CS - Chapters 11 to 15

Chapter 11

My fingers scraped down the side of the tower, my nails cracking. The fall had happened so suddenly I hadn’t even screamed.

My hands slammed into something hard, and I grabbed it. My left hand slid off, numb, but my right held as terrible pain, like someone had taken a hot poker to my right shoulder, overwhelmed me.

I moaned and twisted my body until I could get my left hand above my head. In a heartbeat I hung in the dark by two hands from what must be the ninth floor window ninety feet off the ground.

I tried to pull myself up and almost passed out from the pain in my shoulder. My arms trembled and I feared it would loosen my grip. I needed a burst of strength to help pull myself to the window.

Taking three deep breaths, I ignored the pain as best I could. Then I took another three. My mind calmed enough for me to slip into Mom’s training.

Mom had filled my head with a bunch of nonsense: stretches, chants, rune symbols, meditation, and other stupid things. She could make the runes work, and sometimes, usually after a really long run when my body and mind were exhausted, I could sense their power, but I could never make them work.

The shaking in my arms had become violent. I only had a few seconds before I fell.

Strength is what I needed. Just enough to pull myself up.

The three half circles of Shag’la Rath, like the humps of some deformed camel, appeared in my mind. This same rune had failed me earlier today when Commander Jase had grabbed me.

Maybe I’d done something wrong. This time I pictured Mom, drawing the rune in the desert sand for the first time. I repeated her words and let the rune sink deep into my brain.

The dunes of Shag’la Rath.

My body, grains of sand.

Like the desert, I burn.

Burn like Shag’la Rath.

The rune flared brightly in my mind. My body flushed like I had a fever and strength flooded my muscles. The shoulder pain grew distant, and my arms stopped trembling. My exhaustion disappeared, and I pulled myself up, getting my knees on the window ledge. I twisted my body and sat on the narrow ledge, my back pressed against the shutters.

The symbol for Shag’la Rath faded, and the trembling started again.

The shutters were closed, and I gave them a push with my elbow, but they didn’t open.

My exhaustion was ten times worse than before. That’s how Mom said it worked. The runes would let me focus the energy in my body: strength, quickness, endurance. There was a rune symbol for everything.

But I only had the energy my body started with, and Lylly’s meal sat useless in my stomach. I’d used all my body’s energy for a few seconds of strength, but I might have made things worse.

No, not worse than falling off this tower.

I’d gotten Shag’la Rath to work, though. Mom would be so proud of me, assuming I lived to tell her. I was still in real trouble.

Lid?

Lid didn’t respond.

“…are out of time. I want to know what’s in those letters.”

The voice had come from the other side of the shutters. It had gotten louder as the person spoke. Someone responded, their words too low to hear.

“I need the troop movements or the whole thing is useless,” the first voice said.

I sat frozen. If I got their attention, they could let me in, but I might get in a lot of trouble. It would be safer to wait until they left before entering the room.

I clenched my jaw as waves of pain rolled through my muscles. It felt like someone had beaten my entire body with a stick. I bit back a moan as the fire in my muscles increased.

No, I didn’t have the time to wait for them to leave.

Clenching my hand, I pounded on the shutter behind me, but in my weakened state it didn’t even make the wood vibrate.

I was going to die.

I couldn’t climb down the remaining distance, and if the tremors in my muscles got any worse, I’d fall off my perch.

An intense wave of pain forced me to squeeze my eyes shut. Everything spun, and I pushed myself hard against the shutters trying to keep from falling.

I banged the back of my head against the shutters, too weak to do anything else.

After a moment, I heard a click as the shudder latch released.

The shutters opened, and I fell into the room.

The back of my head and neck struck the floor. I opened my eyes, but tears made my vision blurry. Rolling to my stomach, I pushed myself to my knees just before my entire meal came up. My stomach convulsed with every wave of pain.

“Disgusting!”

I choked as I recognized the voice, my stomach acid making my throat burn. Blinking my eyes clear, I looked up at Flasker.

“A spy! Throw him out the window,” a different teenager said, pointing at me.

The young man had broad shoulders, blonde hair, and a high-pitched voice that didn’t match his looks. His forehead had an oval with five lines sticking out like fingers. A purple line covered the top of the hand and next to it two blue dots sat above four red ones. The teenager was a low-ranking royal servant.

Flasker faced the young man. “Are you an idiot? A dead body will bring people around. And people ask questions.”

“But he saw me,” the young man said.

Flasker looked back at me. “The old man is throwing him out tomorrow. He isn’t someone to worry about. Now go, we’ll finish tomorrow.”

The blonde teenager frowned, pulled a hood over his head, and walked out the door without replying. Flasker faced me again and scowled.

“Danos,” Flasker said.

“Sir,” a deep voice replied from the dark hallway.

“Make sure our friend isn’t bothered on his way out and get whoever is on duty at eight’s caller to help clean this up.”

“Yes, sir.”

Flasker narrowed his eyes. “What were you doing out there?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but dry heaved instead, and the world went black.

#

“Again,” Flasker said.

My cheek stung as someone slapped it, hard. The stone floor felt cold against my legs and back.

“Again,” Flasker said.

“Stop,” I mumbled, trying to raise my arms.

My brain didn’t have the energy to process all the pain my body felt. Everything seemed distant, and I wanted to sleep. I forced my eyes open. The red-haired girl I’d surprised earlier knelt beside me. She looked terrified, her eyes wide and nostrils flared.

“Finally,” Flasker said. “Now answer my question, Top. What were you doing out there?”

Now I understood the girl’s fear. This was partly her fault. I’d climbed outside because she’d jammed my door closed.

She’d upset me, but I didn’t want to give Flasker someone else to punish, and I doubted she thought I’d do something as dumb as this. And, well, her eyes reminded me of storm clouds, my favorite shade of grey.

I locked gazes with the girl. After a few seconds she swallowed hard, closed her eyes, and sat back on her feet.

“I just wanted some air, but I lost my balance and fell,” I said.

The girl’s eyes snapped open.

“What?” Flasker asked.

“I fell. I’m not very coordinated.”

“That I believe,” Flasker said.

Some of the girl’s color returned.

