Cal lay on a sofa, casually scrolling through the forum topics. The new living quarters were swanky but also similar to what he''d experienced in the Ardere manor. In fact, this sofa felt familiar; maybe there was some big noble furniture distributor out there.
Alice was not amused by his statement, pacing back and forth in the living space. The living space of their shared suite. Provided with his own room and bathroom, he had some measure of privacy.
It was less than he''d been looking forward to.
Apparently, this was not a totally uncommon arrangement for noble families to set up but did have to be specifically requested. It meant his dreams of avoiding Alice at the Academy were just that, dreams.
Claire''s fingerprints were all over this. When he first met her, Cal thought she was just trying to pump him for information under the guise of cordiality. Now that he had a clearer picture, while he didn''t know for sure, he had a decent idea of her goal.
She did not come off as overly patriotic, but he doubted she was looking to turncoat, even if the Federation might jump at a safe bridgehead for an invasion landing. This meant the more likely option was trying to drag him into the Ardere issues and hoping for a positive outcome.
The face she would make if she saw his history of ''positive'' outcomes would be a sight to see.
"How can you be so calm?" Alice chided, still pacing.
"Hmm." He looked over to her; she''d traded her uniform for a nightgown. It struck him as awfully casual for how long they knew each other. Perhaps it was just the whiplash of today. "Dunno, probably cause I know they''re all idiots."
He had been a bit unbalanced when he saw that many people outside the closet, but after some destruction of Academy property and a nice shower, he realized it was all sort of juvenile. Why did he care what a bunch of spoiled brats thought of him?
"Those idiots, as you say, may write to their families. The Ardere name could be dragged through the mud." She emphasized the ''idiots'' making quote signs.
"Then set the record straight; you''re a noble, right? Issue a press release or something; tell them you were trying to discipline me." A thought crossed his mind. "On second thought, don''t use that word. Also, lots of these threads have no clue who I am, so just saying we''re related should squash most of the rumors."
"That''s actually a good idea." She sounded surprised. "Yes, we need to control the narrative before this spirals further."
She raced towards her room and came back carrying a laptop. She set it on the table nearby and sat down.
So they have those as well. The Federation had been the leader in innovation for a while now, even having a mini-renaissance in the past ten years. It seemed the Empire wasn''t keen on being left behind. Maybe he should bring back a couple of souvenirs for Millie?
Nah, that was stupid. Chances are she had access to them, and if not, she''d just call them junk.
A knock sounded, and he picked up his head, looking towards its origin. Seeing Lily on the balcony, he swung himself up and walked over. His hand hesitated on the lock for a moment before turning it to the side and allowing her to enter.
He caught the sparking finger before it reached his chest. "Brute, what part of not causing Alie trouble didn''t you get?" It discharged in his hand to no effect. "Gah, lower your shell! You deserve a zap for violating my Alie!"
"Vio-. Stop playing around, Lily." Alice looked up from the laptop with a stern expression. "This is serious."
"It is!" Lily agreed while still trying to free her finger. "Why would you want this dummy?" Am I not good enough for you?"
"Lily!" Alice''s voice came out like a bark.
"Ugh fine, just trying to lighten the mood a bit." She replied more demurely, seeing her friend''s reaction. "So what really happened? The rumors are going crazy."
"I made an error in judgment and overreacted in a public setting." Alice sighed "Since you''re here, you can help me draft a statement."
"Can do!" Lily skipped over, taking a seat beside Alice. "But what blew your top? I know you''re a hothead, but you usually have your limits." She ended with an accusatory look directed towards him.
Cal returned to the sofa and responded with the truth, "I punched the Crown Prince, and she freaked."
Lily froze "Really? That was you?" the incredulous in her tone apparent for all. She looked to Alice, who simply nodded with a grim face.
"The prick dropped his guard." Cal shrugged his shoulders. "So I broke his nose and knocked him on his ass."
Alice buried her head in her arms and said in a muffled voice, "I did not hear that."
He may have forgotten to share all the details.
Lily started cackling, nearly falling from her chair. "I like you; shame you''re not cute," she said after recovering.
Cal pondered the best response to a statement like that and chose the opposite. "Yep, back at you."
The laughing stopped. Lily blinked for a moment before getting up and walking to the couch with measured steps. She loomed over him with a crackling fist. "Would you like to repeat that?" She said with a dead voice as the lights started flickering.
Cal looked her up and down before deciding to accommodate her request "Sure, I said-"
He never finished because Lily was hoisted by the scruff of her neck and went limp, magic and all. Was this girl a cat?
"Children." Alice tried to imitate her mother while still holding Lily. "No fighting, more writing."
She carried Lily back to the table and set her back on a chair. Once seated, Lily acted as if nothing had happened and started chattering away with Alice while working on a draft. Personally, with this type of school drama, he believed it would just blow over in a week at most, but he was the outsider here, so he left them to their own little world.
He scrolled through the forums again as he busied himself looking for posts not about the cafeteria snafu. Many were, and he became acutely aware of how much of a local celebrity Alice must have been.
Off the first page, he came across the original thread that kicked off this chain of events. The comments showed that the conversation fell to the wayside because the original poster hadn''t any further proof, with the last post in the thread basically accusing him of making it all up. It did seem to be the most obvious conclusion, given the prick''s reputation as the ''strongest''.
He moved on, looking for more useful threads. Eventually, he stumbled on some talking about upcoming classes with some people complaining about certain professors.
He thought on his own experience with the first two professors he''d encountered.
"Hey." He got the girls'' attention while waving his phone. "Is there a way to see what professors are good or not on here?"
They looked at each other.
"You mean like the forum? There''s a couple of threads." Lily responded and quickly returned her gaze to the laptop.
"Not that," he said, regaining Lily''s attention. "I mean, a separate site or app lets people leave reviews for teachers. Like a one-stop shop for reviews that can give you a quick breakdown rather than digging through..." He trailed off, noticing the blank look both were giving him. "Never mind, I''ll manage."
He turned his attention back to the phone, scrolling through and trying to commit some names to memory. These philistines, using barely 2000''s era internet, and they called him the hick.
The Federation itself had only recently developed it, and they already approached a level recognizable to him. With the caveat being the limited amount of users allowed on the network.
His phone buzzed, making him frown. He had an ugly premonition; no one should have his number yet.
Seeing what it was, he felt a mixture of relief and nervousness.
"Got my results," he muttered while opening the attachment and expecting the worst.
The document was sparse, with only the subjects listed and the grade he''d been assigned. He stared at it, trying to work out what they meant, but with no frame of reference, he made little progress.
"Ladies," he called out, giving up on deciphering the letter''s meanings. "Anyone want to help me out here?"
"You got your results?" Alice turned to him, some anxiousness on display.
He nodded and tossed the phone over, only for it to be snatched by Lily, who started studying it. Rather than fight over it, Alice read along with her.
He watched the pair, neither giving any sign of how he did until Lily broke. "Geez, I knew you were a brute, but this takes the cake!" Alice yanked the phone from Lily, looking at the results more closely while her friend busied herself laughing at his expense.
"It''s like," she said between giggles. "You''ve never been to a school before."
"Never planned to," he said glumly while looking up to the ceiling, instantly regretting his choice of words. He wasn''t meant to talk about his background; as a ''bastard'', it''d be acceptable to just pretend that part of his life didn''t exist.
In fact, it''d be expected for him to act that way. Answering questions, truthful or not, opened the potential for people to find holes in his story. It would be less of a problem if he had someone else in the Academy to cover for him, but they were all under suspicion at the moment and so also kept in the dark.
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"Sorry." Lily''s shaky voice caused him to look back in her direction; she avoided his eyes. "It''s, uh, not that bad, right, Alice?" She nudged Alice, who still studied the results; the expression on her saying it WAS that bad.
Lily nudged Alice again, who then calmly placed the phone on the desk and folded her hands.
She wasn''t moving. She might not be breathing.
He made to approach her. A stuck out a palm stopped him in his tracks. Lily slowly shook her head at him before gently placing a hand on Alice''s back and rubbing it back and forth. "Alie? It''s fine; everything is fine. No need to burn the dorm. Please don''t burn the dorm. We won''t be able to cover it up a second time."
There was some important information nestled in there, but he got distracted as he saw Alice''s stiff posture slowly collapse backward. The tension in her visibly leaked out. That seemed a useful skill.
Seeing the peaceful moment, he decided to ruin it. "So, no one told me how I did yet."
Both heads snapped in his direction. One filled with betrayal and the other wrath.
Alice took several breaths before responding to him. "Your math was...slightly above average and your science passable. For all other subjects, you received the lowest possible grading."
"That''s not right." Lily chipped in. "He got the second lowest score possible for history."
He made to argue before remembering he had zero prep time and just nodded. "What about the practical? How''d I do there?" It was the only E grade he''d received.
Alice simply groaned, burying her head again so Lily picked up the slack. "You got an Excempt."
He perked up "Isn''t that good?"
"No, it''s not," Alice responded head still buried. "Exempt means you won''t participate in the standard combat class."
"Which means you can kiss that easy grade goodbye," Lily said while patting Alice on the back.
"That seems¡.unfair," Cal remarked.
"It is weird." Lily tapped a finger to her chin. "Usually you only get that for people who don''t want to take religion."
That was an option??
"Ah, sorry. You have to declare that at registration before you take the test," she answered sheepishly. "Anyways, I''ve never seen that before for combat. Super weird," she finished, speaking a bit too quickly.
Their eyes met, and the understanding that both of them remembered the events in front of the registration building was communicated non-verbally.
Cal looked at Alice, who was still blissfully unaware of the exchange. He opened his mouth while Lily made frantic zipping motions in front of hers. He closed his mouth, deciding against violence for now. Olivia would be proud.
"So I get that this isn''t great." From his perspective, the only casualty was his pride; being placed in easier classes meant more time to do his actual job. "But it''s not like I''ll get kicked out so why are you acting like it''s the Fall?"
"Don''t speak like that." Alice rejoined, picking her head up "It''s not appropriate," Lily nodded behind her.
Leave it to the Empire to still be bitter about an event over millennia ago.
"This is an unfavorable position for you, Callum, for house Ardere." She continued sharing a look with Lily. "Improving your grades will be your top priority. Do you understand?"
He gave a thumbs up, even if he didn''t feel his report card would matter if the school and or city was overrun by hordes of demons.
Having left the girls to their devices, Cal lay awake in bed. He''d promised to turn in early; Alice insisted on it because tomorrow was his first day. He wasn''t too worried about it; it would just be a matter of patiently sitting through inane classes before being dismissed.
The real reason he stayed up was to contemplate what exactly his plan was.
"Grand Demon Summoning," he mumbled to himself.
The phrase hadn''t stuck with him initially. What did he care what quality or quantity of demon was summoned? They were no threat to him.
Him
Arriving at the Academy and seeing all the faces, many of them young, made the gravity of the situation hit him on a deeper level.
He wasn''t prepared, and he needed to change that yesterday. Cal couldn''t claim to hold a positive opinion of the Empire, but consigning thousands of children and potentially a city to death? Not many people were that heartless.
If the ''grand'' was no lie, that wasn''t an exaggeration. The term may have been broad, but the last time it was used, one of the Free Cities disappeared overnight.
Which left the question, why would the Empire reach out to their long-time foe for something of this magnitude? Would they be willing to risk scions from so many noble families? A city of millions? A potential beast wave?
There was little doubt in his mind that his initial assumption about this was correct. This HAD to be a trap of some sort. At the very least, the Empire must be acting in bad faith, or maybe this wasn''t even a real mission. The Federation could have blackmailed House Ardere, and no one else on the Empire''s side was aware he was here.
He cut off his random speculation. Even if he was right. Even if everything he''d been told was a lie.
In the slim chance that the Empire was not only too incompetent to deal with this in-house but had actually reached out to the Federation¡
The line that those with great power had great responsibility had never resonated with him. Even so, he was here; he had the power and so wouldn''t be sitting on the sidelines.
And if the people upstairs were playing their games? He''d deal with that when the time came.
From what he recalled, solving a crime involved motive. That was easier said than done. He''d never gone mind hunter and asked why a cultist did what they did. Not that he expected that to yield any results; by the time he got to them, their sanity was frayed by all the magic they''d channeled. He settled on just keeping an ear out for anyone disgruntled; it wouldn''t be his immediate priority.
No, that would be finding out where this could take place. He recalled the case he''d just dealt with¡ªhow they had used the stadium for its open floor and dampening wards. The training ground he''d visited earlier today filled most of the same criteria. That was a good place to start; he''d canvass all the training grounds and then try to assign a probability to them of being the site.
After that, he''d have to go through all the buildings. The campus was big, almost too big for a one-man job. He''d have to prioritize places that had less foot traffic. See if they had any of the features needed to play host. Maybe look into any subterranean areas? An Academy this old had to have some of those lying around. Once he had a list of likely sites, he could start to see who had access to them. Maybe see if there were specific groups of people? If nothing came up, he could just routinely patrol them all. Trained spy or not, he could be very quick, and these types of things took a lot of setup.
Yeah, that all sounds good. Of course that all would be pointless if it happened in the city instead. He''d depend on the team there to pull their weight. If they didn''t exist? It wouldn''t be pretty. Even the one he''d dealt with earlier this month could have wrecked most of the city it was summoned in.
Postremo Lux was large though; they must have had other forces stationed. Some Fingers perhaps? He still held a dim view of them, but they should be enough to buy time. Casualties would still be horrendous.
Well, he finally had a plan. Tomorrow, he''d see if there was enough time after classes to get started.
With that last thought, he fell into his trance.
Only to find himself surrounded by a suffocating nothingness. Blinking his metaphorical eyes, he cursed. That was quick; whoever did it must have been good.
Strangely, he could tell the cost of going back, and it was low. The lowest it could usually go, which meant one thing.
He leaped up, augmentation running at his limit. Standing in the middle of the room, his senses told him he was alone. He sent a probe of magic through his system, confirming there was not a bit of physical damage. So he still had his face, good.
Did the killer think a job done and leave? He couldn''t discount the possibility.
Very quick. His trance may have been mostly deaf to the world, but it was very tuned into any magic sent his way.
Not many people could pull that off. He only knew of one, and if She had been the one to do it, She''d be gloating about now. The Empire having someone like that was... not that big a deal. Surprising sure, but that level of death magic was the most useless thing you could try against him.
He shrugged, returning to bed. He wouldn''t be able to track them down right now, his senses being only good, not absolute.
Better to wait; people generally didn''t stop at one attempt with him.
Chapter 11
It was not long into the first day that Cal discovered his strongest ability lay not in being near unkillable or his ridiculous reserves of magic. No, his greatest strength lay in zoning out.
Ancestors help him he''d barely gotten through the first twenty minutes of class before resorting to his trance to get through it. And he liked history. At least his classmates were willing to keep their distance. Whispers and glances aside.
His class schedule saw him start in the building; he''d done his written assessment for a brief homeroom and then crisscrossed all over campus for the rest of his day. By the third class, he''d started to notice a pattern in that most of his teachers were, to put it charitably, kinda shit.
Perhaps he was being too hasty; after all, he''d essentially slept through their teachings, but he got the sense they didn''t want to be there anymore than he did. Tenured and cashing checks or researchers at heart were his two best guesses. Either option worked well for him, as they''d be less likely to take any special interest in him.
On the topic of special interests, he''d been watching carefully all day to see if anyone would show signs of perplexity about his aliveness. No luck yet.
Once again arriving at the central cafeteria, he scanned his cufflink and loaded his plate. He''d originally been meant to meet up with Alice to go over the possible courses he could take from the Senior Classes, but she''d texted him something had come up. Being a creature of habit dictated he eat here again; he''d explore the other options later.
After scanning the area, he picked another corner like before and sat to enjoy his lunch while going over the sheet of courses his homeroom teacher had given to him. There were roughly twenty choices; he couldn''t remember if that was a lot or not, but for here, it wasn''t. Most students put in their course requests at the end of the previous year, so he''d been given the leftovers.
He browsed the selection and quickly narrowed down the list by half using the names he''d committed to memory. Of the remainder, he spotted an economics and bookkeeping course under the administration concentration. It wasn''t like anyone understood how economies worked so he''d be on equal footing with the rest of the class. Bookkeeping looked to be accounting; he wasn''t the largest fan of that, so he put a pin in it. There was also a history class he marked as a good candidate. With some amusement, he noted the list had no combat courses or anything dealing with practical applications of magic.
With the exception of one, if you squint. Introduction to magical engineering, hosted by a Professor Wyatt.
He idly marked a star next to the course.
Magical engineering did not strike him as ''easy'', but it would be a crying shame if he walked away from a magic academy without taking any actual magic classes and everything else had been nabbed. The magical theory class he took today didn''t count; it was just that. Theory.
"Hello." A sandy-haired guy approached with a small group to his back. "These spots open?" He gestured to the empty table Cal had been monopolizing.
Cal kept his expression from changing to one of disappointment before waving in assent and focusing back on his selections.
"Thanks, I''m Ryan. In case you didn''t catch it in homeroom." Not taking the hint, the guy introduced himself before sitting next to Cal. Hearing his statement, Cal realized the group was vaguely familiar.
Ryan pointed to a pair that had sat across from Cal. "There is Anne, and then the guy with his nose in a book is Gregor." Anne gave a small nod, tucking some of her brown hair behind her ear. He noticed a pencil held in her other. The boy carefully thumbed his book, his shaggy hair hiding his expression. The grunt he gave conveyed his enthusiasm. "And lastly, that-"
"I can introduce myself." The last of the group sat on Cal''s other side. She had long blonde hair reaching her waist. Her uniform was slightly altered. The blazer was a size too small, and her skirt skewed so one side was lower than the other. Her wrists were covered in an array of bangles.
"I am Jessica, pleasure to meet you," she said with a smile.
Penned in, Cal felt the stares prompting him to respond.
"Name''s Cal," he said simply and focused back on the sheet. He wasn''t sure why they wanted that; they''d heard it earlier today.
"Mmmmmm," Jessica leaned in while resting her head on a hand, peering at what occupied him.
"Professor Wyatt¡.you might want to reconsider that." Cal looked at her questioningly. "He''s not taught that many classes but." She turned to the other girl. "Didn''t your sister take his class?" Anne shifted her focus from her meal to them.
"That''s right," Anne responded while cutting up her meal. "She took advanced magical resonance. From what I remember her saying, Professor Wyatt hasn''t given many courses. He''s more of an academic than an instructor. The classes he did give were unorganized and while the workload was low, the examinations were harshly graded."
"Yup, heard from the grapevine they''re making him teach an intro class as a punishment." Ryan cut in. "I''m sure Anne knows all about that, but let''s leave that boring stuff for later. How are you finding the Academy? Everything you hoped and dreamed?"
"Oh, never mind that," Jessica interjected, saving him from having to respond.
"Tell me more about what occurred yesterday. It was quite the show."
Or she just wanted gossip.
The table quieted down as they awaited Cal''s reply. He mulled over it before giving in.
"Didn''t have much of an expectation to begin with. I am a little surprised at how casual you all are; I thought you''d talk a lot stuffier."
"Ha, if you were here a couple of years ago, maybe. Don''t get me wrong, we can all talk properly when the occasion calls for it but most of us think it''s a bit...what''s the word?"
"Old fashioned?" Cal supplied
"Yeah, that''s right." Ryan snapped a finger and pointed at him. "Between you, me, and most in the Academy, I don''t think our parent''s way of speaking is going to last too much longer. They''re stuck in the past; the only reason to keep talking that way is to separate us from them." He made quotation signs around the last word. "And that rift is getting smaller every day."
Cal presumed ''them'' meant the common folk.
"Ryan!" Jessica said in a soft but harsh whisper. "You mustn''t speak like that." Her eyes darted to the surrounding tables. "What if others heard you?!"
"Oh, come on, Jess." Ryan rolled his eyes "It''s obvious the Empire is moving to a more merit-based system. Anyone denying it is just burying their head in the ground. Even the crown prince himself is on board."
"That may be true, but she has a point; talking like that can be dangerous." Anne warned. "On to somewhat lighter subjects, did you hear about the rumor regarding said prince yesterday?"
"Hair products," Cal said, acting decisively to derail the conversation. His words had the desired effect as they all stared at him questioningly. He tilted his head towards Jessica. "You asked about yesterday, right? I forgot to bring any shampoo or the like, so I borrowed hers. She got pretty mad."
It was a lie he''d just made on the spot. He''d skimmed the statement Alice had put out, but it just amounted to this was a family matter, and mind your own business.
"Really? All that over toiletries?" Ryan asked skeptically
Jessica narrowed her eyes. "What type of products exactly?"
Cal shrugged. "Don''t know exactly; she said they were imported, if that helps."
"Still, that seems a bit of an over¡" Ryan trailed off as he noticed the girls'' expressions "ly important thing for you to borrow without asking." his quick thinking did little to prevent his true thoughts from being known. "Gregor, you''ve been quiet as usual. What do you think?" he finished quickly, throwing his supposed friend in the line of fire.
"What?" The friend in question looked up from his book for a moment. His dark-brown bangs parted, revealing his freckled face that was set in a frown. "I don''t know, I don''t care." he put his head back down "Leave me alone right now; can''t you see I''m trying to study?"
"You do realize it''s only the first day, right?" Anne minutely shook her head but Ryan continued while waving a fork around, "There''s no need to lose your mind just yet."
"Some of us can''t afford to be so relaxed," Gregor bit back, the frown deepening. "This place is too noisy; I''m done anyway, so I''m going to find a bench somewhere outside." He said while getting up. Carrying his still mostly full tray with him, he stomped out.
There was a moment of awkward silence that Cal was happy to take advantage of and eat in peace.
"Sorry about Gregor; he''s not usually like that," Ryan said apologetically.
"You know better," Jessica responded pointedly. "This is a stressful year for him."
"I know, that''s why I was trying to distract him from it." Ryan explained. "Being so worked up this early is going to do more harm than good."
"We can''t relate to what he''s going through." Anne picked at her plate, moving around some errant vegetables. "All we can do is support him the best we can."
"We can''t," Ryan gestured towards his two remaining companions. "But our new friend here might."
Cal had no idea what they were talking about.
"Orrr not." Ryan accepted his blank stare at face value. "Ardere''s must run things differently."
"It does make sense." Jessica examined him from the side. "Considering the timing of his arrival."
Back at HQ, having people talk about him was a common enough occurrence, even if they tended to scatter like rats whenever he directed his attention their way. People doing it right in his face? That was more novel.
"I apologize for them." Anne bowed her head slightly "They tend to forget the presence of others."
"I do not!" Jessica defended herself
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
"Oh," Anne covered her mouth, hiding a smile that was forming. "Then I must have imagined what occurred during the Evermore''s last gala?"
"Shusshh," Jessica rose slightly from her seat. Flustered, her face turned a shade of red. "You promised not to bring that up."
"Haha, that was a great time." Ryan responded dreamily before noticing the death glare he got. "I, uh, I mean nothing happened." He nudged Cal with an elbow and leaned in to whisper. "I''ll tell you about it later."
"You will do NO such thing."
"Course I wouldn''t," Ryan was quick to acquiesce, waiting for Jessica to turn in a huff before winking at him.
Ignoring the byplay, Cal fished out his phone to check the time. Lunch was a solid hour, so he still had a decent chunk of time. He pulled up the map next and plotted a route to his next class; as with the previous cases, it was a fair distance from the center of campus.
"That''s a bit of a trek you got there." Ryan commented from the side. "I don''t think I''ve been to that building either. You Jess?"
"I haven''t either; it''s rather out of the way."
The two shared a look, and Cal pretended to not have noticed. If people snooping over his shoulder was going to be a running theme, he should invest in a privacy screen. If they existed. Given the technology was nascent, he doubted they did.
"Well, better start heading over then." Cal got up, ready to leave.
"Wait up, here." Ryan stopped him, holding out his phone. "Put in your number; we can hang out on the free days this week and show you around campus before all the seniors get here."
That didn''t sound like too bad an idea. The showing around campus, that is, there was only so much a static map could tell you, so getting a guide would be useful. Since he was already involved with her, Alice would be ideal but her availability was iffy. Typing in his number, he handed it back before waving goodbye and leaving.
His phone buzzed; it was Ryan sharing the contacts of the others. Even Gregor. He reflexively moved to give it a thumbs-up reaction before remembering that wasn''t a thing and replying with a simple thanks.
He kept making his way to his next class before a presence started walking alongside him.
"Heya." Lily walked in step with him, giving him a lopsided grin. "Fancy meeting you here."
Cal nodded at her. "How long were you waiting to ambush me?"
"Ambush?" She responded, sounding taken aback "Here I am a delicate maiden compared to a brute like you. Our roles are reversed, are they not?"
"Sure, delicate," he said, dragging out the last word. "Let me throw out a wild guess and say you''re also one of the strongest students on campus.
It was not that outrageous a claim given the speed she''d shown.
"Number five, actually." She plucked a loose strand of hair and waved it around, "Just hair''s breadth away from four." She eyed him warily "Top three are further, but they''re all in their final year."
"Anywhoo," she skipped ahead of him. Turning to face him and walking backward. "Alie sent me to check up on you. You know, make sure you didn''t punch another member of the royal family and all."
He held his fists out in front of him, earning a raised eyebrow. "See, no blood."
She grabbed his right, turning it over and inspecting it closely before doing the same to the left.
Satisfied, she released them. "Brute like you wouldn''t know to wash off any evidence, so I''ll believe you."
"There are more of them here?" Cal asked, avoiding the bait.
"Uh huh." She nodded energetically. "Lots of staff are distant members; the closest relation should be one of the deans who is the brother of the first consort. As far as students go, the second princess is in the year between us while the third prince is just entering his first year."
Curious. That was all it was, though. He had no plans to run into any of them after meeting the crown prince.
She kept walking in front of him for a while. Studying him in thought.
"I wasn''t kidding before, you know?" She said, all playfulness from earlier gone. "Don''t cause trouble for Alie."
Cal found that was a frequent request. One that he usually happily ignored while running head-first into said trouble.
Given the circumstances, he tried to be diplomatic.
"Doing my best not to."
Lily stopped, not looking pleased with his answer. "And if that''s not enough?"
"It is what it is." He shook his head while moving to walk past her.
She stepped in his way. "I hate that." Her face twisted into an ugly scowl. "That saying. I hate it." Her fist clenched, the white of her knuckles standing out despite her pale skin. "It was made by losers who accept whatever shit is shoveled their way." She took a step closer, staring up at him. "And I won''t let people who smell like that near Alie. Got it?"
Cal couldn''t help himself and let out a snicker.
"Is this a joke to you?" She said in a manner that was meant to be dangerous.
He shook his head "No, it''s just that sort of thinking has landed me in some messes before." A gross understatement considering that type of attitude led to a couple of months ago. "Also, aren''t you sending me some mixed messages here?"
"Hah," she said, bringing a hand to her head and scrunching her hair. "I sorta am, aren''t I? Sorry, that just hit one of my sore points. In any case, if you see anyone important looking, just walk in the other direction." She scratched her chin. "Now that I''m thinking of it, bombing the assessment helps us out here a bit. Most of the people you''ll deal with are the unambitious noble types. The kind who are showing up only to make their House happy." She held out her hand. "Just in case, hand me your phone."
He obliged; there wasn''t anything important on there. Coincidentally, the phone buzzed as she took it.
"Making friends already, are we?" She looked at the recipient''s contact info "Last names?"
"Only got first."
"I see. Well, be careful with them. Nobles are a different breed than your commoners; even the young ones are always plotting."
"So I noticed," Cal responded, even if he didn''t think it was quite as bad as she made it out to be.
He wasn''t blind. The group had done the same thing Claire had, trying to pump him for information. All that friendly banter was designed to make him feel part of the group and lower his guard. Most likely they were just interested in the ''new'' kid and any related gossip they could find. Fairly normal school stuff that he could manage without issue.
"It''s good that you''re aware." She spoke while typing in his phone before handing it back. "I added my contacts; if you get into anything, text me first."
He raised an eyebrow "Shouldn''t I be going to Alice first?"
"I''m more likely to be available." She brushed off his concern. "Plus, I''m faster." In the distance, the clock tower dinged, signaling the start of a new hour. "Shoot, gotta go." She zipped past him but stopped one last time. "Don''t read too deep into any of that; I''m only helping Alie." With that final piece, she departed for good.
He figured it was obvious she was only trying to help her friend, but hey, better to preempt any misunderstanding.
¡ª
The rest of his classes followed the same pattern as his previous, and he soon found himself at the end of the day. He had shared a late dinner with Alice in their shared living space, and after that, they began going over his class options. And by go over, he meant she kept trying to railroad his decisions. She approved of his economics choice, was okayish with history, and pushed for bookkeeping.
There was one point in heavy contention.
"Magical engineering is an advanced science that requires a strong foundation. Such a course usually has a minimum entrance score requirement," She said with a worried frown. "With your background, we can''t afford the risk it represents."
"I''m telling you it will be fine," Cal said, exasperated. "Also, it''s MY education, right? That means it''s my decision."
"I do not understand why you are being so difficult about this." Alice shared his exasperation. "Does this field truly garner so much interest in you?"
"Alice, I can''t NOT take a magic class." He was close to pulling his hair out. "That''d just be ridiculous."
"As I''ve told you, once your grades have improved, you will have plenty of opportunities to explore such leanings next semester."
There wouldn''t be a next semester if he did his job right.
Neither side had been willing to give an inch, and he was thankful tomorrow''s free day would let him ''sleep'' in, as they''d been at it for hours now with his only reprieve being nonsensical texts Ryan had sent him.
"Look, you''re going to have-" His words got cut off as he lost his voice.
Again? Already??
He rushed back to the world of the living.
"I will have to what?" Alice asked.
He disregarded her, spinning up his augmentation and hurriedly scanning the surroundings.
Like before, he found nothing.
Unaware of what had occurred, Alice didn''t miss his actions and stood up. "What did you sense??" She demanded while manifesting flames around her.
He held his tongue while he confirmed there really was no trace left.
"I don''t know," he answered truthfully.
"Must have been the exhaustion and nerves from today playing tricks on me." He answered untruthfully.
"I see, my apologies." Alice dismissed the fires. "I did not consider the stress today must have incurred on you. It was a tad foolish to debate through the night."
"Through?" His voice came out quickly. "What time is it? Like exactly what time is it?"
She glanced at her watch and said simply. "Twelve O''one."
Cal got up, long steps carrying him toward his room.
"I''ll take the bookkeeping class you want but I''m keeping the engineering. That''s final"
He cut off any complaints by slamming the door. Stalking to the window, he looked out. In the distance he could see the top of the registration building and further behind that, the walls. He focused on them, feeling the dim presence of the wards that had just activated.
"That lying son of a bitch!" He was going to skin it. "Simple covenant my ass!"
Chapter 12
The breeze was refreshing and carried with it the sounds of birds singing. Distantly, Cal could hear a low hum of activity.
It was a nice coincidence that this world operated on a five-day on, two-day off weekly schedule. They used weird names for them, but he mentally replaced them with what he knew.
Today would normally be the day he would take his Senior year courses, the second and fourth days of the week. Given that they weren''t set up to start until next week, he had the day off.
The dormitory he resided in lay close to the clock tower and on the eastern side of the main campus walkway. With their accommodations on the southern part of the building, the balcony gave Cal a decent view of the central portions of the Academy.
With the morning sun, he could see that damned registration building much clearer.
Wards should not be able to kill him, not like that. Even accounting for the strongest ones he''d ever encountered, he should have gotten the barest of heads up and been able to resist for a moment. Instead, they flicked the switch, and he dropped dead. It was like they went through a back door, his defenses bypassed. Which, to his chagrin, was how covenants worked.
After the initial revelation, he had the good sense to not storm over there and demand answers. That would be the actions of old Cal, new Cal was a professional who would collect critical information and then craft a number of potential options before choosing the best path. If the best path happened to be beating whatever that thing was to a pulp? Well, then that would just be good luck.
"Shouldn''t you be on your way?" Alice''s voice came from the living space, where she sat at her laptop working on something. "It would be a waste of our efforts if your delay causes one of your selected classes to fill up."
"Quick question: if you pushed a fourth year down from here, would they be alright?"
"I''d imagine so-" She responded absentmindedly before snapping up at him. "I feel I shouldn''t need to say this. Out of an abundance of caution, do not push students from balconies."
"Nothing like that." He put some strength in his arm and vaulted over the railing. Propelling himself past the walkway below and towards a small park area adjacent to it. The wind buffeting him did wonders in drowning out the reprimand Alice had undoubtedly begun.
Lily had the right idea on that. Their room was on the fifth floor, and navigating the halls and staircases wasn''t worth the hassle when it had a convenient door leading directly outside.
A slight bit of his own wind cushioned his landing, and he started walking towards where the faculty buildings lay. He''d needed to consult his map briefly but eventually located the right building.
He didn''t bear it much thought and climbed the small number of stone steps before entering and locating a directory. His eyes searched the board until he found his homeroom teacher. Said teacher''s door was closed, but there was a mailbox by it, so he just slipped his selection in it and called it a job well done.
After his delivery, Cal had a quiet breakfast, which was a welcome reprieve. Sadly, that was soon to end. Or it was supposed to have.
He sat on a bench and tapped his foot impatiently; the other party was meant to be here already. As if waiting for that cue, he spotted a disheveled Ryan dashing down the path.
"Sorry," Ryan said between breaths after coming to a stop in front of Cal. "Overslept and all." He plopped down beside him. "Speaking of sleep. I bet you didn''t get much either last night."
Cal tensed. There was no way he should know that.
"Got it in one, didn''t I?" Ryan gloated. "You know you really should be more careful about getting caught."
What was he talking about? Cal hadn''t even begun to do anything suspicious, aside from dying a couple of times. If he did know something...
"Man, you got a scary look on your face." Ryan was remarkably calm for someone so close to death. "But seriously, nice job. Not sure how you did it but that''s some quick work."
"What the hells are you talking about?" he asked, a silly grin forming on Ryan''s face.
It grew as Ryan fished out his phone and displayed its screen to him. "You know there are better spots on campus for that sort of thing; if you ever need some tips, just give me a shout and I''ll give you a few. I''ll have to keep the best for myself, you understand."
On the screen, someone had captured the image of a boy and girl stopped in the middle of a path. Their bodies inches apart, the girl staring intensely up into the boy''s eyes. The blue sky and flowers in the background framed the picture. Credit to the photographer; even knowing that she was threatening him there, it looked like a romantic postcard.
Cal gave a low groan. "That''s not what it looks like; where did you even get that?"
On the bright side, he didn''t have to figure out how to silence the kid. He was joking about hurting him but threatening or disappearing him for a while were on the table.
Ryan gave a laugh. "Sure, buddy, whatever you say and the forums, of course. Where else?" Getting up, he stretched a bit. "Anyways, let''s get a move on. I promised a tour, and there''s lots to see."
"You got that right," Cal agreed. "Why don''t we start with the server rooms?"
No one would complain if he yanked a bunch of cables out, would they?
"The what rooms?" Ryan asked with a tilt of his head.
"Never mind then." Cal brushed it off, forgetting how new this all was to them. "Let''s just get a move on."
What followed was surprisingly informative. Ryan knew the campus well, which should be a given as he''d essentially lived on it for several years. They hadn''t had the chance to see everything, but a good portion had been covered. The stables were of particular interest, but students were barred from the area unless they rented a stall or were enrolled in a corresponding course.
Shame none of those were available; he''d tried his hand at taming before and was met with poor results.
Throughout the tour, he began to see a pattern in the quality of the buildings his classes had been in. There was a wide range of different styles and sizes, but his were undoubtedly on the poor side. He''d tried subtly asking about that, and the response was simple. Better classes in better buildings.
Duh.
Which meant he''d inadvertently set up his schedule in some of the most likely places for a ritual to occur. Did Millie''s genius finally rub off on him? If so, it was about time.
As they passed the registration building, he took the opportunity to ask the question he''d been holding onto all morning.
"What do you know about that place?" He pointed to the ominous structure of black stone.
"Registration?" Ryan shook his head a little. "Not much, just that it''s one of the oldest buildings on campus."
"What about the guy that works there?" Cal pressed further.
"Guy?" Ryan turned to him with his brow slightly furrowed. "What do you mean by that? Lots of people work there."
"You sure about that?" It was Cal''s turn to be confused. "There was only one creepy guy working when I went before."
"It''s been a few years since I was in there. Aside from setting up the covenant, there''s no reason to go there." Ryan responded distractedly while checking his phone "But from what I remember, there were a bunch of staff members handing it. They might have scaled down since then. Or since you were the only transitional year student, they banked on none of the new Seniors coming in early and that guy happened to get the short straw?"
"That''s probably it then," Cal nodded on the surface. "You said we were meeting the others for lunch?"
"Yep, just finished texting them." Ryan seemed shaken when Cal had admitted to only having eaten at the central dining hall. "They''ll meet us there so let''s not make them wait."
Cal wasn''t thrilled about meeting all of them again, but it would be nice to have a couple more options for eating.
Lunch was marginally better than the central dining hall. It was also on the other side of campus compared to his dorm. Since it was located near two of his classes, he predicted he''d visit again. The conversations with the group, which consisted of the addition of Jessica and Anne, were light.
Gregor was notably absent. No one commented on it.
He had to put up with a bit of teasing about that picture, and Jessica had to stop Anne, who wanted far more details than existed; aside from that, it was pleasant enough.
They split up afterward. He hadn''t asked the girls about the registration building, but that didn''t mean he was stopping his hunt. Quite the opposite, his steps carried him into one of the largest repertoires of knowledge on the continent.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
So the Empire claims.
Standing in the center of the building, Cal felt they might not be full of hot air on this. It was suitably massive and in the shape of a pentagon. The shape was popular for ritual magic in general, so it wasn''t too alarming; he made a note to check the basement anyway.
The floor was dominated by all sorts of tables and a large round desk staffed in the center. He approached the desk, looking up as he did. Open space stretched up, straight to the roof. He spotted several students milling about in the above balconies. There must have been twenty floors at least.
Reaching the desk, he waited patiently for the attendant to acknowledge him. A quick conversation later, and he was directed towards floor seven, section three. The home of books dedicated to the history of the Academy.
After ascending the floors, he stood in front of the section with crossed arms. That was a lot of books. Too many. Without a registry, he''d have to sort through it somehow.
Haphazardly, he started scanning the shelf close to him. Pulling out anything of interest and skimming through the pages.
In its simplest form, mental Augmentation lets you react to things on instinct. Taken to the next level, more possibilities were opened. It didn''t make him any smarter, and the improvement to his long-term memory was negligible.
If it had done either, he wouldn''t have failed the test so badly.
The real advantage was being able to fully process something in a fraction of the time.
Not learn, process.
He wouldn''t become an expert in biology by flipping through some textbooks, but as long as the text didn''t contain any new concepts or difficult terminology, he could summarize most things. For a time at least, the knowledge tended to slip away unless he continuously repeated the process.
Very useful for cramming and searching keywords.
His own off-brand version of Ctrl F.
Time passed as he went through volume after volume. Occasionally, he would slow down as he came across a promising lead, but they ended in disappointment.
There were no definite answers, and what answers they did give often conflicted with their peers. He hadn''t kept track of what number book he was on when a voice interrupted him.
"Explain." A young woman spoke in a disapproving tone while staring at a book of her own. She was seated at a table near him that he''d failed to notice.
He did a quick scan on himself, finding nothing amiss. He must have been more out of it than originally thought.
Seeing her attention still off him, he pointed at himself cautiously. "You talking to me?"
"Yes," came her single-word reply.
It was a recognizable action, and he felt silly for not realizing earlier that this was the same girl who''d led him to the written test. Well, he was bad with faces, and hers especially looked forgettable. With her oval face and matching brown hair and eyes, she wasn''t unattractive; rather, it seemed she lacked the flair or presence other students tended to have.
He placed his recently finished book back where he found it before grabbing another.
"Research," he responded in a similar manner.
"Stop," she said while methodically turning a page.
"Don''t think I will," he said flippantly. Skimming the newly held book and finding nothing of interest. He placed it back and walked a couple of steps down before finding another to check.
"You''re being disrespectful," her voice rose the slightest bit. It was also the most amount of words he''d heard her string together, so he must have been properly getting on her nerves.
He remembered his conversation with Lily. This girl''s uniform looked as standard as his. Two things stood out, the silver hair clip holding part of her short hair and a small, dull round pin on her collar. So no, she didn''t look important.
"Not sure what your issue is. I''m being pretty quiet about it." He pointed out to the balcony where he could see students laughing on the other side. "Not like those clowns."
"Writers." He was about to ask for a follow-up when her mouth opened again. He noticed her clutch her chest for a second. "It''s their work you''re treating carelessly."
So that''s what she''s on about.
"They''re all long dead from what I see, but don''t worry, I''ll apologize when I see them." The hold on her current page tightened, but he continued before she could retort. "Besides, none of them have what I''m looking for."
"Elaborate."
He considered her request. Advertising his interest wasn''t his intent, but he''d take the risk if it meant finding what he was looking for. "I''m looking for records on the registration building."
"Several of the books you discarded hold related information," she said slowly as if holding something back. "A Modest Record by Gustavo Cevlar was in your hands not ten minutes ago."
"Modest?" He wasn''t reserved with his feedback. "It was an autobiography in anything but name and only makes a passing reference to the building to say its construction materials match those of the walls. Which anyone with eyes could tell, but the man makes out to be a major discovery. Total braggart."
For the first time, she looked up from the book at him. The hint of irritation on her face slowly faded, replaced by something he couldn''t place.
"Anthology of the Founders," she spoke as a teacher proctoring an oral exam.
"Snippets of pretentious assholes. One of them talks about the Academy being the greatest love letter, which references the belief it was founded by the god Amir to court the goddess Inis." He placed the book he still held back on the shelf, "but that''s contradicted in the same book by saying the fifth emperor founded it in an effort to strengthen the Empire''s bonds."
"Why the focus on this?"
"Curiosity." He walked over, leaning over one of the chairs opposite her. "I registered earlier this week and the whole thing creeped me out."
She placed a ribbon in her book and closed it, keeping her gaze on him. He took the silent cue to continue.
"You can''t tell me it''s not a little bit weird. Big old room with a single desk and blind-looking man staffing it."
She hummed a little. The edges of her lips upturned. He felt like there was a joke he wasn''t in on.
"The books you read. Have you read their references?" He shook his head in response to her question. "That is where your folly lies. If you had, you''d notice a pattern of historians accrediting the same primary source. A living source."
He went through a range of books. The newest were from the previous century, while the oldest were not of this millennium.
He made a jump in logic.
"Are you saying what I think you''re saying?" His eyes widened at her nod. "I thought there might be some hidden around the world. To think a Spirit would be here."
Spirits were relics of the Age of Gods. Forces of nature who were supposed to be wiped out during the Fall.
"Curious that you assume so readily its identity."
"We''re talking about something that could live for millennia. There are only three things that came to mind immediately. It acted too freely to be an automaton and didn''t-" He was about to admit it hadn''t felt like a demon. "The Academy wouldn''t allow a demon in its walls."
He recalled an appropriate quote. "Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth."
"Wise words." She closed her eyes with a content look. "It is a Spirit. A mischievous one at that. Most who go through registration spot no irregularities, but occasionally it decides to show its true form to a student. Similarly, it has given different accounts of its origins and that of the Academy. Some speculated it may be senile given its age, but we don''t have any others of its kind to compare against."
"Well, that''s not at all worrying," he said dryly. The concept of a highly powerful and forgetful being in charge of the wards that could determine the life and death of everyone on campus was unsettling.
"It pulled the same trick on me." That made him feel better, so he hadn''t been singled out. "I thought myself mad for a little before discovering the truth of the matter. I''ve been able to speak to it since then, and it has been lucid."
"Good to hear. I think. In any case, that''s what was bothering me so thanks¡" He let it hang a second before realizing he couldn''t recall her name.
Embarrassing since he was pretty sure he heard it a couple of days ago. He gave the chair he leaned against a tap before leaving, pretending that''s how he meant to end the conversation.
A Spirit huh? That narrowed his options. He gravitated towards one he was very good at.
He faintly heard "Mia" muttered before he reached the staircase.
Chapter 13
Cal retired to ''bed'' early and watched as the sun dipped behind the horizon. He waited longer until the sounds of campus had died down to a faint murmur. He checked the scarf secured around his face one more time and then opened the window and leaped into the night sky.
He wore the standard uniform with all unique features covered. Precautions were important, even when he didn''t expect to need them.
Cal was fast. Very fast. Critically, he was efficient. Strengthened with this much Augmentation, only the barest amount of excess magic leaked out of him. Someone had once commented he''d make a fine assassin; he couldn''t disagree. A light touch of sound magic, the more advanced cousin of wind magic, to dampen his step didn''t hurt either.
He traveled from building top to building top and it wasn''t long before he landed on the black steps. He double-checked his shell, straightened his back, and walked in.
The inside was pitch black. It might have been unnerving if he hadn''t experienced much worse. He counted fifty steps until the surroundings lit up with torches and the raspy voice sounded behind him.
"What a shame." The same emaciated being greeted him. This time standing, the only structures in sight being the columns. "Here we were fine-tuning the wards, ready to play a nice game of cat and mouse, and then you just scampered straight into our den. Not very fun of you."
His hand had been a little forced here. He could admit that he didn''t need much convincing, but there was a legitimate reason for forcing a frontal confrontation so soon. The effects of the wards themselves were negligible to him; between absorbing the ambient magic and his natural regeneration, he easily covered the ticket back.
The real threat was getting outed. Wards, the good ones, provided feedback. Cal had no way of knowing what type of information these were giving back but felt there was a fair bet they''d report if they''d offed someone connected with a covenant. If that was the case, it was a matter of time before an investigation was started and his identity was put under scrutiny. Between waiting around for that to happen and confronting the force of nature that''d overseen the covenant''s creation?
Easy choice.
"Now," the figure addressed him again. "Any last words, little mouse?"
"I''m not here to fight." He tried to replicate the authority he''d seen the first seat speak with. "Spirit."
He may be prepared to fight; however, he''d rather not. The power of Spirits varied quite a bit, whether that was due to differences in strength or bad records Cal didn''t know. Fitting that he''d confidently declare the covenant wouldn''t hold and then run into something literally out of legend.
"Spirit?" The figure gave a grating laugh that ended in a snarl. "That''s a gross simplification. However, you''re right about one thing. You are not here to fight. You are here to die."
At the decree, Cal locked his muscles. A switch was flipped, and he found himself back in the void. He was alive a moment later, taking a small step forward to stop his body''s downward trajectory.
"That''s not going to work." He spoke in a relaxed manner, attempting to give the illusion nothing had happened.
"Huh, we could have sworn..." Cal died again, missing part of what it said.
"Are you going to make me go over there?" Cal said after taking another step. It''d be very embarrassing to have his corpse face-planted in his absence.
"To think you''d be able to not only resist that but also send a false positive." The figure scratched its chin. "We should have them cut you open after; who knows what we''ll find."
A wave of pure magic crashed against him. It was trying to use the raw pressure to pop him like a balloon. His shell was hastily remade, having been dissipated on his death. At first contact, it strained under the pressure. As time ticked by and more of his magic was fed to it, the pressure waned.
"I''m not your enemy," Cal kept his temper in check as he raised his voice. "I was sent by the royal family on a covert mission involving the well-being of the academy."
He left out his actual affiliation, unsure how the Spirit would react.
"Got a royal order?" The figure didn''t wait for him to respond as more magic assaulted him. "Trick question; if you did, we''d sense it."
He was better prepared this time, the wave washing over him to no effect.
"It''s covert; they believe members of-" His voice died as he did. He rushed back, barely making it in time to regain control of his shell before it collapsed completely. "The Academy might be involved. They don''t want to risk tipping anyone off." He finished, hoping it came off as casual.
If the other party thought him as such, he didn''t have to actually be invincible.
The figure frowned, the traces of curiosity it held fading. The magic permeating the temple spiked at once.
"It''s pointless." Cal matched the frown, feeling the strain once more. This thing didn''t seem to be interested in listening to reason.
The magic beset him on all sides. There was no avoiding it, and he became acutely aware that he wasn''t fighting the figure in front of him. That was only a puppet; he was fighting the building itself.
Fuck it. He tried being diplomatic. Now it was time to be diplomatic.
He loosened the faucet, and magic flooded through him, shoring up his shell to face the incoming tide.
It must have sensed his increased defense as the attack was bolstered at the final second before contact.
He widened the connection. Feeding all the magic to his shell, making it overflow and form a shroud that got denser by the second. Its rate of growth outstripped whatever was bled off as he fended off the ongoing assault.
The pressure subsided. Did it want to talk now? Too bad. He wasn''t interested in anything else besides growing the shroud surrounding himself. At its core, this had gone beyond a defensive move; it was a statement.
A threat. Because at any moment he could use the magic in his shell to fuel some form of counterattack. A tingle went up his spine; it was reminiscent of the sensation he encountered right before the wards killed him. Had he blocked the proverbial back door somehow? Questions for later.
Fire erupted around him, trying to swallow him whole. It seems the Spirit had decided to try a new avenue of approach. It made no difference. None of the flames reached him. Nor did the wind, water, or ice that came after. Element after element was manifested to no apparent effect.
It wasn''t without cost. Each attack chipped away at him, and his heart ached at the losses he was accruing. Strangely, it was draining less than expected. He didn''t dwell on it. Couldn''t afford to right now. The magic demanded his full attention.
"Foolish mortal." The figure dissolved into smoke. Shedding his fake material form. "You struggle before forces you cannot comprehend." The voice came from all around and caused the surroundings to shudder.
Cal didn''t need any special senses to see how much magic the Spirit had begun to stockpile; it was a visceral feeling. One that promised certain doom.
So this was a Spirit? A primordial force of nature, some of them crafted by the gods themselves.
There''d be no corner-cutting here.
He fully opened the connection. Seizing every ounce of power that came through, making it his own.
Commanding it.
It was such a liberating feeling. Rare were the times he''d let himself revel in his ability to this extent.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
"Last I checked." His own voice reverberated, making the previous one seem like a whimper. "All your lot died."
The exchange of words ceased as both sides competed in a race to gather enough power for the next blow.
It never came to pass.
The ground fractured first, unable to withstand the burden. The columns started to follow as cracks spread on their forms.
"ENOUGH" The voice cried out columns fully splintered, collapsing.
His magic continued to grow, bucking at his control. It brushed against the Spirits''. At their meeting, reality itself seemed to struggle to prevent being torn asunder.
"What?" Call laughed, his arms spread wide. "We''re just getting started! You wanted a fight, right? Well, let''s see who''s still standing at the end of it!"
He would be. There was no doubt in his mind. This thing was a relic. It didn''t belong in this age. He''d allow it to join its brethren in the annals of history and level the damn building. And why stop there? Next, he''d go ahead and tear down those eye sores they call walls. No one would stop him; no one could. If any got in his way, he''d jus-
"ENOUGH"
Cal staggered back, and for a split second, he felt his secrets bare to the world, some unknown force knocking into him. His brow was sleek with sweat, hands shaking slightly. With great urgency, he reined in the poison he''d coated himself with and shunted it back to where it came.
He steadied himself as the magic disappeared. Flexing his hands, he then stretched his arms behind his back. Loosening up while noting he''d not received any injuries.
Damn it. He swore, frustrated. He''d let the magic wield him and not the other way around. It didn''t make sense to him; he''d used more before.
However, ''Washed'' or not, that amount wasn''t anything to play with. Perhaps he''d let himself get carried away.
There would be time to chastise himself later. For now, he needed to salvage what was left of this situation. He mentally shook himself off.
"So," he announced to the shattered room, "Ready to talk?"
Cal was. Not wanting to risk an accident.
Smoke crawled across the ground, coalescing into the figure.
"Have you the faintest idea how long it''s going to take to fix all of this?" It swept its arm across the room, dust and debris still settling. "We have some of you mortals scheduled first thing in the morning!"
"That''s on you." Cal had no guilt; he hadn''t been the one to start it. "Next time don''t try to get in a pissing contest with me."
The figure gave a low growl, and Cal prepared for round 2 until a disgusting smile broke out on its face. It slowly raised a skeletal arm and snapped its bony figures.
Movement kicked up all around him. None of it was aimed at him, so he held back his response. He watched the room repair itself at speed, like time itself was reversing.
Once again, his instincts were spot on. This thing was dangerous. After that whole show, it casually threw around power. Looking no worse for wear.
Even so, Cal hadn''t been the one to blink. The advantage was with him.
"Neat trick," he commented, placing his hands in his pockets. "First things first, do we need to worry about anyone interrupting us?"
He didn''t think the Spirit would have called for help. Their kind were famously arrogant. But the magic thrown around was enough to wake up a neighborhood or two.
"What do you take us for?" It dismissed his worry, sounding offended. "Nothing leaked out; they''re all sleeping like babies they are."
"Good." He''d have to take what it said at face value for now. "Where do we stand then?"
A table and pair of chairs materialized. The figure took one before pointing at the other. Cal sat without laughing at the joke.
""Eh. It stuck out both hands, palms up. It mimed weighing something. One hand was raised above the other. "We believe you."
"That easy?" Cal asked skeptically; it was a fairly stark shift.
"If someone like you wanted to harm the school, you wouldn''t need to sneak around."
That was exactly the point Cal had meant to make. He slumped a little in his seat, feeling like some of the wind had been taken from his sails but also relieved he''d not have to actually kill this thing.
"What''s with the long face? You know we''ve been alive longer than most countries? How could you not expect us to pick up on that?" Said like that, it did seem rather obvious. "So now that we''re on the same side and all, what''s the mission you''re on?"
"It''s sensitive." Cal might be banking too much on his spotty knowledge of Spirits, but they were said to be tied to physical locations, and were known to vigorously defend them. It may have been the biggest factor contributing to their demise. "For clarification, you''re tied to this temple, and the wards are under your discretion?"
He found it a tad ironic that if it had been a human at the helm of the wards, he would have run to Olivia, asking what the hells to do. Maybe he should have done that anyway.
They said it was better to ask for forgiveness than permission. ''They'' failed to consider the superior option of never reporting it to begin with.
It started a laugh that ended in a coughing fit. It slammed its chest a few times.
"Heart is not as good as it used to be; don''t get old, kiddo." Cal doubted it had a heart, so he took that as more shenanigans. "We''re not ''tied'' to anything. We ARE the Academy. Officially, members of the faculty monitor the wards. Unofficially, they see whatever we want. We kept the past day''s results to ourselves, hoping for some entertainment."
There were some implications to that statement Cal might have failed to grasp.
"Do you have any obligation to share any information with the faculty?"
"Psh," it waved off his concern. "We mostly get free rein to do as I please. So get on with it already."
Cal drummed his fingers on the table in thought. It might be because of its nature as a Spirit or how its attitude reminded him of Mask, but he decided to trust it. Stuck in a foreign land, he needed allies. The tour had highlighted this; there was too much ground to cover by his lonesome. It didn''t hurt that the school itself probably had a vested interest in staying demon-free.
"I don''t have as clear a picture as I''d like." Cal began, "What I do know is that there are rumors of a Grand Demon summoning swirling about and they were credible enough for them to dispatch me. It''s on a strict need-to-know basis because students and or faculty members might be involved."
"Impossible," it stated in a tone that brokered no argument. "You think they keep us around for our personality? The entire campus is covered in wards. Wards we crafted ourselves. Some of which specifically target contamination from that realm."
"That''s a relief." Wild goose chase or not, he''d rather the brass be messing with him than there be a credible threat. "You''re certain though, right?" He asked for his piece of mind.
The figure raised a finger and opened his mouth. No sound came out, and it frowned as it lowered the hand. "We''ll be honest; if you asked us earlier today, then we''d be 100% sure. Recent events." It waved a hand in his direction, "make us want to say no. Your lot can be clever when you want to be...tell you what. It''s been a while, so we''ll rewrite some of them. We don''t get overtime, but it beats cleaning all the corpses we''d have to deal with afterward."
"That''s a good start." Cal pulled out a crude map he''d drawn of campus, several locations circled "How much influence do you have on the Academy itself? Can you monitor certain locations?"
"We told you we ARE the Academy. And sort of." He waved a hand back and forth. "We''re not omnipotent, but we can pay some places special attention." It looked at the contents of the map. "That''s doable...though we hope you''re not looking to become a cartographer."
It rotated its shoulder, a loud crack resounding.
"We should warn you. We are limited in proactive measures. We can change those wards but if they still find a way past them, we can''t directly interfere with current faculty or students."
Such a restriction was problematic. It did mean there would be a reason for Cal''s continued involvement; he''d started to feel irrelevant with the reveal of the Spirit''s capabilities. Capabilities that seemed pretty broad, Cal wondered why the Royal Family had not informed it of the potential threat. Did they not trust its personality and possible status as senile? Was this another mark in the ''there''s no demon summoning theory'', or was there another angle he wasn''t seeing? He could be making a massive blunder here.
He sighed; his gut had led him to this path. He''d follow it for now.
Something else still nagged at him. "I''m a student. Didn''t you just try to kill me?"
"You violated the covenant...somehow." It scratched its bald scalp. "You really should be dead."
"On that, can you fuck off with that? It''s not a pleasant experience."
"Hmm? So it did do something?"
Cal gave it an unimpressive stare, and the area was silent before it spoke again.
"Remember how we said mostly? The covenant is not one of the things we can play around with. That includes removing it prematurely." Cal made to argue. "We can see what you''re about to say, but fiddling around with that stuff is a bad idea. Besides, we can put it to use. We can''t touch it directly, nor can we deactivate the ward it''s attached to. However, we can activate it whenever we want; it seems to be a good enough way to tell you something is wrong."
"Fine." He begrudgingly agreed; it wasn''t a horrible idea. The cost was negligible and the only real damage was his pride. "What about the city?"
"What about it? They can handle themselves." It snapped back. "What''s the new saying? Give a human an inch, and they''ll take a mile?"
"We''re talking about millions of people here," Cal stressed
"And?" The cavalier response was another reminder that he wasn''t dealing with a human. "You all die quick anyways."
"Like it or not, the city and Academy are linked; whatever happens in one will spill over."
"We know that," it grumbled. "It''s a pain; the city is a lot bigger than it used to be. We can''t cover the entirety of the ungrateful thing."
Cal stared hard at the Spirit''s milky eyes. "You''re going to do your best."
Several beats passed.
"We''re not giving any guarantees," the Spirit relented. "But we''ll try."
That would have to be enough.
"I think we''re all set then," Cal got up. "I should head back unless there''s anything else."
"Shoo shoo." The table and chair disappeared. "Before you give us any more work."
Cal nodded and exited the building.
Things had gotten rocky at some points, but overall he achieved the best outcome out of that. As he finally made it back to his room, one thought stuck with him.
Did this make him a school bully?
Chapter 14
The trolley rumbled along the track. The view of one side''s windows was dominated by the black wall, while the other showed the same urban sea Cal had seen on his arrival.
A slight jerk indicated a change in direction, and the wall faded from view as the vehicle traveled into the city.
It was now the weekend, and Cal, along with his two companions, were taking a trip to the city. True to Alice''s word, there had been another option than walking all those steps.
At the western end of the Academy lay the station that was responsible for most of the movement to and fro the city. The cart sported two rows of booth seats on either side, with a narrow alley to walk by. The booths were made of dark wood, and the seats a red leather, a familiar motif. It wasn''t the best use of space, even if the group had plenty at the moment.
The Junior year students were not allowed to travel without a guardian, so that limited the number of current customers. That would change on the return when it carried all the Senior students moving back into the dorms this weekend.
That would be a future hurdle; for now, he needed to survive the next couple of hours. He tuned out the chatter beside him, focusing on the city instead.
It passed quickly underneath them as they continued their descent. The engine that pushed them was silent, allowing the life of the city to reach his ears.
Horns, laughter, and yelling all mixed in a confusing melody.
He sat with his legs crossed, a raised foot bobbing up and down.
A bird flew past the window. Cal wished he could join it¡ªto just fly around carefree all day.
Reflecting on his encounter, he''d realized his actual mistake.
Magic shells were considered the bridge between the two branches of magic. The middle ground of using it internally or externally. It follows that common practice was to use it as a sort of way station for the magic leaving your body before using it for manifestation.
Common practice did not account for the sheer quantity of magic his shell had contained.
Even so, that hadn''t been the problem. It was that controlling it required the entirety of his concentration. So much so that he hadn''t noticed one of his better skills biting him in the ass.
Cal had always been a miser, and if an opponent was going to sloppily throw good magic at him, he''d gladly wrestle control of it. It was so drilled into him at this point that no input was required, simply second nature.
The Spirit, for all its power, had surprisingly piss-poor control of the magic it wielded.
Cal had stolen a lot. More than he should have.
It intermingled with his already overflowing shell, and the results were predictable.
He was thankful the Spirit had managed to knock him out of it. Otherwise, he was liable to grant the Board''s wish in record time. How it accomplished that was a mystery. It didn''t feel like any magic he''d ever encountered. Perhaps it was something unique to Spirits?
He hoped not to come to blows with it again, but it was something to watch out for going forward.
Lost in his thoughts, he nearly missed their arrival. Following his companions outside, he was met with an orderly but tightly packed crowd waiting to replace them. His group wasted no time circling around them.
As they passed through, Cal noticed display boards showing a long list of arrival and departure times. The station he was at wasn''t a hub; it was simply the one dedicated to serving the Academy''s needs. If he ever needed to travel elsewhere, he''d have to connect to the main station and go from there. He didn''t imagine he''d be using it for city travel, but in the event he had to travel outside for some reason, it''d be useful to know.
They left the congested station, coming out into the light. He was greeted by a large square buzzing with activity. At the side was a large line of automobiles disembarking passengers. The rest of the area held pedestrians who walked in all directions with wide steps, destinations in mind. The borders of the square had shops of various kinds. Eateries, clothing, souvenirs, there wasn''t a consistent theme Cal could pin down. At the center, a shining statue of gold stood prominently. The subject had a palm raised to the sky, a lit flame flickering.
Its face enraptured Cal. It wasn''t the features; they didn''t look too different from other statues he''d seen in the past. Despite this, there was a certain feeling the artist had managed to convey; the figure looked forlorn but resolute. Tearing his eyes away, they drifted down towards the plaque on the pedestal. From this distance, he could tell it had been a later addition.
Fingers snapped in front of his face. "Helloooo, anyone home in there." Lily nudged Alice. "You really dug him out from the boonies, didn''t ya?"
"Enough teasing, Lily." Alice moved past both of them and set off in a certain direction. "Come, we have much to do."
Cal spared another glance at the statue and then felt a tug on his sleeve as Lily pulled him to catch up to Alice.
"If you''re that curious, it''s the twenty-first Emperor. He rose to power during the Fall and was responsible for the defense of the city."
He yanked his arm free and shot her an annoyed look.
"What?" She batted her eyes at him as they continued to walk. "Afraid more pictures will leak on the forums? Oh, whatever will we do?" She said in a dramatic tone, holding the back of her hand to her forehead.
"In my defense." Cal grumbled to show his irritation "You both put out a PR statement for the last time something like that happened."
"This and that are different," Lily said matter of factly "Something as small as a picture could be easily taken out of context or faked."
Sure, he just expected them to blow it out of proportion like the last one.
"Lily is not entirely wrong. We were responding to the public display and not the pictures themselves." Alice contributed now that they walked in one group "I do appreciate the prudence in notifying me."
He''d regretted doing so, given how insufferable Lily had been since.
The street they now traveled was unexpected. Given the age of the city, small windy roads wouldn''t be out of place. Instead, it was plenty wide and mostly straight. Well-kept polished stone made the path, and street lamps hung in front of the storefronts they passed.
It didn''t smell either. At least it didn''t reek of human excrement and garbage. For a city of this size, that spoke of a complex sewer system and trash collection service.
He didn''t care about the latter; however, the former added to the potential of a subterranean level. He already suspected the presence of a vast one; these types of cities tended to be built on the remains of the old. Do that for a few generations, and suddenly there could be a vast network of tunnels and structures with no one the wiser. A perfect breeding ground for cultists and other Ne''er-do-wells.
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He put the thought of those ilks out of his mind for now, looking at the people up here instead.
They matched the space. All were properly groomed and dressed. A pair of uniformed soldiers moved to the side as they passed, offering his group a respectful nod.
The pair were not alone in that; nobody was gawking at them, but there was an invisible bubble that all the other pedestrians avoided. He was accustomed to similar actions; only here it didn''t seem to be entirely motivated by fear.
They weren''t in their Academy uniforms, so Cal wondered how they''d been identified as nobles in the first place. He didn''t think their clothes were that different from the others; maybe they all had some sort of sixth sense about it.
Alice and Lily turned into one of the shops. He hesitated but ultimately entered. There would be time later to slip away.
The only other occupants were the mannequins adorned in different styles; conspicuously, there was a lack of clothing racks for a store that supposedly sold them.
"Lady Ardere and Lady Arcutien." A woman walked out from the back. Her purple hair had streaks of grey and was put into a bob, various pin needles sticking out of it. She was dressed in a patchwork robe. Rather than look shoddy, the robe somehow gave a sense of elegance. "I''m honored you''ve chosen to patronize my establishment once more." Her eyes turned to him and he shifted uncomfortably. "And Mr. Ardere, a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Miss Plusier and will be taking care of you today." She finished with a curtsy.
Cal turned around, ready to walk out, only to find Lily already in his path with crossed arms and a smirk laced with ill intent.
"Please forgive my brother''s behavior." Alice''s voice was heard behind him. "He is still adjusting to the intricacies of nobility."
Reluctantly, Cal turned around to see Miss. Plusier was still examining him.
"Not to worry." She said with a slightly strained smile "The Lady of House Ardere has told me all I need to know." She clapped and hangers flew out from the back room carrying articles of clothing. "Let''s get started. Shall we?"
The hells were an odd place. He''d had the misfortune of visiting once, and while he couldn''t put a finger on what was wrong, it was evident something was. If he had to describe it, he''d say it was a feeling of up being down, down being left.
The disorientation wasn''t helped by the vindictive and malicious company. Then there were the demons, who, as a rule, were extremely territorial, generally unpleasant, and took offense to their very being. If that wasn''t enough, he''d even had to do some babysitting.
3/10 worst vacation he''d ever gone on.
By the twelfth outfit he was thrust into, he''d started to look back on it fondly. At least when someone tried to stab him, he returned the favor. And Miss Plusier WAS trying to stab him. No matter how much Lily called him a baby, there was no reason that much force needed to be used on those needles.
His suffering was not in vain, as he did walk out with a new wardrobe. It was Claire being generous again, under the guise of it not being appropriate for a member of House Ardere to have such a limited clothing selection. He was under the impression the trunks they''d sent with him here were enough, but as he was learning, nobles had dubious standards.
Once he was sorted, he''d naively believed they to be done. He''d forgotten about his companions who underwent the same treatment, albeit with much less stabbing and complaints.
Small mercies, they didn''t ask for his opinion on anything. At one point he attempted to sneak out but found the lock wouldn''t budge. He opted to sit in a corner and wait rather than commit property damage. There had been enough of that lately.
With time, he was finally released back into the city, and they had lunch in a private room. For being a house in dire straights, the family threw money around easily enough. How much was thrown was difficult to determine, as he''d never seen or heard prices being discussed. Not that knowing that would help much when he didn''t have any scale for how much things were worth in this country. You''d think that would be included in the primer.
Lunch proved to be only an intermission; once concluded, they were back at it, though the focus had shifted entirely to the girls'' shopping needs. He used the word needs generously.
Cal was dragged from shop to shop. With no understanding of why they bothered to keep him around. He wasn''t even a bag mule; all of their purchases were getting shipped to the dorms directly.
He tried to entertain himself by looking for a souvenir. The list of people he was willing to get one for was small. From there, one person was clearly more deserving than the rest. He wouldn''t go as far as to say Gerald and he were friends. They were cordial with one another, and while that was better than he could say of most. It wasn''t enough to go out of his way for the man. What did earn him the consideration was his job. In Cal''s personal opinion, it was the hardest job in the whole of the Federation. Being Millie''s handler. Of course, who handled who was a fiercely debated topic.
Cal didn''t know what the man liked, which was a bit of a roadblock. Currently, he was leaning towards getting him a bunch of coffee beans. Sadly, the stores they visited didn''t cater to that, most of them being some form of accessory or beauty product establishment. He toyed with the idea of getting some concealer to hide the dark circles that seemed a permanent feature on Gerald''s face. It might get Millie to stop calling the poor man Panda. Unfortunately, he didn''t know the dude''s natural skin color that well.
His search helped but did not negate the mind-numbing boredom that comes with shopping. Silver linings, the trip did have the unexpected benefit of acclimatizing him to this ''new'' environment. It had been a long time since he''d been in such an active and dense urban environment; the Academy itself was the busiest place he''d been this life, but it was mitigated by half the student body having yet to arrive. Still, more than once he regretted leaving his phone behind; browsing the forums would have given him a better way to pass the time.
Funnily, that ended up being the reason he noticed the shift that occurred when Lily tapped Alice on the shoulder and nodded her head in a certain direction. Alice stiffened and Cal followed their gazes towards a pair of young men traversing their direction. They were easy to spot, given the uniforms they wore. The one in the lead had neatly combed dark blue hair and walked with sure steps. He had similar trappings as Alice and Lily. The other''s uniform matched closer to Cal''s. His head covered with a mop of gray hair bobbed up and down as he struggled to keep up with the other boy. His hands wildly moved as he tried to convey something.
He noticed the temperature start to rise. Lily grabbed them both by the wrist, using her strength to haul them down a side street.
He let it happen, somewhat curious as to what could provoke such a reaction from Alice.
Other than himself.
Lily led them both down several streets until they crossed a dessert storefront. Wordlessly, she released them and bolted inside, soon returning with both hands occupied. She held one out to Alice, who took its offering, tearing into it. A startling sight for someone so concerned with her image. Lily was about to bite into her own before remembering his existence and broke hers in half, offering one side to him. He received it without comment, biting into it. It was good, some type of meringues. They ate in silence.
He read the mood and decided to break it.
"So anyone going to explain what that was about?" He asked while wiping the remains of his dessert on his jacket.
Alice''s eyes narrowed at his action, but Lily was the one to respond.
"A spineless worm and leach." She gave an unlady-like snort. "While I''d love for nothing more for you to give them the same treatment as the prince, they fall under the ''just walk the other way'' category I told you about before."
Alice visibly bristled, the ends of her hair curling upwards. She paused, closing her eyes and taking a breath. With a sedate pace, she produced a handkerchief from somewhere and wiped her hands.
"Marcus Procellae is a respected member of the student body and nobility." Her words felt artificial, recited. "Less can be said about his companion." The handkerchief was lit in an instant, and its ashes were carried away by the wind. "Lily is correct; it''s best to avoid them as we''ve done."
Procellae, that was the duke family that had frozen the Ardere out, wasn''t it? If so, her reaction made sense.
"I fear the day has soured and we''ve already accomplished our task." Alice spoke, her voice still carrying some edge to it. "Let us return then; we cannot be certain how long the wait for a place on the transport will take."
Lily placed a hand on her friend''s shoulder and gave a short squeeze. They both turned towards the direction of the Academy.
"You two go ahead." Cal had other plans. "I''m going to do some exploring on my own."
"I think not." Alice''s hair whipped out as she faced him. "Mother would be furious if she found I left you unattended in the city."
"About that." He had humored them enough today. "I don''t care."
He exploded in a burst of speed, greater than he used against her before but not to the extent he''d used against the prince. As he pulled away, he saw Lily''s eyes track him. She made no move to stop him.
He traveled along the rooftops. Taking care not to damage any of them. No cries in the distance; they must have not wanted to cause a scene. More of a scene, that is, the rush of wind with his departure must have caused some. Well, wind was better than relying on pure force and ripping up the road.
Now to find some Zor Melon fruit.
Chapter 15
Closer to the heart of the city, Cal dropped back down to street level via an alley. He removed his jacket and folded it inside out, carrying it in his hand. It wasn''t the same quality as the Academy''s blazer, but it wasn''t shabby.
Along the way, he''d seen the shift in the city''s architecture. The roofs changed from bright red tile to simple thatch. The walls were no longer crafted out of pristine marble but a mismatch of stone, plaster, and wood.
Stepping out of the alley, the people looked rougher as well. Not beggars by any means, but their clothing had a more weathered look, and they lacked the accessories he''d seen on the other citizens. He''d predicted as much and feared that simply removing his jacket would not be enough to avoid attention. Already he could see some of them peer in his direction. He slouched and changed his gait, his arms held lazily by his side.
He came across his first problem quickly. He could spot no street signs and lacked a map to help him. Being defeated by something so trivial wasn''t part of the plan, so he approached some vendors for directions. They weren''t very keen on helping someone with no coin, but after a couple of tries, a passerby heard his plight and gave him the needed directions along with a not-so-subtle hint that he should leave this area immediately.
It turned out he''d missed the mark by a good margin and was in the wrong part of the city. An easy mistake to make with the size of it all; he was lucky to be only off by a couple of districts.
Having wasted enough time, he sped his step again and was soon in a slightly nicer part of the city. Gone was the dreary atmosphere he''d just experienced, with people energetically greeting one another and children playing in the streets. It wasn''t as affluent as where they''d gone shopping, but Cal found himself preferring it, despite feeling like an outsider.
Further directions were more forthcoming here, a kindly grandmother pointing him the right way while offering him a cup of tea. He declined, thanking her all the same.
Cal smelled his destination before anything. It was mixed with the general smell of the city, but the undercurrent of sweetness couldn''t be missed. Quickening his pace, he finally laid eyes on the grocer he''d sought. A small building nestled between a bakery and a deli. Its green-painted facade was flaked and faded with the sun. It was busy, with customers navigating the narrow aisles and skillfully avoiding toppling the piles of produce.
He slipped in, pretending to browse the selection while eavesdropping on the storekeeper. Cal picked up a pear, inspecting it. It was pretty good quality. The same could be said for most of what he spotted.
Belatedly, he realized he''d gotten distracted and refocused on his objective. He was a short man with a small, stubborn patch of hair left on his head. Missing teeth, his rough exterior didn''t match his energetic aura as he enthusiastically caught up with one of his regulars. Cal witnessed the process repeat several more times.
"Excuse me." Cal made his move after spotting a gap in the customers approaching the counter. "I''m looking for some Zor melon fruit, I heard from a friend I could find some here?"
"Zor melon fruit, ey?" The man smiled at him, not missing a beat. "That''s difficult to come by here."
Cal dug into his memory, digging out the lines he''d memorized.
"I know. I''ve tried all over but whenever I manage to find it, the cost is way too high. My friend told me you have the best prices around."
"Hah, your friends right." He laughed and slapped the counter. "I''ve been here long, so I know all the suppliers. Tell you what, I don''t have any in stock, but I do know where some may have been sent. What''s your budget?"
"15.47." He recited the oddly specific number.
"Let''s see here." The man pulled out a ledger, sliding a finger down it. Stopping at an entry, he poked it once. "Got it." He took out a notebook, scribbled on a page, and then ripped it out.
"There''s your best bet." Cal received the page without comment.
"Oh, Haslin." A woman carrying their basket approached them. "You''re too good to everyone."
"I try my best!" Haslin grinned before turning to him again. "You best be going; that place closes soon."
Cal gave his thanks, leaving the shopkeeper to chat up his next regular. He read the slip of paper and then crumbled it in his fist. When it reopened, his palm was stained with soot.
The hefty wooden door was pushed open, eliciting a ding from the bell overhead. Cal stepped into the dimly lit establishment. Low music could be heard playing along with scattered conversations.
He scrunched his nose. The smell of smoke and spilled alcohol was not pleasant to him. He waved a hand in front of himself, dispersing the cloud.
Hesitant steps carried him towards the bar. Where a man sat leaning over the counter with several empty bottles in front of him. Cal caught the tail end of what he supposed was a joke; the one waitress working had the professional courtesy to fake a laugh, which emboldened the man, who then leaned closer.
The waitress simply giggled and took a step back out of reach. She was tall, with freckles and frizzy hair. Her features were not what many would consider a traditional beauty. Even so, the way she carried herself was magnetic. Every action drawing the attention of the few patrons in the bar.
The waitress''s eyes drifted and widened upon catching his sight. A smile blossoming on her face, she gracefully skipped from around the counter and rushed him. Enveloping him in a large hug.
"Play along," a whisper tickled his ear. She pulled back, allowing herself to be overheard. "It''s been so long."
"And who''s this runt?" The drunk from before sized him up, unhappy with losing the barmaid''s attention.
"Oh, shut it, Hamesh." She spoke with an arm still around Cal. "We grew up together, so he''s kind of like a little brother."
The drunk nodded, mollified by the explanation.
She pulled Cal in. "Wait for me in the back while I get these boys settled, then we can catch up"
He nodded dumbly, and she released him. Going through the door she''d pointed him to, he stumbled through what passed as a kitchen and to a small break room. Nothing more than some couches and a coffee table. His body flopped on the seat, still reeling from the encounter. He shivered, a cold feeling jolting down his spine.
As if driven by his thoughts, the subject of his discomfort strolled in. Measured steps brought her to the couch opposite to him, and she took a seat.
"Report."
The cold clinical voice demanded. All traces of a smile had disappeared, leaving one wondering if there had ever been one in the first place.
Cal relaxed, the world once again making sense.
"Good to see you too, Olivia; you''re looking younger." Opening with a compliment seemed like a good idea.
"It''s Emily now," she corrected, but there was no bite in it. "Please remember it. We have enough to worry about without adding on being compromised."
Cal studied her. Changed appearance or not, she was unmistakably Olivia. Her tone just now matched the attitude shown when they''d first been introduced months ago.
She was tense. A tightly wound spring, straining to keep itself from launching out. He recalled their last encounter and how he''d nearly lost his temper.
He rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about before; I shouldn''t have lost my cool like that." The words came out awkwardly.
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"That''s not a concern." She dismissed his apology. "Now please report on your progress. This is a safe location."
So it was going to be like that?
"I''ve scoped out a decent portion of the campus and have highlighted some high-likelihood locations. I''m monitoring them on a regular basis while continuing to investigate potential sites."
He stuck with the decision to keep the events with the Spirit close to his chest. Revealing its existence would only cause alarm.
"Investigating the student body and faculty will take more time."
He added on as an afterthought. He wasn''t quite sure how he''d accomplish that yet. Maybe get the Spirit to track people and see if they had any suspicious patterns? Could it even do that? Hard to say, its abilities were unclear. For all he knew it could be watching him right now.
Oliv- Emily regarded him with a critical eye.
"What type of methodology did you implement, and are you worried your monitoring will attract attention?"
He slumped further back in his seat, hands behind his head.
"Foot traffic plus space mainly. And for the second part, not really. My classes are at or near many of the sites and I can be sneaky if I have to."
There was a pause, the only sound being the clicking of the old fan overhead.
"You managed to arrange your schedule around the investigation?" She asked, the questioning tone telling.
"That''s exactly what I did."
He wasn''t about to admit he''d straight up flunked most of his exams, and it was a happy accident.
Slightly leaning back in her chair, some of the earlier tenseness faded from her.
"I''m impressed." A rare hint of admiration sounded in her voice. "You''ve done good work for being active for such a short time. If you continue such progress, we may be able to accomplish our mission and return home faster than I anticipated."
Ah, so maybe that was what she was really worried about. He couldn''t blame her. They''d both essentially been kicked into a lifeboat and told to go board the enemy warship. Deep in enemy waters and surrounded on all sides, it was easy to see how that would rack on someone''s nerves.
Well, someone who would have a hard time surviving a firing squad. Or here it would probably be the executioner''s ax.
Part of him expected someone from special ops to be made of sterner stuff, but it wasn''t like everyone in that department was infiltration. For all he knew, she specialized in supply chain management.
"A point of clarification for our future cooperation. You claimed to not be trained; I didn''t question it at the time, but you do know protocol. You have to, with your inclination to flaunt your breaking of it."
He did like spitting in the face of it. In fairness, the vast majority didn''t apply to someone like him.
"I had like, maybe three books to read growing up." He made a show of holding up his fingers. "Depending on what you count as a book, One of them happened to be a field guide."
It had been a cornerstone when teaching himself how to read on account of all the pictures it helpfully contained.
"I forced my way onto the first missions I took." He admitted it almost sheepishly. The novelty of headquarters wore off quickly, and he''d been supremely bored being cooped up there. "After a couple of times, I think everyone sort of assumed someone had trained me."
He suspected it was a combination of no one having the courage to straight up ask and the powers that be being generally content to have another tool to throw at crises.
She looked ready to argue the point before deflating. That''s bureaucracy for you; everything was someone else''s problem.
"What about our other friends?" He inquired about the team supposed to be active in the city. "Any word from them?"
She crossed her arms, her nails pressed into her skin.
"No, I haven''t received any communication from them, and communication with command is limited."
"Let''s not worry too much about it; not our job after all." He left out his thoughts on whether or not they existed. "If something does happen, just get out of dodge and I''ll swoop in and do damage control."
"Setting aside your track record of doing the damage and not the control."
Hurtful and accurate.
"The city''s military presence may be formidable, but if our historical records are accurate, they''re woefully understrengthened to confront anything coming out of this level of summoning. If the worst comes to pass, we''re looking at the immediate loss of millions of lives with the after-effects being immeasurable."
"Oh, I thought that would make a true patriot like yourself all giddy inside?"
Cal quipped. The grin on his face melted away as he saw her jaw tighten.
"Don''t joke around," she said harshly. "These are civilians."
"Fine fine, it was tasteless of me." He knocked on the table, attracting and holding her stare. "Being serious, I know you don''t have access to my full file but put a little faith in me. The worst won''t happen while I''m around. It doesn''t matter if the entirety of the hells crosses over. I''ll send them back."
An exaggeration. Contending with an entire realm of demons was beyond him.
She didn''t seem convinced, a frown marring her features. Somehow she must have still seen him as an overconfident kid. One who happened to be able to traverse the Waste and return unharmed¡
He didn''t try to understand her logic, instead reaching into his pocket and placing its contents on the coffee table between them.
A sharp intake of breath was taken.
"Where did you get this?" Despite her earlier claims of this area being secured, she whispered the question. Her hand reached out almost in instinct before recoiling. Unsure what to do.
He picked up the star and flicked it towards her. Earning a panicked squeak as she narrowly avoided it falling to the ground.
Her hands cupped together, cradling it. Eyes wide and face slack-jawed.
"It''s not mine; one of them lent it to me." She could probably puzzle together who exactly "Official or not, ask any of the Constellation and they''ll back me." He continued to speak, though he was unsure if his words reached her. It may be for the best, as he was not being entirely truthful.
Millie and Mask were in his corner. As for the rest? He couldn''t say.
He felt the First might be inclined to, he was just that sort of person. The Second was an enigma and an asshole, so that probably depended on the day of the week. And the Fourth? The less said about Her the better.
His hand reached out, and the star leaped into it. A curious thing, it had bonded to his magic in no time. Already he could manipulate it with ease, as if it were just another limb.
He waited patiently while she collected herself.
"I see." She swallowed. "No, I don''t." Her head shook, curly strands of hair swaying. "But that mark is only given to those able to achieve the impossible. So I will place my trust in what it represents."
Good enough. Without a word, she got up and left the tiny break room
Cal waited and raised an eyebrow when she returned.
"I needed to check up on the customers." She said while placing a bowl of soup on the table. "Most know better by now, but I have a few stubborn ones in need of more instruction." She handed him a spoon. "Eat up; your habit of missing meals does no one any good."
He hadn''t the heart to tell her he''d eaten several hours ago. He took a spoonful, bringing it to his mouth. He regretted the action as a foul taste assaulted his tongue; he resisted spitting it out and forced it down.
"You buy this somewhere?" He asked while coughing.
Heedless of his predicament, she responded.
"No, we don''t have a separate chef so I''ve taken to cooking when I have the chance. That bowl has all the required nutrients for a day." He detected an amount of pride. "I''m told I have quite the talent."
Talent? In being a poisoner sure. Who was filling her head with that nonsense? He thought back to the scene from when he first walked in.
Those idiots.
"I actually just had a big lunch." He reversed his earlier decision. "So I''m good. Thanks though."
"That''s unlike you." The frown made another appearance on her face.
"I ate with the Ardere girl and her friend," he said as a way of explanation. "Also, it''s a lot easier to tell time with silly things like the sun to remind you."
Building headquarters into a mountain might be strategically sound, but not having windows sucked.
"Ah, yes." Her eyes lit up, remembering something. "I meant to ask, how are you doing on a personal level in regards to the change?" The question sounded pre-written. Cal peered behind himself, checking for a teleprompter.
Finding nothing, he answered.
"It''s weird, but I''m handling it."
"You haven''t gotten in any fights, have you? I understand combat is a core part of the curriculum but it would work against us to attract that sort of attention."
A scene of a bloody fist appeared in his mind, followed by one of a shattered temple.
"Nope."
This was for her own well-being. He''d only just managed to reassure her after all.
"What was that about us being ''old friends'' by the way?"
Changing the subject? Pure coincidence.
"Ah yes, as you recall, your background was left purposely vague. In order to facilitate our meetings, I''ve had to adjust it slightly to match mine. Your mother is still a nameless woman native to your family lands, but she moved after childbirth to a frontier village. The village was destroyed in a beast wave. We are fellow refugees who eked out an existence together."
"Is that common?" As the one usually called on to deal with them preemptively, he knew it wasn''t a frequent occurrence in the Federation.
"More than back home." She said with a sigh. "They lack our surveillance network and, as a result, are often caught off-guard when the waves form. Coupled with the poor excuse of a census they perform out there, no one will bat an eye at us."
Which meant their story was a believable one. Implications of that aside, it was a solid cover.
"Let''s move back to what we discussed previously." It was her turn to distract him. "And discuss what other proactive measures we can be taking."
She reached into her blouse, pulling out a small but thick notebook.
Cal groaned; this was going to take a while.
Chapter 16
Miracles still existed. It was the only conclusion Cal could draw as he sat in a stadium with thousands of other students. It was the largest one on campus, and they were pushing it to its limits.
They''d all been herded here in lieu of their morning classes and he was astonished no fireworks had gone off yet. Not that they weren''t noisy, granted it was hard not to be when everyone was trying to talk to the person next to them at the same time.
"Man, I hope they don''t make us wait any longer." Ryan complained next to him.
They''d all been seated by homeroom and the group had invited him over, he''d seen no reason to refuse. Ryan and Jessica sat to his right while Gregor and Anne sat directly in front of them in the lower row.
