Night settled in Noiknaer when the Captain and his two students arrived at the Forge. Paer was still behind to the trading table, sorting nails, horse shoes, ax and chisel blades, and other metal tools into buckets or bins. The Captain rapped the table with his knuckles to get his attention. Paer turned, put down his bucket and rushed into the heart of the Forge.
“What!” Ellene clamored. Paer was mumbling something, but the Captain couldn’t hear it clearly. “Fine!” she bellowed. “But finish sorting, and then go.” Ellene pushed through the doubled doors with Paer behind her. Paer went straight back to sorting.
“What can I do for you Captain,” Ellene said, eyeing the two students warily.
“Have you heard anything about Kosai?” he asked.
“He was the talk of my customers for some time. Everyone saw him come in all bloody. There was a rumor of a quick recovery and promotion, but nothing beyond that.”
“Good,” the Captain said. He looked over at Paer who stopped sorting to listen to his teacher, but started back up again when Ellene shot him a look.
“When you last visited me, you were so concerned about someone plotting against Kosai and were so eager to find the answer. Why the sudden change?”
“I found out who’s trying to kill him, as well as a few other things. Tell me, have you heard anything about a possible uprising?” Paer stopped sorting immediately, seeming to be frozen by the Captain’s question.
“I have, though nothing formal,” Ellene said as she looked over her shoulder at her student. “Paer knows more about it. I think he should talk about it. C’mon Paer, what do you know?” Paer stood slowly and turned. His face was pale and he looked firmly at the ground.
“What have you heard Paer?” the Captain said gently.
“Sir,” he started, and then stopped for a time. The Captain stayed silent. “I’m the oldest of four and my family is hungry. Father had enough, he says. He goes out to the streets each day begging for food. He made pots, vases, carafes and water skins, but no one buys. The Three Brothers seemed to sell only jugs and things for a while. He started begging. He took the last of what he had to put me to school so that I could get out. He tried many times to start his business again, but no one would buy. There is no money here. Other beggars are the same as Father.” He paused again and looked at the Captain. “I don’t want him to go to the gates,” he sobbed, tears running down his cheeks. “My family will die.”
“C’mon Paer,” Ellene said, obviously annoyed with the sudden emotion.
“No one is going to the gates,” the Captain said tenderly. “What exactly have you heard?” Paer wiped his eyes with his hands and cleared his throat.
“A few nights ago, when Father was out, he came across a group of beggars. One of the men lost his daughter to hunger and thought about taking his family to Linnouse to work in the mines. His wife said no and thought to take work at the brothel to help feed the family. The husband said no to that. While the beggars talked about how much poorer they were than the next, my father mentioned the councilors and representatives and how they have food.
“Since then, they meet at the same place each night. More people come to hear Father speak. Father comes home promising that soon we will have enough to eat. I overheard him and Mother arguing over this one night. People are preparing to take down the capital unless they can get food, I don’t know when, but soon. Father promised us food, soon.” He looked at the Captain with a smile, as well as worry.
“Thank you Paer,” said the Captain with an approving nod. “But tell your father to wait. I may need his help, as well as others shortly.” Paer sighed in relief and smiled. The smile faded as he made sense of what the Captain said.
“You’re good to go,” Ellene told Paer before he could ask another question. Paer jumped over the counter and headed home. “Be here early in the morning to finish sorting!” she called after him. “Why do you need his father’s help?” Ellene asked. “Or any help for that matter? What are you scheming?”
“It’s all a boulder,” the Captain said softly and smiling. “An attack on the caravans practically every day, most of the time leading to failure, the success of the syndicate, the betrayer of the routes; it’s all a boulder.”
“What are you talking about and what’s this got to do with Paer?” Ellene asked.
“I have been cutting down my list of suspects of people who may have been betraying the trade routes for gain. The Three Brothers had no part in it, but are preparing for an emergency.” The Captain paused and looked around. Ellene wasn’t going to have any other customers tonight. He then looked at the two boys. “What I am about to say, you will never repeat.” Ulryck and Deakon nodded. The Captain turned back to Ellene. “Kosai has been at the School of the Faye, next to the Capital building, the one with the two beggars in front of it.”
“That’s a school? I always wondered what it was.”
“In this school, they plan the government caravan routes. Kosai is in there and found out that one of their members is betraying the routes to nomads. But it comes back to the question, which group benefits from the destroyed caravans, this school, the syndicate, or the council?”
