This time, I was much more gradual. I knew that with only a few practice tries, I would be able to master this new skill.
“Enough,” he said aloud. I released my hold and suddenly felt blind.
Opening my eyes, I found Korneli thoughtfully rubbing his hand. “I am guessing that you did not reach your most solid. Am I correct?”
I nodded. “What does it mean?”
He met my gaze. “It means you are very powerful, Zezilia. With power comes responsibility. I need you to promise me that you will work hard with Errol and Selwyn to train this talent. Without the training, you might hurt someone inadvertently. The injury could be far worse that a broken bone. Even now, you could easily crush my hand or me with a thought.”
Visions of Candra falling and the sickening crack of her bone breaking flashed through my thoughts. I didn’t want to accidentally do that again. I quickly assured Korneli that I would work hard.
He smiled as he crossed the room to the desk in the middle. “I know you will.” Taking a seat, he skimmed the open book. “Code, etiquette, sending, receiving, mass movement,” he looked up at me, “I think we have finished the testing. Congratulations, Zezilia, you have passed your first year testing.” He closed the book with a thump and leaned back in the chair. “Now, I understand that you had some questions for me.” A spark of mischief glinted in his eye as he folded his arms across his chest.
It took me a moment to recover from his casual change of topic. “When did he know he was talented?” I had secret hopes that there was another like myself who hadn’t known until someone discovered them.
“Well, his parents suspected since his birth, but he didn’t show any inclination until he was a teen. That fits with the profile though.”
“What profile?”
“The late bloomers tend to be the most powerful. Yes, I believe the first thing he did was a mental shout while being punished for something he hadn’t done. Anonto broke his fishing rod and blamed Ilias. Ilias was a bit of a hot head those days and instead of denying it, he punched his older brother in the nose. I joined in the fray to defend his honor and all of us got our seats tanned for fighting when his father came out. Ilias got it last, partially because he was the youngest and partially because he started it and was going to get additional reprimands. On the third whap, as his father vocally added the broken fishing pole to his list of crimes, Ilias let out a mental shout that gave all of us talents a headache.”
“What is a mental shout?” I asked.
Lifting his head to regard me with surprised eyes, he asked, “Didn’t you manifest your talent with a shout?”
I shook my head. “Errol says he heard me projecting a lot emotion, but he said nothing about a shout.”
“Well, shouting is usually the first sign that a child has talent and the most basic of the talent skills. It is essentially a sending powered by strong emotion that is heard by multiple talents within range. I, myself, cannot shout very far because my sending range is limited. Ilias, however, could send quite far, and still can. Everyone in the household heard him, even his mother, who has only minimal abilities. It took a whole day for most of our heads to stop hurting.”
“Did he still get punished for the fishing rod?”
Korneli laughed. It was a rough bark that contrasted sharply to his pleasant appearance. “He got an extra whap for making everyone’s heads hurt.”
I opened my mouth to ask where Ilias was now, but a knock on the outer door interrupted.
“It sounded like you are finished,” Galatea said as she slipped into the room. She had changed her dress to one of her best. Smiling sweetly at Korneli, she opened the door wide and leaned against it prettily. “Father wants to speak with you,” she told Korneli.
“Ah, yes, they are probably finished by now. I wonder how Eldivo fared.” Rising to his feet, Korneli picked the tome off the table. After replacing it on the shelf, he turned to me. “It has been an honor, Zezilia. I hope to be amazed by your progress next time we meet.” He saluted me formally, nodded to Galatea, and exited.
“You must tell me everything after he leaves,” Galatea whispered as soon as he disappeared.
“So you can drool?” I asked.
“You wouldn’t understand.” She arranged her face into a tragic look. “Unrequited love is so difficult to live through.”
“You only met him this morning.”
“Haven’t you ever heard of love at first sight?”
“Don’t believe in the stuff.”
“See, I told you that you wouldn’t understand. You are so childish sometimes.” With a lofty glance over her shoulder, she paraded out into the hall.
Hadrian
SPRING APPEARED SUDDENLY. One morning the snow was gone and the next the birds returned, calling their greetings to one another across the open expanses of the compound gardens. I found my eyes and thoughts wandering more and more to the budding life beyond my office windows. It was easy to dwell on the beauty of the Almighty’s creation when within the walls the weightier matters of my duties awaited.
The regular mundane work of advising and letter writing flowed smoothly. I kept Renato busy with my correspondence. We worked out a system for answering queries based on what category they fell into. That eliminated most of the issues that I didn’t really need to see to personally. It also left the requests for advice on training and disciplining young talents, overseeing the testing, and all the political problems that kept coming from the capital for me.
High King Deucalion Marcellus was proving to be a good choice. Though we didn’t agree on every issue, he knew his mind and made rational decisions. When he did something I disagreed with, Renato would remind me of my reasons for choosing Deucalion over his brother, Blaise.