"At least it''s not too hot out" Cal idly commented on the overcast weather.
Ryan nudged him, pointing at the edge of the stadium''s highest seats.
"There''s an awning they bring out if it gets bad"
"We can always just cool ourselves down as well, so that''s never an issue." Jessica added her two cents.
Cal scanned the lower levels, reserved for the Senior classmen. He''d been periodically looking for the mane of red hair but kept coming up empty-handed. It was possible she was in the crowd already and he''d just overlooked her; without boosting his eyesight she''d be easy to miss.
Oh well. He was just checking to pass the time.
"What has you chuckling so much?" Ryan asked.
Had he been? It wasn''t purposeful, he''d just been thinking about how red Alice had gotten while attempting to berate him over his late return. He couldn''t see why she''d gotten so worked up over it. It wasn''t like he was a child liable to get lost.
The fact that he had indeed been lost at times was beside the point.
He hadn''t meant to be so late but Olivia had plenty of constructive criticism. She insisted on adding the constructive part, in his mind it was plain old criticism. It''d gone on so long that he almost forgot to thank her for the name thing. He wished he had as the condescension in which she delivered the ''this is why codenames exist'' would not have been missed.
Cal tuned most of it out, it boiled to his real name wasn''t on any paperwork and only a handful of people knew it.
The surroundings stirred and he followed the gestures of others. In the field below, surrounded by chairs was a stage with a single podium. Previously empty, a man now walked up the steps. The noise kicked up a notch as students conversed. Curious, Cal augmented his vision to get a better look at him as he approached the podium.
Muscles rippled under his clothes. A black suit covered by a red robe or cape of some sort. Dark-skinned, his head may be bare but his stern face wore a short beard and mustache. In his right hand, he carried a simple wooden staff.
His gait resembled that of a warrior.
The man reached the podium and lifted his staff before slamming it down. A burst of wind was released that soon traveled through the first rank of seats and up the rest of the stadium.
You could hear a pin drop in the aftermath.
With the sun now shining down, the man spoke. His voice amplified.
"I am Victor Angularis." An image of him manifested above the field, imitating a screen. A delicate use of light magic. "To those of you returning, I welcome you back. For our newcomers, I welcome you for the first of hopefully many times. You would have heard many things before coming here. As the headmaster, let me make some things clear. Your Nobility may have bought your entrance, it may buy you comforts, but it will not buy you my respect. Blood is power! Our Empire''s motto, our rallying call. Many of you believe that blood alone will grant you power. This is false. It only gives you the chance at it. Only by reaching beyond yourself can you truly embody what makes us strong."
The staff slammed down on the stage again. A row of figures, several familiar to Cal, filed out from the side and onto the field. The stadium collectively held its breath as they crested the stage, standing behind the headmaster.
"Those behind me have done just that. They are examples you should aspire to. They''ve risen to properly represent their station." He seemed to consider for a moment before adding "And some beyond that"
Cal could see Alice preening on the stage, separated from Lily by an unknown student.
"Now, I''ll allow your crown prince and future emperor to say some words." The headmaster stepped to the side as Rolland went up to the podium.
The world dampened around him as he subtly erected a small sound manifestation around his head, deciding it was well worth the cost of not having to hear whatever drivel came out of the prince''s mouth. His eyes glanced to the sides, checking to make sure no one had noticed. They all looked enraptured by the speech so he considered it a success.
The prince said something and everyone laughed. Cal rolled his eyes. It probably wasn''t even that funny. Like when your boss tells a bad joke and you laugh anyway. The speech continued, Cal blissfully ignorant of its contents. The prince''s mouth paused in its movements and from this distance, their eyes seemed to meet. He said something else and ended with a smirk, his gaze still on Cal.
In response, Cal merely yawned and looked elsewhere. It didn''t seem anyone noticed their exchange. If there had been one at all.
This was all dreadfully boring. It did beat the alternative of sitting in class so that was something.
After this was all sorted he should take an actual vacation. Albert always talked up the Free Cities, touring them sounded nice.
The prince stepped back and a teacher seated in the front row approached, replacing him. Cal pondered whether or not to cancel his bubble, deciding to do so. It didn''t last long as the dry and meaningless speech proved to have no substance. He listened to several more teachers talk themselves up before putting his manifestation in place again.
The process repeated with more speakers stepping to the podium. Occasionally Ryan would lean over to whisper some commentary and Cal would nod. Pretending to have heard.
All good things come to an end and fortunately, the same could be said for bad ones. The headmaster said a scant few final words and departed.
Cal dismissed the bubble again, this time a roar of activity greeted him as students furiously conversed while they waited their turn to leave. The group he''d attached to was no different.
"And then I swear he looked right at me!" Anne gushed, sitting backward on her seat to face them. "He even smiled"
The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
"Sorry to break it to you girl." Jessica broke in, flipping her blonde hair. "But the smile was clearly for me"
"Gah" Ryan put a hand over his chest, clutching his heart. "I''m right here you know."
"Shush you" Jessica slapped his shoulder "I never said I''d return his advances, though to be courted by a prince truly is a nice ego boost"
A scoff sounded from the side and Gregor shifted to face the group.
"You and half the girls in this section are all saying the same thing" He pointed at several groups all looking to have similar discussions. "He just glanced over here and you''re all losing your minds."
"Ugh, Gregor" Jessica chided while wagging a finger "I bet if the princess smiled your way you''d be acting the same"
Anne nodded in agreement. "He''d be melting into the floor, guaranteed."
Gregor flushed but made no move to deny the statement. He turned around and stared glumly at the field again.
"The princess huh." Ryan rubbed his chin in thought. "You think I manage to track her down she''d give me a date?"
"I''d rather you not." Jessica said sweetly from the side "I''m not sure I''d be able to convince the Justiciars that I wasn''t involved in your death." She wrapped her arms around one of his, holding it tight.
"Joke!" Ryan struggled to no avail "It was just a joke"
"Of course it was." Jessica said with a smile that did not quite meet her eyes.
"You''re doing it again" Anne sighed tiredly from the side "With thousands of others around this time."
"Don''t be so crude" Jessica huffed while still holding Ryan''s arm "We''re just having a disagreement."
"You were about three sentences away from making out." Anne deadpanned and Jessica blanched.
"False." Ryan stated with complete assuredness. "I could have done it in two."
He fell over the seat and into Gregor as Jessica shoved him away. The pair ended up in a tangled heap. The collateral damage loudly complaining.
"Boys." Jessica crossed her arms, looking away from the duo and towards Cal "Are you all this stupid"
"Yes" he answered without hesitation. A wise man knew what battles were worth fighting.
There was a commotion further down the stands and heads turned as students tried to find out what was going on. A game of telephone began as the message was passed down, eventually reaching their group.
"The royal family doesn''t mess around." Ryan said with mild disbelief, finally disentangled. "First real week and already challenging a Senior classman."
"Not a ranked one" Gregor said derisively.
"True" Anne sounded thoughtful. "but that''s still at least a five-year age difference. That''s not something easily overcome."
"I''m more interested in the fool who accepted." Jessica looked at the lower stands, trying to spot them in the mess of students. "He''ll either dishonor the royal family or himself."
"Nah" Ryan disagreed. "If the first year wants to pick a fight that''s on him"
"You know that''s not how it always works." Gregor muttered.
Cal cared little for the politics behind it but he could admit to being a little intrigued by what the little prince had in store.
The exodus from the stadium stalled as students stuck around for the show.
They didn''t have long to wait, as in little time the podium was removed from the stage and then the stage itself was collapsed and moved to the side.
Whoever set up the prior illusion must have left so Cal had to augment his vision again to get a good look at the combatants. It was not difficult to spot the prince, the child that he was. He looked near a carbon copy of his older brother, albeit a younger version. The only exception was his hair which was a shade darker. The sword he lifted looked out of place, being near his height in length. He held himself in a self-assured manner, confident in his win.
The same could not be said for his opponent, who held his ax loosely in one hand. Glancing around at the crowd.
An older gentleman, the one overseeing the match, said something and threw out two items that both students caught and pinned to their chests. It looked like a crest of some sort.
His confusion must have shown on his face because Ryan answered without prompt.
"They''re shield badges, they''ll activate at the first hint of blood. Not perfect by any means but what is?"
He''d not heard of those. A personal shield of that size must cost a fortune.
The gentleman raised a hand in the air, and after some tense moments swung it down.
The prince did not hesitate, a slash of light sweeping towards his opponent. To his credit, nerves or not the other student sidestepped the slash and with a yell swung his free hand towards the ground. A circle briefly appeared before chunks or rock propelled themselves towards the prince. That wasn''t the end of the attack. The ax was swung and a gust of wind accompanied it; the rocks suddenly gaining a degree of speed.
Not wanting to be crushed or skewered, the prince dove out of the way. Recovering with a roll while shooting out another slash that was dodged the same as the last.
The older student gave a stomp next, a different circle appearing followed by a trail of earthen spikes extending from him to the prince. With deft steps, the smaller combatant rushed forward. Navigating the protruding earth as if it were a game of hopscotch.
Right before their blades met, the sword erupted in a brilliant light. Students around him swore as they shielded their eyes.
When they recovered. The distance between the fighters had widened again, the prince clutching his side.
It was a cheap trick and he paid for trying it. It would only work against someone who either looked down on their opponent to a ludicrous degree or was monumentally incompetent. So one and the same really.
The prince released his side, having realized he wasn''t injured.
With a snarl, he lobbed another arc of light which was returned with rock.
Neither side approached, content to lob magic at each other from a distance after the first exchange.
The older student varied his attacks slightly, changing the size of the rocks smaller, either to conserve magic or in the hope the increased speed would hit the small but nimble target the prince was proving to be.
It was a very dull affair. They were both too green.
"They''re competing in reserves now" Anne observed. "Normally I would wager on the older student but the royal family''s blood is strong"
Ryan leaned back, offering his thoughts while losing interest in the fight.
"Unless the prince has any better tricks he''s kinda of stuck, after what happened when he did get close."
"Which was?" Jessica pushed the question, having been one of those unable to protect their eyes in time.
"He was parried and the older kid kicked him in the ribs" Cal finally joined in the conversation, responding with a little mirth. "sending him flying back."
Ryan regarded him with a look that Cal wasn''t sure what to make of before elaborating.
"He''s got the speed fine but in terms of physical strength? They''re leagues apart"
The group gave a hum of understanding as they settled in to watch.
The smaller of the two started to slow. Projectiles inching closer and closer to him. Some, seeing the inevitable, took the opportunity to skip ahead and sneak out of the stadium before the rest of the crowd.
Cal considered doing the same, but something nagged at him. He paid closer attention, honing his senses on the stage.
His brow rose.
"You want to share with the rest of us?" Ryan had noticed his change in expression.
"It''s nothing" he supplied, leaning back and feigning disinterest. He closed his eyes to further sell it.
They''d only be a distraction.
He ''watched'' in silence until the crowd gave a collective gasp and a fist-sized rock finally found its target and burrowed through the prince''s form. The figure faded like a mirage. Confusion swept over them while Cal followed the magic indicating where the prince was.
The prince carefully closed the distance, making his move with a thrust. The sword impacted the older student. Caught off-guard, he stumbled back. Even still, his shell protected him. The sword slid across his torso rather than skewering it. The prince ducked below the hasty retaliatory strike and delivered another sweep aimed at the student''s leg.
Already unbalanced, the student tumbled onto his back with a panicked expression on his face.
The prince followed up with another shining blade and swung down towards the prone opponent. It found its mark, sinking into the blazer.
A flash of blue came from the older boy and the prince jumped back, lowering his blade.
"That was the shield I told you about." Ryan rubbed the back of his head "Can''t say I expected that"
Cal had, the level of magic held in the kid''s shell told him some higher-level manifestation would be played.
"Impressive level of light manifestation." Anne still had her eyes trained on the field "I suppose I should say as expected of the royal family"
"With how much they pour into their heirs it''s not that surprising" Gregor snarked, while standing up and looking towards the nearest exit "We''ve wasted enough time here, let''s head out already."
Cal agreed though he wondered if the others realized how close that fight had been at the end. The prince had bet it all in that gambit and was running on fumes. The older student had magic to spare and just wasn''t able to pump it into his shell in time.
In fairness, doing so while feeling something stabbing you was a tough skill to learn.
It certainly took Cal enough attempts to get down right.
As the students filed out, gossip could be heard from all around. Cal was sure the forums would be on fire right now. Filled with pictures and videos of what just occurred. He wondered what had caused the fight to begin with. He shook his head, tossing the thought out of his mind. It wasn''t important.
At the end of the day, none of this would be relevant to him.
Chapter 17
Cal woke a little later the next morning. It would be the first day of his Senior year classes and he found himself looking forward to it a little. The day would start with history and bookkeeping prior to lunch, with the rest of his courses following after.
Or it should have if he''d not exited his shower to find a message informing him of a change in schedule. And by that, he meant half his classes had been canceled and replaced with a singular other. One that he looked to be late for.
What the hell was AMC? Somehow doubted the movie theatre company had also found its way to this world. He would find out soon enough as he threw his blazer and tie on. It was sloppily done but Alice had already left for her class so no one was around to complain.
He left the dorms by his preferred method of the balcony. In his haste, it hadn''t clicked where exactly the class was held. As he traveled the vaguely familiar path, it dawned on him.
"Fuck" He audibly cursed as the face of the worn-down stadium stared at him.
He put good thought into just turning around and skipping it. However, that would only delay the inevitable and might even turn the situation worse. Better to rip off the bandaid.
He entered through the same entrance he had previously. The locker room seemed tidier than last time, although it wasn''t much of an improvement. He walked through it and into the stadium proper. Sounds of steel clashing echoed.
Appearing from the small tunnel, he spotted several figures on the field.
The drunk and prick were no surprise, but there were two others. Both had been on the stage the day before. Only one of them posed a problem.
The two fighting noticed his arrival and stopped their spar. Watching him with interest.
Cal trudged forward.
"Hey!" Cal yelled towards Ferguson who was standing on the sidelines, previously watching the bout. "I think you may have been drunker than usual when you submitted your class registry because I didn''t sign up for it."
He was being fairly aggressive. That seemed like the sort of style to work on Ferguson.
"Might have had a drink or two." The man replied, patting his gut. " No mistake though."
"Oh" The crown prince approached with that smile from where he had been fighting "Hello, I don''t believe we''ve met?"
Cal knew they''d made him ''average'' but he sincerely doubted he was that forgettable. Was this guy actually keeping it a secret this time? Maybe he wasn''t so bad after all. Cal ignored him either way and spoke to Ferguson.
"You already fucked me with the exempt status." He didn''t really care about not having to take the standard combat class but the easy grade would have been nice. "What are you up to now?"
"Nah, I was doing my duty as a" Ferguson scratched his head with a puzzled expression "whatcha call it."
"Educator" The prince supplied
"Yeah, that." Ferguson nodded and swept a hand to the small gathering "You belong in this here class."
"On what basis."
Ferguson looked at him like he was the biggest idiot in the world.
"What happened during my practical was a mistake" Cal pleaded his case "so just let me take the classes I actually want to."
"It was a mistake. I saw that clearly enough." Ferguson stared at him, his eyes unusually focused. "What happens when you mistake against someone who can''t take it? You''re liable to take their head off. Can''t have that can we."
Cal''s retort died on his lips. That was¡a solid point. He wasn''t prepared for a logical argument from the man.
"Got to get you used to fighting people folk, you''ve been fighting too many beasties. Gives bad habits that."
Cal did his best to not give anything away as he wound up his augmentation while sizing the man up.
"What makes you think I''ve fought them?" his voice came out steady.
"I watched your fight didn''t I?" Ferguson gave a laugh. "You treated the boy like beasty, it''s one of the reasons he led you around so bad"
Had he?
Yes.
He generally treated man and beast the same. The former just has a lot more weak spots to exploit.
Cal recalled his ''backstory'', a convenient excuse coming to the forefront of his mind.
"I didn''t have much of a say in the matter." Slaying a beast or two while running sounded believable. "Wouldn''t be here today if I did."
"Aye" Ferguson looked at him with some pity "nasty tradition that"
Cal didn''t have a chance to question what the man was on about.
"I did not know house Ardere had fallen so." The problematic student approached, a serious expression on his face.
What type of poor luck did he have to encounter the one guy he''d just been told to avoid on the second day of the week?
"House Ardere''s affairs are none of your concern." He recited one of the lines Claire had drilled into him.
"I suppose that is true. I forget myself at times. Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am Marcus Procellae Heir apparent to the dukedom." The blue-haired man announced without a change in expression, a small incline in his head accompanying it.
Cal regarded him, not sure what course of action to take. He settled on a response "Names Callum."
Short. Simple. Who could find fault in that?
Marcus did if the twitch of his lips was any indication.
"You know I''m feeling a little ignored over here" The prince approached, placing himself between the two.
Cal walked to the side in order to face Ferguson again.
"You know how augmentation works. I pushed myself hard in the practical. If I did that constantly I''m liable to kill myself."
Ferguson fished in his pockets and produced a bag. He grabbed a handful of whatever was inside and shoved them into his mouth. His finger flicked and something shot out towards Cal.
Already prepared, he could see it was a seed of some type. He didn''t make any moves, letting the seed impact his forehead. He stumbled back, satisfied he failed the stupid test. His body abruptly twisted to the side and a jagged spike of earth narrowly missed impaling him.
Sonofabitch!
"If you can spin up to that level in a second you''re not in any danger of hurting yourself. Quit whining."
He swapped tactics, eyeing the flask on the man''s waist.
"Tell me how many bottles and what type of alcohol I need to get to change your mind."
The man looked conflicted for a moment before shaking his head.
"Nah, too dangerous to let you loose on the rest of them. These ones can take it."
That earned a range of reactions. The prince''s smile grew. The duke heir''s head tilted slightly. And the final, unnamed student who had been fighting when he first arrived crossed his arms with a stern expression.
Cal had his own reaction that Ferguson noticed.
"Hmm, there''s those eyes again. If you want a piece of me you''re welcome to try. Won''t end well for you, promise you that."
Must not murder the teacher. Murder bad.
Sometimes.
He looked at the others present.
Based on their order yesterday, that would make Marcus rank two and the stern black-haired man rank three.
This was going to be a headache. Ignoring the fact that he was supposed to not interact with Marcus, he was also meant to be playing it low-key. Being a part of this group seemed the exact opposite of that.
The worst of it was, from Ferguson''s perspective it was the responsible action. Cal could admit some of his temper getting the best of him during that fight but if he had actually lost it, there wouldn''t BE a prince.
On the bright side, there was no hilariously inadequate attempt to arrest him or evacuation sirens going off so his cover was intact.
"There''s no reason to have such a glum look on your face." The prince walked up, his arm looking to invade Cal''s personal space. "I''m sure we''ll all get along famously"
Cal eyed the limb "Touch me and lose the hand" he declared with as much venom he could muster.
A blade was leveled in his direction, it wasn''t from the prince.
"I''ll ask you once to not threaten my liege." the third rank addressed him and Cal felt the man was hoping he''d contest that.
"Don''t mind Benny too much" Rolland chuckled at his subordinate''s ill intent. "He takes his future job very seriously."
"We''ve done enough blabbering. Go grab your weapon. I left it over there" Ferguson pointed.
Cal complied with some resignation. It took some trial and error to find it in the makeshift locker room. Once he did get it, he returned to the field. To find everyone waiting for his arrival.
"I''ll be your opponent." Benny said with a solemn tone. Cal could detect a sense of superiority in it. "Try not to disappoint"
Cal looked to Ferguson and put out a hand.
"I''m not sharing" Ferguson clutched his bag closer and ate some more seeds.
"Aren''t you supposed to give out those shield things?" They hadn''t used them in the practical but no one was expecting it to go the way it did.
"Those things? Don''t trust them. Besides you''re not babies. We''ll do it like I was brought up. Which means wailing on each other until I say so. Now get to your starting point."
Cal shrugged and absolved himself of any responsibility for what came next.
He twirled his spear while getting into position. His initial thought would be to thoroughly get his ass kicked. With further reflection, he could allow himself some leeway. Ferguson and Rolland had seen some of his strength and the former had shown he was willing to pull it out of him. If he visibly looked to hold back he was liable to get more earth spikes thrown his way.
He dug into his memory, gauging how much power he''d been using before that punch.
With his limit put in place, that didn''t change the fact that he had no idea how to use this stupid spear. The spear Benny''s eyes were honed in on¡
There was no way that trick would work twice. Right?
"I''ll allow you the first move" Benny stood twenty meters away from him. His weapons were a pair of daggers? No, they were too small for those. They resembled oversized knives more than anything else. He held them by his side, angled Cal''s direction."You may not get another"
That was the idea.
Flames flickered to life at the end of his spear. Cal made a show of holding his free hand out. A circle appeared in front of it. Cal didn''t like using them, they were mainly training wheels and anyone learned enough could predict your next move.
Which was what he was counting on as he carefully layered magic into what should have been a standard fireball. It was one of the most basic fire manifestations out there, Alice had used hundreds of the more advanced homing versions against him. He wasn''t taking it to the extreme as was his usual method but there was more packed in there than one might expect.
He''d wager it would be far less head-turning than a brat half his height pulling off a life-like illusion in a fight.
His attack launched, speeding toward the dual knife wielder who moved out of the way.
The man had a cautious look on his face. He seemed to be taking this seriously, despite his provocations.
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Cal flipped the mental switch and the magic he was still connected to expanded.
Benny''s eyes widened in surprise as the ''simple'' manifestation erupted outwards in a manner larger than predicted.
Cal rushed forward, entering the active explosion. He spotted Benny, unharmed. That was fine, that attack was never meant to cause any damage.
Cal thrust the spear forward and Benny acted on instinct, disarming Cal in a single exchange.
Also fine.
He''d let go of the stupid thing to grab something else.
His grip tightened around the man''s wrist and he watched as the other knife careened towards him.
Too slow.
Benny''s body was lifted in the air and swung down with a dull thump. Cal didn''t let up, swinging him in an arc above himself and down into the earth again.
And then again.
And again.
Again¡
It was remarkably difficult to concentrate when you were used like a drumstick at a metal concert.
Like with being stabbed, Cal had also learned that from experience. Now it was Benny''s turn.
He could admit to being a little impressed that the shell hadn''t cracked yet. Good for him.
A shadow, Cal''s shadow, rose behind him. It didn''t get a chance to do anything as Benny''s form was used to bludgeon the thing. Cal would award points for sneakiness and then detract them all for using it on the wrong person.
Several times the man''s free knife arm tried to stab at him. Every attempt failed as Cal rudely interrupted him.
Cal felt another presence and he swung his ''weapon'' towards it, finding Ferguson in his path. He let Benny go, his limp form being caught for a moment before being dropped by the laughing man.
"Hahaha, I''ve been in my fair share of scrapes but that''s one I''ve not seen yet. I almost forgot to save the poor lad"
Cal looked to the ''lad'', who unsteadily got on his hands and knees; promptly hurling.
Understandable.
The fight had been the equivalent of an off-the-rails roller coaster for him, the nausea resulting from it lasting longer than mere seconds the ride took.
Cal had gambled that between the speed he''d used in his practical exam and his opponent''s fixation on silly things like weapons, he might just eke out a win. One without pushing the boundaries of plausible further than he already had.
The other audience members approached.
"That was certainly" Marcus searched for the words "one method of fighting"
Rolland walked towards his subordinate, gently patting him on the back as the man recovered.
"Don''t let it get to you Benny" The prince chuckled a bit. "He got me too."
Benny hurled again.
"Is that so?" Marcus couldn''t keep the surprise out of his voice "I thought you two unacquainted."
"I held my tongue, seeing if he''d inflict what I endured on someone else" He shook his head while holding a hand to his face "I watched the dropped weapon and then missed the hand that held it. I felt quite the fool." Rolland pointed at the discarded spear "I have to ask, do you actually know how to wield that?"
"He doesn''t." Ferguson answered for him. "That much is obvious"
Marcus ran his fingers on his weapon, a trident.
"To use a focus as a red herring, it''s a risky move"
"He''s right" Ferguson retrieved the spear for him, tossing it over "You seem to like your hands, why not use a pair of gauntlets instead of this thing"
Cal caught it. The reason was simply he didn''t need one.
Focus were great in that they were able to purge the foreign influence from ambient magic, letting their users last far longer in fights than they otherwise would. In that sense, he already carried the greatest focus in the world.
He still had to pretend he needed one, and gauntlets would work better than a spear. Too bad the Ardere''s storehouse was fresh out.
"Don''t have any"
"Truly? Does House Ader-"
"Ardere''s affairs are none of your concern" Cal cut off Marcus whose lips pressed together in a thin line. Cal thought he might retort but he simply nodded, accepting the rebuke.
There were a few dry coughs and his victim got up on shaky legs, supported by Rolland.
"I accept my defeat." He pushed away and stood on his own, addressing Cal "My name is Benjamin, no last name of note."
His demeanor had shifted, no longer holding that condescension.
Was this what they meant about guys becoming friends after beating each other up? Cal had never experienced it.
"I acknowledge your strength. However, do not believe your victory is assured in our next bout."
Next bout? Well, this class was small so that was inevitable. He didn''t fancy his chances either if he were forced to use the stick to fight.
"Sure thing bud." Cal gave him a thumbs up. He could do more than burn bridges.
"If you wish" Benjamin wasn''t finished. "I am willing to enter this as an official duel in recompense for my behavior."
"Don''t do that." Cal was quick to shoot down that idea.
Alice would have his head if she found out he dueled with her say so.
"Most would jump at the opportunity to bolster their record. Trying to hide your ability then?" Rolland mused and then looked between Cal and the dukedom''s heir. "well isn''t this a predicament."
He must be aware of the two house''s relationship or lack thereof now.
Marcus shifted his sight to the side, a frown on his face.
"As its been stated. Their affairs are their own."
Cal didn''t know what to make of him. Alice had a bone to pick, but he''d not acted antagonistic towards him.
There was nothing for it. Either he keeps his word or he doesn''t. Neither outcome would be the end of the world, despite one making life simpler.
¡ª
Having already fought, none of the others wanted to spar without him at his alleged best. Cal had laughed at that, even if he was the only one in on the joke. Come to think of it, that Spirit could be peeping. It might have found it funny as well.
He should find time to visit the thing later. It must have had all kinds of stories, being alive for millennia and surviving the Fall.
The Fall, the history class he was meant to attend before Ferguson hijacked his schedule, would have touched on it. Given his grades in the written exam, he wondered if the theories for its cause were marked correct or if the Empire had other ideas.
He''d essentially written that it happened because the gods couldn''t keep it in their pants, just more appropriately worded. It was difficult to believe that a base instinct like that could result in the collapse of a civilization, a survival rate of one in twenty, and the Waste being the scar it was.
He thought back on human history from his old word. Okay, maybe not that unbelievable.
Speaking to the Spirit about it was more appealing than finding out through the library where he''d have to dig through hundreds of books for an answer. It could lie to him but he''d still get a good story out of it.
Now that he wasn''t in a rush, Cal noted the change in campus. It was more alive, having doubled the amount of students thrown on the grounds. Students more sure of themselves. Cal didn''t like it, the sleepier campus was more his speed.
Done with his class, it was already midday. He''d been meant to eat lunch with Alice but sent her a text canceling it. He wasn''t keen on telling her about his schedule change.
He threw away any thoughts of eating at the central dining hall after seeing the crowds. He ate in some out-of-the-way place near his next class.
It was nothing to write home about.
His first real, he wasn''t counting whatever happened this morning, class from the Senior years proved to be a pleasant change of pace. The class size was small at ten students. Cal would have thought an intro to economics would have a bigger turnout. If that bothered the teacher it didn''t show. She was young and had that bit of over-eagerness that was infectious to students.
By the end, even the most bored-looking in the class had been diligently paying attention. It was the sort of teacher he''d expected from the Academy''s reputation. It set him up optimistically for his next class, his singular class dealing with practical magic.
Err.
Technically he now had that with Ferguson, but that was just hitting things.
Any positive thoughts died swiftly, as he entered the classroom. He recognized the two other occupants. The girl from the library, Mia, sat in a chair to the side of the teacher''s desk. Reading a book in her lap as always.
At the desk itself, lay, and yes lay. Because he had his head down and was snoring, was the green-haired man who''d proctored his written exam.
For the second time today, Cal considered abandoning a class.
For the second time, he decided against it.
He was getting a damn magic class.
Cal glanced at the rest of the room, finding a place in the middle row and at the corner. He grimaced as he sat. Did this guy take the dust with him from the last place?
Cal manifested some wind, blowing some of it away.
"Huh" The nominal professor picked his head up and glanced at the broken clock on the wall. "I guess it''s time" He gave out another yawn. "Mia, please" as soon as the words left him his head was once again against the desk, snoring away.
Cal''s eye did not twitch at the display. Even if he felt his sanity slipping. The short exchange was enough for Mia, who closed her book and stood. She grabbed a slip of paper and a book from where the teacher now slept and walked over. Past all the other empty places.
"Syllabus" She placed the paper in front of him followed by the book. "Textbook
She turned around, returning to her seat.
"Hold up" Cal called out. "Anyone else coming?"
Her response did not come until she had been re-seated with the book in its normal place.
"No."
"Are you saying I''m the only one taking this class?"
"Yes."
"Isn''t there a minimum class size?"
"Yes."
"Is it more than one?"
"Yes."
"So this class is canceled."
"No."
That didn''t make much sense to him but she didn''t look to be ready to elaborate any time soon.
Cal picked up the syllabus, hoping for better answers. He read the day one entry.
Introductions and icebreakers
Did he write this himself? The man hadn''t even said his name.
This might be a dud.
Cal packed his belongings and rose. Pausing before he left.
"Since no actual teaching is going on, I''m heading out."
"Okay" Mia responded, clearly not upset at his declaration.
It was all sorts of disappointing.
At least more free time wouldn''t go amiss. He took the long route back, prolonging his return to the dorms while also avoiding the traffic on the more heavily used paths.
A child blocked his way.
"Calum Ardere" The voice was low in pitch, sounding artificial "I challenge you to a duel."
Two thoughts crossed his mind.
First, how did the third prince know his name?
Second, what the hell was wrong with this family?
Chapter 18
The wind blew by as the pair faced off. Leaves danced in the air before slowly falling to the earth.
Lily''s advice echoed in his head.
Cal turned around, walking the other way while fishing out his phone. His fingers stopped, not typing the message he''d intended to send.
Cal had yet to determine if the crown prince knew, but he refused to entertain the idea that the royal family would entrust the secret of his presence to a thirteen-year-old. What made him hesitate, was that adults could overlook children when speaking between themselves. Ancestors know he''d been privy to enough classified information at that same stature.
"Showing your back? Do you not realize who stands before you?"
Cal''s steps halted and he gave a tired sigh, every day better not be like this.
The kid walked around him, placing himself in the way again.
"I am Prince Sebastian and I demand a duel."
Cal extended his senses, finding them alone at the moment.
"Listen kid, I don''t have time to play with you right now so leave me alone."
The best choice of words? No, certainly not. However, the day had taken its mental toll and he no longer wanted to deal with it.
"So you deny a fair duel?" The prince spoke with a loud voice. "Did your house raise you with no honor?"
"I''m a bastard" Cal stated with a smirk. The kid would have to work harder if he wanted to get a rise out of him. "They didn''t raise me at all."
"Then whoever did must have been a wretch to raise such a craven coward"
Hmm, maybe this kid wasn''t so bad after all. That unfortunate face still made Cal want to punch him just a little.
"If you''re trying to goad me into a fight that''s the wrong way to go about it. And didn''t you just have one yesterday? It''s early to go picking another one."
The kid gave a huff and puffed out his chest.
"That was no fight, my victory was never in doubt"
Cal doubted he was the only member of the audience to note how shaky a hold the kid had on his sword at the end.
"Right..." Cal let out skeptically. "go find someone else, not interested."
Cal moved to walk around him but the prince stepped in his path again.
"No, I wish to test the mettle of the one who bested my eldest brother. Trickery or no."
That answered what this was about, Rolland must have blabbed to him.
"You have me confused with someone else because I have no idea what you''re talking about."
He was not above lying to children.
"The denials you spout are fruitless. I''ve been informed by a reliable source that you faced and injured his person while remaining unscathed yourself."
"That was a misunderstanding. He tripped."
Onto Cal''s fist. He envisioned it being a repeat occurrence.
"Are you suggesting a mere fall is enough to hurt him?"
"He''s very clumsy."
The kid crossed his arms and tried to look intimidating.
"The notion of that is insulting to my family"
"Fine, you got me. It was an accident though. He wasn''t taking me seriously." Cal decided to give up the charade. "Even with that, you''re a few years too early to go challenging someone who can avoid getting instantly clobbered by the top-ranked student."
Cal''s attempt to go around was stopped for a third time.
"I will be the one to decide that." The boy stood there, fist clenched at his sides and a determined look etched onto his face.
Hah. Kids could be so stubborn. His princely status did nothing to help it. Cal imagined he''d not been told ''no'' many times.
He was close to dismissing him again but he did sorta owe the tyke for lifting his idea to fight Benjamin. He''d executed it far better of course. Shielding your eyes from sudden changes in light was easily accomplished.
Didn''t quite work when the only thing to see was fire.
It wasn''t like that was enough to win but the split-second it took Benjamin to focus on his senses besides sight provided him an advantage.
He wouldn''t duel the kid. That was too public and invited complications.
Giving him an important life lesson? That he could do.
Cal flexed his senses again, finding them still alone.
Good.
He appeared inches in front of the prince who remained stock-still; lacking the reaction time to make any move. He pushed a palm against the center of the boy''s chest, sweeping him from his feet. The boy landed on his back, dazed.
Cal didn''t wait for the kid to get his bearings, taking the opportunity to walk away.
"Ambush!" A startled cry rang out in the background. "I was not prepared for such-"
Cal blurred and the boy''s words were cut off as his head was flicked, earning a wince of pain.
Cal spoke from a position behind the prince. "Word of advice kid" The prince''s head whipped to face him, finding nothing. "Try not to mouth off to people so clearly out of your league" Cal''s voice came from the next blind spot he''d found. "And if you do, keep the damn shell up. I could have painted the tree with you."
Cal felt they were wise words. Words he had a hard time following himself. Not dying did have its perks.
¡ª
He slipped out of the area while the prince frantically tried to locate him. There may be some fallout from that. Cal figured he''d find out when soldiers started breaking down his door.
It''d work itself out.
He''d only scared the kid, no real damage being done. With a lack of witnesses it would be a case of he said prince said. A case weighed against him and one that did no favors for his actual objective. Logically he should have left the kid hanging. Turns out, he had a soft spot for mouthy little shits who didn''t know any better.
Alice was waiting when he arrived. Papers cluttered the table she sat at so he hoped she''d be distracted enough for him to abscond into his room. That proved not to be the case, as her head tilted towards him.
"Should you not still be in lessons?" She said after glancing at her watch. "I have you marked for that engineering class you were so adamant about."
"We let out early, first day and all." Cal told the technical truth.
"I would not grow accustomed to that." She said with a small frown. "Your professors will expect much from you"
No time like the present. Cal walked over, setting his bag down next to the table, and pulling out a chair for himself. Alice raised an eyebrow at his demeanor. He considered calling Lily, the resident Alice wrangler. The idea was discarded, he could handle this himself.
"About that" Cal prepared to broach the subject. "So I want to preface this by saying none of this is my fault and it''s not as bad as you think"
Alice stilled and slowly placed the paper she''d been examining on the table, resting her hands on her lap.
She didn''t say anything and he took that as a cue to continue.
"Ferguson, the former Finger guy, meddled a bit with my schedule and I''m no longer taking bookkeeping or history." She had no visible reaction to that portion. "Instead I''m taking something called AMC, advanced magical combat." That did trigger a change as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Marcus Procellae is a member of the class"
Cal watched the surroundings. Nothing was on fire. Yet at least.
A loud exhale was heard and Alice rose walking to the small kitchenette in their living space. Emphasis on small, it was a glorified pantry. She opened a cabinet and rummaged through it, pulling out something wrapped. She tore it open and took a bite. Then another, and another until it was gone. She washed her hands, cleaned up any errant crumbs, and returned. She took her seat as if nothing had happened.
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Cal withheld his comments however, he noted the penchant for sweets for later.
"I anticipated this may happen once I saw the exempt on your results. When you received the course selection without being informed of needing a required class I believed my worries to be misplaced. This was an error on my part." She rested her elbows on the table, massaging her scalp as she leaned forward with her eyes closed. "It is not a desired outcome, did you petition the instructor for alternative accommodations?"
"Yes" He''d given it a solid attempt but was finding his powers of persuasion to be lacking when he couldn''t physically threaten people. "I''m stuck with it. For what it''s worth the Marcus fellow said he''d keep everything to himself."
"Do not believe any words that sprout from his tongue." Her eyes snapped open and words lashed out. The temperature increased a degree "You would do well to remember that."
Cal nodded, staying silent while she cooled down. The reaction she had indicated a more personal feeling. There was more to that than family issues. He chose not to dig, whatever the nature of their relationship that was her business.
"You fought then, yes? What was the outcome? Who else was attending? It''s a closed class so I would appreciate any light you can shed on it."
She rattled off questions, an intense look in her eye.
He contemplated fibbing to keep her further in the dark. Too many potential pitfalls, better to play it straight.
"I sparred, unofficially, with Benjamin, I beat him." Her back got a little straighter and her frown disappeared. "Mind you, he was fighting with Rolland when I got there so he probably wasn''t in the best form. Aside from the teacher the only other person there was Marcus." She nodded, seemingly expecting that. "I don''t think there''s a set structure to the class. Ferguson''s not the type for that"
"Defeating the third rank is impressive." He wondered how she would feel knowing the exact method of his win.
"It makes my showing against you easier to understand." She had pursed lips, looking to have swallowed a lemon. "I''ve been¡unfair to you. I should have given you the proper credit due for your victory rather than conjuring justifications to appease myself."
"No worries, I get-"
"Please let me finish." She cut him off with a raised palm. A resolute expression on her. "This is not an easy feat for me."
He waited with apprehension to see what she had to say.
"Our first meeting, I handled it poorly. When I saw you, I viewed the sin my Father committed. To a lesser extent, I still do. It''s something I''ve struggled with. By reason, I can grasp that you have committed no fault. Indeed, you are another victim in this sad state of affairs. I know this and yet these feelings persist. I tell you this not to excuse my behavior, rather I would ask your patience as I sort through these intrusive thoughts."
She bowed her head towards him. Neither of them moved and Cal realized she was awaiting a response.
He should have taken up Albert''s offer of being a staff member. He can''t imagine that would have been anywhere close to as difficult as dealing with this sham.
"I haven''t exactly made it walk in the park. Like I said, I get it. This whole situation is-" He stopped himself from saying fucked. "Unpleasant for everyone involved. We don''t have to reach the level of liking each other, simply tolerating will be more than enough."
He left out that they''d only need to do so for a year at most.
Alice raised her head and shook it, red locks swaying back and forth.
"Mother was correct. Even if we appear united to outsiders, we cannot afford any more internal divisions in our House."
"More?" He spoke without thinking.
Her eyes flashed with a complex set of emotions.
"Mother may have the strength to forgive Father. I have not. Not now. Perhaps never."
They seemed fine when saying their goodbyes. Not that he was any expert in familial dynamics.
Cal ran a hand through his hair, scratching the back of his head.
Should he defend the guy?
What he wouldn''t give to trade places with one of those cafeteria workers right now. Hells, he liked cooking. Why''d past Cal not fought this more?
"Can we not talk about this right now? It''s been a day."
"Very well, I''ve said what I ought to. Moving to comparatively lighter topics." She didn''t seem displeased by the shift in conversation. "You did well keeping it off the record. Proving yourself more adept at this life than I originally believed." She sighed, her shoulders rolling back. "I confess, when you first sat I expected far graver news."
Cal couldn''t well be insulted by that.
The edges of her mouth upturned and the tenseness from before dissipated.
"Did you know Lily had the gall to wager you would assault the person of a royal by week''s end? I look forward to collecting on her foolishness"
It wasn''t his fault.
Those brothers had hereditary mental issues. Cal speculated it came from all the inbreeding. He''d make his own wager that the sister was equally messed up. Not that he planned on figuring that out. Meeting two out of the three royal students was more than enough for him.
"Lily has a weird sense of humor. You know she specifically told me not to punch them."
Pushing and flickering were pointedly not punches.
She hummed in understanding, her mind drifting elsewhere. Her brow furrowed in contemplation. Struggling with something if the way her lips twitched was any indication.
"I hesitate to ask you this. Especially in light of my recent admission." Alice looked out to the balcony "However, I would be remiss to pass up this opportunity." Her red eyes reflected the sun that''d yet to set. "If avoidance is no longer practical, then we should alter tactics." She faced him. "I''ll ask you to, if you are willing, ingratiate¡no that isn''t the appropriate word." She brought her head slightly down, holding her chin in thought. She released it after a moment, addressing him again. "Observe him closely, discover what you can about his dealings. Do not force it, simply be amiable. Marcus is guarded but not infallible. Should he be careless, it would do us well to capitalize on it"
Cal fought to keep the smirk from his face, the irony of the situation not lost on him.
"I realize you are not prepared and that this is much to ask."
"Don''t worry." he stopped her. Giving her what he considered a reassuring smile "I got this."
Maybe that whole show was meant to manipulate him. It would be very noble like. That didn''t change the fact that he''d upended part of her life. The least he could do was help out a little here and there until he left.
Something must have been lost in translation as a troubled expression came over her.
"On further thought, disregard that request."
Cal got up, heading to his room. "No no, I got this. Promise."
He was already spying on the whole school, paying one student special attention was no great burden. If he thought about it more, gathering the resources needed to conduct the summoning was no simple task. The heir of a dukedom would have both the money and influence to see it done. If his snooping turned up an actual motive? Then he might just have his man.
Two birds, one stone.
"I''ll ask you not to." Her voice pleaded behind him.
"Ship has sailed." Cal finished, closing the door.
He heard a thump from the other side.
Chapter 19
Ryan grunted in exertion as careful steps took him up the staircase. His grip on the box shifted slightly as he balanced it with the others stacked precariously on top.
"We could have taken more trips. You didn''t have to carry them all in one go." Jess tapped her foot impatiently. Waiting for him at the top of the staircase with her arms crossed.
"That basement creeps me out. I''m not going in there any more than I have to."
Ryan had been drafted to assist with pulling out the fashion club''s gear from storage.
"Is my big strong man scared of some dolls?" She teased with a smile.
Anyone who visited that place knew that ''some'' was a vast understatement. There were hundreds of those things down there. The club used them to model designs before moving on to full mannequins. No one ever wanted to get rid of their work so they just left them down there to collect dust. He swore some of their eyes even tracked him. Not that he''d admit as much.
He crested the top step, turning to look at her as he passed. "And my big strong woman could help carry some of this stuff"
"You''re lucky you are carrying that" She said sharply. He was certain she had been contemplating stepping on his foot just then. "Now hurry up, lunch period is only so long and that stuff isn''t that heavy for you."
She walked in front of him again, leading him towards the club room. She was right, balancing the tower may be tricky but the weight itself was well within his capabilities.
A mischievous thought crossed his mind and his next step ended up short. He gave a yell of surprise as he stumbled forward, the boxes beginning to tumble down.
He caught them of course. He wasn''t that crazy.
"Not funny" She called out, further ahead of him now. Not having bothered to pause her step or even spare him a look. "That''s all imported so you better hope you don''t actually drop any of it."
"My dear, I fear your disappointment greater than any failure the world may thrust on me." he said theatrically, imitating a line from a character in her favorite play.
"Dork"
That was the sound of someone blushing and him scoring points.
They reached the room and she held the door open for him as walked through and settled the boxes on the floor.
Charitably speaking, the room was a mess. Boxes and fabric strewn about everywhere. That was to be expected this early in the year. All the clubs were frantically trying to get their bearings before recruitment started.
He heard a thump and turned to find Jess had started unpacking one of the boxes he''d carried.
"When you said imported" He said with a frown. "I didn''t think you meant I was hauling anything snake made"
"I''m not sure what you are referring to" Jess replied while placing the device over some loose papers occupying a desk. "We purchased these through Edin merchants."
"Uh huh" He walked over and lifted another of the devices out of the box. Flipping it revealed a section had been shaved down. "Jeez, I wonder what used to be there."
There''d been an embargo between the Empire and Federation since before he was born. For as long as he could remember, Free City merchants were happy to blatantly violate it.
He gently placed the object on the desk and backed away.
"Stop being so dramatic." Jess rolled her eyes and grabbed another of the devices, dropping it on the table to his wince. "It''s a sewing machine, not a bomb."
"You sure about that?" Ryan said testily. "They can be creative when making weapons."
He wasn''t slated to go into the family business. That didn''t mean they shut him out and he had seen far too many examples of seemingly innocuous items having alternative uses.
"Really? You know this uniform I look so cute in?" She popped out her hip and placed a hand on it "Don''t you think the design looks a tad familiar? I know you''re not complaining."
"That''s different" he muttered, taking a seat on a different table.
"How so? I got them straight from the magazines you procured for me." She stalked up to him. "Were those weapons? Did you check them for poison before handing them off?" Her face leaned into his and then pulled back abruptly. "Ancestors! You did, didn''t you?!?!"
"Technically, my family did it for me." He defended himself without shame. "It''s a standard precaution, you can''t put anything past them."
"Our parents hardly knew the last war and the borders have been quiet since then." She went back to unpacking the various boxes. "Those times are past us."
"Are you sure about that?" His question made her pause. He glanced at the closed door, he was treading dangerous waters here.
"You received another letter from your brother then?" She sighed but continued her work. "Have they discovered anything new?"
This was confidential information and he shouldn''t be telling her. Strictly speaking, he wasn''t meant to know it either. He did though, and if there was anyone in the world he could tell it to it would be Jess.
"We still don''t know what type of weapon they were testing. Whatever it was worked. A little too well in fact. It destroyed the facility where it was being tested and woke up the rest of their military. It''s unclear what happened after but multiple members of the Constellation may have been involved in the cleanup."
She paled and her breathing fell out of rhythm. He fell silent.
"Continue." She demanded with a quiver in her voice. "Vows we may have yet to give however we share burdens all the same."
Something panged in his chest. The feeling left as quickly as it arrived and he continued with his explanation.
"There''s a shakeup in their leadership. High-level positions are being quietly replaced. If that wasn''t enough, there are rumblings along the border. Signs point to them mobilizing, even if they''ve gone to great lengths to hide them." Reading between the lines, they were moving to a war footing.
"Is purging leadership a precursor to war? I would have thought they''d wish to avoid the instability it brings."
"Isolated it wouldn''t be, but with the mobilization, it''s pretty clear they''re getting rid of people not on board with this insanity."
It was the conclusion he''d come to and his brother confirmed their family reached the same.
"Had it been another delivering this news I would refuse to believe it. I was under the impression relations had been normalizing."
"From what I knew, they were."
His family always encouraged an inquisitive mindsight. Questioning things was par the course in their household. So he knew the valiant stories their history books painted had trouble reconciling with reality. Rarely did the Federation initiate hostilities. That they did now was a bad omen.
She stood up, straightening out her uniform from when it had gotten wrinkled while crouched.
"You said multiple. Which ones?" She whispered the question, the mention of that group was considered a slight taboo.
"Oracle and Aegis, maybe more."
"I''m not sure why I even asked." Her head shook slowly "It makes little difference which of them was involved."
He understood her meaning. A monster was a monster, it didn''t matter what type it was. The fact that two of them were needed for anything¡
"There''s only five of them." His words rushed out. "Don''t forget we have the Right and Left Hands of the Emperor. With them and all the Fingers, the Constellation won''t be a threat."
He lied through his teeth.
"Here I was looking to share your troubles and you end up comforting me instead. A poor wife I will make." She commented bitterly and walked over to the window. Placing a hand on it and looking out longingly. "I don''t want this to end."
That pang hit him again.
He didn''t dwell on it. Too distracted with capturing the moment. A soft click was heard and her golden hair whipped out, impacting the window.
"Sorry, couldn''t help myself."
She eyed his phone and her posture relaxed. "I suppose my preference is for you to take photos of me rather than other girls."
"What other girls?" A sly smile came over him "You''re my only muse."
"Humph" She closed her eyes and faced away with crossed arms. "Don''t think I didn''t notice your handiwork on that portrait of Lady Arcutien."
Ryan recognized that tone and got on a knee. "My lady please forgive this one''s impertance." His hand held out a bouquet of wildflowers.
Despite not having an affinity for earth or water, his brother had insisted he learn this small growth manifestation. Seeing the eye peak open and upturning of lips, Ryan felt his efforts well placed.
"Dork."
She took the bouquet from him, placing one of the flowers in her hair. Opening the window she released the rest to float away.
"That was a happy accident." He continued, rising to his feet again. "As a proud member of the photography club, I couldn''t pass up the scene."
A club he was currently blowing off to help with hers. It''s not like they had much gear. The guys and gals would manage without him.
"Accident implies you were not stalking the poor boy." She huffed but a smile remained on her face.
"Stalking is a strong word. I was following intently." He leaned against a desk, hands by his side with a thoughtful expression. "Don''t tell me you''re not the least bit curious about him. The fifth or third year would make sense. Coming in on the fourth year? As a bastard no less? That''s all kinds of weird. Add on his class schedule showing he clearly failed the placement exam and you have to wonder what''s going on."
"That''s your family talking." She dismissed while pushing him off the desk. Fixing whatever he had misplaced. "Peering into everything as if it were some grand conspiracy. Not that it''s any of our concern, but have you considered the state of House Ardere to begin with? Their title is hollow these days. They are liable to Name anyone with an ounce of magical talent that shares their blood."
"Maybe¡" he trailed off in an unconvincing tone.
"Rather than waste your time chasing your wild imagination, you should try focusing on helping the other bastard in our life."
Gregor.
"He rebuffs me whenever I try." He didn''t try to keep the frustration from showing. "There''s not much else I can do. At this rate, we''ll just have to wait for him to reach majority and see what happens. Either his Name is confirmed and we get the old Gregor back or it''s revoked."
He didn''t say what would happen in the second scenario. He didn''t want to think of it.
"The Naming process is cruel." Jess said emphatically "To take someone into your house and name them as your blood, only to strip it away should they prove inadequate by majority? There must be a better way of doing things."
"Well, you know my thoughts on that." Ryan gruffed.
She stretched out her palm towards him. "Keep your radical thoughts to yourself."
If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Some would find it strange that one from a family known for their contributions to the foreign intelligence field would harbor such thoughts. It was precisely his background that birthed them.
His family saw the writing on the wall.
Since immemorial the Empire had always had the upper hand. Time and time again they''d ventured over the Great River. The Federation''s armies melted away in their presence and the Empire occupied territories in the name of ancient glory.
Yet their holdings never persisted. Unlike the Holy Enclave, who accepted their position of vassal with grace, the people of that land refused to break.
Soldiers would find their throats slit in the night. Plague would spread in the camps. The food of Nobles would be poisoned. The snakes even touched the Imperial homeland, with entire lineages being wiped out.
The gap in strength that made them employ such horrendous methods, was closing. It may even be already gone. They had progressed too quickly.
No, not had.
Were.
Those fools in the Diet didn''t realize that by clinging to their ideals they weren''t preserving their way of life. They were dooming it to extinction. Grudges ran deep and he wondered if the snakes were finally coming to collect.
He took a breath, closing his eyes for a moment and focusing on his partner''s signature. It was dim, with her not actively using magic. However quiet, he heard the melody all the same. It soothed him.
He opened his eyes and complied with the hand. She''d heard his rant enough times to recite it herself.
"I was hoping including Callum in our group would let them bond over that stress. A fat lot of good it''s doing, the guy''s too carefree. I think it might start having the opposite effect soon."
"Then why do you keep including him? We owe him nothing. Oh right, it''s because of your conspiratorial mind."
"You''re putting words in my mouth. I don''t think it''s some dastardly plot, I''m just curious is all."
"Curious enough to hurt your actual friend." He winced, not having a good reply for that.
"That''s enough distractions for today. There''s still plenty to do." She tossed an empty box towards him which he took and started to collapse. "You''re wrong by the way. About him being carefree. There''s an underlying anxiousness that accompanies him."
Was there? He hadn''t noticed.
Jessica did.
He watched his fianc¨¦e work. She had sourced a scrunchie from somewhere and put her hair in a loose ponytail. The flower sticking out. They''d been engaged for as long as he could remember. His parents had called it a near-perfect arrangement.
Both of their families were of similar rank.
They were members of the same political circles.
Geographically, their lands were near enough to support one another and far enough to prevent overlapping claims.
Their blood''s affinity matched well.
One side had a spare son.
The other had a similarly aged daughter as heir.
It was as if the goddess of marriage Urel herself had risen and blessed their future union.
No one had asked their opinion.
He didn''t know if she loved him.
He didn''t know if he loved her.
He did know they got along.
That would have to be enough.
"Stop lazying about." She tossed another box his way. "We have a lot of work to do."
He caught it with a grin. Could be worse.
¡ª
Cal had been ditched. He didn''t begrudge them. Frankly, he was astonished it had taken this long.
He was being melodramatic. The others had decided to use today''s lunch period to go work on club tasks. That''s what they said at least, could be they were tired of his presence and needed an excuse.
He''d gotten used to eating with them during the standard class days too quickly, it felt weird to do otherwise.
Prior to deciding where to eat by his lonesome, he''d stopped by the registration building to see if he could have that chat with the Spirit. The only thing in the building was a signpost that said ''out to lunch''.
Cal couldn''t tell if it was a joke or not. He burned it for good measure.
He settled on the central dining hall, wanting some familiarity with where he was eating. He waited in line while scanning the floor. It would be difficult to grab an alone spot with the increase in traffic.
The line inched forward and Cal was beginning to regret his decision not to eat at a less populous location.
"Excuse me" A voice spoke from behind him. "Callum Ardere correct?"
Cal turned to face the speaker. Yep, this was a mistake.
The grey-haired young man from the city stood there. The leech, if he was to believe Lily. He looked different from before. With an easy-going smile on his face.
Cal didn''t trust it.
"Apologies." Cal read from the ''how to handle pushy nobles'' playbook Claire had drilled into him. She''d written it, he''d titled it. "I''m currently preoccupied. I''ll be happy to have a discussion with your person at a later, more opportune time."
The trick was there would be no opportune time.
It wasn''t much of a trick.
"The fault lies with me for approaching you so suddenly." The young man took his refusal in stride. "In way of amends, why don''t you join me in dining upstairs? You''ll find there will be more exclusive options with nary a wait."
Cal''s line moved another inch. The glacial pace cemented his choice.
"Sure, lead on." He said with a shrug, dropping the act.
This guy was trouble. Cal ate trouble for breakfast. Err, lunch in this case. The point is, he was hungry and he doubted this guy''s ability to do anything but annoy him.
"Wonderful" If bothered by Cal''s change in demeanor the young man didn''t show it. "Please follow me."
He was led up a few floors to a private room. A servant bowed opening the door for them. A single round-clothed table with two seats and menus occupied it. A large set of windows operated as a backdrop, letting in light.
Cal didn''t wait for the servant to pull out the chair for him and promptly plopped down. He couldn''t say the same for his companion who seated himself the ''proper'' way.
"Where are my manners? I failed to introduce myself. Allow me to rectify that, I am Petro Lucerna" The man picked up the menu, not sparing it a glance he handed it to the waiter. "We won''t need these. Fetch us a bottle of Calidum, your oldest vintage will do. For the meal, we''ll take the Chef''s recommended course for the day."
"Of course my lord." The waiter gave a slight bow and retrieved Cal''s menu as well.
"Wait" Cal called to the waiter. "Nix the wine for me. Get me some apple juice, like the one from downstairs. Thank you."
The waiter assented with another bow and left them. Cal watched Petro, noticing the smile showed signs of strain.
Excellent. He''d agreed to do his best not to besmirch the Ardere name. Given Alice''s reaction, he was betting this guy didn''t count.
The brothers didn''t count either. They''d started it.
"I forget, this all must be a rather fresh experience for you." The smile eased again. "I''m certain you''ll adjust in time, provided you receive the proper guidance."
Cal suddenly felt slimy. He didn''t get a chance to respond as the waiter had already returned with the drinks and first course.
It was¡Cal didn''t know what it was. Some sort of vegetables. Cal purposely took the dessert spoon and began eating.
"Did you know" Petro held any thoughts of Cal''s antics to himself. "that we are cousins of a sort?"
They weren''t. Although he hadn''t known Alice had a cousin, let alone one she loathed so much at that.
"It''s true, our house used to be one some generations ago."
"That''s interesting" Cal replied casually.
He had a good idea of where this conversation was headed.
"I''m glad you feel that way." Petro swirled the wine. "There are those who don''t like to speak of our shared history."
Cal could think of one in particular.
"To family" Petro raised his glass.
Cal grabbed his. Took a swig. And clanged the glass while Petro was still frozen from his actions.
A part of him had wanted to put too much force and ''accidentally'' break the glasses against each other. He held himself back, that''d be rude to the staff responsible for cleaning.
The waiter entered again carrying another course. The interval seemed shorter than Cal remembered it was supposed to be. It must be some condensed version to accommodate the lunch period.
Cal grabbed the small bowl of soup. Slurping it in the most obnoxious way he knew. If Mask was watching him right now they might shed a tear. Or claim copyright infringement. You never quite knew with them.
Petro frowned and set down the spoon he was about to use.
"In the spirit of family. I was hoping we''d be able to spend more time together and discuss the future of our house. Apologies, I meant houses."
Cal did not believe that to be a slip.
"Sure thing." Cal pointed at Petro''s untouched soup. "You mind? Thanks" He didn''t wait for a response before taking the bowl and repeating the process. It was good soup. "I''ll tell Alice and we can set a date. We''ll be like the three amigos."
"That won''t be necessary!" Petro said. The words in a race to escape his mouth. "She and I, we don''t see eye to eye on some matters. It would be better to limit the conversation to ourselves."
"I don''t know, doesn''t that seem like we''re going behind her back?" Cal asked like a child questioning if the nice man in the white van really did lose his puppy.
"Perish the thought. We''re simply two members of noble society discussing matters relevant to us."
Cal faced a fork in the road. He could end this now or play the dumb hick longer and get more information on whatever plan he was cooking up. Judging from how this guy acted in front of Marcus, he didn''t have the same resources or influence as the dukedom''s heir. Cal also wasn''t being forced to spend time with him due to the meddling of an over-perceptive drunk.
The door opened and the waiter pulled in a trolley with their entrees.
That made it easy.
"Thanks for the food." Cal got up, intercepting the waiter and grabbing one of the plates. "This guy is covering everything right?" He received a small nod, prompting him to dump the contents of the second plate on his. "Cool, I''ll take this to go. Later Pedro"
"Wait, we''re not finished¡did you call me Pedro?"
"No clue what you''re talking about."
Petro made to rise after him. He didn''t make it far as the wine glass tipped and spilled its contents over the man''s uniform.
A loud curse came out. The noble facade cracking.
Curiously, none of the wine landed on the table itself.
Cal smirked as he walked out.
The idiot hadn''t realized the magic he''d sneaked in when their glasses touched.
Chapter 20
Shadows reached out in vain to impale their target as their spindly forms withered under the intense light bathing the field. The sources of both magics clashed. The light wielder held the upper hand, although this match was by no means decided.
Cal wasn''t too invested in the fight between Rolland and Benjamin. He would like the latter boy to come out ahead, unfortunately the fight was tilted against his direction from the start.
Some people liked to think certain elements were superior to others. In Cal''s experience, that was a load of rubbish. They all had their strengths and weaknesses. That being said, certain ones did have advantages when facing others. The best example of this was being played out in front of him.
It certainly didn''t help that the fight was occurring on a bright and sunny day.
Poor Benny.
Disadvantaged or not, the kid seemed to be enjoying himself. Even if neither side was giving it their all right now.
"You want my instruction?" Marcus regarded him with a tilt of his head responding to the request he had made moments ago.
"Well, I need to learn how to use this thing." Cal flipped the spear in his hand a couple of times. "I figured you could give me pointers. Since, you know."
Cal''s eyes moved between their weapons.
"I''m afraid I do not" Marcus replied, missing his meaning.
"We both use pointy sticks." duh. Cal thought that obvious.
The man could be visibly seen holding back a groan.
"That is a simplification, the trident and spear require two vastly different styles of fighting. "
Cal wasn''t convinced. Truthfully, learning it by himself wouldn''t be too difficult. It was a spear after all. Just because he didn''t put much thought when choosing it didn''t mean there was no consideration at all.
In this world and his last, pointy sticks were mankind''s greatest invention. They''d been a battlefield staple for hundreds of years precisely due to their ease of use.
"So you''re telling me." Cal began skeptically. "If I gave you this thing. You wouldn''t know how to use it?"
The man didn''t meet Cal''s eyes, keeping them on the ongoing fight.
"I''m under no obligation to assist you."
"True enough." Cal hadn''t expected the man to agree right then and there. Rome wasn''t built in a day, he''d whittle him down with time.
"I heard you had lunch with another party yesterday." Marcus commented in a manner similar to inquiring about the weather.
Cal wondered who provided him with that bit of information. His interaction with Petro on the main floor hadn''t been long. However, there were plenty of students around at that time.
Did Petro tell the man himself or was it another student? Cal couldn''t discount it being a staff member either. If it was someone else, was it a random coincidence that it got back to Marcus? Or was he keeping an eye on Cal specifically? He hoped not. Cal did not need people tracking his comings and goings.
"Food was alright." Cal responded in a noncommittal fashion.
They watched in silence for a little until Marcus continued.
"Petro is an ambitious man. At times he can reach further than he should."
Was that a warning? Cal had thought them of the same faction, based on their presence together in the city.
Without knowing the relationship between Marcus and Petro, it was difficult to determine what to say next.
Alice had returned late last night and went to bed shortly after, so he''d not had the opportunity to talk to her about the lunch. In hindsight, he should have asked Lily.
If he had, then maybe he''d not be second-guessing whether or not Marcus was trying to play some 4d chess move.
The fight they had been spectating ended. Predictably Rolland had come out on top. Cal looked to the side, where their teacher had set up the equivalent of a lawn chair and was currently napping.
"Shall we?" Marcus gestured to the now empty field.
Cal bit back his reflexive refusal. Benny seemed to warm up to him after a fight so would Marcus be the same?
Fuck it.
He wordlessly walked into the starting position.
"Well, now I''m hurt." His actions weren''t missed by Rolland who seemed in good spirits. "When I ask you for a spar you claimed tiredness yet you so readily accept another? Come to think of it, there was a rumor I heard about another altercation you involved yourself in. You''re quite fortunate I managed to catch that in time. It would be a shame for your attendance here to be cut short."
Cal paused in his step.
"You think I owe you one or something?"
The edges of Rolland''s mouth moved upwards.
"A ''thank you'' would not be amiss."
Oracle and this guy must be related in some manner, he''d never wanted to rearrange someone''s face so hard before.
He took a breath and let it out slowly.
"Thanks." he muttered and went back to focusing on the upcoming fight.
Cal had been through a lot of them recently. Far more than normal for him in a ''civilized'' space. From his first days in the Federation, finding a sparring partner had always been a difficult task. Initially, it hadn''t even been his reputation that had scared them off. He could concede that had changed nowadays and it was a combination of both of theirs.
It was an odd feeling, being in a place where everyone seemed to be jumping at it.
The change in pace did present a complication for him. As a rule of thumb, he threw most of his natural regeneration into the void. Keeping only a quarter of his regular tank full at any given time. Lately, he''d been contributing less than he''d liked. Using magic far more liberally than he''d originally intended, even with the boost the ambient magic gave.
That needed to change.
The confrontations like that with the Spirit being an exception. That was a necessary expense. Beating up noble brats? That was a discretionary expense. Sure he''d splurge now and then, but he couldn''t do it every class.
Of course, if he kept the fight short he could have his cake and eat it too.
He doubted that working here. Marcus did not strike him as incompetent, he''d not be able to make a repeat of his ''strategy'' against Benny. Which meant this would be a drawn-out fight.
He was going to lose.
Fine. Nothing he hadn''t done before.
Both parties squared off.
Marcus didn''t stand on ceremony, waving his trident forward. It came to life, sparks running down its length. The wind picked up, drawn towards the man. It swirled around, forming a cocoon of air. The sparks grew and turned into bolts of lightning, leaping out to touch Cal.
Cal waited patiently for their arrival. A short step, a swing of the spear and he came out no worse for wear. The bolts having been deflected or dodged.
Lightning was pretty great at being a quick and powerful form of attack. It also proved one of the more difficult elements to control. The consequence of that meant it was often treated as a fire-and-forget type of attack.
Cal didn''t press forward. That barrier of wind killed any hopes of being able to pull off a blitz. With his current restrictions, he''d either be flung aside or ripped to shreds if he tried. On the upside, the power used to maintain it would be a continuous drain on his opponent.
Bolts in greater quantity lashed out. Cal didn''t pay them much mind, the real threat was hidden at their flanks. Blades of wind. Compared to their neighbors, what they gave up in speed and power was more than made up for in sheer lethality. There was a reason wind was his favorite flavor of magic.
The magics converged on him. The bolts were designed to block his front while the wind arced around to hit him from the sides.
Cal made to repeat his previous feat. Greater in number they may be, that amount of bolts wasn''t enough to push him.
He stepped past the first bolt, prepared to retreat another step to avoid a blade of wind. His plan was scraped as his instincts demanded he leap away entirely.
They''d not been wrong. As the ground he''d been standing on erupted in a geyser.
The magics impacted each other, mixing before giving chase to him. Sparkling water shot towards him, some of it in long tendrils, others barely a drop. Regardless of the form, Cal noticed they were coated in a thin layer of wind.
Better than your average cultist.
He considered letting it wash him away but It wouldn''t be sporting if he went down that easy.
Cal eyed the broken-up wave surging towards him.
There, there and there.
No more dallying about, he met it head-on at one of the gaps that didn''t look like bait. He weaved through the tide, dodging what he could, deflecting what he couldn''t. One of the streams he pushed away rounded back on him. It wasn''t the only one, as more and more attacks came up for seconds, thirds, and so on.
He needed to make some concessions and allowed several of the smaller attacks to brush up against his blazer. He didn''t bother raising his shell for them as the slight contact was not enough to pierce the material it was made out of.
The ground beneath him gave way once more to a torrent of water. Similarly to the last, he managed to avoid it. The intensity of attacks kicked up a notch and Cal found himself starting to struggle to cope with it all at the current level of augmentation he allowed himself.
How long had it been? Had he reached the point where he could gracefully tap out?
His body was moving to dodge again when suddenly four separate geysers broke the ground, boxing him in. The waters closed in on all sides.
Welp, that was that. He stood, waiting for the inevitable when his senses informed him of some interesting developments. Maybe he''d be able to go on the offensive after all.
He sprung up, ascending into the air a dozen meters and rising. He wasn''t alone up here, wind blades rushed to greet him.
It was a trap, a good one as well. It took quite a bit of effort to set up. Cal had willingly thrown himself into it. Knowing that while the height would expose him, it would allow him a clear shot towards Marcus. Who, in setting up and maintaining the whirlpool of death Cal found himself in, had lowered his protective barrier.
Cal still had his back to the man, not wanting to give anything away. Airborne, he twisted his body, narrowly avoiding a slice to his shoulder. For once, he used the focus in the spear.
Drawing the ambient magic into it, he found it to be a slow process, the quality of the thing was subpar.
He avoided several more attacks but soon found himself in a situation that could not be resolved with a simple shift.
He tapped his foot and a small burst of fire propelled him just enough to be out of harm''s way.
Fighting midair was always a pain in the ass.
Precious moments passed as he did his best to survive unscathed. The water had started to finally catch up. He was running out of time.
The spear was warm to the touch. He put what was left of the magic he''d rationed for this fight into it. Forfeiting after a single attack with ''all'' his magic seemed reasonable. Then they can shake and be fake friends or whatever.
His form stalled, having reached the apex of his jump. Now or never. His grip tightened and he drew his arm back.
Cal flipped himself, orientating himself upside down. Not the most comfortable of positions. However, it did give him the nice sight of Marcus'' eyes starting to widen in realization.
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
The spear tore forward, having left Cal''s possession. Once it impacted, Cal planned to detonate the magic left within it. It wouldn''t do much, but a hit would be a hit.
He didn''t make a habit of throwing sticks so it was to his surprise that the spear ended up on the right trajectory to hit Marcus. Provided the man didn''t move¡
Why wasn''t he moving? Did he plan to take it with his shell?
Wait. Why couldn''t Cal sense his shell???
Cal''s growing horror ceased as the spear was intercepted by a column of earth, burying itself deep.
So he used four elements? Color him impressed.
Below him, the outstretched tide was wavering. Sections of it collapsing. Nonetheless, it still posed a danger. Hmm¡maybe he should have saved some more to deal with this. Before he could begin to form a plan, the attacks were swallowed by the rising earth.
That wasn''t Marcus. If he could accomplish that the fight would have ended far sooner. The earth formed a platform that caught Cal after he righted himself, slowly lowering him back to the damp field.
"Lad." Ferguson, had woken up sometime during the match. "Can you do me a favor and not go around trying to kill students? My heart can''t take it."
"It''s not my fault." Cal didn''t pout. "Why didn''t you dodge? And where was your shell?"
Cal yelled to the man who had started walking over.
Marcus pursed his lips.
"I may ask the same of you. Your shell was notably absent near the entire match."
Cal called on his shell on an as-needed basis. It must have looked slightly strange from an outsider''s perspective.
"I" He pondered hard for an excuse. "Forgot."
Surprisingly, it must have worked because neither looked dubious about his claim.
Marcus spoke next.
"The manifestation I weaved was rather complex, had I broken concentration by taking defensive measures it would have continued on its path."
So he''d stood there risking an attack for his sake? Cal''s evaluation of the man rose.
"I had faith in our instructor''s intervention" Marcus gave a slight bow to Ferguson. "it was not misplaced."
Cal''s evaluation sank back to previous levels, he did not share that same amount of confidence in the drunk.
"You shouldn''t have, I didn''t wake up until the end" Ferguson immediately proved Cal''s sentiments. "And you two, what were you doing just watching? Could have done something yourselves!"
Ferguson directed his ire to our audience who Cal now noticed had hard stares leveled his way.
"Apologies" Rollan spoke with a dry tone, maintaining his focus on Cal. "I believe we were both captivated by the performance."
Benjamin numbly nodded.
Cal shifted uncomfortably. Not understanding where the weird atmosphere was coming from. He hadn''t gone any faster than he''d done before, hells he actually moved slower during most of that for efficiency''s sake. It wasn''t like he knew how to fight all of a sudden either, he''d spent most of the time just avoiding getting hit. Sure, he''d been told he was pretty good at-
His thoughts screeched to a halt.
Millie.
Millie had once told him he was pretty good at dodging while she was using him for target practice.
Millie, Ms. Perfect in everything I do, had told him he was pretty good at something. Translated to normal person speak...well he didn''t know what it meant.
"Aye, noticed did you?" Ferguson addressed Rolland "Wasn''t easy to see during your fight cause of the piss poor spearman-ship but the lads got better battle sense than some friends of mine." He gave a skeptical look to Cal "That does beggar the question of where you learned to move that way."
This wasn''t his fault.
If they had told him, ''oh by the way here''s what you can do without raising any eyebrows'' he wouldn''t keep running into these situations.
But no.
Let''s send the kid without a lick of training or information into a social and political hotbed. What could go wrong?
Ah right, some of them were betting on the ''wrong'' part. Bastards.
He hoped the investigation and subsequent trials were going well. Albert had promised to record them and he couldn''t wait to watch them on his return. Seeing them squirm and sentenced would make this all worth it. Why stop there? He should visit the more important ones in prison. Maybe bring a cake? Bake it with a pound of salt and have it say ''Why don''t you cut this open instead?''. He''d probably have to threaten a lot of people to get away with that. Doable.
None of the fantasizing helped with his current situation and he racked his brain for a response. It was easier than anticipated.
"Death is a powerful motivator" Perhaps he came off as edgy there. However, the truth was the truth. Dying was an unpleasant experience. One he accepted and yet tried to avoid all the same.
You could only get disemboweled so many times before getting fed up with it.
His words had more of an impact than expected, with the group falling silent for a time.
"She is ain''t she. Tough teacher that, for one so young." Ferguson broke the silence, pity in his voice.
Cal was caught between warring emotions. On one hand, he was thankful the man had bought his explanation. On the other, the pity made him want to punt the drunk out of the training grounds.
"I''m going to go get washed up, see you next week"
Cal left without further violence. Sometimes knowing you could was cathartic in of itself.
¡ª
"I didn''t know we were allowed up here" Cal commented while admiring the nighttime scenery.
His feet dangled off the side of a taller building near the main entrance of the Academy. It had just the right angle to allow a view of the city below. The hustle and bustle of which was a stark contrast to the now sleepy campus. Lights dotted it, replacing the stars that hung above unseen.
"Rules only matter if they can catch you. I, we''re way too fast to be caught by anyone who''d care." Lily was with him, hands propped up behind her, legs swaying back and forth. "What did you want so badly that it couldn''t wait? This is supposed to be me time."
"It probably could have waited." She shot him an irritated look. "I wanted to talk to Alice about it but she said she''s staying in the city tonight."
Which struck him as hypocritical due to all the grief she gave him when he stayed out late.
"Heir business" Lily answered a question he''d not been asking. "nothing for you to worry about."
"Right¡.anyway remember that guy you described as a leech?" Her legs stopped swaying. "He cornered me yesterday and we ended up having lunch."
"Is that so?" Her head tilted to its side and she stared unblinking at him. "You better start explaining what exactly happened."
Cal snorted, her constant empty threats losing their charm. An explanation was why he was here so after that display, he obliged and recounted the events of the day before.
"Ugh, why didn''t you text me!?" Lily''s hands grabbed fistfuls of her hair. "I told you to text me!"
She stood, pointing in his direction with sparks flying off her. Cal felt her reaction overblown. In his opinion, he''d handled it well.
"I could have watched through the window and recorded it all! Do you have any idea what a missed opportunity that was? I can just imagine that slimy smile crumbling. It would have been perfect."
"Sorry?" Cal offered, now seeing her point. That would have been funny.
"You should be. Be better. You said you got the wine all over his clothes?" Cal nodded. "Next time don''t stop there, drown the fucker in it" She said, vitriol dripping off her tongue.
"I''m honestly not sure if you''re being serious right now."
"Half-serious, I can''t think of anyone who likes him all that much. However, he''s still a noble. Should any serious harm come to him the circumstances will be heavily scrutinized. As in we''ll have Justiciars sniffing about and an official inquiry."
He made a note to stop almost ''accidentaling'' students.
"Seems you''ve thought about it." Cal spoke cautiously
"Hard not to. He''s lucky to be a small fish compared to others and not worth the effort to deal with that way."
Up until this point Cal had written off her past behavior as playful. Now? He was pretty sure this girl was genuinely murderous. He didn''t call her out, it''d be a very pot meet kettle situation.
"Anyways, you wanted to know more about him? Well, House Lucerna used to be a cadet branch of House Ardere. When your house still had them that is. They''re still under Duke Procellaes'' political camp, although we don''t know enough to say what the Duke''s opinion of them is."
He''d wager that was one of the pieces of information Alice was hoping he''d be able to squeeze out of Marcus.
"Overall you did well. Jokes aside, don''t pull another stunt like that without my say-so. This time your target had no teeth, if he did we''d be in an awful mess right now."
"I didn''t do it randomly, I saw how you guys wrote him off."
Her gaze shifted to him for a moment before moving back to the city.
"You''re more perceptive than I gave you credit for." Lilly muttered, sitting on the ledge again. "Let me handle explaining to Alice what happened with Petro. Her sense of humor isn''t as good as mine. If there''s nothing else, get off my roof"
One of her hands made a shooing motion.
"As the lady demands." Cal said in a snooty way. Standing, he was prepared to step off the edge and head back to the dorm when a voice rang out behind him.
"I thought I felt your magic up here, Lilliane." A young man had joined him, his dark eyes traced over to Cal. "And to think I dismissed that photo and accompanying rumors. Do you forget your obligations so easily?"
"Lucas." Lily spat, still seated. "I would say it''s not what you think, if I cared at all what you did."
"Harsh words." The man took a step forward and Cal got a better look at him. Long brown hair came past his shoulders and Cal recognized him from the stage earlier this week. "You''ll have to learn how to mind that tongue."
"I won''t have to do anything." She laughed, turning her gaze back to the city "You and your lot are irrelevant, leave with your own two legs while you still can."
"Such a violent woman." He started getting closer to Lily and Cal stepped in his way. "Your father will be disappointed," Lucas said, looking past Cal.
"I''m not going to ask a second time." Lily said simply. Her fingers drummed on the ledge, each tap eliciting a spark greater than the last.
"We''ll pick this up another time then." Lucas grimaced, backing off. Not without shooting Cal a glare.
"I didn''t ask you to get involved." Lily spoke after the man had departed.
Cal himself was puzzled, he hadn''t meant to interfere.
"It wasn''t for you. I was protecting myself. Someone recently told me what happens if a noble gets a boo-boo, I''m not confident in lying to the Justiciars when they ask why that guy walked up here in one piece and left in more."
The frown Lily sported since the man''s arrival broke a little. They stared out to the city together, Cal wasn''t sure what to say.
"What, no questions?" Lily prodded at his silence.
"Your business." Cal shrugged.
"So it is." Lily agreed. "Any reason you''re sticking around? Told you this was me-time."
Why hadn''t he left? It wasn''t a question he could answer. He gave her one last glance before disappearing into the night.
Chapter 21
Cal stepped into the square, shooting off a text while walking toward the statue that held his interest so strongly the first time he saw it. It still intrigued him, yet he kept his eyes off it and instead directed them at the base where the group was waiting for them.
There appeared to be an animated conversation going on and he slowed slightly. Ryan spotted him, saying something to the others, and walked up to meet him.
Seeing them out of their uniforms was a different experience. Casual clothes or not, they looked to have walked out of a magazine cover. Cal suddenly felt his suffering while getting fitted last weekend was a little justified, at the very least he didn''t look out of place.
"Callum, about time you showed up. I was beginning to think you wouldn''t make it." Ryan waved good-naturedly.
"It was a near miss, Alice almost said no." Cal replied with slight exasperation.
She had not been enthused about him visiting the city without her. Strictly speaking, he didn''t need her permission. However, living with another person was complicated and involved a series of compromises. Sending a text every hour wasn''t anything backbreaking, even if it struck him as controlling.
"She''s just getting used to being an older sibling. I remember I used to sleep against Ian''s, my little brother''s, crib. It drove the maids mad" Anne giggled while reminiscing. "I can''t imagine what she''s going through, at least Ian took a while to learn how to walk."
Cal kept his thoughts to himself.
"Hmm" Jessica''s eyes roved over him or more accurately, his outfit. "Who dressed you?"
"I don''t remember the name of the place" There wasn''t a sign from what he saw "her name was Miss Plusier."
"Plusier¡I''ve not heard of her before." She stalked around him, walking in a full circle. "I''ll have to check up on that, she does good work."
"That name sounds vaguely familiar." Ryan said distractedly
"What do you know about fashion?" Jessica whirled on him "I picked out your entire wardrobe."
"Guilty as charged, anyways we should get a move on." Ryan laughed, taking the ribbing in stride. "The showing is soon."
Ryan had invited him to see a movie in town with the group. They had an extra ticket on account of Gregor dropping out at the last minute. Cal didn''t have any plans for the day and so went along with it.
"So it is" Jessica held out her arm. "Shall we?"
Ryan grinned, locking their arms together and setting off in a different direction than the last time Cal had been here.
Anne and he waited a moment before following the couple.
"What''s their deal" Cal motioned the pair several paces ahead of them. "They act like an old married couple"
"They will be. Ancestors willing." Cal almost missed a step to Anne''s amusement "Their betrothal has been set in stone for a while. Ryan''s family even held him back a year so they''d be in the same grade. With them both now at majority the ceremony itself could happen as soon as the first break. Father is still in discussions to see if he''ll find a match for me, unlikely as it may be." She ended with a chuckle.
"Might be the commoner in me." Cal cautiously approached the subject. "You don''t seem that concerned about being married off to a stranger."
"You misunderstand, older families tend to benefit heavily from these arrangements. Newer houses, such as my own, angle for them as well, but with most of the emphasis placed on heirs. Spares aren''t what you''d consider hot commodities. Ergo, no one would make him so attractive an offer that he would send me away without my assent."
That felt dark, despite the speakers'' nonplussed attitude towards it.
Cal searched for another topic.
"Sorry about Gregor not being able to show up"
"There''s nothing to do about it." Anne''s voice grew tired. "He refused the initial invitation, Ryan was holding out hope he''d change his mind. You''d think he''d know better by now."
Why did this conversation remind him of the game Minesweeper?
"Do you know what we''re watching" Cal steered away from what was clearly a sore spot. "Ryan was sparse on the details."
"I don''t." She leaned in a little, a glint in her eyes. "Between you and me I''m not a huge fan of these things. The drama of real life is what speaks to me"
Cal recalled what she was busy with the day he ate with Petro.
"I guess that''s why you''re in the newspaper club."
"Exactly." She tapped the pin on her collar with a finger. "So if you ever come across anything juicy drop me a line and we''ll see if it''s worth any ink."
He could think of several. Most recently, ''local student nearly impales other while teacher sleeps''.
"Sure. I''ll warn you, I doubt anything I come across would be exciting"
"Don''t say that. You never know, you could always end up in the right place and right time." Cal found himself chronically facing the opposite. "Just keep it in mind. We''re not exactly hurting for material right now. All the clubs are desperate for exposure so they''re throwing favors and trades that would make a Shirai citizen blush."
Even Cal understood that reference. Shirai was one of the Free Cities. It was neither the largest nor the strongest but it was without a doubt the richest. It was said that when their citizens traveled rather than rent rooms they bought entire hotels. An exaggeration certainly, even so where there''s smoke there''s fire.
"They''re bribing you guys for puff pieces? That seems intense for a club."
"I would not, can''t call it bribing." Anne corrected. "They''re just exchanges, frequently to our benefit by mere happenstance." The innocent tone was not very convincing. "It is the Quinquennial Purge after all, everyone wants a leg up."
He hadn''t the faintest idea what that meant and it must have shown.
"They talked about it during the assembly the other day. Don''t you remember?"
"Ah, right." He nodded with perhaps too much enthusiasm. "Totally do. It just slipped my mind, it''s been a long week."
"Right. Well, my sister told me stories. You''ll get a better idea this coming week on how insufficient the word ''intense'' is to describe it."
"Yep, got it. I must have not put too much thought when they talked about it as I''m not looking to join any of them."
"Ha." She gave a short bark of a laugh. "You wouldn''t be the first to say that and end up in one anyway."
Cal raised an eyebrow in her direction
"You make it sound like they''re forcing people into these." He phrased the statement as a question.
"I''m not allowed to print everything." She hummed with a mischievous smile, hands held behind her back. "I''ll let you figure out the rest."
Ominous. It brought him back to the critique session he had with Olivia.
"Any clubs I should watch out for? Ones with bad reputations or rumors swirling about?"
An innocuous request or so he meant for it to appear like one.
"And if I do?" she said leadingly.
"You''re not going to tell me?" Cal was confused, she''d been fairly open until then.
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Anne shook her head, her brown hair done in a single braid swung back and forth.
"This is the part where you offer me something in exchange."
"I don''t have anything?" He could probably get some cash from Alice. That seemed equivalent to asking for an allowance so was promptly ruled out.
"Yes, you do. Whether it''s monetary, specific information, a future favor, or something else entirely there''s always a bargain to be struck."
"I guess I can owe you a favor?" It was harmless enough, decent odds Callum Ardere wouldn''t be around anymore when she came to collect.
"You don''t ''guess''. You can or you can''t." She chided like a lecturer "Furthermore, don''t agree to a favor in such a casual manner. We''ve not known each other long enough to have that type of rapport. Should I have demanded something outrageous you''d be forced to either surrender it or your honor." She moved a little closer and lowered her voice "I''m not one to say honor is worth no price but trading it for idle school gossip is¡well I believe I made my point."
Cal looked around at the nicely polished marble storefronts. They''d passed many during their walk. Next, he observed the well-kept pedestrians, muddling through their lives as best they could.
He wondered, how the girl next to him would react if she saw these buildings collapse into burning rubble. If she saw the mangled corpses decorate the streets.
"Thanks" he broke off the morbid thoughts. "You''re being nice, right? Trying to show me the ropes?"
"That''s a foreign expression." Her nose wrinkled before smoothing out again. "However, with the context I understand. Yes, I led you into that trap of mine for good reason. You''re not the first I''ve had this conversation with, although Gregor was more adept at it."
Cal was about to ask what she meant by that. He held his tongue, thinking better of it.
"At the risk of sounding like an idiot, does this mean you''ll tell me about the clubs or not?"
Her eyes lit up and she slightly leaned in while they walked.
"Well, you didn''t hear it from me."
¡ª
Cal did his best to sink into his seat, trying to disappear. It wasn''t that the movie turned out to be a romance. Or that multiple couples around him were getting unreasonably close. In fact, he''d prefer they be occupied with each other than the screen.
No, it was one of the characters that led him to this state. The villain in particular.
It started with denial. Then anger.
"WHY! Why you say! Hahahah, as if I need a reason! Now die!" On the screen, a figure in an abysmal facsimile of a Federation uniform shouted deliriously while attempting to set off an explosion on a train full of refugees, many of them children.
He''d passed those previous emotional states and had arrived at embarrassment.
This was.
This¡
He couldn''t believe anyone would watch this drivel.
From his peripherals, he spotted those not focused on their partners watching the screen intently as the hero and heroine confessed their love to one another before bravely facing off against the Federation stooge.
It wasn''t that the Federation was the antagonist. That was par the course with this audience. It was the cartoonish portrayal that made him cringe into his seat. He was thankful it was played in the dark, reducing the chance others could witness his reaction.
The effects were nice, magic must have made that part easy. That was where the good ended as the script was one of the cheesiest he''d ever witnessed and the acting was horrible. It didn''t even reach the level of being so bad it''s good, it was just bad.
The hero dived into the path of a thrown knife to protect the heroine and the audience gasped. The heroine then finished off the villain who, with his dying breath, declared the bomb he''d attached to the locomotive impossible to defuse.