“The syndicate obviously,” Ellene said.
“That was what I thought. But the Three Brothers haven’t been selling. They’ve been stock piling inventory. The destroyed caravans are making them afraid, although they do benefit.”
“That school then. They have to get something out of this,” Ellene said with a tinge of excitement in her voice.
“Yes! But how do they get their reward? They do not get any of the goods from the caravans. Who pays them and with what?”
“The tribes don’t have anything of value, at least, I don’t think they do anyway.” Ellene frowned.
“They don’t. Kosai met with one of the tribes last night and they are in as dire straits as we are and the School has no use for people who aren’t proficient in their talent.”
“That only leaves the Council,” Ellene gasped and leaned on the counter.
“Exactly, and that was what I meant by boulders. At the heart of the whole thing is the Council. Some, like councilor Rodrick, are unaware that other members of the council, like Steran, are killing off the people by purposely cutting off the food supply.”
“And you have evidence of this?” Ellene asked. The Captain shook his head.
“No. I know who is betraying the routes, and I have a good suspicion that he is working under the direction, or perhaps with, members of the Council. I just can’t understand why the council would want to starve out its own people?”
“Perhaps the council members are that evil,” Ellene said. She looked behind the Captain and put her hand above her eyes to block out the sun. “Is that… is that… fire?”
Ellene pointed at the black clouds that billowed up against the evening sky and shifted sideways in the wind. The Captain turned and saw the clouds, and then followed them down with his eyes, trying to find their source. A red glow lit the area.
“It looks like it’s coming from the syndicate,” the Captain said. “Deakon and Ulryck, go alert Lieutenant Nuevon of a fire at the syndicate school, don’t worry about your assignments for tonight, I have a feeling this will take up your time. Ellene, you have been most useful.” The Captain leaned over the table and kissed his sister on the cheek. She smiled and then shooed him off with her hands.
When the Captain reached the pavilion, students of the Three Brothers were filling buckets at the fountain and running back to their school. Others joined in, filling their water buckets and following the students. Fires were very rare and it was customary that when there was a fire, everyone helped put it out, because everyone’s livelihood was at stake.
The Captain ran up to one of the students from the syndicate school and grabbed a bucket from him to help him run faster. He was dressed in a red coat, with metallic gold buttons that had the symbol of the Three Brothers on them. He wore black shorts and shoes
. His hair was parted and his face was red from the light reflecting off his coat, the heat, and the work of hauling water.
“Is your school on fire?” the Captain asked as they ran. The boy nodded. “Was everyone able to make it out?”
“Beoran was still in his office, scrambling to hold onto as many papers as he could and was working to get a note that was stuck in one of his coat pockets he had hung up. We had to drag him out of his office.”
“Has it spread?” the Captain asked.
“I’m not sure sir.”
“Do you know what caused it?”
“A group of older boys ran into the school and told us all to get out. They were carrying torches so we did what they said.”
“Thank you for the information. Take off your coat and shirt when you can. You will heat up too fast in them and won’t be of any use in putting out the fire.”
When the Captain arrived at the syndicate schools, he poured his bucket onto the fire, which was followed by another splash of water from someone else’s bucket, with yet another splash after that. Water from people the Captain hadn’t met was being poured onto the blaze. Beoran lay on his back in the street in front of the school moaning at the sight of the flames.
“Beoran,” the Captain called.
“Oh Captain, my school, the paperwork!” he cried and let out another painful moan.
“Beoran, look at me,” the Captain grabbed Beoran, picked him up with his one good arm and stood him on his feet. “I know you’ve been hiding something from me. What is it?”
“My school!” he said again.
“Tell me!” The Captain pulled Beoran close to his face so that all he could see was his eyes.
“It would take too long to explain, but it doesn’t matter. It’s over, it’s all over, those backstabbers.” Beoran twisted his face angrily, cursed, and spat at the ground.
“Who?” the Captain roared as he released his grip.
“The Council members. We had them and we had them good.”
“What do you mean, had them good?”
“We knew about their secrets,” Beoran continued, as if not hearing the Captain. “We knew what they were planning and they paid good money to make sure secrets stayed secret.”
“What are you talking about!” the Captain yelled.
“Councilors Steran, Simmons, Kevyn and Aleal are destroying their caravans by hiring nomads. We were going to expose them, but saw a better opportunity by holding them ransom. They were to pay me, Aldair and Thuane a handsome amount. We knew that chaos would come of it so we stored grain, stored supplies, everything, and kept all the records for the transactions here. It’s all worthless now.”