The Mesitas continued his campaign against me. Rumors came and went. My family was questioned and spied upon. Thankfully, he seemed content with pestering my oldest brothers and left Selwyn alone. If the Mesitas changed his tactics, however, we were prepared. Selwyn agreed to disappear as soon as there was any sign of surveillance.
Korneli’s initial report on Zezilia’s testing was overwhelmingly positive. I wrote back to him asking for the real story. His reply was to appear at my doorstep four weeks later with Septimus in tow to speak to me in person.
“What do you want me to say?” he asked as we walked across the compound toward my living quarters. Septimus, who insisted on being referred to as Eldivo, remained behind with Renato. “She is serious and conscientious. I have never tested a first year with such a grasp of the basics and her potential for mass movement is extraordinary.”
“You didn’t tell her that?” I asked.
“Not in those words. Why?”
“Errol is concerned about her getting over confident and haughty.”
“I didn’t see any signs of that. She was responsive and humble. I think you two are worrying too much.”
I looked over to find him frowning at me.
“In fact, from the look of you, you are spending way too much time bent over a desk and worrying in general. What happened to leaving things in the Almighty’s hands?”
I agreed, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it. “The problems will not disappear by themselves. I must work at them, letting the Almighty use my hands to do His will. I am not a carefree traveler anymore, Korneli. I have a whole nation depending on me to keep their talented educated and equipped. I don’t have time for afternoon romps or lazy swims, though I have to admit that I am wishing I did, especially in this weather.”
The early summer sun warmed our heads and brought out the deep green of the grass beside the trail. With a slight breeze keeping it from being too hot for comfort, it was a perfect day for a long walk in the cool of the gardens.
“How is Septimus doing?”
Korneli grimaced. “The boy’s parents were complete idiots. They taught him to be a haughty, arrogant brat. Thank the Almighty he is teachable. I am telling you, Ilias, I spend more time teach
ing him how to behave around people than how to use his talent skills.”
I nodded gravely. Korneli enlightened me about the boy’s past months ago and his parents’ behavior toward their son didn’t make much sense. Sadly he wasn’t the first to be treated differently because of his abilities. I thanked the Almighty daily for my parents. They raised me exactly as they raised their other sons and continued to love each of us equally.
“How did his meeting with Errol’s girls go?”
“Surprisingly well,” Korneli replied. “He talks of Eloine all the time and he was flabbergasted that Zezilia was the one I was there to test.”
“You did tell him to not speak of her to anyone?”
“Of course.”
“The necessity of keeping her abilities a secret increases daily. The Elitist mentality is spreading and I haven’t heard from my contact within the community for a few weeks. If they got a hold of her, they would destroy her in trying to bring her to submission.”
“I heard news of at least three disappearances in the east of young women rumored to have talent.”
“Where?” I stopped in the path. This was news to me. All previous disappearances occurred near the Elitist village and I had hoped that they would remain contained along the Western coast.
“They were taken from homesteads on the east coast near Urnucia,” he replied with a worried look. “You mean you didn’t hear about that?”
I frowned, but began walking again. “No, I didn’t. That means that they are probably working from the coast inward. Do you know where I could get descriptions of these women?”
“I would expect that your brother Anonto would have that. He was the one that mentioned it to Selwyn, who mentioned it to me when I visited him after testing Zezilia.”
“If that is what is happening, Zezilia might not be safe where she is. We will have to move her.”
“Might I suggest an alternative?”
I looked over to find Korneli frowning at me. “What?”
“Have Errol teach her defensive skills; so, that she is prepared regardless of what happens. You said yourself that she seems to have a knack for keeping people out of her head if she wants to. If Errol gives her the skills, I am willing to bet she could keep even you out.”
As memories of her closing me out that first evening filled my thoughts, I found myself nodding. Korneli was right. With the training she would be the match of any talent who attempted to breach her thoughts or attempted mind control. I made a mental note to write to Errol to focus on defensive techniques next. However, it would not help her defend herself physically. I said as much to Korneli.
“Oh, I wouldn’t worry about that,” he said with a laugh. “All she has to do is surround herself with an energy field and solidify it and she could clear a room. With a little training, she will be fully capable of handling herself in that area too.”
Just then, we reached the front door to my quarters. The low building was surrounded by a well-tended garden hedged by bushes and trees so that no one could see into the large windows. Built back when the compound was first constructed, the stone walls were ancient, but well maintained. I had chosen this as my residence as opposed to the more austere and recently built quarters nearer the center of the compound.
“This is a ways from the office, isn’t it?” Korneli commented as I unlocked the heavy oak door and pushed it open.
“When I am not working, I don’t want to constantly be reminded of the work yet unfinished.”
“Do you stay here alone?”
The dim recesses of the foyer opened up in the brightness of the common room. The doors into the gardens were open, letting in the breezes and a hint of baking bread wafted in from the kitchens on the other side of the gardens.
“Renato stays with me. The cook makes sure we don’t starve, and the gardener comes daily to work on the vegetation. Do you want something to drink?”
“No, thank you,” Korneli answered as he crossed to one of the upholstered chairs.