The leads shared a look before the heroine went to decouple the train links while the hero limped to the controls, increasing the speed of the train. They reunited sharing a final kiss as the explosion engulfed them. A scene in the end showed the now grown-up children paying respects to a monument honoring their sacrifice.
They could have jumped, the heroic duo. The dude was stabbed and sure that sucked but it hadn''t even been in a vital area. Surviving a little tumble would have been no problem. Going further, the entire final confrontation could have been avoided if they disconnected the cars in the beginning. Then the villain would have pulled a Wile E. Coyote and only blown himself up.
It was dumb and judging by the tears around him, they were lapping it up.
He shook off his second-hand embarrassment.
The lights flickered on and he saw Ryan hugging a crying Jessica. Cal diverted his eyes and looked at the person sitting on his right. Thankfully, Anne seemed to be doing her best to stifle a yawn. At least someone here had taste.
They filed out and the girls went to the washroom to deal with Jessica''s running makeup.
"Damn, that was my bad." Ryan scratched his head with an awkward expression on his face "Didn''t know it would be so heavy at the end."
They had different definitions when it came to heavy.
"You showed me a theatre on campus" Cal stated, ignoring Ryan''s discomfort. "why''d we have to come out here?"
Ryan shook his head.
"That place is run by the film club. Those guys wouldn''t know a good movie if their lives depended on it."
If they prevented this from screening they were A-okay in Cal''s book.
"Boys" Jessica approached, she had a smile on her despite her eyes still being slightly red. "Weren''t talking about us behind our backs were you?"
"Nope, Cal was just asking about the theatre on campus."
"Ah yes, shame about their selection. Was this your first experience watching a movie?" Jessica asked with a tilt of her head.
"Yep." Cal lied easily.
"It used to be that we''d need a well-trained light mage to get anything close to it." Anne commented, "Amazing how quickly times change."
Amazing how quick they are to copy things.
"I know" the volume of Ryan''s voice startled some around them. "It''s too early to head back, there''s an ice cream shop I saw on the way here. Let''s go check it out."
He didn''t bother waiting for a response and dragged an oddly silent Jessica along.
Anne saw his confusion.
"That''s Ryan being Ryan. Sometimes he gets weird ideas in his head and has to see them through."
"Fair enough." He wasn''t one to say no to ice cream after all.
They walked along together until they caught up to others who had not waited and entered the establishment ahead.
Cal held the door open for Anne and followed behind her. He stopped at the welcome mat once he remembered he didn''t have any cash. Ryan had offered the ticket free of charge because it would go to waste otherwise and the theatre had a no food or drink policy so it hadn''t been an issue.
This beginning to be a trend. Maybe he should stop by the bar and shakedown Olivia for some. There had to be some sort of slush fund he could tap into. Really, it was irresponsible for them to send him without any. Spy work wasn''t free.
Unfortunately, with the lack of anything new to report and the presence of his phone potentially tracking him; there were no plans to visit her today.
He joined them in line, not wanting to make a scene.
"I think I''ll go with the coffee flavor." Anne contemplated her choice and turned to him. "What are you getting."
"I''m not hungry so I''ll pass on it."
She looked at him strangely and he did his best to look nonchalant. He was saved by the line moving and Anne being next. He stepped to the side where Jessica and Ryan were already waiting for their orders.
Once they received them, they located a table and sat. They were joined by Anne who carried her coffee flavor and an additional bowl with plain vanilla.
"I wanted a scoop of each and this was the best solution," She said as a way of explanation. Swapping one scoop of each between the bowls and sliding one over to him. "I can''t eat them both."
"Huh, If you ask they-" Jessica had a plastic smile on her face as Ryan winced and abandoned his statement. "Nevermind."
"Thanks, I''m fin-" Cal''s shin was impacted. His shell absorbed it and Ryan showed a pained expression again. "On second thought, I guess don''t mind if I do." He finished, he wasn''t quite that tone-deaf.
"This is sooo good." Jessica gushed over her mint ice cream. "How can anyone make something so delicious."
"It''s actually a lot harder than you''d think"
Especially if you happened to be in the Waste. The making itself wasn''t too difficult, sourcing the ingredients was the real pain point. The sugar and salt were easy enough to keep stocked in the cabin. The dairy products were the problem.
Some time ago, he''d been lucky enough to run into a magical beast that roughly could pass for a cow. Albeit, a very roided out one. Milking it was a challenge, to say the least.
Without any framework of knowledge, his attempts to tame it failed. Or at least he crossed off ''carefully beating it into submission'' as a valid technique.
After getting what milk he could from its unconscious form, he had to process it into heavy cream and whole milk. That part took more than a couple of tries to get right.
Only then did he finally have the bare minimum to make the cold treat. He felt a little vindicated that the end product was far better than what he was eating now. No doubt due to the ingredients.
Hopefully, the cow was still alive. He''d not managed to track it down on his last visit. It would be a pity if his efforts in clearing out the surrounding area and leaving corpses with cores were wasted.
Cal''s offhand comment had earned him some interested looks. He omitted the milking part and gave a brief description of the rest of the process.
"I thought your affinity was fire" Jessica said between spoonfuls "But you just described using ice magic?"
Shit. He''d slipped up there with his explanation. He didn''t have to fabricate an excuse as Ryan jumped in.
"Say no more. I understand" He slapped a hand on Cal''s shoulder. "You''ll have to show me how to do that later."
"Sure thing" Cal agreed, even if he felt something was being lost in translation.
The girls shared a look and rolled their eyes in sync.
"I''m curious" Anne broached. "How is Magical Engineering with Professor Wyatt going."
Cal didn''t hide his grimace. The following class held only the most incremental improvement over the first. With the professor lifelessly lecturing for some scant minutes until collapsing on the desk. Mia hadn''t bothered to look up, reading as if nothing had happened. Needless to say, he dismissed himself early again.
"Anne''s sister was dead on then?" Cal nodded grimly at Ryan. "Don''t say we didn''t warn you then. On the bright side, that''s only one out of four classes."
Cal shrugged in response, continuing to eat his ice cream. He''d not told them about his schedule change and given the nature of that class, he wasn''t planning to. He wasn''t naive enough to believe the news would never get out, but the longer it did the easier his life would be. In the meantime, sneaking in and out of the training grounds was the order of the day.
"Oh" Anne dabbed her mouth with a napkin after finishing her dessert. "There''s a cooking club. Since you like making ice cream that may be a good option."
"We do?" Ryan said, earning a slap to the hand that tried to steal Jessica''s last spoonful. "They must be small, probably won''t survive the Purge. Noble types aren''t big on tasks reserved for the ''help''.
"It is small, I only recently learned of them." Anne confirmed. She saw Cal''s unconvinced look. "I wouldn''t count them out, I can''t break confidentiality but they''re a good option. Besides, picking a club early will save you from the others."
"Let him make his own choices." Jessica''s tone was as sweet as the dessert he''d finished. "If he wants to disregard your counsel a second time, he can face the consequences."
"At the risk of tempting fate, I feel you guys are blowing it out of proportion."
The dead stares he received were not reassuring.
Chapter 22
"Go away." The irritated Spirit demanded for the fourth time.
"No chance" Cal vigorously shook his head. "you''ve seen what''s out there. Total anarchy."
"In here" The Spirit''s voice, dripping with malevolence, reverberated throughout the temple. "is a being beyond your understanding rapidly losing its tolerance of your presence."
"And I can deal with that." Cal disregarded the grumpy attitude. "I can''t deal with the fancily dressed yet rabid creatures who have taken over campus."
"They''re brats with clipboards."
"That''s a gross simplification." Cal responded, mirroring the words spoken by it in their last encounter. "Care to expand on that?"
"No." The Spirit gruffed, crossing its arms over its chest. "Go, stay in your room if you have to."
"That''s not an option." He refused, leaning against a pillar.
Cal could admit to himself when he was wrong. Admitting it to other people? Namely, Alice whose warnings he''d also laughed off?
Not a chance. Even if this Quinquennial, whatever they called it, turned out to be more than he bargained for.
"Run past them" The Spirit argued. "none of them can catch you."
"In broad daylight? Cal scoffed. "I''m trying to be subtle."
"Subtle? Ah, we see. You''re an idiot."
"Hey!" Cal raised his voice "I''m at least average intelligence."
"We agree." The Spirit nodded with its eyes closed. Rubbing its chin in thought. "Nui was right, your race was a mistake."
"And yours is extinct" Cal bit back. "Wait hold up, you knew Nui?"
Logically, he understood this thing was old enough to have interacted with the gods. That didn''t stop it from being jarring when it brought one up in casual conversation.
"Not in any way you can comprehend." There was a strange air about it as it seemed to reminisce.
"But you did. Was he your creator or are you a natural born?"
To Cal''s knowledge, there were two types of spirits.
Naturals were those who could come to life anywhere the magic was dense enough. After the Fall, they ceased to be born. For those existing, the concentration of magic in the world was thrown into chaos and many found themselves tied to lands unable to sustain them. They either slowly withered away or were killed by ambitious parties.
The other grouping was created by the gods and said to be more powerful than their counterparts. By all accounts, they had gone down with their creators.
Cal couldn''t peg which category this one fell under.
"Have some class, we''ve smited people for asking such intrusive questions."
"Too bad you already blew your best shot at that."
A few strands of hair drifted to the floor, having been cut by a blade of wind. Cal hadn''t moved, knowing they''d not harm him.
The Spirit''s voice followed.
"Your lack of self-preservation is truly astonishing."
Cal wasn''t impressed by the childish display.
"What''s astonishing is thinking that would intimidate me. We pretty much tore the building apart last time and that was with you reinforcing it. We''re fellow monsters, if we went at it for real there''s no telling what would be left standing. Unless you want to try that again you can drop the theatrics."
The two parties stared at each other, unblinking.
"I did know him, in ages past. Always a contentious one, he could never be satisfied."
"Weren''t they all?" Cal didn''t know much about the dead god, only that it was the youngest of them. "What caused them to go crazy on each other in the first place?"
The surroundings shuddered. It came off to him as more of an involuntary motion than the prelude to another attack.
"Shit. Too soon? Sorry."
He apologized, conscious that he may have overstepped. Perhaps time didn''t heal all wounds.
"Has anyone ever told you, you''re rude for a human." It responded, the atmosphere eased but it sounded more tired than before.
"Plenty of times, usually not to my face. How about you?"
"Never" the word was emphasized with a loud crack whose source was not readily apparent. "to our face, that is."
"You''re rude" Cal felt privileged to be able to provide a new experience to such an old existence.
"Delightful." The Spirit drolled "We''ll forward that to our complaint department."
"While you''re at it, you should put up a suggestion box. I got some myself, let in some natural light, and chill with all the fog. Do that and this place will be a lot more inviting."
The Spirit snapped its fingers and the few torches that lit the area were snuffed out.
"Has it occurred to you, that our intent is the opposite?"
"I try to see the best in people, or Spirits." The Spirit''s cloudy eyes appeared in his thoughts "I understand if you have trouble with that."
"You''re a thousand years too young to pass a lie by us." It ignored his joke. "Now unless you want to help with the extra work you put on us. Leave. If you need to hide so badly do it in the library. That place is off limits for recruiting."
"Really?" Cal perked up. "If you''re nodding I can''t see anything because you took out the lights." The Spirit had already gone incorporeal, Cal was just messing with it.
Its response was a violent gale that swept him off his feet. He tumbled towards the entrance, stopping just short of it.
"Fine fine." Cal dusted himself off. "Thanks for the help." He waved goodbye to the darkness.
It had taken his suggestion of monitoring the comings and goings of people poorly. The important part is he got it to agree, mostly. It was going to try and that''s all he could ask.
It truly was doing his job for him. Cal was going to miss it when he left. It was freeing, to be able to talk so openly. Sans Federation matters of course.
It was somewhat similar to interacting with Millie, Mask, and Albert. Somewhat, there was something different about it. He couldn''t quite put his finger on it. He shrugged the thought off, attributing it to weird Spirit stuff.
The outside of the registration building was mercifully deserted. He didn''t let that lull him into a sense of complacency and augmented his senses. The world getting brighter, louder, and more alive. He sorted through the deluge of information
He breathed a sigh of relief. The coast was clear. He forwent the regular paths, opting to either cut across the grass or take roundabout trails. He walked with his head down, hands in his pockets.
It worked, for a while.
"Hi!" Someone fell into stride beside him. He was pretty sure they''d jumped down from a tree. "I noticed you didn''t have a club pin. Have you thought about joining the wine aficionados club? We''re the premier wine club on campus and boast a collection of bottles dating back to the thirtieth Emperor''s reign!"
"No thanks" Cal tried to brush the student off. "I don''t drink."
"Yet." The student cheerfully corrected "You don''t drink yet. Now come on, our club room isn''t far. We''ll show you all the perks that come with joining."
The ''we'' was no slip of the tongue. Cal had already discovered several presences concealing themselves further up the path.
The student''s hand went for his wrist, intent on dragging him along. Cal''s right hand left his pocket, clutching something. He flung it into the student''s face.
They gave a cry in shock as the heated pocket sand proved super effective. Cal bolted off the path. Gaining as much distance as he could before the student''s accomplices figured out what was happening.
The altercation did not go unnoticed and they soon gave chase. Others joined them, unaffiliated with his previous assailants if the altercations that broke out were any indication.
Predators all the same though.
He wasn''t planning on sticking around while they sorted out their differences, vaulting into the trees he used them for cover before he reached a building that he scaled.
Cresting the roof, he froze as half a dozen eyes met his. The building must have had dampening wards active.
He slowly backed away, trying to forestall any reaction.
One of the students who had been adjusting a telescope spoke up.
"Hi, are you interested in joining the Astronomy- "
Cal didn''t let him finish, he spotted a pile of papers on a desk and hurled a ball of fire towards it.
He sprang away, hearing frantic shouts behind him. They didn''t follow.
Did he overreact?
No. It was not only daytime but that those telescopes were pointed AT campus, not the sky. It had been a lookout nest.
He scanned the buildings and landmarks in the distance. Orientating himself back in the direction of the library.
He was getting close. Close to safety.
¡ª
This had been the busiest he''d ever seen the library. Which wasn''t saying much since his grand total of visits numbered one. Even so, the nervous energy everyone carried themselves with told him this was not the norm. His eyes roamed the floor, most of the seating areas were already taken. He noted some students seated in peculiar locations behaving strangely.
This was ridiculous.
For lack of better options, his steps carried him to the only section of this place he''d visited before. It was as desolate as it had been before, meaning there was one other person here.
"Mia." Cal greeted, sliding into a chair opposite the student engaging in her favorite and maybe only activity.
"Callum." She returned.
He thought that would be all he''d get out of her but was shortly proven wrong.
"Skipping?"
"Yep, my route to class was blocked off so I ditched." It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. One he felt well justified in taking. He''d already made it through most of his classes today and it wasn''t like math was treading any new ground for him. "Honestly, I was prepared for the same around here."
"Prohibited."
"Heard about that, thought it might be just the building but it''s nice to know there''s a radius."
Stolen story; please report.
"Research?"
"Refuge only, this time." Cal said while laying his head down on the table, cradled in his arms. "What I want to know is, where everyone''s supposed nobility went? They''re acting like animals."
The edge of her lips quirked upwards. However, she stayed silent in the face of his complaints.
"Any clue how long this madness will last?"
"Week."
"That''s something at least." he grumbled into his arm. He considered closing his eyes and entering his trance, ultimately deciding against it. Too many potential hostiles about.
"I''m not even worth many points, why go through all that effort."
The club system, in his opinion, was overly complex. Every student had a point value based on their grades and ranking. The more points a club had the better accommodations, budgets, and privileges they were granted. As a new student, his should be at the lowest value.
"Purge."
Right, apparently every five years they culled any club unable to meet minimum membership requirements.
"I find it hard to believe so many can''t find the three people needed to survive."
She looked uneasy as she flipped a page.
"Do anything fun over the weekend?" Might as well see how much water he could get from this stone.
"Read."
"Cool." Cal wasn''t one to judge how she had fun. "I saw a movie in the city."
His perception was still augmented enough to notice the slight shift in her posture.
"I know it''s not everyone''s preferred medium. They do pose some advantages that good old books don''t so don''t write them off so easily." Cal didn''t mention the one he''d happened to watch was trash. "We ended up going for ice cream on the way back. It wasn''t bad."
Cal found himself referring to both the day and the dessert. Cheesy movie aside, the day was peaceful.
No classes to sit through.
No emergency deployments to quell budding beast waves or squash upstart cultists.
No one yelling at him or trying to force unreasonable requests his way.
Simply a nice trip to the city.
She had nothing to say to that.
Cal eyed the taciturn girl. The pin on her collar was something he''d noticed previously and the source of today''s anguish.
"Going out on a limb, I''m guessing you''re part of some book club?" he asked unsurely. It didn''t look like a book.
"No."
"Wow" Cal couldn''t think of any other that would better suit her "thought those would be your people."
Cal left her room to elaborate. Predictably, none came.
"I was pretty set on not joining any but at this rate, I might need a smoke screen."
He''d considered joining the shadier clubs Anne told him about but if they were willing to let him join he doubted they were up to anything nefarious. Outright rejecting him also wouldn''t be any damning evidence, not everyone was out there press-ganging students. Besides, the worst he heard was some minor smuggling. Something to look into sure but if Anne was right it was recreational drugs and performance boosters, neither of which were his department.
An idea took shape in his mind.
"You wouldn''t happen to know if there''s a black market for some of the bigger name club pins do you?"
She looked up and their eyes met. She gave a slow nod, closed her book, and rose.
"Follow."
Cal dumbly complied. He wasn''t banking on that working.
"Hold up" he stopped them when they reached the main floor "they have spotters." He said gesturing to some students stationed in key areas.
She took a couple of moments before leading him in another direction and down a staircase. They descended into the basement, it wasn''t that much different from the other floors although it did seem a tad more disorganized. They continued taking a convoluted route and Cal was starting to suspect they''d gotten lost until she stopped in front of an unassuming bookcase.
Without preamble, she tapped one of the spines and the shelf slid inward. Revealing an unlit passageway.
Guess the call earlier to check if this place had a basement was more on point than he thought.
Cal was given little time to ponder further, following the creepy girl into the ominous unknown.
"Couple questions. One, do these run all over campus?" He imagined the Spirit had to know about them. It wouldn''t have hurt if the thing gave him a fyi about it. "Two, are you going to murder me?"
"Yes."
"Know any other shor-wait. Was that a yes to my first or second question?"
"No."
"Ha ha" Cal responded dryly. "Keep your secrets then. In any case, shouldn''t you be the one worried? If horror happens to not be your cup of tea, this is usually the part where the deranged man kidnaps the female lead."
"Weak."
"You, me, or the genre?"
She didn''t reply and Cal dropped it. They took some twists and turns before ascending steps and walking out of a tree.
He looked back, sticking his hand through the bark. There was barely a hint of magic. Had he passed any other on campus and been none the wiser? Troublesome.
It wasn''t the end of their journey and they went on to walk a decent amount.
"You''re good at avoiding people aren''t you?" Cal stated, having noticed their path change every time there was a hint of possible interaction. It was cleaner? More practiced than what he attempted earlier.
Their destination turned out to be one of the more unique buildings on campus. Shaped in a U it was covered entirely in glass. At the center was a garden with a small fountain.
They entered through a side entrance and went up some stories via a floating platform. Worked as well as an elevator, if not as safe.
They approached a room and Mia entered with Cal behind her.
"P-president" Benjamin greeted Mia with widened eyes. He''d been bent over inspecting something when they walked in. "I wasn''t expecting you back so soon."
"Pin." Mia said in way of explanation, pointing at Cal.
"I did not anticipate the matter being resolved so quickly." His eyes traced over to Cal. "or with whom"
"I think there''s a mix-up here." Cal cautioned, not wanting to be drawn into anything. "I''m not looking to join anything, I only need something to keep the wolves off my back."
"That works well." Benjamin wiped his hands on a towel. "We had somebody graduate last year. We now require one additional member to maintain our club''s active status. There are no requirements. Your name on our roster will be all that is needed."
An enticing proposition, if Alice had not warned against that exact thing. Something must have shown on his face because Benjamin went on.
"There are no ulterior motives at play here. You have my word"
That was supposed to mean a lot around these parts. Cal wasn''t naive enough to trust anyone at their word. However, Benjamin wasn''t just anyone. He was a high-profile student. Problematic associations aside, he left a positive impression on Cal and didn''t come off as the dishonest sort.
Cal moved his attention from the man to Mia. Who had seated herself on a stool and ceased to acknowledge their existence. He couldn''t picture her caring enough to pull anything.
"What''s the club?" He posed the question, if it wasn''t too offensive. Maybe this could work.
In lieu of explanation, Benjamin gave him an odd look and slowly swept his hand across the room.
Belatedly, Cal recognized he was standing in the kitchen. He probably should have noticed that beforehand.
He couldn''t help it and chuckled to himself. Benjamin frowned at his antics.
"Sorry." Cal held his hands up in appeasement "I find it funny that this past weekend someone told me I should join the cooking club and here I am. One crazy coincidence."
"I see." Benajmin''s face eased. "We''re actually the culinary club, I''m not aware of any cooking club however I can see where the confusion could arise."
At the side, he noticed Mia get very still.
"President?" Benjamin asked, having noted the same.
"Inquired about an advertisement in the paper. Said it was cooking. Apologies." The delivery was lengthy, with Mia speaking at her usual pace. Her face had a tinge of red at the end.
"That''s¡.no harm was done. Please remember next time time." Mia buried her nose deeper in her book. "As I said, we''re the culinary club. With my rank, we''re afforded the resources needed to operate comfortably. Which is why we don''t require anything from you. I am curious, you said someone recommended us? Even among the sponsored students, we are not an attractive proposal to most."
"I know my way around a kitchen." Cal didn''t cook for himself often these days, only when he was in the Waste. It wasn''t terribly difficult. All you had to do was follow instructions and contrary to popular belief, he could accomplish that without issue. When he wanted to.
"Or A kitchen." Cal commented after taking in the rest of the room. It was in a different league compared to the cabins'' and he wasn''t sure what some of the appliances were meant for.
He was easing into the idea, he could use a hobby.
"Bastard. Right." Benjamin nodded to himself. "As a member, you would be free to use the workstation and ingredients as you see fit. Provided you allow them both the proper respect."
Fair enough. He understood how annoying it was for someone to waltz in and make a mess of your kitchen.
Cal didn''t reply. Instead walking to what he presumed was the pantry and opened it. Wow. These guys were well-stocked. He moved to one of the fridges next, making a sound of satisfaction once he saw its contents.
"To your liking? The magic preserves the perishables for long periods. It allows me to keep everything I need on hand. If you have a specific request I can see about sourcing it."
If the madness was to continue the whole week, he was liable to slip up against an overzealous recruiter.
"Let''s be clear on this. If you try to screw with me I will find a way to beat the everliving shit out of you."
"I do not doubt your resolve, however, it won''t come to that."
Cal searched his face for any trace of deceit, finding none.
"Sold." Cal turned to face the man. Holding out his hand. "Keep your word and we''ll be golden."
"Welcome" Benjamin grasped his hand and shook it. He removed a pin from his pocket and handed it to Cal. "Keep this on your person at all times."
Cal inspected it. It was the same as Benjamin''s, his eyes drifted to Mia''s. Hers was altered, being a duller color and smaller in size.
"Presidents have distinct designs" Benjamin supplied.
That made sense. Cal pinned it to his collar, now realizing it was meant to represent a tiny plate.
"I will begin the paperwork" Benjamin moved to a cabinet, pulling out a stack of papers.
"You mind if I whip something up?" Cal had been craving something. He was certain, with the sheer variety, he''d be able to get it on campus but tracking it down seemed like a pain and there was a sense of satisfaction in doing it himself.
Benjamin looked at him for a minute and then agreed.
Now to see how well his memory held up.
¡ª
Cal landed quietly on the balcony. From outside he could see the lights were on already. Entering the room, Alice sat at the desk with piles of paper. At this point, it was a frequent enough sight for him. The girl seemed to work all the time.
Her eyes landed on him immediately. More specifically, on his collar.
Cal braced himself for ridicule.
"Yep, laugh it up if you want. I didn''t last a day."
A smile began to form, it halted and twisted into something akin to confusion.
"That''s Benjamin''s club?"
Figures she would know that. She wasn''t the only one either if his walk through campus was any indicator.
Students were prohibited from having membership in multiple clubs, that didn''t stop others from poaching. Only, their targets tended to be smaller and less established than themselves. It''s why he asked for a bigger name pin, it would complicate matters if he were caught with a fake. He thought that unlikely as their memberships were large and subject to lots of change at the moment.
Cal wasn''t sure where his new group stood. He did know that the silver circle acted as a sort of bug repellant, all the pest steering clear once it was in view.
"Yep." Cal confirmed. "The paperwork is done and everything."
It took far longer than he''d expected, running through his normal class schedule and into dinner. Not that dinner was a problem, with having the equivalent of an industrial kitchen at his fingertips and plenty of time.
"Culinary, if I recall. Obligations?" She inquired tersely while clearing some of the mess.
"None, they needed a name for the roster." He responded as she was stacking a pile of loose papers together, she paused a moment.
"A prudent move." She set the pile aside "This will allow you to focus on your studies while providing you an adequate shield."
That she didn''t dictate what to join or if he could, was a surprise to him.
He pulled out a chair and joined her seated.
"I can''t take the credit, I sorta stumbled into it." He reached into his breast pocket, pulled out a bundled cloth, and placed it on the table between them. "The perks are nice."
She reached over, loosening the string that held it together. Half a dozen cookies emerged. Baking them proved to be a simple affair. Keeping the others from eating them all was the real challenge.
A hand gingerly reached for one. He watched her eyes brighten upon biting down.
"I''ve heard of Benjamin''s talent" She reached for another after finishing off her first. "Most of which is told in an unfavorable light. These pursuits are frowned upon in our society. She bit into the next, polishing it off before continuing. "I think that foolish. Properly done, such task can be done with an air of nobility."
He felt her biased in that regard.
"I don''t know enough to give a solid opinion of my own. Although, I should probably mention. Benjamin didn''t make these, I did."
The third cookie was granted a longer lease in life as she froze mid-bite. Cal leaned back, crossing his arms. Unimpressed with her reaction.
She caught herself, completing the bite and setting the unfinished cookie down. With the level of intensity that it held her focus with, Cal was preparing for it to combust.
"You already said you liked them." Cal quipped while taking one himself. "No walking that back now."
He ate his without care, crumbs falling on the table. It failed to provoke a reaction and he was left sitting there awkwardly wondering if he should head to his room already.
"Apologies, I had no intention of disrespecting you." Slowly, she picked up it. Turning it around, she examined it.
Cal felt his stomach sink. He had a premonition that the conversation he''d been pretending not to have existed was going to be brought to light once more.
"I''ve been avoiding this. The next step. You must understand, that''s unlike me. Or perhaps you don''t." She sighed. "I''m being incoherent. Allow me a moment to gather my thoughts more fully."
He reluctantly waited. Eventually, the cookie was raised and joined its other half.
"Mother always extolled the importance of understanding another''s perspective. I find wisdom in her words, perhaps by learning more about you my misplaced anger will fade. I''ve been waiting, for you to speak on it. Yet we''ve lived together for weeks and I know next to nothing of your past. Where did you learn to bake? Did you work in an inn? A bakery? Or was it your mother? Did you even have one? Where did you grow up? Was your name always Callum or was that forced on you as well?"
Her words tumbled out, the delay between them decreasing.
"Questions of this nature have plagued me. I''ve taken every opportunity to run from them." She took a breath, shifting in her seat to better face him. "That''s enough of that. Tell me, who are you Callum Ardere."
No one. He wanted to say. She was moving too fast for these types of questions. They''d only known each other for a little over a month.
Cal scratched his head, trying to figure out a way forward.
"I was told not to talk about that stuff." He''d let her come to her own conclusions on who''d instructed him on that.
"I understand" In Cal''s humble opinion, she didn''t. "Let''s start off simple." She grabbed another cookie. Holding it up for both to see. "I''ve not tasted a type like this. Where did you learn to make them?"
"It''s just a cookie made with cinnamon sugar." Cal had been surprised to learn the Empire did not have snickerdoodles. It was an obvious combination to him. He chalked it up to Imperial incompetence. He politely ignored the fact that he''d never seen them in the Federation either. "As for where I learned it, I had to do a lot of cooking for myself growing up."
Thank the Ancestors he had his previous life''s foundation to fall back on. Otherwise, he would have starved. Well, more than he already did.
Her face remained unchanged, he got the sense she wanted him to continue. She was destined to be disappointed.
"Where did you learn how to fight?" She pressed her next question.
So much for simple. Cal figured this was the only answer she was really after.
"Let me make it clear. I don''t know how to fight. I know how to not get hit. You defeated yourself. All I had to do was get out of the way"
"You cannot face multiple prodigies and claim that" She slid further, sitting at the edge of her seat. "Someone must have taught you."
Taught? Huh, wouldn''t that have been nice?
"I didn''t have anything like that" The truth flowed smoothly from him. "It was do or die." He did plenty of both.
"Did your mother teach you?"
He clamped down on his instinctive reaction, loosening his jaw from where his teeth had been grinding.
"I like to think I''m fairly easygoing, but I do have buttons. Buttons you really don''t want to press. So I''m just going to say this once, don''t ever bring Her up again."
In a way, She had taught him. He''d returned the favor and there was a lot of learning growing up. Mainly that he couldn''t kill Her and vice versa.
"I''m tired, headed to bed early." He left to his room.
It was still daylight.
Chapter 23
As the week progressed, the roving bands of recruiters grew bolder. Or more desperate, Cal couldn''t tell which. He tried to avoid them but their ubiquitous on campus made that impossible. Luckily, his new shield worked as intended. For the most part, there were some close calls.
Mercifully, they de-escalated once someone, either one of the perpetrators or a spectator, recognized who stood behind the mini plate on his collar. From the whispers he picked up, they didn''t even know what club it was. He supposed the only thing that mattered to them was Benjamin being a member of it. The man had a reputation, his name alone was enough to make many run for the hills.
Cal felt that an overreaction but was coming to terms with his perception of things being skewed and not necessarily for the better.
With everyone on edge, it was only a matter of time before people decided to settle things on the field. Duels became commonplace. At first, Cal would be happy enough to spectate. That was until he saw the showings. Juvenile, in a word. He''d stopped watching them shortly after, content to passively see what he could while traversing campus.
That had changed on the fourth day, as a commotion larger than normal drew his attention. He wasn''t alone in that, as other students flocked to the greenery where it was taking place. The crowd would make it difficult to see what was going on so he scanned the surrounding buildings, spotting a blonde who shared his idea.
He approached the building, entering and using the stairs to get to the roof like a normal person.
"Lily" He greeted the blonde, stopping beside her near the ledge. "You have a thing for rooftops don''t you?"
There was no response. Cal looked at the distant crowd. He''d have to augment his vision to see anything. Worth it to avoid the congestion down there.
"Want to fill me in, that doesn''t look like the standard fare."
Nothing was said. From his peripherals, he could see she had schooled her features.
"Anyone home?" Cal waved his hand in front of her. Prompting a scowl and a palm smacking his down.
"Stop, I''m trying to be mad at you."
"Trying? Seems you''ve been able to do it easily enough in the past." Cal leaned back against the railing, facing her. "At the risk of sounding like an idiot. What did I do to piss you off?"
"I heard about your recent talk with Alie." She went past him, leaning against the same railing but looking out towards the greenery. "She''s been in a mood ever since. I want to blame you. I can''t. family or not you haven''t known each other long, so it shouldn''t come as a surprise you''re cagey about the past. Alie has many great qualities. Patience is not one of them."
Note to self, anything said to Alice will make its way back to Lily in short order. He was hoping to keep that conversation private, he''d not handled it as well as he could have. There was no reason to react like that in the first place. She may have been responsible for bringing him into this world but, no matter what anyone else said, she was never his mother.
He pulled his thoughts away from that, focusing on what was in front of him.
"You two are pretty close."
"We are, I owe her." The simple words from her carried a heavy weight.
"Then tell her what you just told me."
"I did." She grumbled. "Alie can be annoyingly stubborn on some things. Ugh, this is such a weird situation." The railing creaked under her grip. "I can''t be mad at Alie for wanting to know more about her new brother. I can''t be mad at you. The only one I can be mad at is a thousand miles away. I swear next time I see him." She closed her eyes and he could hear her counting under her breath.
She opened them again and clapped both hands against her face twice.
"Okay. I''m back now." He pretended to not notice the twisted piece of iron. "You wanted to know what''s going on? Well-" She paused, her attention directed towards an empty corner of the roof where Cal was already staring.
"Don''t mind me" The figure of Rolland shimmered into being. "Please continue to educate our junior"
"I do mind." Lily''s foul mood made a reappearance. "Go bother someone who buys that act."
"Act? Why for such a lovely flower you do have your thorns." If that was meant to mollify her it had the opposite effect. "I was merely passing by when I came across an interesting duo."
"Callum." She addressed him. "Do me a favor and break his nose again."
What a tempting suggestion. Cal made a fist and took a step forward.
"I wasn''t¡" Lily grabbed him from behind, face morphing from shock to one of incredulity. "you''re messing with me."
His response was a wry grin.
"I''d welcome our next bout." Rolland smiled, spreading his arms wide. "I''m beginning to think that was a one-time event. You''ve denied all my requests since."
He had, Cal didn''t want to fight the man. Warry of any more slip-ups. Fortunately, Ferguson had a new rule saying Cal was only allowed to fight while he was watching. Needless to say, he''d gotten out of it in both classes this week. Bless whoever decided to give the drunk the morning class slot.
"I wouldn''t want to inconvenience whoever does your laundry." Both of them looked at him strangely. "Blood stains can be a pain to get out."
Spoiled nobles. Then again, he had a habit of burning his clothes when they got too messy so maybe throwing stones wasn''t the best idea.
"Man of the people are you?" Rolland walked over to join them. "I like to think the same of myself"
"There''s the people." Cal gestured to the rowdy gathering. "Go join them before somebody spots you up here."
"Still shy are you? Well if it bothers you so." Rolland waved a hand and Cal felt the magic surround them. The air shimmered slightly as the illusion took hold around them, hiding them from sight. "Satisfied?"
The three of them stood in an uncertain silence. Cal was stuck in the middle, Lily to his right and Rolland to his left.
"Fine." Cal assented to the man''s presence. "You were saying?" He tilted his head towards Lily.
"It''s a club battle. Well, that''s what most people call it. There''s no official term for it and it''s not a sanctioned process like duels are. It''s used whenever a disagreement between two groups gets out of hand. Whatever they''re fighting over becomes the prize for whichever club comes out on top. It can take many different forms. However, as with most things in the Academy, they lean towards martial ability. For these two, it doesn''t take a genius to know what they''re going to end up choosing"
"It''s hard to imagine the riding or equestrian clubs choosing anything other than a joust." Rolland preempted his question.
"Riding and equestrian? Aren''t those the same thing?" Cal asked.
"It''s likely the reason they''re fighting." Rolland responded. "Their potential membership pool overlaps too much."
While not a reasonable reason to fight in his opinion, it was understandable. He was still wondering what they meant by joust when he heard the beat of wings. His head flicked in that direction, spotting a magical beast rapidly approaching.
Flames gathered around his arm. A hand on his shoulder stopped him. Lily lightly shook her head. He shifted his gaze back, studying the beast closer. It had the body of a goat, with long protruding horns. On its back were two fur-covered wings. What was this? Some discount brand pegasus?
Regardless, it wasn''t acting as hostile as he knew beast to be. It glided to the greenery. Stopping in front of one of the groups. A student approached it, stroking its neck. So this was what they meant by joust.
Now where was the opponent? This time he heard the shouts from the students first, he augmented his vision and saw what no person in their right mind would consider a horse. Sure, it shared the general shape. Except the thing was covered in scales, had two reptilian heads, and purple smoke protruding from where mane should be. It was also far more unruly than the goat, with students diving out of its path.
"This is allowed?" Ryan had shown him the stables from a distance, but he didn''t think they''d let a magical beast tear through campus like this.
"No, it most certainly is not." A fourth voice answered him.
What the hells was up with this rooftop?
He turned, finding a woman striding towards them. So much for that illusion hiding them.
She wore a white blouse and long dark green pants. The pants were matched with a cape around her shoulders. Her brown hair was tied in a tight bun. "They will be reprimanded." Her green eyes bore into Lily. "Speaking of reprimands, Lady Arcutien." She didn''t finish, letting the ruined railing do the talking for her.
"Can''t you take it out of my account? Father is good for it" Lily looked off to the side, not willing to face the woman.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
"That''s not proved to be a deterrent for you." The woman snapped her finger and pointed at the damaged object "Now either fix it or receive the proper punishment."
"Fine." Lily said with reluctance. She placed her hand around the railing again and slowed her breathing. Cal felt her magic fluctuate and then watched as the metal jerked. It overcorrected at first, bending in the opposite direction. A few more tries and it was straight once again, next the surface stretched as the indents filled in. Finally, it resembled what it had prior.
"There, happy?" Lily clearly wasn''t, there was slight precipitation on her forehead.
The woman walked up, running a finger on it. Cal thought Lily had done a decent fix job. Manifestations geared towards manipulating metal weren''t simple to accomplish. They involved mixing lightning, earth, and fire. If you got the ratios wrong or slipped up for a moment the metal was liable to shatter and drill pieces into you. Cal had tried it a couple of times before deciding it was not worth the trouble.
"Adequate." The woman judged. "However, slow. You would do well to practice it. Affinity or not."
Lily crossed her arms in a huff.
"Deputy Headmistress." Rolland tilted his head slightly downward. "How delightful for you to join us. Allow me to introduce my good friend Callum Ardere here."
Headmistress? Shit that sounded like a big fish. And this prick had the gall to call himself a friend.
"I''m well aware of the new Ardere." It was his turn to withstand her harsh gaze. "His late schedule change needed my approval." It might have been his imagination but he thought there was a tinge of disapproval in her voice.
Her eyes narrowed as he met them.
Not his imagination then, she didn''t like him. He decided the feeling was mutual.
The yelling in the distance grew louder.
"They''re getting ready." Lily commented and everyone''s attention shifted back to the field.
The greenery had been mostly cleared, with a large gap in the middle and two lines of students on either side.
There were small huddles of students around each animal who dispersed on some signal he must have missed.
"Where are the lances?" Cal thought out loud.
"Lances?" Lily asked with a confused voice. "Why would they be using those?"
There he goes with his preconceptions.
"Nevermind." he muttered. "So what''s the goal here then?"
"Dismount" Rolland said simply. "Attacks on mounts themselves are disallowed."
So it was still sorta like the jousting he knew.
A bolt of lightning impacted the ground and the goat soared up into the air. Circling the alleged horse rider.
"Mr. Ardere, don''t you have a class scheduled for now?" It was worded as a question but the tone suggested otherwise.
He wanted to say the teacher wouldn''t notice his absence. Despite the teacher deserving it, tattling to the guy''s boss struck him as a pretty uncool move to make.
"Headmistress, I''m sure Professor Wyatt would forgive some tardiness on the part of our young friend here. This can be an eye-opening experience for him."
Oi. How did that guy know his schedule? That clinched it.
"No she''s right, I lost track of the time. I''ll head out then." Cal said while going for the door. A betrayed look was shot his way. Sorry, Lily. Your sacrifice won''t be forgotten.
¡ª
Cal pulled out his phone, checking the time. He was late by a whopping minute and Wyatt was asleep. He wondered if the man woke up to deliver his half-hearted lecture or if he slept through the time entirely.
"Late" Mia observed from the side.
"Got distracted along the way, two clubs duking it out in a joust."
Cal walked over to the closest desk, setting his satchel down, and sat on the desk itself.
"Has the culinary club ever had to do that?"
"Yes."
Oh, colored him intrigued.
"What ended up happening with that?"
"Benny."
Ah, fair enough.
"You think it will happen again?" It might be fun to do something like a cooking battle. That wasn''t very martial though¡.maybe hunt the beast they cook? That would work.
"Benny."
He couldn''t tell whether that was a ''Benjamin would handle any challenges'' or ''Benjamin intimidation factor would prevent any in the first place''
"You have a lot of faith in the guy. How long have you two known each other?"
He waited as she flipped through two pages before realizing she wasn''t going to provide an answer to that.
"What about that lump then." Cal gestured towards the sleeping teacher.
"Four."
"That''s supposed to be years right?" She nodded. "Long time, has he always been like this?"
"No." her brow furrowed. "Recent."
From that, he could tell she wasn''t pleased about the man''s behavior either.
"Why the change then?"
"Stuck."
"On some research then?" Another nod. "Do you help him with that?"
"No. Not my area."
He was a little interested in what that area was, the books she read always had plain covers.
"Why are you his teacher''s assistant then?"
"Favor."
He didn''t feel like asking any more questions. The minutes ticked by with only the sounds of soft snoring keeping the silence at bay. From prior experience, Wyatt wasn''t liable to wake up unless he leaked some magic. The man seemed overly sensitive to that. Cal opted against waking him and pulled out the textbook. Reading dry text was more bearable than having someone read dry text at you.
Referencing the syllabus, he began reading the chapter meant to be covered today. He didn''t bother speed-reading it, he had time to kill. On the second page, he tried to recall what he had already read and discovered he couldn''t.
It wasn''t entirely his fault and he was beginning to see why these classes usually had certain entry requirements. He found himself increasingly relying on rote memorization rather than actual understanding. That type of practice would snowball if he allowed it.
He flipped back to chapter one, starting over. This was an ''intro'' course. His pride bucked at the thought of admitting defeat. He went through it at a laggard pace. His hand occasionally moved to scribble something on the paper beside him. Things he needed to go back to for a plethora of reasons. Some being clarification, others being idle thoughts. It felt as if a ghost had taken over him, the actions reminiscent of a far-off past.
He''d been so utterly absorbed that it took a book snapping shut in front of him to jar him out of the state. Mia pointed the closed book to the broken clock on the wall. Cal understood the point and took out his phone to check the time again.
An hour over class time. Whoops. He gathered his belongings, turning to Mia who had retaken her seat next to the slumbering teacher.
"Thanks, see you later." He offered as he gently shut the door behind him. He wasn''t sure why he did that, not like that would wake the man.
After leaving, he made his way to where he could grab a quick bite to eat before heading back for the night. A fleeting thought passed through his mind.
Cal groaned, wishing he could unthink that.
Damn Lily for getting in his head. It was much easier to ignore something when someone didn''t point it out.
He''d have to be the mature one, even if he didn''t enjoy it.
His new destination was further than his initial one. It was also not a route he was accustomed to taking yet. Fortunately, it was still close to central campus so it wasn''t too out of the way. Along the way, he felt the same magic from earlier today.
Cal scowled. This guy couldn''t take a hint.
He spotted a conveniently placed pebble close to him. Without a minimal change to his gait, he kicked it in the man''s direction. He missed and it shattered on the bark next to his target who gave a yelp and fell back. The illusion faded to reveal it was A prince but not THE prince.
What the hells was up with this damn family?
He continued without pause, pretending he didn''t see anything.
"Halt." The little prince demanded in a breathless voice, running after him. "You flee after an unprovoked attack?"
"Thought you were someone else." Cal shrugged without stopping. "Let''s put this behind us and move on with our lives."
"I think" The prince''s sentence dangled as he caught up to Cal. His eyes widened as he saw a trio of students around the next corner. Sebastian dove into the foliage, just in the nick of time as one of the students turned his head a second later. Only seeing Cal on the path.
Maybe the illusion had not been meant for him. Cal didn''t say anything to the trio, simply tapping his collar. One of them whispered to the other and they left promptly.
"They''re gone." Cal called out. "You can stop hiding."
For a moment, the only sound was from the bushes being rustled by the wind. Then the wayward prince stepped out. Leaves and branches sticking out of his uniform and hair.
"I was not hiding." He said while brushing off debris. "It was a strategic decision to conserve my resources."
Cal chuckled at the explanation.
"You must be doing something right, I didn''t last a day."
"Indeed." Sebastian preened at his comment. "It would be unbecoming for someone of my station to succumb to that rabble."
"Missed a twig." Cal said, triggering the prince to frantically search for the imaginary object. "Doesn''t said station deter them anyways?"
Sebastian realized the ruse, playing it off as an attempt to straighten out his uniform.
"To an extent, yes. I will not be forced into anything. However, blunt refusal may foster discontent. It is better to avoid the situation entirely."
Sebastian glanced at his collar again and Cal spotted the look of recognition.
"Benny''s popular isn''t he?" Cal asked the rhetorical question. "Any reason you''re still following me?"
He''d started walking away yet the kid was still by his side.
"Don''t think too highly of yourself." The boy scoffed. "I happen to be traveling in the same direction."
Cal bought that. That is until he made several turns which the boy matched.
Whatever, as long as he stayed out the way the kid could do what he liked.
The glass building showed itself, it was deserted at this hour. That suited him just fine, he used the main entrance this time.
"What is your purpose here?" Sebastian asked, looking around.
"Making amends" Cal said offhandedly as the floating platform carried them.
"You make it a habit of wronging others aside from myself then?"
"I give it my best shot. Not that I did anything wrong in this particular case."
Cal reached the room and entered it flipping on the lights, revealing the kitchen. He caught the prince''s look of contempt from the corner of his eye.
That wasn''t important.
Now what to do?
He''d thought about it on the way over. New ideas popped up as he walked over and took stock of what he had available.
"This place is more appropriate for servants than nobility." Sebastian took careful steps. Looking at everything warily and not touching anything.
"Bastard remember?" Cal responded while rummaging in the cabinets for the bowls he needed. "Besides, Benny does it as well."
"I thought the first might be a slip of the tongue." Sebastian said softly. "Few call him by that name. And yes, however my brother''s retainer or not, he remains a commoner. Yet to be bestowed a proper title."
The intricacies weren''t completely lost on Cal. He simply didn''t care either which way.
He was still gathering what he needed when the prince spoke again.
"If you are seeking to make amends, what does debasing yourself in such a matter accomplish?"
"Everyone loves food kid." Cal said dismissively
"Please use my proper title or name." The prince stood straighter, standing on the other side of the counter where Cal had been placing things. "And of course, I understand that. However, you would be better served by tasking one of the servants or purchasing whatever you hope to create."
"That might be so." Cal acknowledged. "There''s something to be said about doing it yourself. Maybe it''s the commoner in me, it just feels more sincere."
The prince crossed his arms. Staring hard at the table, the blatant look of contempt had softened a smidge.
His eyes trailed back up to Cal.
"You claim to have not wronged anyone. Then why do you go through all this trouble to make amends?"
"It''s not about being right or wrong." Cal insisted while tying an apron on.
"Father says a proper Emperor never admits fault." There was a sureness that those words were delivered with. "To do so is to invite weakness. The notion of doing so for no reason is absurd."
Cal couldn''t help but laugh while washing his hands. He dried them on his apron.
"Sorry" There was a look of profound offendedness on the little prince''s face. "That older brother of yours. One of the first things he ever said to me was admitting his fault, so I find that rich."
"Perhaps he is not as well suited to the throne as many believe." Shortly after saying that, the prince looked to have sucked on one of the lemons Cal had placed down.
"I won''t disagree with you there." Cal started mixing ingredients. "Although, that''s because he rubs me the wrong way. Nothing wrong with saying sorry."
Cal stopped what he was doing, trying to find the words to properly explain.
"Sometimes life hands you a bad situation. The kind where no one is at fault and yet everyone is still upset with one another. Someone has to take the first step. Otherwise, what are we all even doing with ourselves?"
Cal tossed a lemon over. Sebastian caught it with a perplexed look.
"Go ahead and zest that for me."
"Surely you jest?" He gripped the lemon strangely, not knowing what to do with it.
"If I was I''d say something like making lemonade out of lemons." Cal smiled at his own words.
"Instead, we''re doing lemon tart."
Chapter 24
Cal crouched down, gingerly placing the withered plant into its new home while injecting it with a sliver of magic. It had been overcrowded, being choked out by its larger neighbors.
He''d done what he could for the little guy, the rest will be up to it.
"I asked you to not leave my side" Alice stood behind him. The irritation on her bled away as she peered down at him, not having missed what he''d done. "You are able to use growth magic?"
"Able is a strong word to call it." Cal got up, rubbing his hands together to remove the dirt. "I can give them a little boost, that''s all."
"I tried to imitate mother when I was younger." Alice''s lips upturned, recalling a fond memory. "She was rather cross with me for ruining her dandelions."
"Took me a while to get this far with it. Had to be done though." Eating bland food every day was liable to drive him mad. Finding wild spices, that wouldn''t leave him convulsing on the ground, had been a godsend in the Waste. "Should we continue?"
He could see the question on her face be swallowed down.
"We shall."
They resumed their stroll on the dirt path, going deeper into the gardens. Cal had survived another week at the Academy, or the Academy survived another week with him.
His peace offering had worked, if not better than he expected or wanted. In her infinite wisdom, Alice had decided they hadn''t spent enough time together and had thus dedicated today to rectifying that. His arguments that they literally lived together fell on deaf ears. Not that he misunderstood her point, he was simply trying to weasel out of this excursion.
That''s how he found himself at one of Postremo Lux''s botanical gardens. They were at the edge of the city. Far enough out that they had to connect to another tram to reach it.
"It''s smaller than I pictured." Cal commented as they walked together. The brisk wind blew into him. It heralded the beginning of winter.
"There are others in the city grander in appearance." Alice replied by his side. He could feel the heat radiate off her as she too battled the chill. "However, this is Mother''s favorite."
Cal took a deep breath, taking in the cold air. They''d yet to travel very far. From what he had seen of the gardens, he guessed they''d seen better days. Not that there wasn''t care put into them, he could see hints of it everywhere. From a carefully pruned tree to collecting the falling leaves so they don''t suffocate those below. There just wasn''t enough of that care to go around; case in point, the small plant from earlier.
Overextended, is what came to mind. For their sake, he hoped they had solid plans for winter.
"Pity Lily couldn''t come" Whatever he thought of the girl, she could fill empty space when she wanted to. Her presence today would have cut down on the many awkward silences he had to endure.
"She had other obligations."
Alice lied to his face. Lily either wasn''t great at keeping secrets or didn''t think this one was worth it because she straight-up told him she''d been barred from attending today. He couldn''t be that upset, he''d lied back countless times.
That still left him in this uncomfortable position. The wind blew again and he gave an aggravated grunt as he cleared the bangs from his eyes. His hair had grown too long, he''d need to find time to cut it.
"Is something the matter?" Alice turned her head, reacting to the noise. She saw him run a hand back to clear them again and gave a hum of understanding. "I will speak to my stylist about getting an appointment."
"No need." Cal said gruffly. He wasn''t about to let himself be signed up for an hour-long procedure. Probably longer, knowing nobles. "I can do it myself."
He''d do it here if she wouldn''t throw a fit about it. It would take a matter of seconds to chop some off. As for how it looked after? That''d never concerned him.
A giggle came from the side. Prompting him to turn to see Alice covering her mouth. She composed herself shortly after.
"I said something akin to that when I was younger." She ran a hand through her own locks, twirling one of them with her finger. "I''ll let you surmise the outcome." She laughed again, not bothering to hide it this time. "Mother was absolutely furious, there was a gala we were meant to attend that evening. I remember Father intervened on my behalf and his reward was a week in the guest wing."
Cal was fairly certain most kids attempted to cut their hair at least once to a similar effect. He kept his thoughts to himself.
As they navigated the gardens, they began to run into other visitors. The lack of their school jackets did little to hide their identity and the other passersby shied away from them. He watched as parents shooed their children along whenever they approached. It grated on him, that their presence intruded on what should be pleasant family outings.
If Alice noticed she did a good job of hiding it. On second thought, she was probably used to it. Maybe even finding it the natural course of things.
Should Cal ever be forced to pick a defining cultural difference between the Empire and the Federation that would be it. The Empire saw their nobility as the chosen elect. All others beneath them. In contrast, the Federation was empowered by the masses. Any man or woman could rise to the ultimate position of authority.
That was the theory at least. There were good people involved, people who believed in those ideals but the system had flaws. Cal knew that better than most.
Power had a nasty habit of ending up in the hands of too few. And in his opinion, the wrong hands. Albert had tried warning him that his words would have an impact one day. It was always a distant thought, something for future Cal to grapple with.
He''d never expected to end up on that field, his march on headquarters barred by two of the strongest people on the planet, behind them the collective might of a nation.
And he certainly never expected them to ask for terms. The absurdity of the situation wasn''t lost on him and he''d laughed for all to see. With his back against the metaphorical wall, he was prepared to cut his losses. He''d flee to the Waste, confident in his ability to survive and rebuild.
Instead, they negotiated. What would it take to get him to stand down? He''d made a reasonable request to unreasonable people. They''d kidnapped, drugged, and then attempted to find out what made him tick. He dealt with the ones holding the scalpel but that wasn''t near enough. He wanted anyone involved to be held accountable, regardless of their position.
Somehow, Millie had secured their agreement. Even now a civilian-appointed committee, independent of the military apparatus, may be questioning and sentencing members of the Board.
He''d managed to bluff a country. Now if only he could win a game of poker.
Alice stopped in front of a Cypress and spoke up, regaining his attention.
"This one is mother''s favorite." She placed a hand on the bark "She said it told the best stories."
Cal held back a snort. Growth mages could be weird about this stuff. The trees may have once had stories to tell, but that was before the Fall.
Despite the hardships it caused many considered it necessary. Cal included himself in that number. From the few accounts he knew, the gods had acted like capricious toddlers. Forget a world, he''d not trust them to run a sunglasses kiosk.
Alice closed her eyes, maybe trying to see if she could hear what her mother claimed to.
Fuck it, he might as well check it out. Cal moved to place a hand beside her when the sounds of panicked shrieks reached his ear. In an instant time slowed to a crawl as magic flooded his system. His head shifted, locating the origin of the cry.
He moved, each step sending him hurtling towards the source. It didn''t take him long to find it. A mother sat on a bench and looked on with wide eyes, mouth hung open as a child fell to the earth. She was rising ever so slowly. The child''s face showed they had yet to fully realize their situation, hands reached up for the branch they must have fallen from.
Cal relaxed, as he wound down his augmentation. Time transitioned to its normal speed.
His arms barely shifted as the screaming child fell into them. The flailing caught him off guard and he promptly deposited the little boy on the ground. Gently, feet first that is. He wasn''t mean enough to drop, what he assumed was around six-year-old kid, onto the ground. The kid, face covered in snot and tears, ran to his mom who stood frozen, not yet able to come to grips with reality.
Cal waited as she belatedly embraced her child, checking them all over for any sign of injuries. He could forgive her reaction. From her perspective one second her child was falling to either death or serious injury and in the next Cal appeared at the exact spot to catch the industrious tree climber. What he''d have a harder time forgiving is the woman letting it get to this point in the first place. That tree was nearly seventy feet.
He crossed his arms, putting a stern expression on.
"Hey" The woman jumped at his voice. "Why''d you let the kid climb that high? Do you have any idea what would have happened if I hadn''t been nearby?"
The woman paled, shuffling her child behind her leg.
"Sorry, m-m''lord." She kept her head down, not daring to meet his eyes. "It won''t happen again, I-i swear on the Ancestors."
Other visitors wandered in, attracted by the noise. Some of them had witnessed what occurred, others hadn''t.
The woman began to quietly sob under his glare.
Whispers sprang up, beginning to propagate from one group to another. Cal saved a kid, so why did he feel like the asshole here?
Ah right, the shaking woman in front of him.
Hells.
He uncrossed his arms, approaching the woman who lowered herself.
"Get up" Cal put a stop to that foolishness. He crouched near the child who was poking his head around his mother''s leg. Cal, in turn, poked the kid on the forehead. "Don''t scare your mom like that, got it?"
The boy''s head shook up and down furiously. Cal nodded to him, got back up, and made to leave the scene.
"Mister." A high-pitched voice called out, Cal looked behind himself to see the boy''s mouth covered by his mother''s hand.
"Sorry, M''lord." She spoke with her head still lowered. "Nathan doe-"
"It''s fine" Cal cut her off and addressed the boy. "What do you want?"
"Are you a knight?" He asked, bright eyes seeming to forget the ordeal he''d just been through.
Knight? Him? What a joke.
"Nothing like that, I''m only a student."
"I want to become a knight when I grow up! Mom says I can''t but I know-" He wiggled out of his mother''s grip, dashing forward. "Do you think I can-" Her longer legs caught up quickly and she scooped him up.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
"He''s a child." Her eyes finally met Cal''s. He knew that look of fear. "He doen''t kno-"
"Don''t ask me that" Cal interrupted her again. "That''s all up to you."
That caught the pair flatfooted. Cal didn''t wait for them to compose themselves and walked away.
He passed by Alice who had stayed on the sidelines, having caught up to him at one point.
"That was cruel" She fell into step beside him. "To dangle false hope in front of one so young."
"Who said anything about false?" Cal said. The aggressiveness of his reply caused her to flinch back. "Kid''s got some latent magic in there. Untrained sure, but if he put the work in I don''t see how he''d be any worse than some of those sorry excuses of nobles I saw fight earlier this week."
"You tested him?" Her question was softly spoken, in danger of being overpowered by the breeze.
"I checked him over quickly for injuries, noticed it then."
It had pushed against his intrusion. However swiftly the resistance folded, it was there.
Alice had been about to say something when someone hollered after them.
"I know you." A man called, ignoring his wife trying to usher him back. "You''re Callum aren''t you?"
What in the hells?
"Yeah, I thought I recognized you." The man said jovely, getting closer to the distress of his wife. A pair of children curiously trailing them.
Alice''s eyes bore into Cal who had no idea what was going on.
"I don''t know you?" Cal racked his mind, coming up empty. There was no way this guy was from the Federation which narrowed the amount of places he could have met him.
"Sure you do. You''re Emily''s ''sorta little brother''" The man gave him a smile and Cal short-circuited.
"Emily?" The wife gripped the man''s arm, nails pressing against his skin. "Isn''t that the barmaid you are always raving about?"
"I, uh. Nevermind. Guess I don''t know you after all." The man laughed as he tried in vain to prevent the ire of his wife.
The family unit left, adults bickering with children wondering why mommy was suddenly upset at daddy.
That household''s integrity was hardly a concern to Cal who seriously began to consider whether or not he''d been cursed. Those odds¡ in a city of millions, to end up in the same place as a bar patron he''d seen once.
This was bullshit.
Alice''s stare threatened to burn a hole into him. These parts of his fake life weren''t meant to be crossed. He took a breath, steadying himself. He couldn''t pretend this was good, but they had a story in place for this exact scenario.
"Who''s Emily?" Alice delivered with an impressive lack of inflection.
"No clue."
That wasn''t a satisfactory answer and Cal was now cognizant that they were surrounded by potential kindling.
Well, it was worth a shot.
"Someone I know from before" He made a vauge gesture. "All this"
The anticipated follow-up came slower than he expected but arrived all the same.
"She resides in the city." Cal gave a reluctant nod. "Shall we pay her a visit? I''d very much enjoy meeting her."
Phrased as a question or not, Cal was not naive enough to consider it was one. Olivia was going to be pissed, so there was a silver lining in this mess.
"She''s really not all that interesting?" He made the obligatory attempt if only to say he did.
"I prefer to make my own judgment on that."
"When about are you thinking?" If he could promise something at a later time maybe she''d forget.
"I believe our visit here has run its course." She checked her watch. "We should be able to make the next tram. What district does she reside in?"
Right. Impatient. Cal had been careful to avoid taking his phone when meeting with Olivia, warry of any tracking. He wasn''t about to throw that away willy-nilly.
"I''m not sure what her hours are" Cal subtly reminded her that normal people worked for a living. "Why don''t we go eat lunch and send her a message? Then, if she''s free, she can join us."
That put the onus on Olivia to decide how to play this.
Alice paused to evaluate his suggestion.
"That''s acceptable, let''s be off then."
¡ª
Cal contemplated retracting his earlier thought about Alice''s patience. They''d sent a runner with the message two hours ago. Since then they''ve been nursing drinks, Alice having refused to order any food until Emily showed up.
If she showed up. It seemed Alice couldn''t envisage a future where her invitation was denied. Cal patted himself on the back for pushing against the private room she had wanted. Nominally, his reasoning was to prevent Emily from being intimated. Practically, being in public discouraged anyone from making a scene.
Things like burning the menu. Or the restaurant.
"Hello!" The dreary tense atmosphere was shattered by a bright voice. "Sorry, sorry. I know I must have kept you two waiting."
The false persona, Emily waltzed in.
"Callum!" She enveloped him in a bone-breaking hug. Lifting him from his chair. "I was so worried when those soldiers walked in!" Cal kept his face neutral as he augmented himself to prevent anything from fracturing "I was thinking the worst."
Okay, maybe letting Alice conscript a bunch of soldiers to deliver a message wasn''t the wisest course of action. To be fair, he hadn''t even realized that was an option until she went and did it. Seems to have worked out okay? He''d know for sure if he woke up tomorrow and there was a manhunt on for whoever disappeared an imperial squad.
Emily released him. Turning to Alice and giving a clumsy curtsy.
"Great to meet you. I''m Emily." She sat down, patting his shoulder along the way. "I hope this rascal hasn''t given you too much trouble."
Alice frowned, likely for a variety of reasons. No doubt the poor manners on display chief among them. It disappeared as quickly as it came and a polished smile replaced it.
"I am Alice Ardere heir to House Ardere." She raised a hand signaling the waiter. "Do pardon my rudeness, we''ve been waiting quite a while." She spoke to Emily before rattling off orders for the table to the waiter. The man bowed and left to relay them.
Alice''s eyes racked up and down Emily who slightly squirmed in her seat.
"I confess I''m intrigued as to the nature of your relationship with my dear brother."
Dear?
"We grew up together." Emily took a sip of water, missing her lips and spilling some on herself. "Oh no" She dabbed herself with a napkin and an apologetic look. "Sorry about this, I''m just so nervous. Callum told me so much about you."
Had he?
"Truly?" Alice looked as confused as he felt.
"Yep" Emily chirped. She pinched his cheek. "It was so cute the way he spoke about his cool big sis" He swatted her hand away and she pouted. "Don''t be such a sour puss." She lightly tapped his arm. "He''s always been like this. Afraid of letting people in. Did you know it took months for me to learn his real name? I had to use a silly nickname for such a long time."
That was a creative way of saying it took months for him to convince her NOT to use that damn code name.
"Wow." Emily made a show of blinking and moving her eyes back and forth from the duo. "It''s only now hitting me, you two really look alike!"
A beat passed and then Alice gave a measured response.
"The Ardere blood runs strong through him."
"Uh huh." Emily nodded her head rapidly. "I can totally see it. Callum''s was always the odd one out in our little village. Anyone could tell he was really special."
He was the odd one out, he''d give her that.
"Naturally." Alice said dubiously and then hardened her expression. "He was always destined to take his proper station in life. I trust you understand what that means for his future in relation to yours."
The girls held each other''s stares until Emily erupted in a fit of giggles.
"It''s never been like that" Emily said between breaths. Taking a sip of water to calm herself. "If I had to describe it, it''s similar to feeding a neighborhood cat one day. You keep an eye out for it and occasionally it follows you around but that''s it."
"I''m still here you know." Cal spoke to the selectively deaf.
"He used to hunt small game around the village. When he was out there if he found anything interesting" she air quoted the word. "He''d bring it back to show off. It was almost always junk of some kind. And if you tried to take it away he''d swipe at you."
Some of that small game could level cities and the junk was¡well okay sometimes it was junk. Cultists couldn''t always afford the nice stuff.
"A cat?" Alice eyed him, bringing a hand up to rub her chin.
"Has he done the disappearing thing on you yet? One moment he''s following nicely and the next time you turn around poof" Emily waved her arms out, miming an explosion. "No sign of him."
"That" Alice stopped herself, tempering her reply. "yes, I have experienced that."
"It''s so annoying, right? He does it all the time. I swear he needs a bell on him."
"It is vexing." A smile crept on her face. "A bell you say? That may be a valid proposal."
It wouldn''t work. He''d trained with one ¨¤ la Mr. Popo style for a laugh.
"Sometimes he does things for the sole purpose of irritating me. I can''t count the amount of times I''ve considered strangling him." She punctuated it by twisting the napkin while wearing a disconcerting smile.
That no longer felt like Olivia playing a part. He scooted his chair further away.
"I''d ask you not to, I have need of him now." Alice said with a sigh. "Tell me, do others from your village reside in the city?"
Emily''s cheery demeanor died. A palpable weight fell over the table and Cal caught himself from reaching out to comfort the girl.
The seconds ticked by until her terse voice sounded.
"There''s no one left"
There were no tears shed. Anyone watching the scene would come to the same conclusion, It wasn''t out of lack of emotion. There were simply none left.
Shit, she''d missed her true calling as an actress.
"Apologies." Alice choked out the word. "I had no intention of digging up painful memories."
The appetizers arrived, easing the mood slightly.
"You couldn''t have known" Emily shook her head, moving the small meatballs across her plate with a fork. "He wouldn''t have told you, It was hard on us both."
What an excellent excuse to never bring up the past again, masterfully done Olivia.
"Enough about that." Emily laid her arms on the table, leaning over slightly. A mischievous smile on her face. "I check the paper every day but thankfully nothing has made it on there. What type of trouble has Callum got into?"
Alice opened her mouth and Cal felt the hair on his neck stand up. Whatever came out of this would not be in his favor.
Chapter 25
"From the stupid looks on all your faces, I take it this isn''t normal."
Cal questioned the trio of boys staring at the same object he was.
"Ferg is a lot of things, but normal never was one of them." Rolland supplied, the trademark smile missing for the moment.
"No one who reached heights such as he may be classified as normal." Marcus made a valid point. The higher up the power ladder you went, the more crazies you ran into.
There was a loud clang that reverberated from what held their attention. In the center of the worn-down training grounds was a conspicuously large rectangular object covered with a ratty-grey tarp.
It did not take a genius to figure out what it contained.
"Weird that he''s late." Cal flopped to the ground, legs stretched out. His hands propped himself up from behind. The spear lay discarded beside him. "Doesn''t he usually sleep here?"
"Less than usual. This place used to be his favorite spot. I suspect being made to run a class here has dampened the appeal." Rolland said rather shamelessly. Cal wouldn''t be surprised if the man had a part to play in the venue selection.
"What''s with you, Benny?" Cal asked the stone-faced man who hadn''t broken eye contact since his arrival.
"If I know my Benny, he''s wondering if whatever''s under there is edible." Rolland slapped the focused man''s back.
Benjamin blinked at the contact and looked around. Only now realizing the center of attention had shifted to him. It didn''t seem to bother him as he wordlessly resumed his focus.
"Eh, they''re almost always edible. That includes the poisonous ones if you know where to cut them. The tricky part is whether you want to eat them. There are some nasty-looking ones out there." Cal mentally retched at the memory of some.
Marcus raised a well-manicured eyebrow in his direction.
"How many have you fought?"
"Just a couple" of thousand. Belatedly, he realized that wasn''t a great response. "But I lived on the frontier, people used to bring some back all the time."
Cal didn''t have an accurate tally. He had in the early years when he was still trying to escape the cabin. It had been a measure of his progress, something to prove he hadn''t been wasting his time.
Nowadays, even if he tried it would be an exercise in futility. His monthly ''hunts'' brought in a good number but it was the waves where he racked up the real body count. Roughly twice a year he was called in to squash one. They each had hundreds to potentially thousands of the things. He could never kill them all before they dispersed but he always left satisfied.
Thinking about it, one should be coming up soon. He wondered how they''d decide to deal with it. They''d probably send one of the others and he found himself hoping it would be Oracle. The man had never admitted it but Cal got the sense that was a part of the job he really did not enjoy.
Benjamin''s voice brought him to the present.
"The meat is valuable, it would be wasteful to leave it. Regardless of its appearance."
Cal didn''t think he''d sing the same tune if he''d seen everything the Waste had to offer.
Another thump sounded, from a different source this time. Ferguson landed, kicking up a cloud of dust. He walked out of it, staggering less than customary. He wore a variation of his usual outfit, the standout being the bag tied to his waist.
"You''re all here, good." He grabbed the bag, reaching in and throwing a pair of objects at each of them. "Put these on"
Cal caught his pair, immediately noting their stickiness. They were bracelets? His magic brushed against it. Not a fashion statement.
"Presenting cuffs to your future regent?" Rolland held his pair up and Cal now noticed how the pair would fit together. The chain meant to connect them was missing. "My how bold you''ve gotten."
"Shut your trap and wear them." Ferguson wasn''t phased by Rolland''s words. "I had them modified a bit. They''ll still stop any of ya manifestations, but should also let your shell work."
"What are they" Marcus held his a distance away by his fingertips. "Coated with."
"Don''t worry about that. Just a little something to make our beasty extra friendly" Ferguson walked over and patted the tarp. Earning a few thuds in return.
Cal inspected them. Suppression cuffs. They, on paper, made it impossible to use magic outside your body. The good ones even made internal magic troublesome to control. He clipped them on without hesitation.
True to his word, Cal found no interference when forming a shell. He tried doing a simple manifestation and the magic slipped from his fingers. Dissipating without fanfare.
It was a familiar sensation, he''d gone through a phase where he''d regularly wear multiple sets. Albert had gently but firmly asked him to knock it off. Something about the optics of a child walking around covered in shackles being unideal.
He''d been the first to don them. Benjamin followed and Rolland shortly after him. Marcus, with a look of great reluctance, wore them last.
"Are we meant to defeat this mystery beast relying on our augmentation and weapon skills alone?" Marcus questioned, his dissatisfaction from being made to adorn the cuffs apparent.
"You better not." Ferguson grumbled while scratching his back. "No killing or hurting the thing. I got it on loan. See, I got an idea after watching the kid." Ferguson pointed at Cal. "You brats rely too much on fancy tricks. In here that may get a pass but when you''re out in the world you can''t be wasting your reserves taking every hit. You need to learn how to dodge as your life depends on it." Ferguson gripped the tarp, yanking it off. Revealing the glowing box. "Cause right now, I ain''t as fast as I used to be." He hopped onto the cage, kicked open the latch and a solid wall of metal collapsed forward. The glowing dimmed before snuffing out entirely. Signaling the deactivation of any wards. "So it just well might."
A stinger streaked through the air, extending all the way to the prince who took rapid steps back and avoided the attack.
It retracted and the bulk of the creature clattered out. Aside from having too many legs and mandibles, it was a scorpion in appearance. Sand dripped from its carapace, indicating what type of magic it used. Its eyes darted around and it skittered erratically. Cal supposed it was having trouble deciding which of them to make a meal out of.
It wasn''t a runt like those he saw for the joust earlier. It was larger than a minivan and while size did not directly correlate to strength, Cal could feel the thing wasn''t weak.
A piercing screech erupted. Without their shells, their eardrums would have easily ruptured. Others shifted their stances, growing more alert.
Sound magic as well? Irksome.
Its front claws slammed against the ground and a storm of sand materialized. Covering the arena in short order.
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Another screech resounded, it differed from the other in that the magic was directed to a single focal point. Cal could feel the ground rumble as the beast advanced with more speed than something that large ought to possess. He waited for the telltale sounds of battle, or frantic evasion to meet his ears. Satisfied the beast''s attention was elsewhere, Cal languishingly rose. His arm moved to shield his face from the sand as he moved at a sedate pace.
He hadn''t stayed seated during that entire exchange out of arrogance. Beasts had a variety, well calling them personalities would be a stretch. Levels of aggression fit better. The point is, that some would attack the weakest-looking thing around while others would target the largest threats and move down from there. It was difficult to predict which pattern a given beast would follow. Cal had gambled in this case, relying on his instincts again and betting this beast would be more interested in the ones taking combat stances and cycling their magic.
He made his way into the now vacated cage. The three walls provided some cover from the outside so he lowered his arm. He shook himself off, trying to dislodge all the sand that had accumulated on him. While his shell would have prevented this, it also could have attracted the beast''s ire.
Dealing with sand seemed easier than a beast trying to gut you. He removed his blazer, wringing it out to get more of the sand out. In hindsight, he should have taken the risk. Other articles of clothing followed, he wasn''t worried about being interrupted. Beasts weren''t stupid. Well, they weren''t ALL stupid. Odds were the cage it was trapped in for who knows how long would be the last place it wanted to be. Despite his cuffs being coated in this mystery goop.
The shouts and clashes from outdoors provided a relaxing backdrop as he finished cleaning out the last of his belongings. As best he could that is. He settled down, leaning against one of the walls.
¡ª
"I''m finding it difficult to avoid holding the slightest amount of resentment towards you right now."
Rolland''s voice carried over the divider.
"I agree with His Highness."
"I concur."
Benjamin and Marcus''s responses overlapped, joining Rolland''s in displaying their irritation.
His classmates were not enthused to find out Cal had ridden out the sandstorm and accompanying angry beast in the relative comfort of the cage.
"Don''t blame me." Cal replied while adjusting the knob, the shower''s water turning hotter. "He never said we had to stick around and get wailed on."
"Be that as it may." From his tone, Cal could surmise Marcus was not convinced. "The object of today''s lesson was to better our skills in evasion."
The group found themselves using the showers adjacent to the locker room. Cal hadn''t been aware of their existence. He was thankful all the same as it was far more effective than shaking out his clothes.
"Are you sure you''re not missing the forest for the trees? The goal was to not get hit, I did that fine with minimal effort." Cal doubted his solution was what Ferguson had in mind.
Even so, these guys seemed to respect the man more than they ought to. Cal figured he could pull the wool over their eyes and convince them there was some greater lesson here.
"Which is why the greater share of my resentment points inward, it''s shameful for a future ruler to be narrow-minded."
Hook, line, and sinker.
"Do not be too hard on yourself your Highness, had we been allowed to butcher the creature it would have proved no opponent."
Cal could hear the soft sigh that came from Rolland''s stall.
"In the future, we shall face many challenges. I can not predict what they may be. However, we will inevitably find ourselves facing unanticipated restrictions. I fear the mistakes of today may be replicated. Where we believe there may be one course of action when in fact a better path lay mere steps away."
Tunnel vision could be a bitch like that. Cal had found himself guilty of that more often than not in the past. It was easy to see every problem as a nail when you had the mother of all hammers.
After finishing up in the shower, Cal redressed himself and made his way back to the field. There was a half-collapsed tunnel on the other side that he''d taken to using for his comings and goings. He was less likely to be seen using a back exit.
"A moment of your time" Marcus stopped him. He hadn''t buttoned his coat yet and his tie hung loose. Water dripped from his hair. "I have a proposal for you."
"Go ahead." Cal said after a few moments, wondering what it was that couldn''t seem to wait.
"You still wish to learn the art of spearmanship yes?" Cal gave a slow nod. "Then an arrangement can be made. I shall impart to you the essence of spear craft and in return, you will guide me in your brand of evasion."
The request caught Cal by surprise. He''d never anticipated Marcus reaching out to him instead.
"Sounds good to me." Cal replied, not willing to pass up the opportunity. "Let''s swap numbers and we can plan from there. I''m sure we''re both pretty busy."
Cal''s schedule was mostly open outside of classes, but saying that would make him look desperate. Soon enough Cal had a new contact on his phone and was happily sneaking away from the training grounds.
Spy stuff was turning out easier than he thought.
¡ª
Cal found it chucklesome how quickly the campus reverted to its normal behavior. Like a switch had been flicked, everyone went back to their civilized state and pretended last week hadn''t happened.
Added to the unexpected success with Marcus and taco not-Tuesday, Cal''s day had been going well.
Ever since the revelation of the tunnels, he''d been scoping out for more passageways. Rather than be caught exploring them from the inside, he opted for checking them out above ground.
Using the example he knew about, he grew better at recognizing them and formed a new sort of habit. Periodically, he would send a tiny pulse of magic through the ground underneath his way to check for any abnormalities. This was the type of thing the Spirit could help with but he didn''t want to put his eggs all in one basket.
He''d been on the way to his Economics class when he''d noticed one and stopped to document it in his notepad. Or he was before being interrupted.
The bench he''d chosen wasn''t on a heavily trafficked path but it did see some use. Already he could see some students start to slow, sensing something was off and buying time for themselves to observe.
"You wanna say that again?" Cal finished typing into his phone and looked up. "I wasn''t paying attention."
He had, he just thought it was funny to make the guy repeat himself.
"Very well." Petro addressed him with a poorly faked smile. "I was asking if you had given any further consideration to a partnership between us"
Partnership, what an interesting word. Not one he''d used before either.
"Can''t say I have." Cal flippantly replied.
"Regretable." Petro didn''t anger on the surface, perhaps expecting it. "I fear you leave me with no alternative then." The man straightened his back and took a deep breath. "I Petro Lucerna do hereby formally challenge Callum Ardere to an Academy Sanctioned duel. Do you accept?"
Huh, so it''d finally happened. Cal wasn''t counting the bite-sized prince''s challenge.
Part of him, admittedly a large part, wanted to accept and have a good time at it. Unfortunately, his rational side was being a killjoy and saying it wasn''t worth the attention.
"Pass."
Cal got up, ready to head to class.
"It''s well known what state the once vaunted House Ardere is in." Petro raised his voice, allowing all passerbyes to hear him. "To think they are now such a penurious house that they allow spineless bastards to fill their ranks."
"I need my House''s Heir''s permission to fight. My hands are tied." Cal shrugged displaying his helplessness in the matter.
He could see some students nodding at his words, accepting his reasoning.
"Hiding behind that sister of yours?" Petro crossed his arms, his tone mocking. "I suppose it''s not a surprise given your parentage, cowardice runs strong in you."
That dig would probably hurt a lot more if he had a single clue as to what he was talking about. Oh and of course being actually related to the family.
"You feeling okay buddy?" Cal spoke in a patronizing fashion. "Haven''t had too much to drink again have you? Did the stains ever come out from the last time you made a mess of yourself?"
The man''s lips tightened, however he didn''t retort right away
Probably because he sensed the same thing Cal did.
Alice and Lily landed with little ceremony. That didn''t dampen the peanut gallery''s reaction. Frantically typing and whispering among themselves.
These girls were undeniably popular.
"Petro" Alice spoke as if addressing a pile of dung on the floor. "Harassing a member of my House directly? Does House Lucerna forget its debts so readily?"
"Debts? I think you''ll find none are owed. However, one may soon be. You see, in consideration of our familial ties, I was just assisting your House in rectifying an error. It seems you let in a craven miscreant."
"House Ardere''s affairs are of no concern to you." Alice used a line from Claire''s playbook.
"Contraire, our lineages trace to the same origin. A stain on your line reflects poorly on ours. Or do you deny this bastard is a stain? In that case, will you allow him to prove it in the glory of battle?"
The twitching of her hands was the only indication his words upset her.
"We haven''t the time for this childishness. Some of us have studies to return to."
Alice and Lily walked by him, Cal took the cue and fell in line between them.
Petro was not satisfied with that conclusion and jeered from behind them.
"Truly astonishing, that your father could pass such cowardice to both of his offspring. Was it only you two? I wonder how many commoners he had to bed before one granted him a bastard with the bare minimum amount of magic required to not be laughed out of the Academy."
Cal could dimly hear gasps from the surroundings, dimly because he was focused on Alice who''d stopped with her fist clenched. The ambient temperature rose and he watched the ends of her hair closely.
"Alice" Lily said below a whisper, uncharacteristically serious.
It broke the spell that had come over her and she resumed her pace without a look back. They walked briskly, eyes forward, students shying away from their intensity.
From the corner of his eye, Cal witnessed a single tear rolling down her cheek. It evaporated before anyone else took notice.
Chapter 26
Cal found that his classmates suddenly noticed his existence. The whispers and furtive glances carried their way into the classroom. It was impossible not to notice, even the teacher''s usually cheerful smile appeared strained. Her eyes darted around, trying to puzzle together what the deal with today''s class was. That made him feel a tad bit of guilt, despite the circumstances being beyond his control.
It would have been easier if he could punch the guy and call it a day. He didn''t even look that strong, Cal was betting he could do it without raising too many eyebrows. It seemed Alice was unwilling to let him take a swing, although they hadn''t spoken after the incident. She and Lily had left shortly after escorting him to class.
There was a decent chance he could learn more about the matter by eavesdropping on some of the conversations going on around him or seeing what the forums were up to. Maybe get a hint as to why all the subterfuge. He decided against both. He''d rather go to the source before having his opinion colored by people who probably didn''t know what they were talking about. Not that his opinion should matter much. He was caught in the crossfire but none of this was his business.
Mask would have been so much better suited for this, in and out in a couple of weeks with all cultists neatly placed in body bags and no one the wiser to the calamity that almost came to pass. They did shit like that routinely. At least Cal knew why they didn''t send them now. Mask was strong, there was no doubt about that. Take away their mind magic and you still have someone able to stand against the strongest of them. Stand against, not beat. That Spirit would have fried them. Hells, it would stand a good chance against most of them. That amount of raw power was tricky for anyone to deal with.
No wonder this place survived the Fall.
He managed to distract himself through the rest of the class while feigning attention. He avoided using his trance, it seemed too disrespectful for a teacher working so hard. After gathering his belongings, he waited for everyone else to file out before leaving. Outside of the classroom, Lily kicked off the wall she had been leaning against. She gestured with her head to follow. It was expected, she''d messaged him halfway through that she''d walk him to his next class to avoid any more trouble.
"How''s the patient?" Cal asked once they had some distance between everyone else.
"Dorm isn''t on fire." Lily shrugged. "It''s not the first time Petro has been a little shit. Usually not as public or blatant but it''s nothing new. It''s just, that she''s under a lot of stress so everything stacks up."
"I get it." Everyone had their breaking point and she might be nearing hers. "Some few weeks back and already needing another vacation. That''s rough."
Cal certainly needed one. The Free Cities sounded better every day.
"Don''t tell her that. She''s liable to tear your head off."
"In the interest of peace in our time." Lily gave a short scoff in response. "I do have some good news for a change."
"Hah?" She walked closer, poking him. "Sorry, had to check to make sure it was you."
"Funny" He''d gotten used to this side of her and so didn''t stop her antics. It wasn''t like she was using any serious magic. "Anyways, It''s regarding Marcus"
"Good news and Marcus? What did you kill him."
"Almost but that''s not-"
She stopped, grabbed his collar, and pulled him down to her level.
"What do you mean almost?" she hissed in a way that implied his death depending on the answer.
He could have sworn he''d mentioned that before. Oh well.
Before he responded, he decided this position was uncomfortable. Their foreheads met earning a yelp from the girl.
"Ancestors!" She exclaimed, rubbing her forehead. "Who headbutts a lady?!?!"
"People who care about their personal space." Cal straightened his tie that had been ruffled from her grab. "And stop pretending to be hurt, you got your shell up."
"At the last second" She grumbled. "You could have given me a concussion with that stunt."
"And you could have given me a seizure with some of those electric pokes you like to do. You don''t see me whining about it."
He started walking again, she waited for a moment before skipping to catch up.
"Oh, afraid I''ll stop your heart are you?" She said with a teasing tilt to her voice, arms held together behind her back. "But enough stalling, explain." She ended in her serious tone again.
"We had a spar, the idiot didn''t put his shell up and so I almost made him into a kebab."
"He had a shield badge, right?" She eyed him skeptically. "So there wasn''t any actual danger?"
"No." Cal shook his head. He''d ask Ferguson to reconsider that rule if it didn''t mean it more likely for him to have fight.
Lily had a gobsmacked expression.
"Where was the teach-" She stopped her sentence, her face shifted to one of understanding. "Yep, that tracks." She nodded to herself. "There''s a reason I didn''t accept the invitation for that class and it wasn''t because of the others taking it. That guy is a disgrace. Did you know he was close to being a Hand once? He''s not even a native of the Empire proper, he grew up in the Holy Enclave. Do you realize how big a deal that would have been? And then he throws it all away to be a lousy drunk."
It was nice to have someone share his sentiments about the man.
"I would have liked to have that option." Cal complained, griping about his forceful enrollment.
"I''m not the one almost killing other students."
The way she spoke sometimes made him wonder about that.
Cal studied her face, looking for any sort of tell.
"In case it''s not abundantly clear. Stop trying to kill your classmates. Do I need to make you repeat it back to me?"
From her look, he could tell she was considering just that.
"We got a bit sidetracked there." Cal moved to course correct the conversation. "The good news I was trying to deliver was that Marcus agreed to some personal training with each other. Figure Alice would be happy about that."
"What? Her voice rose a few decibels before lowering again. "Why would you be training with that guy of all people? Why would she be happy about that?"
He glanced at her with confusion.
"Alice asked for me to get close to him, to sorta spy on him?" He thought they told each other everything.
By the look on her, that was evidently not the case.
"That is not the dumbest plan I''ve heard." She kicked a rock along the path, sending it flying. "It''s on the podium though. Marcus isn''t an idiot, he''s not going to let anything slip. There''s no way this ends any other way than poorly for you."
Her vote of confidence wasn''t needed.
"What''s this personal training about anyways? You didn''t promise anything, did you? Your words carry weight now."
"Nothing like that, we''re going to help one another out.
"I find it hard to believe that guy would accept help from anyone. Let alone you."
Cal rolled his eyes at the insult.
"He''ll teach me how to use a spear and I''ll teach him how to not get hit."
"I don''t see why anyone would need help learning how to dodge, it''s not a complicated process."
Spoken by someone who''s never had hundreds of something actively trying to kill you.
"So you''re picking up the spear. Is your main weapon lacking in some way or is it only an excuse?"
His main weapon was a fist, it lacked in style and nothing else.
"The spear is my main weapon, I didn''t have one before coming here."
"You''re telling me, you almost killed Marcus with a weapon you don''t know how to use?" There was a look of disbelief on her. Asking if he thought her that gullible.
"He was overconfident." Cal didn''t see the need to overly defend himself. She had an idea of his strength, it was the wrong idea but it was up there when compared to the rest of the student body.
"That''s the truth." She said, dropping the matter. "When did you two agree to this training?"
"We don''t have anything set up yet, he approached me today after class about it."
"Uh huh, and then hours later Petro comes along and challenges you to a duel. Doesn''t that timing seem convenient to you?"
Put that way, it was more than a little coincidental.
"I guess? I don''t see what Marcus gets out of Petro challenging me and getting his ass kicked. Or are you saying Petro is trying to drive a wedge after learning about our agreement? That wouldn''t make sense because knowing about it would mean he''s aware I''d mop the floor with him."
