CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Defending Humanity
"Wrong color," Will said, pointing to a map Mira was drawing. "The ocean isn't green." I set down my tray and sat beside them. The mead hall was crowded at lunch, since nobody left the sagekeep to eat now. Snowdrifts covered the ground, and even the servants' frequent sweeping couldn't stop it from piling up. I clenched my teeth to keep them from chattering. Even wearing a fur-lined coat, my arms and legs were freezing! I guess being a Witch doesn't make me immune to the cold.
Mira shook her head. "This isn't green, Will. It's sea green."
"Well, I've seen the water out by the coastline, and it looks pretty blue to me."
"It's an artistic representation," she said, filling the empty space with green ink.
"Then what color is the forest?" he asked.
"Tree green."
I studied her map while I chewed on a piece of black bread. She'd colored each part of the landscape differently, and even made little ridges on the paper for the mountains. The jagged coastline of Nordgard as each country fed into the West Sea was intricately drawn, and she'd also included the Isles and Colonies on the western edge of the map. "What are you drawing this for?" I asked. "A class?"
"Kind of," Mira said. "It's part of my first apprenticeship project. Sister Solveig says I can apprentice with her if I make some maps."
I hadn't heard the name. "Who's that?"
Will rolled his eyes. "No way, Solveig? You mean Sister I-Killed-Forty-Pirates-With-My-Bare-Hands-But-Still-Have-To-Teach-Sailing-Class? Why do you want to study with her?"
She smiled. "I guess I hang around with strange people."
"Well, there's nothing wrong with that," said a voice behind us. I nearly jumped out of my seat. It was Jans. He was standing right next to our table. "Kantmarck needs some proper cartographers. But I wouldn't risk an expedition to the Colonies. Far too dangerous." Will and I exchanged glances. More dangerous than having a teacher who's a killer? Jans must have noticed, because he cleared his throat. "You act like I'm going to spout horns. My presence doesn't always mean extra homework."
"No, it's not that," I said, flashing him a smile. Does he really not know that we know he's an Angel? "We're just nervous around sages lately. The whole interrogation thing."
Jans took a wicker chair from another table to sit down. "My sincerest apologies for that," he said. "Father Traum's methods can be . . . abrasive at times, I'm afraid. I hope all of you are all right. If there's anything you need me to do, you have but to ask."
"Can you make it less cold?" Will said, glancing out at the fluffy snowflakes falling outside.
Jans laughed. "Forgive me, but that is beyond even my powers. I should not trouble you more, then. I actually came to invite you to the readings I'm doing for the Winter Sagas. On Midwinter and every day following, at three o'clock in my classroom. You're all welcome to attend."
Mira looked up from her map. I was grateful she could maintain her composure. "What will you be reading?"
"The Saga of Baldr, and the Ballad of Giles the Philosopher."
"Sounds great," I said, nudging Will with my elbow. "Will's going to need better ideas for lyrics if he hopes to make it past Apprentice Night at the Bard Song."
Jans's eyes narrowed, and he frowned. I cut off in mid-laugh and shot Mira and Will an alarmed look. Had I said something to give us away? "That's not funny, Kaybree," Jans said.
"No, it's sure not," I said. I wished I knew what he was talking about.
"Children of your age should not be associated with such impious company," he said, crossing his arms. "The tavern environment is no place for respectable children of nobility."
Will grinned. "Then it's a good thing we're not respectable."
"I was just joking," I said, shooting Will a glare. "We'd never venture into such a sordid den of ruffians and scoundrels. My mother demands that I keep as far away from alcohol as possible. And from singing. I can't even hum in her presence."
Jans shook his head. "It's not that I don't trust you," he said. "But the streets aren't safe at night, especially around taverns. Please take proper precautions." He stood and met my eyes. "Trouble seems to find you all on its own. Best not to bring down any more, right?" He tipped an imaginary hat to me and left. It seemed an odd gesture, because sages wore hoods instead of hats. Had he worn a hat in his past life as an Angel?
"We need to keep an eye on him at the festival," Will said. "With large groups of people out in the marketplace, he might decide to take a peek upstairs at the tower."
I jabbed him in the arm. "Not so loud," I said, nodding at a group of students walking by. "We need to be careful when we talk about, you know, that kind of stuff."
Will's eyes lit up. "Ooh, can we talk in code, then? Say things like 'the red duke is marching to the blue castle'."
Mira stifled a laugh. "Sure. You go ahead."
