“People are blaming them for children dying and exploding.”
“Denke is the Seeker for Rojenne. I warned him there might be trouble, but he didn’t believe me. Someone in the city got the crowd excited before he arrived and rotten fruit turned to violence. I managed to get him out of there before they tried to string him up.”
“They won’t find him here,” said Cannok.
“As soon as it’s safe for Denke to travel, we’re leaving the city.”
“He’s not going anywhere,” said Silver, coming up the stairs. “The puncture in his lung isn’t life-threatening any more, but he shouldn’t be moved. There was some trapped air, but I’ve dealt with it.”
Munroe shrugged, not really sure what Silver was talking about. “Will he live?”
“With plenty of rest, he’ll recover. But he shouldn’t travel anywhere for a few weeks.”
“We don’t really have a choice,” said Munroe. “We need to leave.”
“Then he’s as good as dead.”
“People will come after him.”
Silver shrugged. “No one knows he’s here. He’ll be safe if he doesn’t leave this building.”
Everyone turned to look at Cannok. She didn’t think for a second he would let Denke stay here out of the goodness of his heart. There was no profit in such a move for him.
“He was asking for you,” said the doctor. Munroe took the hint, giving them some space to talk without her in the room.
Denke was pale and sweat covered his body, but at least he was awake. Munroe tried not to look at the spike sticking out of the side of his chest but she couldn’t help wincing.
“The doctor told me I’ll get better, as long as I don’t move for a while.”
“You were lucky,” said Munroe.
“No, I’m alive because of you,” said Denke. “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you. I thought they’d listen to me.”
“It doesn’t matter. We need to get you out of here, as soon as you’re able to travel.” Munroe started considering different options on how to get out of the city. If only she’d been able to learn how to camouflage herself with magic she could’ve walked them both out of the gates. Subtle had never been her way and unfortunately that extended to her use of magic as well. Her teachers had insisted it was simply in her mind, but so far she’d not been able to move past that particular mental block.
“I’m not leaving,” said Denke.
“Why?”
“My family is here, my friends. My life. If I suddenly disappear, people will notice. If they can’t find me they could go after my family.”
“How are you going to explain that?” she said, gesturing at his injury.
“I’ll come up with something. I can even say I was injured today in the crowd. They don’t need to know I was the one in the mask.”
“Are you going to keep testing children?” asked Munroe.
Denke shook his head. “You were right. It’s too dangerous. I dropped the mask on the way here and won’t be going back for it. I’m done for now.”
Munroe was relieved, but she also knew staying in the city could be dangerous for him. Getting rid of the mask and pretending he had nothing to do with the Red Tower would keep him safe from most people. But Cannok hadn’t risen to his position because of his kind heart and generous spirit. There would be a price to pay, either now or later, for his silence. If he ever revealed that Denke had been a Seeker, a secret he’d kept from his own family, then it would put his life at risk again. She was afraid that if she left now Cannok might try to blackmail Denke once he was well. Perhaps force him to use his magic to further Cannok’s ambitions.
She would have to make a deal before she left to protect Denke. Munroe had a feeling the price was going to be rather steep.
As she came back upstairs Munroe was surprised to see five new faces waiting for her with the others. Even more surprising was that all of them were armed with loaded crossbows pointed at her chest. On the far side of the room Cannok sat at the table casually sipping his ale. Beside him stood Tok and the ageing doctor, both of whom wore identical frowns. Neither were keen on this idea, but they knew it was probably not a good idea to object or else they might be next.
“I was about to say we should make a deal,” said Munroe.
“I’m ready to deal,” said Cannok. “Let’s start by discussing what you’re going to do for me.”
CHAPTER 21
A scream ripped through the air. Wren opened her eyes and rolled out of bed, coming awake without her usual sluggishness. She’d been on edge for days and had only just fallen into a light sleep.