“Shanah, make sure this mess gets cleaned up. If Tip hears about this, it will go hard on you.”

“Yes, sir!” Shanah said.

“Top, five stones for being outside your room after curfew,” Flasker said.

Shanah gasped and then covered her mouth.

“You have a problem, Hilt?” Flasker asked.

“No, sir,” Shanah said. “It’s just, Tip, sir. She might wonder why all the stones and ask questions.”

Flasker didn’t speak for a few seconds. “I’m feeling generous, Top. Since this is your first night I’ll give you a pass.”

After a second Shanah’s eyes grew large, and she mouthed some words. It took me a moment to figure out what she meant.

“Thank you,” I said finally understanding.

Shanah’s eyes got wider, and I thought they might pop out.

“Sir! Thank you, sir!”

Shanah gave her head a small shake, her eyes still wide.

Flasker turned and left, but Shanah and I remained quiet for ten seconds to make sure he didn’t come back.

“Why?” Shanah asked.

When I didn’t answer, she asked again.

“Why did you cover for me?”

“So, you’re admitting you blocked my door?”

Shanah bit her lip.

“Did you really climb down the outside of the tower?”

My calf cramped, and I yelped in pain, grabbing it with both hands. My shoulder throbbed where I’d almost ripped it from its joint catching myself, and I could smell the contents of my stomach covering the floor a few feet from me. The nails on my hands and feet felt like I’d shoved burning coals under them, and the rest of my body didn’t feel much better. I’d never felt worse in my entire life.

“Climb might be stretching it a bit,” I gasped when the pain retreated long enough for me to speak.

“You’re the dumbest person I’ve ever met,” Shanah said.

“No one’s ever said that to me before.”

Shanah laughed, a light, carefree sound, which surprised me coming from her serious face. “And you’re a terrible liar.”

Shanah stood and walked toward the door. “I’m getting a mop.”

What happened to you? Lid asked.

Oh, now you talk?

I felt pressure in my head as Lid looked through my memories.

You are really dumb, Lid said.

Why do people keep saying that?

I can block some of your pain and allow you to function for a bit, but you need to flush the acid out of your muscles.

My pain faded and thinking became easier. Thank you, that feels much better. What acid?

The burning in your muscles is the acid left over from using all your energy. Why did you keep the rune so bright? You would not be in this condition had you controlled the flow better.

I didn’t really think about the brightness. I was just excited it worked. It hurts to move.

Staying still will only make it worse. You will start cramping soon.

You sound like Mom.

Mom always ended our runs by doing the first three stretches. I pushed myself to my knees and then to my feet. I put a hand on the wall until the world stopped spinning. Then I started the first stretch of the twenty-three Mom had taught me.

Your Mom’s done well. That much acid would paralyze a normal person.

Are you saying I’m not normal?

I am saying you are too hard on your Mom.

Too hard? Okay, that rune saved my life, but mostly she taught me useless things.

You can train your muscles to work while soaked in acid.

That would be useful now. I stopped stretching long enough to rub my hamstring, which had started to spasm.

You used almost every bit of energy in your body, in seconds, and are still moving. Look past your pain. Does it feel familiar?

I wouldn’t admit it to Lid, but the stretching had made me feel better. Even my nausea had gone away. I’d felt this sensation before, an echo of the pain I felt now, but definitely the same. The feeling I’d had at the end of every long run.

Running?

Yes, training your muscles to handle the aftereffects of your runes.

Mom had never explained why we ran so much, and I’d never asked. The fact that all that running allowed me to move right now made me feel guilty about how often I’d complained about the exercise. It also made me uncomfortable that something Mom had taught me served some other purpose. It felt a little like being lied too.

You need to give your Mom more credit.

Lid was probably right, but I didn’t tell him that.

Shanah returned with a bucket and a mop. She handed the mop to me. I leaned on it, my body numb.

My face grew hot as I looked at the mess I’d made on the floor, but it didn’t seem to bother Shanah at all. She sat on the nearest bed, crossed her legs, and watched me mop.

“What was the five stone thing?” I asked.

“You owe me big time for that.”

I frowned at her. “All things considered, I think we should call it even.”

“Fine. But five stones. You wouldn’t have made it twenty minutes.”

“Doing what?”

“Anything. Exercise, drills, sparring, you would’ve had to do it all with five stones attached. You’d die.”

“Oh.”

I am hiding against the bottom stair. Grab me in the morning.

Not sneaking into any other rooms?

Not tonight.

That was a joke. You need to stop that.

Lid ignored the comment. You have about fifteen minutes to eat. The more sugar the better.

I don’t feel like eating.

Uncontrollable tremors, a blinding headache, blackout.

What are those?

The order of your symptoms, in twenty minutes, unless you eat now.

I stopped mopping long enough to hold out my right hand. It shook.

“Do you have any food?” I asked.

Sugar, Lid said.

“The sweeter the better,” I added.

“You’ll ruin your teeth,” Shanah replied.

I raised my eyebrows and held out my arms. “Look at me. My teeth are the least of my problems.”

Shanah gave a small smile. “That’s true. Our floor has an emergency stash for when people lose meals as punishment. I’ll go get something.”

Shanah stood and headed for the door.

“Thanks.” I started mopping again. “What was Flasker doing up here?”

Shanah stopped. “Don’t ask those questions. It’s none of our business.”

“Is it normal?”

“Privacy is hard to find in the Pillar. And asking about Groundies—”

“Groundies?”

“The officers on the ground floor.”

“Right, Groundies.”

“Asking about Groundies is suicide.”

“The guy Flasker was talking to wanted to kill me. Just for seeing his face.”

Shanah covered her ears. “Stop it. I’m just trying to be like everyone else. Didn’t you hear what I just said?”

I let it drop. But it seemed suspicious to me. Normal people didn’t kill you because you saw their face. Unless those people were up to no good. No good like planning something terrible. Maybe it related to the danger Lid had warned about.

“Where’s Flasker from?” I asked.

Shanah shook her head and started for the door again. “You are the —”

“I know, I know…the dumbest person you’ve ever met.”