Will lowered his voice. "What do you think he's looking for anyway? What does your mom have in that tower?"
"My father unearthed something when he and my mother searched the forest. The Angels want it, and I think the sages want to know, too. That's why Traum is really here."
Mira's eyes widened. "Speaking of Father Traum, I'm really glad he's here. He's just the kind of person we need leading us in these dark times. And he loves students."
Before I could ask why she would spout such an obvious lie, I heard a clanking noise behind us and turned around. A knight with the sages' triple eye pyramid insignia on his breastplate strode past us. He gave us a cursory look and walked on, disappearing into the hall. I let out a breath. "Good thinking. We probably shouldn't talk about that kind of stuff with knights around. I didn't think they came into the mead hall."
"They're everywhere!" Mira said, picking up her tray with a half-eaten breakfast on it. "Ever since this morning, I've seen them in all the hallways. It's like they're guarding the sagekeep from an army."
"Or searching for someone inside of it," I said.
I skipped class to check in at Vormund tower. The guards would probably just send me away, but I had to keep trying. What could Jans have been looking for up here? What drew him and his creepy legions of vermin? I passed the pot I'd placed as a decoration weeks earlier. Cobwebs had already appeared in the corner by the wall.
"Young Lady Staalvoss?" I turned to see Henri, my mother's lieutenant, motioning to me from the top of the stairs. His blonde mustache was neatly trimmed, and he wore his black surcoat with a butler's dignity. He reminded me of a couple of my tutors, formal but stylish.
"You're Henri, right?"
He smirked. "Indeed. I've come to escort you to the tower keep. Your mother has returned, and she wishes to speak with you." I followed close behind him, my mind racing. What could have kept her away for all this time?
Instead of guards, Galen stood in front of the doors. Having not seen him for weeks, he seemed like a flickering fire in a snowfield, or a spark of warmth for someone with frostburn. I smiled without thinking and said, "Galen! Where have you been?"
He didn't smile back. "Come with me," he said, opening the doors. "Your mother wants to see you." He seemed colder than usual, so I didn't question him. I stepped inside the hallway and waited as he closed up the doors and locked them. He turned a key and slid it into his pocket. "I trust you've been well while we were gone."
"I've been all right," I said. "But where were you?"
Instead of answering, he walked past me. "Your mother is waiting." I followed quickly, worried at the urgent tone in his voice. The doors of each room in the tower were barred shut and locked. I hadn't been inside here since that night when I'd seen Jans snap Father Kraus's neck, so my heart pounded as we took the familiar corridors. I knew that the tower was safe, but something about seeing it empty of chatting soldiers or bustling officers made me jumpy.
The tower keep, where I'd scared off the wolf and fought Jans, looked no different than before. The shards of glass that had broken from the window were cleaned up, and the wi
ndows replaced, with curtains covering them. A cluster of Vormund soldiers patrolled the room, checking doorways and windows with hands on sword hilts. We crossed the room and exited into the next hallway, where Galen took me to a side room. My mother sat at a circular table inside, inspecting several items. She covered them with a sheet when we came in. "What happened here?" she asked, folding her hands in her lap. "We haven't received a straight answer from any of the sages or guards on duty."
I sat on the rickety wooden stool, biting back an angry retort. It would be too much to expect my mother to care about me. No "Kaybree, I'm glad you're all right" or "Kaybree, how are your classes?" or "it's so good to see you." She didn't even use my name. All business, from the very start. I'd become used to it before, but somehow I thought that now I was her prize Witch that she'd treat me differently. Perhaps she was equally cold to everyone.
"An Angel attacked," I said. "It was looking for something. " I glanced between her and Galen, who had taken the chair next to hers. Both wore matching uniforms, black fabric with silver buttons. The gossipers might whisper of a clandestine relationship between them, but the grim look in their faces told me that they cared about one thing only: stopping the Angels.
She frowned and tapped a fingernail against the table. "Only an Angel? I heard reports of other creatures as well."
"They were all with the Angel," I said. "Worms and rats, creatures from the forest. And then there was this giant wolf that attacked—" I stopped myself before mentioning Will and Mira. "That attacked me. It was the same one from the first Angel attack."
Galen leaned forward. "What do you remember about the Angel? How did it appear? How did it fight? Did it take the form of anyone you recognized?"
I paused before answering. Should I mention Jans, or should I find out for sure first? No, I know it was Jans. But that didn't mean that he was responsible. From their attitude toward the Angels, I feared they would strike first and ask questions later. I couldn't give Jans to them until I was sure that he was guilty. "Do the Angels ever control people? Or possess them?"