Moving on instinct she walked towards the thrashing figure. Tianne was already there, shaking Danoph by the shoulders and gently saying his name over and over again. Nearby she could hear other students groaning and complaining. She saw a few burying their heads under pillows, but no one else had got out of bed. The feeling of being watched made Wren turn around.
Across the dormitory she could see Brunwal sitting up in bed. She had the feeling he was staring straight at her. There wasn’t much light in the room, just what Tianne had summoned and ambient light from gaps in the curtains, but it was enough to show his outline. Part of her wanted to pretend it was just her imagination. At this distance there was no way to be sure. He might have been staring at something else, but deep down she knew. She could feel the weight of his eyes resting on her.
She was already exhausted from days of waiting. But so far all he’d done was watch. He was waiting for the most opportune moment to strike, when she was at her weakest. Wren believed he grinned at her before lying down again.
“Help me,” said Tianne, struggling to get Danoph out of bed by herself. He was almost awake but seemed unable to stand unaided. Supporting him on either side they shuffled towards the washrooms. Wren worked the pump while Tianne filled a bowl with water and threw in a washcloth. Holding a wet cloth against Danoph’s forehead seemed to help. The first time this had happened Wren had thought he was burning with fever, but apparently being so hot was a typical side effect of his nightmares. Not that there seemed to be anything normal about his night terrors. Even when he didn’t wake up screaming Danoph didn’t seem to sleep very well. It was as if all his dreams were plagued with images that left him weary in the morning.
“Thank you,” murmured Danoph taking the cloth from Tianne. He took a deep breath and dunked his face into the cold water. He came up a few seconds later, dripping wet but smiling. “I’m sorry this keeps happening.”
“It’s not your fault,” said Tianne. “And we don’t mind.”
As usual Tianne didn’t want to say a bad thing about anyone, despite the inconvenience. “Have the Grey Council said if they can help you?” asked Wren, trying to be more pragmatic about finding a solution. This could not continue indefinitely.
Danoph shrugged. “They tried something, and it seemed to help for a while, but the dreams have come back, just as strong as before. They’re so clear. I can see every detail.”
“Once I dreamed that all my teeth fell out,” said Tianne, putting a hand to her mouth as if to check they were still there. “Do you think dreams mean anything?”
Wren realised they were both looking at her for an answer. “I don’t know. None of my dreams have ever come true, but then neither have my nightmares.”
“You should both get some sleep,” said Danoph, running a hand over his uneven scalp. “I’ll stay up a while and cut my hair.”
Wren noticed he always kept it very short and preferred to do it himself. Her own hair was getting long, almost to her shoulders. Normally she kept it much shorter, but hadn’t found anyone she trusted to cut it. Maybe she would ask Danoph to do it one day.
Taking his advice, she returned to her bed but couldn’t get back to sleep. Lying awake, listening to the snoring of other students, she considered her situation again.
Apart from her two friends Wren was starting to realise there wasn’t anyone else she could rely
on, not even the teachers. Recently they’d all been preoccupied and far too busy dealing with larger issues to concern themselves with what might happen to her. There were numerous stories swirling around the school, brought to them from merchants and senior students allowed to visit the nearby town. Rumours about children dying while being tested for magic. There were stories about whole villages being destroyed and Seekers getting the blame. Wren had heard six different versions of one story about a boy who had exploded, killing at least fifty people in his village. With each retelling the details varied but the underlying message was the same. There was a rising tide of fear and prejudice against those with magic, which also meant anyone connected to the Red Tower.
What was happening beyond the walls of the school concerned her, but right now she couldn’t spend too long focused on it. Her immediate problem with Brunwal had not gone away. Even thoughts about what she would do when she left the Red Tower were pushed to the back of her mind. Survival was her most pressing concern.
Turning over in bed Wren tried to rest but her mind was too agitated and she didn’t sleep for a long time. When morning came she was sandy-eyed, sluggish and her head felt as if it had been stuffed with wool.
The next few days passed in a dazed blur in which Wren was simply going through the motions. She ate her meals, attended her classes and every night she tried to sleep, waking at the slightest sound before eventually passing out from exhaustion a few hours before dawn.
