you, Terrence. Don't hold yourself back because of me. Promise me you will seek your mastery soon. You are far too strong and talented to languish at a student rank."

  Terrence sighed deeply. "I promise, Master, when I am ready. There has just been so much happ—" A quiet noise from the residential hall drew the young man's gaze, and his eyes went very wide, jaw dropping. Ash looked over his shoulder, inhaling sharply in surprise, unable to help but stare.

  Storm stood in the hall archway, dressed in new, warm clothing that echoed the desert styles. Three small braids on each side of her head were joined together with a decoration of two eagle flight feathers attached to a tuft of white lupine fur wrapped around the six braids. The furlined leathers were a bleached sandy tan, sharp Desanti designs painted in stains of color bright against them. On the shoulder where the black tattoo of a diving desert eagle marked her as Githalin Swordanzen, the image was echoed precisely in tiny, black onyx beads that glittered in the magelight. Her expression was unreadable as she watched the pair of mages.

  Storm waited a time for them to do or say something. When they continued to stare, she finally smiled faintly. "You act as if you have never seen a Desanti before."

  Ash walked to her, looking into her eyes. He touched her cheek lightly. Her eyes half closed at the gentle touch. "Until this moment, I am not sure I truly had. You are..." His voice drifted off, unable to find any words that could justly speak his thoughts. Terrence smiled and turned away from the moment of intimacy, unnecessarily straightening his robes again and pushing Petal back into his hood.

  It was Storm who broke the quiet moment. She gently pulled his hand away from her cheek, averting her eyes as she stated in the taut voice that the men recognized as her nervousness, "We should leave." She impatiently headed for the door. "I want to be done with this as quickly as possible. I do this only because you ask it of me," she reminded Ash curtly. She pulled the door open, barely pausing before exiting. "I will try my best not to shame you for inviting me."

  Ash frowned at her and walked quickly to catch up to her. He caught her by the arm to stop her, touching her chin to turn her eyes up to meet his. "Do not ever think you could shame me, Storm il'Thandar."

  "Even if I attack someone?" she asked in a low voice.

  "You would never attack anyone without just cause," Ash stated firmly. "I know that much about you." He clasped her hand in his, drawing it up to press against his lips. "And I will be there to protect you as much as you protect me. Trust me. Please."

  After a time, Storm sighed and nodded once. "I trust you. I do not trust them."

  "In that, we are of the same mind." Ash smiled faintly, releasing her hand. "I do not trust them either." Hesitating only a moment more, she finally acquiesced and followed him as they headed to the stables to get their mounts.

  Storm swore a great deal as she looked in on the drizzen. Ash looked over with concern as he got the saddle onto his own mare. "Something is wrong?"

  "The drizar has overeaten. He will sleep well pass high
sun." Grumpily, she swatted the drizar's rump, the animal barely twitching, head lowered in somnolence, sounding like a mother taking a toddler to task. "I cannot go. I do not know the way to your Magus Academy from here."

  The Illaini Magus could not help but silently thank whatever possessed the drizar to eat himself into a stupor, cinching his horse's tack secure. He glanced over at Terrence when the journeyman put a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Should I ready another horse for Mistress Storm, Master?"

  "No, Journeyman. It will not be necessary." If Ash noticed Terrence's smile, he did not show it. Mounting, he rode over to Storm, holding his hand out to her when she looked at him. "Githalin Swordanzen Storm il'Thandar. Ride with me." He added after a moment as she opened her mouth to refuse, "Please."

  Closing her mouth, jaw clenching, Storm took his hand, letting him pull her up behind him. As she settled, he realized why she was so reluctant. Mindful of her pride, he said nothing about the tension and trembling in her body reflecting her uncertainty and fear. He simply reached for one of her hands, putting it around his waist and covering her hand comfortingly. He closed his eyes a moment, feeling her relax.

  Chapter 23

  The trio's arrival at the Magus Academy was met with a broad spectrum of reactions, not all of them openly welcoming. Both Ash and Terrence were surprised with Storm; she was as impassive as the most reserved of mages, seemingly oblivious to some of the less charitable Forenten. The three stopped at the archway to stairs leading upwards. Terrence offered a bow to Ash. "I will be on the second terrace, Master."

  Storm looked puzzled. "Why can he not stand with you? He is your student, yes?"

  Terrence chuckled and headed up the stairs as Ash explained, "It is a matter of tradition for those of like rank to stand together. Students stand on the highest terrace, apprentices on the third terrace, journeymen on the second and masters on the first. Only the Edai Tredecima, Illaini Magus and those partaking in the ceremonies are on the main level."