"I don''t know." She said, her frustration bleeding out. "He might only know about AN agreement and not what it entails. I think it''s a bad idea to be involved with either of those two. At the same time, it''s not my call."
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She sighed and their conversation died until they neared the old building Magical Engineering 101 was housed in.
Her head swiveled as she took it in along with the scenery.
"This place is pretty isolated, you should be able to get back to the dorm by yourself if you''re sneaky enough."
"It won''t be a problem." He really didn''t need to be walked to class like a child.
Lily turned, ready to leave. Cal called out to her.
"Oh, catch." He removed a pouch from his breast pocket, tossing it over. She caught it with a befuddled look. "I should have handed it over earlier but forgot."
She opened it, finding the small wafers he''d made in case of an emergency.
"This wasn''t purchased." She examined the pouch itself. "Cafeteria worker or did you convince Benjamin to make you some?" She said eyeing his collar pin.
"I made them myself" Cal preempted her denial. " Why does everyone assume I can''t bake?"
"It''s not a common skill among our peers." She took one out, sampling it. "Have you been carrying these all day?"
"Yeah."
He had, they didn''t need to be refrigerated or anything. He just had to be mindful and not crush them.
"You know." She looked at him strangely. "You''re more reliable than you look."
"Th-" He stopped his thank you, thinking better of it. "Was that a compliment or insult?"
She laughed, strolling away.
The sound of her voice drifted over as he entered the building.
"I haven''t decided yet."
¡ª
There was an additional person present when Cal walked into the classroom.
"Hey Benny, long time no see."
The man was standing next to Mia who wasn''t seated next to the teacher''s desk today. Instead, she was seated at one of the desks set up for nonexistent students, signing some documents.
"We last met several hours ago." He said matter of factly.
Note to self, no sense of humor on this guy.
"Yes, that was a joke." Cal continued before the man could ask how it was one. "What brings you here? Club stuff I''m guessing." He pointed towards the forms.
Benjamin shifted slightly, blocking Cal''s view.
"That''s correct. President is finishing up, I won''t intrude on your lesson."
Half turning, Benjamin started collecting the completed papers and placing them in a folder. Holding it to his side, Cal could see only a handful left needing signing.
"I wouldn''t worry about that." Cal walked over to Wyatt''s desk, where the man slept as usual. He produced a dull thunk as he knocked on the wood. "Either this guy wakes up and lectures for about ten minutes before collapsing again or he doesn''t wake up at all."
"I see." Benny had moved again, blocking the sight of the table again. It was not a natural move and Cal fought hard to pretend he didn''t notice. "That is unfortunate."
Mia handed the final documents to Benjamin who put them with their fellows.
"Okay?"
Benjamin was about to respond when she shook her head, pointing at Cal.
"Heard about that as well did you? I''m not sure what they''re saying but I''d bet they''re blowing it out of proportion."
"There was some idle chat that reached me." Benjamin responded with a dour tone. "It was not long ago that I was made to endure similar circumstances. Being unable to retaliate as I wished, it was difficult to control myself at times." He clasped a hand on Cal''s shoulder, giving him a hard stare that Cal thought was meant to be reassuring. "Bide your time, take note of any and all offenses so when the time comes you may exact your retribution in full."
Cal broke the stare, looking at Mia who didn''t seem to register Benny''s words.
"Thanks?" Cal was somewhat starting to see why people found the man scary. "That''s more work than I want to do though. I don''t care enough to remember who said what."
"Writing it down helps. However, I see your point. Those weaklings may not be worth the effort." The bell tolled in the distance, drawing their attention. "I must be off then." Benjamin left without another word.
Cal settled into the seat next to Mia, unpacking the textbook and a notebook. He did his usual routine of self-study. Magical Engineering was not a simple concept or even a singular one. It was more an amalgamation of everything that went into how magic was used in the construction devices.
Humans, when you got down to it, were pretty bad at using magic. Too inconsistent, too limited, and too constrained. Ask the average fire mage to bring a teapot to boil a dozen times and they''ll take a different amount of time for each attempt. Ask them to set hundreds to boil simultaneously and they''ll complain it can''t be done. Ask them to freeze the water instead of boiling? They''ll curse you out.
That''s where the beauty of magically powered machinery came in. Built for a specific purpose, they could complete the jobs without the assistance of a mage on time and without a fuss.
The field had always existed in some form or another but truly gained momentum after the Fall. Free from the yoke that was the Church and gods, the people who founded the Federation took to it with a fervency unparalleled to any other. A natural consequence, it was one of the few ways they had available to contend against the martial prowess of the Empire.
There was a slight hitch in it. Magically powered devices suffered from the same plague that affected humans, ambient magic. Of course, for different reasons. While the magic could cause the emotions and subsequent minds of mages to be put out of sorts, for magical devices it could cause anything from simple nonfunctionality to combustion.
The art of magical engineering was building them in a way that it did neither of those or at the very least, had them stop working on a predictable schedule. There were varying levels of success, the more complex something was the greater the challenge in getting it to work right.
The beacon he had carried was a near marvel of technology. Able to get out a signal in the Waste of all places? Albeit not in the center, was a magnificent feat. One, as far as he knew, the Empire was unable to replicate.
For now.
There was a good deal of similarities between this book and the ones Millie gave him. Hers were heavily annotated with crossed-out sections and near gibberish written in the margins but broadly they said the same things. Then again, hers were decades old. Despite her appearance, Millie was in her thirties and he knew she graduated early. It stood to reason she probably started early as well.
It was also just an intro book, if he had access to later editions there might be a bigger difference.
The phones were still a surprise to him as were the shield badges. He wondered what else they''d managed to figure out. He''d not seen any airships. Those were a recent development, not having seen use in the last war. As a result, they were largely unproven. Not that it made a difference with their phase-out.
Did the Empire even have anything to counter a swarm of helis? Would anything stop a missile barrage on their capital?
He could attest the Federation struggled with its anti-air capabilities. They''d essentially repurposed old artillery guns with proximity fuse shells and aimed them up. Hoping saturation would halt any attack.
It wasn''t a great strategy.
They had to have something, ariel magical beast''s incursions were not that uncommon. Perhaps that was even their solution? Tamed magical beast like he saw the other day. If so they were in for a rude awakening should conflict ever break out. They might be beaten out by durability or endurance, but helis were highly maneuverable and packed a punch. They could also be manufactured in less time than he''d wager it took to tame a beast. Was a rider easier to replace than a pilot? Cal wasn''t sure about the specifics of either.
Cal bit the inside of his cheek. He was randomly speculating on a war that didn''t have to happen. Bad script writing aside, the people here didn''t come off as bloodthirsty maniacs. They didn''t need to kill each other for some stupid land or glory.
Preventing such a thing was the job of diplomats. That didn''t mean he couldn''t help tilt the scales. He''d been told his mission would improve relations if successful. All he had to do was ensure it was. He needed to begin his investigation in earnest. He would leverage the Spirit but not solely rely on it.
He was going to do his job. A job that was going to be complicated if he was in the middle of some scandal. A scandal of a certain someone''s making.
A simple conclusion was made. Petro was a threat to the mission.
He had to be dealt with.
Chapter 27
Cal had spent more time in the class than he needed to. He tried to study but found his mind drifting back to the untenable state of things. It was dark when he packed up and headed to the dorms to wring out more information from Alice.
He felt a tug on his sleeve. Mia was behind him, one of her hands reached up and unclipped the silver hairpin she always wore.
"Loan" she held it out to him.
He hesitated for a moment before picking it up gingerly from her open palm. It was warm to the touch, a consequence of the magic running through it. He injected his own, inspecting the small magical device. It reacted instantly, drinking what he gave it and then gaining a gleam before a bubble bloomed around it. Holding it away from him, he watched as more and more of his arm disappeared until the bubble enveloped him. A complex weave of illusion and sound magic. All it needed was a dash of mind magic to make the perfect infiltration device.
His old uniform had something similar and with how much nagging he got after he ripped it out, even in the Federation they weren''t something anyone could get their hands on.
He looked at the unblinking girl. Contrary to what some believe, Cal wasn''t an idiot. However, he did occasionally practice willful ignorance. With that spirit of thought, he executed what was currently running through his head with extreme prejudice.
"Thanks Mia." He held it back to her, earning a tilt of her head in questioning. "I appreciate it. I do, but I can handle myself."
Her eyes drifted down to the pin and back to him. She gave him a small nod and took it back, placing it in her hair again.
Cal left the normal girl and made his way out of the building. His only greeting was a soothing breeze of fresh air, a welcome reprieve from the stuffiness of that old building. He''d checked beforehand with his senses and didn''t find anyone waiting for him. He wasn''t expecting any either, this place was remote and he doubted Petro would sit around and wait for him. The man, as far as Cal could tell, also didn''t have the lackeys to do that work for him.
It was with that confidence, that Cal navigated back to the dorms without incident. He was spotted when he entered through the normal entrance, but nothing came from it aside from whispers. In front of his dorm''s door, he had to fish in his bag for his keys. It''d been a while since he last used them.
The room was dark, he flipped on the light switch as he entered. Alice was not in her usual position, instead seated on a side chair.
Her eyes flashed open, having originally been shut.
"Sorry?" Cal found her behavior odd.
"You needn''t be. I was merely resting for a moment." She gestured to the sofa opposite her. "Please sit."
Cal obliged, dropping his bag at his feet and leaning back on the plush cushion.
"Did you deliver the letter?" She asked.
He internally groaned. "I did. I can''t predict what she''ll say."
Any variation of ''no'' would be acceptable.
Cal had anticipated several outcomes from Olivia''s and Alice''s first meeting. Most of them ended with having to cover up a murder, maiming, or massive property damage. To his horror, they got along well. The beginning of their lunch was rocky, with Alice being fairly aggressive, but that did little to dissuade the false persona of Emily.
For all the Alice preached about being watchful for the true intentions of other parties, she''d let Emily play her like a fiddle. It might be the arrogance of a noble, where they didn''t see a ''commoner'' as capable of the same honeyed words they were. No wonder they failed time and time again to occupy the Federation.
Not to take credit away from Olivia, the woman had shown she was a pro. However, she may have laid it on too thick as Alice wasted no time in asking him if Emily would be open to accepting a position in their household staff. He didn''t fight it and wrote a letter explaining the situation.
Letters were good, letters couldn''t yell at you after they found out about some of your choice omissions. She''d not been pleased to find out he''d broken a student''s nose, even if Alice had the decency to downplay that event by leaving out whose nose it was. Of course, that decency flipped when Alice boasted about his enrollment in Advanced Magical Combat along with who the other members were. The icy stare he received after indicated he''d lost the respect he''d gained since the start of this mission. He''d stick to letters for a while. Hopefully, the next they met she would have forgotten all about it.
It wasn''t addressed to the bar, he wasn''t that careless. Rather, it was sent to a prepaid mailbox she had acquired as one of the means for their communication. It was one of many that could be rented in the city''s Grand Central Station. Hundreds of letters found their way there every day, one more wouldn''t be out of place.
Whether she said yes or no to the offer of employment was her call. Not that accepting would guarantee her the job, it would need the approval of the Lord and Lady of the house. Letting in the ''long time friend'' of a Federation agent might be a bridge too far for them.
"She''d do well to accept. A Count family is a Count family. Regardless of the current obstacles we face."
Her expression tightened at the mention of those obstacles.
"About that." He scooched to the edge of the sofa and hunched forward. His hands were intertwined, with arms resting on his legs. "What''s the plan?"
"Pardon?" She blinked at him.
"The plan to deal with Petro." Cal didn''t see why he had to spell it out.
"You" She leaned back crossing her arms. "Did not seem overly concerned about such matters prior."
"That was then this is now." One of his hands reached forward and knocked on the coffee table, attracting her attention again. "Stop being so coy. What''s the game plan here."
"Our position remains the same." She responded cooly.
"Not good enough." He didn''t relent. "Sitting around and waiting isn''t my style."
"Do you believe I''ve done nothing? I continue to gather information to better chart a course out of our predicament." She huffed unhappily.
"I''m not trying to invalidate your work." Cal took a metaphorical step back. "Why don''t we start with what you''ve learned thus far? I''m not claiming to be any better at this than you are but another perspective couldn''t hurt."
She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, not responding immediately to what he felt was a reasonable request.
"So?" He prompted her.
"What I''ve discovered is, peculiar, and not in the positive sense of the word. Those who openly mocked our house a scant few months ago now shy away at our mention. Had it been one or two, I would look at it as a blessing from the Ancestors. Perplexingly, the vast majority have shifted their stance from overt opportunism to one of inaction, with House Lucerna being a standout."
"That''s a good thing? Or they''re leaving us alone because some plot is in the works and they don''t want to give anything away."
She gave a tired sigh and picked at a strand of hair, twirling it with her finger.
"I have a foreboding premonition it is the latter. The only change in our situation is your presence. That alone does not justify the change in their demeanor. I would opine that Marcus had given away your potential as a future Finger; however, the change in behavior occurred before your first meeting."
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
"My what now?" he spoke louder than intended and she regarded him with a raised eyebrow.
"Did you expect otherwise? The Crown Prince''s station prohibits his membership. Nonetheless, his retainer and the Duke''s heir are likely to become members once they age a few more years. Truthfully, I had planned the same for myself." Her tone changed to one of wistfulness. "It would entail risk, that much is certain. Despite this, the prestige and honor would have been a large boon for our house. Enough to warrant the delay to my ascendance as leader of the House or electing one to take stewardship in my absence. Having you take up that mantle solves a great deal of dilemmas."
This was all sorts of news to him. Hopefully whatever they gave to the Lord was good because this girl was making up all kinds of fantasies. One thing was for sure, he was not going to be the one to tell her this was all make-believe.
"It''s frightening." She continued. "That you are years their junior and yet can trade blows with them. I can scarcely comprehend it. Showing that ability, I can''t discount the prospect of you reaching the level of a Hand."
The disbelief in her tone was evident.
For his part, Cal was in disbelief as well. Him as a Hand? It was a comical thought and he fought to keep the laughter from escaping his mouth. It was also the highest praise he''d gotten from her. Those two were the real deal and he suspected were treated with the same reverence those of the Federation gave to the Constellation. Hells, even She begrudgingly respected them. He was tempted to defect and reach for the rank only to see the look on Her face.
Alas, unlike some who shall remain nameless, he was not quite so juvenile as to commit treason for a laugh.
"Let''s dial it back." Cal cautioned after getting control of himself. "We need to talk about the here and now." He emphasized his point by poking the table with his index finger. "Hypothetically speaking, if I were to squash Petro in a fight, what happens next? Moreover, why can''t you kick his ass for me"
It didn''t take long for her to respond, having thought about it for a while.
"Please mind your language." Her nose scrunched up. "I have my fill from Lily as is. To answer you, given he accepts my challenge, which is doubtful, it would do nothing to disprove his allegations against us. As for you fighting him, it would draw attention. I''ll reiterate my previous concern of others being threatened by our House''s rise and moving to suppress us in some manner. I could envision what trade we have left being embargoed and lobbying to reduce or remove the stipend owed to us for maintaining part of the border."
Mostly economic damage then. That didn''t concern him, the attention did.
"Okay, table the direct confrontation for now. How do we get him to back off quietly?"
Cal could think of a number of ways, none of which could be said in polite company.
"We lack the soft power needed to silence him or convince others to do so in our stead. Unless¡" She looked at him with a strange expression and Cal suddenly felt a sense of danger. "No, that''s not a viable option." The feeling passed. "Lily informed me that Marcus and you have come to some form of training agreement?" He nodded at her. "That timing¡ does not sit right with me. Marcus is not to be underestimated. If he is involved, I can foresee two reasons. Either House Lucerna has fallen out of the Duke''s grace and he wishes to use us to humble them, or he seeks for us to act as a sort of lightning rod and keep the other vassals occupied with restricting us. Perhaps even both."
"He honestly doesn''t seem that bad." Cal received a harsh glare in return. "So you still want to go with the wait-and-see approach?"
"It''s the most prudent course of action until we have more information." She said testily.
"Fine fine, we''ll do it your way." Cal got up, this conversation had gotten him nowhere. "For whatever it''s worth, sometimes imperfect action is better than perfect inaction." He made for the balcony door.
"Where are you going?" She belatedly called as he twisted the lock open.
"I''m going to go blow off some steam."
"You should stay here. I ordered food for us."
The last part was said halfheartedly, he suspected neither of them had much of an appetite.
"I''ll be back later tonight. Don''t wait up for me."
He took a step out and stopped as she spoke again.
"You''ll remain on campus?" He nodded. She exhaled, holding a palm to her forehead "So be it then, don''t cause a ruckus."
Who did she take him for?
¡ª
"No" The grumpy Spirit addressed with an aggrieved look.
Cal put on his serious face and said in a low tone.
"This is important for the mission."
"We''re beginning to think you have brain damage." The Spirit was neither impressed nor convinced "We already told you lying doesn''t work on us."
"I''m not lying. This guy is a threat to my cover. The least you can do is tell me if he''s doing any shady stuff."
"Do you take us for some voyeur? We don''t enjoy watching you feeble beings and we''re stretching ourselves thin with your previous request. We''re not adding on a purely mortal affair. Deal with it yourself." The Spirit berated Cal.
"Have you no heart? I thought we were friends!"
"We do have one. And if we have to keep listening to your whining we''re afraid it will give out."
The Spirit dissipated into smoke.
"Oh come on, throw me a bone." Cal fell to his knees, hands cupped together. "I''m begging over here."
"We see that, it''s pathetic." The voice boomed around him. "Both in the action itself and that you think it will move us."
Cal got up, dusting himself off.
"It was worth a shot." He stated shamelessly.
Cal had a feeling the Spirit would reject his request. He was really just waiting to see if the person he texted would come through.
"We cannot believe they sent you to deal with this" Cal could feel the Spirit facepalming, even if it didn''t remake its physical form.
"Hey man, you and me both."
"It''s fortunate you were born in different ages." It said in an almost melancholic tone. "Our sanity would be frayed dealing with both of you at once."
"Who are we talking about?"
The air lashed out at him and he split the incoming gale in two.
"You''ve overstayed your welcome." The Spirit rasped, the magic in the area rising a few levels. "Leave."
Probably better not to antagonize this thing any further today, it seemed to be in a mood.
His phone buzzed and he read the message. Talk about serendipitous timing. He turned on his heel and left without a word.
Using the map, he worked out where he needed to go and traveled there at speed. The campus was in its sleepy phase so he wasn''t worried about being spotted.
The scenery shifted until he arrived at his destination. It was a squat building, sturdy and spartan looking. A single story, it looked like someone had made an attempt at painting its concrete walls at one point and quit soon after. It resembled more a bunker than anything else, with the entrance being a single door made of solid metal.
Cal walked up and opened it without knocking. He''d been given instructions in the text. It was heavy to move and Cal took note it was several inches thick. He closed it behind him and moved further inside. He had little choice on how to proceed, it was a narrow corridor with shut doors of the same metal variety on either side. He followed with what he had been told and came to the third door on the right. Finding it unlocked like that last, he opened it to see a staircase leading down.
The metal steps clanged as he descended, at the base there was yet another door. Opening it the roar of machines invaded the corridor.
He''d almost flinched there, a little warning would have been nice.
He stepped into the small office. It had a neatly kept desk with an office chair and plain wooden chairs for guests. On the wall connected to the door he entered from, were framed newspaper clippings. Past headlines from what it looked like. Opposite to that wall was an open door and a large window. Cal approached it, peering through it. A large amount of machinery operated below, printing page after page of what must be tomorrow''s paper.
The noise was subdued as the door adjacent was shut.
"Welcome to the News Paper club room." Anne greeted him. Her usual tidy appearance was missing. Her hair was in disarray, her clothes ruffled, and ink stains marred her hands.
"Not what you expected right." She had a wide grin on her face as she walked over and took a seat at the desk. "We get that a lot. These things make a lot of noise so it''s easier for everyone if they''re underground. Well, that''s the official story, club lore has it that the founding president was a paranoid shut-in and demanded this place." She kicked the chair back and spun in a circle. There''s talk about moving it every now and then but they never go anywhere."
"Seems homey?" Cal offered, not wanting to offend the girl.
She slowly came to a stop and then scooted the chair back into position, steepling her hands together on the desk
"Now I know why you''re here. Don''t worry about it. Already pulled it, that''s the whole reason I''m here so late in the first place and rushing out a new version by my lonesome."
"Pulled what exactly?" Cal hadn''t explained his purpose over text, instead asking if they could meet up.
Her brow furrowed and she swiveled to the side, reaching to the bin next to the desk and grabbing something from it. She unfurled the newspaper, laid it on the table, and turned it in his direction.
''House Ardere refuses duel from House Lucerna'' the headline boldly exclaimed.
There was an article written but Cal''s attention was drawn to a smaller header on the page and the picture accompanying it.
''Love blossoms in adversity?'' it read.
"Who keeps taking these pictures?" Cal complained as he saw the image of Lily and him. She was grasping his collar and their foreheads were touching. They must have a high shutter speed because it didn''t capture the fake pained expression she put on right after. After he was done with Petro he''d see about running down this culprit or cultprits. He was surprised Lily allowed her stalkers to get away with something like this, she seemed the type to take action.
"Someone nosey." Anne muttered while crossing her arms. "Like I said, already pulled it. I can''t kill it entirely but I took out the romance, bumped it a few places back, and trimmed it down."
"Wow." Cal was still upset at someone sneaking photos of him, yet he was somewhat touched by the trouble she went through for him. They didn''t know each other that well enough to warrant it. This was the second time today someone had been overly considerate to him. "You didn''t have to, thanks though. Makes my life easier."
She grumbled something under her breath. With the machinery running in the background, it was hard to hear. Not impossible, however, he held off. If she wanted him to hear she would have said it louder.
"If that''s not why you''re here." She wrapped up the newspaper again, tossing it into the bin "What''s so important?"
"It is related." One of the wooden chairs creaked as Cal took a seat. "Petro Lucerna, tell me everything you know about him."
Chapter 28
Stakeouts and otherwise tailing someone were boring activities. It wasn''t entirely groundbreaking news to Cal. He''d done both of them before, only on a much smaller scale. Usually, when he was called in for an assignment the grunt work would have already been completed. In the rare cases it wasn''t then a team would be waiting to go in with him.
At worst, he''d have to wait a couple of hours to bring down the hammer.
This past week had been trying and he gained a good deal of respect for those who did this as their profession. He was treating Petro as a sort of practice run. If anyone caught him in the act they''d reach for the simplest answer, the man was targeting Cal so naturally Cal would attempt to find some way to retaliate.
Stalking on campus proved an exercise in frustration. Too many people were conscious of his presence and he found his efforts stymied by the constant observation. As such, the week was spent quietly going to most of his classes and sequestering himself in the surprisingly comprehensive library.
With the weekend here, he was done playing the part of a dutiful student.
Newspaper held high, he watched from the corner of his eye as his target exited the storefront. Petro got into an awaiting car that sped away, alarming some pedestrians.
Cal waited some seconds before getting up and giving chase. Strictly speaking, the city was far denser than campus. Despite the increase in potential witnesses, the majority weren''t mages of any considerable ability.
He went from corner, to alley, to rooftop. Most watching would have seen a slight blur. Those more perceptive may have seen an Academy uniform and mop of black hair, quickly writing him off as another impatient student. He''d need to remember to wash the dye out before heading back to the dorm. Alice would pose some awkward questions if he didn''t and doubted his ability to convince her there was a study group specifically excluding redheads.
The excuse itself felt clever on his part. A weekend study group for some exams next week was a very normal, totally not suspicious student thing to do.
He wasn''t responding to any messages? The study group has a rule that says no phones.
Where was he studying? One of the hundred such rooms in the library.
Which one? He didn''t make the reservation and they were meeting in the lobby.
Who else is in this group? He wasn''t sure, it was an existing one that a classmate had invited him to.
Before he left for good he should see about making the girl less gullible. The car halted in front of another storefront and Petro got out. Swaggering up to the place like he owned it. He may well have. House Lucerna was a particularly wealthy Barony with ambitions of raising their rank.
Cal jotted down the name of the place as another potential holding of theirs. He''d cross-check it against the list he''d been gathering this week. The Academy''s library received copies of all records from the city. It had been a nightmare to sort through but he managed to use the information Anne provided to narrow down where he should be looking. Admittedly, he''d gotten lucky by chancing on a specific building permit book.
The rest of what he got out of her was considerably less useful. Which was predictable, she was a school newspaper editor and gossip, not an information broker. Notably, she did give him the reason as to why Petro was being such a pain.
He was jockeying for the position of heir, competing with two older brothers. A position only vacant because of the recent passing of the eldest sister in the family. Funnily enough, no one seemed too keen on looking into it. Given it happened on their lands and no outsiders were present, the matter was wrapped up quietly and quickly.
No foul play here, please move along.
Yeah right. Dollars to doughnuts someone in that family was responsible.
Was it Petro himself?
Hard to say, the guy was a dick but Cal wasn''t quite ready to accuse him of killing a blood relative.
On the other hand, Cal thought there was a strong chance the man had some illicit dealings. He simply had to find out what exactly, gather evidence, and use it to blackmail the man into backing the fuck off.
Easy in theory, tedious in practice.
More than once he considered asking Mia for that hairclip, it would have made daytime stalking easier.
The car pulled away. This time without Petro in it. Interesting. Cal had watched it loiter previously for hours. This warranted a closer look.
He tried to use his senses to get a better idea of what was going on. Sadly he couldn''t get anything through the structure.
Cal strolled into an alley and scaled the wall. Hoping over a few roofs, he landed on the two-story building without a sound.
He crouched low, placed a hand on the flat rooftop, and closed his eyes.
His magic seeped into the structure and brushed up against something.
Hmm, wards. That explains it.
Good thing he was careful about it, otherwise someone would have noticed his intrusion. Wards weren''t an immediate cause for suspicions. Many buildings had basic ones set up. The kind for both privacy and security. They''d block people from being able to hear what was going on inside, alert you if anyone enters the premises, or warn if there is active magic. It was more common in what Cal had dubbed the ''rich'' districts. This area wasn''t one of those, it also wasn''t too far off.
These types of wards had never been a large obstacle for him. It was a matter of worming his magic into them and then violently expanding it.
It would alert everyone in the vicinity but what did that matter if they were all marked for dead anyways?
Obviously, he couldn''t do that here.
The other option was to bypass them, he knew the theory. He injected his magic again, slowly weaving it into the building.
Cal was always more of an active than passive learner. If he did trip up he could be gone in an instant, it might spook the man but what was life without a little risk?
Progress was slow. More than once he had to rapidly disengage. If he had to compare it to something, it was like trying to navigate a maze with heated walls while blindfolded. Touch the walls and you burn yourself. At the same time, the heat gave you the warning needed to back off in time. Provided you had the control and weren''t going too fast.
He groped his way through the darkness, eventually making it to the other side.
It felt easier than it should have been. With his magic piercing it, a skilled ward breaker could have dismantled it with no one the wiser. Then he could augment his hearing to discover what was happening inside.
Unfortunately, he lacked the skill and wasn''t willing to push his luck even further. So he had to settle for being able to use his magic in the building.
He wasn''t a slouch at sound magic, but he also wasn''t at the level where he could use it to eavesdrop. That left him with basic magic sensing. Not the most useful but his target was a mage. A mage whose signature he''d recognize.
The romantics liked to say that everyone''s magic had a unique melody and that once you found one in harmony with yours you''d found your soul mate. That was bullshit. There was no song, just a vague feeling that told you little to nothing of the person behind it.
The Federation had poured a lot of resources into seeing if they could identify people based on that feeling. They took out the human aspect and used machines to get an unbiased analysis.
The results were, well sorta.
Affinities and blood relations had an impact. It was why he confused the Third Prince for the Crown Prince the other day. It was by no means definitive and the wrench that ended up tanking the project for good was the discovery that magic signatures changed over time. Cal didn''t see why they bothered wasting the time and money. They knew someone like Mask could change theirs on a dime.
Flawed or not, it let him identify Petro through the brick. Or more accurately, discover he''d been given the slip. The building wasn''t empty, there were three others with magic occupying it, none of them were Petro.
Cal had not been completely closed off when he was breaching, he would have noticed anyone leaving.
Which meant he got out another way. He used his magic to get a rough map of the building. There was a man in the basement, stronger than the rest. That wasn''t saying much.
As Cal''s magic crept through it was stopped near the man. He was worried that maybe he''d been noticed, except the man didn''t react. He tried again and this time recognized what stopped him. Another ward, this one felt more complex.
Now he was getting somewhere. A safe room like this had to have incriminating stuff. He wasn''t going to try and bypass it. There was no real need now that he knew where it was. He could come back later when fewer people were around.
He was close to retreating and resuming his observation from a distance when it occurred to him he should see the size of the room he was dealing with. He didn''t have to touch the ward for that. All he had to do was see what it covered. His magic seeped through the wall and into the earth, periodically closing in on the room and backing off when he felt the ward.
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.A picture of the room''s shape formed in his mind. Its layout, the ward itself, was familiar.
This wasn''t a safe room.
It was a damn tunnel.
¡ª
The book made a dull thump as it was deposited on the desk. It was one of a growing collection. Cal took a seat and flipped it open, looking for the source of the citation from the previous book he''d gone through.
He regretted a lot of things right now. Primarily not paying attention during class and being reborn in a world without a proper search engine. As a consequence of both, he was back in the library. This time in a section he''d never visited before and hoped to never again. Combing through dry legal text for several hours would do that to a man.
Worse yet, he still didn''t have an Ancestor''s damn answer. It was the Spirit debacle all over again. With case judgments overlapping and contradicting each other.
The problem wasn''t that the Empire followed a common law system. A system where decisions made by judges, or the Empires form of robocops known as justiciars, set precedent.
It was that they liked to believe themselves the direct continuation of the pre-Fall Empire that ruled the continent.
The claim was not without merit if you squinted really really hard.
However, because they thought of themselves as such, they adopted all the precedents formed from the previous Empire.
If no precedent could be found then a Justiciar would use their judgment when making a ruling.
Only record keeping wasn''t a priority when the world was crumbling around you so a couple of decades after the fact, someone digs in the right hole and it turns out there WAS precedent from the previous Empire.
Based on Imperial edict both would stand and be ''correct''. So which do you follow? Who knows?
Certainly not Cal.
The result was a patchwork of a legal system.
It didn''t help that the Empire treated its citizens differently based on their social status so a lifetime imprisonment for one could turn into a slap on the wrist to another.
Cal found the case he was looking for, read through it, and jotted down key details in his notebook. Writing things down made him feel like he was making headway, even if actual progress was dubious.
He heard the sound of a click behind him. Turning he saw Lily rapidly typing on her phone.
"Shame on me." She finished whatever she was typing and clicked send. "I didn''t believe it when Alie told me you were studying. Turns out even a brute knows how to read." She looked at the stacks occupying the table. "Jeeze compensating much? I don''t remember fourth year being so difficult."
"She send you to check on me?" Cal asked while going back to reading the text.
"Ehhhh" Lily waved a hand back and forth. "I was already here and she was getting a little worried because you weren''t checking in. Figured I could take a lap looking for you. Quick work on scaring away that study group of yours."
Cal shifted his sight to the window, it had gotten dark out. He''d rushed straight here after confirming Petro was on the tram back to the Academy, anticipating that it would be a swift confirmation of his belief.
Silly of past Cal to think that.
"They left, I wanted to get some extra work done." He said as a way of explanation.
She walked up and leaned down, peering over his shoulder to see what he was reading. Her hair tickled his face.
"Hey!" Lily reacted as he shoved her face away. "Someone needs to teach you manners."
"And someone needs to teach the definition of personal space. Or do you want another one of those pictures to get posted?"
"Ugh, don''t remind me." She took the empty seat next to him. "I have my fair share of creeps but they''ve never been bold enough to take pictures. At least I haven''t caught them doing it. Makes me wonder what they haven''t posted." She shivered in place. "Distraction time. Whatcha reading." She opted to simply snatch the book this time, her eyes slowed as she read the text. "This definitely isn''t fourth-year law material." She said thoughtfully. Her gaze shifted back to him, scrutinizing his form. "You''re also not the extra credit type."
She closed the book, leaning back and drumming her fingers on the desk.
"There''s no study group is there."
Points to her, he didn''t think he''d be caught this early. He''d been prepared to sort it out himself. Now that she was here and suspicious, getting her involved didn''t sound like the worst idea.
Their interest aligned.
"There''s not, no. Keep a secret?"
Lily eyed him carefully, retracting her hand from the desk and crossing her arms.
"Depends on the secret and from whom."
"You know who and it''s for their own good"
"That''s a tough sell. Hmm." They spend some time in silence while Lily thought it over. After coming to a decision, she rose. "Wait here."
He wasn''t waiting for long. She returned and beckoned him to follow. He did just that after taking a moment to pack his belongings and close any open books.
Once he caught up, he could see some disgruntled students packing up their belongings and filing out of a study room. Cal followed Lily into the room after they were gone.
"Start talking" She demanded as they both took a seat.
"How legal is prostitution in the Empire?" Cal opened with the question that had been plaguing him.
"Depends." Lily promptly responded. "It''s illegal for citizens of the Empire to be prostitutes. Historically speaking, the occupation was limited to foreigners and slaves. With the abolition of slavery, the industry needed to adapt. In today''s age, you don''t pay for the sex, you pay for the room that happens to come with a servant enthusiastic to sleep with you. These places tend to require licenses to operate. Not always though."
He blinked dumbly at her. Having neither predicted the abundance of knowledge around the subject nor the unmocking tone in which it was delivered.
"I''d be careful, they charge by stay and not minute so don''t get ripped off."
Ah, there it was.
"Har har." Cal let her have that juvenile joke. There were more pressing matters to talk about "I take it finding out Petro visits one discretely isn''t enough to sink him then?"
"No¡" She spoke slowly while narrowing her eyes. "Not legally speaking, it could lead to something else. At the minimum it would harm his reputation, proper Nobles aren''t meant to engage in such acts. You''re positive he''s visiting one?"
"Mostly. I followed him all day." He foresaw her next question. "I was careful, he didn''t get a whiff of me.
"Of course, you did that after Alie told you to drop it." She shook her head but didn''t look to be upset. In fact, a smile started creeping up on her face. "Did you use your phone to capture the moment when he entered?"
"I couldn''t." He''d left it behind. "Either way it wouldn''t have worked. He didn''t enter it directly. There was some other store he owned and he took a tunnel to it."
"Hold up." She looked at him with a lack of understanding. "What?"
Cal explained that he''d found a tunnel connecting the two buildings, changing the story to say that he''d stumbled on it on accident instead of how he''d investigated the building by getting past the wards.
"How big was this thing?" Lily asked in an agitated manner.
Rather than respond directly, Cal fished in his bag and pulled out copies of sheets one might find in the city planning office.
He laid out the map with the building Petro owned and another with the brothel. Lining them up he traced his finger along the path the tunnel took to both locations.
"Ancestors!" She exclaimed knocking her chair back, her hands were on the table. Taking in the maps. "Why didn''t you lead with this?"
Cal couldn''t see what had gotten her so excited.
"It''s a tunnel, the city''s full of them."
"How many of those do you think are warded? You can''t throw those up wherever you want. There''s an argument to be made this violates the rights of all the properties it crosses under." There was a low chuckle coming from her. "That''s not the important part. She placed a finger on one of the structures on the map." Pearly teeth were on full display with a predatory grin. "This. This is imperial property."
"Illegal?" It wasn''t much of a question with her reaction to the whole thing.
Her head moved up and down, smile still in place. Cal was loathe to admit he found it a tad unnerving.
She took the edges of the maps, carefully folding them and sticking them in her blazer. Next, she grabbed his arm. Dragging him from his chair.
Well, trying. He didn''t move.
"I get this is good news but what do you think you''re doing."
"Ruining a man." She tugged harder. "Now let''s go. You''re going to show me exactly where you found it."
"The trams aren''t even running at this time. Shouldn''t we tell Alice about this? She got royally pissed last time I was in the city this late."
"Then we''re getting some exercise. And not yet. Not until I see it myself. I''ll cover for you in the meeting."
Her answers came rapidly one after another.
"Now quit stalling." She squeezed tighter and heaved. He finally allowed himself to be moved.
That night, Cal wondered if the eerie laughter echoing across campus would lead to any rumors of ghosts.
Chapter 29
Alice''s eyebrows were knitted together, her lips pursed.
"Took me a while to notice it as well." Lily comforted her friend while conveniently leaving out the part where she nearly accused him of lying before finally feeling it. "Your brother is a freak for catching it."
Lily had counseled waiting until the next morning to inform Alice of what they, read he, had found. Not that it was a long time to wait, they''d been out pretty late. Fortunately, there happened to be a cafe over one section of the tunnel.
"Do you have any other setting besides insulting?" Cal asked while sipping on a cup of coffee.
"Lily meant it in the best of ways, I''m certain." Alice said tersely, most of her attention elsewhere.
Those specific wards had a feature meant to blend them into the surrounding ambient magic and were tricky to spot. Cal might not have spotted them if he''d not been consistently checking campus for them.
"The bestest!" Lily gave a brilliant smile, her good mood from last night persisting. "So go ahead and order as many of those as your freak self can handle!"
Cal downed the cup, stacked it with the rest of the empty ones, and then reached for the next.
He didn''t need the caffeine but he hadn''t forgotten about gift hunting and a cafe was an opportune place to taste a bunch of different blends. Lily footing the bill didn''t hurt.
With any luck, he''d find a good one and check Pan-. Err, Gerald off the list. After that, he''d have to think about Albert and maybe Millie. Both were the worst type of people to shop for.
"I feel it." Alice''s voice came out as a whisper. "Faintly. However, there is no mistaking it.
"We shouldn''t talk here." Lily raised her hand, beckoning the waitress over. "Anything to go?"
Alice didn''t respond, lost in thought.
Cal took eight. Lily''s generosity did not extend to helping him carry them so he was left juggling them on the trip back to the Academy. A trip that was conducted in silence.
It ended as soon as the door was shut.
Alice turned around sharply, stopping him from entering further.
"I recall you agreeing to stay away from Petro"
He had hadn''t he?
He didn''t have to respond as Lily jumped to his defense. Or more accurately, jumped on Alice.
"Alieeee" She sang, hanging off the taller girl. "Let it gooo. This is amazing news!"
Alice did her best to maintain her stern look while Lily clung to her like a koala.
"Be that as it may. I am Heir and Callum defied my wishes. Tell me, was it your pride that determined your actions?"
Is that what she thought? He could admit to having some amount of pride but that didn''t factor into this.
"I didn''t mind ignoring the duel request and I don''t overly care much for other''s opinions on me. I just...." Cal struggled to find some reasoning other than the truth. "Couldn''t let it continue."
Cal acknowledged that it was a lame excuse. Lily agreed, bursting out into laughter.
"L-lily, this is a serious discussion." Alice stuttered. Her face had taken on a red tint that didn''t seem to be borne out of anger. She tried prying the blonde off her, to no avail. "Conduct yourself with proper decorum please."
"Oh come on Alie. You can''t not see the resemblance here. Do I really have to remind you, third year with-" Her words were cut off as Alice clamped a hand around her mouth. "Mhmhemn"
Lily protested? Whatever she''d had been about to say caused Alice''s shade of red to turn brighter.
"Enough, I''ll lay the matter to rest." Alice carried the girl over to the couch, setting her down. She nearly collapsed next to her, her skin slowly returned to its normal hue as she sat.
Cal settled down in the side chair, knowing there was much to talk about.
"We''re not going to the authorities right?" He asked for confirmation. None of them had spoken about what to do with this newfound piece of evidence.
"Nope~" Lily cheered. "That''d be a total waste. He set wards right under one of the postal buildings. The second we tell them they''ll put gag orders on us and quietly make it all go away. After all, we can''t have people questioning the Empire''s competency." Yeah, that sounded like the Empire. Well, the Federation wasn''t too far off in that regard either.
Lily continued.
"Don''t get me wrong, Petro will be done but there''s a much better way to play this." She nudged Alice with her elbow. "Isn''t that right Alie?"
That brought Alice out of her own head. She took a moment before responding.
"Lily is correct. As much as I dislike the man, our house will gain a greater benefit if we use this to negotiate with him."
In other words, blackmail. Well, that had been his plan from the get-go.
"You have a contact in the newspaper club correct?" Alice inquired.
Cal gave a slow nod even if he thought contact was a strong word.
"Do you trust them?" She followed up.
There were only three people in the world he trusted and a school girl with a penchant for gossip was not one of them.
He gave her a thumbs-up anyway. Something like this should be fine.
Alice studied him, eventually coming to a decision.
"Have them discretely prepare an article detailing what we''ve discovered. I want a single copy to be produced. We''ll deliver it to Petro along with a list of our demands."
That was maybe doable. He felt sorta bad asking when Anne had already gone out of her way for him.
"Do we have to be so" he searched for the appropriate word. "Theatrical?
"Presentation is critical. The impact he receives from seeing a printed piece of his misdoings will have a profound physiological effect. Making him unbalanced in the proceeding discussions."
Shock value then. Fair enough. This was probably the part where he should tell Alice he agreed on her behalf for some type of interview. He kept it to himself. No need to ruin the moment.
"Speaking of said discussions, Lily-" Alice''s address was halted as she witnessed what Lily pulled out from her breast pocket. It was a series of folded sheets.
Alice examined them with interest and let out a low chuckle.
"I realize we''ve known each other for some time however I appreciate your anticipation of my request."
The sheets contained information on properties owned by the Lucerna family.
"Can''t take all the credit or any this time." Lily replied almost sheepishly. "The brute did all this. I checked some of them and it''s solid work."
Alice''s gaze interchanged between reading what he''d spent the week gathering and him.
"I do hope you are prepared for your exams this coming week¡" She said warily.
He wasn''t.
"They won''t be a problem." He said with an air of confidence.
"I shall take you on your word. However, should your marks prove unsatisfactory I will take a greater part in your studies."
That wasn''t ideal, he would have to study for real.
"He''ll be fine." Lily waved off Alice''s concern for his education. "Now how much blood are we taking from the leach?"
¡ª
Cal would have liked to say things moved quickly after that and everything was already over.
They didn''t and it wasn''t.
He couldn''t be too upset about it, it wasn''t as if everyone was resting on their laurels. Anne had recently given him the dummy article. She''d been thrilled at the story and decidedly less thrilled when he said it could never be printed for real.
Their agreement going forward would be interesting. She''d been impressed with his fast work and wanted him to dig up something for a pet project she was working on. He agreed easily enough. If he were ever caught where he wasn''t meant to be, he''d claim to be doing investigative work for the club.
The girls themselves were also working pretty hard on additional research for their list of demands. Despite Lily''s unexpected praise, what Cal had turned over was mostly surface-level information. He had names, locations, and nothing else. That didn''t stop it from being useful.
They used it as a springboard and began a deeper dive into the individual holdings. They singled out desired properties and then set about finding out how much they were worth to House Ardere versus how much House Lucerna valued them. Once they had a breakdown on everything they wanted it would be time to put the screws to Petro.
Cal could admit that as their efforts moved closer to fruition, there was a voice in his head expressing its hesitation with the whole thing. In the grand scheme of things, Petro hadn''t done that much to earn his ire. He had tried to use Cal to advance his interest but that was an old song.
Other than that, his offenses amounted to words and trying to shame Cal.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
In return, they were about to ruin his life.
It hadn''t even been difficult. Sure he''d wasted the better part of a week in the library but that was an insignificant commitment compared to what was about to come down.
Giving him some well-placed hits was one thing, the pain would be temporary. This? It was starting to feel disproportional.
Cal regularly reminded himself that the brat was in the way and after all was said and done, would still be far more privileged than the common citizen. It was his poor luck for choosing the wrong opponent. As for the laws he''d broken, well Cal didn''t care much for imperial laws.
With his waning motivation, he excused himself from helping further. Under the guise of needing to study. Which he really needed to do if only to prevent any sort of tutoring from occurring.
"I thought I recognized that shade of red" Ryan stopped by his desk, somehow having tracked Cal down in the vast expanse of the library. "I see you''re taking things seriously."
Cal shrugged, looking up from the magical theory textbook he''d been reading.
"I want to start off on a good foot."
"I get that, Gregor and I booked a room. Want to join us? Might be better than out here." Ryan offered while shifting his attention around the room.
Cal followed his gaze and saw people duck and avoid eye contact. Others shamelessly whispered while watching.
"Why not" Cal replied while gathering his materials and rising.
Ryan said nothing more and led him up a floor and across some sections. Entering the room, Cal saw Gregor seated at the table with various books and notebooks opened in front of him. It had been some time since he''d last seen the man.
He looked better?
"Gregor here just found out he aced the one he took at the beginning of the week." Ryan must have read his thoughts. "Lame move by the prof to give a test first thing of the week. Don''t they know we need time to get warmed up?"
Ryan took his previous place, indicated by the lone book open in front of it.
"It''s not that big a deal." In contrast to his grumble, Gregor had the ghost of a smile on his face. "I still have two more to get through this week."
"Nice. All of mine are stacked end of the week." Cal offered while taking a seat and laying out his things.
"Also a lame way to do things." Ryan added.
"If it were up to you we wouldn''t have exams to begin with." Gregor said with his voice growing quieter. Clearly focusing on what he was reading.
"Wouldn''t that be the life?" Ryan leaned back in his chair, his sole book going neglected. He addressed Cal. "How''s yours going? Not letting all that stuff get to you I hope?"
"Can''t do anything about it. No use worrying about it." Cal gave a boilerplate answer. "I''ve been doing my usual, studying and everything."
"I noticed you in the library a lot last week. Didn''t want to disturb you as you seemed focused." Ryan stated. Had he been keeping tabs on him? "I''m much more interested in that ''everything''?"
"It''s nothing exciting." Cal said defensively. "Club activities and some small city excursions."
Ryan leaned in with a conspiratorial smile. "Uh huh, want to share any more details on those excursions?"
Cal opted not to make any leaps of logic, recognizing the pattern from last time.
"Whatever you''re thinking, it''s not that."
"Listen man. We''re all guys here." He swept his arm out. "What''s said in the study room stays in the study room." He patted Gregor on the shoulder who jumped at the touch. "Aint that right?"
"He doesn''t have to say anything he doesn''t want to." Gregor disagreed.
"Boring." Ryan declared. "Now come on. A second picture of you appearing all lovey-dovey with the Arcutien girl showed up and I have it on good authority you two not only snuck out for a night alone in the city but then had a chaperoned date the next day!"
Someone had spotted them at night? That wasn''t great. Hopefully, they lost track of them once in the city.
"I don''t know who keeps spreading this around." Cal shook his head. His life was not a shitty romcom. "Nothing is going on between us. She''s essentially attached to the hip with Alice."
Ryan flipped is phone to Cal, scrolling back and forth between both previously posted pictures.
"You realize I''m not blind right?"
Cal wondered if he wanted to be.
"For context, both of those were her threatening me. The forehead thing was because I headbutted her."
"Word of advice, if you''re going to lie make it more realistic. Assaulting the fifth-strongest student in the Academy is a stretch."
It was easy to forget that part.
"She''s not willing to hurt me. Alice would have her head."
"Alright." Ryan threw his hands up. "I''ll pretend that''s the reason why."
"Don''t you have your own love life to see to? Why bother with my non-existent one?"
"Oh you naive fool, it is because of my relationship that I am under orders to interrogate yours." Cal was about to question him when Ryan elaborated. "One of the most important ways to strengthen a relationship is to gossip about other people''s relationships. Everyone knows this."
Cal felt that wasn''t right. He also wasn''t willing to argue the point.
He went back to his reading and had a few blessed minutes of peace before being interrupted again.
"I''ve been thinking." Ryan''s poor book still sat unused. "Why not after this week, us guys go out and do something fun?"
"What are we talking about here?" Cal hedged, he wasn''t opposed to the idea.
"Open to suggestions, right now I''m thinking about the Colosseum. It''s always a good time. I''ll have to check the schedule but there should be some races or fights on the books."
Cal pondered if they were to the death. The Empire couldn''t be that backward, could they?
Gregor responded before he could, in a genuinely disappointed tone.
"I''m not sure I''ll have time for that."
"I might be iffy as well." It depended on the time they decided on for the extortion, all he knew was that the window they planned to give Petro was small as to ramp up the pressure.
"We''ll play it by ear then. I''ll text you both the day before and see where we''re at. That sound good?"
Cal nodded in assent. It would mean he needed to make contact with Olivia and shake her down for spending money.
They fell into silence after that, studying diligently. Specifically Greger and Cal. Ryan made a show of flipping through the book, played on his phone a bit, and then said he needed to meet up with Jessica. Leaving the pair alone.
"How has the transition been?" Gregor spoke, breaking the silence much to Cal''s surprise. The guy didn''t come off as the sociable type.
"Growing pains. Not used to a lot of this, probably won''t ever be." The mirror''s reflection hadn''t stopped bothering him.
"It won''t, not in my experience." Cal held his tongue, no longer certain of what they were speaking about. "I was uplifted some three years ago."
Uplifted?
"You''re-"
"A bastard, yes." Gregor interrupted him. "It is no secret, I believed you were aware."
Guess it wasn''t that uncommon a thing to happen.
"I don''t make it a habit of digging into other''s past."
Not yet at least.
"You should." Gregor argued back, his eyes drifting up to meet Cal''s. "As a noble, you''re expected to know who you associate with."
"You''re starting to sound like Alice." Cal mused.
His words triggered something as Gregor got heated.
"It goes double for people like us. They look down on you, on me. It doesn''t matter what you accomplish, you''ll always be second-rate in their eyes. Impure." He spat out the final word.
"That''s pessimistic." Cal said carefully, wanting to avoid setting the boy off. "Alice has been fine. Mostly. While Ryan and the rest seem cool if a tad too nosey."
"They''re the exception, not the rule." Gregor''s tone softened a notch while speaking of his friends before hardening again. "I wouldn''t trust that sister of yours. You''re a tool to her. Nothing more, nothing less. If you turn out to be of subpar work they''ll discard you without another thought."
They were both using each other so that wasn''t much of a problem.
Gregor could see that Cal remained unconvinced.
"I won''t lecture you on how to live your life. Do what you want. Only don''t be surprised when the ground falls out from under you."
With that said, he gathered his things and left. Cal was left thinking about what he''d said.
No, he was thinking about how it was said. There was a lot of anger there. Betrayal. Cal understood the feelings well. That just left the question, was that a kid lashing out or was there something more sinister?
Chapter 30
Today was the day. The day he''d not only get these stupid tests out of the way but also when they''d finally play their hand. Coincidently, they''d be happening around the same time which meant he''d be absent from the meeting. Probably for the best, this whole thing hadn''t stopped feeling iffy to him. It did make it a tad more difficult to concentrate throughout the day. The smidge of anxiety stuck with him as he tried to complete this magical theory test.
Filling out an exam with purposely wrong answers didn''t sit right with him. Not that he was trying to fail. More like, when the question asks ''Who first postulated the theory behind the change of nature regarding ambient magic after the Fall?'' the answers were all imperial citizens. Now Cal didn''t know if it was or was not an imperial the first came up with it. However, he was damn sure of the other questions in here they couldn''t take credit for.
Plagiarists who preach the tenants of honor. He doubted they saw the same hypocrisy he did.
There were other things not related to historical figures that struck him as wrong. He didn''t dwell on them long, it wasn''t like he spent years of his life researching. Deferring to experts made sense.
He finished quickly and dropped off his exam at the teacher''s desk; leaving the classroom right after. He wasn''t the first or even the second. A good amount of students beat him to it by a large margin. A glance at their papers told him the time-honored tradition of Christmas treeing had transitioned to this world as well.
He''d been walking to his next class when someone caught his attention.
"Excuse me, you are Callum Ardere correct?" From their dress, he identified them as a staff member.
"That''s right." Cal responded, wondering if this was some sort of setup.
The man held out an envelope.
"This arrived for your person two days ago. We apologize for the delay in delivering it" He said with a bow.
"Don''t worry about it." Cal waved him off, receiving the letter.
Ripping it open, he read the contents.
Dear Valued Customer,
We are sad to inform you that your order of Zor Melon Fruit was lost in transit and will not be prepared by your specified date. Our attempts to locate it have proven unsuccessful. We are currently attempting to get in contact with our regular consultants who specialize in the retrieval of misplaced produce. In consideration of the shelf life of said fruit, we recommend you pursue alternatives.
Our sincerest apologies,
The Haslin Fruit Company
He read it twice, to ensure he didn''t miss anything before crumbling and reducing it to ash.
Whoever in the world had the balls to kidnap his handler wouldn''t have them for long, Cal would make sure of it.
He took a breath, calming himself. He needed to be smart about this. He pushed his senses to the limit while heading in a random direction. People were watching him. It was the same type as it had been all week. The student type with nothing better to do. The teachers and staff paid him no extra mind. Which led him to believe he hadn''t been compromised yet.
How long could Olivia last under interrogation? He wasn''t planning on finding out.
He reached the dorms and quickly dropped off his things. He scribbled on a piece of paper, placed it on the coffee table, and departed.
The trolley was agonizingly slow. Cal thought his tapping foot might bore through the floor before they ever made it to the station. Appearances were important though, Olivia would have advised him against dashing out of the Academy like a lunatic he was sure.
Once in the city, he was less reserved. Making it to the grocer in record time. He landed in front of the green-painted building. Those who saw him were startled, his entrance and clothing being unusual in these parts.
He stood straighter, marching in as if he owned the establishment. It wasn''t as crowded as it had been during his last visit. A consequence of it being the middle of the day on a weekday. Some customers persisted, with one currently chatting with the storekeeper.
He approached the counter, heedless of the current conversation.
"I''m here to inquire about my shipment."
The customer was close to berating him for his rudeness when she caught sight of the emblems on his blazer. Her eyes widened and she wisely took a step back.
"Of course my good sir." Haslin addressed him with a bow and bagged up some produce, handing it to the woman who stood in place. "Daisy, why don''t you take these on the house? I have an important customer to see to." She remembered herself and took the bag before retreating from the store with haste.
"About your shipment, I hope the letter made it to you alright. All the details were included."
Haslin said with an easygoing smile.
"We need to have a private conversation." Cal leaned in and whispered. Using the severity in his tone to convey he wasn''t interested in playing games right now.
The other customers had taken notice now, watching warily.
Haslin stared him down for a moment and then nodded.
"Excuse me everyone" Haslin clapped, gaining the other occupant''s attention. "I''m afraid I''ll have to close the shop for a few minutes, I need to have a discussion with the sir."
They looked relieved, even as some of them muttered complaints under their breath while filing out.
"What happened?" Cal asked the minute Haslin finished locking the front shutters to the floor.
"It''s in the letter, read between the lines." The man grumbled, stretching out his back after getting up from his crouch. "She missed a check-up. I sent some feelers and she''s not at the Rusty Pint."
That was a horrible name for the bar, Cal was surprised she hadn''t changed it.
"How long ago was that?"
"Three days, sent the letter after the first. Also, you can''t waltz in here like that. Do you know how long I''ve spent cultivating this cover?"
He was well aware of the amount of procedures he''d just bulldozed past, he wasn''t about to be constrained by some red tape.
"I''m going with the cover you already gave me. Seems noble-like to come in making demands after something goes wrong on your end."
"Sending that letter was already a stretch for me. Do you think a shop like mine is consorting with nobles?" The man waved a hand across the shop.
Cal didn''t see the huge deal, it was worn sure but the product was quality.
"If it worries you so much, I''m in the culinary club. I''ll get them to source some things from you."
"Culinary club? As a noble? What do you all gather ingredients and then order your servants to cook it for you?" The man said with a laugh that contained no joy.
"No. Now you mentioned contacting another team. What''s their status?"
Haslin got serious again, giving him a glower.
"You know I can''t tell you that. There''s information compartmentalization for a reason. What''s your ID? I need to log a complaint with your supervisor about this type of behavior."
If only he could right now.
Cal didn''t bother rattling off his code name, opting to slam a hand on the counter. The man didn''t flinch at the noise, looking unimpressed at the brutish display.
Cal removed the hand.
"Sir." Halsin responded, eyes glued to the table. "The team''s last contact was at zero one hundred hours. The agent''s status remains unknown. No publicly listed prisons and detention centers have them on record. Several black sites have been investigated with similar results."
Cal took back the star, placing it in his pocket. If there was a time to use the authority it granted now seemed like it.
"Who''s leading the search?"
"ID BZ-171, Captain Davis."
Both were unfamiliar to Cal.
"Where are they?"
"ID CR-181 Speciliast Philis is currently at cover job-"
"Stop." Cal raised a hand. "I don''t need all those details. Is there a place I can meet them?"
"Sir, a number of them will be maintaining their covers. Any current base will have a skeleton crew. The location fluctuates, I can provide a list of venues."
"Do so."
Haslin grabbed a blank sheet of paper and started carefully writing the list. He handed it to Cal. There were seven of them on here. Cal saw a problem.
"I need it marked on a map."
Haslin didn''t question him and produced one from a drawer. Marking seven dots. They were scattered across the vast city. He plotted a route to hit them all.
He was done here then.
"That will be all." He stated.
Haslin nodded, his demeanor shifting to the cheerful storekeeper as he opened up the front to the waiting customers.
Cal set off to find this team.
Hopefully, they''d not be useless.
¡ª
LB-120 was feeling pretty useless. He wasn''t being useless, manning the base was a necessary task. That didn''t stop his brain from telling him to get outside and start doing something.
Anything.
That wasn''t his lot today. No, his job was to sit here and wait. Funny how the recruiter failed to mention how much of that he''d be doing during his service.
"Stop being so twitchy Lennard." CS-003 chided him from her position on the couch. She was sprawled out. Her back was propped up by a pillow and her feet were on the armrest. In her hands was a magazine she idly flipped through. "It''s a miracle you got this post being that way. Take the break that''s been given, it''s not as if your primary assignment is anything important. "
He was about to claim he wasn''t twitchy when he realized at some point he''d gotten up and started pacing. Scowling he took his seat at the desk again, turning it to face the couch.
They all had primary assignments and the comments on his were unappreciated. Stopping a summoning in the city was of vital importance.
At least they were in one of the nicer hideouts. No dingy basement or drafty warehouse. Simply a nice, unassuming apartment over an oddly successful haberdashery.
He crossed his arms and flexed his thighs, focusing on stopping any involuntary movement. For a time the only sounds were from the shower in the background and page flips.
"How are you not the least bit concerned?" He asked CS-003, or Casey as she was known. He wasn''t sure how long she''d been at this post, just that she had been the previous rookie before him. "That missing agent knows the Captain''s contact. If they give whoever that is up we could all be blown."
It''d be the greatest intelligence disaster since¡well hard to tell as those were usually covered up but it''d be really bad.
"If you haven''t noticed it yet." Cassey drolled, crossing her legs. "The Empire''s Internal Affairs department is a bastion of nepotism and incompetence. I don''t know why we even bother putting agents in there in the first place. They do a far greater job of sabotaging themselves than we could ever dream of."
"If that were true we wouldn''t have a missing agent!"
She raised an eyebrow at him and he clamped down on his foot that had started tapping again.
"I know you''re stationed away from them but have you met a noble yet?" He shook his head at the question. Outside of the capital, you''d find no greater concentration of nobles than in Postremo Lux. It was his luck, he thought sincerely, that his post was more along the line with the people he grew up with. The rough and tumble sort willing to throw hands the one minute and down a pint together the next. Shame they were all imperials.
"That explains it." She scoffed. "Trust me, if they had her we''d have heard something about it by now because they''d be fighting over the credit. I''m betting she caught the eye of the wrong type of person."
He looked at her with skepticism.
"You''re trying to tell me a Federation agent was taken by what, a common lecher?"
"Crazier things have happened. We weren''t given her dossier who''s to say what type of training she has."
That was true. They''d been provided a picture and her cover occupation. Who she was wasn''t relevant. All they needed to do was retrieve if possible and eliminate if not.
Standard procedure, agents may be valuable yet ultimately they were all expendable when it came to ensuring the integrity of their network in the city.
It was grim, it was reality.
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Dead gods, none of them wanted to resort to that. If only because they understood it could be them one day. However, they all knew what they were signing up for. There''d be no hesitation if the call had to be made.
He swiveled his chair to face the desk again. On it was a newspaper with an unfinished crossword puzzle. He''d not been able to concentrate on it before. He didn''t think now would be any better. On the other hand, it beat stewing in silence.
Nine across, a flower that blooms in the winter. The second letter was ''I''. Right, that''s what made him quit the first time. He didn''t know anything about flowers.
"Technically, any flower can bloom then if you''re good enough."
The knife hidden in his sleeve flashed as he swept it back, aiming to sever the throat of the unknown speaker. He missed, the young man taking a few steps back, straight into Cassey''s punishing turning kick. Somehow he ducked in time to dodge it.
Lenard flung his other arm out, a parade of small throwing knives honing in on the intruder. In a blur, one of them was plucked and used to parry its brethren. Cassey''s next kick lashed out, slower than the first. The intruder grabbed it, a mistake Lennard had made once before with his colleague.
Once.
Her other foot burst into flames and kicked at the intruder''s face. Scoring a blow with the ball of fire engulfing his whole head.
Lennard spun up a water manifestation. It wasn''t to douse the flames. Cassey''s body impacted the couch, knocking it over.
His attack would cause a good deal of collateral damage, he''d have to worry about that later. As he was about to launch it, a yell made him freeze.
"Halt!" His captain, dripping wet and dressed solely in a towel leveled her weapon towards the red-haired intruder. The barrel of the revolver was longer than her forearm and he couldn''t help his mind from questioning if she showered with it. "Move another inch and lose several."
The lone movement in the room was from Cassey who had moved to a crouch.
"Because I''d blow your head off."
Lennard held back a groan. Leave it to the captain to not only crack a lame joke but then explain it in a situation like this. Whatever this was.
"Well, I definitely found the right people judging by that." The man said eyeing the revolver. Guns weren''t unheard of in the Empire however they certainly weren''t common. "Who''s in charge here?"
Lennard didn''t like the way he said that. It was too casual. Too at ease. The man had taken Cassey''s kick head-on and gave nothing so much as a flinch. He was fast too, getting between both of them without either noticing. Lennard''s augmentation was admittedly not as good as it could be. Cassey''s was and he threw her like a child.
Lennard looked at his colleague still low to the ground. Her eyes were struggling to choose between looking at the captain or the interloper. She wasn''t hurt and the throw had simply toppled the couch instead of putting her through the wall. Which someone like this should be able to easily accomplish.
It spoke of arrogance. His eyes trailed back to the man, taking in his attire. High quality to say the least. Familiar to boot. That was an Academy uniform. So this was a noble? If they were all this quick to underestimate them it was no mystery as to why the Federation could lead them by the nose.
"Haslin sent me." The noble said in way of explanation.
"I don''t know anyone by that name." His captain responded cooly, firearm still held aloft.
The name was foreign to Lennard. He made a note to look into it later.
He tensed as the man moved. His attack remained on standby, waiting for the captain''s cue. Heedless of his incoming demise the noble reached into his pocket and withdrew something. He tossed it in the air, letting them all see the star glimmer as it rose and fell.
He should not have that.
The others remained ready for combat.
"There was a report of the Fifth being active in Helfiem a week ago." Lennard stated, giving words to what everyone was thinking. "No other Constellation member would change their face."
Which left the question as to how that star got here. It wasn''t a forgery, they''d all been shown one upon graduation. You couldn''t fake these and the prospect of a member losing theirs was laughable. That meant¡he didn''t know what it meant.
He gripped his knife uneasily. Dimly he was aware of his heart rate skyrocketing.
"Fairwater." His captain spoke.
Lennard didn''t understand the meaning. The noble did if the tilt of his head was any indication.
"Small place, although I can''t say I got to see most of it. You?"
"My visit was brief."
A chuckle resounded that sent a chill down his spine.
"Hells, wasn''t that a ride? I wouldn''t want to go on it again."
"Could have fooled me. Sir." She offered an awkward salute with the hand holding the gun. The other was occupied making sure the towel didn''t drop. "Stand down. He''s one of us."
Cassey relaxed immediately and Lennard forced himself to follow suit. If the captain said so that was that.
"Captain Davis reporting. Sorry for the mix-up."
It dawned on him that they might have just assaulted a superior.
"Don''t worry about that." The man didn''t sound like one much for formality, Lennard could relate. "I was told you were tracking down the agent that went missing. Where are you at with that."
"We are, I can brief you myself" Her voice trailed off, seeming to remember her hair was soaking wet.
"Maybe have someone else start." the man said, taking note of her plight.
"CS-003. One, you have your own; stop staring at my tits. Two, brief the man on everything we have."
"Yes, Ma''am." Cassey replied, giving an admirable attempt to keep her focus on the captain''s eyes.
"LB-120 with me." His captain demanded as she turned on her heel and marched back into the bedroom.
He nearly pointed at himself before thinking better of it. His steps brought him to the bedroom and she shut the door after him. Placing an adhesive pad on the door. It lit up, signaling the privacy ward had been activated.
She walked to the bathroom and shut the door. Her voice echoed from the other side.
"Ask your questions now. I know you have them. It''s why I picked you."
That''s what this was about? He wasn''t about to turn her down if she was offering.
"Do you know him?"
"Ask a smarter one."
Fair, he''d seen the flicker of recognition come across her at the man''s reply.
"What''s Fairwater?"
"Sleepy little coastal town. A couple of thousand residents max."
"What happened there?"
"He already told you."
Ugh, she was being cryptic. The man had said something about a ride, that didn''t make any sense.
"First word." she called out after not getting a response.
Hells?
"You can''t be serious-"
He jumped at the fist impacting the door.
"I damn well am. Happened about three years ago, the containment team I was on got called to deal with a summoning. Some magical beast had washed to shore with its core intact. Rather than turning it in for the bounty like a normal person, the lunatic had delusions of grandeur and attempted a summoning. Attempted because for once that knowledge being restricted worked and he knew far less than your average cultist. When we got there the readings were unintelligible. We got ordered to wait for backup. They turned out to be the Fourth along with that guy, or kid back then."
"You met the Fourth!" He''d zeroed in on that fact. The Fourth was an enigma. She came and went as she pleased. Killing whoever she felt like. Rumor was she''d offed someone for blinking at her the wrong way.
"Yes, those two are related somehow. I valued my life too much to ask how. None of that is the point. Anyways, we go in and they deal with the summoner instantly." She gave a self condescending laugh "My dumbass was disappointed it ended so soon. I wanted to see more of her in action. I got my wish. Things went to shit and fast, the magic going crazy. At the end of the day, three of us grunts along with my captain at the time ended up stranded in one of the hells."
Lennard was finding it difficult to comprehend those words. Individually they made sense, put together? People didn''t come back from the hells.
The door cracked open and a hand reached out.
"Left my clothes on the bed. Hand them over?"
He did so and the door closed again. He heard the ruffling of clothes.
"Thanks, where was I? Right, we end up on the other side with those two."
That was easier to stomach. With a member of the Constellation, anything was possible.
"What they don''t teach you in boot camp is that the biggest problem when you get to the hells isn''t the demons, it''s the disorientation. I can''t compare it to anything. The four of us weren''t able to move. We flopped around like dead fish while puking our guts out." She let out a lengthy exhale. "Those two could. Good thing because the locals weren''t exactly thrilled to see us."
The door opened and she walked out, sitting on the bed and brushing her now-dry hair.
"I know what you''re thinking and let me tell you the Fourth isn''t the reason I''m here. That b-" She cut herself off, eyes darting around for a moment. "She wasn''t in any danger. Not that I knew of. She also didn''t give a rat''s ass about us making it out of there. That kid out there?" She nodded her head in the direction of the door. "Only reason we made it out of there. Watched him run straight into a horde of demons."
That was impressive. He''d fought a couple himself as part of the standard training they did. Dealing with a lot of the buggers at the same time could be tricky.
"We have to work on controlling your expressions. You''re too easy to read. I said a horde. Not several. Not dozen. Not even a hundred. A horde. A horde filled with categories ranging from one all the way to a fucking five. The Fourth took care of the big guy, as for the rest? I watched the kid tear into them and they tore right back."
He frowned, replaying those words in his mind.
"No, I didn''t misspeak. I watched him get torn limb from limb and eviscerated countless times. Whenever I thought we were next he''d show up, not a scratch on him. I''d say it scared the shit out of me but I''d already defecated when we first crossed over. I chalked it up as a hallucination. It wasn''t, the others saw the same. Demons didn''t understand it either, the smarter ones ended up turning tail and running. Can you believe it? I didn''t know they had any survival instinct to speak of."
She collapsed back on the bed.
"We managed to survive a week over there. I won''t bore you with details, don''t even have them. I was out of it most of the time."
"Why haven''t I heard of him?"
"Hmm." She turned her head, having gotten distracted by some thought. "It''s classified. I''ll be subject to disciplinary action if they find out I told you. He was a minor back then. I''m guessing that''s why. With the star he''s carrying I''ll bet they''ll make his status official when they need some PR win."
"Now" She sat up and walked over knocking her knuckles against his skull lightly "use that brain I hired you for to ask the question. What is he doing here?"
If he took her words at face value, which he was hesitant to do. Lennard had no clue why someone like that would be in the city let alone the Academy. They ruled that angle out months ago.
He''d come asking about the missing agent. The girl they''d been searching for. His stomach sank and a look of horror came upon him.
She clasped him on the shoulder.
"Figure it out?''
The girl was his handler.
"Oh fuck." the words escaped his lips in a whisper.
If they didn''t find her in one piece...
She patted him on the cheek.
"Shape up. We''ll turn this city upside down if we have to."
That did little to reassure him. Was it simply his lack of experience or was he not cut out for this type of life?
She''d made it to the door while he was reviewing the life decisions leading up to this point.
"In the meantime, let''s make sure the murder machine is nice and happy. And word of advice? Don''t mention the Fourth at all. Unless you feel like getting us all killed. The two of them do NOT get along."
This wasn''t in the field manual.
Chapter 31
"If you offer me another chip I will throw you out the window."
The woman known as Cassey retracted the bag and shifted away from him. His remark had been uncalled for, aside from their initial encounter, which if anything improved his opinion of her, she had been helpful. She''d concisely laid out all the steps they''d taken along with the specific areas searched. This team was competent and hadn''t been idle.
Rather than put him at ease, it ramped up his frustration. Because they had nothing.
It was enough to make him want to scour the city himself. After all, he was the reason she was in this mess to begin with. He couldn''t claim to know where she''d be if never assigned to him but he doubted it would be in imperial captivity.
He was kept at bay by the logical argument made. Leave it to the professionals. He tried to ignore that the professionals had accomplished jack shit.
She was right though. What was he going to do? Check random buildings? The city was massive.
"This is the whole needle in a haystack problem." he grumbled to himself.
"Sorry." The nervous voice of Lennard sounded. "You wanted a needle?"
"No, it''s an expression. It means something is hard to find, like searching for a needle in a haystack. That is, unless you burn it all."
Cal supposed a strong enough magnet would also work.
"Let''s not do anything hasty." Lennard nearly jumped in his seat. "The captain should be back soon with a report."
Right, the captain. Small world to be able to run into someone who recognized him. Let alone from that particular trip. He wondered if she kept in touch with Kevin. It''d been touch and go with getting him out of there, the man had almost lost his head. And for all the work he put in making sure he kept it, he never gave so much as a thank you. Then again, a handshake was the most anyone probably ever got out of the man.
A smack was heard and the bag of chips landed on the floor.
"Cassey!" Lennard gave a frantic whisper. "Stop helping!"
Cal didn''t know why he bothered trying to keep it quiet. Even sans augmentation, he was sitting right here.
He wondered what the captain had said to the man to make him so skittish.
"You can relax a little." Cal said casually. "I''m not going to report you for having a relationship with your direct superior."
Lennard gapped like a fish. Not being able to form any words in response. Cassey''s head snapped up from where she had been cleaning up the fallen snack food from the floor.
"Like hells he is!"
She moved to rise but was tackled by Lennard who had regained his faculties. There was a struggle that ended with her knee on his back and his arm painfully pulled back.
"It''s-" His voice strained as she pulled it further. "Nothing like that!"
Huh, no wonder Ryan did this. It was fun.
"Then what were you doing behind a privacy ward?" Cal asked sharply causing both of them to freeze.
They untangled slowly. Lennard shook himself off.
"It was classified information." He got out after thinking for it a moment.
Cal pulled out the star.
"What was that about being classified?"
He was being a bit of a bully here and truthfully he didn''t care what they did or discussed. He was simply looking for a distraction to keep his mind from wandering.
Cal watched the Lennard''s face twist as an internal war broke out within him. That made him lean more towards there actually being some illicit affair going on.
He didn''t get a chance to see what side won as the door was knocked on in a specific manner and then swung open.
"My team members have reported in." The captain delivered, not giving any indication she was aware of the strange atmosphere she''d walked in on. "They rendezvoused with their contacts and gave out assignments. There''s a coordinated sweep currently ongoing throughout districts-"
She rambled on. Cal didn''t let the details distract him from the fact that Olivia remained missing.
"Don''t bullshit me. What are the chances we find her?" Cal interrupted her.
She mulled his words before shaking her head.
"That''s not how these things work. We can''t provide such an estimate."
He looked out towards the window. It was long past sunset. Would they be able to make any progress tonight?
Alice must have found his note by now and be going ballistic. It was the least of his worries right now. Good thing he''d left his¡.
His hand patted his pocket.
Crap.
In his haste, he''d totally forgotten about it. The only reason it hadn''t been going nuts was because he''d turned it off for the exam.
He retrieved it awkwardly. How does one explain carrying this thing to multiple secure locations throughout the day and not appear like an imbecile?
It proved troublesome and the captain spoke before he figured it out.
"Their latest model? May I see it?"
He held it out and she grabbed it, turning it and inspecting the build. Her thumb hovered over the power button and he didn''t get a chance to speak out before she pressed down on it.
The screen flashed on and immediately was locked as messages flooded it. It buzzed unendingly in her hand.
"Piece of junk isn''t it?" Cassey commented, leaning over her captain''s shoulder. Her face was nearer than he thought necessary. The captain pushed her away, handing the vibrating device to him.
"This going to be a problem?" He finally asked.
"Nah, they''re way behind. Look that thing barely works." Cassey said flippantly.
"That''s not what I meant" Although the OS was currently undergoing a stroke. "Can''t they track these?"
"Psh" She snorted. "You''re giving them way too much credit. Isn''t that right captain?"
"CS-003 is correct. To our current knowledge, they cannot track movement. It''s your call if you''d like us to take further precautions."
"It''s fine then." If they weren''t concerned he wouldn''t be either.
The screen unlocked itself, letting him see the flood of messages he''d missed. It was lagging quite a bit as it delivered the backlog but he could see Alice and Lily had both tried their darndest to get into contact with him.
As the messages flashed by, he realized it wasn''t about going MIA or the test he''d skipped.
"What the fuck¡" He spoke, trying the comprehend what he was reading. "You''ve got to be kidding me."
All this time thinking that it was some elite imperial division that had grabbed her and it turns out to be Petro? He wasn''t even on the list! Excluding stupid school politics, Cal had written him off as a threat.
Captured by a peacock of a noble. He was never going to let Olivia live this down.
"I know who took her." he stated while going through all the messages. "Petro Lucerna, know anything about him?"
"I''m familiar with the Lucerna family but not him specifically." She turned to her subordinates and spoke in a commanding voice. "CS-003, instruct your contact in the public records office to pull everything on him. LB-120 do your work in the streets and shake up any lead you can on this Petro. I''ll contact everyone else and have them on standby to redirect our resources wherever this leads us.
""Yes Ma''am"" They said in unison.
Would have been nice to have that kind of support earlier. It also wouldn''t have been needed if he knew who was responsible.
"Belay that" He called as they were getting ready to enact their orders.
He searched through his phone until he found what he was looking for. His fingers deftly typed a message, deleted and then re-wrote it. It was important to get the tone right. He read it over one last time before clicking send.
Raising his head, he found the trio observing him with some measure of confusion.
He opted to not say anything, allowing them all to stew in silence until his phone buzzed again. It was who he''d been expecting, good. He''d already embarrassed himself enough tonight by wasting their time. He typed a quick confirmation.
He could have let their plan go through. With their level of diligence? They''d find her, he was sure.
Being led there directly would be quicker.
Being led there by the culprit himself? Well, that was even better.
Cal was almost thankful, that the man had been kind enough to remove the hesitation he had been feeling. Rescuing Olivia wasn''t his sole objective anymore. He was officially off the fence.
Petro was a dead man.
All Cal had to do was help him realize it.
"Do you think these are appropriate clothes to get abducted in?" He asked, much to the befuddlement of the Federation Operatives.
¡ª
The vacant he found himself had seen better days. Probably. Considering the state of disrepair it was in, Cal couldn''t tell what it once was.
That Petro chose this particular place for a meeting? Well, he must have thought Cal to be a true idiot. No one came here and thought they were going to have a friendly negotiation.
A fly buzzed by his face and he swatted at it. The pooled water in the building served as an excellent breeding ground.
It was past the agreed-upon time and Cal was wondering if his prey had gotten wise when a peculiar sound heralded a gust of wind blew through the structure''s many open holes. It swirled once around him before leaving the way it came.
Cal made no reaction to it, pretending the queerness of that wind went unnoticed. There was a thud as the decrepit door was hit. Another sounded and it fell off the rusted hinges, landing flat and kicking up dust.
Two men walked in. Dressed in dark clothes their eyes scanned the surroundings. They parted and stood at either side of the room, arms loose at their sides.
A third entered. Cal couldn''t tell much about them, their appearance obscured in some sort of shroud. It was adorned with ribbon-like threads, which gave it a frayed appearance and blocked the wearer''s face. It was very edgy. He kinda wanted it.
"What''s the meaning of this!" Cal spoke in a shaky voice, taking a step back. "Where is Petro!"
Mook 1 and Mook 2, as Cal dubbed them, shared a mean-spirited chuckle.
The shrouded figure didn''t join in, tilting its head towards them. The laughter died quickly and Mook 1 reached behind him, producing a pair of suppression cuffs.
"I was promised a negotiation on neutral grounds!" Cal insisted, backing up against the wall.
"Negotiation, ain''t that rich." A disgusting smile came on his face and he was about to resume his laughter when he glanced at the silent figure. "How''s this for negotiating? I''m going to walk over there and get these nice and snug on you. Be good and you get to see that girlie of yours again. Try anything and the boss there will make sure you get a closed casket. Got it?"
Cal''s fist trembled by his side and his head swiveled. Not being able to decide who to focus on.
Mook 1 approached with cautious steps, eyeing him like a dangerous animal. He wasn''t far off the mark.
Cal played his part well. His back now hitting the wall, splinters getting caught in the jacket fabric as it rubbed against the rotting wood. He''d borrowed a set of plainer clothes from Lennard. He didn''t want to go through the trouble of removing blood from his uniform.
"If I were in your expensive shoes" Mook 2 voiced his opinion. "I''d listen to my friend."
Mook 1 entered with reach and Cal let his arm be grabbed. The cuff was slapped on the first and then the second wrist. The man grabbed the chain connecting them and pulled it forward. Making Cal stumble onto the ground. A boot impacted his side and he gave a false grunt of pain.
The same sound as before rang out, a sharp whistle. The leg that had been ready to deliver another stopped and he was hauled back to his feet. He was led outside and an older model truck pulled up. The back was opened and he was shoved roughly inside, falling to the floor. The others filed in, seated on the benches that lined the interior. He made to take one himself but a hand shoved him back down.
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The ride was bumpy. Cal couldn''t tell if it was because of the road quality being poor or if this thing just had crappy suspension. He kept a mental count, judging they traveled for about half an hour before arriving at wherever their destination was.
Forced to his feet again, a bag was placed over his head and he was marched ''blindly'' through a series of corridors and staircases.
The sound of rust scrapping together was heard followed by a door scrapping open.
He was thrown again without ceremony. Landing in a crumpled heap on the ground. He groaned for good measure.
"Callum!" He felt a pair of hands flip him over, ripping the bag off his face. Light invaded him and he saw Emily''s face over him, tears streaking down her cheeks. "How dare you!" She cried to their captors. The only response was the sound of a metal door slamming shut.
His mouth was opened but no words made it out before her fingers sealed it shut. He wished she''d done it to his nose instead, this place reeked something foul.
"Don''t speak. Those fiends may have broken your ribs." She took his cuffed hands with her own and placed them over her chest. "Whatever are we going to do? Feel my heart? It beats so strongly with fear that it may burst from me!"
Cal shifted uncomfortably, not from being on the damp floor but from this strange position he''d found himself in. Just as he was questioning if he''d found himself in a parallel universe, he noticed it. She was right, her heart was beating strongly. It was also beating irregularly. No, not irregularly. It was beating in a pattern.
Cal dug into his memory, recalling the field guide he''d spent so much time with.
''Okay?'' he deciphered.
That was a neat trick? Blinking would be easier. Maybe she was embarrassed after getting caught and this was a way of showing off.
He felt her hand shift its grip and her finger found its way over the pulse in his wrist. Really? There was no way this wasn''t overkill.
In the dimness of the cell, he took in her state. Her hair was matted and clumped together. Eyes sunken with dark circles around them. Her lip was split. The sleeve of her uniform had been ripped and there was an ugly welt marring her skin.
Fine, he''ll do it her way.
His own heart started to beat irregularly. It wasn''t the first time he''d intentionally changed its beat so he accomplished it without rupturing it.
''Status'' she sent after receiving his standard confirmation. Her eyes drifted to his cuffs, they matched those of her own.
''Ready'' he responded. As far as suppression cuffs went, well he hadn''t worn multiple sets as a fashion statement. There were probably better ways of practicing your control than wearing them but at least they would slow him now.
''Waiting. target'' he followed up quickly. No doubt she was wondering why he''d not blasted his way out if he could.
''Identity''
''School. Culprit''
''Understood.''
"Sit up." She voiced with a tremble. "This filth will give you a cold at best and a plague at worst."
"Don''t worry about me. They haven''t hurt you have they?" He asked the dumb question, they obviously had.
"I-I''m fine" she stuttered. She rose and pulled him up. "Over here, the ground is driest."
She directed him to a slightly less damp area. They both sat there, back to back.
Cal contemplated whether or not they had to keep the sham of a conversation up when he heard the sound of footsteps echoing across the passageway.
The door opened and wind rushed in. Beating back the foul air. The shrouded figure stepped in followed by the man he''d been expecting. Petro must have been in another room waiting for his arrival.
"I see you''re back where you belong, huddled in the dirt with your fellow commoner." Petro said the final word as if it were a slur.
Cal fought hard to not roll his eyes at the comment.
"You''ll never get away with this!" Emily cried in an indignant voice. "Callum is a noble!"
"A noble? Hardly. A street rat in a suit will never be more than a well-groomed rat." A cruel laugh reverberated. "I had all the pieces. All you had to do was know your place. I could have forced that woman into marriage and seized house Lucerna''s heirship. Reunited both lines under me. I''d have to offer concessions to the others but the title of Count would be mine!"
There was an impact as Petro''s fist collided with the wall.
"Now?" He sneered. "It was all nearly ruined!" Another impact. "That bitch somehow gained knowledge she shouldn''t have." The wall cracked and Petro was huffing in exertion. "Ancestors blessings, your commoner brain was foolhardy enough to deliver yourself to me." He started pacing, speaking to himself. "I can still salvage this. I''ll make her see reason. I''ll make you both form a covenant." He whirled on the pair. "You better hope she does, because if not reason it will be your blood she sees."
Cal was fairly impressed now. That mask the man donned was a far cry from the lunatic he was now acting like.
"The Justiciars will never let you get away with this!" Emily yelled.
"Do you believe this my first time?" He stalked over, looming over them. "You know nothing of what I''ve done to reach my current station."
"Hmmph." He crouched, grabbing Emily by the jaw and turning her face. "I can see why you were so easy to fool." He spoke to Cal. "She''ll fetch a nice price abroad."
He released her, wiping his hand with a handkerchief. "Do say hello to my sister should you encounter one another."
"Alright" Cal spoke casually, dropping his tense demeanor. "I''ve heard about eno-"
"May I?" Olivia interrupted him. He shrugged against her back. "CX-," She stopped herself, thinking for a moment. "I suppose using your proper name would make greater sense. Callum. Green light."
Cal gave a feral grin while Petro had a perplexed look on his face. The grating sound of metal being sheared rang out. The shrouded figure had launched an attack which Cal used to snap the link connecting his cuffs.
Solid instincts on that one. What a pity.
Cal blurred and appeared in front of the silent assailant. His hand cut forward, meeting the resistance of a shell for a moment before sinking into the warm flesh. He gripped the spine, ripping it out and ending a life. The corpse fell with a thud, Cal''s hand dripping with blood.
Petro''s expression only now shifted from one of confusion to disbelief. He was facing Cal and took a step backward. Turning his back on Olivia proved to be a mistake as she swept his feet and pounced on his prone form. Securing a headlock on the man. Cal let her take her time, snapping the cuffs and flashing his magic to give the agreed-upon signal.
Petro struggled with futility, succumbing to unconsciousness. Olivia disentangled herself, rising and brushing herself off.
"Do you mind?" She held her hands out to him.
He obliged, walking over and ripping the cuffs off. She rubbed her wrist after he did so.
"What will you-"
The room''s temperature skyrocketed as a searing flame incinerated Petro where he lay.
Olivia frowned at the display.
"That will cause complications."
"He had to go" If he did sleep, Cal wouldn''t lose any over this. "How''d you get caught anyway?"
"It was the letter you sent. I overheard some of the other guards discussing it, they compromised the postal service." She turned her head to the door. "Speaking of, you weren''t exactly quiet. I would have expected them to have rushed here by now. There should be eleven others."
The door screeched as its rusted form swung open. Olivia tensed as Captain Davis walked in but relaxed upon seeing the salute she provided.
"All hostiles neutralized. We count nine. I''ll have my people track down the stragglers." The captain reported. Her eyes roamed the room, widening upon seeing the corpse.
Cal followed her look and remembered its existence. He happily walked over, relieving the shroud of its former occupant and wringing it out. The blood splattered as he did so.
"Callum." Olivia''s nagging tone came out behind him. "No."
"Callum yes." He responded simply.
"Ignoring the sanitariness of it. You cannot take that" She walked over, palm outstretched. "Hand it over."
"No chance."
"This isn''t a debate. What do you think will happen if you''re caught with the Whistling Death''s shroud?"
"The who what now?"
She looked at him as if he were an idiot.
The captain coughed, gaining his attention, and pointed to the spineless corpse.