Chapter 12

The sound of the clicker alarm going off woke me up. Beams of light pierced the gaps in the east shutters, lighting up the room. Rubbing my temples to ease the headache already pounding in my head, I tried to sit up, but it felt like every muscle in my body had turned to stone. Then the pain seeped through the headache.

I reached out to Lid. I should stay in bed. Sleep until this pain disappears.

Where was that logic when you decided to crawl out a window?

Last night came flooding back. Yeah, I didn’t think that through enough.

Shower and then find some sugar. Your energy stores are still dangerously low.

Okay, Mom.

You might be the first Leab’Ayl Ribnor I lose in less than a day.

By lose do you mean die?

At least you have some of your wits.

How many Lee Abile Ribnors have you known?

Leab’Ayl Ribnor. And a lot. All incredible women and men. I am a good judge of your kind after all. Usually.

Usually? Is that a dig at me?

You make it so easy.

I rolled off the bed but my legs didn’t move fast enough, and I ended up on the floor wrapped in my blanket. My right shoulder looked swollen and it didn’t want to move. Using the bed, I pulled myself up until I stood, my legs still wrapped in the blanket.

My vision blurred, and I got dizzy. I started to lean backward, but I still couldn’t move my legs, so I hopped around to keep from falling. After six jumps I regained my balance.

Relieved I’d stopped myself from falling, I stood in the middle of the room and breathed. Movement by the door got my attention.

Shanah leaned against the door frame, a half-smile on her face. My breath caught, and I stepped backward in shock, but my legs, tangled in the blanket, didn’t move, and I fell hard on my butt.

“I didn’t think you could get any stranger,” Shanah said.

“I…uh…good morning.”

“I wanted to make sure you were up. I didn’t mean to interrupt your,” Shanah waved her hand at me, “whatever that was.”

My cheeks burned hot. “Thanks,” I finally managed.

Shanah, dressed in some sort of red uniform, looked wide awake.

“How long have you been up?”

Shanah shrugged. “Awhile. I get up early to have breakfast with my sister. We don’t get to see each other much anymore.”

Kicking off the blankets, I yelped in pain as the front of my right thigh cramped. It took a few seconds of rubbing for the muscle to relax.

“Is your sister in another Pillar?” I asked.

“Not exactly. It’s complicated.”

It felt awkward to talk while on the floor, so I stood. My left calf spasmed, and I fell to my side, curled into a ball and moaned as I used my knuckles to massage the knot that had formed in my calf.

“Are all your mornings like this?” Shanah asked.

“Just the good ones.”

Shanah shook her head and disappeared down the stairs. She shook her head a lot, but she probably did that all the time, not because of me.

I needed to get moving before my entire body cramped and spasmed. Slowly, without straining any muscles, I stood.

The bathroom on the tenth floor was for women, but I thought about using it anyway. The women on eighth would probably use that bathroom, not walk all the way up to ten. The image of a group of women walking in on me while I showered decided it for me. I’d use the ninth-floor men’s bathroom.

The ninth-floor bathroom had four guys in it, but none of them were showering, so I had the stalls to myself. I took a fast shower, the water coming from the roof ice cold from the night air. That probably explained why everyone showered in the evenings. Everyone ignored me, and I managed to leave the bathroom without speaking a word.

Walking up to my room took longer than I thought, my body still tired and upset about what I’d done to it. I expected to dry off by the time I arrived at the tenth floor, but my body still glistened with water. Back home the desert air would snatch the water from your body in an instant. Nothing stayed wet for very long.

I almost used my blanket to dry off, but then thought about sleeping in a wet blanket, and decided to use an undershirt instead. Not knowing what to expect today, I dressed in my dry pair of pants and one of my normal shirts.

My right toenail, half gone, had scabbed over, and I carefully pulled on dry socks, and even more carefully, put on my boots. The boots remained damp from the accident in Lylly’s bathroom, and soon my socks were wet. I hated wet socks.

I walked down the stairs as fast as I could, my right hand touching the wall the entire time. I didn’t want to break a bone falling down the stairs. Most of the floors remained dark, the students sleeping as long as they could.

When I reached the ground floor, I paused and found Lid. He looked like a flat grey rectangle against the darkness of the stairs. I touched him to my wrist and in a blink, he became a bracelet.

Most of the doors on the ground floor were open, pouring light into the hall. I guess the officers didn’t sleep in. I marched down the center of the hall as quickly as I could, not looking into any of the rooms.

The rules here were still unknown to me, and I might get in trouble for just being down here. When I reached the far door, I slipped into the dining room and let out a breath. No one had seen me. Dim shakers filled the dining hall with weak light, and I followed the wall around to the door leading into the kitchen.

Stepping into the kitchen I stopped. Lylly sat on the island, her legs crossed, a book in one hand and what smelled like coffee in the other. A shaker sat in her lap but most of the room remained dark.

Lylly sipped her coffee and stared at me, her expression tired, like she hadn’t slept well. I didn’t know what to do, so I stared back.

Finally, Lylly set her cup down. “Morning, Top. How was your first night?”

Fear made my throat tighten up. Did Lylly know what happened? If she did, and I lied, I might get in enough trouble to get kicked out. But if she didn’t know, and I spilled everything, both Shanah and I might get kicked out. I placed my hands behind my back to hide my broken fingernails.

I swallowed hard. “Morning, Tip, I mean, ma’am, I…uh…I mostly just hung out.”

I studied Lylly’s face for any indication she knew what had happened, but it remained neutral.

“You can’t beat the view from up there,” Lylly said.

My heart thumped, and my hands trembled. Did she know?

The shakes have started. Lid said. You are out of time.

Out of time. It didn’t matter if she knew or not, if I collapsed, it would all come out.

“Is there anything sweet in here?” I asked.

Lylly raised her eyebrows and nodded toward the stove. “Honey and sweet sticks by the coffee.”

A pot sat on the stove, and the fire burning in the stove’s belly dimly lit the area. The shelf next to the stove had a small pail with slivers of sugarcane. They called them sweet sticks up here. Next to the pail sat a jar of honey, a spoon sticking straight up like a flag.

I grabbed a sweet stick, dipped it in the honey, and shoved the whole thing in my mouth. After the second stick my shaking stopped, and on the fourth stick my headache eased. On the fifth one I turned around. Lylly had gotten off the island and stood studying me, her shaker cupped in her hand masking most of its light.