“And the private shipments between you and Aldair, what was in them? Money?”
Beoran laughed and looked back at the burning school.
“Money is worthless to us. We teach our students that same principle. Money’s value is determined by confidence, perception, and the goods that back it.”
“Jewels?” the Captain asked. Beoran shook his head. “Spices?” Beoran shook his head a second time. “What then?”
“Contracts!” Beoran was about to smile, but frowned and kicked the ground. “For not exposing the council, we were to be given a full monopoly on the transport business for all of Tessír. Those contracts needed to come from the Capital and kept safe to hold them to. Mine was in my coat pocket, which is now burning.”
“And what of Aldair, and Thuane?” the Captain asked. “Were they promised contracts as well?” Beoran nodded.
Ulryck and Deakon ran up to the Captain, panting.
“We informed Lieutenant Nuevon sir,” Ulryck said. “He said that help is on the way.” The Captain nodded to the two boys. The Captain turned back to Beoran.
“Guards, take Beoran to the Gate. Inform the Gate Master that the duration of his duty will be determined on a later date. Then inform Lieutenant Nuevon that both Aldair and Thuane are to be brought to Noiknaer immediately for interrogation.”
Beoran smiled and shook his head.
“It doesn’t matter what you do to us, the damage has already been done. The Council is moving against the people. There is so much more you don’t know.”
“I know enough.” The Captain said waved his hand, dismissing Beoran. Ulryck and Deakon took him by the arms and began to walk him to the gates.
Quickly, the Captain set to helping the others put out the fire. On his third trip, other guards arrived with buckets and attempted to relieve the Captain.
“I’m fine,” he snapped. “Get some other buckets and let’s put this out quickly.”
It took most of the night before the fire was put out and the structure was reduced to steaming black charcoal. The desks, papers, stairwell, floors and everything else inside was destroyed. Beoran’s iron coat rack had fallen through the floor. The jacket had burned in the fire and with it, the contract of a promised monopoly. Sweaty, hot, and covered in the smell of smoke, the Guard marched back to the fountain, filled their buckets and poured the water over their heads.
Once back at the Barracks, the students and the guard were given orders by the Captain to stretch for fifteen minutes and then take the night off. Training exercises, lectures, or any other type of study was suspended. Both the Recruits and the Guard gave out an audible sigh of relief.
The Captain stretched with the Guard, but stayed close to Lieutenant Nuevon.
“Where has Lieutenant Tavely been? I haven’t heard from him lately,” Nuevon asked.
“He’s been escorting other routes, switching out guards at the different cities. I believe he is coming up from Anteperil soon.” The Captain groaned as he stretched his arm above and over his head, releasing some of the tension in his side. “We have to remove the council members. I just got a confession from Beoran that some of the council members are betraying the trade routes to nomadic tribes.” Nuevon stopped stretching and stared at the Captain.
“The recruits told me,” Nuevon said. “What proof do you have about the council though?”
“Just a man’s confession and willingness to be sent to the Gate, all the other evidence was burned in the fire.”
“Captain,” Nuevon said softly. “With all respect sir, I think you should look at the situation again. A man, a very smart man, just lost everything he owns. I don’t think the syndicate is one to sell off assets to support one of their members. He wants food, drink and a safe place to sleep at night. Why not gate duty?”
“He mentioned specific contracts between him, Aldair, Thuane, and the Capital that revolved around the betrayal. I need you to go to Linnouse and bring Aldair and Thuane to me for questioning. Before you leave, make sure you stop by my desk. I have a letter I want personally delivered to Aldair prior to his arrest.”
“I will sir. By the way, did you ever catch the people that started the fire?”
“No. It was a group of kids with masks and torches, older than most of the students, but not men.”
“So, all you have to go on is an age range?” Nuevon asked, stretching his right arm in front of his body. “And are you expecting to catch these boys?” The Captain shook his head.
“No, and I don’t intend to try. I have been trying to find out who is behind the betrayal of the routes, and now I am about to put my hands around them. I have a confession!”
“A confession yes, but from an emotionally unstable individual who frankly doesn’t have much credibility. What I am saying is wait to do anything until you interrogate Aldair and Thuane. The other question is why did a group of boys burn down a syndicate school?”