"Were they important?" he asked, not recognizing the name.
"They are, or were on the Federation''s most wanted list. They were a member of the Blessed Order before being accused of blasphemy and joining Infinita nox."
He didn''t bother asking what that edgy name meant. He did understand that the man he killed was a stray dog of the Holy Enclave.
"They have a bounty, I''ll ensure you receive it upon our return." She neared him and he took a step back, keeping the shroud out of reach. "You can buy thousands of those with it."
"I heard they ripped out the tongues of blasphemers." The Captain commented, heedless of their stand-off.
"Might be hard to check, got a little messy"
"Captain¡" Lennard marched in and trailed off. "Is that the Whistling Death''s shroud?"
"Apparently," Cal confirmed, tossing it over. "Keep that for me okay?"
Lennard caught it without a thought. He didn''t seem to mind as the blood soaked his hands.
"There, happy?" Cal addressed Olivia again. "I''ll let that guy keep it for me."
Cal could acknowledge that keeping it at the Academy would be dumb. He also suspected Olivia would deny his wishes and get rid of it the first chance she got. This seemed an appropriate compromise.
She pursed her lips but nodded in agreement.
"Sir, you two should vacate this area. My team will handle the clean up." The captain suggested.
Olivia inspected the two agents.
"Can I ask how?"
"First we''ll burn the other remains. Then,"
The captain approached the wall Petro had been hitting and laid a palm on it.
"There''s an active sewer that runs behind this, we''ll collapse a wall and flood the place. I have yet to meet a Justiciar willing to put up with that shit." The captain ended with a smile.
Cal suddenly realized what he''d been sitting in. A shower made its way on his priority list.
She nodded satisfied.
Cassey ran in and stopped dead in her tracks.
"Is that the Whistling Death?"
Had he stumbled on the guy''s fan club?
What she was holding buzzed, reminding her why she came running in the first place.
"Hey Boss, your phone is going nuts again."
Cal pretended not to hear the muttered ''boss?'' from Olivia.
He''d left it with her along with his clothes. He took the phone.
Lily was calling him. He didn''t particularly want to deal with her right now but he had been avoiding her all day.
"Callum!" Her voice shrieked through the speaker. "Where are you? The bastard took-"
"I know." He cut her off to save his eardrums. "It''s fine"
"What do you mean it''s¡ shut up. Don''t say another word. Where are you right now? No, don''t answer that. Meet me at the place we shared a dessert. Remember?"
"Sure." It hadn''t been that long ago so it was still fresh in his memory.
"Go there right now and don''t talk to anybody. I''ll get there as fast as I can."
She hung up without waiting for him to agree.
The clothes impacted him and he caught them before they could hit the ground.
"Better get dressed boss." Cassey said cheekily. "Sounds like you got a date." Her nose wrinkled. "Maybe get a hose down first?"
Chapter 32
Cal was surprised that the shop was open when he arrived there. He was tempted to go in. Instead, he slapped his forehead. He''d forgotten to get cash from Olivia. He''d need to start writing it on his palm at this rate.
There wasn''t any public seating so he was left sulking in an alley. It had been a long day and the only thing he wanted to do now was lay in the comfortable dorm bed.
He heard footsteps and looked up to find Lily joining him in the alley. She pointed up and leaped in that direction. He followed after her, traveling for some time before stopping on what looked to be a random rooftop.
Her eyes scanned the surroundings. Seemingly satisfied, she closed the distance
"Is your friend okay?" He nodded. "Good, now what the hells did you do?" She said in a harsh whisper.
Cal knew this line of questioning was inevitable. That didn''t mean he''d decided what he was going to tell her. Seeing his lack of response she pressed on.
"Where is Petro."
"I don''t know." The words came out on reflex and she glowered at him.
"Do you want to try that again?"
Cal chewed on the inside of his cheek, deciding to try being vague.
"He won''t be a problem."
"You think I don''t get that." She pulled on his collar, bringing him down to her level. "I''m asking where the body is at?"
This girl was taking the potential slaying of a classmate fairly well.
"He won''t be a problem." Cal reiterated.
"Stop speaking in riddles. I need to know exactly what you did or else this whole thing could collapse on our heads?" She leaned closer in, sniffing him and recoiling back. "What is that?"
Lennard had been kind enough to give him an impromptu shower. It wasn''t enough.
"There''s no body, burned it to ash." Realistically, Cal couldn''t see the girl dropping the matter. "He was keeping her in some underground level. Dealt with him there and damaged the wall. It''s covered in a foot of raw sewage right now."
"Witnesses?" She asked, studying him intently.
"There were some guards, dealt with them as well."
"All of them? Are you certain?"
"Yeah." He was confident about the captain and friends dealing with any loose ends.
"No one saw you? What about your friend? Where is she now?" She questioned without pause.
"I didn''t leave any witnesses and she''s fine. Sent her back to her place to recover."
His hastily put-on tie slipped through her fingers and she grabbed his wrist instead.
"We need to go now." She said while tugging on him. "There''s going to be an investigation. I know some places in the city where other students hang out. Were going to go there and do a horrible job at being discrete. We''re going to get wasted and by tomorrow the entire school will know we spent the night partying. Got it?"
An alibi? That wasn''t a bad idea. Even so, he hesitated. If the past was any indication, this type of one would certainly be effective. He could also see it cause a host of other problems down the line.
Eh, can''t be any worse than being accused of murder.
¡ª
He woke up with a pounding headache. That was his first hint something had gone horribly wrong. Not the headache, the waking up. His magic surged through him and he bolted up from where he had been lying. Only to lose his footing and fall from the sofa and onto the ground.
He blinked away the blurriness and found himself staring at the familiar ceiling of his dorm. He laid on his back, taking some deep breaths. He was fine. He was stupid for somehow letting his guard down, but he was fine.
Sitting up, he found the coffee table occupied by the collapsed form of Lily. She was drooling on it. Foggy memories surfaced. He could use his augmentation to stave off the effects of poisons, which included alcohol. Lily had noticed he wasn''t getting properly hammered and deduced what he was doing. Somehow her taunts had goaded him into proving he didn''t need it to handle his liquor.
He gave an audible groan. Of all the stupid things to do. At least, from what he remembered nothing incriminating was said.
His sound stirred Lily who turned and fell off the table and onto him. He unceremoniously threw her away.
The landing further woke her up. She got to her hands and knees. The skin of her face took an unhealthy shade.
"I would appreciate you not soiling our carpet." An icy voice cut through the room. Cal''s head slowly moved to see Alice sitting at the desk looking non-too amused.
"Would either of you care to explain yourselves?"
Cal looked to Lily, who dashed into Alice''s room. Soon after he could hear her wretching in the bathroom.
Alice raised an eyebrow towards him, expecting a response.
He pointed at the door Lily had fled to.
"It''s her fault." Let it be known that Cal was not above throwing others under the bus.
She crossed her arms, unimpressed with his response.
"I presume your carefree attitude means Emily is safe?"
He got up, stretching out. His limbs felt funny after sleeping in strange positions.
"Yeah, she''s fine. Resting up at home."
Her expression softened. "I''m glad. She should never have been put in that position."
"However" Her voice carried a harness with it. "I do need to ask how that came to be. We learned of her captivity during our sit down yet by the time we left you were already missing. If it wasn''t for your prowess, I would have feared your abduction as well."
"One of her regulars noticed her missing and sent me a letter. I traveled straight to the city after reading it." He lied easily.
"Your worry was justified. I won''t fault you there. That being said, what you did was reckless. I understand in the past you may have acted on your own. That is no longer your situation, you should have consulted me. I would have provided my aid."
"Sorry" He scratched his head sheepishly. He couldn''t explain that he had an entire team at his back. "I wasn''t in the most rational of moods."
"I won''t begrudge you for it. Ancestors know I''ve had the same tendencies. I simply want to provide a reminder that you are not alone."
Cal stood there awkwardly, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Lily''s entrance saved him from formulating a reply.
"Phew." She rejoined them. "That feels a lot better."
Her appearance remained in disarray but she was otherwise in good spirits.
"What are we talking about?"
Alice held his eye for a moment before addressing her.
"I was about to inquire on what transpired last night. Specifically in regards to Petro."
"We don''t have to worry about him." Lily waved off her concerns. "The dinner I just gave up is joining whatever''s left of him."
Cal thought that an eloquent way of putting it.
"Elaborate." Alice asked, her tone conveying the seriousness of the request.
Lily took a seat on the couch and recapped Cal''s version of events.
"I see." Alice said after digesting the information. "Given the circumstances, I can''t say I disapprove."
He''d pegged Lily to be a tad cavalier with life but he''d not expected Alice to share that attitude. Though come to think of it at their first meeting she did try to roast him.
"Don''t be overly astonished." Something must have shown on his face. "Father believes he has been successful in shielding me from the worst of our situation. He is wrong, even if I allow him to maintain his delusion." She said tersely before giving him a searching look. "Curious, you do not appear to be as distraught as someone who has taken their first life?"
Cal''s mind didn''t have to work hard for a reason.
"You''ve seen what Emily is like. Not everyone knows how to take ''no'' for an answer."
Lily hummed in understanding while Alice grimaced.
"That brings us to our next steps. We must prepare for the scrutiny that will befall us." She gave a sigh. "I will write to Mother again. We''ll relocate Emily to our estate. There we can shield her from the prying eyes of the Justiciars."
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"Not happening." He shut down that line of thought.
"I realize you''re fond of her presence. I ask you to set those feelings aside. When it comes to commoners without backings, the Justiciars can be forceful in the methods."
"She won''t go for it." Cal shook his head. "Emily is a stubborn girl. The second you try to explain it she''ll see it as running away and refuse."
The rebuttal Alice had prepared looked to be stuck in her throat. Lily took the opportunity to interject.
"She''s helped you clean things up before. Hasn''t she?"
"Emily can handle herself." He gave a non-committal answer. The girls shared a look and nodded to each other.
"So be it. I''ll extend the offer as a matter of courtesy. The decision itself will be left in her hands. On the more fortunate side of things. The prudent action you two undertook for what I presume and hope was an alibi has proven effective"
Cal didn''t like the sound of that.
"How effective are we talking about?" He asked warrily.
The smile forming on her face did little to alleviate him.
¡ª
The sun was brighter than it ought to have been. It probably wasn''t but it sure felt that way.
"I believe we agreed upon an earlier meeting." Marcus was already on the training grounds. Trident sunk into the ground beside him, he had his arms crossed and regarded Cal with narrow eyes.
Whoever''s bright idea it was to schedule this now should take a long walk off a short bridge. Could Lily swim? He wasn''t sure. Maybe he''d toss her into the ocean as hard as he could and find out.
It wasn''t solely drunk Lily''s fault. Drunk Cal had agreed with her assessment. No guilty person in their right mind would set up a training session the day after they disappeared someone. Especially when the training partner was well familiar with the missing person.
Well, they certainly weren''t in their right mind.
Sober Cal saw the logic. That didn''t stop him from wanting to throttle both of their past drunk selves. Neither of them had initially remembered the conversation so he only found out after he plugged in his phone and saw a message asking if there had been a change in plans.
"Sorry, it was a late night." Cal supplied, hoping they could quickly move past it.
"I''ve heard." His expression remained unreadable. It didn''t stop Cal from feeling the disapproval. "It seems there is work to be done with teaching you how to comport as a noble."
Marcus'' nose twitched as he neared. Cal had reason to believe he was the cause. He''d already been late so had to run over before having the chance to take a shower.
"Did you encounter anyone on your way here?"
"No, campus is pretty dead." Because rational people were sleeping at this time on a Saturday morning.
"Fortunate, remember to use the facilities here before leaving. You have a strong odor. It makes me believe more spirits were spilled on you than ingested."
Again, drunk Lily. The sewers were unsanitary so of course it made perfect sense to disinfect by dumping alcohol on him.
Had they not been nobles he was sure they would have been thrown out on their ass. He made a note to take some time and send an apology letter.
"Catch." Cal said while tossing a small pouch over. Marcus received it, earning a jingle from its contents.
He opened it, holding out his palm and letting some of the bells roll onto it. They were crude things. Created out of cutlery by Lily. She''d not asked what they had been for.
"Go ahead and tie them to your clothes" Cal pointed to sections of his body. "About here, here, here-"
The bag dropped to the floor, the bells scattering on the ground.
"I was under the assumption you were sincere in your offer" Marcus leveled a harsh gaze towards him. "Yet you appear to be making a jester of me."
Huh, guess it did look that way. In fairness, he had no idea if this was going to work.
"I''m being serious, look here." Cal stepped forward and crouched by them. He gathered some together. There was a pin on one side letting him hook it onto his clothes. He secured several on his chest, sleeves, and collar.
Tugging on a few, he made sure they wouldn''t fall out on their own. Satisfied he rose to his full height.
"Go ahead and try stabbing me."
Marcus didn''t waste a moment hesitating, the trident finding its way to his hands and piercing towards Cal.
Cal didn''t move a step, instead angling his body slightly for the trident to miss its mark.
The weapon retracted and Marcus'' mood didn''t seem to have changed.
Cal let out a large exhale, unclipping one of the ones on his chest and holding it out for the man.
"Put this on, right were I put on mine."
To his credit, Marcus didn''t immediately rebuff him this time. Having realized there was a method to the madness.
"I''m going to attack you now." Cal informed once the bell was in place.
His spear moved forward, laggardly. The speed of it was a shadow of what Marcus had displayed. It was to neither of their amazement when it too, missed its intended target.
Marcus stared down at his chest. His eyes trailed up to Cal. Without asking he launched another attack that Cal dodged in turn. A few more came. The only sound in the field was the swishing of the wind and the jingling of bells.
Silence descended as Marcus retracted his trident and rested it against the floor. A frown was on his face.
"Wind magic?" The tone of the question showed his dubiousness.
Cal shook his head in response.
"Sound? Metal?"
He gave the same reply to both.
"Do you get it now?"
"They''re to track your movements." Marcus spoke after gathering his thoughts. "The larger your actions the louder they ring."
Cal gave him a thumbs up, confirming his deduction.
"Yep, all that extra noise you generated compared to me? That means I''m using fewer moves to get the same effect."
"That is, certainly a peculiar method of training." Marcus'' voice was laced with intrigue. "Where did you learn this?"
A cartoon from a past life, is not the answer he was going to provide. Not that anyone would believe him.
"I tried a lot of things growing up. Not all of it stuck but this one did."
He''d never had a teacher so his magic and combat skills were self-taught. He didn''t know how to go about it when he was younger and, for lack of a better option, ended up copying whatever he remembered from old cartoons. The vast majority did not work and several of them...suffice it to say it was a good thing he couldn''t die.
This was one of the few he saw benefit in. Cal could never get the bells to be silent without cheating, however, the practice of trying to did wonders for improving his skill at dodging. Whether it would work for someone else¡.well it was better than his backup plan of chucking the noble deep into the Waste.
"I see. It seems I judged you rashly." His eyes turned to Cal''s spear. He flipped the trident, using the dull end to nudge Cal''s grip lower. "Placement is important for controlling your thrust. You''ve displayed adequate dexterity so it should be a simple matter of familiarizing yourself with the forms."
The but of the trident shifted lower and drew a line in the ground.
"Your stance will be critical, you tend to favor a narrow one. It needs to be roughly this wide." He tapped the line.
Cal shifted his feet to the desired width. He then gestured to the other bells that had remained discarded on the floor.
"Let''s get those on, then you can show me the rest while wearing them. Kill two birds with one stone."
"I''m not sure what your aversion to avians is, but I agree it will be wise to practice both simultaneously. Perhaps it will lead to an improvement in my own spearmanships."
Cal let out a snicker to Marcus'' confusion.
"Thought you said a trident was completely different to a spear."
Marcus looked to have swallowed a lemon.
Chapter 33
Cal sat in a small, out-of-the-way cafe while eating a small lunch. He was trying to avoid the crowds. Eating in his dorm would be a surefire way of accomplishing that but it was currently occupied. He also spent the entire morning training and he didn''t have the will left to make something himself.
He''d hoped to be able to go unnoticed here. The voice that had called his name proved otherwise.
Turning around, he saw Jessica flanked by two others he didn''t recognize.
"Hey Jessica" He greeted tiredly. "Where''s Ryan?"
He found the two not usually far apart.
"He''s doing some club thing." She pointed to the empty chairs. "Do you mind if we join you?"
He should have taken this to go.
"Feel free." He said in a tone implying they should not.
They either ignored or missed the message as they readily set down their plates and took their seats.
"Hmmm." Jessica leaned forward with her head resting on her fist. "Anne would never forgive me if I let this pass." She said as a way of explanation. "What went on with you last night?"
"I''m not sure what you''re referring to" He defended weakly. It wasn''t a complete lie, he''d avoided the forums like the plague and refused to listen to anything Alice had to say about it.
Jessica''s mouth parted, paused, and then closed. Her eyes studied him, specifically his chest.
"That''s not your shirt."
Her observation was spot on.
"It''s not-" He cut himself off. He was about to say it belonged to Marcus. The man had lent, or rather gifted him a spare he kept in his locker. "Any of your business?"
Her friends shared a look.
"I''m going to level with you guys. It was a long night of poor decisions." Most of which were made by our dearly departed. "I''d rather talk about literally anything else."
In truth, he''d rather talk about nothing.
"Oh no, you''re not getting out that easy" Jessica''s eyes narrowed. "Spill, what happened? Or do you want me to start listing what I''ve heard?"
No, that was pointedly not something he wanted.
"Nothing happened. I had one too many drinks and that''s it."
"Are you sure that ''I'' wasn''t meant to be plural?" Jessica asked with a raised eyebrow.
Cal huffed and looked to the side. Knowing it was meant to be talked about did nothing to help with the discomfort.
"Lily happened to be there." He reluctantly admitted.
"First name basis already?" The edges of her lips upturned, resembling the cat who caught the canary.
"I just called you Jessica." Cal leaned back, beginning to get exasperated by the line of questioning. "Are you saying we have a thing?"
"Oh my, how forward." She batted her eyelashes and held a hand to her face in a scandalous matter. "Don''t let Ryan hear that. He''s surprisingly jealous, I wouldn''t want you to suddenly disappear."
This conversation was entering dangerous territory.
"I''m going to reiterate. Can we talk about literally anything else?"
"Oh fine. Although I will point out you called her by a nickname and not her given." He glared at her innocent expression. "How did your exams go?"
He took the out, even if it led to another topic he''d rather not discuss.
"I passed everything I took." Cal replied while mentally cringing.
The results weren''t posted yet but he didn''t have a hard time of it so barring some wonky grading he''d be fine. The problem was that he skipped out on his last one. It was something Alice hadn''t quite pieced together yet and he was loathe to point out. He''d have to talk to the professor about it. An excuse would have to be made, something not to the effect of ''I was busy speaking to Federation spies operating in the city.''
"That''s good to hear. I might not have done so well on one of mine. Professor Klechin was very unreasonable."
One of her friends, a girl with blonde highlights nodded emphatically and joined the conversation.
"I know, at least we''ll be done with him after this year. I''ll go insane if I get marked down again for not showing all my work. Like, the answer is right. What does it matter how I got there?"
"I can''t believe you two still don''t get how to deal with him." The other student, a guy with various piercings shook his head. " All you have to do is show up to his office hours, ask a question or two, and you''re golden."
Jessica scoffed at the comment.
"And have the old creep leer at me? No thanks."
"I know!" The girl hoped in her seat. "He''s gotten worse, hasn''t he? I''ve caught him staring a bunch of times."
"Nothing so overt but I''ve felt his eyes." Jessica shivered, recalling the memory.
"Can''t you report him?" Cal asked.
"He''s the brother of Duke Ferrum. It''s not worth the political capital to have him reprimanded."
"That guy''s pretty strong isn''t he?" There were a handful of names Cal had been aware of prior to arriving in the Empire. Duke Ferrum was one of them.
''Tough Bastard'' is how he was described.
"Are you ill? Every member of the Fingers is without peer." The girl with highlights answered him.
By definition, they were each other''s peers but Cal didn''t correct her.
Cal chewed on his sandwich while thinking.
"He might be retiring soon." The piercing guy speculated. "Klechin is probably bitter that his sister was chosen over him to be the steward of their house. If the Duke leaves active service, that means he''ll never get the chance."
"Ugh, rather he be steward than deal with him here."
"You want him in charge of the Western front?"
"Who knows, with any luck he''d die defending against a beast wave."
"You shouldn''t joke like that, if he ends up on the front lines then that means the worst has happened." Jessica broke in between the two''s debate with a serious expression.
Cal took a sip of his drink. A resentful younger brother of a powerful duke. It sounded like a dangerous combination. It certainly came off as a more promising lead than a bastard or ducal heir.
"What''s he teach?" The trio looked at him strangely. "You know, so I can avoid him in the future."
"I wouldn''t worry about that. He doesn''t teach senior courses and the chances of you getting him for next semester is¡slim." Jessica finished with an awkward smile.
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"Is he involved in any campus organizations?" If he hung out with a shady group it would build his case.
They all looked at each other and gave a collective shrug.
That was less than helpful.
A flash appeared in the corner of his eye. The student who''d caused it quickly hid their phone. Prompting a series of giggles from their table.
That better not become a thing.
"You can''t blame them. After what yo-"
Jessica silenced her with a look.
"What Raina is trying to say. Is that it''s natural to be curious after the stir from last night."
"What Jessica is trying to say, is if you don''t want people taking pictures of you. Maybe don''t break a bar."
"What Harold is trying to -"
Cal raised his hands in surrender.
"I get it.".
He was getting Lily into a sobriety program before he left.
"Hey, man." Harold clapped him on the shoulder. "look on the bright side. Everyone''s forgotten about the duel you chickened out of."
Sure. The problem would be when they remembered.
¡ª
After lunch, Cal was thinking about where he could lay low when he spotted a familiar silhouette headed in his direction.
"Benjamin, how''s it going?" Cal greeted the man.
"Callum." Benjamin nodded in response. "Do you have prior obligations or are you available right now?"
"I''m free, what''s the deal? Something for the club?" Cal didn''t mind hanging out with the man. He''d make good insect repellant.
"Nothing like that. As I''ve said, we only required your name for roster purposes. Rather I am here on behalf of his highness. He wishes to speak with you."
"Nevermind. Turns out I''m super busy." Cal didn''t miss a beat, turning around and walking away.
"Please reconsider. I would consider it a personal favor." Benjamin called out behind him.
Cal paused his step. He didn''t want to deal with the prince. Especially today of all days. It just so happened he needed a favor.
He swiveled and faced the man again.
"I want to add a supplier for our club. A grocer I found. It''s not a fancy place but they have good produce. That something you can do?"
Benjamin perked up.
"Absolutely. However, I would need to inspect it myself. Shall we organize a visit? We can leave for it after your conversation with His Highness."
Cal was taken aback by the eagerness displayed.
"There''s no rush. We can organize it later." he hurriedly replied. Visiting the city again this weekend was a firm no.
"I see." Benjamin spoke with a subdued voice and Cal felt like he''d kicked a puppy. "I overstepped. My apologies."
"We''ll go. The timing is bad right now because¡house heir sorta grounded me." When in doubt, throw Alice under the bus.
A look of understanding flashed across Benjamin''s eyes.
"You needn''t explain further. I would like to clarify that acquiring a new supplier is your right as a club member. I do not consider that as paying a favor. That being said, are you willing to meet with His Highness?"
There were many other things Cal would prefer to do.
"Fine fine." Cal sighed. "Lead the way and let''s get this over with."
He didn''t particularly need another favor from the man. He simply found it hard to say no in the face of the pitiful expression.
He had to remind himself this was the man most of the campus was afraid of, it wasn''t hard with people shying away from them.
Cal found the silence slightly awkward and decided to break it.
"So what got you into cooking?"
The man inclined his head in his direction. Benjamin then pulled back his sleeve, revealing a bracer of some sort. Cal felt him pour magic into it. A bubble settled in around them, preventing them from being heard by outsiders.
"May I ask first how you took it up?"
Cal obliged, not seeing any harm in it.
"I was on my own for a while. Life''s a lot easier with a good meal and the only way I was getting one was if I did it myself."
Benjamin mulled his words. Cal was wondering if he changed his mind about answering when he finally spoke.
"My mother taught me. It always amazed me. How she, a woman without an ounce of magical talent, could evoke such a reaction from those meant to be far above her. I wanted to wield such power and begged her to teach me. She did, for a time. Once my potential was discovered, I put greater importance on training my martial ability." Benjamin''s voice was laced with sorrow.
"I''m sorry for your loss." Cal muttered.
"The past is written. However, the ink has yet to dry on the future. I honor her memory as best I can by putting my heart and soul into the craft she dedicated her life to. Regardless of anyone''s opinion."
"For what it''s worth. I think that''s a pretty cool way to live."
"As I said. I do not take in the opinions of others." Benjamin spoke tersely before softening. "I believe in this case I will make an exception."
Cal didn''t fight back the small grin that formed on his face.
"How''d you end up serving the prince anyway?" He took the opportunity to ask a question that he''d thought of before.
Benjamin gave his own smile.
"My mother served in the kitchen of the Imperial Palace. His Highness had a habit of sneaking off when he was younger. As the son of a servant, I was not familiar with his visage. So when I saw a strange boy stealing from the pantry, I took it upon myself to intervene." He chuckled, recalling a fond memory. "I subdued him easily. At the time I felt accomplished, looking at it now I realize he was humoring me. He managed to sway me into releasing him and we became acquaintances. Then, soon after friends. I never questioned why he avoided the sight of the adults when we played together. It was weeks after when we were spotted by a Royal Guard that I realized I''d been played a fool. My mother and the other servants were aghast at the revelation, I was made to peel potatoes for months afterward."
"Best friends ever since then?"
"There were more steps involved but in essence, yes. His Highness, well I won''t deny he can be difficult to deal with some days." The delivery of that told Cal the ''difficult'' was being downplayed. "He''s a good man with a strong heart. I understand your first meeting was less than ideal. I''d ask you to provide His Highness a second chance as it would."
"If it was someone else I might think they were playing lip service." Cal stuck his hands in his pockets and kicked an errant rock from the path. "You owe him a lot don''t you."
"Owe him?" Benjamin tilted his head in Cal''s direction and shook it. "Friends do not keep accounts between themselves. They trust, rely, and support one another without restraint. That I hold such a friendship shows what differentiates His Highness from the rest of our colleagues." Benjamin''s gaze swept toward some of the bolder students and they quickly ducked or otherwise averted their sight. "Nobles are transactional in nature. Had I entered the service of any of them I would be expected to give all I have, life included, for the fortune they graced me." Benjamin''s vitriol leaked beyond his words and Cal felt the surroundings tense. "Make no mistake, I would give my life for His Highness. Only, I know he would do the same for me."
Cal hummed in response. Not wanting to commit to anything. It was a ringing endorsement. A hollow feeling entered him. He didn''t want or need anyone to die for him. But would anyone? The closest he was to a person in this life was Albert and yet the old man was ignorant to his true nature. Only Her and Millie had any inkling of it.
He slapped himself with both palms. This wasn''t worth thinking about it. Benjamin gave him an odd look but withheld any comments.
Eventually, they made their way into a building. Its design was such that it appeared as if someone had taken a normal building and twisted it while pulling upwards. There was a spiral staircase that they used to ascend several stories. At the end was a door, Benjamin made to open it before pausing and turning.
"As a final word, there were, are many who took offense to the future Emperor keeping a commoner in such close company. His Highness pays them no mind, we are all his subjects. I hope you remember that."
The meaning Cal extracted from that was surely different than intended. The prince saw all those beneath him as equal. How perfectly narcissistic.
The door swung open and Benjamin beckoned him forward. Cal went through finding himself in a pleasant rooftop garden with unpleasant company.
There were potted flowers on stone benches decorating the scenery. A small fountain stood at the center with some birds currently taking refuge. Rolland stood some meters away observing it. He turned to them.
"Ah, Benny. I see, as always, you succeeded in your task."
"Have I done something to make you doubt my capability?" Benjamin asked with an edge. In light of their conversation, Cal recognized the playfulness in it.
"No no. Rein that bloodlust of yours in. We can''t be fighting up here, the vice headmistress will have both of our hides. However, I would make an exception if dear Callum here decides now is an opportune time for our rematch."
"Fat chance." Cal didn''t mince his words. Benjamin was nice and all but that wouldn''t mean Cal was going to play nice with this prick.
"How hurtful. In any case, there are some matters to discuss, Benny if you would?"
"I believe my knives require some maintenance." Benjamin gave a shallow bow and left via the door they entered.
Were they supposed to maintain their weapons? Did he need to sharpen his spear or something?
"I''ve been hoping to talk to you for some time, you tend to alter direction whenever I near. A coincidence I''m sure."
"I wasn''t trying to be subtle about it." Cal crossed his arms, meeting the man''s stare.
"I''ll admit I played a mean-spirited joke. That being said, your reaction to it feels disproportional. Tell me, is it something else I did or do you simply disagree with my position?"
"It''s not that." Cal denied it, even if he wasn''t sure what Rolland meant by position. "You remind me of someone I don''t get along with."
That was an understatement if he ever said one. The Second Seat and he had skirmished many times. The man had a way with words that would make you want to squeeze his neck until his eyes popped out. He couldn''t regard them as fights, neither of them were ever serious. That included their last encounter. As much as it pained him to acknowledge, the First and Second did not pull out all the stops in countering him. That''s not to say they were letting him continue on his march to HQ, they just didn''t try as hard as they could when stopping him.
He often wondered what would have happened if Millie hadn''t talked sense into him and hashed out a deal with the brass.
"Oh, so you judge me based on your perception of another? I have to say, I thought better of you." Rolland spoke in a disapproving tone.
Cal suddenly felt like a bit of an ass. That was what he was doing, wasn''t it? He''d mostly gotten over it now but there was a time when he was upset over the majority of people projecting the Fourth''s reputation onto him. His life would have been far smoother if they''d treated him as his own person.
Damn, he was a hypocrite.
"You''re right." Cal said while releasing a tense breath.
"Hmm?" Rolland tilted his head while looking at Cal. "Many people attempt to lie and curry favor but I can feel it. You mean that."
"It was irrational. I shouldn''t have treated you that way. It wasn''t fair."
The smile on Rolland''s face gained a different quality. Cal couldn''t be sure it wasn''t a trick of the light but somehow it felt more genuine.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Rolland."
Cal took the hand offered to him, giving it a firm shake.
"Name''s Callum."
The hand felt cold in his grip.
"Great to meet you, Callum. Would you like to talk about last night?"
Chapter 34
"Did you have to break my hand?"
Rolland sat on a bench cradling his hand in an exaggerated manner. Cal had maybe, no he probably overreacted there. It wasn''t a great second start.
"Let''s just pretend that didn''t happen." Thankfully, he''d managed to restrain himself. "You''re fine. I barely squeezed. Now do you want to keep playing around or tell me what you meant by all that."
Cal''s initial panic had been tampered down. There was no way he would be connected to Petro''s disappearance this quickly unless the man or one of his associates had informed someone else when they''d ''kidnapped'' him.
In which case¡well it wasn''t worth speculating about.
"Are you always this hostile to people trying to help you?" Rolland pushed off the bench, dropping the charade. "Had it been any other student you would have shattered the bones."
"Yeah, yeah, sorry." Cal gave a little ground. "I doubt you''re bringing it up for idle gossip. You don''t seem the type." Then again, he didn''t actually know the man too well. "Fair warning, if that is the reason I''m reserving the right to break your nose again."
Rolland''s face lit up with laughter and Cal moved his attention to the skyline. Realizing he had a prejudice was alot easier than being rid of it.
"If I wanted to gossip I''d ask why you''re wearing Marcus'' shirt."
"Is it that noticeable?" Cal looked down.
He thought it fit pretty well.
"It''s readily apparent," Rolland answered with mirth. "And while personally, I find your readiness to use casual violence against me amusing, I''d watch that type of language around others. I can think of several who would be calling for your arrest for that comment."
Cal snorted, he wasn''t that oblivious. This roof was isolated and if the Prince wanted to talk alone, chances were they were alone.
"I get it, I''ll be careful. Now do you want to explain what you meant?"
"Very well." The prince nodded and continued with a serious tone. "What exactly is your relationship with Liliane?"
Cal nodded to himself, coming to peace with his decision. He walked to the prince and grabbed his blazer.
"What are you doing?" The prince asked more perplexed than alarmed.
"I''m about to see how far I can throw you off this roof," Cal replied while dragging Rolland to the ledge. "Bet you it''s further than you think."
He''d probably be fine, he was sturdy after all. An excuse would need to be given to Benjamin, Cal could tell him the man went to get some air. That should work.
A hand clamped down on his wrist, putting a not-insignificant amount of pressure. Right, this guy wasn''t a total pushover. It wasn''t enough to stop him but did give him pause.
"Callum, I''m beginning to wonder if you ever think before acting."
"I was joking." Cal defended while releasing the man, he probably would have stopped himself eventually. "I wasn''t actually going to do anything."
Rolland clasped his shoulder and gave him a flat stare.
"My position mandates I be adept at spotting deceit. I can''t be the first to tell you this but, you''re a bad liar."
Cal was not looking to correct him on that front. It was better to be thought of as an open book. He shrugged off the arm and thought back on the prince''s question. If it wasn''t for the sake of ribbing then Cal could think of another reason for the line of questioning.
"I''m about to get a crash course on noble politics aren''t I?" Flashbacks to the sessions with Claire appeared in his head, they weren''t memories he wanted to relive.
"You say the oddest things. The issue does center around politics. I ask again, what is your relationship with her?"
"There is none." Rolland raised a brow, unimpressed with his response. "She''s friends with Alice. Most of our interactions are because of that. There''s no deeper meaning."
That wasn''t even a lie, whether he''d believe the truth or not wasn''t a problem to Cal. Rolland tried to stifle a chuckle and Cal resisted the temptation to retaliate.
"You''re more innocent than I expected." The prince continued after recovering. "I presume you don''t know about her situation."
Cal hadn''t forgotten about the encounter with the Lucas fellow, his position was the same as then.
"It''s none of my business."
"Incorrect." Rolland shook his head. "And foolish. Your actions last night and leading up to it have made it your concern."
It would be easier if he could just close his eyes and pretend none of this would affect him. From the phrasing, he gathered that was not the case.
"Alright, lay it on me. What exactly did I get myself involved in?"
"It''s a common story with uncommon actors. Liliane Arcutien, third daughter of Marquess Arcutien is betrothed to William Fulgur, first son of Count Fulgur. William is some years our senior and currently the youngest serving member of the Fingers."
Cal was beginning to see the problem.
"So some jealous guy might come here thinking I''m messing with his girl." That could be annoying to deal with. He really should have just taken the staff gig. "If that does happen I can set the record straight. Nothing''s going on. In fact she''s attacked me several times."
"You''re non-plussed for potentially offending one of our Empire''s strongest. I could be mistaken for thinking you''d just been told a fly flew into your soup. Arrogance or confidence? I suspect a mixture of both. I really would like to fight you again."
"Stay on topic please." He''d need to learn how to get his ass kicked in a convincing way to get some of this suspicion off him.
"Perception matters more than truth. I for one, believe you." That was nice? "With both of your personalities, we have to thank the Ancestors you''ve not maimed each other." That made more sense. "Not all are as familiar with the individuals in question. In the past, Liliane has made no secret of her opposition to the arrangement and this could be another rebellion of hers. One neither family would be amused by."
"And then both sides squeeze and I get crushed in between. Did I get that right?"
"You did. The Count and the Marquess have already signed the agreement. There is little she can do to fight it. Pardon me, I misspoke. There is one avenue to resolve her predicament. One she is aware of and working towards. I won''t bore you with history but there exists a provision in Imperial law that disallows engagements between any two members of the Fingers. We wouldn''t want any of them getting ideas."
Rolland delivered that as if it was some inside joke before resuming as normal.
"Liliane has made her intention to join their ranks vocal. However, she is past the age of maturity. I don''t know what deal she had arranged with her father but she could theoretically be married at any time. It''s possible that the publicity of your stunt last night could accelerate that timeline. William''s younger brother, Lucas, has no doubt informed his family of what occurred."
Shadowy cultists, a member of the Fingers, and Noble families. Did anyone else want to jump out and cause problems for him? He''d have to create a ticketing system at this rate.
"I appreciate the heads up but it doesn''t seem like I can do anything here besides wait for the other shoe to drop."
"I haven''t finished. House Arcutien has deep roots and is enjoying a period of great prosperity. They would make strong allies. Can you think of any House that may be tempted to make that type of connection? I''m sure it was just a coincidence you two have spent so much time together in these short weeks."
It was Cal''s turn to laugh.
"You think¡that Alice is trying to set us up or something?" It was a ridiculous notion. "She isn''t but let''s say she was, does she expect the the Arcutiens to just drop their current deal? That seems stupidly optimistic."
"I would agree it is optimistic, however, it''s not stupid. If William takes offense and comes to deal with the situation he could, theoretically, be goaded into a duel. That sort of scandal would make waves in the Empire. A Finger facing a new student? Nobles from all corners will come to witness the farce. Only it wouldn''t be a farce, would it? I won''t claim to be able to best them but I would not be easily swept aside. By extension, neither would you. Winning would be a secondary objective, merely displaying your ability would be enough to put your name on the lips of every one of import. I''m sure she''d prefer if the Arcutiens would break their engagement but even if they don''t, there will be no shortage of bidders."
Alice was paranoid, there was no way she''d call that much attention to them. Even if he ignored that, Cal couldn''t see her being capable of using Lily like that. No, someone was trying to manipulate him here and it wasn''t Alice.
"You''re not telling me this out of the goodness of your heart. What''s the punchline."
"Astute. Then I won''t tiptoe around it any longer. You have great potential and others will try to use it to serve their ends. They will try to use you. You''ve seen how I treat Benjamin, I don''t stand on ceremony with my subordinates."
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
It took him more than a few seconds to process that.
"Are you offering me a job?" The skepticism in his tone was heavy.
"I''m offering you an alternative path. Do the Ardere''s deserve your loyalty? You''ve not painted a good picture of them. With my influence, I will be able to pressure them to release their hold on you. You''d be able to smoothly enter my employ and be shielded from those silly games normal nobles play."
They didn''t have it in the first place. The guy was barking up the wrong tree.
"No." He gave a simple answer, not bothering to ask how such a deal would even be made.
Rolland didn''t look put off by his response.
"I expected that. Consider it a standing offer. If nothing comes of it I''m happy enough to enjoy our time together as classmates. " Cal took the cue that the conversation was over. He made to leave when Rolland spoke. "One last thing. Don''t mention this to Benny unless you intend to accept. If he finds out you rejected the offer, well I''m not responsible for whatever happens after."
¡ª
"Speak of the devil" Cal greeted Lily who had been waiting for him at the base of the building. "Are you tracking me?"
"Think I have to?" She pointed her phone at a group shamelessly gawking. "We''re hot news right now."
He glared at the group, which earned a fit of giggles. That used to work well¡.
"Should you be here then? No need to throw more wood on the fire."
"Who cares what they think." Lily shrugged, unbothered by the attention. "Now come on, we got places to be." She started walking and he followed along. "What did you mean by the whole speak of the devil thing?"
"Had a chat with a certain someone." Cal obfusticated, conscious that they might be overheard. "Told me a little about you and what could happen with the rumors now."
Lily took it better than he expected, giving a wry smile.
"Yeah¡leave that with me." She had an air of confidence when speaking of it.
That somehow made Cal nervous.
"He mentioned something where a big shot could try causing trouble?"
That earned a small fit of laughter.
"William?" She spoke after getting her emotions under control. "Trust me, you don''t have to worry about him. He and I are on the same page about this thing. It''s the old people who can''t get a clue."
"You don''t think his family will make him do something stupid? Lucas was pretty heated that night."
She scowled in response.
"They can try. As a Finger he can act independent of them but, well." She dragged him down and whispered. "He''s a total pushover. The type of guy who wants to please everyone." She released him and continued. "If he does try anything, I''ll deal with it. I don''t need anyone fighting my battles."
Fair enough, he had enough on his plate already. He kept Rolland''s speculation about Alice''s motives to himself. It would probably just piss her off.
He kept an eye on where they were going and soon realized it was to a place he''d been meaning to visit.
The central clock tower. It housed the offices of most of the higher-level administrators so he figured he''d need to familiarize himself with the layout for future investigation.
"Any particular reason we''re going here?" He asked the girl who had been distracted for a moment texting. "Or is this some sort of impromptu tour?"
"Oh. Right, I forgot to mention it." She looked up at him with a mischievous grin. "We''re in trouble~"
¡ª
Cal didn''t think he''d ever been sent to the Principal''s office. He couldn''t be sure but any prior experience would probably be moot considering this wasn''t exactly your normal school.
And this was by no means a normal office.
Green, was his first thought upon entering. The office was lush with plant life. Walls were lined with potters and vines ran across the ceiling. The furniture and floor looked to be a part of one organism, a living tree.
He was sat at one of two uncomfortable chairs facing the desk. The chair opposite them was larger than theirs and had branches stretching out, almost forming a halo. The woman sitting at it did not give him any sort of angel vibes.
"Lady Arcutien and Mr. Ardere, do either of you want to venture a guess as to why I''m taking time out of my weekend to speak to both of you."
The Deputy Headmistress was dressed similarly to their last encounter during the joust he hadn''t got to witness. Her hands were steepled across the desk and she glowered at the pair of them.
"Because you have no friends," Lily said flippantly.
While it matched her cavalier attitude, from the way the room began to writhe, it was not the smartest of retorts.
Cal shifted in the seat, why did it feel like he sitting on a rose bush?
"My personal life is none of your concern."
"And neither is ours," Lily was quick to follow up. "Buzz off and let us live a little. We were off campus."
Cal shot a look at Lily, trying to tell her to shut up. The deputy already didn''t like him, there was no reason to further antagonize her.
"Normally, I would be happy to agree with you. I have enough work to do with managing your behavior on campus." From what he''d seen so far, Cal didn''t envy that job. "However, I''d like to show you something."
The deputy headmistress held out a palm and a folder was deposited by a vine. She opened it, shielding its contents from them. A single picture was slid across the desk and he leaned forward to see it.
It was a mid-action shot of Lily clambering on top of a table. Another picture was passed over, showing the floor, having fallen on her ass.
"You really can''t hold your liquor." He muttered and she elbowed him as two more pictures were displayed.
Lily was back on the table with a light bulb now held in her hand. She held a finger to the socket she had pulled it from. The final picture was too dark to make anything out.
"That little stunt you pulled shorted out an entire district." The deputy headmistress said while grinding her teeth. "Do you have any idea how much in damages that''s going to cost?"
"Father will pay for it," Lily replied easily. "Do you think I can keep this one? I look pretty good in it"
The hand reaching out for it was ensnared by a vine that began twisting. That was understandable, what wasn''t was why he was suddenly ensnared as well.
"I get why she''s here," He said as he contemplated the consequences of starting a small fire. "But why am I?"
He didn''t jump, even as he felt thorns begin to grow into his seat. Good to know he wasn''t crazy.
"Apart from allegedly encouraging her." She reached under her desk and slammed something down. "Care to tell me what this is?"
He would say a melted candle but it was the wrong shape.
"Modern art?" He didn''t have any better guesses.
"According to one irritated party, this is the remains of a Category 4 demon''s tusk."
"Impossible." Cal refuted the claim without hesitation. "Those don''t burn well. At most, you''re looking at exterior charring."
The few times he chose to use fire they were among the pieces left over.
"And how do you know that?"
She scrutinized him, he looked to Lily for support only to see her questioning expression.
Oh, right¡
"I read it," Cal replied in his most authoritative voice. "In a book."
With the size of the library, he was sure there were multiple volumes detailing the tusk''s properties.
"I commend you for your studies," The deputy''s tone conveyed she did not. "However, its owner believes otherwise."
"Put in on my tab," Lily decided to come to his aid. "Father won''t know the difference."
"I won''t. It''s clearly a fake." She removed the melted wax sculpture and he felt the restraints ease. "The point is that this paints the Academy in a poor light. With the current political environment, we can''t have that."
Why was everything politics? Just tell him who to fry¡
She pointed at them with two extended fingers.
"Both of you will be subject to disciplinary action. The nature of which will be communicated to you in due course."
Lily seemed to have enough and forcibly rose from the seat, snapping some of the vines and causing the surroundings to erupt in a flurry of activity.
"Just say community service. Isn''t that what you always give me?"
Cal watched the room carefully, taking note of all the pokey bits aimed in their direction.
"That''s enough Liliane, behave like the adult you are."
That''s rich.
"Excuse me, Mr. Ardere." Her attention turned to him. He''d not meant to say that out loud. "Care to add anything."
Lily was looking at him with some anticipation, he was going to disappoint her.
"In the interest of self-preservation, I''m going to say no.."
"Self-preservation?" Lily snorted in his direction. "When did you get that?"
Cal closed his eyes and took a breath, repeating a mantra in his head.
Don''t burn down the school.
But maybe a single office was okay?
Chapter 35
Cal ducked, the greatsword passing harmlessly over his head. It rounded back and tried to bisect him next. He brought his spear up and a harsh clang swept the field. Both weapons strained against each other. The greatsword pulled back, causing him to overextend. He dropped the weapon and shifted to the side to avoid the boot coming his way.
"Bzzzt," Lily said, adding sparks for effect. "Point to Alie."
The three of them were in a practice area. It was much nicer than the one his class was held at.
The ground was some compact type of earth, it was difficult to upend and wasn''t prone to kicking up dust. There wasn''t much of an audience section but it was fully enclosed, providing them some privacy.
On paper, they were training during his lunch hour. In reality, it felt like they were blowing off some steam. Trying to at least, Alice seemed frustrated she couldn''t land a hit on him. In response, they''d implemented a system where if he dropped his weapon it counted as a point against him. Given he wasn''t trying to get hit or waste magic unneeded, the score was very much against him.
"I would think that habit would have been snuffed out by now," Alice commented while settling her breathing.
"Is it that much of a surprise?" Lily began walking over, seeing her turn coming up. "Guy has a hard head. Trust me, he tried to bash in my skull with it."
That was one way to twist the facts. He blinked and when he opened them again he needed to jerk his shoulder back, avoiding an array of blades.
This damn girl. Couldn''t even wait for a signal.
Her attack not landing didn''t dissuade her and she followed up swiftly with a barrage of swipes.
Cal had learned fairly quickly that Lily was annoying to fight. Her weapons were interesting, the kind of thing that would have never been used in his past life. It was a pair of bracers with extended claws, he''d called her a wannabe wolverine if the reference wouldn''t be lost.
Parrying or otherwise making contact with her weapons was a poor idea, as arcs of lightning readily jumped through his weapon and attempted to jolt him. It didn''t work but it was one more thing to watch out for. He''d also found out she was ambidextrous, it felt like fighting a blender at some points.
The weapons locked and Lily spoke under the volume of their clash.
"Did you tell her yet?"
He broke contact and in the next exchange responded.
"I thought you were going to?"
That had been the standing arrangement thus far. She knew how to handle Alice far better than he did.
"Hah?" Lily tried to dip low and slash his leg. "That''s definitely your job."
He pivoted to her side.
"You''re her best friend." Cal''s spear haphazardly struck forward. "You tell each other everything."
"Yeah well," She muttered while grabbing his spear and kicking towards him. "You''re her brother. You tell her."
He yanked the spear free and her leg retracted fast enough to avoid his grab.
"Why the reluctance? Does it have something to do with-"
His voice was drowned out by the roar of lightning as it formed a crater where he''d been standing.
"You two are like sisters." Cal tilted his head slightly and avoided a haircut. "Stop being a brat."
"Brat?" Lily appeared in front of him, arcs of lightening crackling over a manic smile. "I''ll show you what being a brat looks like."
Well, shit. He rammed the spear into the earth and took a knee just in time for Lily to discharge her reserves.
He weathered the barrage with his shell, irritated at having to bring it up.
It died and he could see Lily at the epicenter. It was a childish move and from her shit-eating grin, she was well aware of that. He shot her a glare and yanked his weapon out, debating on the merits of chucking it toward her.
"Do either of you care to share?" Alice paced forward with a stern expression, part of her hair looked frizzled. "You seemed to have plenty to talk about."
Lily and he shared a look and came to a mutual understanding.
"Callum over there skipped out on a test." Lily pointed at him.
Apparently, they did not have an understanding. How did she even know that? He''d kept it to himself¡
"What?" Alice''s head snapped in his direction. Well, this technically was the best place to break the news. Nothing was flammable and they''d already taken swings at each other. "When? Why am I only just learning of this?"
"Lily asked if the deputy headmistress grew the stick in her ass or was born with it." Cal deflected while shamelessly firing back.
In her defense, she''d whispered it to him as they were leaving the meeting. In his defense, it was still well within earshot of the woman.
"He started a fire in her office."
She swatted the butt of his spear that he tried to bonk her with
"Now you''re making things up. I didn''t burn anything."
He''d really, really wanted to.
"It''s the thought that counts and anyone could read what you were thinking."
"No, It''s not. And let''s not forget who shorted out a district."
"You wanna play that game? How about which one of us almost killed someone in their class?"
"Lily, that''s enough." Alice''s eyes darted over the surroundings for a moment, forgetting they were alone. "Don''t make such crass jokes. You know better."
Callum inspected the spear for any damage. The blade had some nicks on it. Did he have to sort that himself or was there some process in place to do it for him?
If he pretended not to feel the stare on him it would go away, right?
"Callum." No, was the answer to that. "That was a poor attempt at humor. Was it not?"
"Yes."
"Ancestors." Fair, he''d phoned that one in. "Who, when, how?" Her voice strained on that last note.
"Marcus¡a week before last?" Hadn''t it only been that long? It felt like forever ago. "Don''t worry. It was a spar. All on the up and up."
It wasn''t a big deal if he thought about it.
"That. Fine." It sounded like it really wasn''t. "Given you''re now sharing a wardrobe I won''t press further." He was going to need to start storing clothes in his locker if this was going to be everyone''s reaction. "I''m much more interested in why you two were speaking to the deputy headmistress."
She looked at him anxiously. He could let her stew but that would be cruel.
"It wasn''t about that. She was pissed at Lily for causing damage in the city."
"Now who''s lying?" Lily wasn''t content to leave him out of the crosshairs. "She chewed you out as well."
"Right, but her reason was bullshit. She just doesn''t like me for some reason."
He was fairly certain he''d never offended her. There was a pause and the girls shared a look.
"I figured he knew," Lily responded to Alice''s stare and shrugged. "guess we''re lucky he''s not taking any classes related to genealogy."
Alice palmed her face, releasing a breath into it.
"The deputy headmistress is from House Evergreen."
From the expectant look, that was meant to mean something to him. He dug into his memory.
"They''re based in the North." That didn''t seem to satisfy her so he continued. "Growth mages, obviously. There''s some big forest they''re the caretakers of..."
That was the extent of his memory and Lily''s snicker told him he was missing something important.
"Mother''s maiden name is Evergreen," Alice said simply, having realized he wasn''t going to come up with an answer anytime soon. "I trust I won''t have to fill in the rest."
Oh. OH.
Turns out she did have a reason for not liking him. Hadn''t anyone ever heard of not judging the child for the sins of the fake father?
"Can you talk to her then? Get her to lay off?" She was still her aunt, there had to be some pull there.
Alice''s face had morphed into something he couldn''t place.
"Mother was not meant to wed father. Her original betrothed was our late uncle who passed unexpectedly. Her family was in favor of breaking the agreement, the backlash would have been favorable compared to." She paused, collecting herself before continuing with vitriol leaking into her words. "Wasting their favored daughter on a defunct house. The deputy headmistress has not been unkind to me. Mother would never be able to return to her home but I had hoped the ban against her for the city''s botanical gardens would be lifted."
Wow, the Lord must have known something like this could have happened. What a dick.
An alarm rang indicating it was almost time for his next class.
"Go." Alice nodded to him while holding out her hand. "I''ll make sure your weapon is returned to your locker. We''ll discuss remedial steps for your failed test later."
He was really hoping she''d forgotten about that part¡
¡ª
Cal tried his hardest to pay attention to the remainder of his classes after lunch. His mind kept going down tangents. The latest? The prince''s offer. He''d dismissed it out of hand initially but the more he thought about it the more questions arose.
If he were to hazard a guess, Cal would say the prince didn''t know about his true affiliation. If he happened to be wrong, then the conversation they had took on another light. He''d joked about it in the past but he''d never put serious thought into defecting.
Knowing only the Federation, it had never seemed like a real option. It was though, he couldn''t be sure if that was what the prince was alluding to but someone like Cal would always be in demand.
Whatever country that took him would risk the ire of the Federation but their influence faded the further east you went. If he just booked it through the waste and made it to the other side he could probably get a cushy job sitting around until someone needed something whacked.
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He didn''t owe his country anything. It was dubious enough to call it his country. There was a sense of obligation to the people living there, he''d overlooked a lot in the past in consideration for them. Hadn''t he given them enough?
He could finish what he started, but after the trials concluded should he leave? What was tying him down?
A handful of personal relationships.
Was that enough to keep him?
He kept circling back to it and coming to the same conclusion. He didn''t know. It was one of those things you weren''t sure about until reaching the crossroads.
Clearly the powers that be thought otherwise, it was a fairly big risk on their part to let him out of their sight. Ah, right. He''d almost forgotten that they expected him to blow his top at the slightest provocation.
Cal slipped his phone out of his pocket, careful not to catch the teacher''s eye. Checking the date, he confirmed it had been a solid month and he''d only killed one student. Sure he''d almost ''oopsed'' the school while getting into the slapfight of a century with the Spirit but it had all turned out well. They were even somewhat friendly, at least that was Cal''s perception of things. Tough to tell what the thing was really thinking.
Progress on his end had been lacking but technically he had permanently removed one suspect. He''d also unearthed a portion of the Empire''s ugliness. How many more Petro''s were there?
Not that he could do anything about it. The Empire would throw the mother of all hissy fits if they found out he''d executed one of their nobility. Guilty as sin or not, he couldn''t see them letting that go. It was a matter of pride. He wasn''t immune to its effects but at least he didn''t shape national policy off of it.
Near invincible with power enough to level cities and yet he couldn''t do anything. What a joke.
He was saved from any further pointless speculation by the bell sounding. The day was over and he couldn''t be more thankful.
Languidly, he collected his belongings and left. His steps were measured and slow, he wasn''t in a hurry to get back.
He found his direction shifting. Cooking sounded good right now, it would clear his head.
It was not meant to be as he spotted Ryan jogging up to him.
"Yo, Callum." The man stopped in front of him. His brow was sleek with sweat and Cal noticed an uneasiness in him. "Have you seen Gregor?"
"No?" He hadn''t been looking but he was reasonably confident he would have noticed the boy. "Something wrong?"
"Maybe¡" Ryan shook his head and brought a palm to his temple. "Probably. He never got back to classes after lunch. I''ve tried calling and texting him but he''s not responding. Gregor doesn''t miss class, something has to be wrong."
It was a leap but the kid took his studies seriously.
Ryan started to pace away and Cal caught up to him. Gregor''s outburst from the other day had stuck with him. He didn''t think it was anything important but if he was missing classes it was worth checking out.
"So you''re running around campus looking for him like a headless chicken?"
It didn''t seem like a good plan.
"Got a better idea?" Ryan regarded him from the corner of his eye. Picking up speed. "That''s a genuine question. I''m open to suggestions here."
Cal could think of one but bothering the Spirit with this seemed overkill. If it extended past a day he''d reconsider that stance.
"Anything set him off recently? I thought his tests were going well."
"There''s a reason I didn''t message you about that Colosseum outing," Ryan grumbled while falling into a full run. "He thinks one of them went bad. Can''t be sure, but yeah."
"Rough," Cal commented, easily keeping up. "I''m actually trying to avoid going back to the dorms right now for the same reason."
He had an inkling what she meant by ''remedial steps'' and wasn''t in any hurry to have it confirmed.
"Really?" There was a sense of surprise in his tone. Cal didn''t know what to make of it. "I thought your house was cool with all that? Is that why you spent so much time in the library?"
"Alice is, not happy. Understanding I guess? She gets why it happened and is in damage control mode."
It wasn''t like he didn''t have a good reason for dropping everything.
"Ah, if we find him keep that part to yourself." Ryan stopped, checking his phone. "Anne already checked where I was going." He said as a way of explanation and they changed directions.
Anne
She was a potential issue and one they''d discussed. She knew about their little investigation into Petro and he could see her asking questions once Petro''s disappearance was noticed.
And the grand plan to deal with it? Playing ignorant.
If he talked to his new friends in the city, they might be able to stick her in a hole until this whole thing was over but that struck him as a bad idea. If one student missing didn''t raise alarm bells then two would have to do.
Bribery was of course on the table and would be a more viable option if they had anything worth giving. He''d let the girls figure that out if it came to it.
They arrived at a secluded clearing and Ryan clicked his tongue.
"Damn, thought he''d be here for sure." He spun on his heel with a new destination in mind. After some time he spoke again. "Jess grill you already about the weekend?"
Cal considered leaving Ryan to search on his own. His time would be better spent baking distraction sweets for Alice.
"She did, no reason to re-tread ground there."
"We''ll disagree on that. I''ll get the real story out of you later. Actually, go ahead and tell it when we find Gregor. I think he''d get a kick out of whatever went down."
"My life isn''t for your amusement." Cal groused. These people needed better things to do.
"Didn''t say it was but it''s a nice side benefit. Don''t you think?"
He didn''t.
They approached one of the older-looking buildings. It had been on the list he''d given the Spirit.
"You think he''s here?" Cal dug for more information, feeling slightly unsettled. "This place seems abandoned."
"It''s between renovations." Ryan jumped up to an open window. "We used to hang out here during second year."
He slipped inside and Cal soon joined him. The inside looked better maintained. Someone was still using this place.
Cal extended his senses. Yep, they weren''t alone.
Ryan went through a door and down a hallway. He''d noticed it as well then.
The dim hallway ended at a set of double doors and Ryan didn''t hesitate kicking them down. On the other side was what looked to have once been an office.
Sprawled on a leather sofa was Gregor.
Cal placed a hand on Ryan''s shoulder, stopping him from rushing to his friend.
"Look at the hand." Gregor''s hand was hung over the edge, its grip open. Near it was a trio of small marbles. "That what I think it is?"
He knew it was. Those were magic cores.
Ryan yanked his shoulder free and flipped Gregor facing up.
"Damnit, wake up you idiot." He shook the man whose eyelids remained closed.
"We need to go." Cal maneuvered himself behind Gregor. "Get a teacher and have them sort it."
Even if everyone had different thresholds when it came to cores, it was universally considered a bad idea to imbue straight from a core. Most of the cultists he dealt with were driven mad by them.
"No, they''ll expel him at best." For good reason in Cal''s opinion. "I''ve caught him before, he''ll be fine once I wake him up."
That drastically cut down the possibility of him being ''fine''. How did he always find himself in the middle of a shit show?
Cal crouched, picking up one of the marbles. Cores came in all shapes and sizes. These? They were altered in some way but he recognized their origin.
"What are these," Cal demanded. He resisted outright attacking the boy but it was a close thing. "And where did he get them?"
Gregor''s eyes blinked open and he groaned. Cal tensed, ready to restrain the man.
"Hey, Gregor," Ryan spoke softly, supporting the man''s head. "You okay?"
Gregor''s head slightly bobbed up and down.
"Jus nee, sleep"
Eyelids closed again and Ryan breathed a sigh of relief.
"He''ll be fine then. It''ll work its way through his system." Ryan rose, inspecting the office. "Why don''t you head on out, I''ll watch over him here."
Yeah no, these didn''t come from beasts. They came from demons.
"You''re going to tell me what these are. Now." Cal held the marble up. "These aren''t natural cores. What the hells are they?"
They held each other''s stares, the tension rising with each passing second. If Cal needed to beat it out of him he would.
Ryan broke, swearing.
"They''re not like cores. They don''t make you crazy, not permanently. Most use them as performance enhancers but some." His eyes drifted to the prone form of Gregor. "They make you feel good. Like you''re on the top of the world."
Making drugs out of demon cores was the most imbecilic thing he''d ever heard of.
"Where did he get them?" He reiterated the pertinent question. If they have a steady supply of demon cores they were probably adept at summonings.
"A couple of people on campus sell them. I''ll tell you but you have to promise to keep this secret."
"Done." Easy, he only cared about where they were coming from.
"I''ll text you a list-"
"Write it down, now." Cal insisted, cutting him off. Ryan eyed him warily but nodded. He pulled out a piece of paper and started jotting something down when Cal''s phone buzzed.
The Justiciars had been spotted on campus.
What the fuck was this timing?
Chapter 36
"Any luck?" Cal asked.
From the glower he received, the answer was no. The Spirit had not been in a chipper mood when he barged in marbles in hand.
It had only worsened since then.
He''d elected to travel straight to it after Ryan had given him the three names. He wasn''t going to jump the gun and run them down in broad daylight but he was anxious to get some work in.
"We''ve not seen something like this before," the Spirit rasped, its bony hands threatening to shatter the orbs in its grip. "You humans, always finding more creative ways to kill yourselves. I wonder if Vinyir would have considered that a form of worship¡"
A Vinyir. God of passion. Whether it be the passion of masonry or sailing, Vinyir was the god of it. An unconventional domain for a god, they tended to be more narrow in scope. That may be why it was known as the most, erratic of the gods. Although that was the understatement of the millennium considering his actions resulted in the Fall.
Allegedly.
"You knew him as well? Someone was rather popular," Cal commented hoping to glean more information from a first-hand account.
The Spirit''s puppet remained stone-faced.
Perhaps that was too optimistic of him. He moved back to the matter at hand.
"Fine, so those cores are dangerous." He''d not trusted Ryan''s statement but it was good to have confirmation. He could have absorbed some of it himself to test but didn''t want to risk accidentally draining and breaking the things. It was better to have the Spirit check things out before experimenting. "Any clue what they did to them? What their purpose is?"
The Spirit''s form gained life again and it rolled the marbles in its palms, a dour expression on it.
"As harmful as normal cores? In a way, they''re worse. The idiots traded the quick and certain death for the long and tenuous."
"That sounds better?" It lined up with Ryan''s claim that Gregor would be fine after some rest, as long as he didn''t overuse it.
"See, idiots." The Spirit threw a verbal jab. Cal didn''t rise to the taunt and the Spirit continued. "Mortals are too susceptible to foreign magic. With regular cores, your average mage will go mad imbuing a single one and it''s not a subtle affair. Their madness is displayed to all those around them. With these? It''s a slow and gradual process. We would need a test subject but we''d guess that the drawn-out exposure period lets them get acclimated better. Shortly after ingestion, they''ll display the usual outburst but those effects should fade and let them blend in with the rest of your lot. Only blend in, the long-term use will still corrupt their mind."
Crazy sleeper agents then.
Joy.
"We won''t know how they were created without more invasive tests. They probably won''t survive them. As for why? Remember, idiots."
"Yeah, we can be self-destructive sometimes." Cal acknowledged, not pointing out that his race was a going concern while the Spirit''s was relegated to the annals of history. "You can keep two out of the three." It would probably gain more insight than he did. "Can you track them?"
"We can''t, something about them makes them hidden from us. It will be one of the things we try to figure out."
Of course, it couldn''t be that easy.
"And the names I gave you?" It was already monitoring certain places so this should be no great struggle for it.
"Our hands are tied there." It maneuvered its wrist in front of it, to display a thick rope wrapped around them.
Cal didn''t give it the satisfaction of knowing he found that a little funny.
"Aside from your budding career as a comedian." Cal didn''t know if that was an actual thing in the Empire. They did have actors so it was certainly a possibility. "Is there a genuine reason you can''t?"
"We tried." From the exasperation of its tone, that wasn''t a lie. "Outside of a few select locations, we see the whole of the Academy. However, following specific people around isn''t possible. The restrictions against us, although weakened from their height, are still potent. Recent attempts to circumvent them went poorly. Our creators wanted to limit our ability to interact with you mortals and you''ve never been interesting enough for us to push the issue."
Cal filed away the reveal that it had indeed been created. He''d already suspected it and, while being a neat tidbit of information, it didn''t change anything.
"Okay, so dorms." Cal began to voice his more relevant thoughts. "I can find out where they''re staying and you can snoop on them there. I can also wrangle up their class schedules along with frequented locations. Then you can happen to watch those locations. Would that work?"
He was spitballing, having no idea how strict these rules it had to follow were.
"We''ve never tried something like that before." The Spirit spoke after some thought. "The dorms are off limits. Unless they are actively in breach of the covenant then I can''t take measures there. The classes, yes we can do that."
Better than nothing. He''d have to do some leg work but he''d found out Petro''s dirty secrets fairly quickly. This shouldn''t be that much different.
The topic of restrictions brought his current predicament to mind.
"I''m going to be a bit restricted myself."
All this attention was a nightmare. He was reasonably certain no one had seen Ryan and him visit that particular building but their run around campus had probably been noticed. Then there were the Justiciars showing up. With the duel, avoiding questioning wasn''t realistic but he had thought he would be afforded more time. It was only the first day of the week and they''d already showed up on campus.
In an ideal world, they''d all be on the side of humanity and work together to get to the bottom of this mess. Unfortunately, they lived in a shattered world whose denizens managed to pick up the pieces after an apocalyptic event, only to create and foster generational grudges against their own kind.
"Yes, a thank you would be nice." The Spirit tossed him one of the marbles and he deftly caught it. "We could have reported that brat''s passing immediately but waited until the first day of classes."
"Wait, this is your fault?" Was it messing with him or was that some sort of obligation it had to fulfill? It would have been nice to have known that ahead of time.
"We can feel whenever a covenant is severed prematurely. If it had happened on campus we might even have had to intervene." The Spirit made a waving motion. "If you want to kill each other elsewhere, feel free. But we still need to report it.''
"Thank you-"
"We could have waited a little longer if we had known you actually made progress but oh well."
This thing was a dick.
"Then if this all goes to shit, don''t blame me."
Here lies the school, it died because it hurt itself in its confusion.
As far as consolation prizes, carving that on whatever rubble was left of the walls would be satisfying.
"You worry too much. If they become a problem just get rid of them, that''s something you can do right?"
"I can''t just get rid of everyone in my way."
"Can''t you?"
Maybe? Not all at once and certainly not quietly.
"I''d rather not make a habit of it. Keep some of my humanity intact."
Unlike the Fourth, he didn''t off people for the slightest inconvenience. Cal was no saint but he had standards for taking a life. Were they particularly high? It depended on who you asked but he was no monster. That being said, given the circumstances, the Justiciars could fall under his acceptable to murder list. It would be cold calculus but the lives of two imperial stooges fell short compared to a city.
Too bad that dealing with them would inevitably bring in progressively bigger fish. Eventually, he''d start running into people he couldn''t easily handle.
With any luck, they''d be as incompetent as his colleagues in the city made them out to be and leave after a day or two.
"Silly thing that. Faster you lose it the less irritating you''d be" The Spirit commented although its attention was elsewhere. "We will be questioned as well in this instance. While we think it would be amusing to pin it on you and watch the show, we''ll refrain in consideration of our personal interest."
It must have slept on the wrong side of the bed because it was out to get him today. For the second time, Cal was the responsible one and didn''t stoop to its level.
"Can you pin it on someone else?"
The term patsy came to mind. Cal wasn''t sure who he''d be willing to throw into the line of fire but was certain there was more than one deserving member of the student body.
"Don''t push it. Unlike you humans, we don''t make a habit of lying." The surrounding pressure amplified and Cal realized he''d stepped on a touchy subject. "Fortunately, we''ve got a talent for being obtuse."
"And that''s not the same as lying?" Obfuscation or omission equated to the same thing in his book.
Milky eyes locked onto him and a beat reverberated through the dark hall. The sound was disconcerting, it put him on alert.
"We shouldn''t have expected you to understand." Its words were accompanied by the pressure relenting. It sounded sullen. "Now will you make us kick you out again or will you find the door yourself."
"It''s more of an open entrance than a door¡but sure." Cal didn''t push any further. It seemed almost sensitive. He couldn''t be sure if it was a trick or not but he could have sworn he felt some feeling of kindredness.
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Spirits were weird.
¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª
Cal was a normal student. Who did normal student things like study during the week and get shitfaced over the weekend.
That was the line that went through his mind as he passed the rather conspicuous woman who he was sure had to be a Justiciars. He''d never seen one before but from how everyone seemed to try their best to ignore her existence, he was reasonably confident that woman had the power to arbitrarily decide the fates of people in the Empire.
Her uniform consisted of a dark cloak that concealed her form. As she walked he caught glimpses of her uniform underneath. It was a stark white shirt and form-fitting black pants. A blood-red scarf drew his attention for a moment before his eyes traced up to the mask concealing part of her face. It was the type he would associate with operagoers in his last life and made out of a reflective material that caused his warped face to stare back at him.
Dark eyes met him and he tore his sight away.
They crossed and he managed to convince himself he''d gotten away with it when a clear voice rang out.
"Halt." He took three more steps before deciding to assent. "Callum Ardere." A statement rather than a question, he''d been identified. "You will be answering my questions."
The tone bothered him. It was too matter-of-fact, too authoritative. Cal resisted the urge to give a sarcastic response.
He turned, to face the woman who faced him stock still, he couldn''t be sure if she was breathing. The surroundings were buzzing again, he''d thought he''d gotten used to the crowd but this kicked up their activity a notch.
Luckily, he''d already been drilled on to what to say.
"I need to get permission from my House Heir before discussing anything."
It was the equivalent of saying he needed an adult.
"That won''t be necessary. My partner is already speaking to her."
Well, that wasn''t good. Alice made it seem like that would be the end of the conversation. And this chick was staring at him expecting a response.
He gave one.
"I need to get permission from my House Heir before discussing anything." He drew out each word, putting on a blank face and blinking owlishly before continuing. "She doesn''t like me talking to strangers."
Her face didn''t fluctuate but her tone grew harsher.
"I understand that but in my capacity as a servant of the Emperor, you can and will speak to me."
Cal tilted his head and his brow furrowed, as if thinking hard.
"She told me not to?"
"Yes, you''ve implied that," the woman said, her eyes narrowing almost imperceptibly. "I''m instructing you otherwise."
"Father told me to listen to her." Cal followed up, making sure to add a note of emptiness in his tone.
"Do you understand who I am?" She asked rhetorically and a gloved hand brushed against a broach she wore. Golden in color, it resembled the sun. "I represent the highest authority you may ever meet. You will cease your stalling and accompany me for questioning."
"The last time I went off alone with a girl Alice got really mad." Cal shook his head and held up his hands in a helpless manner. "Even her being friends with the girl didn''t help so she''d be extra mad if I went off with someone else."
He was grossly misrepresenting the facts for this performance, which he thought was going swell. His plan was founded on two principles. The first was that nobles thought highly of themselves. The second was the pattern of people assuming him to be some manner of imbecile.
The natural conclusion of that was to take ''playing dumb'' rather literally.
He withstood the woman''s piercing gaze with what he hoped looked like blissful ignorance. It slowly evolved from seconds to minutes. The tension in the air was palpable and she was intent on breaking him with this.
Thankfully, he had a trump card.
Eyes still opened, he entered his trance.
In what felt like an instant his face was inches from a woman with nostrils flared. He yawned while taking a step back.
"Were you sleeping?" The woman spat, her composure cracking.
"I was tired of standing here but it didn''t seem like you wanted me to leave." He dialed it back, realizing he''d put it on too thick. "I''ve been up really late studying. Alice is worried I''m going to fail everything."
The best lies had sprinkles of truth.
"I see," she said, accepting the reasoning. "Follow me, we''ll speak to her then."
She didn''t wait for his assent and moved forward with purpose. He waited half a beat before following after.
They walked briskly, he was tempted to ask her questions about what being a justiciar entailed. The system came off as draconian to him, it would serve a purpose in a less developed society but the Empire had a strong enough central government to enforce its laws without empowering a single individual to be judge, jury, and, if need be, executioner. It wasn''t like they didn''t have regular courts either.
It was probably a leftover institution from a previous era; Similar to how the Federation military was able to operate for so long independently of the civilian government.
Facing an existential threat, the Federation had opted to remove any and all red tape from the military apparatus. Fantastic for responding to threats promptly and with extreme prejudice. Decidedly less so for the host country''s democratic system.
Accountability?
Hah. What good is that when we the Empire could cross the river at any moment? Or that''s how the argument usually went.
The unprecedented era of peace they were experiencing caused that party line to ring hollow.
Cal surmised that the same chaffing was occurring here as well, only with different institutions and different people.
They entered the dorm building and she stopped, waving him forward. He took the lead and led them to his room. That was his genuine intent, he wasn''t faking it when he went down the wrong hallway and ended up somewhere completely else.
He backtracked and pretended not to notice the look Miss Justiciar gave him. The balcony was the superior entrance anyway.
After that bump, he located their room and she stepped in front of him giving a series of knocks on the door.
A voice that was not Alice''s responded and she swung the door open. Stepping through, he was met with the sight of an older man and Alice having tea. His fake sister appeared composed and she nodded to him in greeting.
"Janice" The man lifted his cup of tea. "I see you brought the younger Ardere here, why don''t you both join us for a cup?"
The man''s hair was cut short. Streaks of gray cut through its otherwise brown color. He wore an identical uniform to the newly dubbed Janice.
He''d also just offered tea that wasn''t his so that wasn''t a good start.
They both took a seat, neither drinking the provided tea.
The man took it in stride.
"Lady Ardere and I were discussing your relationship with Petro Lucerna, I''m curious as to Callum''s perspective on things."
"I would be as well," Janice answered the question while giving Cal a pointed look. "He refused questioning."
All eyes turned to him. He made a show of turning to Alice and receiving a nod.
"He wants to fight me for some reason. Alice told me no and I told him that but he''s rather insistent. Actually, you guys have special powers, right? Can you tell him to stop, it''s annoying."
A childish response if he did say so himself.
The man exhaled and Cal took that as a sign of amusement.
"I would not expect him to trouble you any longer. Do you know why that is?"
Alice shifted and he could tell she was withholding commentary. Sheesh, it wasn''t like he hadn''t been drilled on this.
"No?"
Simple answer, don''t offer information without prompting.
Both Justiciars studied him intently before the older rose from his chair.
"In that case, we won''t take any more of your time today." The man signaled for his partner and went for the door. His hands grasped the handle and he turned for a final word. "Pardon, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Vincent Promitia, Justiciar serving at the pleasure of his Majesty. We''ll be speaking soon."
The door shut, leaving the both of them in silence.
"That went well," He commented to the girl beside him.
She closed her eyes and sighed, taking a sip before responding.
"This was a probing motion." She explained, rubbing her temple. "They don''t want to risk alerting us of his passing until they know more."
"Which means they don''t have anything," Cal stated, leaning the chair back and balancing it on its hind legs. "Pretty sure I sold my part well with the younger one. Old guy ask anything else?"
"Nothing of consequence." Alice swirled her cup, relaxing her shoulder from their stiff posture. "He wanted to take my measure, unnerve me perhaps. Until they have more our protections as a Count house will protect us."
It was about time his identity did something useful. Then again, it was the reason for this mess in the first place.
"This is far from over." Alice finished the cup before collecting the rest of the set and taking them to the kitchenette. "You''ll need to be on your best behavior. We can''t give them any openings."
Sadly, that might not be possible. He kept his mouth shut about that, thinking about what was to come.
He had a legitimate way forward now, maybe he''d race the justiciars and see which of them could unravel their mystery first.
Chapter 37
Cal checked his messages, looking to see if he''d missed something. There was nothing and yet, despite coming early, he somehow managed to be the last arrival. He paced towards the end of the tunnel opening out to his class''s usual training center.
His classmates stood with a certain tenseness in the air and he soon realized why. At the center of the field was Ferguson wielding a war hammer. He held the two-handed monstrosity at his side by its bone-white handle. The metallic head of the hammer glinted in the light and seemed to tremble.
"Is it just me or does he look ready to use that thing." Cal idly commented, as if he''d not benefit immensely from the man deciding to brutalize the Justiciar named Janice, who stood opposite him.
"I''m not quite sure to what you are referring to," Rolland quipped, eyes glued to the soundless exchange occurring in the field. "We''re still preparing in the locker room. Who can really say what events are unfolding elsewhere."
"His Highness is correct," Benjamin crossed his arms and closed his eyes, leaning against one of the tunnel walls. "I had some difficulty with my uniform, it took some time to get ready."
Were they¡
"Interesting," Marcus mused, pulling his phone out of his pocket and pointing it forward. "I wonder what I see?"
"Must you be so boorish," Rolland responded with little humor, eyeing the man carefully before turning to Cal. "Where do you stand?"
Cal mulled his response for a moment. Whatever was being said out there was getting heated, he augmented his hearing but no sounds came. They must have placed something to block that. Lip-reading was what he was left with, not exactly a skill he practiced often. However, he was pretty sure neither of them had said his name.
"Confused, does anyone want to explain what''s going on?"
Rolland''s lips pressed against each other, forming a thin smile. Marcus was the one to speak next.
"I surmise the Justiciar is attempting to enlist Ferguson''s aid with her task. As for what that task is, you wouldn''t happen to know would you?"
"I don''t. But they did pull Alice and me aside yesterday. They were questioning our relationship with Petro. Not sure what that''s about."
"Petro? Have you decided on how to resolve that dispute of yours?" Benjamin opened his eyes, his tone conveying some eagerness. "I''d be happy to supply suggestions."
Way ahead of you buddy.
"I''m just ignoring him, he''s annoying but it''s not a big deal." Cal shrugged, displaying indifference.
"Hmmm. Yes, they paid me a visit as well." Marcus replied, a contemplative look in his eye. "They were rather impertinent. Daring to question me. Although I suppose being abrasive is a hallmark of their occupation."
Their general attitudes towards the Justiciars were a surprise but perhaps it shouldn''t be. They wouldn''t like people who could enforce rules against them.
"That being said, I won''t be able to ignore an assault on the executors of the Emperor''s judgment." Marcus''s thumb hovered over a button that Cal presumed would begin a recording. "Quite the conundrum we''ve found ourselves in."
"I would tread lightly," Benjamin''s hands fell to his blades. "You speak against your future ruler."
The second and third ''strongest'' of the Academy stared each other down, a silent battle of wills playing out. Neither seemed content to back down.
Cal gave a singular loud clap, breaking the contest.
"Right, as fun as this pissing contest is. That doesn''t explain why he looks like he''s about to murder that girl."
Was everyone in the Empire so murder happy or did he just attract strange company? He didn''t know which he would prefer.
"Oh, you wouldn''t know, would you?" Rolland nodded to himself. "Allow me to shed some light on the matter. Have you ever wondered why a man of his caliber has been reduced to such a state?"
His knowledge of the Fingers wasn''t great. With the way the members of the Constellation painted them, he never felt the need to dig into their individual histories. They weren''t like the two Hands of the Emperor who posed legitimate threats, he made sure to learn about their capabilities.
"Before I came here I was more focused on day-to-day survival than any of the going ons in the Empire. You''re saying he wasn''t always like this?"
"He was not. Ferguson was an accomplished fighter. It is no small feat for one born in the Holy Enclave to ascend to the status of a Finger."
It was the same thing Lily had mentioned previously. For supposedly being one nation there seemed to be notable division.
"A fact that many in the Empire took umbrage to." Benjamin tacked on.
"His wife passed under...suspicious circumstances. The Justiciars ruled it as foreign intervention, blaming the snakes for it. Ferguson did not agree with their assessment. His refusal was¡vocal."
Rolland finished his explanation with some strain on his face.
"If you call assaulting their head office vocal," Marcus scoffed. "He burned all the political capital he earned with that stunt. Should he slip again who knows what would happen?"
That was disturbingly familiar. If he didn''t know any better he might question if they were related.
"Which is why I advise that you put down your device." Rolland stepped forward, his voice turning hard. Benjamin reacted and the two stood on opposite sides of the Dukedoms heir. "Shall we be reasonable about this? Don''t forget, such an accusation on your part will attract the ire of a Hand."
Marcus gripped his trident and a flash of unease came over him, disappearing into a mask of confidence. His eyes turned to Cal, raising a brow.
Shit. Did he have to pick a side here? In the short term, it would be better if Ferguson blew up on the Justiciar and took the attention off of him. If he thought with a longer timeline, maybe Marcus was the better play? Then there was something about a Hand getting involved? He really didn''t want one of them coming around.
"Why don''t we all cool it." Cal was indecisive and attempted to defuse the situation outright. "There''s nothing saying that he''s going to lose his top over this. Chances are nothing will-"
A boom sounded and their heads whipped to the source. The Justiciar was flung into the stands, concrete and steel showering from the impact.
That was¡Cal didn''t know how to feel about it.
The Justiciar emerged from the debris cloud, stumbling out.
Ferguson stepped forward. The field shook, the stadium shook, and the Justiciar fell to her knees.
"Out of my sight brat," He lifted the hammer, bringing it down. A thunderous roar sounded and the ground fractured.
Cal moved, and the others followed soon after they noticed the tunnel collapsing. It wasn''t the only casualty. The entire stadium looked to have been tossed up, shattering like a set of legos once it hit the earth.
So that''s why they call him ''The Tremor''. Cal had certainly felt the reverberation of the attack. He wasn''t too impressed by it, Millie had thrown similar attacks at him before.
"The Shirai delegation will be visiting soon," Rolland spoke, dusting himself off. "I can see it arranged that they travel through House Procellae''s lands."
Marcus'' eyes were slightly wide. He fidgeted for a moment, confirming his safety before responding.
"Acceptable."
That was a bribe, right? Shirai was known for their lavish spending so it must have represented a pretty penny for the dukedom. This left Cal the odd man out. He could feel the attention on him and he blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
"Coffee," The stares grew harder and he doubled down."I want the best coffee you can get your hands on."
Wait, shouldn''t he have asked for him to get Petro to back off? Why in the hells was coffee the first thing he thought of? Right, he thought of Millie and by extension Pand- Gerald. He still needed a gift after all.
Was it too late to change the ask?
"I should have expected that." None of them seemed too surprised by his request. He felt he should be insulted by that. "I''ll see it done."
Eh, whatever. It better be some really expensive stuff then.
Cal observed the wreckage of the training grounds more closely, the wards were destroyed. Did they manage to contain the attack or did it leak through? It would determine whether or not they had to make themselves scarce right now. The prince was at ease while the other two were on alert.
The Justiciar struggled to her feet, her mask was cracked and hateful eyes glared at the man responsible for her state. Ferguson remained rooted, not taking advantage of the opening to finish her.
Her attention shifted to them, lingering on each one of them. Her exposed face grew grimmer with each second.
Wow, this looked pretty bad, didn''t it? They were kinda ganging up on her, granted she''d started it. It still made him feel like a bully. He forced himself to not sympathize with the woman trying to bust him. Even though, she was kinda just doing her job¡
Ferguson hadn''t made any moves and he did tell her to scram, which meant she was free to go. Why she hadn''t moved he wasn''t sure of. Was she considering pressing the issue? On paper she might have had the authority but that meant nothing when she didn''t have the personal strength to back it up here and now.
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The war hammer was raised again and Cal prepared to defend himself when it lowered again. Miss Justiciar fell forward, coughing into the dirt.
Ah, she''d been putting up a front.
"One of you brats get her out of here." The man brought out his flask, thought for a moment, and then put it back without taking a drink. "Class is canceled."
He leaped away, kicking up another cloud.
Did he seriously just leave them with this?
"Will you look at the time?" Rolland did not make an effort to check any sort of timekeeper. "Benny and I have a prior obligation." They were in the middle of class time. "We''ll leave it to you two."
The shamelessness of it all left him stunned long enough to not intervene when they lept away as well. He turned, ready to foist this responsibility on Marcus when he found the man missing.
This was all kinds of bullshit.
Cal considered following in their wake but this did present a unique opportunity. He strolled over, crouching next to the woman who remained on her hands and knees. His hand reached out.
"Do not lay a hand on me." The woman ground out, her fingers curling into the dirt.
Sheesh, he was just going to check if she was alright. He plopped into the dirt beside her, sitting with his legs crossed.
"I think you upset him."
He spoke of the obvious. With class canceled, it wouldn''t be a problem now but he wondered where they''d be moved. They couldn''t be expected to keep meeting here, not unless some major renovations were done.
"How," The woman paused to grunt, attempting to rise. Her arms gave in and her face impacted the dirt. "Perceptive of you."
The words came out muffled. Cal examined her closer, her uniform obscured some details but she was in one piece. She must have suffered internal injuries.
"Should I call someone?" It would be awkward if she ended up dying after everyone else left. She didn''t make a noise and he reached out again.
"Don''t" She hissed, turning her head to be better heard. "I do not require assistance."
It really looked like she did. To highlight that, she hacked and blood was spurt onto the ground.
"I can call your partner?" The glare he received answered that question. "Or I can not."
He stretched his hands before laying down on his back, looking to the sky. The weather was nice today. Then again, it always was. Was it the time of year or was there something unnatural about it?
A groan sounded beside him. Stubborn one that. It was weird that she didn''t want her partner notified. Were they on bad terms? If so driving a wedge between them could be useful. It might just be a pride thing as well. It must be shocking to think you''re hot shit and get humbled on day two of your investigation.
He huffed in amusement. Biting off more than you can chew was a hallmark of his.
The shifting he heard indicated she''d not passed out.
"Are, you willing, to testify on this, altercation?" The words came out between rough breaths.
"Sorry, didn''t see anything." Cal''s quick response was answered with another bit of hacking.
Slowly, it subsided and her breathing turned steady. He remained cloud-watching until she spoke again.
"So I heard." From the corner of his eye, he could see her push to her back, staring at the same sky he was now. "Has it occurred to you that my authority trumps that of that prince of yours?"
Did it?
"I have no idea how any of this works." Honestly seemed the most compelling path to take in this instance. He was a recently raised commoner, how was he meant to know the intricacies of noble jurisdiction?
The ''your'' prince was intriguing though. Was Rolland''s position not as secure as he made it seem? Could that be his motive for trying to recruit Cal?
"That''s been made abundantly clear. For reference, coffee is not a common bargaining chip among nobles."
She delivered with a painful-sounding voice, the cause did not seem physical.
Cal focused on the surroundings, nothing could be sensed moving in on them. The amount of time that had passed without anyone coming to take a look pointed at no one noticing what had gone down. Wards must have done their job however he still thought that the noise couldn''t be completely contained. Maybe the isolation of these grounds was enough to have it pass under everyone''s noses. Or this wasn''t the first time Ferguson decided to casually destroy a structure.