I stopped chewing, and realized what I must look like. Honey coated my hand and lips and a half-eaten stick of sugarcane hung out of my mouth. Sugarcane was used to stir your drink and add sweetness, no one ate it. Unfortunately I needed all its energy fast. I pushed the rest of the stick into my mouth and started to chew again.

“I’m beginning to think the southern heat fried your brain,” Lylly said.

My mouth, still full of sugarcane, made it hard to talk, so I nodded and continued to slowly chew. It occurred to me that my eyes were probably huge in the dim light, like two glowing yellow circles.

My eyes were like Mom’s, and they immediately marked me different from the blue and brown eyes everyone else had. Worse, in the dark they reflected light. I hated my eyes.

Lylly didn’t seem bothered by them though. People this far north weren’t used to Kahndirian eyes, and it usually made them uncomfortable, but not much seemed to bother Lylly.

Lylly crossed her arms, and I looked down, too nervous to meet her eyes any longer.

“What’s your weapon’s name?”

“Lid.”

“Wid?”

I shook my head and held up my honey-covered hands. I swallowed the mass of plant fiber in my mouth and tried again.

“Lid.”

“Just Lid?”

I nodded.

“Where is it?”

Careful, Lid said.

I’m not an idiot.

Wellllll…

I ignored Lid.

It took all my effort not to glance at my wrist. “My room.”

“What tier is it?

There is no tier for me. I am tierless.

“I’m not sure,” I said.

“That will get sorted out today. Tier one and two weapons are stored in the Archive Tower until the scribes think it’s safe for you to keep it. The last thing we want is people carrying around brand new epic weapons.”

“Yeah, that seems like a bad idea.”

“You’ll get a private lesson, specific to your weapon’s abilities, once a week.”

Great, I told Lid. That will be fun. I can stand around while you lay on a pile of books.

That is your first good idea.

I grabbed another sweet stick, snapped it in half, and stuck both pieces in my mouth. With my mouth full again, I didn’t have to talk.

Lylly frowned and then shrugged. “You ever read Braithis?”

I shook my head.

Lid started talking. A poet warrior from the second breaking, she wrote six volumes of –

Stop!

I refocused on Lylly who had continued talking.

“…ways to judge a person, but the best method was to answer two simple questions,” Lylly said.

Lylly grabbed her cup, dropped it in the sink, and returned to the island for her book.

Our gazes locked.

“Who their enemies are,” Lylly said.

Lylly grabbed her book, paused at the kitchen door, and turned back to look at me. “And who they protect.”

I stopped chewing.

“I’ve seen your desert, Top, two years ago. It was like an ocean of sand. Beautiful, but the air was so dry, my skin itches just thinking about it. You’ll have to get used to all the moisture in the air here.”

My throat constricted and my chest tightened.

“It makes holding on to things harder. Keep that in mind the next time you hang out.”

Then Lylly turned and left.

She knows, I said.

Which means she probably knows about Flasker, too.

She knows.

You already said that.

A terrible thought occurred to me. Does she think I’m protecting Flasker?

Not a chance. After what he did to your stuff, and how you reacted, she knows you are protecting Shanah.

How did she know?

She could be using Hal’yorn to make people tell her things. They might not even remember.

I don’t want to get on her bad side.

Well, we are lucky you are so good with people.

Right. We might be in trouble.

Chapter 13

The students stood in perfect lines of five, grouped by floor, in the area outside the Sword Pillar’s front door. I stood on the far right, the only representative of the tenth floor. The shutters on the ninth floor were closed, and I considered again how lucky I’d been to survive last night.

Shanah stood to my left with the rest of the eighth floor, her hands clasped against the small of her back. She faced forward, eyes straight ahead like everyone else. They all wore the same red clothes, some type of uniform, and I looked more out of place than usual. The only difference between the groups was the number of black dots on their foreheads.

Most of the students had their weapons, which meant the swords weren’t that powerful or the students had been trained enough to keep them. Shanah didn’t have a blade, and I wondered what she had bonded to.

The boy in front of Shanah stood around five feet tall and was thin as a reed. The largest sword I’d ever seen was strapped to his back. The hilt started a foot above his head and the blade tip almost touched the grass. I wondered how he kept from falling backward.

That is Yid’Ar, Lid said.

What power does it have?

He tells really funny jokes.

Are you kidding?

No, Yid’Ar is the kidder.

Lid’s laughter filled my head.

I tried again. His power is jokes?

I think so. He is also nearly weightless. Which makes him easy to swing around.

That explained why the boy hadn’t fallen over.

The hard part is getting him to stop talking. Once he gets started it is really hard to shut him up.

Hmm, I have no idea what that’s like. Sounds terrible.

It can…Hey, are you talking about me?

I smiled but didn’t respond.

The officers stood in a single line facing the students. Flasker walked to each group and spoke briefly with the first person in the front row. I recognized the voice of Danos when Flasker went to the second-floor group.

Danos was shorter than Flasker and broader, with thick black hair and the stubble of a beard. He looked like he hadn’t gotten much sleep. When Flasker finished speaking with the eighth floor he didn’t bother to walk over to me, but instead returned to the officers and stood in front of Lylly.

Flasker brought his arm across his chest in a salute. “All swords accounted for, ma’am. The Pillar stands sharp and ready.”

“All?” Lylly asked.

“He isn’t one of us,” Flasker said.

Lylly raised an eyebrow and Flasker clenched his hands. He saluted Lylly again, spun around in place, and marched toward me. I stood up straight and looked directly in front of me just like I’d seen the others do. In a moment a glaring Flasker stood in front of me.

I winced in pain as I brought my right arm across my chest in a salute. My shoulder had taken a lot of damage last night. Flasker scowled at me and returned the salute.

“Floor Warden Cevin, report,” Flasker said.

Floor Warden? I asked.

Well you are the only one up there.

I repeated the words I’d heard the previous Wardens’ say, modifying it for my floor. “Sir, all swords are present and accounted for. The tenth edge stands sharp and ready, Sir!”

I snapped off another salute, hiding my pain this time.