“I want you to find that out. I don’t have time to focus on another tangent. I need to put an end to the betrayed caravan routes. As soon as that is done, people will stop dying in the streets.”
As the guards were stretching, the stable boy came running in.
“Fire… boys… masks… hay… horses gone,” he yelled between breaths. The Captain ran out to the stall
s, followed by Nuevon and the rest of the Guard. The wooden structure was being eaten by red and orange flames. One of the masked boys threw his torch at the Captain and ran down Outer road. The Captain dodged it easily and ran after him. Nuevon was right behind him followed by Deakon and Ulryck.
The masked boys were quick enough to stay just ahead of the Captain and his lieutenant. The boys bowled over people and knocked over carts, attempting to delay their pursuers, but the Captain and Nuevon stayed on them, dodging around people, and jumping over the debris. One of the boys looked back and waved his hand. The Captain, Nuevon and the recruits were jerked backwards, as if they had been caught in a wave. The Captain and Nuevon recovered and kept their footing, but the other two were knocked to the ground. They got up quickly and started running again.
“What was that?” Nuevon asked.
“Exactly what I needed to know,” the Captain said. Each time the Captain and Nuevon came close to catching the boys, one of the boys would throw his arm back, attempting to knock back the Captain and his lieutenant with the invisible force. The boys would slow considerably each time they looked back and waved their arms.
The masked boys turned down South Road and headed for the Tangle. Deakon, Ulryck, and Nuevon were each able to catch one of the members before the other two disappeared into the wooden labyrinth, each still holding a torch.
“Hold them hard. Don’t let them move,” ordered the Captain as he disappeared between two wooden structures. Nuevon said something, but the Captain couldn’t hear what it was. The two boys ran deeper into the Tangle, banging against the wooden houses and ladders. Boards, ladders, and makeshift structures fell over, slowing the Captain considerably as he maneuvered around planks of nailed wood and clouds of sand. He listened to the two boys running ahead of him and frowned as they split off. When he arrived at a crossroads, he hesitated for a second, looked in both directions, and then ran left.
The west side of the Tangle eventually met up with the standard dwellings and side roads, and wasn’t far from Market Street. The Captain and his guard chased and many criminals into the Tangle. He lost many, but those he did catch tried to make their way back to Market Street and disappear in the crowd.
The Captain ran, glancing down at the sand-covered ground for fresh tracks, but found none. He listened for someone banging against structures, smelled for a hint of smoke, and watched for any quick movement. A man came out from one of the small alleyways on the right. He was covered in sweat and sand and had a slight limp. He looked up when he saw the Captain and pointed to where he just came from.
“He went that way,” the man said. He looked familiar. He wore a red coat with missing buttons. As the Captain ran towards him, he noticed the syndicate ring on his hand.
“Thanks, Leudoy,” the Captain said as he ran past him, going deeper into the Tangle. Small puffs of sand lingered in the air from where planks of wood and other building materials were knocked over. The buildings and dwellings that were built above ground blocked out the stars and moonlight. The path curved and twisted, taking a northwest direction.
The Captain ran, following the path as best he could, and then he caught site of an orange glow. He ran around the corner and there was one of the boys holding a torch next to a lean-to structure. The flames licked the house, but did not ignite the dry wood.
“Another step and this whole place burns up,” the boy said in a deep muffled growl. He wore a brown cloth around his face, hiding all his features except his blue eyes and blond hair.
“You would willingly endanger your own life, my life, and the lives of those who live here, to escape?” the Captain asked. The boy was silent, but pulled the torch back slightly from the building. “Why did you burn down the Three Brother’s school? What do you gain from that?” The boy looked down at this torch and placed it closer to the building again.
“Quiet,” he said. “Just walk away and nothing will happen.”
“Just tell me,” the Captain said softly, “why did you burn down the school. If you give me that, I will walk away. I will pretend this never happened.” The boy looked down at the torch again, but held it closer to the building. “If you start another fire, you will die. You don’t want that. You’re young and have a whole life ahead of you. I just want to know why.”
“Protection and food,” the young man looked down at the ground and shook his head. “The others and I were promised that our families would be fed and that no harm would come to them in the coming uprising if we did what we were told. That included trying to kill your student, Kosai.”
The Captain scowled at the boy, took a deep breath, and calmed himself.
“And who told you to do this? Who promised you food and protection?”
“Teacher Theo,” he said. “Even if I die, my family will be fed. My mother will have food. My sisters won’t cry at night. My father won’t have to beg in the streets or go to Linnouse to work in the mines. I have to do this.”