"I''ve never seen him that pissed off."
He''d seen him irritated, annoyed, tired, and drunk but never the rage that he displayed today. Cal was no battle maniac but he couldn''t help but want to test the man just a little bit. If only to see how he stacked up against the other monsters he knew.
"It was unwarranted. I did not expect his mental state to have deteriorated to this extent. It brings me cause to question his position as a member of the faculty."
"He tries, I think. Most of the teachers kinda suck." Cal admitted.
Between the drones that led his standard classes and Wyatt, the only teacher worth their salt was his one in Economics. He actually had his first test for that later this week, he should probably study for it.
"The quality of instructors correlates to the quality of students."
Rude. But that was the impression he was hoping to make on her so that was a job well done.
She appeared to have recovered enough and she sat up, maintaining a hand on the side of her face where the mask had broken.
"I have duties to see to. I trust you won''t spread baseless rumors." The Justiciar labrously got up. Her feet were still unsteady and a stiff breeze seemed capable of knocking her down. "On further thought, let me be clear. Do not speak of what you''ve seen today."
Huh? Didn''t she ask if he''d testify? Cal reflected on their conversation and the various reactions she''d given to things.
Cal watched as she staggered away. Her interaction with the older Justiciar hinted at a power dynamic between the pair. Someone didn''t want to be caught with their hand in the cookie jar and be scolded.
Relatable.
"Ever think about changing jobs?"
The power trip must be nice but poking your nose in powerful people''s business seemed hazardous. She must have known how close death had been today.
The Justiciar did not pause her exit. However, her voice carried over with a level of conviction he found difficult to grasp.
"No, this is my path."
He wasn''t sure he could say the same.
¡ª
Cal was in the middle of a crisis. The instrument of his demise lay in front of him, taunting him with its mere presence.
He looked up from the stack of papers to the taciturn girl who''d deposited them without a word.
"Please tell me this is some sick form of humor on your part."
She sat at her usual spot near Wyatt''s desk and opened up her book, not acknowledging his complaint.
"No one said there''d be a test today." He realized his tone came off more petulant than intended and corrected himself. "I mean, aren''t I supposed to get a heads up about this?"
"Sylabus."
Oh.
Ancestors, Alice was going to kill him. On the bright side, she''d probably wait for the Justiciars to leave before doing that.
However, it wasn''t like he''d been wasting his class time. He''d kept up with the reading, maybe this wouldn''t be so bad.
He flipped the cover page and read the first question.
"I want a deferment."
The entire page was gibberish. He wasn''t going through the motions when studying the material and yet he only vaguely understood what some of them were asking.
"Denied."
Mia conveyed promptly, not bothering to seriously consider the request. He leaned forward, cupping his hands together and appealing to her compassionate side.
"Throw me a bone, Mia. I haven''t been able to focus on all the stuff going on. Can''t we pretend it''s scheduled for later in the week?" He pointed at the sleeping teacher. "It''s not like he''s going to notice."
And if he did Cal doubted the man would care.
"Unacceptable."
Cal steeled his resolve, slapping his hands on the desk. The action did not elicit a response but he pushed on anyway.
"Pretty please?"
He said with the seriousness the occasion called for.
"No."
Ouch, not even a blink. What a hardass.
Cal slumped against the desk, loudly exhaling. At least, when looking at the big picture, none of this mattered.
He picked up his head and leafed through the rest of it. Yeah, he was boned. If Anne''s sister was right, and he had a feeling she was, this would be harshly graded. He was going to have to endure a round of ''I told you so''s. What''s worse is that he couldn''t deny them, he''d been given multiple warnings about this class. The possibility of lodging a complaint crossed his mind but it didn''t seem worth it. Better to take this on the chin.
It was disheartening, all the effort he''d spent seemed wasted now. He''d even gone through the trouble of trying to parse Millie''s defaced textbooks.
There was nothing for it. Picking up his pen, he started going through it line by line.
It wasn''t like anyone ever regretted giving something their best shot.
Chapter 38
Alice paced to the cabinet and retrieved a bag of pastries, she preferred these to the tart of a girl that had just left her presence.
A knock on the glass was heard and she motioned for them to enter, there was only on-two people who would enter from there.
"Someone''s in a mood." Lily strolled inside with her usual confidence, hopping on the sofa with practiced ease. A hand was raised with a grasping motion. "Share?"
Alice tossed the entire bag, opening a drawer and finding another.
"Don''t leave any crumbs." Learning how to share a space with someone had been trying. They had different definitions of things like cleanliness but she had made an effort to be accommodating. She wished he would show the same consideration and stop tracking dirt every other day. "You know I don''t have a cleaning service."
"If you did I''d have to knock some sense into you."
They shared a small smile at that. It was an error the younger families or those new to the Academy made. It was possible to bring your own staff to the grounds but the cost associated was not insignificant, in lieu of that the Academy provided a cleaning service for a small fee. Letting those not loyal to your house riffle through your belongings was the height of foolishness.
As her mother taught her, loyalty needed to be carefully nurtured. Even then the garden needed frequent pruning.
It was why she wished for that girl to be brought into their employment. Emily had known Callum before the shift in his status and there was a connection between them. She could admit part of her push was wanting someone able to curb some of his eccentricities.
If she could whisk her away to the manor Alice knew of several charming young servants who would be fair matches with the girl. That would seal her to their house for a generation.
"How many of these does he make? I feel like you always have some now."
Alice sat down on the opposite chair and a troubled expression overcame her.
"I do."
They showed up at random intervals and she wasn''t blind to his attempt at appealing to her fondness of sweets. While she appreciated the gesture, it was getting to be a bit much. There was only so much she would allow herself to consume and he was outpacing her appetite. However, refusing them may spurn him and remove what small progress they had made.
A wafer was raised to her lips and she worked through the bag, she''d have to struggle through it.
"Very curt are we? Did it go that badly?" Lily prodded, cutting to what was currently ailing her. As she usually did.
"She knows, or heavily suspects," Alice confirmed and Lily gave a sharp inhale. "They''ve yet to question her. As for where she will land, I get the sense she is waiting to see how much fervency they give this investigation. Should it be bearable I expect her silence to be buyable but expensive."
A barony pressuring a count''s house; it was a sad state of affairs. Anne Sauratus, they should never have involved her. Then again, she''d never have been able to predict things to develop as they had.
"Would you rather her have a spine and try to squeeze us or immediately spill her guts to the Justiciars?" It wasn''t an actual question. Lily was simply easing the blow by appealing to her rationality. "Any clue as to what she''s after specifically?"
House Sauratus was newly raised, being less than a generation old. Those types craved legitimacy and binding themselves to houses with deeper roots was a favored tactic.
"She has an older sister¡" Alice had never met the woman but she was said to have some accomplishments in the academic field. That she had not been matched yet spoke of underlying issues.
"I''ve met her before at a gala my father put on. She seemed pleasant enough. However," A hardness crept into Lily''s voice. "You''re not actually entertaining it are you?"
Her friend, understandably, had a dim view of those manners of arrangements. That said, the accusation was unwarranted.
Alice''s finger flicked and flame jutted out. Lily''s eye widened slightly before she swatted it away. Lily gave her a lopsided grin, scratching the back of her head and ruining whatever work was done to comb
"Dumb question, sorry."
As she should be. Father and Mother had not saddled her with one. It would be poor form to foist it on someone else.
A match would be made for her but it would be on her own terms.
Once, when she was a child, she harbored delusions about who that would be with. Her feelings were even reciprocated, or so she thought. Lily had taken to calling him spineless and she couldn''t disagree. She wanted to, she tried to, but she couldn''t.
Her blood still boiled at the betrayal.
He was acting under orders of his father, that much was clear. However, was what they had not worth even the faintest spark of rebellion? He could have reached out when she joined the Academy, she was waiting for it. It never came and she went to him instead, only to have his eyes look through her. As if she was never there.
Peace. She reminded herself. It was comforting to know he''d almost lost his life recently via her own family''s spear. Perhaps that had put things into perspective for him? It wouldn''t matter, she would not afford him a second chance.
"Good call, I mean besides my own feelings about those things he''d be wasted on a barony." She was correct, even if the woman was the heir a potential Hand was worth more than a mere barony. Not that she would expect them to know that. Unless he''d been careless enough to display his true abilities, which she couldn''t discount. "But where does that leave you?"
Stuck. Stalled.
It was a familiar feeling.
That didn''t stop her frustration from rising.
"Okay." Lily crossed her legs and leaned forward. "Ease up on those scary vibes. We don''t need a repeat of third year."
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The recollection of that event came readily and with it, the smell of smoke. She let herself relax, remembering the way the flames traveled up the curtains before engulfing the entire room. The look on Lucas Fulgur''s face when he realized he needed to replace all the belongings he brought to the Academy was a treasured memory of hers.
"You enjoyed that far more than I."
Lily had been grinning like a loon for the entire week that followed. It was a worthy trade, especially since she''d not been reprimanded for it.
"Guilty on all accounts Miss Justiciar," Lily said with good cheer. Alice rolled her eyes at her antics. "And I doubt we''ll get away with that again. Pretty sure Evergreen covered for you the first time around."
Alice suspected the same but it wasn''t something she''d say out loud.
"And yet you so wonderfully antagonized her. Dragging my brother to your level."
That word still tasted strange on her tongue. She forced its use anyway, reminding herself who was truly at fault.
"Please," Lily scoffed, showing what she thought about that statement. "Do you think me not being there would have made things any better? She would have torn into him if I hadn''t distracted her so masterfully."
Alice knew her long enough to know that it was not her primary motivation. Those two had never gotten along. If she were vain she might believe herself to be the cause, but Lily had a penchant for needling people for the sake of it. That or she hoped to drive her father to an early grave.
"Oh yes, the peerless. Liliane Arcutien. Daring enough to try what all others failed, to snuff out the city''s light."
It was crass of her, to joke about events surrounding the Fall. If it hadn''t been for the heroic defense by the twenty-first Emperor all could have been lost. The Empire, humanity itself may have never recovered.
"Ha," Lily slumped back, resting her arms on the sofa''s back. "Say what you want but it definitely took the attention off of anything else."
Oh yes, it had certainly done that. It was a shame Lily''s skin was too thick to gain a reaction from it.
"Some restraint would have been appreciated."
The Acadamy''s rumor mill was temperamental. It had always existed but the introduction of the forums had transformed the landscape of it. Things moved quickly and it was difficult to understand what would be picked up. Romance was generally a hot topic but attention could disappear in a day or persist for years. She still caught the errant mention of that time she''d made the mistake of publicly sharing a scone with Lily. They were irritants, most often ignored.
"I''ll have you know that I had ulterior motives. I wanted to see if I could dig up more of his past for you."
This was the first she had heard of this. She had made peace with waiting, given what little she did know of his past. It must have been a traumatic event to see your home destroyed and live on the road.
"What did you learn?" If Lily had already extracted information then it would behoove her to know of it.
"That he can drink more than me."
She sighed, now knowing why this hadn''t come up before.
"How illuminating. I thank you for the sacrifice."
"The night''s hazy but maybe retracing my steps would jog my memory? Think I should try shorting out a grid again?"
The edges of her mouth quirked up involuntarily. She could imagine the girl doing just that if only to send the bill to the Marquis.
"Why must you make me feel like the only adult in the room."
She consoled herself with the knowledge that Lily was able to read the room and act appropriately when the situation called for it. Granted, she frequently decided to do the opposite.
"It''s part of my charm."
It was a pity she held no interest in William. He wasn''t a bad man and there was a short list of bachelors able to survive Lily''s charm. A Finger certainly qualified.
"Yes, I suppose it is."
She watched Lily''s demeanor brighten at her words.
Alice didn''t know what the girl saw in her. They hadn''t begun as friends, quite the opposite even. She had been one of many who used to deride her. That had changed one day. Alice had tried to pry out the reason from her on more than one occasion but they each ended in failure, being told she would not understand.
For a time, she believed there to be a nefarious reason behind it. Those had long since vanished. It was more probable that the Federation accepted vassalation over Lily being her enemy.
She danced to her own tune, not beholden to anyone. She was strong as well, more than most knew. Her true level of power was hidden from Alice herself.
The reasoning behind it was not. At least it was plain as day to Alice.
Alice''s growth had stalled. Lily''s had not and she could push for a higher ranking whenever she pleased.
The girl didn''t want to leave her behind.
A ridiculous notion, a weak one. She''d told her that, only to be met with denials.
Her Father''s dalliances may have gotten her a brother but a sister? That she had found on her own.
"Something to share?" The girl quirked a brow at her, noticing the change. "Is it about how amazing I am?"
"Infuriating would be more apt," she quipped in good humor. "Or insufferable, I''ll let you decide."
Her mother had formed a similar bond in her youth. It was frayed now, but still there.
Mother had stressed the value and care that needed to be considered to call on her old friend''s aid. She was uncertain how much goodwill remained but she hoped it was enough.
"I need a new dress," Alice spoke and Lily stopped forming a rebuttal to her last. Lily''s eyes searched hers and she nodded, confirming her intentions.
"Will she even do anything?" Lily responded skeptically, "Isn''t she supposed to be retired?"
She was.
"Then she can grant me a referral. People in that line of work keep their contacts."
And with her reputation, a referral would carry weight.
"Are you sure getting her involved is a good idea?" Lily had a strained look, nervousness apparent. "That''s not a bell you can unring."
"You''re normally at ease around her." She rightfully pointed out. They''d spent plenty of time being fitted.
"Easier to be that way when you''re just asking for what skirt goes with what top. I like that Miss Plusier, I don''t like the stories of the spider." The picture of the kind tailor was hard to reconcile with what she heard whispered. "If you''re that worried about the Sauratus girl why don''t you have Callum talk to her, they''re friends, right?"
As far as he was aware, they were letting Anne be.
"It won''t hurt to have the conversation with her. Besides, that friendship is what worries me." He''d agreed on Alice''s behalf for an interview and Ancestors know what else. That it was done to be rid of someone posed against her only intensified her worry. "He''s too emotional. We can''t let that get in the way."
She didn''t appreciate him making commitments for her, nor having to find out about it from a third party. Perhaps she should return the favor? As a jest of course.
"That''s rich," Lily commented drily, not satisfied with her justification. "I''m calling it now. You''re both idiots and this is a bad idea." Lily slapped her hands against her thighs and rose. "I got a trade relations test I need to cram for. Text me if you light anything on fire."
She resented the implication. It wasn''t that common of an occurrence.
"So be it," She matched her friend, rising and heading to her bedroom. "I''m going to rest my eyes for a while."
They did not bid any more farewells and she found herself seated at her bed. Reaching into her nightstand, she retrieved a small box.
Her hand ran along its face, tracing the grain of the wood. When was the last time she had indulged?
Right, it was the day of their arrival. She regretted it. If she had abstained then maybe she would not have dragged him in front of so many.
She opened the latch, black orbs rolled around inside.
The time before that was the day she''d met him.
Alice Ardere was the hope of her house. With her lay the great responsibility of continuing a lineage that dated near the foundation of the Empire.
For the entirety of her life, she bore it. Mother and Father tried to help, raising and believing in her as best they could.
Even so, it was suffocating. In her heart, she knew herself to be inadequate. But with such expectations of her, how could she give anything less than everything? How could she appear anything but perfect?
And so she slipped, allowing herself slight reprieves.
The day she learned of his arrival at the manor was one such day. Her Father, who had always extolled his belief in her had lied. Did he always harbor doubts about her ability? If so why did he remain quiet? She would have preferred learning of it before a bastard arrived at their door.
It stung.
Any words he said after did little to soothe the pain.
A facsimile of her face was reflected in the glass-like surface of the cores, tempting her.
The box was slammed shut.
She didn''t need them.
That crushing weight on her, the one she''d grown with. It hadn''t disappeared. However, with two to carry their line, it seemed more bearable.
Chapter 39
The smell of freshly printed paper was oddly satisfying, though Cal could do without the deafening sound of the printing machines.
A heavy door was shut and he could once again hear himself think.
"You seem to be holding up well."
Anne stated while rounding the desk and taking a seat opposite him. On her request, he was back in the bowels of the newspaper club''s bunker.
"And you don''t." The slightly dark circles under her eyes didn''t escape his notice, despite what looked like attempts to conceal it. His words caused a dower expression to overcome her and he realized he''d put his foot in his mouth. "Sorry, didn''t mean to say that. I meant¡you know what let''s just pretend I didn''t say anything at all."
There was a bit of irony that while she looked to be lacking it, Cal had been getting sleep for the first time in a while. Since the slip-up after their night out, he found himself easing up on his paranoia. Out here, in the middle of foreign territory, there was no one out to get him. Sure, some might be after Callum Ardere but they weren''t after him.
And he could be a pain in the ass to deal with.
He wasn''t making a habit of it but dozing off during a class or two? It didn''t sound that bad.
"Lets." She took a sip of the mug cradled in her hands, closing her eyes to savor the taste. Cal had set his aside after a single taste. It was the worst cup of coffee he''d ever had. "I know it''s not the most popular of brews but it reminds me of home."
Were they making small talk? When she texted that they needed to talk he thought it would be some urgent thing like the Justiciars grilling her.
"That''s nice¡"
To be polite he should probably ask about ''home'' but he would rather get the point of why he was here.
"It''s to the north of here. Normally the colder climate wouldn''t allow them to grow but my older sister managed to design a method to accomplish it." In his opinion, she might want to revisit the drawing board. "The land is reclaimed but my family has put a considerable amount of resources into its development. We expect to continue at a sustainable if aggressive pace."
Reclaimed from the Waste that is. If what Olivia told him about the Empire''s track record for dealing with Beast Waves was correct, they were in a precarious position.
Was that something he should say? It felt like pointing out the obvious.
"It''s a large endeavor but my father was granted title on his own merits. People like to talk about the disadvantages younger families endure but there are benefits as well. We''re far less rigid than our older counterparts, able to embrace change at a much quicker pace."
Apparently, they liked to brag just as much as the old ones.
"You''re a martial house then?"
From what Claire had crammed in his head, the most common way to be raised to a noble title was from military accomplishment. However, unless her father was older than most he would have been too young to be in the last war.
"No, we were granted our Barony due to meritorious contribution to the Empire."
If he recalled correctly, that was code for ''they bought their title''. Which meant they probably weren''t fighters. Did they have any idea what their money got them or was this a giant grift?
The Empire was essentially receiving cash for useless tracts of land. Either the land was fixed up and produced tax revenue or the new house gets washed away in the next wave and the Empire gets to sell it to another sucker.
He was probably being too cynical here. On the off chance he wasn''t, he could spare a word of advice.
"I grew up in a village bordering the Waste." It was the truth if you swapped out the village for a cabin and bordering for damn near the center of it. "It got wiped out by a wave. I''d rather not dwell on it but I managed to see something interesting. There were some beasts that acted almost as instigators. They weren''t necessarily the strongest but they steered the rest of the host forward."
While he couldn''t take credit for its discovery, he had independently reached the same conclusion as Federation researchers. There was always a handful who worked like sheepdogs, nipping at the heels of their herd to drive them where they wanted. Given that beasts were prone to attack each other as much as humans, it wasn''t a simple task.
Try as they might, no one had been able to come up with a compelling reason for this behavior.
"Most of them charge towards the nearest threat but if you look at the outskirts, you might see one skirting the edges constantly. It was weird, even shied away when some soldiers confronted it."
It was easy to be surprised that such a basic idea could be hidden knowledge but it wasn''t like many people had a chance to think about anything besides survival when facing down a wave. He wasn''t sure if it was privileged information but figured it was the sort of thing everyone was better off knowing.
"Killing it probably won''t stop it outright but their cohesion should fall apart."
It turned waves from a wall of bloodthirsty beasts to a mosh pit of bloodthirsty beasts, which was a marked improvement but still pretty bad if you happened to be in the middle of it.
Prior to his arrival, the Federation already had it down to a science. It was deemed too risky to engage deep inside the Waste so the defense was closer to the border. Their military would dig in based on the wave''s trajectory and draw most of its ire while special teams or a single able individual would be tasked with taking out the instigators. Once they were killed, a specialized form of bait was deployed in the rear of the horde. That usually halted the rest of its momentum. After that, it was a grind until the last of them was eliminated.
The new method was vastly cheaper in terms of resources. It involved firing him into the center of it and saturating the area with artillery. Had it not been his idea in the first place he might have been offended by it.
With the chaos heavy ordinance caused, it was easy for him to move about and find his targets. He ripped through anything in his way and if they happened to get lucky? Well, he still got the last laugh.
Now why they thought concentrated shelling would work against him was truly a mystery. He imagined some analyst had been canned for coming up with that part of the contingency.
"Hmm," Anne set down the mug, sending him a searching look. "then you could say my house''s lands could feel like home then?"
Had he just wasted his breath? It was as if she''d not heard a word he said.
"I guess?"
Cal decided it must be the sleep deprivation getting to her.
"I''m glad," Heedless of his internal criticism, she spared him a faint smile. "There is another reason I requested a meeting here." He was beginning to wonder about that¡ "Ryan told me what you saw."
That was a loaded statement, he gave a non-committal shrug.
"That makes this next part, straightforward."
Anne produced a key and unlocked a drawer, placing a folder on the desk. She tapped it once before sliding it over.
Cal reached out, pausing to look at her and receiving a nod. He flipped it open, examining its contents.
He refused to believe this to be a coincidence and he couldn''t help but release a chuckle.
"Recreational drugs and performance boosters, that''s what you called." Part of him felt played but he hushed it. "That''s not how I would describe modified cores."
When he first asked about suspicious clubs, the Beasts Husbandry Club had been mentioned but it was one of several. Cal hadn''t placed any particular importance on it. It was on the ''do eventually'' list.
"Yes, well I didn''t know you." Anne didn''t seem put off by his slight accusation. "These aren''t allegations I can afford to throw around."
And he was suddenly trustworthy? Then again, he did owe her.
"Is this the investigative work you talked about? How long were you planning this?"
It wasn''t a thick folder but it didn''t look to be a day''s work.
"You make it sound sinister. I was just curious about what you could dig up. Now that we''re on the same page I don''t have to mince words. I''ve been looking into them ever since they got their hooks into Gregor."
He hummed in acknowledgment, that was solid reasoning. Going through the pages, he methodically absorbed every piece of information. When he was finished he calmly closed it and addressed the girl waiting for him.
"You think they''re sourcing them from outside the city and smuggling them in with their club supplies?"
She had cataloged what aerial beast they had on hand and what directions they flew out of.
"It''s a theory." She got out quickly, brushing her hair back. "I write puff pieces. Something like this is the best I can do."
He wouldn''t get tunnel-visioned on that angle then. Not that he was planning on it, the cores themselves weren''t the concern. It was the knowledge and means of summoning. He couldn''t see them being able to smuggle everything they needed via the air.
"Shouldn''t you drop this on the laps of the Justiciars? Doesn''t make sense to give it to me."
It worked out for him to be given it directly but he had to wonder about the stability of the country if its future leaders didn''t trust their basic institutions.
"If it was more concrete I would do just that but all I have is theories and hearsay. I also don''t want my name in any way associated with it, the Justiciars have a spotty record with that. You already proved yourself capable of this type of work."
He was happy to avoid the specifics of how he had done that if she was.
"Still seems a bit much to heave on a student, I mean there''s not much I can do."
Cal mused out loud, more for his own amusement than anything. His suspicion spiked when she found the window to be suddenly worth her avid attention.
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"There''s another reason you''re giving this to me, isn''t there?"
Anne watched him from the corner of her eye, not quite meeting his stare. Cal crossed his arms, content to wait her out. Seconds turned to minutes and he was reconsidering whether or not to give the coffee a second chance when she spoke again.
"I figured when something went wrong your sister would burn down their operation."
Huh. It was funny how often history repeated itself.
¡ª
"Where are you going?"
Cal hadn''t even left his chair before Lily''s sharp voice interrupted him.
"The bathroom?" He tried his best to convey the essence of truth with the blatant lie. It might have worked better if he hadn''t already used it before.
"Nice try, sit down." She said with a smile that didn''t reach her eyes.
Cal settled back down, looked at the study materials for a moment, and then at his current warden.
"Is this really necessary?"
It wasn''t whining if he had legitimate grievances. There were a lot of better things he could be doing right now.
"Do you think I want to be here? Maybe don''t fail next time."
Cal didn''t know how to feel about Lily being the supposed ''tutor''. She had never struck him as the studious type.
"I didn''t." He''d gotten the results of his exams last week and he had high enough marks. He was only finding out now their definitions didn''t match up. "I only got a couple wrong. It''s not a big deal."
And it was a couple, maybe one or two on each. They were probably worded horribly or he had just read them too quickly.
"You''re ignoring the one you skipped out entirely on." She waved a hand in his direction, preempting his retort. "I know, I know. But the why doesn''t change your average from tanking."
Whatever happened in magical engineering wasn''t going to help with it. Hopefully, Wyatt''s laziness would translate to the time it took for him to score things.
Cal sighed, grabbing the stack of flashcards Lily had made and flicking one across the table. He knew that one pretty well anyway. Looking at the next one, he discarded it like the last. It was hard to pretend to care about this stuff.
"What is with you two," Lily murmured and he detected a hint of exasperation. "Fess up. What shit are you getting into?" She flung a card back at him, leveling an unimpressed stare his way. "I can see you''re antsy. Spill."
Cal wasn''t sure what she was talking about. Wanting to blow off studying seemed like the most normal part about him.
"I prefer being outdoors. No need to start an inquisition."
Frankly, as long as there was something going on like the rustling of leaves or the tic of a clock, he didn''t much care where he was.
A buzz of a phone would also work, like the one he just heard. Lily fished in her pocket, her expression souring upon reading something.
"One of your new friends is here. In the lobby." He could see her scrolling until she gave up and placed it facedown on the table. "And there''s the second. Want to bet if one of them is heading up here?"
The room''s reservation was on the books so it wasn''t like they were hiding. That being said¡
"I''m not sure about you but I don''t feel like dealing with them. What do you say we call it early."
If they were deadset on speaking then they''d track him down at the dorms. But that would be a problem for future Cal and fuck that guy.
"They''re not dumb. If they''re here for us they''ll be covering the entrance. We can''t leave without causing a scene."
True, jumping out a window or running past them would cause a stir. However, there was another option. One he''d been meaning to take a closer look at.
"Sure about that?" He gathered his belongings quickly and made for the door, looking over his shoulder to see Lily hadn''t yet moved. "C''mon, I got a secret."
"Just one?" Lily muttered, following after him. It was quiet enough to be discreet but loud enough for him to know he was meant to hear it. He didn''t humor her with a response.
He navigated towards the staircase and made it down two flights when he took an abrupt detour. Slinking behind a staircase, he was happy Lily didn''t need to be prompted to mirror his actions. Footsteps tapped their way past and he gave it a few more seconds before emerging again and motioning to his partner in not-crime.
He was reasonably confident that had been one of them walking by.
They made it to the basement without further issues. He paced slowly through the corridors.
When Mia had led him down here he wasn''t thinking of secret passageways and so hadn''t committed to memory the path they took. Either way that would slightly defeat the purpose, the point was to find new routes. Not wanting to be caught in the tunnels was great and all but with a group in mind he wanted a firmer grasp on how they could sneak the materials needed for a summoning on campus.
He paused in front of a bookshelf, the familiar magic was felt faintly behind it. Sticking out a finger, he injected a sliver of his magic into the spine of a book.
Nothing happened.
Not to be easily dissuaded, he began running his finger across the entire row. And then the next.
"If you''re trying to creep me out, congrats." Lily''s dry tone was matched only by the ancient books in front of him. "It''s working."
"There''s a passage behind this thing." Cal stroked his chin in thought. He was doing it the same way Mia had. "I don''t know why it''s not working."
"You sure about that?"
Cal nodded absentmindedly. Maybe it was light magic he needed to work with? How did that go again?
He was reaching out to try again when a hand patted his shoulder. Lily didn''t give an explanation before pulling him back and stepping closer to the disguised passage.
She pointed a finger at it as he did.
Fine, he''d let her fail before showing her how it was done.
The finger curled back and a fist rammed into the shelf, piercing through the wood. She swung her lodged hand up and down before reeling it back and taking the hidden door with her. It dropped to the side with a thump.
"I could have done that," Cal commented, noting the hypocrisy of her calling him a brute.
"But you didn''t." She stepped to the side, waving him forward. "Lead on."
Cal stepped into the dark tunnel, walking with purpose. He had no clue where this thing led.
"Soooo," The echoes of their steps were interrupted by a questioning voice behind him. "You''re not going to kill me down here are you?"
Cal gave a half-hearted attempt at a villainous laugh, prompting a flame to ignite in his open palm and turning to find Lily looking at him with a blank expression.
"I already made that joke and no." He closed his hand, extinguishing the flame. "For the record, it didn''t land."
He blamed the stoic nature of his audience and continued forward.
"Who?"
Ah, he avoided the interrogation upstairs only to end up in another. Typical.
"No one important."
He stated vaguely, tracing his hands on the old stone. Dusty and devoid of markings. Did people just memorize the layout?
"I don''t believe you."
Yeah, neither did he.
"For my continued sanity, drop it."
The path forked ahead and he chose one at random. Worst case scenario they''d have to dig their way out.
"If you say so. You know I heard rumors about these things but I''ve never seen them."
So it wasn''t something everyone was using on the side. The fewer people who used them the simpler things would be.
He didn''t respond and the conversation lulled. As they traversed, the stale air transitioned into something fresher.
Interesting.
Pushing his senses, nothing else seemed off which only heightened his alert. He subtly looked back at Lily, seeing that her eyes were narrowed and her jaw rigid.
He ducked close to her side and whispered.
"Backtrack?"
As much as he wanted to figure out what was going on ahead, dragging Lily into it sounded like a terrible idea. The problem was convincing her.
"Yes." She muttered back with a focused gaze.
"I don''t think-." His carefully worded argument was aborted. "Sorry. Didn''t expect you to agree with me."
She shot him a look telling him exactly what she thought about that.
He turned to retrace his steps when Lily''s loud voice belted behind him.
"Changed my mind." Without consulting, she let her gait carry down the passage. "Pick your jaw up, places to be."
Cal debated leaving her, she could handle herself. Ultimately, he followed in her wake. If only to throw it in her face when this went south.
They went down a small incline and after some time light could be seen ahead. He slowed and considered deafening his approach before deciding against it. Lily was acting boldly and he was aware there must have been a reason.
There was a corner up ahead and his senses told him nothing was on the other side. That set off all sorts of flags.
Lily rounded it with brazen disregard and Cal trailed behind her, keeping his guard up.
What met them were pillars of bleached stone. The ceiling they held up was obscured by rolling clouds but that wasn''t where his attention lay. No, that was reserved for the pentagram drawn on the floor. Cal frowned. He''d come across plenty of summonings and this, unfortunately, didn''t look like one.
The clouds parted and a man drifted down. One he''d seen once before.
"I''ve been meaning to speak with you two."
Lily tilted her head Cal''s way and gave him a sly smile before waving at the man. He resisted the urge to hurl an expletive at her. Or something with a bit more oomph.
"Heya headmaster, how''s it going?"
Chapter 40
"Ease up with the glare." Lily held a smirk while pointing a thumb at the headmaster. "Vic is cool."
Cal felt the right to be more than a little annoyed. A simple ''by the way we''re about to run into the headmaster'' wouldn''t have gone amiss.
"That is not the proper way to address me, you know this Liliane." It came out as a statement of fact, no bite being present. "And we haven''t been formally introduced." The headmaster''s stony face turned Cal''s way, pausing to give a hard stare. "Callum Ardere, an unexpected addition."
The headmaster, Victor if his memory was right, stood in the center of whatever this place was. He looked much the same as during the speech. Dressed in his black suit with a red cape hanging loose behind him, he struck a surprisingly imposing figure. His hand gripped the wooden staff Cal had called simple before, up close he could now tell it very much wasn''t.
"Do you like it?" Victor raised it horizontally, letting it balance on his hand before snapping it back into the upright position. "Many suspect it more than what it appears, that look in your eyes tells me you know more than most."
Cal had no idea what it was but he did get the sense that being hit by it would hurt. If he were pressed to make a connection, he''d say it was reminiscent of the cabin. The logs making up the cabin were the antithesis of life, warning all those still breathing to turn away. Meanwhile, this staff almost gave the illusion of being a normal piece of wood. The only thing making the connection was a nagging feeling in the back of his head that they were related in some way. Certainly, they felt more akin to the cabin than the walls ever did.
"I just thought it would make a good walking stick, all guys are on the lookout for one of those."
It was one of the truer statements he''d ever said.
"Indeed we are." Cal could not determine if Victor had bought that. "A shame I don''t do much of that nowadays."
The headmaster could fly, whoopie-doo. Flight was a stupid waste of magic and that was a hill Cal was willing to die on. Not that a death was any great sacrifice.
"As funny it would be to see you put through a wall or two," Lily spoke, facing them both. "Don''t try and punch him."
Cal thought that overly harsh, the headmaster wouldn''t stoop so low to attack a-. Oh, she was talking about him.
Rude.
Hand to hand he''d get trounced but if he were to throw caution out the window he should be able to handle him one way or another. Of course, pointing that out would not only be childish but also idiotic.
"Well, nice to meet you but I''m pretty sure we should be going." Cal turned on his heel to make for the door, only to see it had disappeared. "You know that trick doesn''t work so well when she can blow it open."
Cal gestured with his head towards Lily who didn''t seem to be in any rush to leave.
"You''ll find that more difficult than expected. We sealed these tunnels for a reason, students are not meant to be down here."
Tell it to Mia.
"Yeahhhh." Lily dragged the word out, showing little decorum. "But you''re not the type to harp on something like that."
Victor didn''t comment on that, keeping his focus on Cal who was beginning to wonder how coincidental this meeting was.
"Do you know what my duties as headmaster entail?"
The question came out of left field. It didn''t sound rhetorical and Cal mulled over it before replying.
"To keep the Academy running smoothly and whack anyone on the head with that stick if something goes wrong."
Victor stopped short of snorting but did exhale out of his nose.
"No, I don''t get involved in the day-to-day of the Academy. That is left best to my Deputy, who I''m told you are now acquainted with." Lily''s lips moved, presumably to add some derisive comment, but no sound came. "My role is to deal with everything but the Academy."
Victor tapped the staff and clouds came rushing down, organizing themselves into a shape that became clearer by the second. It was the Empire. Calling it a map would be a stretch but it was undeniably meant to represent their lands.
"Name the three major political parties of the Empire."
It was a basic question, something anyone should know. Yet, Cal found himself turning up a blank. They hadn''t been covered in any of his coursework.
"I suspected as much. It''s not something someone from your background would have concerned themselves with." Cal tried not to show how on edge that remark put him on. There was no way this guy knew, right? As the head honcho was he considered trustworthy or another liability? "And for good reason, you would not have learned it here."
The Academy''s position on the ''map'' was raised. In comparison to the rest, it was tiny.
"I am a bulwark. The shield that protects those in these walls from the machinations of those outside."
Cal felt a sense of indignation for the millennial old Spirit. This guy certainly thought the world of himself, he was also bad at his job if Cal''s presence was any indication.
"I don''t discourage squabbles among students but there is a conspicuous lack of overt political affiliation. This isn''t by happenstance, it has been orchestrated by generations of my predecessors. It is the torch I now carry, to insulate us from the worst of the Diet. This is a place of learning and progress. We won''t be browbeaten into adopting what others think right at the time." Cal watched Victor''s grip tighten and his voice drop in tone. "So I must ask why, did you think it prudent to invite Justiciars into my house." Victor''s head turned, slowly and methodically towards the only other occupant in the room. "Liliane."
Wait. Did he think¡
"Does this mean I can go?" There was silence as both turned to him. Cal took some steps back and pointed behind his shoulder. "I mean there''s a souffle I''ve been dying to make and I want to get it done before dinner so¡"
He took the lack of response as permission and turned on his heel, only to have clouds create a circle hemming the three of them in.
"I mean a normal person would just say no."
Not that he was the authority on that.
"Sorry, Vic but that''s got nothing to do with me." Lily tossed her hands up in a helpless manner before gesturing to Cal. "Or us for that matter."
"This isn''t an interrogation Liliane. I know you were involved in our late student''s disappearance and death."
"Woah." Lily blinked, staring off into space for a moment before recovering. "I figured he was missing with what that pair has been asking about but dead?" She finished with a mumble, bringing a hand to her chin and looking down in thought. "I mean I''m not going to lose sleep over it but dead? That''s heavy..." She trailed off and her face shifted from one of incredulity to one of understanding. "Wait, you think I did this?" Lily continued furiously, her arms trembling in rage by her side. "You can''t believe I''m capable of something like this?!?"
She finished with a stomp sending sparks flying.
That was surprisingly good. She didn''t hold a candle to the performance that was Emily but it looked and sounded convincing.
The air in the room seemed to thicken, the tension rising. That might have also just been the air actually thickening.
"I do," Victor said, widening his stance.
At a moment''s notice, Cal was ready to spring into action. What that action would be was a mystery to Cal himself but he''d figure it out once fists started swinging.
"Drat." The single word seemed to clear the room of any hint of hostilities. "I was hoping you weren''t paying attention. But as much as I''d like to claim credit. We have nothing to do with it." Lily shrugged casually, displaying her lack of concern. "Alie is going to be happy though. Callum, you should make a birthday cake instead to celebrate."
"You are not listening Liliane. I know you. Save the explanations for those who don''t." Cal couldn''t help but have a bit of schadenfreude at the accusation. "And you," Victor addressed Cal again, who''d thought he was about to get off scot-free. "I presume you were connected in some way. Can you spin lies as convincing?"
That was the plan but he was getting weird vibes out of the direction this conversation was going.
"I''m really lost here. What''s happening?"
It didn''t sound like they were getting apprehended.
"I don''t want to risk any misunderstandings here so I''ll speak plainly. Your encounter with the Justiciars, you could have leveraged your testimony for amnesty for any other transgressions. I have little doubt their office would have jumped at the opportunity to not only settle an old grudge but use the excuse to demand a permanent presence on campus and erode our independence."
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Hold up. He could have thrown Ferguson under the bus and saved his own skin? He''d killed a student, granted the guy was guilty as sin but were the Justiciars really willing to sweep that under the rug?
Cal would have liked for that option to be presented earlier. Not that he would have taken it.
"On a personal note, I thank you for not causing further complications for my friend."
That last part stuck with Cal and realization dawned on his face.
"That''s why he hasn''t been fired."
He declared, with a fist striking his palm. Cal had thought it was the man''s supposed reputation but it turned out to be good old-fashioned nepotism.
For the first time, he saw a crack in the stony exterior and the man had a hint of embarrassment.
"He has performed better in the past." Victor brushed past it quickly. "In consideration of everything, I''m willing to compromise here. I will impede them as I can and make their progress in the Academy frustratingly slow. In turn, you two will lead this off-campus. I do not care how it is done, only that no other members of the Academy are implicated in it."
This stank. The headmaster of the Academy was not only okay with a student being killed but offering to help cover it up? Something wasn''t right.
"Wow, and I thought you were cool." Lily''s mocking voice had a sharpness to it. "Don''t dress it up. If we were involved and caught, the Justiciars would wave that around to get concessions out of your precious Academy. Your best-case scenario is for an unaffiliated third party to take the fall. "
Essentially then, everyone here was trying to save their own ass. How remarkably human.
"This is more than I would offer others. You are only receiving this opportunity because both of you have proven competent in individual ability."
As Cal had long since learned, there was a big difference between being able to hit things hard and acts of subterfuge.
"You want us to pin this on the Federation then? Isn''t that what-" Cal stopped himself from saying ''you''. "we always do?"
The irony was almost too much for him. Needless to say, he''d never agree to something like this.
"No, there is a better alternative in the form of an accomplished and feared mage, one who has little to lose. I have it from a credible source that he was spotted in the city recently. Get in contact with him and I''m sure we can come to an agreeable sum for him to take the notoriety associated with the slaying of a Baron''s son."
A professional fall guy. Trusting anything like this to a criminal struck him as incredibly stupid but options were options.
"Hypothetically, what''s this guy''s name?"
There was a pause and Victor closed his eyes. The clouds reformed into a vaguely familiar silhouette.
"The Whistling Death."
Fuck.
¡ª
"This seems ill-advised."
Cal looked out to the pit of water ahead of him. The murky water tossed and turned as the irritated occupant inside swam circles.
The squid-like creature''s beady black eye watched them from the depths but that wasn''t where Cal''s attention was drawn. He furtively glanced toward the sides where the other enclosures sat.
Colloquially this entire area was dubbed the stables. There were actual stables, as he''d first seen in the distance during Ryan''s tour, but behind that lay much more. It was divided into roughly three sections. The largest was a forested area, similar to the rest of the Academy''s grounds. It was rivaled by a more arid area with rugged rock and small dunes.
Cal was currently in the smallest of the sections, a series of pits made out of hardened stone meant for aquatic beasts. Most of the time beasts were kept in their specialized pens located at the main stable building. Enclosures like these were most commonly used for their training. A more niche reason for their usage was breeding, which was why he was here.
In the next pit over was a clutch of eggs being monitored by members of the Beast Husbandry Club, he kept tabs on one in particular.
Romero Venito, second son of a Viscount house was fairly average as far as nobles went. From what Anne had provided, he hadn''t been involved in disciplinary actions and by all accounts had passable marks in his seventh-year courses. By the end of the year, he was expected to graduate and be appointed to some position in his house''s lands. He was also dealing modified cores on the side and number one on the list of people Cal would like to have a locked-door conversation with.
"Are you listening to me? I''ve made several valid points as to why I think this foolhardy."
Marcus''s aggrieved voice sounded beside him, reminding him of his presence.
"Huh," Cal tried and failed to recall anything from the man. "Sorry, I got distracted for a minute."
This area was only accessible to those taking related classes or members of certain clubs. Apparently, being the heir of a Dukedom allowed you to bypass both of those criteria. When Ferguson canceled their second class of the week and Marcus suggested they use the time for their own training, Cal was happy enough to direct their session here.
"Does our previous class weigh heavy on you?"
"I don''t know if that''s how I would describe it," Cal spoke evasively before getting to something he''d been meaning to ask. "Why did you take up Rolland''s deal? Just for the money?"
Lily had been very interested in finding out what the headmaster was referring to with Ferguson and the Justiciars, Cal had been decidedly less so in telling it.
It turned out they were roughly on the same page with that. Making any sort of deal with the Justiciar was tantamount to admitting guilt and was better kept as a last resort. The Justiciar herself seemed content to bury it but Lily was convinced the more senior one would have different ideas. Something about being more ingrained into the system. Whatever that meant.
"My decision was independent of his meddling," Marcus had looked almost conflicted before his features smoothed out and responded. "My house''s interests don''t lie with the Justiciars, cooperating was never my intention. I played on a rare opening in Rolland''s sensibilities to extract concessions out of him. It''s something you would do well to imitate."
These guys loved to blackmail each other. Belatedly, he realized the hypocrisy of the statement.
"Sure, now are you going to stop stalling or what?"
Frankly, this method of training was suspect at best. He really just needed the excuse to be here and grasped at the easiest solution. To be fair, it wasn''t much different than what Ferguson had done to them and he was a teacher.
"You haven''t addressed any of my concerns." Marcus rightfully pointed out.
It was tough to offer rebuttals to things he wasn''t listening to, he was also pretty sure he wouldn''t be able to convincingly resolve them.
"What''s the matter? Doesn''t your place border the water? This shouldn''t be anything crazy for you."
Their lands were towards the southwest of the Academy. There was some noble in charge of a buffer zone between them and the great river but they were considered the core military force in the area.
All of that was proof that his studying hadn''t been totally for naught.
"We respect the ocean and its dangers."
That was a nonanswer, well he''d find out soon enough.
"You have that shield badge, right?"
Marcus reached into his pocket and held it up.
"I understand your intention but these are only effective in duels because students know to display restraint, this untamed beast is another matter."
Cal didn''t get why the man was suddenly reluctant. They''d already gone through the trouble of getting permission to get into the water with this thing.
"Trust me, I know what I''m doing." He didn''t. "Activate the thing."
This had been the way he learned if you took out the water and added far more beasts.
"Not until-"
Cal tuned out the complaint and focused back on Romero. How to proceed was a question that needed answering. With regards to his suspect and the Justiciars poking around. Luckily, there was a team of professionals he could bully into helping him in the city. For now, all he had to do was get a sense of the suspect''s magical signature.
"Suit yourself" Cal assumed Marcus had finished and slapped him on the back, sending him carreing in the water. "Feel the movement in the water! Should be able to anticipate it before it strikes!"
Cal yelled a bit of advice, he doubted it would get to the man but it was the thought that counted.
Chapter 41
Cal was on his knees, his shirt was stained with the same dirt he now dug through. Honestly, he was having a fairly good time. He''d expected far worse when receiving the community service sentence from the deputy headmistress.
It worked out well, he''d ''volunteer'' in one of the city''s gardens for the morning and then conveniently disappear to meet up with Olivia later in the day. He still preferred cooking but gardening wasn''t too bad of a way to relax.
The garden he found himself in was nice and located near the heart of the city, evidently being one of the better ones around. The structure was made of different sections fully enclosed with glass, providing some climate control for when winter rolled in. The inside was neatly ordered with clear signage for each area. Paths snaked their way through the building, splitting and merging while leaving pockets of earth in their wake large enough for greenery. These pockets housed flora of all different types, most of them unknown to Cal until he read the display post. He was currently working on a new exhibit, digging holes and transferring plants from pots to dirt.
It was the first day of the weekend, and the rest of the week had passed without any major incidents. The Justiciars hadn''t approached him again. Given they''d not tried to slap cuffs on him yet, he was leaning toward that being a positive sign. The only other thing he''d done of note was pass the names off to the Spirit. That and take the Economics test but that was of dubious importance.
He might have also upset Marcus a tad if the way his text was ignored was any indication. Cal put ''making it up to him'' in the maybe pile.
"Why does it seem like you''re having fun?" Lily huffed behind him, arms crossed and still on the sidewalk. "I''m all for putting on an act to piss off Evergreen but you seem to genuinely enjoy this."
Cal''s fist closed around a clump of dirt and he flung it back. Lily flickered, dodging it with ease. He suspected she did it to annoy him, she didn''t strike him as caring about a little dirt on her clothes.
"It''s just something familiar. I struggled with it a bit but getting something to grow is pretty cool."
His little windowsill planter was a far cry from this in terms of scale and variety but he liked to think it was the same in principle.
She was silent for a moment, the only sound coming from the other ''volunteers'' working in their areas.
"Alie told me you had to cook for yourself. Are you going to tell me you had to grow your own food as well?" Her voice had a joking tilt to it and she followed up with some soft laughter. It grew increasingly hesitant and strained the longer it went without a response. "Forget I said anything."
She backtracked and went back to her work.
Strictly speaking, he should really stop talking about his past. Doing so meant inviting people to come and poke holes into his story. But, if he kept it non-verifiable details and consistent¡that was probably fine?
He just had to keep his story straight; easy as long as he told some variation of the truth.
"Nothing that extreme. I only planted spices to cook with." The actual food was killed by him. "I wasn''t in danger of dying via starvation."
Food being a luxury and not a necessity was a fact he learned early on.
The ghost of a connection in the back of his head came to his attention.
His relationship with food had been one with ups and downs. When he first came back to the land of the living, he''d almost forgotten eating was something that needed to be done. Then he''d begun hoarding it, grabbing and stashing away whatever was in arms reach.
Once he realized what he was doing he went the opposite direction, missing meals entirely at times. It was his way of exerting some control over his life. In hindsight, it was stupid.
Nowadays he didn''t think too hard about it, he ate when he wanted. Simple as that.
She crouched near him, using a shovel to begin digging a hole of her own.
"That answers the question of you having a chef." He wasn''t sure why she would come to the conclusion he''d have something like that. "So your mom was a bad cook then?"
The rock he''d been removing sat still in his hand. It was a remarkable feat, had it been a month ago it would have been shattered at that comment.
He tossed it aside with a sigh. Albert was right, time away really was doing him some good. While the cabin was a refuge of sorts, at the end of the day it was Hers and there were constant reminders of that. He''d thought moving to the Federation would allow him to forget but that turned out to be an impossible wish.
The Fourth was a big deal.
People constantly compared them, they didn''t always say it but he''d seen the look in their eyes. He knew what it meant.
Curiosity. Confusion. Fear.
He hated it.
Cal could not say he was a fan of the Empire but it had allowed him to go days, weeks even, without thinking of Her.
It felt good, relaxing in a way.
And all it took was some idiots who wanted to condemn an entire city. He decided to make it quick once he found out their identities, a form of thanks on his part.
Of course, not being on a constant hair-trigger didn''t mean he''d not try to put a hole through Her face in the next time they saw each other.
Transferring another plant to the dirt and idly infusing some growth magic into it, he noticed Lily giving him furtive glances.
It didn''t look like she would push the issue. His eyes traced back to the plant beginning to lay roots. It was small and frail now but with time would grow. Wasn''t it about time he did some of that himself?
"I don''t know, never saw her try."
He responded, not for her but for him. Cal needed to be able to talk about it.
"Did you guys always eat out or did neighbors help you out."
The neighbors were much more concerned with eating them than helping.
"This was before moving to the village, we lived fairly isolated."
Cal imagined she thought him to be referring to the countryside and not one of the most inhospitable places on the planet. The only other place that could contend with it was the deep ocean but that was something difficult to confirm.
"Just you two?"
She continued her line of questioning and Cal took a breath, steadying himself before responding.
"Yep."
Millie was the second person he''d met and that had been years after living in this world. If it wasn''t for the field guide he would have expected there to be no world outside the Waste.
"Was it because your father wanted to keep you a secret?"
That wasn''t a factor in the equation, that he knew. Mindful of his cover Cal shrugged and answered in a noncommittal fashion.
"I couldn''t say."
Lily seemed to mull over that continuing her line of questioning.
"Was she trying to protect you then?"
Had he not been extra conscious of his actions something bad might have just happened then. He fought the instincts to shut down the conversation, to move on to something else or storm out.
"No."
Try as he might, the resentment in his voice was thick. She''d done the exact opposite of that. His earliest memories here involved her trying to kill him. He''d returned the favor as soon as he was able. The list of failures against one another was long.
He would succeed one day, that much he was certain. It was inevitable. With each passing day, each core consumed, he grew stronger.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
"I don''t know what to say to that." Lily was digging the same hole, it was far deeper than it should be and Cal suspected her not to have realized it. "It doesn''t sound like she knew how to raise you. No offense. Why keep away from everyone?"
Because it wasn''t about protecting him.
It was about protecting everyone else from him. She thought him something he wasn''t.
Millie had originally been under the same delusion. The Star in his pocket showed she''d quashed those thoughts.
Cal chewed on his cheek, drawing blood in his carelessness. He funneled magic into the wound, sealing it.
"I wasn''t expected."
People not knowing what to do with him was a common theme in this life.
"That''s a shitty excuse."
Lily made her thoughts known in a gruff. Cal agreed with her. There were reasons for what happened to him.
That didn''t make it alright.
That didn''t make him alright.
Had he not had previous memories to fall back on, he might have become akin to what She thought.
However, his moral compass was battered and skewed but it remained intact. He had a sense of right and wrong, as inconvenient as it was at times.
Cal patted the dirt gently, careful not to pack it too tightly and suffocate the plant. Unlike the ones he''d visited with Alice, everything here had its designated space so there was no danger of encroachment. A greenhouse like this was much easier to work with, with fewer variables to consider.
Ecosystems were complicated. Even if someone thought themselves to be doing good by removing a problematic element from them that might have a catastrophic effect on the rest of the system. That didn''t mean leaving it alone but it did mean proper solutions could take time and involve compromise.
This greenhouse wasn''t his responsibility and he didn''t much care for those who ran it. The fates of the plants inside should have no bearing on his decisions; he had nothing to do with them.
Yet as much as he shouldn''t, he gave a shit.
"You okay over there?"
Lily followed up and he detected a hint of concern.
"I''m fine," Cal responded in a clipped tone. Talking about it was one thing but he wasn''t out for sympathy. He''d gotten this far largely by himself, he neither wanted nor needed pity.
Cal was a liar. He lied to the Empire, he lied to the Federation, he lied to everyone and anyone. Naturally, he was not excluded from that number.
"Must be in the blood," Lily muttered. A wry grin on her face as if she was laughing at some inside joke. "Normal people can''t barrel through everything on their own. That both of you do so is telling."
It felt like it should be a compliment but he couldn''t help but take some offense to it. His situation was wholly different than Alice''s.
"Excuse me," A young man stepped forward from the side. Cal had been introduced to him earlier, Ethan was his name. He was here on his own volition and a fellow student. Also, their supervisor but Cal didn''t put much stock on that. "I was told to keep you two apart¡"
Ethan had a conflicted look on his face. Cal needed a break and decided to kill Lily''s argument before it fully formed.
"Go back to your plot, no reason to make his job harder than it needs to be," he said while waving her off.
Lily looked to weigh the pros and cons before relenting and leaving, sparing him a single glance on her way out.
Ethan stood there awkwardly with his lanky hands at his side. His eyes traveled between them until Lily rounded the corner and disappeared from view.
"Did you need something else?" Cal asked after seeing the man rooted in place. Ethan had been hands-off today, giving them brief instructions and then running off to take care of something. "I think I''ve been doing everything like you said."
He wasn''t familiar with the species he was planting so he hoped there was no special treatment he was meant to be doing.
"Magnae Viriditas are resilient, we wouldn''t let newcomers handle them otherwise." Ethan walked over, raising a brow at the pit Lily dug. Cal looked back to where Lily had gone and the man nodded in understanding. "She is a repeat customer, we try to keep her away from anything living."
That was one of the most reasonable things Cal had heard all week.
"What''s your deal then? There''s got to be a reason you''re here on the weekend."
Cal figured a noble wouldn''t be as altruistic to donate their time for nothing.
"Family duties," Ethan responded simply. He began to elaborate on seeing Cal''s questioning look. "You probably don''t know my house but we''re a cadet branch of the Evergreens."
Looking at Ethan, Cal could see the resemblance.
"Does that mean¡" Cal deliberately trailed off, leaving room for Ethan to confirm he was related to the deputy who hated Cal''s guts.
"Correct, we''re cousins by marriage. However distant."
The man gestured between them and it dawned on Cal he was referring to the two of them.
"Neat." Cal supplied, bereft of any response to that. With the way nobles intermingled he was betting there were more loose connections like that around campus. "That it?"
Cal wasn''t trying to be rude but it felt like Ethan had more to say.
"I wanted to privately express my support."
That string of words was not something anticipating coming out of the stranger''s mouth. Cal knew the deputy headmistress had punished him for nonsensical reasons and it was sorta nice to have someone close to her confirm that. Still, nobles were fairly hierarchical so it was strange to have one come out against a member of the main house. Unless he meant to make a play against that house but if so approaching Cal about it was a bizarre decision.
"Thanks, I appreciate it."
Cal opted not to overthink it, taking it at face value for now. Wondering how long it had been, he checked his phone for the time and saw that he still had a few more hours of mandatory labor before he could be set loose and rendezvous at Olivia''s bar.
When he looked up he saw Ethan still there, only his gaze had shifted to the ground near Cal. Specifically towards the plant he''d been tending to. Confused, Cal backed up and raised his hands. Ethan had just said the thing was tough, whatever was wrong wasn''t on him. Lily had probably messed with it for a laugh.
Ethan paced forward and gingerly crouched by the small piece of flora. His hand slowly lifted a leaf and his brow furrowed.
"Something the matter?"
Cal spoke after a full minute had passed. There was no reply and more time slipped past without any answers as to what Ethan was investigating.
"Did you do anything to this?" Ethan asked. It was more of a perplexed tone than accusatory.
"Plant it?" Cal didn''t know why the plant was garnering such an interaction. Nothing had stood out to him about it.
Ethan pawed at the soil and unearthed the roots for inspection. Eventually, he rose satisfied.
"Sorry, exams this week had me study long hours and I must not be getting enough sleep. Please proceed, I''ll be around if you need me." With his piece said Ethan was walking away when he paused. "And I meant what I said. You two make a good pair. I''m rooting for you."
The remark caught him off-center and he scoffed once he realized their meaning. This damn school and their stupid rumors.
Well, what was one more lie?
Chapter 42
The bar was as dingy as he remembered it. He''d been careful with his approach here, circling and zigzagging to the best of his ability. There weren''t any guarantees but he felt fairly confident no one had tracked him.
Alice had wanted him straight back to campus after their community service but had crumbled rather quickly when he expressed his desire to check up on Emily. Ditching Lily hadn''t been as hard as he expected, all he had to do was rattle something off about needing space.
Cal''s eyes raked over the bar''s inhabitants, looking for anyone out of place. He found one, just not who he was expecting. He approached the counter and plopped down on a seat beside the man.
"Lennard." Cal clasped the Federation agent on the shoulder causing him to freeze. "Fancy seeing you here. Is there a special occasion?" Cal didn''t wait for a response and grabbed the glass in front of the agent, bringing it to his nose and sniffing. There was no scent of alcohol. "Not that special then. Come on spill, I don''t bite." Some memories flashed through his mind. "I don''t bite humans."
Plenty of things tried to take bites of him in the past, he wasn''t above returning the favor. Cal retracted his hand from the man, giving him some space.
People being scared of him was far from a new thing. Back at the Federation, he tried to be considerate about it and simply ignored them most of the time. If that wasn''t practical, well he tried to act professional.
Emphasis on ''tried'', results varied.
However, this wasn''t the Federation and a field agent working in the heart of the Empire should really have more of a spine. He slapped Lennard on the back again to check for one.
While he did find one, he also prompted a coughing fit.
Cal waited patiently for it to clear up while keeping an eye on the room. Olivia wasn''t behind the counter so he wondered if he''d picked a bad day to drop by.
"Was." Lennard pounded on his chest and slowly got himself under control. "Trying to prevent a repeat."
Cal understood what he was getting it. Olivia being taken again would be unideal for a variety of reasons.
"Thanks," Cal said on her behalf. He wasn''t sure if she would have said it herself. "Is it just you?"
Lennard looked around the room discretely before replying.
"Cassey does the most shifts. I''m filling in today."
Cal would have preferred her to be here instead, she came off as the more easygoing of the two.
"Pass on my thanks to her as well then."
"Pretty sure that''s not why she''s doing it," Lennard muttered and Cal opted to not delve too deep into that statement.
He decided to look at the man''s presence as a good thing. He was meaning to solicit their group''s advice anyway so this saved time.
"Callum!" A bright voice came from the back. "I didn''t realize you were dropping by today. Making friends I see." Emily strolled up to the counter. Her face was smiling but Cal didn''t buy it for a second. "Why don''t you head to the back, you remember the way?"
Cal got up, downing whatever was in the glass he''d stolen; it was something fruity.
"Sure thing." He grabbed Lennard''s collar and hauled him off the barstool. "Bringing some company, he''s a good listener."
The man didn''t protest and soon they were in the back room. Cal was sat on a regular old chair while Lennard had been tossed on the ratty sofa.
Cal had one leg propped up on the other and was shaking his foot. Lennard''s gaze was unnerving. What did they say about fear? Something about the root of it being a lack of understanding?
In that case¡
"Got anything you want to ask?" Cal broached the subject somewhat reluctantly. "I''m apparently chatty today."
Lennard''s mouth opened for a moment before closing without uttering a sound. His brow scrunched up and he looked troubled. Whatever debate raged in his head quietly resolved itself and Lennard posed his first question.
"Do you work with them a lot?"
It took Cal a second to realize who ''them'' referred to. He supposed that made sense, the Constellation were essentially celebrities in the Federation.
"Not as much as you might think." Cal was thankful the question was broad enough for him to pick and choose who he spoke about. "Tagging along with them is overkill. I do help Millie, erm, I mean Prodigy with her experiments from time to time."
It wasn''t like their names were secret but to the public they went by their epithets. The practice was meant to make them appear larger than life. Frankly, he didn''t think they needed much help in that regard.
"You help her with research!?" Lennard sat straighter, his eyes threatening to leave their sockets. "I read one of her papers in school. I didn''t think anyone was smart enough to work with her."
From the fervency of his speech, Cal deduced he''d stumbled on the man''s favorite. He also realized how his words could be misconstrued. He thought about letting the statement hang before choosing to clear things up. He didn''t want to take credit that wasn''t his.
"If you''re hoping for some inside scoop or trade secrets I''m not the guy for it. I don''t really help with the math or science side of things.''" Lennard''s face changed from awe to confusion. Cal pointed a thumb at himself. "You''re looking at the best test subject on the continent."
Millie had said it so it must have been true. He even had it printed on a mug Mask had gifted him.
"Aren''t her tests usually¡"
Lennard looked to have trouble finishing the sentence so Cal stepped in.
"Incredibly lethal? Sometimes." Like the rocket that was his primary method of transportation to the Waste, Millie tended to forgo safety measures in her experiments. She was still a genius so more often than not it went fine but when things went wrong they went wrong. They were the kind of ''oopsies'' that caused the entire facility to be put on lockdown. "I get roped in because she''s incredibly persistent and death is more of a suggestion to me."
The major reason he found himself agreeing again and again was because she didn''t act out of malice. She was also genuinely regretful whenever something went wrong and apologized profusely each time.
That counted for something.
There was an uncomfortable silence that followed and Cal realized he''d made a slight misstep. Cal was not a well-known commodity but that Captain had probably shared some details about their mini vacation to the hells. Cal imagined that he''d just reminded Lennard that the person who sat across him was less of a person and more of a force of nature.
He searched his brain for something to talk about, something to make the Constellation members seem more human.
"The First seat is a germaphobe." It wasn''t a piece of trivia he ever thought would be useful. "Personally, I think that''s the real reason his shell is so tough. He''s afraid of getting sick."
The concept of Aegis existing only because of his fear of germs was amusing to think of. He was known as the Federation''s ultimate shield. Unpassable, unmovable, and unyielding.
"Is it true nothing can get past his shell?" Lennard''s curiosity looked to beat out any other emotions he might be bubbling up in his head. "I heard he could stand in front of a category five demon with impunity."
Cal roughly thought back on his experiences with the First and demons.
"I don''t know about him being invincible but he can easily let a five whale on him." The category system was rife with flaws but he had seen what some on that level were capable of. "I tried way harder than that and couldn''t crack it."
It was as irritating as it was impressive.
Lennard didn''t respond and Cal, once again, realized he''d stuck his foot in his mouth.
He was saved from having to find another talking point when Olivia entered. She provided them both terse nods before taking a seat on a free chair.
"Callum, it''s good that you are here. We have something important to discuss." He didn''t like the tone she was using, it was the type that said her mind was already made up. She turned to Lennard. "Give us the room."
Lennard was halfway off of the couch when Cal interfered.
"He''s not going anywhere. I have things to talk about as well and he needs to be present. Besides, we''re all on the same side here."
He met her stare of challenge.
"So be it," she assented and he mentally chalked up another win against her.
"Me first." He spoke before she could continue and, critically, before he could forget again. "I need money." Cal held a hand out, he was tired of having other people pay for him. "There''s got to be some discretionary funds for this mission and if not I should really be getting paid."
The look he was given made him feel like he''d said something wrong.
"Callum," Olivia spoke slowly as if carefully choosing her words. "You are paid."
He was? Cal had never seen a check. Granted, he wasn''t sure that was how people were even paid.
"Then I''m not getting paid enough, I want a raise."
Clearly, it wouldn''t have been a lot if he had yet to notice it.
There was a pause where the only thing that could be heard was the fan spinning overhead.
"You are one of the best-paid combatants in the Federation." One would be forgiven for thinking that line had caused her physical pain. "I believe only Prodigy beats you out and that''s if you account for her patents and research budget. How do you not know this?"
In his defense, whenever he wanted something he took it. There was never any money changing hands.
"Do I have an account then?" It was slightly embarrassing to have to ask that. "How much do I have?"
Cal thought for the briefest moment he saw her eye twitch. With stiff movements, Olivia took a napkin out of her pocket.
She wrote on it and passed it over to Cal who inspected the number. There were zeroes but he didn''t have any frame of reference to say if it was good. He gave it to Lennard who paled on seeing the number.
"That''s ridiculous." He seemed to count the numbers again to confirm. "This trumps some departmental budgets."
Olivia exhaled through her nose, conveying what she thought of his apparent financial situation.
"It has to do with your legal status. Due to your age, you couldn''t be officially hired. My predecessor worked out a compensation plan for you based on threats killed. I don''t think the negotiations anticipated your participation in Beast Waves, those tilt things generously in your direction. Even accounting for your extravagant expenses your account is healthy."
"What extravagances? I''m pretty low maintenance."
Cal liked to think he lived a pretty simple lifestyle. Were they charging him every time he went to the mess hall? He would have been annoyed if that was the case, even if he could apparently afford it it was the principle of the matter.
"Callum, who do you think paid for the repairs to the stadium you tore up in your last mission?"
"Isn''t it the taxpayer?"
That was what Albert had told him whenever he needed to get rough with the environment, although he was smirking when he said it¡
"In a roundabout way, I suppose that is true."
A series of memories played in his head. The stadium had been handled cleanly all things considered. In the earlier years, when he couldn''t rely on his speed as much, things tended to end messier. The bridge had to be the worst one. It was a multi-lane suspension bridge that spanned over one of the larger tributaries of the Great River. He hadn''t left much so they would have had to rebuild it from scratch.
A lot of subtle comments made by Albert suddenly made sense in his head.
Cal snorted, it was a pretty good prank. Perhaps if money meant anything to him he''d be upset, but it didn''t so he wasn''t.
"Then what, it''s in some bank?"
If he ever did decide to leave, he doubted they''d let him take it with him. Although, some cash might smooth things over travelwise.
"It was held in a trust. Now that you are at majority you can access it when we return. Speaking of." There was a shift in her demeanor. "I''ve decided it''s time for us to pull out. We''re going back to the Federation."
There was no sign of humor on her. Cal nodded on the surface before giving his actual response.
"Nope."
Short and sweet, it got his position across. He wasn''t going to leave when he was finally getting somewhere.
"This isn''t-"
"Nope."
If she wanted to unilaterally make choices for him then she couldn''t rightly complain when he refused to entertain them.
"Ca-"
"Not listening." He thought about plugging his ears but didn''t want to look that childish. "Lennard, what are your thoughts on this?" The man looked between them, clearly not pleased to be put in the spotlight. "Great point," Cal pretended Lennard had answered. "It would be dumb to leave a job half done."
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
"Can I speak now?" Olivia had crossed her arms. He could tell she was not impressed with his antics. "The risks are too great. The plan was ill-conceived and we risk too much being here."
Cal was reminded of her kidnapping again. Was it any wonder she was getting cold feet? At the time she seemed to take it well but that could have been just a front.
That didn''t mean he was willing to leave things as they were.
"I get that you might be scared but where did that talk of duty go? I have actual, verifiable intel now." He put his foot down and leaned forward, cupping his hands together and having his arms rest on his legs. "If a grand summoning happens and I''m not here, well you know what will happen."
There was no reason to rehash the consequences of failure.
"I''m sorry," Lennard, of all people, interjected. "Did you say grand summoning? Your mission is related to the grand summoning?"
Cal had never brought it up, but as agents in the city, he presumed Lennard and company were, or knew about, the team investigating the summoning
"Yes? What else would I be doing at the Academy?"
Lennard shifted uncomfortably under the intensity of both of their gazes.
"It''s just that, we ruled out the Academy months ago."
Cal''s eyes shot to Olivia, she had a severe expression on her face. It was a tad scary.
"Explain." Her tone brokered no argument and Cal was happy to not be at the other end of it.
"We received a missive from command telling us the Academy was off limits. They spoke to their counterparts in the Empire and were assured that nothing of a demonic nature could step foot on campus grounds. They stressed the city is, and always should be, the focus of our efforts. The Captain verified the orders herself. It makes sense, the Academy has wards that survived the Fall."
There were plenty of things that could be said after that revelation. Cal could have commented that the Board was playing games and sending them to the Academy for the wrong reasons. He could have mentioned that at least they hadn''t completely made up the summoning.
Rather than say any of that, he reached into his pocket and placed a marble on the coffee table between them.
"Does anyone care to tell me what this is?" Poking it with a finger, it rolled noisily across the wooden surface. "And more importantly, where I got it."
A beat passed, then two.
"This is a demon core. Changed somehow." Olivia picked it up and examined it closely. "This was on campus?"
"Right, so either that imperial was either overconfident or a liar. Maybe both, he''s noble after all."
"There''s no way-" Lennard''s words were cut short when the marble was passed to him. He held it gingerly and looked to Cal who shrugged in response. "Dead gods." Lennard shook his head, collapsing back on the couch and looking up. A hand rose and massaged his temples. "Dead gods. This is bad, this is really bad."
Maybe from his perspective, but from Cal''s nothing much had changed.
"This doesn''t change anything." Olivia, surprisingly, agreed with him. "We''re still leaving."
Or not.
"I don''t see why we should. That right there proves I''m getting close."
He was overplaying the importance of it but it was a lead.
"Do I need to remind you about that lovely lunch we shared?"
It took a second for Cal to realize she was referring to her conversation with Alice. In his mind, he echoed Lennard''s previous words.
This was bad.
"It''s not that bad."
Alice had actually downplayed much about what happened so it was, in fact, worse.
"Are you saying you didn''t have a match against the Crown Prince? Or defeat the Academy''s third strongest student? Do you understand what the term low profile means?"
Damnit Alice, he was reasonably confident that was meant to be her bragging on his behalf. No amount of signals he had sent with his eyes had gotten her to shut up.
"Okay, some of that stuff might have happened but it''s not a big deal. I even smoothed things over with the Prince recently."
"The Crown Prince should not even know your name. You were supposed to blend in as a normal student."
He was trying his best and maintained much of this could have been avoided had he been properly prepared. That''s not to say there wouldn''t have been any incidents. He wasn''t that naive.
"To most of the student body, I am a normal student." He may have been gossiped about a good deal but as far as he knew, his strength was known to only a few. "I''m even in the cooking club. That''s totally normal student behavior."
It was rarer for students to not have a club pin than the other way around so he was right about that.
"Cooking¡" Olivia dialed back assault and a contemplative look came over her. "That''s an unusual occupation for nobles to be associated with."
"Exactly." Cal sensed a building momentum for him and sought to add to it. "It''s even led by a commoner so no risk of getting involved with more important people."
Her eyes snapped in his direction.
"Commoners require someone to sponsor their presence in the Academy, who is theirs?"
Rats.
Cal adverted his eyes and muttered his reply.
"Speak up."
She pressed him. He rolled his eyes and threw his hands up before sitting back indignantly.
"Fine, it''s the Crown Prince. I meant what I said though. We''re cool, he''s not going to cause problems. He even offered-" Cal nearly bit his tongue and wondered how to play this off.
He wasn''t fast enough and she hooked her jaws around the meat that was that verbal slip.
"Offered what?"
Cal wasn''t stupid enough to tell his state-sponsored babysitter he''d essentially been offered an avenue for defection. He wasn''t entertaining the idea of joining the Empire but also didn''t want to plant any ideas in her head.
"It doesn''t matter, that family may be crazy but they won''t be a problem. I promise."
That wasn''t a promise he expected to be able to keep as he couldn''t reliably predict Rolland. On the bright side, the Third Prince had been fairly quiet recently.
"You said, family." Olivia''s dry voice intoned. "Why did you say family."
Cal opened his mouth, ready to spin another lie. He shut it. It hadn''t been working for him thus far and staying silent was looking like the better option.
"This is precisely the risk I''m talking about. I''ve put a great deal of thought into this. I want to complete the mission but if we continue down this path we could start an international incident. Justified or not, the Empire can utilize your killing of a noble as a call to war. You''re attracting too much attention, we can hand off the information you gathered to our colleague here and let them handle it."
Lennard blinked, recovering from the earlier revelation after being addressed.
"No, no. If it''s on campus we''d be working with our hands tied behind our backs. We can''t infiltrate it without substantial preparation, I''m amazed they were able to get him in at all. If it''s the killing you''re worried about, we covered our tracks well. The others have more experience here and are confident nothing will come of it."
With the reinforcements, Cal jumped back into the fray.
"Lennard''s right, the Justiciars on campus have barely talked to me."
He kept it minimal, sticking to the facts and not his rampant speculation.
"They''re already on campus!" Lennard said in an alarmed manner. "They were not meant to move that quickly."
These reinforcements sucked.
"All the more reason to pull out. Once we''re back, we can use your contacts to back channel and alert the wider Empire. If we spread it wide enough the city and campus can be forced to evacuate until the threat is passed. It will have an unpredictable effect on our relations but between that and all those lives, it''s an easy decision."
Cal had no idea what contacts he had that could achieve that. If he were to be honest with himself, as far as options went it wasn''t a bad one.
He mulled over it. There were no guarantees they''d listen.
"No. We''re staying."
At the end of the day, Cal didn''t like the idea of leaving this to other people.
"I am your superior. This is my decision, respect it."
There was a finality in her voice like she expected that to be the end of it. He wasn''t that easy to convince.
"Superior huh?" If what she said was to be believed, the kidnapping itself wasn''t factoring into her decision. In that case, he had some room to maneuver. "Everyone who didn''t get kidnapped by the minion of a two-bit noble please raise your hands." Cal raised his own and then continued when he saw the reluctance of the other person not named Oliva in the room. "Lennard that means you."
Her eyes narrowed in his direction and Cal took note of how Lennard did not join him in solidarity.
"The Whistling Death was not, how you put it, a minion. He was a feared mercenary known across multiple countries. I can''t have reasonably been expected to fight off his ambush."
It sounded like an excuse to him.
"Dude was a punk, you tell her." He looked to Lennard, deciding to give him a chance at redemption.
"I''m actually on her side. I wouldn''t have stood a chance against him, he could have wiped out my entire team. I don''t want to get more in the middle of this than I already am but isn''t she your handler?"
The implication was that he should be listening to her. It was official, Lennard was persona non grata to Cal.
"I do what I want." Not as often as he''d liked but he was on the backfoot here and not going to admit to weakness. "While we''re on the topic of the dead guy, someone in the know suggested we hire him to pretend to be Petro''s killer. Good thing we kept the cloak, right? "
He kept the headmaster''s identity out of it. Cal hadn''t planned on bringing it up but at this point, he was simply trying to muddy the waters as much as possible.
"That would not work. Unless you can match his magical signature, the ruse would be seen through and only invite greater suspicion." Olivia was quick to shoot it down but he was relieved she''d taken the bait at all.
Lennard raised a hand as if he were in class. He realized what he was doing and quickly put it down. Cal waved a hand, urging him to get on with it. When that didn''t work he kicked the sofa.
"He wasn''t known for leaving witnesses. I''m sure he dealt with nobles but they won''t be jumping to identify him and neither would the criminals he worked with. Not to mention, most of them wouldn''t be skilled enough to identify him based on a signature."
"He was a member of Infinita Nox." Olivia mentioned that edgy name again. "The reports I read indicate they use covenants to keep a roster of members. They would have realized he was dead."
"Don''t be so quick to assume that. He was a member of the Blessed Order, I find it hard to believe he didn''t learn how to break a covenant. And even if they say it''s an imposter would the Justiciars believe them?"
There were other ways to break them aside from overpowering the other party? The more you knew¡
"There are too many ''ifs'' at play. You''re overstepping your position here."
That Olivia pulled rank gave Cal pause, was there merit to this idea?
"What''s that Nox group." He decided to get that cleared up first.
Olivia hesitated and he raised an eyebrow in response. Was there something she didn''t want him to know?
"Infinita Nox is a loose collection of for-hire criminals with no ties to any country. They operate under the same banner but do so out of convenience, they hold no loyalty to one another." So contractors working for the highest bidder? Neat. "It''s not a viable plan. He was a rather advanced practitioner of sound manifestations. We shoul-"
Cal snapped his fingers and all sound died. She frowned at him and he snapped them again, his point made.
"That wasn''t in your file." There were lots of things not in there. "We''re straying. In order for this to work at all you''d need to show yourself to someone the Justiciars would believe and then do something to prove your identity. Can you project a condensed stream of sound to pierce your opponent?"
He suspected she somehow knew the answer to that, which was no.
"I can do it with wind, who''s going to tell the difference?"
In the heat of the moment, he doubted anyone would be able to differentiate the two.
"The sound is what people remember. It''s very distinctive, that''s what earned him the moniker."
He tried to remember what it sounded like, maybe he shouldn''t have killed the guy so quickly.
"Respectfully Ma''am," Lennard returned with a more formal voice. Presumably to make up for his interjection. "All he would have to do is whistle for real to achieve similar results."
That was a simple solution.
There was one itsy bitsy problem.
Cal couldn''t whistle.
Chapter 43
It had been a long but productive night and Cal was feeling pretty satisfied. They''d talked, argued, and, after weighing all factors, decided on a course of action.
Olivia may have thrown around words like ''railroading'' and ''unreasonably stubborn'' but that was baseless slander and he''d stand by the statement that it was a mutual decision to stay in the city.
To that end, Lennard was taking the names Cal had and cross-referencing it with what his team had dug up. Cal had learned the team was structured so that each member was responsible for sections of the city. Cassey, for example, worked for a company that contracted servants to a set of districts known for being home to those not quite rich enough to buy a title but well off enough to occasionally rub shoulders with the nobility.
Lennard on the other hand, worked mainly in the slums. If he was telling the truth, he preferred it that way. Something about it being familiar territory, there were more important things than to quiz him on his background.
That led to each one being familiar with specific socio-economic classes. It wasn''t a bad set up and Cal hoped they''d be able to find a connection. Pointedly, Lennard had never seen or heard about this type of ''drug'' but it may have been too rich for his contact''s tastes. Core''s came in all kinds of quality and sizes but they weren''t easy to get your hands on.
The difference between a core being demonic or beast in origin was rather subtle and not as impactful as one might think. They both corrupted you in the same way, the demonic simply had a distinctive flavor. It was something that once you experienced was easy to pick out. Given the rarity of demons, most would not be able to differentiate between them. It made him question how much the ones peddling them actually knew.
All things he would learn himself in due time. It was a lot easier to be patient when you knew things were moving in the right direction.
Cal stretched his arms behind him, breathing in the night air. He hadn''t made it back to campus yet and was incredibly lost. He could have resolved it quickly by either jumping to get a better vantage point or casting out his senses, he chose to do neither.
Walking in the city he was meant to protect gave him a stronger sense of purpose. The occasional drunk puking in an alley detracted from it some but that was balanced out by the ordinary people laughing and enjoying a weekend night out.
Cal turned his attention back to the discussion they''d had. He''d taken some liberties with what he''d shared. It wasn''t that he omitted any names, he''d even mentioned how he''d found out about the whole thing, no it was that he added an extra.
Professor Klechin, brother to Duke Ferrum and alleged ''creep''. As far as he knew, there weren''t any connections between Klechin and the names he had to work with.
But, did it really hurt to throw his name into the ring and see if anything came of it? It was better to leave no stone unturned than be regretful of it later.
More lies, but as far as they went this one wasn''t bad
Cal idly noted how he must have taken an extra wrong turn as the street became deserted. He considered turning around but figured if anyone tried mugging him he''d just outrun them.
He could even lead them on a chase, letting them get close before slipping away. It would be rather amusing to see how long they''d be willing to chase him.
A huff of mockery directed at himself escaped when he felt his sleeve tear. Perhaps his proper uniform would have resisted the thrown blade, but he didn''t want to walk around in it."
His finger felt for the opening and when he brought it back it was stained red.
"Fair play." He wasn''t speaking to his attacker, more to the world as a whole. He''d not only made light of Olivia getting ambushed but also was just thinking about playing with criminals. It was fitting he''d be attacked by someone who could actually draw blood from him. For whatever that counted for. "This one is on me."
Boosting his senses, he scanned the environment. He had managed to instinctively sway and lessen what would have been a shoulder stab to a mere scrape, but the fact that he didn''t see the attack coming far earlier spoke volumes about his aggressor.
They were good, they were very good. He could barely pick up the scent of their magic.
But he did.
Cal, the student, ramped up to the upper limit of what he''d shown at the Academy and disappeared from the street. He reappeared on the rooftop level and a few more steps took him half a block further.
Fist reared back, he came face to face with his attacker and promptly tripped over his feet. While his momentum caused him to violently fall off the roof, he did manage to avoid hitting anything besides cobblestones.
Cal lay sprawled out on the stone, looking up at the night sky. He''d pissed a lot of people off in his days, there was a not insignificant amount of people that wanted him dead. For some reason, he''d never thought his tailor of all things would be among them.
A sense of vindication came over him. Lily could eat her words, Miss Plusier was verifiably trying to stab him.
"Are you alright dear?" Cal couldn''t tell if the concern was genuine or not. "I was sure you''d be able to take that much."
He rolled to his side and his resting place was soon littered with blades. Well, foot-long needles, but the same difference to him.
"How spry! As expected."
More needles were sent his way. Cal was moving to avoid them when alarm bells rang in his head and he ducked in time to get only a partial haircut.
She''d appeared behind him with a serene smile, swinging the blades held between her closed fist knuckles.
He couldn''t kill his tailor¡could he? Was it worth having to accompany Alice and Lily to find a new one? The first time had been trying enough.
"Hmm," She paused in her assault and tilted her head, the locks of her purple and grey hair not contained in her bun falling to the side. "You haven''t the faintest idea why I''m here, do you?"
There was a twinge of disappointment in her tone.
Right, asking why she was trying to kill him was a decent first step. He''d forgotten that was an option.
"No? If Alice missed a payment I''m probably good for it," he quipped, trying to decide what to do. That no one had stumbled on them could have been luck, but it reeked more of being by design to him. She''d herded him here for a reason.
"Nothing like that, she''s a good girl and her mother would not dare stiff me." There was a swishing sound and a needle from afar flew into her hand. It had a scrap of fabric, one that had been a part of his shirt. She wrapped it around her finger, looking at it quizzically. "We all have our vices. I for one, love collecting mementos from my customers. Taking those little reminders and crafting them into a tapestry of memories. You''ll see I''ve made many in my time."
She swayed left and right, letting her robe flutter in the wind. It was a patchwork thing, made up of hundreds of disparate pieces of cloth. Cal had once called it elegant, now it came across as macabre.
"Oh!" She placed a hand in front of her mouth and displayed a startled expression. She lowered it and gave a deep curtsey. "I never properly introduced myself, nowadays I am a humble tailor but there are those who still know me by Spider. A pleasure to truly meet you."
Cal felt like that name was supposed to mean something and his lack of reaction must have been telling.
"You don''t know who I am. Do you?" Her posture slumped and a melancholy voice carried over. "Well, that just won''t do. No wonder you are so non-plussed, you haven''t the faintest idea who stands before you."
If he was reading this right, each of those pieces of cloth represented a human life. The body count made things much easier.
"You read it wrong," Cal responded nonchalantly.
The tailor looked at him inquisitively, her dark eyes keeping steady on him.
"I read what wrong?"
"The script, see that line about not knowing who''s in front of you? That was meant for me."
A smile blossomed on her face, it was full of teeth.
"I see, or I don''t." She said with a teasing tone, playing along. "My vision is not what it used to be, I would say never get old¡but why worry about that? Would you be a dear and tell me what I''m meant to say next?"
Cal nodded good-naturedly and closed his eyes.
"Let''s see here." He opened them again. Magic flooded his system and he pushed his augmentation to its true limit. "That''s funny, doesn''t look like you have any more."
The ground beneath him erupted and his knuckles felt fabric for the briefest moment before it slipped away.
"Many thanks for the warning," she said, her voice coming from the side unruffled. "I would have certainly perished without it."
And what a shame that would have been. Cal straightened out and retracted his fist.
"Okay, again, that''s on me." Cal scratched his head. In terms of making a scene, augmentation was fine, he''d trained hard to be efficient and didn''t leak any excess energy. He could use his full strength and, without looking directly at him, people wouldn''t be able to tell the difference. Manifestations were another story. He''d turn more than a few heads if he started throwing out what he needed to deal with this. "Can I get a second to think?"
Asking for essentially a timeout may have been strange, but she felt just off her rocker enough to accept something like that.
"Take all the time you need, I''ve arranged it for us not to be disturbed."
That was considerate.
Cal reviewed what happened. He''d shown ability way above that of a student, so she had to die; the question was how to accomplish that. She''d glided out of the way of his attack. With how fast he was going, that wasn''t something anybody could do. He couldn''t say she was as strong as a Constellation member, but he also couldn''t rule it out.
Which was concerning.
The world was a big place so it wasn''t surprising there were powerhouses he didn''t know about but finding one in front of him was inconvenient.
He could attack with reckless regard, all he needed was a single opening and it''d be over.
But before any of that, he should probably prove he could learn from the past and ask what her deal was before ripping out her spine.
"To be clear, the only reason you''re still standing is because clobbering you would involve waking up a big portion of the city."
The most reliable way he had of dealing with this level of adversary was hazardous for the environment. The last time he''d done it was against the First and Second.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
She hummed in thought, twirling a needle in her fingers. Cal took note of what looked like a focus centered on her palm. With the lack of response, Cal decided to add some credence to his argument.
"Those aren''t empty words. This isn''t a ''frog in a well'' situation either, I know the top. I''ve fought the top. Been to both the hells and the center of the Waste."
The needle froze and her eyes gained a sharp quality.
"The Waste you say? What did you see?"
There was a gravitas to the question. There was a lot he could say about it but at the end of the day, two words summed it up.
"A hole."
Granted, a big one. A chasm kilometers wide spewing magic so concentrated that even he had trouble standing the place. If that wasn''t bad enough, occasionally a beast climbed out from the depths. Cal had never tried exploring it, he wasn''t that dumb.
Another smile broke out on her face. Unlike before, this one seemed born of understanding.
"That is what it is, isn''t it? Those who read of it like to dress it up, make it some grand thing. But, a hole is a hole. Grave of a god or not."
It was where the Fall started and ended, for the gods at least. Humanity was left to pick up the pieces.
From what he knew, it had been kicked off when Vinyir slept with the matriarch of the pantheon, Urel.
Xerxes, the patriarch of the pantheon, flew into a rage and killed them both in a battle that nearly destroyed the center of the continent. Amir, god of deceit, was also slain that day. What happened after wasn''t clear but the remaining gods and their followers eventually rallied and put down the mad god.
There were no survivors of that battle, only a hole in the center of what was the wound of this world. The entire area was aptly dubbed the Waste.