Flasker sneered at me but returned my salute. He spun around and marched back to Lylly.

Again, Flasker brought his arm across his chest in a salute. “All swords accounted for, ma’am. The Pillar stands sharp and ready.”

Lylly returned Flasker’s salute. “Warden Master Flasker, prepare your blades.”

Flasker spun around and faced us. He placed his right hand on his left hip and then drew an imaginary sword. The rest of the students mirrored him.

“From the sheath we are born!” the students said in unison.

Flasker reversed the movement, putting his imaginary sword back. The students did the same.

“To the sheath we return!” the students said.

Flasker turned around again, and he along with all the students, saluted Lylly.

Lylly returned the salute. “See your Floor Warden for today’s assignments. Pillar dismissed!”

Everyone began to talk and the straight lines collapsed. Shanah glanced at me, gave me a smile, and then walked over to the group forming around her Floor Warden.

I turned around to find Flasker standing in front of me. He smiled and my stomach turned. Lylly appeared beside Flasker.

She’ll protect me, I said.

You need to listen better. She already explained why that would make things worse. This is going to be bad.

“You’ll be spending the morning with us,” Flasker said.

I resisted the urge to look at Lylly. Lid was right, she had warned me.

“You honor me, sir,” I said.

Flasker’s smile disappeared. “Are you mocking me?”

“No, sir!”

Flasker turned to Lylly. “He still needs to be punished for interrupting us at dinner.”

Lylly nodded. “What do you suggest?”

“Three stones,” Flasker said.

“See to it,” Lylly replied immediately.

“Thank you, ma’am,” Flasker said.

Lylly turned and strode away.

Flasker faced me, and his smile had returned. “Follow me.”

We retraced the path I’d taken with Commander Jase yesterday until we entered the open field where everyone had practiced near the Hall of Glory. We turned right and moved along the tree line to a stone building. Over fifty students had already arrived, but they all parted as Flasker approached. He entered the building and returned with a vest, which he threw at me.

“Put it on,” Flasker said and then walked back into the stone building.

The linen vest had a harness down both the front and back, with rings spaced every few inches. I shrugged into the vest, but my right shoulder didn’t want to move, and I gasped in pain as I rotated it back to get the vest on. Three buckles ran down the front, and I cinched the vest tight with them.

Flasker returned with three squares, each the size of my palm. A linen strap ran up and then back down through two holes near each stone’s center, and Flasker used the straps to attach the squares to my vest. He pulled them tight and then stepped backward.

I touched one of the stones and realized they were chunks of metal, not actual stones. Flasker had placed them all on the right side of the vest, and I had to lean to my left to counter the weight. This put pressure on my right shoulder, causing it to ache even worse.

Using my left hand, I pulled on the top stone to see how much it would move.

“Don’t touch them,” Flasker said.

Flasker grabbed my left wrist and pulled my arm down.

I jerked my hand away to stop Flasker from touching Lid, but it was too late. Instead of falling to the ground from the contact though, Flasker stood with his hand held out, empty. His face turned red.

“You disrespectful little Hilt,” Flasker hissed.

“I’m sorry, I thought…”

“You thought what?”

Why isn’t he hurt? I asked Lid.

I stopped radiating.

What?

Others can touch me right now.

You can control that?

Yes.

You lied to me. In the Hall of Glory when you hurt Gavyn.

No, I just left out some details.

You said there was nothing you could do.

If I had not shocked Gavyn, he would never have believed I had any power. I had no choice. Literally, there was nothing I could do.

It still feels like lying.

I can see that. I am sorry.

I focused back on Flasker.

“…do you understand?” Flasker yelled.

I had no idea what he’d said, so I just nodded. “Yes, sir!”

Flasker walked into the building and returned a moment later with two more stones. He walked behind me and added them to the back right side of the vest. I leaned even further to the left, trying to keep myself centered. My side hurt from the strain of balancing the weight.

“Follow me, Hilt,” Flasker commanded.

Flasker strode along the tree line, away from the storage building, and farther from the path and other students. In a minute I saw Danos standing with nine other students. They all looked old, which made sense since they all lived on the second floor. Within a year, they’d lead soldiers in one of the wars. As we approached, they all stood straight and placed their hands behind their backs.

“Peace,” Flasker said.

They students relaxed but instead of continuing their conversations they focused on me.

“This is the new Top,” Flasker said.

“How lucky is Shanah?” a brown-haired girl asked. “That girl was Top for less than a week.”

“Some people are born lucky,” a boy with a blonde ponytail responded.

“Did you really bloody the old man?” a tall girl asked.

My cheeks grew hot, and I looked down.

“He’s dumber than most,” Flasker said.

I waited for Lid to poke me by agreeing, but he didn’t.

You had a rough night, Lid said. I thought I should just let it go.

Thanks.

Plus, there is no reason to repeat the obvious.

Hey! What happened to letting it go?

Lid vibrated on my wrist, and his laughter vibrated across our bond. It made me feel better, and I smiled.

“What are you happy about?” Flasker asked.

My smile faded. “Nothing, sir!”

Flasker stared at me for another three seconds and then turned to the other students, ignoring me again.

What do you know about Flasker? I asked Lid.

Six generations ago, his –

Stop. Let me be more specific. What sword does he have?

Oh, Nolsh.

Just Nolsh?

Nolsh is a fragment. I feel bad for him.

What do you mean, fragment?

Lid remained quiet for a few heartbeats before answering. When you read a book, do you read the last chapter first?

No.

Why?

It ruins the rest of the book if I know how it ends.

Anything else?

Well, I might not understand the ending without knowing how we got there.

Lid vibrated again in approval. That is a perfect answer. We can talk about fragments, and what you really want to know, which is what my kind are, but it would be like reading the last chapter. All that said, I will try and explain if you want.

I thought about it for a couple of seconds. Just tell me what you think is best.

Nolsh is incomplete, and what remains is basic. He is hard to talk to.

You talked to him?

Last night as I searched for Flasker’s books.

Does he do anything?

He absorbs energy from his surroundings, mostly heat.

That seems useful, but I don’t remember hearing about Nolsh in any songs.