“So, what did you think of Zezilia?” I asked as I sank into my favorite chair near the cold fireplace and stretched my legs out before me. It felt so good to relax. I was not winding down enough lately. As the muscles in my shoulders gradually eased against the softness, I promised myself to take more walks in the future.
“I like her. She is a quiet little thing, but she gets her point across when she needs to. Have you given any thought to what you are going to do with her once she is trained?”
I leaned back and closed my eyes, resting my head on the back of the chair. “Her father has my promise that I will marry her off to someone or marry her myself. I was hoping that she and Septimus would hit it off.”
“No, not likely. Septimus seems to have taken to Eloine.”
“So you say.”
“I do say. The boy finds Zezilia a bit intimidating, despite the fact he hasn’t tasted her abilities yet. I think it is her confident manner. You were right about her not using an energy field, by the way. Errol says she is now mastering mass moving without any trouble now.”
I nodded and smiled. “I am glad. I know how frustrating it is to not manage something that should be easy.”
“Like touching your amoveo?” Korneli asked mischievously. I ignored him.
We lapsed into amicable silence for a few moments. Outside the birds sang and something rustled in the bushes.
Then Korneli’s voice interrupted my blissful thoughts of nothing. “Let us say that you marry her off, what then? I cannot see letting all that talent go to waste. The Almighty must have some purpose for her.”
I looked over at my friend sprawled on his chair, eyeing me from under lowered lids, and shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know. I agree she has a purpose, but I am still completely unaware of what He has planned. She needs training; so, I shall see that she gets it.”
“Hmm...I have this feeling that she is going to surprise us yet.”
Chapter XII
Hadrian
Summer breezes blossomed into heat. In the north central country, the heat of Aestas always stuck the worst, but this year topped all records. The sun bore down, turning the gardens into brown, brittle graveyards and the healthy rivers to trickling streams. Rain did not come and even the fertile region on the southern coast felt the drought. Thankfully, the irrigation from the freshwater sea surrounding us saved the crops. Without it, the whole country would be facing a starving winter.
While the country anxiously watched the fields in the south, the Mesitas milled out rumors in the central country. The first of them reached my ear via Horace with the morning deliveries.
“The Mesitas says that the goddess is punishing us because of you,” Horace informed me as he set a packet of missives down on my desk. “He is calling for your resignation.”
“Do you believe him?” Picking up the pile, I began untying the leather strap that bound them together. The one on top was a letter from Errol. I slipped it into my drawer and looked up at Horace. “Well?” I asked with raised eyebrows.
“The Mesitas is never wrong.”
I grimaced up at him. “I am still alive, aren’t I? According the goddess’ Sibley, I should be dead and another in my place by now.”
“The goddess’ prophecies are not bound by time.”
“You mean that if I trip walking out the door and break my neck, it was because of the goddess.”
“As the goddess wills,” Horace quavered.
“I disagree. If I fall and break my neck it will not be anyone’s fault but mine. Besides, I believe that the Almighty numbers my days and He will decide when I die. Your goddess has no sway over me.”
“Just wait. She always gets her way. It just takes time.” Horace gave me a mournful look before turning away and leaving the study.
Tristan passed him on his way in and immediately shot me a questioning glance.
“The Mesitas has blamed the drought and heat on my disobedience to the goddess,” I explained before looking d
own at the letters. “Five trainer letters came today. Are the numbers of these increasing, or is it me?” I set the stack aside and reached for the letter from Blandone. That interested me the most. His report was almost a week overdue and he was supposed to let me know if he had spotted the three missing potentials from the east coast among the new recruits.
“The students are being brought to us without any discipline, Hadrian. More often than not, the trainer is teaching not just the code, but manners, human regard, selflessness, honor, and many other common traits that a talent needs to function. It is as though the parents take a hands-off approach as soon as they know that the child is talented.”
“It sounds like we need to do something about it.”
“We could have them begin training earlier and amplify what they are taught,” Tristan suggested.
“Yes, but then the trainer becomes more like the child’s parent and less like a teacher. It would also require more trainers and we are stretched thin as it is.”
“We could try to educate the parents.”
I frowned. It sounded like a good idea, but somehow I was certain that the parents would take offense at being taught how to be parents. “I don’t think that will go over well.”
“We could up the requirements for training to include basic personable skills, manners, and discipline.”
“That might work, but in the beginning none of the applicants would meet the new requirements.”
“Then announce the changes three years in advance. That way, the parents will have three years to prepare their sons for the testing.”
I looked up at Tristan. “That means additional testing, which equals more time per child, which will result in me having to spend a week testing applicants instead of only a day.”
We both lapsed into thought. Then suddenly Tristan leaned forward. “What if all the new testing is done by trainers? Then, once the trainees pass that battery of tests, you test them for in the usual areas.”
I ran over the idea in my head, examining it from every angle. It seemed sound. “Draw up a step by step plan for implementing this with areas to be tested and details on how the testing will proceed. Present it to me in two weeks after I return from the Caelestis Novem celebrations. We will decide then.”
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