"I don''t need a history lesson." He probably did but he was still holding out for the Spirit to fess up about what it knew. "So you believe me? Does that mean I can start threatening you?"
With a wave of a hand, the needles scattered around shot back towards her. They neatly found their place in the bun her hair was done in.
"Is that what you''ve been trying at? I''m afraid I make a poor target for that type of thing. Even that star in your pocket won''t be enough to break my spirit."
Cal had been taking it fairly easy. He didn''t know why she was after him but he felt safe in the knowledge that she didn''t know who he actually was.
That had changed and he re-assessed how much collateral damage he was willing to risk.
"Such a scary look." She oozed a level of condescension he didn''t know possible. "But that still falls short." Her hand fiddled with one of the many loose strands of hair that had escaped her bun. "I could dye it, the grey ones that is. I prefer not to, I like the gentle reminder they provide to those who know of me. You don''t get grey in this line of work by accident."
She was starting to get on his nerves but now he needed to know what she knew.
"Alright, I think I''ve been nice enough. You can spill your guts, or I can spill them for you." He held up a hand to preempt and quick rebuttal. "Yeah, I know you just said I can''t threaten you but if you''re as tough as you think then there''s no harm in telling me as I won''t make it out of here alive. Something like that, right?"
It was the classic, make them think you''re dead or going to be soon trick. Cal had never used it to extract information but there were first times for everything.
She tutted at him and he restrained himself from any overt reaction.
"You mistake me, I know better than to think one of you would fall so easily. As for your question." There was a small burst of giggling before she continued. "I wouldn''t expect others to notice. You could say I''m intimately familiar with that particular shape of metal." Her voice took a deeper tone and she had a longing look. "If Claire had not given me a word of warning to watch out for her daughter it may have slipped me. Even then, I had been expecting another normal snake. When I felt it¡" She rested a palm against her face. "I didn''t know how to act, it took nearly everything to maintain a calm facade. So much nervous energy, I was like a young schoolgirl again."
The psycho was acting weird, which was saying something
"Can you not speak in riddles."
She blinked and looked to remember he was still there.
"It was a dalliance of youth. I had relations with a strapping young man. He had bright blue eyes¡or were they brown? Regardless, we shared many a moment and for a time I thought she and I would be something more. Alas, we went our separate ways. I had my work here and she had her little crusade. I thought you might have been carrying a message for me, imagine my disappointment when none came."
Cal wasn''t the smartest person out there, so when he came to a conclusion, he had to double-check his thought process to confirm he wasn''t crazy.
"You''re saying," Cal paused, gathering his sanity and holding it close. "You''re Mask''s ex?"
He changed his mind. Cal didn''t care how much he was being paid, it wasn''t enough to deal with Mask''s crazy ex. He began to wonder if this was the actual reason Mask ducked this assignment.
"We never put a label on it, but I suppose you can put it like that. I''m rather upset he never mentioned me."
Cal raked his mind. Come to think of it, Mask had mentioned spiders before. Cal had just thought of him talking about the arachnid and not some crazy assassin. That lent some credence to her telling the truth.
"Or did?" There was a hopeful tilt in her voice and Cal moved to shut it down.
"Nope," He couldn''t remember anything positive being said. "So you know who I am. Is that why you attacked me?"
If her attempt on his life turned out to be some weird foreplay between them someone was going to get a beating, and it wasn''t going to be him.
"Ancestors no," She shook her head. "I''m here because of professional courtesy. And before it slips my mind, don''t be too cross with Claire. I doubt she understood the magnitude of what or who she was getting entangled with. Even I only thought you were a mere errand boy until recently. Of course, that changed when one of my colleagues disappeared. When I was notified of it, I thought to myself, ''Now who could have done that?''" She tapped a finger on her chin. "It''s not a large list and most know to pay me a visit before carrying out that sort of business on my territory."
There weren''t many people he''d killed here so it wasn''t hard to figure out who she was talking about. How many people knew that guy? He''d no idea he was meant to ask permission to off him.
"You''re with Nox, aren''t you?"
He probably shouldn''t be confirming he''d killed the Whimpering Death guy but she already seemed to know and was crazy anyway.
"Infinita Nox, I''m retired but I keep my contacts." There was a brief moment and she continued with a more muted tone. "You know of that name but not my own?"
"I learned about who they were a couple of hours ago." Cal wasn''t sure why he was comforting her. "I guess, I should apologize for not telling you before killing him?"
If he''d known the guy was some local mascot he would have handed him off to the Federation agents to stick in some hole.
"Don''t be silly. That''s the life he chose. I will admit it was surprising to hear of his death, he was always careful not to bite off more than he could chew." There was an almost wistful expression on her face before it fell back into an easy smile. "I''m sure he didn''t expect to run into a newly minted star, one that must be well hidden to evade my ears. But, I am not here about his death. I''m here to give you professional courtesy."
Cal didn''t bother to clarify the star had been given to him under the table by Millie, focusing on the last words she said.
"I''m not ashamed to say you''ve lost me."
"Well, you see little Alice has come to me recently with a request. Collecting on an old debt even. I''m not usually so open with my dealings but given it directly relates to you, well as I said I''m doing you a courtesy."
The serial killer was doing him a favor. Why did that not make him feel any better?
"What did she want?" He asked with more than a little apprehension.
He couldn''t imagine what Alice would want with her outside of clothing. Lily on the other hand¡he could think of several reasons.
"To arrange a meeting with my old fellows. She has a job related to one Anne Sauratus. Something to gain little insurance and assure the girl''s silence. She wanted me to carry it out but I am too old for that. I was going to refer her to someone capable."
Cal had never bothered to learn Anne''s last name but was fairly certain they must be one and the same.
He gave an unexaggerated groan and ran a hand through his hair, looking up at the stars briefly.
"I could have been a damn staff member," He muttered to no one in particular. "I might have had to wake up at the crack of dawn for meal prep but it would beat dealing with the conspiring of a fake sister."
He turned his head back to the street, looking for something to punch. The psycho gave him a jaunty wave.
She was probably off limits. Setting aside that she''d be a pain in the ass to actually kill, she was Mask''s ex. He was pretty sure there was a rule saying not to kill your sort of-maybe friend''s ex. At the very least Mask had dibs.
He could also forgive the sneak attack, if she did think him some secret Constellation member then that really was par the course for a friendly hello.
"Thank you?" Cal responded awkwardly. She was saving him a headache by giving him a heads-up. "You haven''t told anyone about me, right?"
That should have been his primary concern but it almost felt like an afterthought to him.
"I''ll have you know my discretion is well known. You needn''t worry about anything leaving these lips."
"Good, I want to keep it that way." Cal felt like a bit of an idiot taking the woman at her word but he wasn''t flush with options. "As for Alice, tell her you couldn''t do anything."
"If only it were that simple. A debt is a debt, I won''t renege on that."
There was something in her tone that told him this was a hard line. The conversation he had earlier tonight came to the forefront of his mind.
"I''ll convince her otherwise." He wasn''t as confident as he should be in delivering that. "On the off chance I can''t, could you maybe refer her to someone in particular?"
It was official, he was going to need to learn how to whistle.
Chapter 44
It was late¡ªwell later when he finally got back to the dorm. A week, maybe less, was how long the assassin-turned-tailor was willing to stall before arranging a meeting with Alice.
The second the words left his mouth, he realized what a colossal mistake this was.
Impersonating a well-known criminal to make a fake deal with his fake sister about tying up a loose end that could, admittedly, use a little tying up?
It was a horrible idea.
He landed on the balcony and pushed open the door, finding Alice still awake in her uniform. She was at the table, scribbling on some paper with a focused look. Cal made for his room. He could find a way to broach the subject tomorrow when he was rested.
He had only just gripped the handle when she spoke.
"How was she?" Alice asked. Cal couldn''t tell if the hint of concern was genuine or not.
He meandered over and collapsed on the couch, sensing that this wasn''t going to be a one-and-done conversation.
"Perfectly fine," Cal responded quickly while pondering the actual question. Olivia had said she was fine, but the woman proved herself an able actor. Still, it would be disrespectful not to take her at her word. "She''s a tough one."
"Did she say anything more about our offer?"
It was her offer, but Cal didn''t bother to correct her.
"She wants to stay in the city," Cal gave the opposite of her actual opinion. "I wouldn''t worry about her. She can handle herself." Cal added, lest Olivia be added to the ''list'' Anne was on.
Alice glanced at him, her eyes lingering on him for a moment.
They narrowed, and he traced her gaze. Ah, he was hoping she wouldn''t notice that.
"You''re injured," Alice stated as a fact. The chair scraped against the floor, and she rose, approaching his prone form.
He was always bad at keeping track of things like that.
"I was," Cal clarified. Pushing himself into an upright position, he tugged at the hole to display the unblemished skin on his arm. "It wasn''t a big deal."
She stopped by his side, leaning down and inspecting the tear.
"Can you give me more than that?"
Her tone was softer, not as demanding as he expected. Perhaps because of that, he decided to give her some substance.
"It was a misunderstanding." Of a certain type at least. "I was more careless than I should have been. Won''t happen again."
Cal couldn''t be sure that was the case; it was hard to account for outliers like that. Even so, he could at least try to make sure that particular psycho wouldn''t get the jump on him again. How he would accomplish that would be something he''d have to workshop.
"There''s no discoloration," she commented, a critical eye examining him. "You heal well."
He could hardly take credit for that. All he had to do was guide the magic where it needed to go, and it gleefully reverted any damage in its path.
There were plenty of mages able to heal their own wounds; all Federation mages were required to have some skill in it, as he knew from the field guide.
Cal always had the sense his was broader in scope than most; regrowing half your body couldn''t be normal. Millie had readily confirmed as much and even came up with a plausible, if aggravating, way to explain it to the brass.
What she didn''t see fit to inform him of was how peculiar it was for someone of his nominal age to heal without a mark. Most mages with scars got them early on in their careers.
"I''m pretty sure if I accidentally poked a hole in Rolland, he''d be able to do the same."
He made sure not to leave out the ''accidentally'' part. Cal was still trying to be open-minded about the man, but leaving himself some wiggle room felt prudent.
"Perhaps, but not many would be bold enough to compare themselves with him. That being said, most of our contemporaries would be able to match that feat. I include myself in that number, but that wasn''t always so." Alice sat down opposite him and reached for her sock, rolling it down. Midway up her shin was a lumpy red mark. "I was practicing on a rock formation, trying to improve the concussive aspect of my attacks; I succeeded but didn''t account for the additional shrapnel produced. It took me a moment to realize I''d been struck at all; I''d foolishly drained my shell to power the blast. It''s something I take great care to avoid now."
A smile broke out on his face, one quickly snuffed out when he realized he was close to laughing at what should have been a traumatic experience. His action didn''t go unnoticed, and she raised an eyebrow in his direction.
"Sorry, I know how it is to be hit with your own collateral damage. Believe me." He''d unintentionally blown himself up more than once. Granted, he tried to learn something new with each one. "I," Cal paused to curate his follow-up, opting to choose an example that didn''t involve exploding himself. "Had a bad habit of knocking things down to my detriment when practicing. Like trees and such."
Or beast, mainly beast. There was nothing like the high of victory being crushed when the thing you killed fell on top of you. He was just thankful there were no witnesses that could attest to how often that occurred.
"Is that what occurred tonight? Do I have to worry about a bill coming from the city?"
Was that what she was worried about? Cal reflexively felt for his pocket, the wad of notes feeling appropriately bulky. He had no idea how much it was and simply took everything Olivia and Lennard had on hand. Apparently, he could get more at the grocer from Haslin. There was some expense report he was meant to fill out whenever he did so, but if there was one benefit to having a handler, it was outsourcing all the paperwork to them.
"Nope, I''m smarter than Lily," Cal spoke in a jovial tone. "I made sure no one was around when committing my crimes against the city''s infrastructure."
Frankly, Alice had no right to lecture him on that. She was the one who busted down a wall on their first day here. Sure, he''d encouraged it, but it was still her fist.
"Please tell me you are saying that in jest," Alice said in a slightly pleading tone.
Eh, he''d only broken up part of the road, and it wasn''t even he who started it.
"You got me; slap a funny hat on me, and I could be a court jester."
While he was contemplating whether they even had jesters, her face hardened slightly.
"Don''t mock them," she spoke with a clear and reprimanding voice. "It takes great courage to carry on while so many ridicule your every act."
Cal considered pointing out that being laughed at was the whole point, but something about the look she had told him to hold his tongue.
It wasn''t his place to pry, so he simply stared at the ceiling, pondering when this arrangement would finally run its course. She wasn''t the worst roommate; he could put up with it a little longer.
A minute or two passed before Alice continued.
"Your friend stopped by." That got him to sit up. He hadn''t a clue to whom she could be referring. "I didn''t know you''d become acquainted with a member of House Exporiena."
Cal sorted through what he knew of noble houses, not finding any match. There were a lot of them¡ªtoo many to reasonably keep track of.
"What did they want?" Cal asked, fishing for more to go on.
Alice closed her eyes, breathed in, held it, and then exhaled.
"You haven''t the faintest idea of what that house is," she stated while running a hand through her red mane in a tired manner. "I thought Mother went over all of them?"
She probably had, but he couldn''t be expected to retain much when he was bombarded with names.
"She did," Cal confirmed and continued on shamelessly. "I''m testing you." Alice stared at him unblinking, and he awakened his phone, turning the screen toward her. "This is a timed test. May want to begin answering."
He tapped an imaginary watch to further prompt her.
"Truly, you missed your calling," Alice responded dryly. "His given name is Ryan, and it''s not a poor connection to make. They''re a Viscount house and maintain a strong network of connections, some of which reside in the palace."
Huh, usually the man texted him when he wanted something. Although the last time they''d spoken had been under precarious circumstances.
Cal noted the last bit of what she said. Being in the palace didn''t mean you were with the royal family, but it did make it more likely. Had he known this sooner, he might have jumped to conclusions about the boy knowing his identity. Given the core mess, he doubted it.
"Did he say what he wanted?"
Rather than respond directly, she went back to the table, returning with a large stack of papers. She handed an envelope to him.
Cal took it, seeing the seal was unbroken. He pocketed it and planned to open it in the privacy of his own room.
Now that she brought it up... Cal decided to bite the bullet instead of putting it off for tomorrow.
"You know, he''s a pretty good friend to Anne," he said leadingly.
Alice sat back down in her chair and sorted the rest of the stack on the coffee table in front of her. She grabbed a select few pages before leaning back in the chair, crossing her legs, and reading them intently.
"Is that so?" she offered while pursuing the papers.
It was going to be like then.
"Yep, I''m just checking, but the plan is still to wait and see with her. Isn''t it?"
Cal watched her closely, trying to figure out what was going on in that head of hers. She ran a hand through her hair again, moving it out of the way of her face. It hadn''t been obscuring her sight in the slightest.
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"I think you should focus on your studies. Let me handle these matters."
Fat chance of that happening.
"You really think I''m going to accept that type of response?"
There was no heat in his voice; it was a genuine question. She may not know the real him, but she should know enough to guess that approach wouldn''t work.
"I''d held hope," Alice breathed almost wistfully before restarting with a serious tone. "Why do you care what becomes of the girl?"
There was one primary and simplistic reason.
"She helped me," Cal plainly stated. He didn''t keep track of things as well as these noble types, but if someone did him a solid, he wouldn''t forget it. "Not to mention, I''m the whole reason she''s been dragged into this mess."
Anne had been nice enough in the city, explaining some things and sharing some ice cream. She''d also censored that bit in the paper. She had tried to manipulate him just a tad, but given everything else, he thought that was fair enough.
"That may be so, but she still presents a danger."
Cal couldn''t deny that. He also couldn''t explain how he was working from another angle.
"You can''t leave her out in the cold," Cal argued and decided on a different approach. "What does that say about House Ardere, that they leave their allies behind?"
He was stretching the term allies, but the talk of family got her attention.
"Our house has no allies; I would have thought you well aware of that," she didn''t quite snap, but there was a fire in her words. "The equation is simple: us on one side, everyone else on the other."
Cal watched the slip of paper closely, expecting it to burst into flame. It didn''t, which he thought strange. The temperature of the room hadn''t changed either.
Had she learned some self-control? Why was he disappointed in that?
"And where does Lily fit into that little formula of yours?"
She blanched at the name, and Cal stole the next words from her.
"That''s different," he air quoted. "Yeah, she''s been around longer, but the Anne of today could be the Lily of tomorrow."
He didn''t believe it, but he was trying to speak in terms she''d understand.
"This conversation is irrelevant," Alice spoke quickly and shook her head. "The approach to her hasn''t changed; I won''t act unless new information presents itself."
He was sure he''d be forgiven for being skeptical if she knew a crazy assassin had ''greeted'' him earlier.
It was a shame he couldn''t outright say: ''Hey, our psychopathic tailor told me about your meeting because she used to sleep with a sort of buddy of mine who happens to be a member of the Constellation.''
Or he could, but that would open a whole new can of issues.
"Say it again, this time look me in the eyes."
It was fairly confrontational, but he didn''t appreciate being lied to.
Alice looked up from the papers, her red eyes locked onto his.
"I won''t speak more on it." Cal was about to press harder when her voice continued. "However, I can assure you I have no ill intentions toward her, nor am I currently planning any action against her."
Cal dissected her words carefully. Currently didn''t mean there would be none in the future, but it did imply she wouldn''t be taking any meetings about it. Trying to determine who was the liar between Plusier and her was proving surprisingly difficult.
"If that changes, you''ll tell me?"
Her gaze kept steady on him as she nodded.
On the bright side, he''d find out soon enough if she was lying.
"I can see you hold some reservations." There was a hint of disappointment in her tone. "Would it improve your confidence if I said I was considering tying our families by marriage?"
Cal wasn''t ashamed to admit that it caught him completely off guard. His mouth opened and closed as his brain restarted to process that information.
Anne had an older sister and a little brother. Was there someone else in there Alice was considering marrying? Why? If it was just to buy silence, that seemed extreme.
"Is there some childhood crush I''m not aware of here?"
Ah, there was the hair; It flared for half a second before settling down.
"No," Alice said in a tone not dissimilar to someone reporting a recent death. Cal waited and was trying to remember where the emergency biscuits he squirreled away were when he noticed the ends of her mouth tug up. "I''m referring to your marriage, not mine."
Oh.
Oh!
Oh, no.
Yeah, fuck that.
"I can''t tell if you''re being serious." Cal couldn''t rule out the stupidity of noble politics, which was a scary thing. "Wait, no. I totally can. I saw you almost smile there. Nice joke."
He blamed the absurdity of the statement for his lagging mental faculties.
"Is that so?" She tilted her head and held out the papers she''d been reviewing. "Why then am I reviewing the agreement as we speak?"
Cal snatched the papers, expecting to quickly find them to be something unrelated.
Alarmingly, the words union and marriage were liberally sprinkled throughout. The pages lit, and soon he was dusting his hands to remove the ash.
"Childish. And pointless, I have copies."
Cal eyed the remaining papers on the table and reached out, meeting no resistance. He flipped through them, finding they were boring coursework.
"Right, well, I have more fire." He tossed the papers back on the table and manifested a small flame in his palm before quelling it. "And, more importantly, objections. Heaps of those."
Marry him off? Not even the Federation was brave enough to try something like that. They also weren''t in the business of arranging marriages, or at the least, it wasn''t the norm.
"You''ve not even heard the proposal?" Alice spoke as if they were discussing some run-of-the-mill deal. "There are quite a few incentives for us, and you''ve already proven you can get along with your friend. I''m sure you''d take well to her older sister."
Cal took a mental step back. As stupid as this sounded, these arrangements probably took some time to finalize. Odds were he would be long gone before anything was officially signed, and even then, didn''t they need their ''parents'' approval?
"I wouldn''t get your hopes up about that; lots of things could change between now and then," he said vaguely. He wasn''t sure how his extraction would be handled, but every day that passed made it seem like a more complicated event.
"Which is why we should act decisively." She reached into her breast pocket and received another folded set of papers and a pen. She laid the papers on the table between them, keeping a hand on them. The pen was held out for his retrieval. "As heir, I''ve already certified the preliminary agreement. Sign here, and we can have you wed during the next break."
Cal looked at the writing instrument as if it were a hissing snake. His gaze traveled up to her again, and he saw the slight tug of her lips again.
"You''re actually messing with me, aren''t you?"
It was the only logical answer, but he also lived in an illogical world among illogical people. He met her eyes again and held her stare. He wasn''t sure how long they''d been at it when she blinked, and a rueful smile came onto her face.
"Read more closely next time; I merely transposed our names on an old agreement I found in the library. There were many inconsistencies readily apparent in the first paragraph alone."
It had looked pretty damn convincing to him, but maybe he shouldn''t have burned it that quickly.
"I didn''t think you''d go so far for a joke," Cal said, looking at the girl in a new light. "Shouldn''t you be doing more important things?"
Her smile faltered, and she rose, smoothing out her uniform.
"Perhaps, but Lily told me about your discussion." She raised a hand, stalling his quick retort. "The subject, not the contents. I supposed I thought we could both use some levity right about now."
Cal let the grimace come and go on his face. She was walking toward her room when he called out, steeling himself.
"It was good; I appreciate it." Fair was fair, and she''d gotten him. "And I know you two share almost everything anyway. I don''t mind if she tells you."
Alice paused, looking back at him with a strange look in her eyes.
"I would prefer you tell me yourself, but I''ve been counseled on patience recently." She remained at the doorway, not quite ready to cross the threshold. "An idle thought, if you''d allow me."
Cal looked at her curiously and signaled for her to continue.
"Had I been serious, would you have signed if it ensured her safety?"
A small frown came over him. He decided to take the question at face value, taking a moment to think through it.
"Yeah."
Cal nodded, satisfied with his answer. There was no reason to overcomplicate things.
"I see," Alice broke the silence that had followed his response. "One last thing before I turn in, will you need a replacement shirt? I can schedule an appointment."
Cal released a huff of amusement. Yeah, he bet she could. The worry was that it wouldn''t stop at a new shirt.
"I''m fine, got plenty of spares."
He remained on the couch, organizing his thoughts. As the door of her room closed, he heard a good night uttered.
Cal found himself agreeing with that.
Chapter 45
"Where are you?"
Cal stared at the text, contemplating slightly before thumbing a message back.
"Studying."
With the speed of her reply, he figured Lily must have had the text written prior. That or she was augmenting herself to text quickly, which was a ridiculous use of such magic.
"Where? I checked the library. Like the entire thing."
He could send her on a wild goose chase by naming some obscure building he was ''studying'' in, but there was little point in further pissing her off.
"Snuck off to the city. Had to get some ingredients for something I''m cooking. Cover for me, pls and thank you."
In a certain sense, it wasn''t a lie.
Without waiting for a response, he put it on silent and slid it back into his pocket.
Something impacted his back, and his head habitually turned to address it. The one responsible for bumping into him continued on without a care.
Cal couldn''t begrudge the man, considering he was the one who had stopped in the middle of a crowded walkway.
In the distance, large arches stood stacked on each other. They looked to be primarily made out of red granite, but he could spot some different materials used here and there. Cal counted five rows of them, each sporting a different style of column supporting them. They wrapped around, forming a large ring around what he presumed was an arena.
It wouldn''t be a colosseum without one.
There was another bump from behind, and he took that as his cue to get a move on. One foot in front of the other, Cal slowly made his way through the crowd. He squeezed by where he could and waited for gaps when he couldn''t.
Strange. This was all so strange.
After being at the Academy for weeks and visiting the city more than a couple of times, he had thought himself well accustomed to crowds.
That was evidently incorrect if the way he had to rein in his impulses every time someone brushed up against him.
Strangers touching him wasn''t a problem; he didn''t like it, but he could deal with it.
So why was everyone here starting to get on his nerves?
As if to punctuate his point, a flyer was shoved in his face by an aggressive promoter. Cal batted the hand away and went on his way.
He worked his way through the last bit, having to pause to avoid a kid running into him, and finally stepped out into the plaza directly preceding the entrance.
Cal breathed a sigh of relief, turning to see where he had come from. Tents lined the congested pathway. Their vendors hawked their goods, standing on wooden crates and extolling how their cheap crap was better than the next guys.
He was probably being too harsh; he hadn''t gotten a good look at what they were selling on account of wanting to get the hells out of there.
Past the tents of the impromptu market, he could see the raised platform from where he''d arrived via the train.
He was no longer in Postremo Lux, at least not technically. Despite official city lines, most considered the Colosseum part of the city.
"Yo, Callum." A hand found his shoulder, much to his chagrin. "You okay?"
Cal turned to see the speaker. The sandy-haired man was dressed rather plainly; soot and dirt clung to parts of his clothes, with some of it smeared on his cheeks. Cal had a similar appearance, although finding his ''worst'' clothes was more difficult than it ought to have been.
When he had read Ryan''s letter about meeting up tomorrow, now today, in commoner clothes, he wasn''t sure what to expect.
He still didn''t.
"Fine," Cal said simply. Sweeping his eyes over the crowd and then back to their destination. "We going in?"
It would be a shame to just be here to take pictures of the exterior, as nice as it looked.
"Yeah, Gregor''s inside already. There''s no better way to experience the Colosseum than the general admission area, you''ll see." Ryan gave Cal''s shoulder a pat before releasing it and motioning for him to follow. "And sorry, I didn''t mean to lose you in the crowd."
He hadn''t meant to get lost in it either. Cal shook his head, getting his mind back on track. He hadn''t hesitated much when accepting the impromptu invite; he was questioning that decision.
Cal kept to the boy''s side as they navigated the entrance. There was an iron gate that had been propped open, with guards checking passes before letting people in. He stayed silent as Ryan got them through the line and into the stadium proper.
Maybe he should have offered to pay for himself, but if anyone owed him right now, it was Ryan.
"Are you sure you''re okay?" Ryan asked as they walked through the interior walkways. More stores lined the side. Most of them looked to be serving food instead of the knickknacks found outside.
"Yeah, why do you keep asking?"
Honestly, he should be asking his core obsessed friend that instead of Cal. They hadn''t talked about it yet, which was odd. However, it was for the best with their present company.
"You were breathing weirdly on the ride over, and you seem distracted."
Ah, Cal schooled his face, hiding the look of embarrassment threatening to take hold.
He could stop his heart if needed. It was bullshit that he couldn''t do something as simple as curling his own tongue to whistle.
A dead guy without a tongue was able to accomplish what he couldn''t. It was grating, even if he hadn''t been at it that long.
"Peachy, trust me," Cal responded in a way indicating that was final. "There''s been a lot going on; it might be getting to me."
Cal didn''t elaborate on what that all meant. It sounded plausible enough, and that was good enough for him.
"I get that," Ryan said while ascending a set of stairs. "That''s part of the reason I wanted to do this. I know I flaked last time, so I figured it would be a good idea to get together and take some time off."
He hummed in agreement. That didn''t mean he was buying it.
They made it to the second level and were traversing the interior ring when Ryan spoke again.
"Don''t react." In Cal''s opinion, those were the exact type of words that prompted a reaction. "We''re being tailed."
Oh. Just that then.
It wasn''t news to Cal. They were doing a decent job at keeping their distance, but, having already been on the lookout, he wasn''t going to miss their presence. It was the reason he hadn''t grilled Ryan or Gregor about the other day. Far from being dissuaded from their following of him, Cal was somewhat counting it.
He might have been trying too hard to be clever.
"I noticed; just ignore it."
It was too early in the day to confront them; he needed a few drinks in himself first.
"You sure? He looks pretty serious."
There was a nervous tilt in Ryan''s voice. But that didn''t matter as much as the ''he'' part. Was the older one here as well? Dealing with both at the same time would be trickier.
In using his senses to search for him, he came across a familiar signature. Well, more than one.
"Benny?" He questioned the boy, who looked at him in confusion. "Were you talking about Benjamin?"
Ryan''s eyes narrowed, and he examined him as if looking at a rare animal.
"Does he know you call him that?"
Cal couldn''t recall if he had referred to him by the nickname; he felt like he did.
"He''s not bad once you get to know him," Cal recalled their first meeting. "Makes a rough first impression though."
There was a brief pang of worry about being seen as too familiar with the Crown Prince''s retainer, but they were in the same club. It was reasonable for them to be on good terms.
"You''re¡something," Ryan muttered. "You know last year he sent just about everyone who challenged him to the infirmary, right?"
"No." Cal supposed the man was just being thorough in his fights. "But I''m not exactly fighting him, am I?"
It did give him more apprehension in ''throwing'' a fight against Benny. But he found it difficult to believe the man would maliciously inflict harm on him. It was probably some noble pricks who had pissed him off.
Considering Cal cremated his last, he was in no position to throw stones.
That still left the question as to why he was being followed.
"Let me see what he wants, probably club stuff."
He very much hoped it was something that mundane, but with the company, he didn''t think he''d be that lucky.
"Good idea." Ryan visibly sagged in relief and handed him a pass. "Here''s our section. Meet you there."
His classmate wasted no time in abandoning Cal, who merely shook his head at the behavior.
Benny needed to work on rehabilitating his reputation. Unfortunately, Cal wasn''t the best person to ask about that.
He turned to look at the Crown Prince''s retainer, who met his eyes before tilting his head toward a tunnel. The man quickly disappeared into it, and Cal got the message.
Approaching the tunnel, he found it deserted. Needless to say, that was odd given the amount of people about.
Cal greeted a waiting Benjamin.
"Fancy seeing you here; what was with the stare-down?"
"Callum. Apologies; I didn''t mean to frighten your friend away." That was a generous interpretation of the word ''friend''. "I was surprised to see you. I thought you were still avoiding the city."
Ah, well, this was awkward. He had said they''d go to the grocer together.
"I didn''t mean to blow you off. I got ambushed into this. I didn''t even know where we were headed before hopping on the train."
It wasn''t the best defense, but he really wasn''t trying to slight the guy. He would actually prefer spending time with him over the core nerds.
"Do you often allow yourself to be cajoled into such scenarios?"
"I," Cal paused, recalling his life until now. "Was perfectly fine not realizing that about myself. So thanks for the unneeded moment of personal reflection."
At least he''d never gotten into a white van after being offered candy. He ignored the uncomfortably close analogies that sprung to his mind.
Benny didn''t look like he knew what to do with that, so Cal followed up.
"Anyway." Cal pointed at a nondescript patch of wall. "What''s with the twerp?"
The air shimmered, revealing the little prince.
"Pardon," the boy opened up. His nose was scrunched up, and he had a look of perplexity. "How did you refer to me?"
Cal regarded the boy with some bemusement. He''d totally jinxed himself yesterday. But as far as people to run into, the Third Prince was far from the worst.
"Sorry." Cal gave an exaggerated bow "I meant your Royal Twerpness."
Was he pushing his luck? Considering he''d gotten the kid to peel lemons, he doubted so. It had been a while since they''d seen each other. Cal had been distantly aware the boy had been still challenging people. Compared to other matters, it wasn''t exactly a priority to keep tabs on.
The royal''s mouth opened, then closed. This process repeated, and he ended up staring at Benjamin.
"I''ll ask you not to address His Highness that way." It came out as a stern rebuke, but Cal didn''t feel very reprimanded. Benny turned to the prince with his next. "And I''ll ask you to be considerate of Callum''s background. Adjusting to this world does not come easy."
Benny probably had it a lot worse than him. The Academy was known to be ''casual'' compared to traditional noble settings. The Royal Palace must have been a difficult beast to be thrown into.
"I suppose some allowances are in order." The words came out slow; the prince clearly conflicted over them.
Cal wondered how long he could feasibly keep relying on that excuse.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
"I''m surprised you were able to tell them apart," Benjamin continued. "I had some difficulty learning that skill."
Their signatures were nearly identical. If it were just that, he''d have a hard time of it. But the little prince''s magic was just the tiniest bit cruder than that of his brothers. His casting of that manifestation leaked a hair more, and that was all Cal needed to differentiate them.
Now that he''d seen both up close, that is.
"They''re easy to tell apart." Cal shrugged, displaying his true thoughts on the matter. It was something he would have expected Benjamin to pick up on, but younger Benny''s senses were probably subpar. "You''re chaperoning then? Guess even princes don''t get a pass with that."
Being in the Junior year meant the Third Prince could not come and go from the city as he pleased.
"Did you mean that?" Sebastian questioned.
Cal found the tone in which the question was delivered to be reminiscent.
"Yeah," Cal confirmed and noticed the kid''s face brighten. "You''re a twerp, alright."
The prince''s face went flat, and Cal considered it a job well done.
"Yes, I''m escorting His Highness today." Benjamin cut in after seeing the prince''s reaction. Cal had been expecting another light scolding, but none came. "We were traveling to our box when I spotted you. I believe His Highness had a matter to inquire about."
Benny looked at the little prince leadingly, and that was enough for the kid to regain his bearings.
"Yes¡" The prince looked between the two of them before continuing. "My family''s box is rather spacious. Would you care to join us? It would allow you to avoid this." There was a pause as he searched for the word. "Rabble."
Cal mulled the offer.
He imagined what the box was like. A haven of luxury, furnished with the finest pieces the Empire could provide. It would be stocked with abundant food and drinks, catering to their every desire. With every need attended to, there would be no reason to leave its confines.
Next, he looked at the source.
For being so small, he was a fighter. There was more power there than a child should rightfully have. Cal had played it off, but he understood what the earlier question was getting at. The kid was living in a shadow.
This was all so familiar. It almost came off as a cruel joke, the world throwing something in his face to spite him.
The kid waited for his response.
"Yeah, not happening." Cal made a snap decision, pointing to Benjamin. "Go get him some normal clothes, and while you''re at it, get some yourself."
Cal reached into his breast pocket, retrieving a tin can.
Benjamin didn''t move, and Cal leveled the most intense stare he could muster.
"That''s not a request." He watched as Benjamin''s muscles began to tense, and Cal rolled his eyes. "Trust me for a bit. Do what I say. You can yell at me later if you want."
More than one person was going to be upset with him by the end of the day, and Cal didn''t mind adding a few more if needed.
Whether his sincerity was properly conveyed or the blatant threat was taken seriously, he didn''t know, but Benjamin did nod and leave them.
"What is your meaning?" The prince''s voice was low and slightly shaky. He looked at Benjamin''s retreating back with apprehension. "Answer me!"
Cal opened the can and dipped two fingers in; they came out black.
"You''re hair is way too distinctive." He approached the boy with his hand outstretched. "Now hold still."
"Stop messing with it," Cal chided the kid who acted like a dog just given a bath. "It''s just dirt and soot. You''re going to make me have to reapply it. And keep your eyes down until we get to our section. They''re noticeable."
He should have asked Benny to get a pair of sunglasses as well. Those silver eyes were a bit of a give-away.
They were both dressed in ''common'' clothes right now. Cal hadn''t seen any stalls selling clothing and was definitely not going to ask where Benjamin had sourced their new apparel.
As Cal stepped out of the tunnel, the roar of the audience that greeted him was deafening. There were no seats on the lower levels; it was all standing room. A sea of people, all cheering and hollering. It wasn''t completely packed, and Cal noticed some gaps.
He inhaled, a myriad of smells coming to him.
It was¡a lot.
The energy in the air was electric; everyone was far more animated than the noble brats during the headmaster''s speech.
Cal took a moment for himself and then turned back to Benjamin, who was keeping the prince not an inch away.
"Lend me that bracer of yours, will you?"
"I don''t remember you being so demanding." Benjamin gave a half complaint but removed the magical device from under his sleeve and handed it over. "I presume you need a moment?"
Cal tried to be discrete as he took possession of it.
"I have to threaten some idiots real quickly. Give me a minute or two; if I don''t come back, that means it''s clear."
He said as much because he didn''t want to fight his way through the crowd twice, but actually getting to his section proved to be surprisingly easy. Apart from the vertical staircase the tunnel left them at, there were horizontal pathways spanning the rink. They were situated right in front of each standing section, which he quickly realized were not your standard fare.
Each spectator stood on a platform of some kind. Upon closer inspection, they appeared as stone rectangles, each roughly a meter in width and length. They weren''t level with each other or the path he was on. He watched as someone further along stepped on an open block; it rose to a certain height, just enough to be a head above the next row down.
Knowing their purpose now, he spotted some exceptionally tall individuals having their platforms depressed into the ground.
All of this meant that no matter where you stood, your view of the arena below was unobscured. It was an elegant if expensive solution. Cal wondered how many cores these devices ran through a day; he doubted mages were able to power them all by themselves.
Spotting the two boys he was looking for, he beelined toward them.
Cal pushed his way between them and clamped a hand on each of their shoulders, speaking before they had a chance to protest.
"Ryan, you should be fine. Just play it cool with Benny, I don''t need you hurting his feelings." That was the easy one out of the way, and Cal injected magic into the bracer. A bubble of magic slowly extended, and he cut off the feed once it was large enough to isolate them. Now he could speak without being overheard. "Gregor, quick question. You wouldn''t happen to have some nagging compulsion to take over the world or destroy everything in your path, right?"
Those were frequently the sentiments of cultists he ran into.
"What?" Gregor had the gall to look offended and tried to yank his shoulder out of Cal''s grasp. Obviously, he failed. "What are you talking about? Why would I do anything like that?"
Cal searched the man, looking for any signs of craziness. His eyes were red from lack of sleep, and there was unshaven stubble on his chin. Gregor''s shaggy hair waved erratically as he tried to jerk away from Cal''s grip. Cal subtly injected a strand of magic into the man, finding it not blocked by a shell.
Careless, but he''d take the opportunity.
"Maybe ease up-"
Ryan''s attempts at diplomacy fell to the wayside to make room for a wince. Cal slackened his hold; he didn''t want to actually hurt either of them.
"Just making sure you''re not going to do anything, stupid." Introducing a cultist to a member of the Royal Family¡, the Board would be crying tears of joy if they knew what Cal was up to at the moment. But this wasn''t exactly a cultist; this was a stupid kid who didn''t know what he was getting into. One who didn''t seem crazy, yet at least. Cal would keep a close eye on him. "Okay, remember you two owe me. So play nice."
He released them both and turned to face the arena. That had gone pretty well if he said so himself. It had been far more aggressive than originally intended, but circumstances had forced his hand. Well, that was the excuse he would be telling himself in any case.
"You can''t just say all of that and expect-" Gregor didn''t finish, catching sight of who was headed their way. "Ryan," he gritted out. "Didn''t you say this was supposed to be relaxing?"
Cal drained the device on his arm, letting the sound hit them again. That it made it difficult to hear both of their complaints was a pure coincidence.
"Thanks," He handed Benjamin, who had finally made it to them, the bracer. "Benny, meet Ryan and Gregor. Oh, and behind him is¡" Cal took a second for some fast thinking. "Sebby." He wasn''t sure he would be fooling anyone with that. "You''re all friends now. Congrats."
The boys awkwardly shuffled to make room after his further prompting. The crowd ensured it wasn''t silent, but there was no mistaking the lack of words exchanged as they all stood stifly.
Fortunately, he already had a solution in mind. He waved down a vendor carrying around a large tray. He''d have to pay extra for the convenience, but he did have money now.
With some gestures and bills split off from his stack, he was now the proud owner of an entire tray of beer.
"Everyone," Cal thought for a moment. "But the tyke, take a glass."
There were no takers, and Cal wondered if he was doing something wrong. Isn''t this how it was supposed to go with a group of guys unfamiliar with each other? Just get everyone plastered and have a good time? He could see others in the stadium doing as such.
"Callum, I think I get what you''re trying to do." Ryan was the one to speak up, staring at the glasses. "But it''s super early."
Well, it was before lunch. But special occasions called for this type of thing, right?
"This is dumb," Gregor scoffed, pointedly not looking in ''Sebby''s'' direction. I have better things to do. "I''m catching the next train."
He was about to step off the block when something happened below, and the arena erupted in cheers. It was enough to make everyone but Benjamin and Cal jump.
"He''s correct; this is foolish," Benjamin whispered to him during the confusion, taking a glass. "I''m responsible for His Highness''s safety, so forgive me if I only give appearances here."
Cal grinned as Benjamin downed it in one swing. From his words, Benjamin would be using his augmentation to stave off the effects, but Cal appreciated the man making the effort.
He took one himself, the bitter taste washing over his tongue.
"Do what you want, but this is far from the worst thing you could drink."
Cal commented, finding it a bit hypocritical; this was where the core connoisseur decided to draw the line?
"Screw it," Ryan caved and grabbed one himself. "You too, Gregor, don''t be the one hold out."
Peer pressure was a magic in of itself and Gregor reluctantly joined in.
"Hey, Sebby," Cal spoke to the Third Prince, not wanting to make him feel left out. "Want to explain what they''re actually doing down there?"
It looked to be a chariot race of some sort, with actual horses.
Cal idly listened to the explanation while raising a glass to someone at the edge of his senses.
Not that she would know it was for her.
He downed one and then another in quick succession. The rate he moved was such that even with his apparent talent in augmentation, he would be unable to neutralize the sheer quantity of toxins being imbibed.
The meal was still a long way off.
But prep work was important.
And Cal was cooking.
Chapter 46
"Horseshit!" Cal jeered at the arena below. Taking another drink and having part of it drip over him. "This is rigged!"
A hand found his shoulder, steadying his swaying form.
"Perhaps," Benjamin said, a concerned look on his face. "You may want to slow down."
No, he really didn''t. However, he did appreciate the confirmation that his drunken act was being bought. He was really just copying what he saw elsewhere in the stadium.
Cal was very much not inebriated. Okay, he might have had a slight buzz on account of the sheer amount of alcohol he''d ingested. There could be no doubt in others that he was absolutely plastered.
Using his considerable skill in augmentation to counteract the effects of booze almost felt disrespectful. But he had dedicated untold hours running magic through every fiber of his being, which earned him the right to do with his ability what he pleased. That there was an end game in mind didn''t hurt.
"It''s not rigged; you''re just bad at gambling." Ryan nudged him, shaking his head and pointing at a woman standing on a blue-colored chariot. "I told you to bet on her."
True, but the boy had forgotten to mention that his last two predictions were wrong.
After finding out there were bookies in the Colosseum, Cal decided to liven up his experience. It was not going particularly well, but it wasn''t like he was blowing everything he had on him.
That may have had more to do with the low bet limits than actual self-control.
"There are more factors to consider than simple ability," Sebastian pointed out with a hoarse voice. He''d been doing some yelling after Cal''s repeated prompting. Trying to drown out the people next to you was part of the fun.
The event going on below was a mixture of a race and king of the hill. The chariots were more like platforms attached to a pair of horses. There were no drivers, and the horses knew to circle the track. Each round was composed of ten laps. The combatants would fight on top of the moving chariots, and points were determined based on what place the chariot you were on finished in for a given lap. Should more than one competitor be on a chariot at the time they crossed the line, then the points were divided among the two.
Fairly chaotic, all things considered. Still, after seeing one round and the ability of the competitors, Cal felt confident in determining the general skill level of them.
Despite that, he consistently found himself on the losing end. Whether it was betting on which chariot would be first in a given round or who would actually finish the race, he''d gotten everything wrong.
"It''s the performance aspect," Benjamin explained, pointing at a fight between two sword-wielders. "The one with the rapier could have disarmed his opponent three blows ago, but he''s playing to the audience. They''re deliberately taking on disadvantages in pursuit of their long-term ambitions of fame."
Huh, when he put it like that, they weren''t all that dissimilar. Except he wasn''t out to be famous.
"You don''t think you could have said that." Cal tried and failed to remember how many bets he''d placed. "A while ago."
There was a scoff from the side.
"He tried," Gregor commented with tinted cheeks. After Cal, he had the most. Which wasn''t saying much given how conservative everyone was being. "You shoved a glass in his face midway."
In his defense, he was getting tired of holding the stupid tray, and everyone else was going too slow. Buying the second tray after was definitely a mistake, but he really, really wanted to sell this.
If he thought about it, losing the bets actually helped his case¡
Cal decided that must have been his true intentions; subconscious Cal was nothing to trifle with.
"But seriously," Ryan continued. "Last time we went out... well, I figured your family had a tight leash on money. Are you sure you can be throwing it around?"
Maybe they did; Cal had never asked. He still didn''t get how bad their financial situation was because they seemed to spend money easily enough. Was it all debt? Or did they just have radically different perspectives on what counted as appropriate expenses?
Seeing Ryan expecting an answer, Cal shrugged. The action caused his cup to spill a little on the man questioning him. It wasn''t the first time he''d done it today, and Ryan had given up trying to dry himself.
"I dunno. I asked for money, and I got money. I think she wanted to shut me up?"
Being a little shit was a tried and true tactic of his. That''s how he ended up getting to tag along to missions in the first place. His status as the child of a Constellation or not, sending a kid to battle cultists was a tall order. One day he''d had enough and just sat on the transport of an outgoing team, daring anyone to move him off.
Obviously, he made sure those few who could haul him off by force or coercion were off base at the time.
After the ''red'' line was crossed, resistance to his participation crumbled. They quickly found out, through no fault of his own, that playing with others wasn''t his strong suit. He took to the role of hammer well, having the teams he worked with dedicated to clean up or tertiary objectives.
He would never have imagined that act would lead him to be in a foreign country''s stadium. Unless it was a scheduled execution, not that he knew what the Empire''s policy on that whole thing was.
At this point, he might have interacted with more Empire citizens than Federation ones. Which was funny to think about in a weird way.
Cal tried to take another drink, finding the thought to churn his stomach. He had way too much at this point; neutralizing toxins was one thing, but he couldn''t just make the liquid itself disappear. Maybe¡he could boil it inside of him?
No, that sounded like a good way to get himself killed.
"Ancestors, you finally reached your limit, didn''t you?" Ryan asked with a wry smile on his face. "Founder''s Day usually has few competitions; you''ll participate, right? I''ll put my entire allowance on you."
From the context, Cal understood that was some sort of holiday.
But as far as he knew, Ryan should have no idea he could kick the ass of everyone in this stadium. Hells, Benny could probably do the same. The competitors weren''t that good. All they had on them was age, which, while fairly important for determining how much magic you could infuse your body with, wasn''t enough to close the gap between them. It was a fundamental difference in quality.
Cal eyed the boy warily.
"Whatcha talkin about? You know I only just started learning how to use a weapon, don''t you?"
He intentionally threw in slang, hoping to play up the ''from the boonies'' angle.
Ryan gave him an odd look, and Gregor of all people started snickering.
"I believe he''s referring to the games where the students compete to see which of them has the greatest tolerance." Benjamin swished his cup around gently. "It''s not something I''ve experienced myself. It would not be appropriate for someone in my position."
Drinking games. Duh. Stupid kids. He shouldn''t have jumped to conclusions.
"Sure thing then," Cal gave an empty promise. "But won''t someone find a way to cheat? Gotta be a way to do it."
Magic was pretty versatile, and there was plenty he''d not seen.
"Nah, they make you wear suppression cuffs."
Stupid and rich kids. A dangerous combination, to be sure.
"Awesome," he cheered dumbly. It felt like the appropriate thing to say.
Cal looked at his mug again; he was really sick of the taste and couldn''t fit anymore if he wanted to. He decided to take care of his excess fluids the old-fashioned way.
"Imma hit the can." Cal stepped off the platform. "Don''t wait up."
He nearly stumbled off due to the height difference from the walkway. These things weren''t that clever then.
"Do you need assistance?" Benjamin asked in a manner that conveyed he was offering out of obligation rather than want. Understandable, given they''d have to drag along the prince, who seemed to be having a decent time.
"I''m good." Cal waived off the concern. "Keep an eye on the game. I still got money on it."
Hopefully, this wouldn''t take too long. He was pretty sure he was going to come out ahead on this one.
Cal navigated to the nearest restroom, thankful for the ample signage to guide him. Mercifully, he didn''t have to wait, as the first he found was empty. The ongoing round must have had popular players.
He moved to relieve himself, careful not to touch anything. Maybe he should have asked the little prince for access to his box, not to watch but to use the facilities at least. It would have been far better this.
As he stood in place finishing up, Cal double-checked to make sure this was in fact the mens room. Given the urinal he was using, he thought that was a good bet.
Impatient weren''t we?
He made sure he was decent before turning, meeting eyes with Miss Justiciar.
Fun time was over, and now he had a job to do.
¡ª
His plan was simplistic, which was appropriate because he''d conceived of it on the train over.
That wasn''t fully accurate; he''d decided on this course of action at the same time he committed himself to learning how to whistle. He just hadn''t expected to have to enact a variation of it so soon.
"Is that to your liking?" The Justiciar asked him.
They were seated in a small room. It looked to have been some office before being commandeered by the woman.
Cal was seated on an armchair; across from him was the Justiciar. Between them was a round coffee table; there was a bottle placed on it. He didn''t know what it was, but he''d been given a glass of it and had already taken a sip.
"Iss good," Cal said hesitantly, forcing himself to drink a little more. "Gots a kick."
She might be trying to kill him, as he was pretty sure this would melt his throat if he let it. Even with the burning sensation, it tasted surprisingly good. Much better than the watered-down swill from before.
That didn''t mean he wanted to drink it.
"You may keep the bottle. I had purchased it for your teacher; however, I never got the opportunity to offer it."
Suddenly the intensity of the drink made sense. This was right up Ferguson''s alley. He wasn''t quite dumb enough to try finishing it himself, but he was certainly not giving it to that failure of a teacher.
"You''re lookin healthy," Cal commented. Last time she''d been close to death''s door. He wasn''t sure why she was trying the good cop approach now, but he was happy to play along. "What you doin here?"
He had pretended to be surprised after being cornered in the bathroom, but ever since noticing her on the train, he''d been preparing for this moment. All thoughts of pumping Gregor and Ryan for more info were discarded, and instead, he sought to put himself in such a vulnerable state that she couldn''t help but attempt to question him.
The hard part was getting what he wanted across in a convincing manner.
"Conducting my duties," she spoke in a plain manner. "From your acceptance of my invitation, I presume you will be more amenable now to engaging in a discourse."
Her eyes roamed him; Cal presumed she was judging him. Which he found apt given her profession.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
By now, Cal thought it safe to assume she was well aware of his little foray in the city with Lily, along with whatever his reputation was in the Academy. He was a bit scared to pry into the specifics of the latter but suffice it to say, she probably had a dim impression of him as a person
Which meant him getting drunk and then spilling his guts was a believable sequence of events.
"Big A said it was K last time," Cal invented a nickname on the spot. He figured it would amplify the unguarded vibe he was going for. "What''s on your mind, Jan? Can I call you Jan?"
The shortening of her name, Janice, was not taken in stride, and he noticed her jaw tense.
Maybe she should be the one drinking.
"You may not. I was not born to my title; I earned it."
Cal would have hoped the position of judges/excutioners in this society were not a hereditary position, but it wouldn''t surprise him.
"Miss Justiciar, gots it." Cal offered, conscious that there was a difference between pretending to be impaired and pissing off your interrogator.
For some reason, that didn''t seem to satisfy her.
"Last week, you missed your final exam. Where were you?"
Coming out swinging? Fair enough. After realizing she could do nothing to change his mind, Olivia had drilled him on what he may be asked, making sure his story was straight.
That was before he committed to impersonating a wanted criminal, but he''d work it out.
Cal''s brow furrowed, and he gained a faraway look. He rubbed his chin for extra effect.
"Ah right." He smacked his forehead. "I was gonna fail, so I skipped out."
Silence followed his admission, and Cal''s eyes began to droop. Snapping fingers got him to refocus.
"That''s not a valid reason for being absent during an exam. Guessing alone would have earned you some marks."
Guessing? He''d actually studied. Not having a makeup exam was the real crime here. There should have been allowances for extraordinary circumstances, like having a fake childhood friend kidnapped.
"But then I''d have to take it," Cal said, not elaborating. As if that was a good enough justification in his mind.
She reached into her pocket, retrieving a small notepad, and beginning to scribble something. Cal restrained the urge to peak at it.
"Where were you the rest of the night?"
Rescuing someone who shouldn''t need rescuing and apparently pulling the spine out of everyone''s favorite assassin.
"Hidin from Big A. She can be mean, and city is big." Both were objectively true. "Lily found me, but." Cal leaned in a conspiratorial manner, beckoning her with his finger. She mirrored him and he continued. "I lied and said we were celebratin cause I passed every tin." He returned to his original position and tone. "I dunno how, but they found out, and I got in trouble. I even got grounded¡" He startled, his eyes going wide for a second. Cal held his hands out and pleaded. "If anyone asks, I''m studyin right now. You got my back, right?"
Disgust. That was the predominant feeling he got from her gaze. Sweet. He wasn''t sure if it was genuine because of the buzz, but he felt like he was getting a handle on this type of stuff.
"You''re academic record is not my prerogative." Cal gave her a blank stare. "I''m not interested in your grades or what you inform your family of."
He smiled and nodded, crossing his arms in a content way. She fired off the next question quickly.
"How do you believe Petro Lucerna met his end?"
A laugh was stifled within; that was a really basic trick she was trying.
"End?" He tilted his head in confusion. His passing hadn''t been announced to campus; they were still keeping it quiet. "Was he expelled or somethin?"
The bait was cast, and he waited for her to snatch it.
"Curious that you would assume him expelled." Cal desperately wanted to fist pump right there; he settled for a mental high five. "What led you to that conclusion?"
He scrunched up his face, making an impression like he''d swallowed a lemon.
"Uhhhh." Cal stretched the word out, looking towards the door as if he were considering escaping. "Nothin."
The Justiciar''s pen made scraping noises, and she leveled an intense stare toward him.
"Certain activities have come to light recently, on House Lucerna''s part. Do you perhaps know of some of these?"
Cal had wondered what they''d dug up on Petro''s end. Given he, a complete novice, managed to find dirt after a week, he gave it good odds that they''d had similar results.
For all the bets he lost out there, it seemed the reverse was occurring here. Which was good considering this is what actually mattered.
He alternated his look between her and the door before finishing the glass and serving himself another.
"Nothin I say goes to Big A, right?" He asked seriously, pretending that was his chief concern. She nodded and he spun his web. "I had, like, a dinner with him a couple of weeks ago. Well, it was lunch but there was a lot of food, so it felt more like dinner. You knows what I mean?"
She held a hand up to stop his rambling.
"I''m aware of the event, and that Petro was visibly upset after it."
They really had been digging then.
"Cool, cool. Yeah, he was talkin about joinin our houses and everything. But see, Big A told me he was a liar." He paused as if that were a large revelation. "Anyway, I told him he was a liar. Because Big A said so. What''s weird is that after, when I was talking with Big A, she was angry when I told her I said that. She even told me to stop speaking to people I didn''t know."
He shook his head and went back on track. There might have been a brief look of sympathy in her eyes; it disappeared quickly.
"But see, what I didn''t tell her was that he started braggin at the end. Talkin about how he didn''t lie, but his big sister used to all the time. Then he said she doesn''t do that anymore; that one day she went poof." He made a poofing motion with his hands, spilling the glass'' contents partially on him but not pausing in his story. "But the really, really weird part. Was then he started talking about a friend he has? Like a super duper scary friend. The kind of guy that makes people go poof. Now, I''m no dumb dumb. I knows a threat when I hears one."
He finished with a self-satisfied nod. Deciding to don the shroud and go roleplaying was only half of the equation; the other half was deciding who to reveal himself to. The Justiciars were high-risk, high-reward candidates, and he was feeling lucky. He ignored his recent string of lost bets.
"How astute of you," she said dryly. It was the response he was hoping for, yet he still felt insulted. "Did he give any details of who this person was? Gender or affiliation? Affinty perhaps?" Cal shook his head in denial. He couldn''t make it too easy. "Think over the conversation carefully; was there anything else said that struck you-" She paused, considering her words. "Did he make any other references to family dealings? Speak, even if you think it innocuous."
"He didn''t talk much about family. Was more happy talking about himself than anything else." Cal tapped his foot and squeezed his eyes shut. He stayed like this before snapping his fingers. "Come to think of it, there was somethin else weird. He talked about rewardin me if I did what he said. But, when I asked what that reward was he got super weird. Saying a bunch of strange things, I stopped listening to most of it because it made me feel sleepy. Uh, I mean sleazy. Words very same like."
He made a grasping motion toward her and found the pen pressed against his throat. Well, that''s what he was after anyway.
Showing a complete lack of caution, he snatched the writing instrument. She sprung out of her chair and backed into a corner of the room, retrieving a dagger from somewhere.
Oh, had he been too fast there?
She knew what class he was in, so that amount of speed shouldn''t be an issue, probably too jumpy after nearly dying last week.
Disregarding the blade pointed at him, he wrote on the table itself. He frowned at his handwriting, scratching it out and trying again. It was a good thing Alice had never asked to see his notes, or she''d probably lock him in a room and force him to practice.
Well, he could read it easily enough. He dropped the pen on the table and took the bottle. He held it to the artificial light, admiring the glasswork.
"What is this?" She asked, sheathing the dagger and approaching the table before turning it to better see what he''d written. "An address?"
Petro''s little rant before Cal decided to kill him had always bothered him. Specifically about what he planned to do with Olivia and implied had already been done with the man''s own sister.
Knowing the man had a connection to a brothel, legal or not, hit him as all types of wrong. Maybe everything was on the up and up, but Cal wasn''t very satisfied with just assuming that. He''d held himself back on account of being wholly unqualified to deal with it and having too much on his plate anyway.
In the end, it wasn''t why he was here.
It wasn''t his job.
But it was hers. Or it should be the job of anyone who supposedly worked in justice''s name.
"He invited me there to have a good time or something." He placed the bottle back down. "I''m aint the sharpest thing around, but I can memorize things good. That stuck with me."
"So it seems," she muttered while copying it to her notebook. Her dark eyes traced back to him, with that same appraising quality. "Have you told anyone else this?"
No. He hadn''t even told Olivia this was his plan, thinking she''d disapprove of him getting more involved.
"Big A has lots to worry about. Figured enough was enough. Say if he did something bad. You''ll lock him up, won''t you, Miss Justiciar?"
He delivered it in a naive tone, blinking widely at her.
Her expression softened just the barest amount.
"That is the oath I swore."
The stadium trembled, and Cal tensed for a moment, relaxing when he realized it was just the reaction of the crowd. With the length of time that had passed, he had probably missed the whole round.
Ripping paper sound, and he looked at the outstretched scrap.
"Return to your friends for now. I will be in contact for follow-up questions. And should my colleague question you, please refrain from repeating what you informed me of. Like your sister, he has many worries."
Hmmm, he still couldn''t puzzle how large the rift between those two was. That she was willing to conceal things from her partner boded well.
Cal smiled an innocent smile, giving her a thumbs up before going for the door.
It shut behind him, and he slowly returned to his ''friends''. His mind was far from anything happening in the stadium.
His expression soured.
For all he complained about the Board playing games, here he was doing some of the same.
Cal was testing her.
He knew he was treading dangerous waters here. There were better ways to play this, safer ways. But a part of him, a small but vocal one, wanted her to surprise him in a good way.
If she did...maybe, just maybe he''d give her a little more.
It was precisely the opposite of what he was meant to be doing.
"Am I even playing a part?" Cal wondered to himself out loud with some mirth.
A naive idiot to his core.
Chapter 47
Cal struggled to count the classes part of the standard course as real classes. They were just so unbelievably dull.
He blamed the teachers for the most part, although the subject matter didn''t help.
Without his trance, he might have gone mad. Which would be an impressive feat considering the void hadn''t been able to break him. Not permanently, in any case.
This many weeks in, he''d thought there had been some unspoken agreement between him and the teachers. They would lecture like a drone from their desk while Cal would sit silently at his. A symbiotic relationship, if he ever saw one.
Their truce had been broken today, on the first day of the week no less, and Cal questioned what would be an appropriate amount of recompass.
Should he spike their coffee with hot sauce? Put glue on their seat? Or go with the classic bucket over the door gag?
"Mr. Ardere." A voice sounded from the front with more energy than Cal thought possible. "Can you please answer the question?"
Obviously, Cal was not going to punish a teacher for daring to teach.
It was just a fun thing to think about, a way to distract himself from not knowing what the hells this guy was talking about. His trance could be a double-edged sword at times.
What class was he even in? A glance at the board behind the man let him glean some information.
Magical Theory.
Great, that didn''t narrow down what he''d been asked.
"Sorry Professor¡" Cal realized he''d forgotten the man''s name. "I didn''t catch that. Can you please repeat it?"
He''d almost expected a round of snickers from the admission, but none came. These kids seemed more attentive than usual as well.
"A momentary lapse in focus, I''m sure." The professor was all smiles, although Cal noticed the man sweating for some reason. "The question was, under what circumstances can one''s affinity differ from their parentage?"
Nice. He actually knew this one, not that they''d gotten to that part of the book yet.
"They can skip generations; it''s not common, but someone with an earth affinity can be born to parents with water affinities if one of their ancestors had that affinity."
He was thankful he''d read ahead; otherwise, he might have given away state secrets.
Genes played a part; that much was true, but the environment was perhaps the greater determinator. That was the reason why a child tended to take after their mother''s affinity more than the father''s; while still in the womb, babies were bathed in the magic of their mother, and that had measurable effects on the strength and typing of affinities.
The effects tapered off quickly after birth, but the Federation invested in the construction of thousands of incubators to capitalize on the short period of time when the gains were still noticeable.
He knew because Millie complained incessantly to him about all the work it took to get it just right, as if it was his fault she had to do it.
Still, Cal was glad she took it so seriously. It was a difficult balance to achieve. The stronger the magic, the more potent the changes. But, as first-hand experience taught him, infants did not have a high tolerance for magic. You had to design it in a way so that all cases were covered; the price of failure was too high for anything else.
Cal brought himself back to the present, looking at the reaction the man had to his response. It was overexaggerated, with the teacher looking visibly relieved and nodding enthusiastically.
"Precisely. Such cases of skipped generations were the first accounts of those with greater than two affinities." That prompted a round of mutterings, though they were muted. "Yes, yes." The teacher held both hands up, quieting the class. "Of course, quantity of affinities can prove a detriment. When expelling magic through manifestations, our bodies naturally turn magic into our given affinities. Should more than one exist, the magic is pulled in multiple directions, and that increases the difficulty of using other elements. This is why most of your families prefer to cultivate strong affinities for a single element."
That pull was the reason for the increase in strength when using your affinity and even existed for those with single affinities. Cal equated magic to being a dog and affinities to be their favorite toys. With one, the dog had a distraction, but you could convince them to play with another toy if needed. If you started throwing in more favorites, then they suddenly wanted one or the other, reluctant to play with anything else you tried to shove in their face.
All of that was rectifiable with an appropriate amount of training, so Cal didn''t put much stock into it.
He couldn''t even remember the last time he''d let his dog have its favorite toy.
Spite was a powerful motivator.
The teacher, still oddly animated, continued with exuberance.
"The exception being synergistic magic." Or mixed magic, as the Federation called it. "Many families rightfully believe the strength of magics that flow well together to be worth the increased difficulty they might experience in other areas." The man straightened up and waved a hand toward the back of the class. "A shining example of this are the caretakers of the Anumb Forest, House Evergreen, of which our very own Deputy Headmistress hails from."
What?
Cal twisted in his seat, following the man''s line of sight. His heart sank as he saw the woman standing rigid in the corner, eyes attempting to drill a hole into him.
He turned back to face the front.
What were the chances she was here to audit the class? They felt too low for his liking.
"It is as you say. We have cultivated our dual earth and water affinities diligently through all these years." Cal wondered how Claire had ended up being betrothed to his ''uncle'' in the first place. Maybe he was one of the cases where the affinity was skipped. "It''s allowed us to perform feats impossible to those without our blood."
Cal would guarantee that for whatever challenge she was thinking of in her head, Millie would have been able to complete it without realizing it was meant to take more than a few moments of her attention.
"Certainly." The suck-up teacher agreed. "Thank you for posing the question, Deputy Headmistress. I''m sure the class benefited greatly from it. And please do pardon the slight delay from Mr. Ardere; he is one of our better students."
He was?
Well, that was one hell of an indictment on the Academy. Then again, his classmates were predominately the lazy or dumb bunch. He would need to make sure to wrap up this whole affair before the next semester; he wasn''t about to be put in genuinely challenging classes.
"I see," she responded vaguely. "I''m afraid that''s all the time I have for today. Thank you for allowing me to intrude upon your lesson."
She paced to the front of the room, and the teacher went to hold the door open. They exchanged some more pleasantries before she left, her gaze never straying too far from Cal.
He was under no delusions; whatever she was up to was going to make his life more difficult.
But it was hard to be overly concerned about it; a jilted school administrator ranked low on his list of problems.
¡ª
Allegedly, Gregor and Ryan were nursing hangovers today. Cal could have sat with Jessica and Anne for lunch, but that seemed like third-wheeling. His plan was to grab a to-go plate and find a random bench to eat at.
That plan met a hiccup when a staff member approached him, saying his presence was requested in one of the rooms upstairs.
The last time this happened, it was the start of a chain of events that led to the death of a student and most of his current predicaments.
"Sure, lead the way."
Lightning didn''t strike the same place twice. Or, it actually did, but the saying held some truth.
If it turned out to be something bad, he would leave.
Following the staff member, he was led up staircases and past the room he''d talked with Petro in.
Deeper and deeper they went. He was beginning to wonder if this was some ruse to make him run out of his lunch period when they finally stopped.
A double set of doors were opened, and he was met with familiar faces.
"You should have wagered him something, Benny; you could have gained a summer home," Rolland spoke jovially, seated at a round table made of dark wood. "Excellent, you could join us, Callum. Now we have the whole set and can proceed."
Benny was seated towards the man''s right while Marcus sat on the opposite side of the table.
Cal shrugged, taking a seat between both groups.
"What''s this about a summer home?"
Rolland shook his head ruefully before answering.
"Marcus over there was of the belief we would need to send a seal or one of our numbers to get your acceptance. Benny here thought otherwise."
Cal thought he saw a flicker of amusement in his fellow club member, but it passed quickly.
He was far more casual yesterday; Cal surmised Marcus'' presence was the deciding factor.
"Yeah, well, I''m here." He leaned back on the chair, balancing it on two legs for a moment before having it fall back down. "What''s going on?"
Contrary to what he expected, there was no food here. He was keen to get to wrap this up.
"Based on our shared connection," Marcus opened while keeping his focus on Rolland. "I presume this is due to our teacher."
That was Cal''s guess as well. He was hoping the theme of canceled classes would continue this week.
"I''m honored to have such an astute classmate."
The words flowed out of Rolland''s mouth like honey, and despite them not being directed to him, Cal''s fist started itching.
He reminded himself the Crown Prince wasn''t the Second Seat. But damn if they weren''t similar. Plastic smiles, backhanded compliments, even their favored use of magic. If he didn''t know better, he''d think they were related.
The difference is that, after his first prank, Rolland hadn''t made an attempt to further mess with him. Yes, he badgered him for spars, but those were easy to say no to. He wasn''t trying to provoke a reaction out of Cal like Oracle always did.
Anyone who claimed he lacked self-control didn''t know the lengths Cal took to not blow up in the Second Seat''s face.
The man was a fraud; he couldn''t even tell the future. Cal was convinced he''d picked the name just to annoy the corpse worshipers up north. Admittedly, Cal didn''t lose any sleep over the Holy Enclave getting their feathers ruffled, but it was a fact that the man didn''t know for certain what the next day or minute would bring.
He was just really good at making it seem like he did.
"Okay," Cal interrupted the staring contest that had popped up between the high-status individuals. "Some of us have places to be, so spill. What''s up?
Every head turned in his direction, and Cal huffed, crossing his arms.
His time was just as important, if not more, than theirs.
Ancestors, what he wouldn''t give to see their faces if they discovered his true identity. Sadly, that would never come to pass.
"As you wish," Rolland replied, his demeanor morphing to one conveying seriousness. "I''m sure you were all aware, but the day our training ground suffered an unfortunate accident was the day our first test was meant to be held."
Cal had two thoughts.
What test? And that the word ''accident'' would need bedrest after being stretched so far.
"You don''t think he will be in this week," Marcus said knowingly.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Cal felt he was missing some pieces to understand what Marcus was getting at.
"Due to the point system, exam grades have deadlines." Good old Benny came to his rescue. "Should they not be filed in time, his position may be jeopardized."
That sounded reasonable enough. If they were discussing it, that meant the Headmaster would not be able to bail his friend out of this one. It did make him wonder when Wyatt was going to get around to grading his test. Not that he was eager to find out how much he''d flubbed it.
"Which leads us to an intriguing hypothetical," Rolland spoke with a sly smile on his face, and Cal knew there was nothing hypothetical about his next. "Would anyone here be opposed if that exam had taken place? I assure you, we would have all scored highly."
Cal didn''t need any help this time, and he happily spoke up.
"No."
"Yes."
Their voices overlapped, and Cal gave an annoyed look at the one who''d spoken against the proposal.
"Come on, it''s a free grade. I doubt Ferguson would even care."
Marcus had no overt reaction and simply responded calmly.
"Be that as it may, there is the principle of the matter. Perhaps someone like you wouldn''t understand."
Cal''s eyes narrowed. Through talking with Benny the day before, he had a sense of why Marcus had started ghosting him.
"Don''t be a baby. I got you out in time."
The man was overreacting; he''d never been in any actual danger.
"I was eaten," Marcus rebuffed, losing his composure for a moment. "Anyone in control of their faculties would react similarly."
There was no reason to get pissed over getting swallowed by a sea monster. The thing didn''t even have teeth.
"We''re taking the class for combat training, right? Well, now you have valuable experience."
Cal had been eaten plenty of times. Some of them were even on purpose! Stomach linings were much easier to punch through than hides.
"Callum," Rolland cut in with a tinge of concern in his voice. "It worries me that you think that scenario to be frequent enough to warrant practice."
Looking around the table, it seemed he stood, or sat, alone.
Cal scoffed. These guys wouldn''t last a second in the area around the cabin.
"But that pales in comparison to this new piece of information; you two are training together?"
Rolland''s question kicked up feelings of annoyance within him.
How was he supposed to pump Marcus for information if the prince decided to force his way in? Granted, he''d not been doing a good job.
"Let''s return to the matter at hand." Marcus deftly brought them back on track, directing his words to the prince. "Forging test results offends my sensibilities as a noble. I am surprised someone of your station would readily stoop so low."
There was a spike of power, and they all looked to its source.
"Watch your tongue." Benny threatened. "His Highness is above your judgment."
While Rolland placed his hand on Benny, telling the man to stand down, Cal threw a retort to Marcus.
"Right, so closing your eyes and pretending you didn''t see anything last week is fine. But cheating on a test isn''t?"
It was a ridiculous discontinuity. One was obviously worse than the other.
"It''s nothing as trivial as being duplicitous. I will not have merits undeservedly foisted on me."
Cal grimaced. This was the worst kind of classmate¡ªthe kind of guy who would let the teacher know that they printed the version of the exam with circled answers.
He was searching for a good response when Rolland spoke up.
"Understood, it''s merely a hypothetical after all." Cal wasn''t sure why he was still bothering with the double-speak. "There is still time for Ferguson to return and evaluate us. Although I have half a mind to form a committee and retrieve him personally."
Benny, who had returned to a state where he was not liable to try attacking anyone, explained.
"A committee is a group formed for a specific task. Liken them to temporary clubs if you will, able to requisition Academy resources and excuse students from class."
Cal suspected Benny was just going to elaborate on anything he thought someone from a commoner''s background would not know. Part of Cal thought that patronizing, but that was outweighed by the convenience he felt over it.
"Clubs can get you out of class?" Cal asked the important question. "Like, our cooking club can get me out of the rest of the day if I say I need to bake something?"
"Yes, but you would require the president''s endorsement."
Mia? Cal was still annoyed at her being a hardass about the test, but she''d probably be okay with this, right? Maybe if he asked super nicely? He wasn''t above begging.
"It would be a grand tale," Rolland said wistfully, raising a hand and waving it across the table. "Four students requisitioning mounts to ride into the Waste in search of their wayward teacher. A journey born from their devotion to their teacher, the young heroes would need to face a never-ending tide of obstacles in the form of environments and beasts. Whether they perish or endure would depend not only on their martial ability but their reliance on one another."
No, it wouldn''t.
Cal would just end up on babysitting duty as he tried to make sure a future head of state wasn''t killed in his vicinity. Though it was nice to know he wasn''t the only one to use the Waste as a way to blow off steam.
"His Highness is speaking fancifully." Benny''s voice was hard as he shot down any chances of that happening. "Traveling to the depths of where our teacher is likely to be found is a fool''s errand."
Harsh words came from Benny to his liege, but Cal suspected it was the best way the man had of preempting his boss from getting himself killed.
Which would happen if they went.
It was hard enough to find a fixed location in the Waste, finding a person?
That was nearly impossible.
Too big, too much going on.
Even if one liberally absorbed the increased ambient magic, the power expended fending off beasts meant you''d be drained far before you tracked someone down.
Cal was one of the few who could come and go as he pleased; even the Constellation members were more reserved in their travels.
Rolland laughed lightheartedly.
"I speak in jest; worry not, my friend. Besides, Callum here might be put in a hard spot if we depart so suddenly."
Cal did not have a chance to ask what that was about as Marcus cut in.
"You speak of Petro Lucerna? Justiciar Vincent Promitia visited me again with more peculiar questions. I''ve come to understand the reason for their visit; I imagine that was your doing?"
His adrenaline would have spiked if the question had been directed at him. Instead, Rolland was at the other end of the man''s gaze.
What was happening?
"Such a strong accusation. I''ll put your heart at ease then; the Crown had nothing to do with this affair. I was only recently informed of his passing."
This time, Benny did not throw him a life vest, even after Cal stared intently at him.
He raised his hand, and Rolland smirked before answering.
"I''ll ask you to keep this discrete; what you are about to learn is for a select few individuals. Only those in the relevant departments and faction heads are aware." This suddenly sounded very interesting. "There have been increased movements along the Federation border. While usually the method that ensures our blades remain sharpened and ready, the Crown has passed instructions to halt the more flagrant forms of infighting."
Wait, those idiots were doing what now?
Dead gods, were they actually preparing to invade? Were they just waiting for him to screw up so they could storm over the border?
The panic on his face must not have been well hidden because Rolland quickly added.
"This is a precaution and kept to a few individuals. We want to forestall any strong reactions from both the nobility and the common class."
That explained why he was only just finding out about it but did nothing to quell his anxiety.
The Crown Prince looked at Marcus pointedly.
"It was the duty of the faction heads to keep the houses under them in order while keeping the reasoning discrete. I would hope you were not too enthusiastic in our meaning, taking the Crown''s justice for your own?"
Marcus narrowed his eyes, not looking happy at the accusation.
Cal was struggling to keep up with the conversation.
"House Procellae conducted its duties. The reigning Lord of House Lucerna was told to put his ambitions to rest for a time, and that message was passed down to his son. Petro was stubborn about it, but without the support of his family, there was little he could do but throw a childish tantrum and challenge Callum here."
He had enough support to hire some bigshot mercenary.
Marcus wasn''t finished, and he continued testily.
"As the family responsible for protecting the border, I would say the threat is more apparent than you paint it to be. I have it on good authority that the general on the Federation''s side of the river was replaced. More concerningly, they conducted a weapons test and large-scale war game less than half a year ago."
Wait. How long ago?
"Put your worries to rest; we are handling the situation with the seriousness it deserves." Rolland turned to him, a searching look on his face. "Speaking back to the late Lucerna scion, I''m told the targets for the investigation are Callum Ardere and Liliane Arcutien. I would think any of them leaving the city preemptively would be looked upon poorly."
Crap. It was him. It was his fault.
Not the Petro thing, well yes, that too.
But six months ago... that was around the time of the incident. War game? What a laugh! They were trying their best to stop him.
The reassignment? The general probably got swept up in the purge Cal had bargained for.
And now the movers and shakers of the Empire thought a war might be coming. Or at least their children did.
What were the diplomats doing?! Wasn''t clearing up misconceptions like this their job???
Annnndddd he just had the guiltiest look imaginable on his face when asked about something that was the furthest thing from his mind right now.
He had to salvage this.
"To be absolutely, one hundred percent clear." Cal kept his voice steady. "I had nothing to do with this."
He received an assortment of flat stares to choose from.
"I mean it. Lily wouldn''t have bothered to do it either."
Seeing the tide of skepticism headed straight for him, he thought living to fight another day sounded better.
Cal rose, slamming his palms against the table. He hid his wince as the wood crunched beneath him and pointed to Marcus.
"Assume we''re on for tomorrow if class is canceled again. Don''t worry, I''ll figure something else besides swimming." His finger rotated towards Rolland. "You, instead of worrying about Ferguson, try being a better brother for a change." He landed on the final member of the group. "If he tries anything stupid, you have my permission to stab him." On second thought, that might be taken the wrong way. "But do it gently. It''s better than being eaten." He ignored Marcus'' slighted look. "Now this has been fun, but I gotta go."
Not giving them an opportunity to follow up, he swiftly left the room.
He traveled down the hallway with large steps, blowing air out of his mouth. As soon as he got this whistling thing down, he was going to have to go Justiciar hunting.
Chapter 48
"Do you not have anything better to do?"
The Spirit, in all its emaciated glory, complained in a weakened voice.
Cal had left the impromptu not-lunch meeting with a mixture of emotions. He was antsy, wanting to wrap everything up before things truly spiraled out of control. But he was also cognizant that being rash was how he''d gotten into this situation.
Justified or not, he could have handled it better. Both with Petro and his little march on HQ. Ramming his way through things, while satisfying, tended to bring unwanted implications.
With all of that in mind, he sat through the remainder of his classes before booking it towards the registration building.
Both to touch base with the Spirit and to blow off some steam.
"I told you, I''m taking an order." Cal tapped a pencil against his writing pad. "So what''s your favorite flavor?"
It leveled a long and withering gaze toward him. Cal merely began doodling on the pad.
He was winning this.
"We are going to regret asking this; what asinine task are you after now?"
Rude. He was just trying to be nice.
"With your birthday coming up, I wanted to bake you a cake."
Contrary to what others may have presumed, Cal was deadly serious. He was actually pretty excited about it. Cakes he''d baked plenty of, but birthday cakes?
Never.
Logically, he knew the difference to be just a name. But logic could go fuck itself; it felt like more, and so it was more.
"We do not know what offends us more. The belief that we would ingest something created by you mortals, or that you claim to know the date of our birth."
Spirits didn''t eat? Everyone went through phases, he supposed.
"I''m talking about Founding Day; wouldn''t that be your birthday? You said you were the Academy."
Cal felt he''d pieced that together pretty well.
The pressure ramped up without warning, and he was nearly popped like a balloon.
"Founders Day," it gritted out, and the smokey surroundings undulated erratically. "Not, Founding Day. And that holiday is woefully misnamed."
Weren''t those the same things? Whatever the case, the Spirit clearly didn''t feel that way.
"Alright, alright," Cal called, placing the notepad in his pocket. "No need to get so worked up."
That seemed to be enough, and Cal shunted the extra power he''d called back into the void. He couldn''t say he''d expected that reaction, but he was always ready to throw down around this thing.
"Have you had enough fun yet? Or do you intend to continue badgering us?"
The latter, actually.
"To be clear, that''s a no on the cake?" Cal asked with a tone of disappointment.
He had planned to go all out. Without being able to enter the Waste, he would not be able to find that cow again, but he could grow the wheat himself. That should have added a big enough kick to make the Spirit enjoy it. It would also have the nasty side effect of being downright poisonous to the average person, but it wasn''t for them.
"Ask us that again at your own peril."
Cal reflexively opened his mouth. It hung open for a moment before closing. It was hard to resist, but evidence to the contrary conveniently ignored, he could be an adult when the situation called for it.
"Very touchy today," Cal shot off before moving on to the important stuff. "Anything on your end happen? I''ve been dealing with you know what, so I''ve not been as attentive as I should have been."
With multiple suspects to go after, Cal had opted to focus in on one at a time. Romero was the oldest of the bunch; he seemed the most likely to be in any position of note.
From what little Cal had been able to observe, the guy really didn''t seem special. He was hoping the Spirit, with its greater ability to snoop, would have garnered more.
"Had you not shown us the cores, we would believe you to be wasting our time." That wasn''t a great sign. "You''ve picked some of the most boring individuals on campus to monitor."
Boring did not tend to equal cultist. But then again, he wasn''t exactly dealing with a run-of-the-mill demon summoning. If anyone could pull off a grand demon summoning, this world would have been torn apart long ago. Well, more than it had already been.
No, the perpetrators had to be clear-headed. Which meant they had actual, if perhaps bad, reasons for doing what they did.
That sounded dangerously close to politics, and Cal was wishing he could go back to problems he could punch away.
"Right, well, I''ve been thinking about what they''d need to pull it off." The logistics were just as, if not more, important as the culprits. "I know we''ve talked about the pentagram, but what about the candles? They''re going to need a lot of those."
When it came down to it, summonings were rather simple to set up. All you needed were a few key ingredients.
Sacrifices. Willing victims preferred.
Pentagrams. It had to be drawn in magically infused material. Cal had seen non-human blood versions, but they were rare.
Candles. Made out of beasts or human fat.
Cores. They were not strictly needed, but most required an extra boost to pierce the veil between worlds.
What tripped people up was the final ingredient.
Knowledge.
How to draw the pentagram. Where to place the candles? What chants to sing?
Let alone how to direct the magic itself.
Cal had seen more than most, and even he would be doing complete guesswork.
If there was one single point all nations could agree on, it was that demons were bad business and any knowledge of how to contact or summon them should be promptly burned.
In the past, Cal had tried to pry that information from a bevy of sources. He thought there was a good reason behind his quest, but a few simple words were enough to make him realize how misplaced his efforts were.
"We''ve been watching their beasts closely. Both the ones of burden and those they slaughter. If there is any buildup, it won''t pass our eyes. The Academy itself consumes large volumes of materials, but those entry points are well known by us as well."
Cal chose not to point out how it had missed the cores.
"I''ve been thinking about the tunnels. You know, the ones you didn''t tell me about?" When that didn''t garner a reaction, he continued. "Is there any chance they link into the city? That might be how they get what they need."
Eerily, its skin was pulled taut as it gave a wretched smile.
"If they are able to accomplish that, then they would have succeeded where even gods failed."
In his personal opinion, humanity had surpassed them in a variety of ways. Particularly in their resolution of domestic disputes. After all, he''d never heard of someone putting a hole in the world after finding their wife sleeping around.
"You can''t drop that and not expound a little," Cal pointed out. "Throw me something. I''m dying of thirst over here."
A single drop touched his nose, heralding a torrential downpour of rain. He crossed his arms, giving the Spirit a look conveying he was more disappointed than mad.
Whether that worked or not was anyone''s guess, but the Spirit''s voice soon sounded.
"Traces of my creator still roam the halls of the Academy. Misplaced items, doors changing their locations, mirrors winking at students¡ªit all made running this place near impossible. We had to use our full strength to banish his influence to the lower levels. It still leaks from time to time."
Was that so?
After marking the tunnels he''d mapped, he didn''t generally check them again. If he did, would they still be there? Mia seemed confident enough when using them.
"I didn''t realize their power still persisted. It has to be pretty potent."
The Spirit started to laugh; it began somewhat pleasant only to turn uglier and uglier before dying.
"Humans have forgotten their work; we have not. Their words were laws in of themselves. That magic you hold so dear is squandered on your lot."
Eh, it was probably true. Still, it came off hollow when Cal remembered how much magic he''d siphoned off this thing. It had shitty control, so who was it to really judge?
"So if you were created by Amir," Cal felt safe in making that assumption based on the effects it listed. "Is that day considered your birthday?"
The glower returned, and Cal shrugged.
"Look, if you don''t want to talk about this, maybe you should be doing a better job at peeping on those guys and gal. Be useful."
"If you are that curious, then yes. It both is and is not our birthday, as you would say." Cal really couldn''t blame them for thinking this thing must be senile. "And if you wish us to be useful, we may try ridding the world of you again."
While some people would count that as being useful, Cal didn''t consider their opinions valid.
"Any time, buddy, any time." Cal casually responded. At this point, it was more of a game than anything. Sensing he''d reached the limits of his interaction with the Spirit, he stretched and prepared to depart. But he didn''t want to go back to the dorm yet. "Well, I''d like to be productive. What are the others up to?"
He would avoid spooking them, but if it proved convenient, he could spy from a distance.
"The girl is in class, arguing with a classmate over a group assignment." No dice on that then. "The boy is doing what he always does, sitting in that farce of a building. A museum they dare call it."
The Spirit spat on the ground, which Cal presumed was for performative purposes. He didn''t pay its antics much mind, focusing on what it''d said.
"Wait." Cal could not remember the last time he''d been to one, but fond memories bubbled from deep within him. "What museum?"
"It''s nothing of note." The Spirit spoke in a dismissive tone. "It only covers the post-Fall period of reconstruction. Nothing of the grandeur of ages past."
That was his preferred part. Cal gave zero shits about the gods and their supposed utopia. He''d stomped past what was left of it plenty of times.
The reconstruction was a different story. He''d been hopeful to learn something new but had found the textbooks filled with blatant propaganda.
A museum, though, that seemed more real.
Finding the museum had been trivial. It wasn''t quite on what he''d call the main campus boulevard, but it was just one branch off. He''d actually passed by it several times before.
Ryan had even pointed it out during their tour. Although calling it a place where they stored old stuff was disingenuous.
By campus standards, the facade was nothing out of the ordinary. At a mere three stories, the building looked to have been built wide to compensate. Rows of large windows gave hints as to what was inside while presenting a pleasant-looking exterior. He''d barely made it past the modest archway covering the entrance when something caught his attention.
The room he found himself in provided multiple ways forward. There were the two side entrances for access to the wings of the building, the spiral staircase leading to the upper floors, and a single doorway straight ahead that looked to be for staff.
It wasn''t the paintings or tapestries coating the walls that caught his eye. Nor was it the mosaic laid out on the floor, which was made out of small tiles that, when put together, formed a map of the current Empire.
No, what dragged him forward was what sat in the center. The staircase coiled around it, allowing visitors to see its full height, which was something like two and a half stories.
Cal traveled up the stairs slowly, placing his hand on the railway and inspecting every inch of the object. He made it up to the top floor and stopped at the ledge directly in front of his current intrigue.
It was a statue made of, or gilded in gold. He suspected the former with how these people liked to spend. He didn''t pay that much mind, caring much more about its muse.
The twenty-first Emperor, if the plaque at the base was to be believed.
He frowned, leaning up against the railing to get a better look. Every visit by trolley to the city had him at least sparing a glance toward that statue in the square. Since the first time he''d seen it, there was just something about it that drew him in.