Nolsh does not bond very often. It takes a certain type of emotional pain to match his own.

Two things occurred to me at the same time and both ideas seemed impossible. Are you saying Nolsh is in pain and that Flasker is too?

Yes and yes.

But Flasker is a jerk.

Yes.

And Nolsh is a…well I didn’t think weapons had emotions.

Weapons do not have emotions.

But you just said Nolsh had some kind of emotional pain.

He does.

My head swam, and I held out my hands to keep my balance, the extra weight from the vest making it difficult.

So Nolsh isn’t the weapon. He’s inside the weapon. He’s something separate.

You begin to understand.

“Pick your sword, Top,” Flasker said.

Flasker stood by an open bag with different kinds of hilts sticking out of the top. Flasker held a wooden long sword with a metal strip along the outside of the blade to keep it from breaking. Dad had used these types of advanced practice swords with my siblings. It would hurt if you got struck, but it wouldn’t kill you.

Flasker was forcing me to do something I’d never done. Spar.

Chapter 14

I picked the largest sword in the bag, not for protection, but for the weight. It helped balance all the stones Flasker had placed on my right side. Flasker had assumed I’d fight right-handed, probably because I’d only used my right hand in the Pillar, and planned for the weights to ruin my sword training. He frowned as I held the sword in my left hand and that almost made the strain of the weights worth it.

Stand like this, Lid said.

I lifted my practice sword and tried to copy the picture Lid put in my head.

We stood a hundred paces from the stone shed, near the tree line, and far from the path. The cool morning air balanced the sun’s heat and the sound from the other students seemed far away. The second-floor students had separated into pairs, faced each other, and started a slow dance.

Dad taught my brothers and sisters something like that. Maybe the same thing. Everyone was under strict rules to not let me see it or even discuss it.

Here in the North it is called the Seventeen Points.

It doesn’t seem very useful.

It trains muscle memory for all seventeen sword forms. I find it beautiful.

Seems like a waste of time. No one is going to dance you to death.

Lid laughed.

What’s so funny?

Your choice of words. There actually is a fighting style called Death’s Dance.

So?

Even now, watching these sword masters, you refuse to see.

“Have you ever practiced with a sword?” Flasker asked.

I stated the obvious. “No.”

“How’s that possible?”

I’d asked that question a million times, and I repeated what my dad always said.

“I’m meant for something more important,” I replied.

You have no sense of self-preservation, Lid said.

Too late, I realized my mistake. I offered the only defense I could think of. It’s the truth.

The truth should not always be spoken.

Flasker’s face turned red. “Are you calling me worthless?”

I lowered my sword. “No, I didn’t mean it like –”

Flasker’s sword flicked forward like a snake and jabbed my right shoulder. Pain exploded outward, and I reached up to rub at the pain. The combination of the vest’s weights and the sword on the same side made me lose my balance, and I fell to the side.

I struck the ground hard, the weights of the vest jammed into my ribs, and when my shoulder hit the grass, the pain made everything go black.

Something slapped my thigh and the sting of it allowed me to focus, like someone had thrown a pail of water on me.

“Get up,” Flasker said.

I groaned and rolled onto my back. Using the sword, I started to push myself up. Flasker’s sword struck my thigh in the exact same spot, and I gasped. It felt like my skin had been ripped off.

“Respect your sword!” Flasker yelled.

With another flick, Flasker knocked the sword from my hand, and I collapsed back to the ground. Before he could strike me again, I pushed myself up with my left arm, trying to take all the pressure off my right shoulder.

Flasker left me alone, and eventually I made it back to my feet. Squatting down, I picked up my sword.

“Did Trah’Vadha speak to you?” Flasker asked.

Flasker’s blade moved and before I could react the blade slapped my thigh in the exact same spot as before. My left leg collapsed, and I fell to one knee.

“Don’t ignore me,” Flasker said.

I didn’t push myself up, scared that my leg wouldn’t hold me.

“No, it didn’t talk to me,” I said.

“They said lightning filled the room and it destroyed half the floor.”

“None of that happened.”

Flasker raised his sword.

I held up my right-hand palm outward. “A little lightning appeared and a chunk of the floor the size of my head broke. But it had nothing to do with me.”

“What’s your pocketknife’s history? What does it do?”

What is your story?

I survived the great darkness, hold the combined knowledge of hundreds of cultures, speak thousands of languages, destroyed the —

“It glows. Sometimes. It needs to be super dark to see though.”

Glows? Lid asked.

Can you?

Well, yes. But –

I can’t tell him those other things. Knowledge is a weapon and all that, remember.

My own words thrown back at me not even a day later. I am so proud.

Flasker nodded, like he’d expected as much. “A guard said the Commander shouted at someone.”

“My dad.”

“Why?”

I shrugged, and Flasker took a step toward me, his lips pressed together.

“I don’t know,” I said.

Flasker narrowed his eyes. “Tell me what happened.”

For the next minute I described what had taken place in the weapon room. I left out what Dad had said and the fact that Lid changed shape. When I finished Flasker stared at me.

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Flasker whispered.

Flasker rolled his sword’s hilt over his wrist, swung the blade around, and then grabbed the hilt again, faster and faster, until the blade became hard to see as he twirled it around. He did this for a minute, and I used the time to recover. The pain in my shoulder had become a dull throb and some of the movement had returned.

Flasker’s blade stopped spinning and he looked down at me. “What’s your family name, Top?”

“Glasach.”

Flasker’s mouth hung open and he dropped his sword.

“Is your father’s name,” Flasker paused and then swallowed hard, “Samniall?”

“Yes.”

“Break my sword,” Flasker cursed.

Flasker walked away and then turned back and strode directly toward me. He knelt in front of me.

“Who knows your name here? Does Tip? Where’s your father now? Why didn’t you tell anyone?”

Flasker stood before I could answer and walked in a small circle.

“Does this change anything?” Flasker asked himself in a whisper. He stopped and stared down at me, as if he’d just remembered I was there.

“Who knows your family name?” Flasker asked.

I tried to remember if I had told Tip.

The only person you told was the scribe, Gavyn. Davot and the Commander knew your father from before, Lid said.

Thanks.

“Just the scribe before I entered the hall,” I said.