During a break between classes she found herself dozing on the grass outside in the sun. Whispering voices lurked on the periphery of her senses and in a panic she scrambled away from them, coming awake gasping for breath. Wren frantically searched for the danger but saw only Danoph and Tianne sitting beside her.
“I heard whispering,” said Wren, trying to catch her breath.
“We didn’t want to wake you,” said Tianne. “You look so tired. You should get some rest.”
Knowing she wouldn’t be able to sleep again Wren dismissed the idea with a wave of her hand. “What were you saying?”
“Some of the teachers have already come back from their trips. They’ve only been gone a few days.”
“Then they stayed local,” said Danoph.
“I think they’ve been warning Seekers here in Shael.”
“It would make sense if the stories are true.”
“There are a few new adults in the school,” said Tianne. Wren nearly asked her how she knew when they spent most of their time together, but she bit her tongue. Her exhaustion was making her snippy and she couldn’t afford to lose one of her two allies. “I think some of the Seekers from abroad are here, but I don’t know why. I asked a couple of teachers about the rumours, but they wouldn’t tell me anything.” One of Tianne’s feet was twitching, as if she was nervous. When she saw Wren watching she turned away and her foot stopped moving. “No one is talking.”
“We’ll find out eventually,” said Danoph. “Right now we have more pressing matters to worry about.”
They all watched as Brunwal and his cronies walked past. He didn’t speak to Wren, didn’t even glance in her direction, but she felt other people watching them both expectantly. They were all waiting for it as well. Oddly, one of Brunwal’s cronies looked over his shoulder and much to her surprise Wren saw fear in his eyes. Perhaps when she’d beaten Brunwal she’d scared his friends worse than she’d realised.
In their next class Master Jorey had returned from her trip and was attempting to teach them how to channel small amounts of energy to control the weather. Drawing power from the Source into herself felt so natural to Wren, like breathing. It was what she did next that was proving difficult. So far she seemed to be faring better than Danoph who struggled with all but the basics. If not for the echo she felt between them Wren would have questioned him being at the school. Thankfully it wasn’t just her who had difficulty with the class as Tianne couldn’t master it either.
During sword training Wren felt so tired that she ended up with a number of bruises on her arms and shoulders. She saw the blows coming and tried to block them but her tired limbs were just too slow. Master Choss pulled her out of line and they walked a short distance away.
“Are you unwell?” he asked, one hand resting on his belt. Wren had noticed that he’d taken to wearing a sword, even at meal times, but when she’d first arrived he’d not carried a weapon.
“No, just very tired. I’ve not been sleeping.”
He stared down at her and although his expression remained impassive she could see his eyes were troubled. “If you can’t sleep, perhaps you should pay Master Yettle a visit. He may be able to help.”
“Are you sleeping, Master Choss?” she asked, noting the deep shadows under his eyes.
He raised one eyebrow but didn’t dismiss her. At home a student would never dare ask a teacher such a personal question. There were clearly defined lines but here in Shael it was different. “No, I’m not,” he admitted. “But I can have a drink of something to help with that. You’re a little young. Sit out the rest of the class, maybe doze in the shade,” he said striding back towards the line of students. Wren noticed he’d not said why he wasn’t sleeping.
By the time they’d finished their classes and eaten their evening meal, Wren was practically asleep on her feet. Tianne came back to their table bubbling with new gossip as Danoph was scraping the last few mouthfuls off his plate.
“Balfruss has gone away on a trip, and Eloise left the school yesterday with the Jhanidi. Only Garvey is here from the Grey Council,” said Tianne. Wren had noticed there were only a few teachers eating at their table tonight.
As her eyes roamed around the room Wren felt as if someone was watching her. Turning her head she saw Brunwal staring from across the room. This time there was no doubt. The whole room continued to move around them, full of noise and motion, but for a moment the two of them were trapped in a bubble of silence. His lips moved and she heard the words. A promise of pain and suffering.