“No! Don’t!” the Captain called, but it was too late. The young man tossed the torch into the wooden structure, smiled and sat down. The building went up in fire immediately. “You fool!” yelled the Captain. People poured out the buildings. “Let’s get out of here,” he ordered. The boy shook his head.
“It’s no use. The fire is going to spread quickly. You and I are going to die.” The Captain shook his head, picked up the boy with his good arm and head butted him, knocking him out immediately. The Captain threw him over his shoulder and ran out of the Tangle, following the people that lived there. As he ran with the crowd, he noticed Mearto running against the flow. When she saw the Captain, she pointed to the side of the pathway. The Captain moved over and met with her.
“Are you okay?” She asked.
“I’m fine,” the Captain said. “This boy and four others started fires in the city. They burned down the Three Brothers School, attempted to burn down the Barracks, and this one,” the Captain pointed to the boy over his shoulder, “started the fire we are running from.”
“Stay here and wait for me,” Mearto said. “I’ll fix this.” The Captain watched her run towards the fire, and in a few minutes, the orange glow disappeared. The smell of smoke crawled through the Tangle. When Mearto returned, her hands were shaky and she looked slightly pale.
“We really could have used your help earlier,” the Captain said grudgingly.
“I would have helped, but I hoped to catch that boy before he could do any more harm. When I saw the boys heading out and found it was for ‘disciplinary reasons’, something didn’t set right with me, that was when I followed them. They set fire to the syndicate school and took off, vanishing in Market Street. I caught back up with them just outside the Barracks and chased them off. I figured they were headed to the Tangle, so tried to cut them off by running through the dwellings.”
“I am glad you’re here anyway,” the Captain said. “My lieutenant and a couple recruits have three others. One got away. He went east a while back and is probably headed back to your school.”
“I will bring him to you then. What are you going to do with Shàn and the others?” she said, pointing at the boy.
“I haven’t decided yet. Gate duty seems fitting, but not enough, and I am worried that they might use a few tricks that they learned from your school to escape.”
“Cursing him as Nameless is too harsh, and he is too young,” Mearto said.
“I’ll send them to the mines to work in Linnouse for a year. It is hard work, it is away from Theo, and I think it will teach them a lesson.” He looked down at the boy and shook his head. “Their minds are so impressionable. He said that Theo promised that his family would be protected and have food to eat in the revolt. The Council made promises to the Three Brothers that all transport contracts would be theirs after the uprising. One of my sister’s students at the Forge, his father is part of a group that is trying to organize it. There is too much momentum. Kosai needs to know about this.”
“I a
gree. Let’s take Shàn with us to use as a witness against Theo as well as his friend, who probably made it back by now.” When the Captain met up with the lieutenant and the two recruits, he gave them specific orders to place the two boys in confinement at the Gate and to get orders for the three boys to work in the mines as soon as possible. Nuevon nodded, but before they left, Mearto placed her hand on each of the boys’ head, and one by one, they fell asleep.
“They shouldn’t wake up until Linnouse,” she said. Ulryck put one of the boys over his shoulder, and Nuevon hefted another boy with ease. Deakon had his captive over his shoulder but struggled to walk. Nuevon smiled and put the other boy over his other shoulder, leaving Deakon to walk beside them.
Once the Captain and Mearto were at the School, she whispered to the two guards who were dressed like beggars. After some discussion, they motioned the Captain to follow her. She directed him to the conference room, left the room, and returned with all the Teachers, the Seer, and another boy. The other boy froze for a moment, seeing Shàn incapacitated in a chair and the Captain sitting next to him, and then looked down at the ground, staying close to Theo.
Kosai was the last to enter. He yawned and nodded to the Captain and then took a seat next to him. A few other teachers stood while the Captain, Kosai, Shàn and the other boy sat at the table. When everyone was settled, Daius stood.
“Captain, Mearto has told us that a group of our students were out at night, burning down buildings, including one of the syndicate schools, a portion of your Barracks, as well as an attempt to burn down the more impoverished south section of the city. Is that correct?”
The Captain nodded.
“Mearto has also told us the boy made an interesting confession. Would you care to elaborate on that?” the Seer said.