Flasker picked up his sword and pointed it at my face. “I forbid you to tell anyone your family name. If anyone asks you are a Jonnas. Understood?”

I opened my mouth to ask why but Lid stopped me.

Just agree with him, Lid said.

Locking eyes with Flasker I nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Flasker rubbed his eyes and paced again.

Now would be a great time to explain why everyone acts so strange when they hear Dad’s name.

I know.

But you won’t tell me.

It is not mine to tell.

But everyone else seems to know!

Only two men know. Everyone else just whispers stories.

At least tell me why he wants me to lie.

Flasker is worried he made a mistake in bullying you. He wants to hide that mistake until Jase gets rid of you.

A young boy ran toward us. He wore light blue pants, a white shirt, and his brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail. A small bird was carefully stained on his forehead with a purple line above it. Beside it four blue dots sat above four red ones.

“Are you Flasker?” the boy asked.

Flasker stood up straight. “Yes.”

“Commander Jase is with the King and wants you to bring,” the boy paused, “it.”

“Where are they?” Flasker asked.

“In the pit.”

“We’ll leave immediately.”

“I will let them know.”

The boy gave a shallow bow before dashing away.

Flasker stepped up to me, and I flinched, expecting him to hit me. Instead, he undid the buckles on the vest, walked behind me, and jerked on the vest.

I dropped my sword and stretched my arms backward to allow the vest to fall off. Flasker reached down and grabbed my practice sword.

“It looks like the Commander couldn’t wait until this afternoon. You’re being tossed out before lunch.”

But Flasker’s voice had lost its venom and he sounded unsure.

Chapter 15

I followed a few steps behind Flasker as we returned to the Sword Pillar. In minutes we entered the tower, and Flasker stopped at the door to his room.

Flasker pointed at the stairs. “Quickly get your…sword.”

Flasker walked into his room and left me alone in the hallway. I started up the stairs but stopped between the third and fourth floors, too tired to go all the way to the top for no reason. Holding out my left arm, I looked at Lid, who still circled my wrist.

I sure hope you can change shape again.

It would be faster if you said the magic words.

There are magic words?

Lid’s laughter filled my mind. No. There is no magic.

I tilted my head. You mean no magic words. You’re still magic.

I obey the laws of science just like you. Although I admit some of the librarians’ abilities are hard to explain. Lid paused. And I might know a few loopholes that some might consider magic.

What about the mind runes? I’ve seen Mom jump thirty feet. And I swear she slowed my fall when I slipped off the climbing rock last year. That’s magic for sure.

Everyone has chemicals inside them that makes them stronger or faster. But the chemicals only activate if a person gets scared or a loved one is in danger. What your mom tried to teach you is how to control those chemicals.

Anyone can do what Mom does?

Not exactly. Some people can store more energy inside themselves. They can do more for a longer amount of time than normal people.

What people have more energy?

Kahndirians hold much more than the northerners, and some Kahndirian families are even more special.

That doesn’t explain Mom slowing my fall. She affected something outside of herself.

Like I said, some Kahndirian families are more special. Once you control the energy in your own body, the next step is controlling the energy outside your body.

That sounds like magic to me.

Lid paused before continuing. The Leab’Ayl Ribnor learn a type of energy generation I cannot explain with science. Perhaps they do know magic.

Lid fell off my wrist and when he landed on the step at my feet he’d become the small page knife again.

I picked Lid up. See, magic.

That is fine for now. Maybe forever. Sometimes knowing the details ruins the fun, and who knows, maybe you will be the first Leab’Ayl Ribnor to explain the secret of your power in a way I can understand. Or maybe I will never understand because it really is magic.

A wave of despair struck me. I wish I knew that magic now.

I hunched in on myself. Commander Jase wanted me gone and he’d already spoken to the King for who knew how long. I didn’t stand a chance. And even though I missed Mom and home, I didn’t want to fail here. In less than an hour I’d be gone.

Gaining a powerful weapon and training at the Academy was all I’d ever wanted. How could I save everyone if I didn’t train here?

A new sensation originated from Lid. It felt warm but my arms broke out in goosebumps, and I shivered.

What was that? I asked.

Excitement.

For what?

For us.

Why? Nothing is going right.

It rarely does. You want to make a difference. We will.

I turned Lid over in my hand. He was so small, and the disappointment of not bonding a huge epic sword settled into my chest again. It felt heavier than the weighted vest from this morning.

Making a difference seems really unlikely, I said.

I know. We must trust each other.

Standing, I put Lid in my pocket and slowly walked down the stairs.

Flasker stood waiting at the bottom. He’d changed into a fancier red uniform, and he’d slicked his hair back. From his belt hung a scabbard of red metal and the hilt of Nolsh was visible.

The hilt looked like white bone shaped into a falcon’s head, the bird’s wings forming the handguard. I hated to admit it, but Flasker looked good. He looked like a warrior.

“Let’s go, Top.”

Flasker strode away, and I jogged to catch up. I knew the palace sat next to the Academy, but I didn’t know where we were or how long it would take to get to the pit. We exited the Pillar and turned left away from the Hall of Glory.

I don’t suppose you know where we’re going? I asked Lid.

A map appeared in my head. It didn’t look hand drawn, but like some sort of tiny model of my surroundings. In a blink I zoomed up into the air until I could see the whole school. The sudden motion made my head spin, and I gagged, holding a hand over my mouth in case my breakfast came up.

Sorry, that was too fast, Lid said.

The dizziness passed, and I studied the map. Little black dots moved around, some clumped together, others on their own. In the center of the map a single blue dot moved.

That is us, Lid said.

I gasped and Flasker turned his head to glare at me. He didn’t slow down though.

All those dots are people? I asked.

Those that are giving off vibrations. If someone is very still, I might miss them.

I’m…you…this is amazing.

It is very useful.

Where are we going?

Much slower this time, we climbed higher in the air. The palace along with its gardens and structures appeared. A red circle pulsed around a large group of black dots, just beyond the wall that the school and the palace shared. The blue dot inched slowly toward it.

We will arrive in nine and half minutes at this pace, Lid said.

How big can you make this map?