“It will be tonight,” she said, more to herself than the others.
“What’s tonight?” asked Tianne, hungry as ever for fresh news.
“Brunwal will come for me.”
Danoph and Tianne exchanged a look. “Are you sure?” asked Tianne.
The message had been clear. “Yes.”
“Then we should hide, or tell someone,” babbled Tianne, suddenly flustered. Oddly, despite the fear in the pit of her stomach, an icy calm fell over Wren.
“You said it yourself, Tianne. There’s no one else I can trust. I could hide, but that would just delay it.”
“Say something!” said Tianne, pleading with Danoph. He was staring at Brunwal with his head tilted to one side and a puzzled expression.
“All paths lead to this moment,” he said, patting Tianne on the hand. “You can rely on us, Wren. We’ll be there with you.”
The lights had barely dimmed when Wren heard a scuffing sound in the dark. She lay on her bed fully clothed and had told her friends to do the same. A faint blue glow filled the room as several magic lights blossomed around the dormitory.
A few students seemed to have no idea what was happening but the majority scrambled out of bed, heading for the relative safety of the washrooms. Word spread and they all realised what was about to happen.
Wren rolled to her feet and moved away from the bunks to the clear space towards the front of the room. Tianne and Danoph moved to flank her on either side and she felt reassured by their presence. Whatever happened she would not be facing it alone. Danoph’s face was without expression, while Tianne was visibly scared, making Wren realise her friend was braver than she’d thought.
Across the room Brunwal and five of his friends watched her in silence. They seemed to be waiting for something. One of his companions, a boy from Zecorria, seemed particularly on edge and he kept staring at Tianne. Perhaps he had been instructed to attack her first.
This silence wasn’t what she’d expected from Brunwal. Perhaps a
speech about embarrassing him and that she deserved this. Maybe threats about what he was going to do to her. She had not anticipated the icy silence that now filled the dormitory. When it began to stretch out so much that it echoed in her ears, part of Wren wondered if he’d lost his nerve now that the moment had finally arrived.
“Oh no,” whispered Tianne, her voice seeming loud in the silent dormitory. A fire was building behind Brunwal’s eyes. Wren could see it growing. A rage that would not be quenched by just another beating.
With the speed of thought Wren drew power from the Source into herself and shaped it into a series of threads. She wove these together into a shield in front of her, layering them over and over like folding metal in the forging of a blade. Others preferred a solid block of force to stop an attack, absorbing all of the energy, but the jarring impact could still cause an injury if they were not careful. Her shield would bend and keep bending as it absorbed and reflected energy away from her.
Brunwal hurled something at her with a shout. A fiery spear shattered against her shield with enough force to drive her back a few steps. To Wren’s relief there was little real damage to her shield beyond destroying a few of the outer layers. Nevertheless, moving her left hand in a series of twisting gestures, Wren repaired her shield while she waited for his next attack.
Brunwal was screaming incoherently now, a sound of pure rage. Every now and then he’d curse her as he hurled bolt after bolt of energy laced with fire towards her. Wren could see he was expending so much energy she knew he wouldn’t be able to sustain this level of attack for long. The Source was infinite but his stamina was not.
Bending her knees and bracing herself against the assault, Wren held her ground, biding her time and waiting for an opening. On the periphery of her vision she saw Tianne pulling Danoph away from the fight. Across the room Brunwal’s friends had also moved elsewhere to give them space, but they were also not interfering. They simply watched in silence.
When his first attacks failed to break through her defence Brunwal changed tactics, pulling together something she’d never seen before. Even when the teachers did something she couldn’t copy, Wren had a vague inkling of what they were doing. She could see how the pieces fitted together in her mind, changing power into heat or light, but this was alien. An oily black sphere of nothingness began to swell between Brunwal’s hands. It throbbed in time with her connection to the Source as if it were alive. She heard shouting and angry voices, but didn’t dare turn away in case she lost concentration.
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