“I’d rather he did,” the Captain said, gesturing to Shàn. A large oval welt was beginning to form on his forehead. “But considering his current condition, I think I will elaborate. He was with four others. Three of his friends were captured and are going to work in Linnouse for a year given their age and the confession. I am curious…” the Captain looked away from Daius and looked at the boy that sat across the table from him. “Would you like to explain what was promised?” he asked. His voice wasn’t arrogant, or menacing, but was like a gentle lure. Theo flinched slightly, but covered by scratching his neck. The boy was silent and wrung his hands together, as if he were trying to hold onto an oil covered ball.
“Food and protection… for our families,” the boy said. “In exchange, we were to accept any order given to us by Theo.”
“And were you out with your friends this evening, causing the mayhem?” the Head Teacher asked. The boy nodded. “And what say you against these accusations Theo?” Daius sat and held an open hand out to Theo. Theo stood and bowed slightly to the Head Teacher.
“I will admit that I did take these boys out this evening, though it was for disciplinary reasons. They skipped too many of my classes. We were going to clean the streets-”
“Liar,” the boy said. At the word ‘liar’, Shàn began to stir. He held his head with his hand, and yelled in panic when he realized where he was. He pointed at Theo.
“He told us to do it, and to kill Kosai too. If we didn’t, he was going to kill our families. We had to!” Shàn said frantically, as if judgment had already been passed on him. He grabbed his head with both hands and leaned forward, groaning in pain.
“These boys are the true liars. They escaped from my custody and I expected to find them in their bunks when I returned. I was wrong. I did not expect them to be so… so rebellious. I am truly sorry for my error.” He bowed low and sat down.
“You know good and well what you told us to do,” the boy said. “You are the one who disturbed us during our study. You are the one who told us what to do. You promised our families safety. Now that you’ve turned on us, are you going to turn on our families?”
“Say what you want, but I told you no such thing. You and your friends were to go out and clean the streets for skipping class. What you did, as despicable as it is, was on your own accord. You are full of spite because you got caught and want to drag me down with you.” There was silence. Theo was sitting straight in his chair, his neck tilted back slightly. He looked at his hands, the table, anything except the boy. Shàn stared coldly back at Theo.
“You are the lowest, dirtiest, most foul smelling type of bile,” Shàn said.
“Shàn,” Daius said, “We do not speak like that during council.” But Shàn continued as if he had not heard him and stood up, his fists on the table, his knuckles grinding into the wood.
“You back-stabbing, maggot filled rat. May the skin fall from your face and your skull be pissed on by dogs. May you ever be thirsty, and never find drink, be hungry, and never eat, and may you… live forever.”
When he finished, the room was silent. Alkine, Faeris, Wysen and a few others muttered to others and to themselves about the strong language. Mearto whispered something to Emalee and she nodded in agreement. Daius, Theo, the Seer and Isaac sat completely still. The stillness was broken when the Seer nodded to Mearto. Before she could speak, The Captain took a mental note of who had what kind of reaction, and then stood.
“It seems Shàn has some strong feelings against Theo,” the Captain said to the group. “In my experience, I have seen what it is like when criminals try to place the blame on another individual who is innocent, and who is not. When the situation is the latter, it does not excuse the criminal, and justice must take effect.” At this, both the boys frowned and looked down at the table. “I am under the impression that both boys are telling the truth, and will reduce their sentence to four months in the mines of Linnouse, if anyone can substantiate what they have said.” The Captain sat down and there was quiet talk amongst the Teachers for a moment and then Mearto stood.
“Captain, there is more to my story than I let you first believe. When I saw Theo and the boys leave, I went up to the Seer and expressed my concerns. He Saw the fires, and he told me where I should go and at what times. He also Saw Theo giving that order. It wasn’t until you caught the boys that I was able to divulge this information.
“It is with this information,” she said, speaking to everyone, “that I propose Theo be stripped of his rank as Assistant to the Head, be cursed as Nameless and be banished from this school henceforth. All in favor?” Every teacher raised their hand.
“It is done then,” Daius said. Each of the teachers stood. Theo tried to run away. The other teachers stood and black cords materialized in their hands. Each threw their black rope like a whip at Theo. Before Theo could flee the room, the cords wrapped around Theo and bound him in place, tightening around his chest and mouth so that he could not speak.
Daius spoke, but the sound of the words was like nothing Kosai had ever heard before. Shàn and his friend collapsed almost instantly. Each word, each syllable and each letter held power. The Faye filled the room, but it was not the calming feeling that accompanied Kosai when he created sparks or meditated. He struggled to stay conscious, and focused on listening to the Head Teacher recite what he figured to be the Unspoken.