Larger than you are ready for. But much further than this and I must use my hand drawn maps. The building vibrations become too faint to draw accurately.

This is really burnt.

Burnt?

Sorry, that’s something my sisters say when they like something.

I felt Lid’s happiness. Yes, this is really burnt.

We passed through an arched tunnel in the wall that separated the school and palace. There were no guards posted that I could see, and I entered the palace grounds for the first time.

It looked just like the school; green fields with clumps of maple and aspen trees scattered around. I frowned in disappointment. It was dumb to think walking through a ten-foot wall would suddenly make everything different.

But this was the Kingdom’s heart, where the King and Queen and their twin daughters lived. Decisions made here affected the entire country. I thought it would look and feel grand somehow.

We took a right turn off the gravel path and into a grove of aspen trees. Their brown trunks, visible where the white bark had peeled, reminded me of the brown sand at home.

Exiting the trees I realized why they called it the pit. The green grass disappeared, replaced by packed gravel, and the entire area sloped downward into a shallow depression.

Three fighters occupied the pit, and each held a practice sword. A ring of brightly colored umbrellas surrounded the pit where men and women in fine clothes sat and watched the warriors.

A thin warrior dressed in black leather and light chain mail, crouched, facing two attackers. She wore a battle helmet that covered her head, only leaving the eyes and chin visible. She held a medium length practice sword in her right hand, and a wooden dagger in her left.

Commander Jase crouched, his wooden longsword extended outward, as if pointing. His helmet covered the top and back of his head and his nose. He wore hard leather, the red faded to an almost pink color, and he didn’t have a cloak like yesterday. Sweat dripped from his brow.

Next to Commander Jase stood a man I’d only seen as an image on official notifications. The bright red splotch on his left cheek made King Trilliam easy to recognize. The King wore light chainmail like the black clad warrior, but his leather had been dyed purple. He wore the smallest helmet of the three and his short brown hair looked wet with sweat. He moved to the left, his heavy practice sword held sideways.

When the King stood opposite Commander Jase, they both paused, the black leathered woman between them. The King leapt forward first and swung his sword at the woman’s ribs while Commander Jase darted in and brought his sword down toward her head.

She didn’t have a chance. Dad was a sword master, and I’d secretly watched him train my brothers and sisters when I could. I knew what skill with a sword looked like even if I couldn’t replicate it.

The King and Commander Jase were both sword masters, and beating one of them would have proved difficult, but surviving a coordinated attack from both would be impossible. I held my breath, wanting this black clad warrior to best Commander Jase.

The woman threw herself backward, landing on her back. The King’s sword passed harmlessly above her.

Commander Jase continued his attack, adjusting his swing to strike the woman’s chest.

The warrior crossed her sword and dagger and caught Commander Jase’s sword. She turned her body, pulling Commander Jase’s sword to the side, and into the ground.

The warrior let go of her swords, reached up, and yanked on Commander Jase’s sword arm.

Commander Jase, already off balance, leaned forward, and the warrior rolled to her side, slamming into his legs. In a blink, he struck the ground with a thud, and the warrior leapt to her feet, the dagger back in her hand.

The King had placed a lot of energy into his swing, and when his heavy sword had missed, it had pulled him off balance as well.

The King hadn’t fully recovered and stood with his back exposed when the black leathered warrior made it to her feet. Without hesitating she jumped at the King’s back and brought her dagger, hilt first, onto the King’s helmet.

With a loud clang, the King fell to his knees and dropped his sword.

I winced at the sound, like a bell violently rung. The King would definitely get a headache from that. Joy filled me at the warrior’s victory. She might even be as good as Dad.

I wondered who she was. Hitting your King in the head, even in a practice match, seemed like a very poor choice.

“Enough!” the King bellowed.

The black leathered warrior relaxed and lowered the dagger to her side. Commander Jase and the King picked themselves and their weapons up. Commander Jase handed the warrior her sword back, and both men stood in front of the warrior and saluted. The warrior returned their salute.

The messenger boy who had found us earlier jogged up to the King and bowed. He said something and pointed at Flasker and me. Flasker smoothed out his shirt and stood up straight as the King glanced at us. He motioned for us to approach and Flasker moved forward.

As we descended into the pit, two others did as well. I recognized the blonde teenager who began assisting the King out of his mail. He’d wanted to throw me out a window last night for seeing his face.

Flasker and I stopped before we reached the group, giving them space to take off their armor. The blonde teenager and Flasker didn’t look at each other. If I hadn’t seen them together last night, I would’ve thought they were strangers. What was Flasker and this young man up to?

Wuk’Glea told you the danger was centered in the Sword Pillar. I saw that guy with Flasker last night, and now I see him next to the King. They must be the danger Wuk meant.

I doubt it. Flasker is probably just spying for his father.

They must be up to no good. That guy wanted to throw me out the window.

Half the Academy wants to do that. You have a real gift with people.

Hey! That isn’t fair. I have –

My mind froze as I locked eyes with the girl who’d raced out with Flasker’s friend. The warrior still had her helmet on but handed her sword and dagger to the girl. My breath caught and my heart raced.

The girl had blonde hair and her forehead, like the scribe Gavyn, was stained with the rectangle and eye of a seeker. Her design and the seven dots for rank were the black stain of a student. Other than that, she looked almost identical to Shanah. Even their eyes were the same ash grey of storm clouds.

The warrior placed her hand on the girl’s head, and she looked up.

“Did you see the mistake?” the warrior asked.

I studied the warrior and noticed her eyes were grey, the same as the blonde girl at her side.

“Jayjay should’ve attacked first, and Dad rushed his swing.”

“You’re always in such a hurry, Trill!” Commander Jase said. “We could’ve had her this time.”

“I thought I could reach her,” the King said.

“You two old men are only getting slower,” the woman joked. “You’ll never catch me now.”

The woman removed her helmet, handed it to the girl, and loosened the strawberry blonde braids that sweat had plastered against her head. The single dot on her forehead marked her the War Leader for the Kingdom and its purple color as Queen Alnim.

The King and Queen had twin girls, and I’d already met one of them.

“Break my sword,” I whispered.

Queen Alnim stood next to her daughter, Lanah, Shanah’s twin sister.