My mother peered at me intently. The attention would usually flatter me, but this time it made my hair stand on end. "Who did you see?"
"Where were you?" I asked, tired of her endless questions. "Why did you suddenly leave without telling me? What was so important? I've been stumbling in the dark without you here. It was pure luck—and stealing a Weapon—that saved me from the Angel."
My mother bristled and grabbed my hand. "Where is it?"
"What?"
"The Weapon you stole."
I glanced at Galen, but he looked serious as well. "I have it in my pocket."
"Give it to me. Now." I reached into my coat pocket and handed her the ring. She snatched it away and cradled it in her hands like a baby. Except I could never have imagined her handling a baby so lovingly in her arms. "You are never to take a Weapon from the armory again."
"But it saved my life, and—"
"I don't care. These cannot leave the walls of the tower without my knowledge. Is that clear?" I nodded. She pocketed the ring. "Now, you were saying?"
They didn't even consider me one of them. Was it because I was too young, or because they didn't think I was useful enough? My mother and Galen were keeping so many secrets from me, but maybe the only way to get them to tell was to tell some of my own. "It was Jans," I whispered. "I saw him kill Father Kraus and then transform into a monster. But I don't know why. What could he be looking for in this tower?"
Galen gave me a sympathetic smile. "There isn't anything the Angels would want in this tower," he said. "And thank you for telling us. This will be of great help."
"That's enough, Lord Valkegaard." My mother's expression was frigid. "Secrecy was paramount, so we could not tell you where we were."
"She's part of the Order," Galen said, frowning at her. "We informed Tomas where we were. Her mission is no less important."
"Her mission is to follow my commands," my mother said with a tone of finality. She turned back to me. "But she is no part of the Order. Perhaps the Angel thought we were here and came to attack us."
"Maybe," I said. "You two are the official anti-Angel team." I glanced back at Galen, but his face had turned to stone. At least he wants to tell me more. But I doubt she will let him. "Jans was wearing a sage's robe, and he transformed into this gray-skinned monster with wings and claws. Kind of like how I can transform, but a lot uglier."
My mother arched an eyebrow. "You've transformed?" She frowned at Galen. "I saw the first battle, but I wasn't aware she'd achieved a stable transformation yet."
"She's getting close," he said. "Well enough to scare away the Angel."
"Not just scare away," I said, irked at their lack of confidence in me. "I fought with him. He had to leave when the soldiers came." I smiled at Galen and pointed to the finger of Elrich Ardawk that hung around my neck, hoping he'd know what I meant. "Of course, you never told me my clothes would burn off."
"They wouldn't if you'd learn to control your power," my mother said. "Your carelessness is unacceptable. You will train with Galen every evening from now until I decide you're ready. Is that understood?"
I winced. Looks like I'm not going to the Bard Song anytime soon. Hopefully by the time Will learned how to write better lyrics, I'd be allowed back. "Yes, Mother."
"Excellent. Then I want you practicing and patrolling all tonight. We have guards set around the tower, but none of them will be sufficient if the Angel strikes again. Galen will accompany you and provide you with Weapons as needed." With that, she made a shooing motion, and I took that as my cue to leave.
Galen came outside with me and led me back through the halls. "For what it's worth," he said as we passed the newly repaired window, "that was some nice work surviving your second Angel. It appears that you learned something from my lessons after all."
I smiled. "I have a good teacher. Even if he does vanish without telling me."
"Yes, there is that," he said with a laugh. "You know your mother. She gets this idea that there's a—well, that there's something we need to look for, and there's no dissuading her. I wish I could tell you more, but . . ." He cleared his throat. "I'll see you tonight."
That day, I watched Jans lecture from the back of the room, trying to memorize his movements and mannerisms. He didn't move like the Angel had, nor did he stand in any sort of battle-ready posture. He blew his nose into a handkerchief and sneezed like someone with a minor case of the flensu. He polished his spectacles and rubbed his eyes when he read from books. He talked about the early philosophers organizing the sages and uniting us under one ruler. I had to wonder if he had been there.
I itched to ask him. But not here. I couldn't approach him in the classroom, even if I had transformed, because he might know who I was. I had to lure him somewhere alone and then ask him. I had to know why the Angels would betray us and start attacking our cities. If they were so benevolent, and if they did only what was good for mankind, then there had to be a reason.
If not, then maybe Galen was right about the Angels after all.