Kosai tried listening to the words, but he felt like he woke from a deep sleep and the world was still hazy. He could hear the Unspoken, but the words sounded muffled. The Faye was not inviting, but terrible and dark, the essence of true power. The air crackled and popped and pressed against Kosai and the Captain from every side, as if they were in a box that was getting smaller and smaller.
When the Head Teacher stopped speaking, Theo lay on the ground, pale and asleep. The black cords retracted, and the Head Teacher sat in his chair, breathing heavily. Sweat dripped from his face like hot wax.
“Take him,” he said weakly, waving a hand. Even the teachers seemed momentarily weakened, as if they too were compressed by the power that filled the air. The power and the pressure of the Unspoken lessened, and slowly, Isaac and Xidan moved and dragged the unconscious
figure out into the hallway.
“He is no longer Theo,” Daius said, a sound of exhaustion in his voice. “Every essence of that individual has been locked away, deep in the crevices of his mind, and when he wakes, he will know that he is a man, he will know how to eat, but his very identity will be lost to him. He will be like an animal, moving only on instinct. Captain, we are again in your debts. Do you still intend to take the boys to Linnouse?”
“Yes,” the Captain said with serious effort. Kosai looked at his father and saw that he, too, was struggling to stay awake. “They had a choice, and chose incorrectly. I still stand with my sentence of four months.”
“I understand,” Daius said, “though you have presented me with a new problem.” He laughed softly. “I need a new assistant. That decision will be made tomorrow. Until then, this meeting is adjourned.” The remaining teachers stood, as well as the Seer, and filed out of the room. Shàn and the other boy were still unconscious. Kosai was about to leave when the Captain put his hand on his shoulder.
“Mearto,” he called. “The boys can stay.” Mearto was about to lift one of the boys out of the chair. “I can take them, but I need to visit with Kosai for a moment.”
“Of course,” she said, smiling. “I’ll be just outside the door to escort you out.”
The Captain thanked her. Mearto waited until all the teachers were out of the room. The Seer, who seemed to walk slower than Kosai remembered, was followed out by Mearto. Kosai waited a few moments after the doors closed.
“Mearto and the Seer lied,” Kosai said in a matter of fact tone. “I have never seen Mearto hesitate to accuse anyone. Something was off.”
“That much was obvious to us, but I am not sure if it was obvious to the Teachers. What we can learn is that the Seer wanted him gone, for whatever reason.” The Captain shook his head. “But that isn’t what I wanted to talk to you about. I met again with the Council. An uprising is coming, though I don’t know when.” The Captain explained what happened during the meeting and the letter he received from Hemmel about preparing for the worst and the division within the council members. He talked about Paer’s father being a central figure in the uprising and how Beoran admitted he and his brothers knew that the Council was betraying the routes to the nomad tribes and the promise of a monopoly on all transports when the dust settled.
“Aldair and Thuane should be here tomorrow sometime for questioning. After I get a confession, I am going to take the guard and remove those council members who were a part of the betrayal. I can’t allow an uprising to happen.” The other two boys began to wake. “Do you know if the Seer has any other allies with him, or that know that he is part of the betrayal?”
“I do,” Shàn said. He sat up slowly, reached in his pocket and pulled out a key. “My friends and I put together a plan in case Theo betrayed us, which he did. None of us trusted him, but he showed us that he has access to the syndicate grain stores, and out of concern for our families, we did what we did.” He leaned forward and looked at Kosai. “And for what we did to you, I am sorry.”
“All is forgiven,” Kosai said.
“This key will open his office door. I am sure that you will be able to find letters, notes, journal entries, anything and everything against him and those that worked with him if you look hard enough.” Shàn slid the key across the table and Kosai caught it.
“You will tell no one what you have heard or you will be staying in Linnouse for the remainder of your life. Understood?” The Captain glared at both boys and they nodded. “Good. Kosai, find the division and charge the Seer and those that side with him. If what Beoran says is true, and is echoed by his brothers, then I will go to the Council and remove them from power. That gives you two days. Do what you can to prepare. Get as many people on your side as possible.”
“Yes sir,” Kosai said. When the Captain gave orders, Kosai executed those orders without question. He trusted in his ability as a Recruit, but as a Conduit, that trust diminished. He took courage in the last part of the order… to get as many people on his side as possible.
CHAPTER 21