This¡wasn''t that. As far as he could tell, it was a hunk of overpriced metal. The one in the city, despite being made of the same material, felt like more. Was this the difference an artist could make? Cal would never claim to have a discerning eye regarding those things.
He stared long and hard at it, trying to reconcile the two. Cal couldn''t say why it bothered him so much.
"Hiding away?" A voice piped up, followed by the sounds of steps headed his way. "You''ve picked a suitable local for it."
Cal pushed off the bar, turning to meet the newcomer. Jessica stood with a hand on her hip, bangles around her arm jingling at the movement. In her other, she clutched a book against her chest.
"More curious than anything, this place seems pretty well cared for. You''re saying it doesn''t get much use?"
There hadn''t been a single spec of dust he''d been able to spot. It would be a shame if this place just sat here unused.
Jessica shook her head, the long blonde hair swaying.
"I did not mean to imply that. There is little casual usage, but the Junior years often have mini trips here. They made lessons far more engaging, much better than being seated at a desk for hours on end."
That must have been a nice change of pace for them. It also meant that at this time of day not many people would have reason to be here.
Charles Sapientios, one of the dealers, had a reason. He was writing a dissertation based on some of the pieces housed here, if the Spirit were to be believed. Cal planned to naturally make his way through the museum until coming upon them.
"Come to think of it, there is another reason some visit here." She brought her free arm up, tapping her chin with a finger. "Although they only do so once, the caretakers are rather harsh about ejecting them. I hope you are not waiting for company."
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Cal looked at her sly smile, trying to parse what she was getting about. Then he remembered who he was talking to and groaned.
"Do we people really do that here?" Cal asked while looking around; it seemed far too open. He could understand the more adventurous sorts attempt to have that type of scandalous meetup in the library, but here as well? "Never mind, I really don''t want to know."
He didn''t even bother pointing out that the rumors centering on Lily and him were baseless. Words were wasted on the deaf.
"Truthfully? I''ve only heard it said and never had the misfortune of stumbling firsthand into it." Her voice went up a pitch, and the smile grew. "Speaking of things I''ve heard, would you like to know something interesting?"
No, he would not. But it couldn''t be worse than finding out he was partly responsible for creating a geopolitical misunderstanding.
"Hit me," he stated bluntly, earning a disturbed look from her. "I mean with words, not your fist."
A look of relief came over her.
"Oh good, my combat scores are middling at best." Why did she act like that was the only thing stopping her? "I''m sure your friend has told you." Cal ignored the way she said ''friend''. "But I hear tell her fiance is visiting the city sometime soon."
William whats-his-face? Cal shrugged, giving her an unimpressed look.
"Then I''ll be sure to give him a wide berth. Lily can deal with him." That was firmly on her side of the fence. "But this is the first I''m hearing of it."
On the off chance Lily was downplaying their engagement, then things would get awkward if he had a Finger up in his face. A heads-up would have been nice.
"I learned of it recently. You remember Harold?" The name was faintly familiar. "His cousin works closely with someone whose brother is part of The Myriad''s detachment."
That was his name? Lame.
He''d ask Lily, but he was ready to write off this game of telephone.
"Thanks," Cal questioned whether he should be thankful, but he supposed she was trying to be considerate. Maybe. Most likely she was seeking confirmation for the rumor. "What brings you here anyway?
Cal would have presumed she liked a more lively area. But he was making large assumptions there; he didn''t know her that well.
"To this spot? I heard a strange sound and thought to investigate its source."
That would have been his whistling. When it came to his skill in sound magic, he could do two things. Raise the volume, or deafen it. He was very good at both but was now looking to expand his range.
It was a logical step needed to copy his impersonation target.
Unfortunately, it wasn''t a common brand of magic, and he wasn''t about to check out books related to it.
Briefly, he considered whether tearing out his own tongue would speed up the process. No, that was clearly a dumb idea.
Or was it¡
There was a small voice in his head telling him that was probably how the Whatever Death honed his craft.
Cal shoved that voice into the corner and made it wear the dunce cap.
"I was drying out my mouth." He gave the dumbest response he could muster. "And you know that''s not what I meant."
She hummed, beginning to walk backward with the book and both arms held behind her.
"Would you like to find out?" She didn''t wait for a reply and spun, turning her back on him. She hummed a tune as she strolled. "Follow then. Though be warned, many before you have regretted those steps."
Options. Cal had options.
Why did it feel like he was stuck taking the same ones?
His feet carried him forward, wanting an answer to this little mystery she''d spun. Several exhibits caught his eye, and he took notes of things he might want to go back to.
In particular, a scepter caught his eye. It was cumbersome and gaudy, but he kind of wanted it. He wondered what type of anti-theft protections this place had.
He passed through several doorways when he found Jessica waiting for him.
"What do you think?" She asked, waving an arm across the room. "The best exhibit in the building. It was put together by an upperclassman who used to be in my club before graduating."
Lining the walls was mannequin after mannequin, each one wearing a different type of attire.
The changes were subtle when comparing one to its neighbor, but once you started skipping a few, they became far more pronounced.
"Is this the evolution of dress in the Empire?"
The model to his right was similar to what he''d seen teachers don on occasion, while the one on his left was alien. It wore leather sandals on its feet and a tunic over its torso. A coarse fur mantle covered its back, looking out of place.
"Thank you." She nodded, a look of relief on her face. "You would not believe how many people need that explained to them."
Really? It seemed obvious from where he was standing. They were probably just not interested in this area. Old weapons and pieces of artwork did better to catch the imagination.
"Do you just hang out here then?" It wasn''t exactly his cup of tea, but it did give an insight into how they lived. "Weird place to do it."
She didn''t respond, and Cal paced closer to the model on his right. The toga appeared to be of good quality; he reached out and lightly touched the material.
It was silk.
A sharp sound was heard from his side, and Jessica stood with a disapproving frown.
"These may be replicas, but please don''t touch them."
Ah, right. That was a bit obtuse of him.
"Sorry, just thought it was a bit high class for refugees."
The grin found its way on her face again.
"These were the first generation of survivors." Contrary to what she''d just told him, she directed him to feel the next one''s tunic. He did so, finding it rougher. "For many, their only constant was the clothes on their back. But they came from paradise, and what they wore was not made for the harsh climate that came after; they had to learn to kill and skin the beasts who hunted them. Look down the line. We lost the capability to craft such fine tunics, but we gained the knowledge of how to properly process furs."
That may have been true for the Federation; they had no great bastions or walls to defend them.
As for the Empire...
"Didn''t the royal family ride it out in the capital? Not to mention this whole city."
Hundreds of millions snuffed out, while the leaders of the Empire sat safely in their castles. Well, that was the tagline the Federation repeated.
"In a way, you''re not incorrect. But that''s an oversimplification. The capital was not a proper city but a summer palace; aside from our great ancestor, not many were present. As for the city, well, it was not named Last Light for nothing."
Implying all the others had been snuffed out. It wasn''t accurate. The City of Tuscon on the eastern length of the continent was the most flagrant example. There were initially others as well, but once those who''d lost their homes faced those who didn''t? Blood was shed more often than not.
Cal nodded in agreement; everyone had it hard.
Under her expectant look, he slowly made his way around the room. As he initially noticed, some of the changes were subtle. What he had missed was the rate of change. It started off at a steady pace, but midway through they crawled to a near halt. They looked to have made it to finally tailored shirts and decided to keep them the rest of the way.
"Are there some missing?"
Either that or some of these were added for numbers alone.
Jessica''s eyes darted around, seeming to confirm no one had snuck up on them. She came up to his side and leaned in close.
"It''s not an official piece and thus has no name," she said in a hushed voice. "But its creator named it ''Complacency''. Apt no?"
Cal had nothing to say to that, and she took note of it with an appraising look in her eye.
"You''ve not traveled much, have you?"
Not in the sense she was thinking.
"I have, but mostly around the countryside."
That was about the safest answer he could give aside from bold face lying.
"You should, if only to see the difference. Postremo Lux is not your average city."
Cal tried to piece together what little he''d seen outside the city. He hadn''t seen much, mainly farmland. Slowly, a picture came to mind.
"I''m guessing the city gets all the cool stuff first due to the proximity of the Academy?"
A similar thing happened in the Federation with Millie. But that wouldn''t fit with the word complacent. The conversation with the headmaster cropped up in his mind.
"Would stifle also fit as a name?" His question prompted a startled look in her eyes, confirming his suspicion. "Well, you know the saying. You can lead a horse to water, but you can''t get him to accept indoor plumbing."
His vague image of the Empire being some backward dump had been jarred when he first arrived. First with the car that had picked him up, and then with the phone Alice produced.
Now it made more sense; they were stopping their own progress, and not everyone was on board.
"Lower your voice," she chided. "But yes, that name would suffice. And though your saying is crude, it is appropriate."
Cal couldn''t help but laugh at the absurdity. When it came to innovation, the Federation threw everything they had at it. They were desperate for any edge they could get. Meanwhile, these idiots wanted to keep using hoes to plow fields.
"Sorry, it''s just really stupid." He said after seeing his reaction had been taken poorly. "They have to know that''s a bad idea."
The Federation would wipe them away with a tide of progress. Their only hope at winning would be starting a war sooner rather than...
Fuck.
"We do." Jessica''s voice was a welcome reprieve from his current thoughts. "My family, that is. Yours as well, if you still hold the same beliefs as your prior affiliation. Although our reasons differ," she muttered and then returned to her normal tone. "The Northern Lords are the largest obstacle, clogging up all Diet proceedings that look to resolve the issue. "
He didn''t know what House Ardere''s official stance on it was, but he''d never heard Alice say anything derisive about it.
"We strayed pretty far from talking about clothing." It occurred to him he''d been tricked into learning about politics, and he wasn''t all too pleased. "And you never said what you''re doing here in the first place."
Her dour expression lightened, and she patted her book.
"Inspiration. I''m working on an important piece, and I am in dire need of it."
Cal looked at her strangely. With the way she altered her uniform, he thought she''d always be looking forward instead of back.
"Isn''t fashion about looking for the next big thing? It seems backward to look here."
Then again, Cal knew nothing about the subject. He was happy with that. Given his tailor almost killed him, it was safe to say fashion drove people crazy.
She rolled her eyes at him, shaking her head again.
"It can be found anywhere if you know how to look. But this particular piece is special. I want it to pay homage to our shared ancestry while celebrating what is new."
Hmm.
"Just checking, have you killed any animals for fun?" That was the sign of an early serial killer. A look of shock came over her, and he quickly followed up. "Never mind. Can I see what you''re working on?"
She hugged the book, or sketchpad, tighter, angling away from him.
"I''ll have to deny your request. This is a very special dress. It would not be right for anyone to see it just yet."
Cal respected her wishes, even if he didn''t understand them.
"Suit yourself, but I wouldn''t mind seeing it when it''s done."
That felt like the right thing to say, so he was perplexed when a troubled expression came over her.
"That may be difficult. But I''m already rushing, and your discretion with that other matter is appreciated."
Other matter? Oh.
"Don''t put yourself out over it." Though he didn''t get how seeing a drawing put her out. "Why the time crunch? Is a deadline coming up?"
She sighed, looking out of the room''s sole window.
"None that I know for sure. I simply fear if I do not finish it now, I may never."
Procrastinator then.
"Just keep at it," Cal found himself offering advice. "Chip away at it little by little."
Her face turned to him, and she gave him a slight tilt of the head.
"Do you enjoy it here? At the Academy?"
No.
Most of the classes were a pain to sit through. The students were nosey, dragging him into unwanted situations and monitoring his every move. He had a school administrator out for his guts, along with Justiciars sniffing about.
All of that ignored he was essentially exiled, thrown over like a live grenade.
But for all of that, the word ''no'' didn''t pass through his lips.
"You do," she answered for him, and he couldn''t bring himself to correct her. "Most feel the same. Out there, beyond these walls, the world is far more rigid. Sometimes I wish they could leave us be."
That strategy didn''t tend to work, both from his knowledge and first-hand experience.
"Guess the only thing to do is change it then."
He''d conceived the statement as a joke, but it came out a tad more serious than that.
"Now you sound like Ryan." The upset tone was mismatched with the fond look on her face.
They lapsed into thoughtful silence and Cal was considering leaving her be when he remembered something.
"Didn''t you say I''d regret following you? Why was that?"
There was no trap or dangerous line of questioning like he''d been prepared to deal with.
"Oh, I almost forgot." She directed him towards the first model. "Let''s start at the beginning..."
Three hours later and not a quarter of the way through, Cal learned it had, in fact, been a trap.
Chapter 49
Marcus Procellae kept his breathing steady, breathing in and out in a systematic fashion. His feet were firmly planted, and both hands held onto Triumph, the family heirloom entrusted to him.
He allowed himself a moment to admire the deadly instrument. The origin of the silvery metal was unknown to them; it had simply washed ashore generations ago. The descendants of that fisherman''s family still proudly served his family today.
Forged into the form of a trident, each prong was home to an embedded jewel of impeccable quality. They were not the originals, having been replaced whenever an improvement made itself known.
Water, Wind, and Lightning. A focus for each of his affinities.
Generations of Procellae had relied on it, using the power it granted to defend the Empire to their last.
Marcus focused on all three glittering gems. While air entered his lungs, magic entered the weapon of war.
Triumph drank greedily, devouring all within reach.
His magic, already present within the trident, welcomed the company. The two sources meshed together, becoming one under his control.
He released the breath and forced the magic into the pale white gem. His affinity and focus may have made it easier, but it was skill born of countless repetitions that made the magic take shape. Pockets of swirling air currents formed around him. He compressed them, squeezing the wind held within into a smaller profile.
Zephyr Orbs.
Five, ten, twenty, once at his limit, he sent them forward. They joined their predecessors, attempting to land a blow on the training dummy.
A single one at full power would be enough to eviscerate a man, bursting on contact and sending blades of air digging into frail flesh.
These were not at full power.
A bead of sweat traveled down his brow. Without Triumph, he would have long been at his limit.
Still connected to orbs, he nudged them slightly, attempting to guide them towards their target.
Many, nay, most came near. Yet none landed.
It was preposterous.
With a twist of Triumph, he had the water manifestation he''d planted earlier burrow up from the earth. His Tidal Python emerged, attempting to ensnare a leg.
As if by pure happenstance, the limb moved at exactly the right moment to avoid the magic. This was despite Marcus timing it with multiple Zephry Orbs flying above.
"That''s new," the missed target gave an idle comment, not showing the least bit of concern. "You know, not enough people just try to grab their opponent. That is what that does, right? It doesn''t try to, I don''t know, drown me or anything?"
Callum Ardere was abnormal.
The word fit, and yet was woefully inaccurate to describe the absurdity the boy represented.
Marcus had been close to ignoring the invitation again, but he was loath to pass up any opportunity for personal improvement, and there were few who made adequate sparring partners.
Not that this was a spar. No, in lieu of whatever illogical scheme the boy had wanted to concoct today, Marcus has requested a simpler form of training.
Target practice.
He detonated an orb ahead of the boy, its blades of wind scattering forward. Callum twisted, letting one brush his coat but nothing else.
"Sheesh, don''t tell me you''re still mad." The boy found the time to shake his head in disappointment. "You really need to learn how to let go of these kinds of things."
Marcus felt himself more than a little charitable. He''d forgiven the spear nearly impaling him. However, the smell of digestive fluids from that creature still lingered in his mind, and he was not quite ready to forget being fed to a beast.
His python continued its chase, the construct taking up much of his focus. It was not a simple homing magic; it writhed and breathed as if alive. Connected to it, he could feel its every move and even see through its eyes.
Even with these additional senses, he could scarcely tell the boy was even using magic. That was the same on the rare instance a manifestation was used defensively.
Impeccable control.
Envy was not something he often felt, but it was hard not to have a flash of the ugly emotion.
He focused back to his construct itself; at its current scaled-down size, it would not pose much of a threat.
But as frustrating as the boy was, he wasn''t trying to harm him.
If he had been, he may have finally shown his family''s signature brand of magic. But he was saving that for the Conference. He wasn''t even taking the time to layer his magic as he''d done on the first bout.
No, today was more of a test of endurance. It was a rare chance to focus so single-handedly on such an evasive target.
Already he could feel a headache forming, the stress of managing so many different manifestations building.
"You good? We can take five or quit altogether if you need it."
The boy was incessant, speaking in a manner befitting a commoner. Those Marcus spoke to were properly schooled in language. With Callum, it was difficult at times to parse if they were even speaking the same tongue.
Marcus responded by pushing magic through the citrine gem.
Strike Lance''s took form and, in a blink, arrived at the Ardere.
One of them missed, but the other clipped Callum''s shoulder. Sparks danced across the blue barrier that had interceded on the boy''s behalf.
It was not the first hit he managed today, but like all the others, he knew it had been allowed.
The Ardere was not moving as swiftly as he could, deliberately choosing to take a few blows. As far as he could surmise, it wasn''t out of hubris, nor was it out of a desire to gain his favor.
Instead, it felt like the boy simply did not care if harm befell him.
Marcus supposed that made sense, given his background.
If not for evidence proving the contrary, Marcus would have wondered if the boy even knew how to form a shell. He had forced his shield badge on him, for his peace of mind more than anything.
"Have you wronged the Deputy Headmistress as of late?" Marcus asked with feigned innocence.
The boy''s next step stuttered, and Marcus'' python coiled around his limb. Fangs pierced downward; should this have been a real battle, they would have drilled a hole through his shell and injected water into flesh. The results after would be obvious.
Rather than that happening, his connection was abruptly broken as his opponent gripped the snake. The construct collapsed, now a puddle on the floor.
The magic had been wrestled from his control; he hadn''t even had the opportunity to struggle against it.
"Phew, that was close. Almost had me there."
Did he even notice what he''d just accomplished?
As the heir to a dukedom, Marcus came from a proud lineage of warriors. His blood was strong; he was strong.
That was indisputable.
Given favorable circumstances, even a few of the vaunted Fingers would recognize the threat he posed.
Arrogance? Certainly. But it was not an opinion formed out of ignorance. He''d seen the power they wielded.
Only last week the ruins they now practiced in had been torn asunder.
Granted, their teacher was not an appropriate benchmark to test against. One was not considered for the position of a Hand lightly.
Faded he may be, The Tremor''s strength was impossible to ignore.
Callum had barely blinked at it.
"And yeah, she''s upset at my existence. You know how it is."
Yes, he very much did.
It was extraordinarily easy to write the boy off as a simpleton, a well-trained brute, and nothing more. His every action seemed to scream it, so much so that Marcus found himself frequently falling back into that opinion.
But there were flashes of insight, moments where he showed himself capable of more than acting as a convenient target.
The conclusion he kept circling back to was, more often than not, Callum simply didn''t care.
Warped priorities was the most succinct way he would put it.
After all, not even a dullard would ask the Empire''s current Crown Prince for coffee beans of all things.
A sliver of amusement emerged within him. It was a ridiculous request, but what was truly humorous was that it would cause Rolland no small amount of trouble.
Official or not, a favor from the Crown Prince was worth quite a sum. Callum would never have been able to extract the level of benefits Marcus had as a future Duke, but the Palace''s honor could not be besmirched by providing subpar recompense.
Which meant Rolland now had to source coffee beans worth a favor of the royal family.
He would not wish such a task onto himself. Had Rolland been another, perhaps he would have demanded an underling see the work done.
However, the Crown Prince did not comport himself as a noble should.
Taking a commoner as a confidant was the first sign. Marcus could remember his father ranting at the impropriety of it. It spat in the face of many houses that proposed their scions for the position.
No. With his character, Rolland would personally handle the matter.
And hopefully, tear out some of his silver strands in the process.
Of course, the most entertaining aspect was that Callum was likely to have forgotten about it.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Marcus thought the boy was too still and forced himself to push further. His breathing hitched, and from Triumph, a whirling cyclone shot toward the boy.
It sucked up all in its path, loose debris creating a dangerous vortex. It would never land, but it would keep the boy busy.
Maybe he would even reach his limits?
Doubtful.
Augmentation was a perilous path to walk, yet they all walked it just the same. Marcus practiced diligence with an appropriate level of caution.
It meant that when pressed, he could put himself at a level able to contend with pure strength against the likes of Rolland
However, he needed time to prepare. Any instant transition to his peak strength was liable to cause harm to his person.
Sometimes he wondered if Callum even noticed switching to his limit.
What more could he expect from a weapon?
"She approached me about you just recently," Marcus spoke, hoping the boy would trip up again. "It was an intriguing conversation."
It wasn''t. The scandal may have been old, but as it involved one in his faction, he was well aware of the grievances the Evergreen''s still held.
The words did not have the same effect as before, and Callum regarded him with curiosity while evading harm.
"Are you going to tell me or¡"
The boy trailed off, not showing very much concern.
Marcus supposed there should be little surprise on his part.
The pattern he''d observed dictated as such. A quick reaction where the boy did not know how he should act, then followed by a more measured response after he weighed the importance of the development in that head of his.
The ire of the Deputy Headmistress should have weighed heavy on him, but so should being cuffed and sent against a beast.
"She was curious about your activity in this class."
It wasn''t unusual. At the time, he''d thought Rolland''s words during the opening ceremony strange. After seeing Callum''s ability the day after, it was evident who Rolland would nominate to participate in the Conference.
"Really? Huh, wonder if she''s hoping I''d flunk out or something."
Marcus chose not to correct the boy.
It wasn''t just the fact he''d been tossed into a pool with a hungry beast, although that was a factor. No, it was also due to the fact the boy had, very clearly, eliminated Petro.
Thoughts on the man aside, his death brought him no small amounts of trouble.
Father had made his wishes regarding the Academy clear.
He imagined his-.
Alice was probably incensed at discovering his actions. But what did they expect by sending someone like him here?
"It would be remiss of me not to mention that attacking a faculty member would be a poor choice."
For some time now, inaction had been the largest kindness he could show that house. His father had cast them out, content to let them feed the ambitions of those beneath them.
Such an action was routine among the higher nobility. Those under them squabbled for the scraps of power, not realizing their division was what ensured they would never truly rise.
It wasn''t his place to question his father. Duty to family was first and foremost. He knew Alice would understand that.
"What if they hit first?" The boy quipped. "Fair game, right?"
Coming from another, that might have been a joke. With Callum, Marcus could not be certain it was.
"I would advise against it."
His father, and many others, had written off the Ardere''s long ago. Ever since that unfortunate incident led to their line being pruned to a single branch, they were doomed to fade into obscurity.
Alice, for all her talent, was one person. No house could stand against a storm with a single pillar.
But two?
"That''s not a no."
He must have thought himself clever.
"Ardere business is none of my concern," Marcus intoned, throwing words previously said to him back.
The boy snorted, finding humor in it.
His father had not sent a decision on how to proceed with the family. It was a bit gauche to reward such barbaric behavior.
Truthfully, Marcus never thought the Ardere Lord to be capable of such callousness. To scion dozens upon dozens of bastards and throw them to the Waste. Not just once either, as they had to ensure luck was not a factor. No, the bastards would be sent out countless times.
The practice was impossible to outlaw; the rights of houses were too firmly entrenched. However, it was not looked kindly upon.
It was dishonor to your partner, to your house, and to your blood.
The last case he knew about occurred prior to his father''s time.
Desperation must have driven the Lord to it. It was a hopeless gamble, as the chances of success were vanishingly small.
Marcus could only hope Callum''s existence would not see a resurgence in it.
The last of his attacks fizzled out, and he refrained from creating anymore. There was a fine line between training and showing weakness.
"Well, that was fun." Cal''s tone stood in contrast to his words.
The boy must have been bored senseless with this, too used to survival being an open question from one second to the next.
Marcus could understand why they sent him to the Academy; it must have been to garner attention and show their house had not yet fallen.
But would it have been a great burden to instill some level of propriety in him?
Had they still been on familiar terms, he would have been tempted to shake the girl and ask what she had been thinking.
"Say," the boy said while walking over. Playing with the spear he was incompetent with. There had been some improvement, but that wasn''t a craft you mastered in a few scant sessions. "Mind if I ask you something?"
Ominous words coming from that source.
"You may, but don''t presume I will respond in kind."
Warning the boy about Petro''s motives was already close to the limit his father would allow. These training sessions were more easily justified; improvements to himself were critical for the future of their house.
Despite having some novel training ideas, Callum Ardere did not know what he was doing. That much had been made abundantly clear. But there was value in observing the boy.
From what he gathered, his true ability lay in both his intricate control of himself and sensitivity to magic. He knew exactly when and how to react to any change in his immediate vicinity.
It was a poor matchup for someone like Marcus, who relied mainly on manifestations. That only made this time more important.
"Right, so like, how does politics work?"
Out of all the questions he may have been asked, none filled him with as much dread as that.
Callum Ardere in a political space? He might as well set fire to the Diet himself.
Whatever had spurred the sudden interest, he wished it would crawl back from whence it came.
"I''m afraid my presence is needed elsewhere. I suggest you ask your sister about those matters."
Ancestors, she had better halt any ideas from sprouting in his head.
Without waiting for a response, he turned and left the ruined structure. Normally he would make himself presentable before leaving, but these facilities had been destroyed.
There was some fear that the boy would ask someone else, but it was minimal. From what his people had told him, the boy was reluctant to engage with other students.
Unless they sought him out first, then he seemed to readily enjoy their company.
The one standout had been Marcus himself. For reasons that he thought were clear to all involved.
But that was just how the game was played.
Making his way back to his dormitory, he exchanged nods or simply did not acknowledge those whom he passed, depending on what was appropriate.
It was a long-honed skill, and he did it with little conscious thought.
His dorm was fitting for his position, monopolizing much of the top floor of one of the newer buildings installed.
The architect had studied at the Academy, but sought motivation by traveling through the Holy Enclave, the Tribes, and finally, the Free Cities.
The brutal cold stone of the exterior had indents with columns present. They were intricately carved into humanoid shapes, holding up the roof of the structure, which looked to be sloping canvas. It was only for the aesthetic; most nobles would not accept sleeping under a tarp.
Entering the building, and soon after, his personal domicile, he did not let himself relax as his tired senses picked up the presence of another.
A number of his house staff had keys, but they were not scheduled for this time. He passed the entrance, coming into the entertaining room.
He did not relax upon seeing the intruder, but he was not concerned either. They''d been meeting frequently as of late.
"Your training went well then?" The man asked, one leg crossed over the other while helping himself to some tea. "The Lord will be pleased at diligence."
He would not; this much was expected of him.
"Vincent," Marcus addressed the Justiciar, the man he''d known since he was young. "What ails have you brought me today?"
The man gave a well-practiced laugh, meant to soothe his target''s nerves. Marcus had heard it plenty of times before.
"As always, what I do is in the service of the good Duke. Anything I bring to you is for that purpose alone."
That he could believe.
Chapter 50
Cal cracked another egg, discarding the unneeded yolk and having the white join the rest in his bowl.
That was eight now. It should be more than enough. According to the recipe, that is, he''d never done this one.
In his opinion, this was the ideal way to end the day. It had been a fairly normal one, all things considered. The only standout was letting Marcus blast him a bit.
He moved his filled bowl to the island and then turned; his eyes roved over the various cabinets. It was good practice to have everything prepared before you started, but Cal often found himself just jumping in and sorting out the rest later.
Joining the cook-culinary club had been the right call. When it came to having what he needed, this place hadn''t let him down.
He''d kill to have to have some of this in the cabin. The flashy features had caught his attention first, such as the fridge, which was wider than his armspan and just shy of the ceiling height.
Then came the pantry cabinets on either side of the fridge. They took up the rest of that wall and had these sliding, collapsable doors. He could leave them fully open if he wished to see the multiple levels each contained.
Non-perishables and spices as far as the eye could see. He was exaggerating, but it really was a sight.
And that was just the one wall.
The one opposite to it had a mess of ovens, grills, fryers, steamers, mixers, slicers¡the list went on and on. Cal suspected that when asked what he wanted, Benny had replied with a simple ''yes.''
Curiously, Cal noticed many of the brand names had been fully sanded down. The only things left of them were small, smooth indents.
In between them, the island was a simple affair. It was really just a giant work area for him to play in. He did appreciate that whatever material the countertop was made of could take abuse, as he realized when he''d accidentally used it as a cutting board in the past.
One of the other walls in the room was a full window, allowing him a nice, if limited, view of campus. The last wall was something he seriously considered taking when he eventually departed the Empire.
The fancy machines and ingredients were nice. No doubt about that. But having an entire wall of storage cabinets with multiple variations of every pot and pan he knew of?
That was worth creating a diplomatic incident for.
In his opinion anyway, that was partially why he was here in the first place.
He ignored that for a moment and focused on his current task. Cal spotted the lemon juice and grabbed it, returning to the bowl. He set the bottle aside for now and began whisking at a consistent, if slow, speed.
"I mean no offense," Alice said. She was keeping out of the way in a corner of the room. "However, seeing you like this is odd."
Cal had taken Marcus'' advice and asked Alice for help. It was a close thing, as even asking Marcus had been a stretch for him.
He really, really didn''t want to have to add studying politics to his plate. But it kept coming up, and he''d be an absolute moron if he kept telling himself it didn''t matter.
Ever since being reintroduced to society, he''d been content to let others handle it. It seemed smart to him at the time. He was good at killing things¡ªvery good at it. While others were good at talking.
He''d stayed in his own lane, but where had that gotten him?
If he decided to stay in the Federation, he''d have to get wise over there as well. Although that would be an easier task. Not only was he familiar with their legal structure, but he had Millie.
Hazarding a guess, she was probably in the same boat as him when it came to caring about that stuff. But she clearly knew how it worked if those negotiations were any indication. Also, her name was Prodigy; he stopped assuming there were things she couldn''t do a long time ago.
"None take, but I''m not sure what you mean."
He didn''t expect her to agree so readily. Or be so eager for that matter.
"When you phrased your prior experience, I interpreted that to mean you took up the practice for the end product alone. Your exuberance now tells me otherwise; you enjoy the process in and of itself."
Cal didn''t have to think too hard before responding; it wasn''t anything important.
"One feeds into the other. I had to source my meals, but making them was a nice change of pace compared to everything else."
Everything else being repeatedly throwing himself at the beasts beyond the boundary of the cabin. He wouldn''t say it got monotonous with the sheer varieties in which they came, but it was mentally draining at times.
The sullen look on her face prompted him to follow up.
"Something wrong?"
Nothing besides the usual he hoped.
"It''s no matter," she replied quickly, only to catch herself and continue in a more sedate tone. "I never had time for such trivialities. At times like these, I wonder what I have missed."
Cal glanced at his bowl and then the fridge. There were still more eggs.
"You want to give it a shot?"
Red eyes had bored into him, and she had appeared to seriously consider it before slightly shaking her head.
"Don''t trouble yourself. I''m comfortable with only partaking in the result."
Cal gave a soft snort.
"Fine, be a freeloader. See what I care."
He goaded her, watching for a reaction. The ends of her lips tugged upward, and she responded confidently.
"I presume then that you no longer need my counsel?"
He noticed the mixture begin to get frothy, and he took the bottle of lemon juice. Pouring it slowly, he eyeballed the amount rather than measure it out.
The recipe called out the specifics, but he was willing to wing this one a bit. He could make adjustments later if needed.
He increased the speed of his whisking.
"I''ll have you know, there were several people I could have asked."
It wasn''t a huge amount of options, but he had backup choices. In fact, he''d even jumped the gun and asked someone else before her. That was aside from Marcus. It was a shame his text was never returned.
"That merely highlights how overdue this is," she replied smoothly, and he got the sense she didn''t believe him. "Before we begin, may I ask why you have decided to learn about it now?"
A fair question, and one he was more than prepared for.
"I don''t know," he replied in a flat tone, staring at her while beating the mixture. "Maybe it was one too many jokes about marrying me off like some prized bull."
It was the perfect deflection. In part because that was where some of his motivation had come from.
"I told you that was in jest," she had the gall to speak as if she were the aggrieved party. "If you continue to belabor the point, I may think this is your way of pushing for it."
"You ask-" Cal paused, narrowing his eyes. "Okay, I should stop falling for that."
In his defense, he hadn''t gotten used to the girl joking with him.
"Knowing that is a promising start," Alice mused, her eyes straying from him to the window. "I confess, had you sought tutelage about politics months ago, I would have been concerned. Now? I am relieved."
Did that mean she would have been nervous about him wanting her spot, or that at this point she was more worried about whatever damage he could cause without knowing it?
He didn''t let himself get bogged down in minute details like those.
"Are you stalling? Cal asked, turning to the cabinet for a moment to find the sugar.
It was an often-used ingredient, so he quickly grabbed the bag and began to sprinkle some into the mixture before whisking again.
"I am not," she said, her eyes still on the outdoors. "However, I am unsure how to broach such a large subject."
Cal could help her there.
"Why don''t we start with why a Finger, Lily''s fiance in particular, would be coming to the city?"
He was still very skeptical of the whole thing, so his movement hitched when he saw her nod in understanding.
"I asked her not to bother you with that," she said with annoyance. She crossed her arms, one set of fingers drumming on her sleeve. "Traditionally, there are one or two Finger''s stationed at or near the city. However, duties often pull them away, and with the Academy in close proximity, their presence is not often needed. William is often positioned in the capital, but it''s not unusual for him to visit. His presence will be a boon to us; Lily can handle him well."
Cal would hold her to those words. He''d be fairly upset if he ended up having to fight a Finger.
"Right, so who decides their deployment?" In other words, who had the power to leave the city defenseless in the face of a summoning? "Can he pop over whenever he wants, or are there more rules in place?"
The Constellation were integrated with the normal service branches. If someone in a field infantry unit put in a request and it was assigned a high enough importance, they could have a Constellation member answer the call.
"Their assigned Hand," Alice explained, stretching out her own and waving her fingers slowly. "William falls under the Left. However, they tend to take a loose approach when managing their Fingers. As long as they serve the overall interests of their Hand, they are given many liberties on how they may act. Individuals who reach that level don''t tend to be the most agreeable."If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Yeah, that tracked. He''d seen Mask blow things off for the fun of it and then specifically request the oddest of assignments.
The Hands then¡why would one of them want to deal a blow to the Academy? He was well aware of their capabilities, being one of the few true threats to him. But he didn''t know their personal beliefs.
"Cool." Cal continued with his mixing, adding more sugar as they spoke. "What''s their deal then? Do they play nice with each other and the Empire as a whole, or do they have a bunch of enemies?"
Alice''s brow furrowed, and he tried to act naturally under her scrutiny. A brief silence followed, and he considered whether it was time to break out Plan B.
"They have different purposes." Alice''s voice saved him from having to take any drastic action. "The Left is held close to the Emperor. He seldom leaves the capital and has been a source of stability for some time now. His Fingers travel the Empire, providing the same support to provinces as needed."
Based on that information, it sounded like the guy wouldn''t be the one to rock the boat. But if he was the one responsible for leaving the city unstationed, then Cal wasn''t sure what to think.
Alice closed her fingers, forming a fist.
"The Right strikes out, attending to matters beyond our borders. She is currently stationed in the Holy Enclave, assisting in the transfer of power to the Second Prince and traveling abroad as needed. She ascended five years ago. It was a rather contentious subject; with her mixed heritage, there were questions about her suitability. Some even claimed her to be awarded the position to pacify the wishes of our vassal."
Cal''s memory wasn''t always the greatest, but there was one piece of information he recalled being told.
"Sorry," he broached, conscious that he was interrupting her flow. "But isn''t Ferguson also from there? They wouldn''t happen to be related, would they?
Alice paused, giving him an evaluating look.
"Apologies, I''m simply struggling to understand how you have made it this far without this knowledge."
Haphazardly.
He didn''t respond, swiping his finger on the edge of the bowl and tasting the mixture.
Hmm, he added one more teaspoon of sugar and began mixing it in.
"The Right is Ferguson''s daughter."
Cal had been prepared for some level of absurdity, so his only outward reaction was a small nod.
Internally, he put Ferguson on the special ''do not murder'' list. Killing the father of a Hand sounded like a phenomenal way to piss off one of the few people on the continent able to genuinely push his shit in.
He''d read the reports, so he knew what she was capable of.
And while he was curious and willing to see how he would stack up against her, he''d rather not find out while she was doing everything in her power to make sure he stayed dead.
Ignorant to his internal proceedings, Alice continued.
"As I was saying, there were questions as to her ability, but they have been well answered. I''ve been told she is a model of excellence. Unfortunately, I''ve never had the opportunity to meet her." Her tone carried with it disappointment. "Her Fingers often travel with envoys and are used to display our strength to those who habitually forget."
That sounded like their version of gunboat diplomacy. On the Federation''s side, it mainly fell on Mask and¡
"Are you well?" Alice said, concern laced in her voice.
He was.
Cal set the whisk aside, noting how it remained perfectly intact.
"Yep, was just thinking it was about ready for a test."
The mixture was stiff now, with parts of it sticking up from when he stopped beating it. Cal took a spoonful of it and scrapped it on his hand. He rolled it into a ball, some of the residue sticking to him. He would take greater care of the shape when doing the actual batch, but for now he just wanted to make sure it would taste right.
He cupped it in his hands, raising the temperature. Normally the baking process would take a couple of hours, but he''d picked up a few tricks to speed that up. They weren''t universally applicable, as different chemical reactions behaved differently when instantly infused with heat, as he was doing, but he was hoping it would work for this case.
"Pardon," Alice interrupted, a quizzical look on her face. "But is not what you are doing better accomplished by these?"
She waved a hand behind her, pointing out the multiple ovens.
"Most of the time," Cal admitted. He planned to use them for the main batch. "But this is a taste test before I commit to the rest." Conscious that they''d gone off track, he moved back to the matter at hand. "It sounds like the Hands do what they want. So they don''t have to worry about playing politics?"
He hoped that was phrased innocently enough, but he was getting ready to stop pushing the question. There was a line where this crossed from idle curiosity to suspiciousness, and he didn''t want to cross it.
Separating out his line of inquiries among multiple people seemed less likely to raise any flags.
"Perish the thought." Alice seemed to be in a rush to correct him on that. "Their every move must be planned, and that extends to their subordinates. Hosting a Finger is considered an honor. Duration of stay is also a factor; it''s a balance. Too much and it is a slight on the host''s ability to handle their affairs; too little and they are offended by the lack of attention."
That, right there, was why he never wanted anything to do with it. Damned if you do and damned if you don''t.
"Perhaps I spoke too strongly," she cautioned, presumably after seeing his face twist at her words. "I would ask you to keep three things in mind. First, be mindful of how others perceive you."
Cal knew that much. He''d go as far as to say he knew that too well. Conditioning himself to ignore it had been done out of survival.
"Second, be ready to set aside your personal feelings and emotions. It did not work as we thought with the last, but we will have to work with people whose presence we do not enjoy in the future.
He filled in the blank. She was talking about how their deal with Petro fell through when he went mental.
"Conversely, we must not let positive sentiments cloud our judgment either. Impartiality is key to our success."
He nodded along while discarding that last bit.
"And the third is that truth is often decided behind closed doors. There is no objectivity to it. Should three enter and two leave, they decide what happened to the third. A simplification, of course, as you''ve seen with our current predicament, but I hope you see my point."
She looked at him expectantly, and he noticed how she had stayed in place since deciding on that spot. There was no pacing or stepping to the side; she seemed almost afraid of touching anything.
"Got it," he knew all that before, but saying that sounded childish. "The harder part is knowing all the parties in play. If I don''t know where they''re coming from, then doing all of that is difficult."
Impossible is more like it. Claire had tried to drill the names into him, and even that hadn''t stuck.
"I am loath to summarize these things, as there are many caveats and nuances overlooked."
She sounded willing if reluctant.
Cal mulled it over before speaking.
"I visited the museum recently. Learned a lot." And more than he ever wanted to about how the thread count of certain pieces of clothing was culturally significant. Allegedly, that was. Cal had almost called bullshit on Jessica''s explanations. However, he suspected such an action would have only lengthened his sentence. "It seems to me that not everyone is happy with how the Academy does things."
Was that too much? He certainly hoped not.
Cal watched her carefully for any change in reaction. Perplexingly, she seemed more intrigued by his cupped hands than anything else.
"Many take umbrage with one matter or another of what occurs within these walls. The northern lords and ladies are usually the most outspoken of these."
He shifted slightly, noticing how her eyes stayed on his hands. This girl had one hell of a sweet tooth.
"Aren''t the Evergreens up there?"
It was strange that they would be upset despite having someone so high up the food chain.
She saw through his confusion and explained.
"What better way to maintain a watchful eye on things than by installing one of your own?"
Shit. Was he going to have to investigate someone who already hated his guts? That sounded not fun. Then again, his supervisor during that community service stint wasn''t that bad. Maybe that was a better in.
Regardless, he should give the administration in general a second look. It just seemed too much for some students to pull off alone.
Feeling the change, Cal parted his hands, finding a bite-sized pale white cookie. It was light, almost feeling like he was holding nothing at all.
Cal''s fingers pressed against it, finding it hard. He raised it to his mouth, and a solid bite had it crumble. The sweet taste met his tongue.
He probably should have added more lemon, but it wasn''t so off as to need correction.
"Do you often cook like this?" Alice asked, suddenly a lot closer than before.
Seeing the danger, he finished the cookie. She''d have to wait for the main batch.
"Used to be my go-to," Cal responded, going to the cabinets and retrieving a baking sheet. "Broke the oven early on and had no idea how to fix it." Warranty on appliances did not extend to the Waste. "Some recipes were fine, but other times I''d be sitting there like an idiot for hours on end."
He set it on the counter and then made one more trip for a piping bag. Filling the bag with as much as it could hold from the contents of the bowl, he started squeezing it so that the mixture was pushed out of the star-shaped tip. Cal completed one swirl of a future cookie and then moved on to the next.
"Callum," Alice''s tone caused him to look up. She was staring at him intently as if piecing together some puzzle. "Do you know what would happen if one of our peers, or even myself, attempted the same?"
They''d probably bur-
Oh, right.
"Can you say that would be the same if it were the difference between having something edible or not?" Cal deflected. Quite well if the way she seemed to choke on her follow-up was any indication. "Sounds like you slackers aren''t trying hard enough."
He added some humor at the end, softening the blow. That aspect of his upbringing, or lack thereof, had been reconciled.
A small smile formed, only to be hidden by a hand. When it was lowered, all traces were removed.
"I did not mean to make light of that. I merely find it somewhat humorous that part of your skill can be explained by baking, of all things. Should that and your ability be revealed, I think we may see a stark rise in future Lords and Ladies driving their house staff mad by occupying the kitchens."
That was kind of funny. He''d never considered this to be a contributor to his control. In hindsight, it could certainly be given some credit.
"I admit my curiosity has gotten the best of me. What are you preparing?"
Hadn''t he explained it? A quick recall told him it had slipped his mind.
"They''re meringue cookies. You know, like the ones we all had together in the city."
Her eyes lit up, but only for a moment as soon as a dour expression came over her.
Belatedly, he realized why they''d been eating them in the first place. Or who they had seen specifically.
"Before I continue, I want to point out that everything''s fine and there were zero repercussions to this," Cal hedged for any extreme reactions. "But I fed Marcus to a giant squid."
Intentions aside, that was how things ultimately played out.
"I-no." Alice stopped herself, her fingers pressing against her uniform. "Do I want to know how that came to be about?"
It sounded like she did¡
"I said we were training, and then just shoved him into the pool. I actually didn''t mean for him to get eaten, but it sort of just happened."
Because he''d been busy snooping on someone else.
"And you say, despite this, there were no consequences?"
Well, if he considered earlier today, that wasn''t exactly right.
"He seemed happy enough. I let him take a bunch of shots at me to even things out."
He was not even given a chance to explain what the giant jugs of water he had brought this morning were for before Marcus hijacked their training.
"How long was he... indisposed?"
Cal did not have a great response to that; it had taken him a bit to notice. Shame on him for putting too much stock in the Academy''s second strongest.
"Not long, and he came out of it one piece. No healing needed."
His clothes had seen better days, but he imagined Marcus could snap his fingers and have hundreds more prepared for him.
Alice''s shoulders were rigid. Her face was stony, devoid of emotions.
Bringing this up was looking to have been the wrong call.
Plan B it was.
Cal took the spoon, flicking it.
A glob of batter hit her between the eyes, sticking there a moment before gravity had it travel down her nose.
It landed on the floor with a plop.
No reaction.
Plan C.
Due to a lack of creativity, it heavily resembled its predecessor.
Alice smacked the second glob out of the air.
Cal abandoned the spoon, palming a scoop and getting ready to escalate.
A hand clamped down on his wrist, red eyes threatening to burn a hole in him.
"Don''t."
Her words said one thing, but her tone carried a hint of anticipation.
At least he liked to think it did.
He yanked his hand free, taking a step back and lobbing the piece of batter. Prepared this time, Alice dove underneath it, swiping at the baking sheet.
An uncooked cookie hit him square on the chest, rolling down his tie. An uneasy lull descended on them as Alice seemed to realize what she''d just done.
Cal grinned, Alice frowned, and Benny, wherever he was, was probably better off never knowing how much of a mess they turned the club room into.
Sometime later, and now covered in batter, Cal turned toward the door as its handle dipped down.
The door swung open, and a piece of dough smacked into Cal''s cheek.
Both combatants froze.
"I believe I have the wrong room," Sebastian said after a brief pause.
So his text hadn''t gotten lost.
"Your Highness?" Alice blurted out, the politeness dampened by her hair being coated in partially cooked cookie bits. "Apologies, there was a-"
Her mouth seemed to struggle to finish the sentence. Why was she¡right. It was tough to remember what he told her. All the more reason to give half-truths.
Fortunately, there was an easy way to smooth over this awkwardness.
"Hey Sebby," Cal delivered, tossing a ball of dough up and down. "You know people usually respond to text and don''t just drop in unannounced."
Sebastian, who had been already backing out the door, paused in his steps.
"As a royal, I am under no obligation to answer every petition for my attention."
Too bad Cal didn''t care about that. He blurred, appearing between the boy and the door. A simple push had the kid stumbling, trying to prevent himself from falling. Cal shut the door.
The prince succeeded in his efforts and snapped his head around.
Cal flicked his wrist.
The look of bewilderment on the kid''s face looked much funnier once covered in dough.
Alice was still stopped in time, trying to comprehend the sequence of events.
"What?" He shrugged. "I told you there were other people I could ask about politics."
The earful he got after was well worth her reaction.
Chapter 51
The glass felt cool under his hand. He''d been a little hesitant to touch it so boldly but figured he could play it off as some accident.
His magic wormed its way through the ward coating the display case in front of him.
He was in the museum again, having headed here right after his normal classes had wrapped up for the day. He''d managed to not loiter too much on that statue and retraced part of his steps from before.
They''d passed this room quickly last time. The number of exhibits in it was low, but he appreciated the placement that had been done to present them.
There was a large polearm standing vertically in a corner, almost looking like a coat rack. Funnily enough, the corner opposite had an actual coat or something that could be worn as one. It was an embroidered robe, and based on his newfound knowledge, he was guessing it was more for ceremonial use.
Three frames adorned the walls. One was a portrait, while the others, placed on either side, were documents of some kind.
The penmanship of both varied, with the one on the left having elegant strokes, while the other was more blockish.
In front of one of the documents was a pen enclosed in its own display. It was prominently placed on a red velvet cushion. Presumably, it was what was used to sign them both.
A similar case was placed in front of the documents twin; only this one was holding a variety of seals and ribbons.
All of that, while intriguing, wasn''t why he was in this room.
Ostensibly, he was here today to dig more into that other dealer, Charles Sapientios. Cultists or not, he wanted to get into his head. Not physically, as his fist had a habit of doing, but more figuring out how he thought.
It was not his strong suit, but he was hoping that the topic of the man''s dissertation would shed light on him. Anything someone spent so long writing about had to have a hint of his motivation, right? Last time, he had gotten sidetracked, and he didn''t like leaving things half-done.
This time he was being cautious, routinely scanning the area to make sure the fashion nerd wasn''t anywhere near.
Though he wouldn''t mind picking her brain about the political landscape a bit more, she seemed to have a better way of explaining things than Alice did.
She was also less likely to attempt to smother him with a pillow.
Not that Alice had tried that specifically, but he was fairly confident she''d give it a shot if he dozed off near her.
Cal realized Jessica had managed to lead him astray without even being present, and he refocused on his magic.
It was a similar experience to the last time he''d tried this at Petro''s place. He''d long since gotten his magic through the invisible maze, and now he was attempting to figure out how to dismantle the ward altogether.
He had zero idea how to do that.
But the risks seemed low, so he was willing to give it a shot.
It was a shame that he''d already been caught. Given who it was, he''d continued as if he hadn''t noticed.
Evidently, they did not share the same intent, and a voice piped up from the side.
"Callum," Rolland said, having dropped the illusion concealing him. "Despite my efforts, I don''t think I managed to get past your senses." It was a close thing; if he wasn''t scanning for Jessica, he might not have noticed. "So I must ask, why are you attempting to burglarize relics of my family''s past?"
In fairness, if he thought the man would care, he would have stopped.
"You guys probably have hundreds of these things. Besides, I wasn''t going to steal it."
Not yet, anyway.
"Perhaps, but since this was owned by my ancestor who oversaw the unification, it has some historical significance."
With the context, the room suddenly made a bit more sense. These were all items used during the treaty signing that made the Holy Enclave a vassal of the Empire.
He didn''t dwell too long on why they would need a polearm for that.
"May I?" Rolland stepped forward, holding out his hand.
Cal withdrew his magic, stepping to the side.
The Crown Prince laid a hand on the glass for a moment before moving for the latch and opening the case.
As far as Cal could tell, no alarms had gone off.
Cal approached the now-open display, inspecting the ward again and finding it in a dormant state. A flash of irritation made itself known, but he quieted it down.
"Honestly, half of me was expecting you''d just smash the glass."
Part of him was even hoping for it.
"While I won''t deny such an act would be amusing," Rolland''s speech was slow, and he looked more thoughtful than offended. "I''m not sure what I''ve done to make you think I would do something so boorish."
Cal thought back, realizing it really wasn''t the guy''s style.
"The last time something like this happened, the other person just punched their way through it."
Rolland crossed his arms, rubbing his chin for a few seconds before he gave a solemn nod.
"Lilliane." It wasn''t a question, and Cal returned the nod. "I suppose everyone has a type."
A knowing smile made itself at home on the man''s face.
Dread welled up within him as Cal realized that if the Second Seat ever learned of this little rumor, he''d never hear the end of it. He''d have to kill the man, which meant he''d have to get through Aegis first.
As impossible a task as that sounded, it might have to be done if Oracle didn''t learn to shut up.
But those were problems for later.
Cal reached out and grabbed the now exposed artifact.
"By all means, help yourself."
The scepter had some weight to it. There were intricate patterns carved into the body, providing some added grip. The head acted as a sort of halo, surrounding an ornate gem.
There was only one detail that concerned him at the moment. He grabbed it by the top and lowered it to the ground.
"Short," he muttered with a frown. "Oh well."
He lifted it back up and placed it back on the pillow.
"Not to your standards?" Rolland quipped.
He still sort of wanted it, but not to the extent he was willing to steal it for himself.
"Got anything longer? I''m looking for something that can be used as a cane."
Albert had had the same one for as long as he''d known the man. It hadn''t occurred to him until the day after, but that scepter would have made an excellent cane if it was an appropriate length. With all the man had done for him, he was more than willing to devote some of his free time to check it out.
"Undoubtedly, but as far as I am aware, all the ones kept here are too short for that purpose¡" The prince trailed off before continuing with what Cal thought might have been a hint of eagerness. "Should you wish, I can have a replica forged to a length you desire."
Cal paused, mulling the offer over.
"Nah." A replica didn''t sound as cool. Albert deserved an original. "I''ll find something else later. By the way, how''s the coffee going?"
He was relying on that for Gerald''s gift. Cal thought a cane was still a good idea for Albert, so he''d keep a lookout for one.
Millie had him stumped, and he wasn''t even going to try and figure out what Mask might want.
"That''s proving slightly troublesome," Rolland ventured, seeming at unease with the question. "Do you have any preferences?"
It would be nice if he could ring up the man they were for. In lieu of that, he had just one piece of guidance.
"Nothing anywhere near Sauratus'' lands." It was difficult to forget how foul that bit of coffee Anne had served him.
Rolland''s brow furrowed, and it took a moment before he responded.
"I seem to recall that''s a new house, located to the north of here on the border. Part of the eastern block under Ferrum. I didn''t know the beans grew there."
That was one of the factions Alice had told him about yesterday once they got back to their dorm. It was bundled into an explanation of why carelessly interacting with a royal was the height of foolishness.
Her words, not his.
Cal had listened to her lecture or rant with an open mind. However, after absorbing all the information, he determined it was dumb and resolved himself to keep interacting with these two as he always had.
"You were better off not knowing; trust me on that." Or don''t; that would be funny too. Cal started walking down the hallway, entering the next room.
Predictably, Rolland followed in his wake.
The layout in this room was different, and he wandered toward a kite shield. This place could really do with more descriptive plate cards.
"How''d you break that so easily anyhow?" If he was determined to stick around, he might as well strike up a conversation with the man. "I didn''t think they taught ward breaking in Prince 101."
Rather than respond directly, Rolland walked up to the case holding the kite shield. Flaunting his skill, he deactivated the ward and opened the display, waving Cal forward.
Cal rolled his eyes, continuing his walk through this wing.
"I''ve always had a penchant for opening doors," Rolland began to answer, having fallen into stride with him. "And while some would be readily opened on request for me, others I must force ajar myself, even if it threatens to break the frame." His tone shifted to something lighter, and he continued in an almost joking manner. "Or that''s what I tell myself. Truthfully? It''s dull to always have things done for you."
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
He kept his expression schooled, but internally he agreed wholeheartedly. Cal was generally okay with letting the professionals do their job, but he often found himself meddling in some way. It was usually to his detriment.
Although he had a feeling they weren''t discussing ward breaking or physical doors.
"You know things would be far simpler if you just said what you meant."
He acknowledged his hypocrisy but felt the current situation justified it.
"Would they? By speaking this way, I allow people to hear what they wish. Their reactions inform me of their position without overly upsetting anyone." Cal gave him a side eye, not believing for a second that the prince did not enjoy ruffling people''s feathers. "Of course, the real reason is selfish." Rolland paused in what Cal thought was an attempt to build suspense. "Once your true desires are out there, they are a weapon to be wielded against you. That is why many guard them close, and why you should always observe what people do instead of what words they may speak."
Actions spoke louder than words, duh. It also didn''t escape his notice that he was being given another lesson. That seemed to be a growing trend.
Rolland''s head tilted slightly, and his voice shifted to a more serious note.
"Though, if you truly believe in what you say, why not lead by example and tell me what you truly desire? Then I''ll return the favor."
It didn''t matter who the speaker was; Cal''s answer was the same.
"I''m still figuring it out."
He could list any number of small things and some not so small, many of which he was actively working toward. Yet none of them felt right for this type of question
They walked in silence. Cal made a show of pretending to stop and be interested in some pieces, but at this point, he was going through the motions until he naturally came across the subject of the dealer''s dissertation.
"I sense you are overthinking it," Rolland opined. "However, it does not appear untruthful, and so I will fulfill my piece. Right now, there is only one thing I want, and that is to look after my friend."
Ferguson''s name didn''t have to be said.
"I''m already on board with sneaking in our grades," Cal led with the positive. "But if you''re asking about that other idea of yours, I told you that''s a hard no."
Where was Benny when you needed him?
"Tell me, if you were in my place, would you not do everything in your power to aid him?"
Unquestionably. If Albert was off trying to get himself killed in the Waste he''d tear the whole thing apart looking for him. It wouldn''t matter if the chances were slim to none; he wouldn''t be thinking in terms of odds.
Huh.
Cal paused in his step before continuing.
This might be a problem. Not his specifically, as he was not responsible for making sure the future emperor didn''t get himself killed.
But his death would create instability at a time when they desperately needed the opposite.
Cal, babysitter of royals and nations alike.
He''d never speak the words out loud, wary of being unironically given the title.
"He''s strong and can handle himself." Cal played up Ferguson''s strength in hopes of mollifying the prince. "Like I said before, focus more on that brother of yours."
It was a weak deflection, but it was the best he could think of.
"I fail to see how my relationship with him is of any concern to you," Rolland gave a measured response that earned him a raised eyebrow from Cal. "I''ll admit surprise to learning of your interactions with him; however, you do realize what message that may send to others should they catch wind of it."
He did, but only as of last night.
"Then no one has to know. I''m not looking to get in the middle of some power struggle." Cal held a hand up, forestalling the rebuttal. "Not that there is one to begin with. I know what the official line is."
Which was that Rolland would be the next emperor and Sebby would be married off or something. Unofficially, two of the three dukes appeared to be lukewarm about the idea, and discussions may or may not be happening.
By speaking to Sebby, others might think he was getting his ''claws'' into a future ruler and looking to improve his house''s prospects.
Anyone who knew Cal personally would probably laugh at the idea. Well, no, they''d also yell at him for doing it in the first place.
Case in point, yesterday.
Well, that and apparently that particular dough was a nightmare to get out of hair and clothing alike.
"For the record, I believe the official account. I mean, why else would Benny play chaperone?" It was rhetorical, and Cal continued. "But you really should spend more time with the kid, and not as princes."
He stopped himself short from saying ''as brothers'' because he didn''t quite know what that would entail.
"Did it occur to you that we may be using this supposed divide to rout out dissent?" It didn''t, and Cal shot Rolland a look, telling him exactly how he''d feel about that. "I can''t speak for Father''s exact intentions, but our upbringing was not uncommon for those of our line. I''ve seen more of Sebastian here than I ever did back in the palace."
Despite never having seen it, Cal decided he didn''t like the palace.
"Then what''s stopping you now?"
"I''ve made some attempts," Rolland admitted the smile long since gone from his face. "However, he harbors resentment given our respective positions. He''s not like my sister, who happily recluses herself from the world. It isn''t helped by some attempting to poison his mind. I''m fortunate enough he tolerates Benny."
Cal didn''t detect any deceit. Were all family dynamics in the Empire messed up? Or was he just lucky enough to run into them?
Not that he was in any position to judge.
"That''s enough on this topic," Rolland declared with an undercurrent of frustration. "Sebastian is not at risk. Ferguson is. The Waste has claimed stronger than him."
Probably, which is why chasing after him would be so idiotic.
"You''re the Crown Prince; if there was ever a time to flaunt your authority, wouldn''t it be now?"
He understood wanting to do everything yourself, but when Olivia had been taken, Cal had readily employed the star he''d been entrusted with.
Rolland gave him a sharp look, his face morphing into a frown.
"Did you already forget our previous remarks? What do you think would happen if I sent our elite forces into the Waste on what many would consider a fool''s errand?"
Ah.
Cal looked at the man. Like always, not a hair was out of place, and his uniform was immaculately donned. On the surface, he resembled every part of the perfect prince.
Underneath was something all too familiar.
For all his power, he was helpless.
Cal shoved the thought aside, moving on.
"What about his daughter? If there''s anyone that can bring him back, it has to be her."
There were better options, like Oracle, but on the Empire''s side, she fit the bill.
"I''ve sent her a message; however, I''ve yet to receive a reply."
That was concerning. As much as he sympathized, his position largely remained the same.
"Then all you can do is wait," the words tasted foul coming off his tongue. "All you would do is get yourself and others killed if you try."
He was repeating words, and given they''d not gone through before, he doubted they would now.
"And if I offer to assist in covering up your murdering of a fellow student?"
Cal was very much not amused by being accused of something he did.
"Like I said, I don''t know what you''re talking about."
He wasn''t sure what Rolland could do, but he didn''t much care given one crucial fact.
Cal could whistle.
Sort of.
It was close enough.
"And if I propose the opposite?"
He was actually getting close to where the exhibit should be, and yet Cal stopped in his tracks.
"I maintain innocence," Cal opened. "But for argument''s sake, what''s one more? Right?"
Silver met red, and their eyes sought to determine how real the other''s threats were.
Rolland broke first, some of the intensity draining from his face.
"Many things can be said about you, Callum Ardere, but do not let anyone ever say you have low resolve." Cal probably shouldn''t have threatened to kill him, but context mattered, and he felt in the right. "Another reason I would like you to embark with me on this quest."
Hells. That was supposed to scare the guy off; why did he look almost downright giddy now?
Cal pulled out his phone, shooting off a text toward Benny.
"Fair warning; I told Benny to cuff himself to you. Might want to buzz off before he gets here."
It was the most effective solution he could think of.
To his chagrin, Rolland did not depart and continued following him.
Cal didn''t waste much more time and swiftly entered the room where one of the pieces was held. He stopped at the painting, which took up an entire wall and even had benches placed for people to sit and admire it.
A dark figure was depicted in the air with a fist raised. Below was a smoldering city, with panicked people seen attempting to escape.
"Ernesto''s depiction of Xerxes'' rage," Rolland noted beside him.
Cal snorted.
Well, that was useless.
He would have written the entire day off if he hadn''t come back to find a letter dangling by a thread from his bedroom ceiling.
The meeting had been set, and Cal was rather pissed.
Chapter 52
"Do people ever just lie to your face?"
The anger from finding the letter last night wasn''t gone, but it had been reduced to embers and was mainly frustration now. Though he expected it would be easily stoked into a full blaze if he allowed it.
"You understand what my profession is, correct?" Miss Justiciar commented dryly from her place at the desk.
Cal had spotted her on campus and followed her back to what appeared to be her temporary office.
It was oddly familiar, and it had taken him a moment to realize they were in the same room he''d taken his entrance exam in.
The place had been given a slight makeover. Gone was the musty smell, and while he could see signs of dust still present in the corners, most of it had been cleaned up. It was also brighter, thanks to the lamps she''d set up. They were simple things, just metal rods with a bulb attached to the end.
Aside from the teacher''s desk, the rest of the furniture had been stacked as best it could and pushed to the side.
"You put the bad people away."
He gave a dull reply, conscious of what should and should not be said. Speaking to her on a whim like this wasn''t something he should be doing. By all rights, he should be doing what he could to limit contact.
But he needed to vent to someone who might understand.
"That is what I endeavor to do," she said, her pen scraping harshly on a document she was signing. "However, reality does not always play out as such."
It sounded like he was not the only one having a bad day. Of course, being lied to wasn''t anything new. It had more to do with the person and subject than the action itself.
He''d asked her, subtly, if anything had changed with the Anne situation.
Alice didn''t blink as she told him he was worrying too much.
"Then your job must really suck," Cal replied, pacing slightly. The sounds of his footsteps were louder than they should have been due to the loose wooden floorboards.
The lying shouldn''t bother him. It didn''t.
He just thought that they were finally getting along better. Sure, he''d pissed her off with the Sebby thing, but even that came off as more exasperation than genuine anger.
In spite of everything, he had fooled himself into thinking he deserved a degree of trust. Which was a laugh considering his entire existence was built on lies.
The pen stopped, and his warped expression stared back at him from her mask.
"That assessment would be in the minority." Her chin was held high, and she met him with an unwavering stare. "Our powers are broad and the oversight light. Delivering the Emperor''s justice is a privilege many yearn for. Of course, the cost is suitably high. Even spares are hesitant to forsake ties to their houses."
He could see why people would be eager for such a position of authority, but it came off as more trouble than it was worth to him.
"Like the Fingers then?" He asked, not thinking it would be an unusual question. "Alice has told me a lot about them, because, you know."
The lack of clarification did not preclude her from nodding in responses.
"She expects you to take the mantle of one. Yes, I surmised as much." Janice turned back to her work, flipping another page and filling out what looked to be a form. "However, they are not equivalent. Being a Finger is a temporary post; you are able to rejoin the ranks of your house once your tenure is concluded. Our vows are taken for life."
That made sense. Being a referee for most of the game, stacking the odds in your favor, and then throwing on your team''s jersey at the end wasn''t exactly fair.
"Though some of us take them more seriously than others," she murmured.
Being in the position she was in, Cal doubted that was a slip-up. Which meant he was meant to hear it.
The bait had been set out, and Cal bit.
"What''s that supposed to mean?"
A slow inhale, followed by an even slower exhale, dragged out as Cal waited for a response.
"It''s nothing to concern yourself with," she said with an all-too-manufactured neutral tone, tapping her pen several times. "It is simply that some in my position find it difficult to truly part ways from their past life and subsequent obligations."
That was quite the admission. She was essentially accusing her colleagues of being corrupt in some manner or another.
While infighting between their ranks was a cause for celebration, he would soon see this whole investigation wrapped up either way.
"You did not share such grievances when you claimed Petro lied to you." She returned to his opening statement. There was a sharpness to her tone, and he suspected she was back in investigator mode. "Who was it?"
He might have stepped in it. Cal thought about how to deflect suspicion, and an answer came to the forefront of his mind.
"Lily, or Liliane, however, you''re supposed to call her." His pacing quickened as if this were a large burden on him. "She told me she was studying, but she''s hanging out with that fiance of hers."
While she was with him, she hadn''t lied about it. After Alice brushed off his concerns, Lily had been his next stop. Finding out she was skipping classes to meet with the man spurred jealousy within him. He''d never met the man, but he would have been happy to take him out to lunch if it meant getting out of classes.
Granted, his senior curriculum day wasn''t that bad. Especially with Ferguson''s class still being on hiatus.
Their messages had revealed she did not share the same sentiment and was rather annoyed at having to spend the day with him. From the way she griped about it, he got the sense she was somehow forced into it. Cal chalked it up to pressure from Willinam''s or her family.
With a bit of prodding, he had worked out that she was in on Alice''s little plan, but there were things neither of them was willing to outright say over text, and so getting a straight answer out of her wasn''t easy. The closest he''d come to was something cryptic about sitting tight and leaving things to them.
He was really hoping he''d be able to convince Alice to drop her plans about Anne, but he couldn''t outright say he knew what she was planning without revealing his connection to the psycho assassin.
So now he was stuck having to attend a meeting and pretending to hear her ludicrous request out. On the bright side, it would make a decent dry run for his Whistling Death persona.
"You''d do best to abandon your pursuit of her," Janice replied with little humor.
She had gone back to her form completion, his answer having done its job of disinteresting her. Even if it was his intent, he could not help but feel annoyed she had believed that so easily.
"Oh, sorry." His apology caused her head to tilt up, and he continued. "I should have figured when you cornered me in the men''s room, but I don''t like you that way."
He delivered it as earnestly as he could, and she finished the stroke of a pen before responding.
"You''re misstating facts for your own amusement." Her statement was followed by an evaluating stare, and he realized he might have been too clever there.
Keeping this act straight was difficult, and he somewhat regretted trying it in the first place. He''d already dialed it back after their first meeting, and the second had the excuse of being drunk. He wondered how much more he could peel back without making it obvious.
Maybe ripping the bandaid off would work? After all, he was close to framing someone else.
His pacing stopped, and he grabbed a chair from a corner and brought it to her desk. He flipped it around so the back was facing her and made to sit so he could lean over the backrest.
"Wanna know a secret?" He settled his weight on the chair. "I''m actually a lot-"
He didn''t finish, as the rickety chair collapsed under him and he fell on his ass. Cal sat on the floor dumbly. There had been a deliberate choice not to catch himself there, as he felt the timing was too comical to let go to waste.
"This classroom is a dump," Cal stated that which was evident to anyone with eyes. "You know I took my first test in here; maybe that''s why I failed them so badly."
It wasn''t, but maybe he should have used that excuse.
"I''m certain that''s why," she said in a manner that conveyed it was anything but.
Screw it, he wasn''t going to try and correct her again.
"And yes, these quarters are serviceable, but not ideal. Our presence on campus is not exactly welcomed by your headmaster."
Confirmation that Victor was doing as he said was nice. Cal wondered how the man would react once he got wind of how enthusiastically the Whispering Death claimed credit for Petro''s death.
"The deputy is the same way with me," he complained from the floor. "I didn''t even do anything."
He gathered the pieces of the chair in front of him and assessed whether he could put it back together.
Breaking things was always easier than fixing them, and he was at a loss on how to even begin with this.
"She has reason, although I would agree the justification is flawed." Hearing that from a Justiciar gave him some vindication, even if he already knew it. "Should you not be in class? I believe your schedule has you in Magical Engineering at this hour."
Meh. The class was pointless, and with everything going on, he didn''t have the will to attend.
"It''s super boring," he responded, not elaborating further.
He decided to start one step at a time and found two large pieces that fit together, setting them to the side.
"Professor Wyatt, in the past, that class might have been the first to be filled. Curious that you would have two instructors who fell short of the Empire''s, even the Emperor himself''s, expectations."
Wyatt was that big a deal at one point? Cal had a hard time seeing it. The man couldn''t even grade a stupid exam in a timely manner.
"Didn''t the fat one almost kill you?" He questioned innocently. She was the one responsible for the troublesome prince. If she hadn''t confronted Ferguson, he would never have gotten bent out of shape.
He put another pair together.
"Yes, as I said, he''s deteriorated mentally more than I expected. It pains me to see one I looked up to for so long to act in such a manner."
Never meet your heroes. It was a good thing Cal didn''t have any. He was always more of a save yourself kind of person anyway.
"Didn''t he attack you guys?"
He would have thought the man was more of a villain from their perspective.
"I won''t condone his assault on the head office. However, in our world, people like to speak of family. More often than not, they twist the word. They would make any amount of sacrifices if it meant their house received an ounce of greater prestige, forgetting it is the people of the house and not the titles plastered to it that are truly important."
Her tongue dripped with bitterness, and it did not take a genius to surmise this was personal.
"Someone willing to throw that all away to seek justice for his late wife, that is admirable. He even ensured his daughter was protected from the fallout. Words fall short of describing it in appropriate detail; however, make no mistake, he was once a great man."
When he''d first heard of that incident, he''d drawn comparisons to his own. Put in this light, they weren''t as comparable. His were far more selfish, even if he made up for it in the concessions gained.
"Sure." He wasn''t going to argue against her.
Piecing together the large pieces had been easy, but when he got to the smaller, he realized how hopeless it was.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
He didn''t even have something to adhere them together, so he wasn''t sure why he was even trying.
"What brought me here is a prime example of the norm," she said heatedly, and Cal perked up. "House Lucerna''s dealings are murky, and that is speaking generously. Even now, with a deceased scion, they impede my progress. I begin to wonder what truly happened to their former heir."
That broke through his poor mood, and Cal ensured the smile creeping up on him remained internal.
Yes, just like that. Keep wondering; keep pulling the string. And if it led away from him, all the better.
"It''s not just them either; I feel everyone would rather forget he existed." Count him among those. "The death of a student should warrant more alarm than what has been."
He picked up the pieces, giving up, and began throwing them into the trash can.
"Maybe no one liked him."
An understatement if he ever gave one.
Miss Justiciar set the pen aside. She stacked the papers together and separated them into piles.
"He was a worm of a human being." The part of her face visible remained unchanged, yet the disgust was apparent in her dark eyes. "Every stone I overturn only strengthens that. That does not change my mandate. I was tasked with discovering the perpetrator of his death, and I will accomplish that."
Hmm, they were entering dangerous territory again.
Should he make himself scarce? He had not vented as much as he liked. Still, it was better than nothing.
He had wanted to get it out of the way before meeting with the agents in the city. They would probably understand where he was coming from better, but griping at them might diminish their confidence in him.
"Any closer to that?" It was a silly question, but he didn''t think there was any harm in asking. Everyone relevant knew he was a subject in the investigation.
His query did not impress, and her attention drifted back to her work.
"I do not make a habit of sharing the material developments of a case with one of the primary suspects."
Why did the only person in the Empire who looked to take their job seriously have to be the one assigned to bust him?
Cal finished disposing of the last of the pieces, wiping his hands on his blazer.
"Habits can be broken," he commented to the non-reaction of the woman. "I should probably go study."
This hadn''t gone as he''d hoped, but it also hadn''t been too bad considering the company he was with.
Leaving without cuffs was a win in his book.
"Do so." She did not seem concerned at his departure, opening a desk drawer and retrieving another stack of paperwork. "And a word of advice." He was on his way out when her words gave him pause. "Take care not to assume everything given to you is falsehood. Be skeptical, not scornful, for the latter path is a solitary one."
That¡sounded healthy.
Unfortunately, between the psycho and Alice, he was leaning toward the former being the bearer of truth.
"Thanks," he delivered sincerely, waiting for the door to begin shutting as he delivered his last. "See you around."
He was definitely going easy on her when he attacked her. If, he corrected himself. The older one could probably take a beating better.
However, that would be outing number two, and right now he needed to prepare for number one.
His fake sister wouldn''t beat up herself.
"You can''t beat up the Ardere heir."
That was bullshit.
Night had yet to fall, but it was near enough, and he was back in the city. He''d left as discreetly as he could, and with Alice already gone for ''heir business'', he was not afraid of his absence being noticed.
The venue was predictable. It was the small backroom of the bar, and he had already claimed part of the sofa.
He was slightly concerned about seating arrangements when the rest of them arrived, as this place was pretty small. The Federation agent assigned to Olivia''s watch had been Cassey, and they''d sent the girl to go fetch the cloak along with any others she thought might be of assistance.
Alone with his handler, they still had some disagreements to sort out.
"No, I definitely can." He had defeated beings far stronger than her¡ªoften multiple at once. "Frankly, it''s a bit overdue. I should have done it on day one."
Maybe if he gave her a good thrashing, she would regret keeping him out of the loop. Honestly, what was she thinking? Going to meet with assassins without your strongest player was the height of stupidity.
Really, beating her up was for her own good. Lily would probably be there as well. He might go easier on her, given Alice was the ringleader.
"Callum," Olivia stressed, wrinkles forming on her brow. She was seated in the armchair in front of him. "What do you think will happen when they recognize you?"
Dumb question.
Cal leaned back on the couch, shaking his head ruefully.
"Obviously, I''m not going to let that happen. That''s what the shroud and not talking is for."
She was retreading old arguments, which told him she had no new compelling reasons to call off this operation.
"I''ve already failed at convincing you that this whole Whistling Death charade is doomed to failure." It was nice that she made peace with that. He''d be worried for her health if she didn''t. "But practicing, as you say, your impression on some of the few people who would recognize your signature is... do I need to keep spelling this out to you?"
That''s what she was worried about? Sure, it was an issue. But it was nothing he couldn''t work around.
"Why do you think I have these?" He held up a fist. "When it comes to augmentation, I know what I''m doing. I don''t leak magic and can hit someone into next week."
Someone, not anyone. Those two though? They weren''t bad, but he was playing in a different league.
Olivia''s lips pursued, and he sensed the question coming before it arrived.
"How strong are you physically?"
Cal had known his file was restricted, but they really didn''t tell her much about him. Maybe that was why she was so worried about that category 4 demon a while ago.
"Below them," he didn''t need to specify who he was talking about. It wasn''t a knock on his skill; it was a timing thing. People didn''t peak in magic ability until their late twenties or early thirties. Even so, he''d bathed in the Waste long enough to be far ahead of the curve. "But the gap isn''t massive. I knocked Aegis down a while back." It was mostly luck, and he wasn''t able to hurt the man, but it was an accomplishment all the same. "And if push comes to shove, I have my own tricks."
Tricks he could not or would not use in the city.
Olivia drummed her fingers on the armrest.
"That is reassuring to hear." She did not sound very reassured. "I do have to question how you went from impersonating a wanted criminal to doing an ambiguous deal with classmates."
It was a good question, and she should have led with that.
"Long story short. She is trying to tie up loose ends in a stupid way, and I''m lucky enough to know a guy who knows the guy she is trying to arrange this through."
Calling it luck felt wrong, but he wasn''t about to air Mask''s dirty laundry. If it even was that.
"And who might this person be?"
That was a follow-up he had been hoping to avoid. With how they all reacted to the guy he killed, he could only imagine how much of a bigger fish Miss Plusier was.
He considered not giving her alias, but withholding that type of information would be counterproductive at this juncture.
"Spider."
It didn''t prompt the reaction he thought, and she shook her head dismissively.
"Impossible," Olivia stated as a matter of fact. "She died years ago. It must be an imposter. Describe them in detail, abilities included."
Cal did so, still leaving out her claimed association with Mask.
Silence came over them. It was too common of an occurrence in this room, and Cal looked up at the noisy fan above them.
Someone should oil that thing or do whatever was needed to stop that clicking.
"That''s the Spider," Olivia said solemnly. "Was your recount of the fight accurate? This isn''t the time to bluster."
He reached into his pocket and grabbed the star. In front of her eyes, he set it upright on the low table between them. Balancing it with one hand, he used the other to give it a spin. Without cheating, it took a few tries, but he eventually got it to rotate on one of its points.
"That is not the toy you seem to think it is." Her eyes seemed to want to burn a hole into him, and he could see her hand twitch slightly as she held herself back. "Please stop that nonsense. It is disrespectful to what it represents."
Cal wondered how she would react to Mask using theirs as a toothpick.
His hand slapped the table, forcing the star flat. He retracted his hand, keeping the star in view as he turned it repeatedly in his palm.
"I didn''t embellish. She''s a tough old bat."
Coming up with a way to deal with her that did not involve leveling city blocks was difficult.
"Then we''re already compromised."
Oh, yeah. He supposed they were.
"Don''t worry about her. She is just doing a favor and won''t rat us out or anything like that."
Olivia didn''t waste time in her response, and he could see he had wound her up again.
"How can you be so sure?"
Cal suspected she was already making plans on how to extract them both. On second thought, she probably already had them cooked up and ready to go.
"Because I''d kill her, and she knows that."
She had claimed he couldn''t threaten her.
But she knew he was dangerous, just as he knew the same of her. In the wild, when two top predators came across each other, an actual fight was rare. Fighting would lead to injuries, threatening both of their survival prospects.
Humans were complex animals, and so it wasn''t as straightforward. He had to believe there was some mutual respect there, and he hoped it extended to keeping his secrets.
Cal was aware of how many risks he was taking here. In the end, he just couldn''t sit at home and let things play out on their own.
Alice was going to a meeting tonight, and nothing he could do would change that. Maybe he could have delayed it by concocting some scandal on campus to keep her busy, but there was no guarantee it would work.
He''d also thought of just standing her up, but that felt like an insult to Miss Plusier, and she seemed like the type of woman to take that very, very personally. That sounded like a headache in the making.
No, if he played this right, it would all work out.
"You won''t listen to a word I say on the contrary, will you?"
Olivia reminded him of her presence, and he laughed. It was such a silly notion.
"Of course, I''ll listen." He wouldn''t even mute her, despite knowing how. "But don''t think that''s going to make me change my mind."
He''d evaluated his options, and it would take a lot to dissuade him now.
The frown on her face was balanced by the smile on his, and he leaned back with his hands behind his head.
He had been hoping his at-ease appearance would calm her, but it didn''t seem to be working.
That zoo analogy from Albert came to the forefront of his mind, and he couldn''t help but think their roles were reversed.
It seemed he was always the one trying to keep her calm instead of the other way around.
A signature came into his awareness, and he realized Cassey had returned with the others.
It was about time this show went underway.
Chapter 53
Cal stared up at the night sky. Rolling clouds traveled far above, hiding the full moon''s face from them. If it weren''t for the city''s lights, they would be cast into darkness.
All the better for them.
"You good boss?" Cassey asked, sitting beside him on the flat rooftop they''d stopped at.
She wore baggy clothing that was dark in color and made of some thick material. The hood was currently pulled back, revealing her long braid.
"Nothing-"
"Nope." She wagged a finger at him, cutting him off. "No talking. Remember that boss."
Cal crossed his arms, the shroud hiding his expression. Did he look menacing? He felt menacing.
On paper, it was just a frayed black cloak. But that undersold things a bit, as the frays were long wire-like strings. They undulated in the wind, giving the wearer an almost ethereal appearance, as if blinking would cause them to disappear.
The same threads were layered thick in front of the hood, making it difficult for anyone to steal a glance at his face. On the off chance they succeeded, his face was wrapped with similar threads. Even his eyes were partially covered, ensuring anyone who wanted a good look at him would need to tear the coverings apart physically.
"I know," Cal replied in spite of her lighthearted chastisement. "But we''re not there yet, and no one is around."
He waved a hand toward the quiet city surroundings for effect. Cal was being a tad untruthful here, as he''d sensed a handful of stragglers still heading home for the day. However, he was confident in his group remaining unnoticed for now.
"Sir." The third and final person on the roof spoke up. "Are you certain you don''t want the focus?"
He gave the captain a side glance. She was holding the Whistling Death''s focus out to him.
She and Lennard had been the only other ones to show up at the bar.
Cal knew there were more than just three agents in the city, but it seemed they wanted to limit his contact with the rest of them.
Fair enough, it was less to keep track of on his end.
"Nah, I''m not putting that on."
No one would have been able to see it either way.
"Okay, whatever you''re more comfortable with. We wouldn''t want to choke you up."
A beat passed, and she lifted the object higher in his direction.
"You know, becu-"
Cal interrupted, holding up a hand to stop her.
"Because it''s a choker, I get it."
It was a polished stone attached to a smooth satin material that was designed to wrap around one''s neck snuggly. It was lucky to still be in one piece, Cal having missed it when he cut through its former owner''s throat.
He knew its design was probably for practical reasons; it made sense to keep it close to where you were forming the magic.
Still, it wasn''t Cal''s style.
"Understood, I''ll keep it on hand." She tucked it away in one of her pockets.
The captain wasn''t dressed like them. Instead, she wore a large brown leather coat over a beige pantsuit. The coat''s color matched her skin tone, and she stood with her hands in her pockets, leveling a steady gaze in the direction the meeting was meant to be held.
"Are you sure you don''t want more support going in?" Her face was rigid, making it difficult to read. "I don''t mind participating myself."
The wind picked up for a moment, causing her copper-colored hair to whip around. She tilted her head in a way that none of it caught in her face.
Damnit.
Why did it feel like she looked cooler than him right now?
He layered that with an image from his memory. The one of a rookie puking her guts out while struggling to breathe on the inhospitable surface of one of the hells.
That made him feel better.
It also reminded him how useless she was back then.
"Don''t worry about it." He stretched his arms behind his back, loosening them. It wasn''t a necessary action, but it did help to psyche himself up for the coming encounter. "I can handle them just fine."
He hadn''t even planned on going with others. That had changed when someone asked him the obvious question of how he was expecting to communicate if he wasn''t allowed to talk.
It was a slight oversight. Apparently, the real guy was skilled enough in sound magic to project a voice when needed.
While Cal could, in his opinion, convincingly replicate the man''s signature attack, he couldn''t speak through magic alone.
Luckily, the guy also had a habit of carrying around helpers to translate for him.
"I got your back, boss." Cassey flashed him a thumbs up, taking a cue from him and beginning to stretch out her legs on the floor. "Or you got my back? I''ll try to stay out of the way while you do your thing."
How considerate of her.
He actually did mean that, as it was the most he could expect. She was allegedly the best close-quarters combatant they had, but he''d handled her easily enough on their first meeting, so he didn''t put much stock into that.
"If that''s your decision," the captain said neutrally, her eyes still scanning the industrial zone of the city.
As far as shady deal locations went, it wasn''t a poor choice. Located on the western edge of the city, it was a hub of activity during the day and silent as could be at night.
The buildings were uninspired rectangles, built for pragmatism over appearance. Most of it was for food processing purposes; the surrounding farmlands lacked the proper facilities, so they transported them to the city in bulk. From here they were stored temporarily until being shipped by rail all across the Empire. That knowledge proved he had been paying attention in his economics class.
"I suppose it''s for the best." She went for the inside of her coat, retrieving her oversized revolver. "I wouldn''t want to blow your cover."
Cal looked at her oddly.
Was this some sort of nervous tic, or did she actually think those puns were funny?
"Hey captain," Cassey rose to her full height, sending a lopsided smile toward the other agent. "You can get under my covers if¡" She trailed off, tilting her head at the captain. "You usually don''t let me finish."
"Given that you''re about to come face-to-face with one of the most infamous figures on the continent, someone who should, by all rights, be dead." The captain''s gaze remained fixed on a warehouse dozens of blocks away. "I''ll allow it."
Cassey shrugged, completing a few kicks against an imaginary opponent.
"Beats a desk job," she said, her tone just the slightest bit more somber. "Besides, worst comes to worst; we got our own dead guy right over here."
Unfortunately for her, Cal had no plans on dying tonight.
"Doesn''t stick too long either way," Cal idly commented, noticing a small flicker in the distance. "Chats over, let''s move."
They both straightened at his words.
"Got it, be seeing you cap." She offered a solid salute and then walked to the edge of the roof, standing by Cal. "Ready."
With that, he pushed off. He started off slow, going from one building to the next. Gradually, he upped the ante, watching his companion closely for any signs of struggle.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.
She kept pace better than he thought she would, but gradually her magic started to slip out, making her movements clearer and clearer for anyone with the senses to tell.
He took it down a notch, settling on an acceptable pace.
It wasn''t like he was in a rush after all.
They eventually stopped just across the street from the meetup.
The warehouse did not stand out from its peers, being just one of many two-story tall structures in the area. They were all tightly packed, with only a few feet separating one building from another.
Its walls were drab grey concrete, topped off with a roof made of wooden panels. There were no windows to speak of, and he could see hinges on one of the corners of the wall, indicating the entire thing could be opened outward for ease of access.
He stood there for a moment to double-check if anything unexpected was around. Nothing stood out and he dropped down to the street level, Cassey following close behind.
Turning the corner of the building, they went through the cramped alleyway to find a single side door.
Pushing it open, he wasn''t met with the open area he''d been anticipating.
Pallets stacked high with bulging burlap sacks blocked his view. His sight traveled up, seeing that they were double his height. There was a heavy smell in the air, and it took him a second to realize why it was familiar.
They must have been storing flour here.
The lights overhead were illuminated, which meant that despite the layout, he was in the right place.
A frown came over him; he''d have to be careful not to knock anything over later.
Traveling forward, he found the pallets arranged in a way so that his path zigzagged a few times before leading to the center of the building.
Standing in the clearing that was about ten meters wide was a familiar silhouette.
"Oh dear," Miss Plusier commented with a hand held to her cheek. Her eyes roamed him intently. "You really should have come to me first."
Hadn''t he already apologized about that? He would make sure the next time he decided to kill one of her buddies, a fyi was sent to her.
Cal tensed, feeling the hint of magic wafting out of her.
"Do hold still," she said, still giving him a critical stare.
The needles flashed out, and he was prepared to defend himself when he realized his normal alarm bells weren''t ringing.
Steel sank into his cloak, and he tracked the various projectiles as they dipped in and out of it, missing him by the barest of margins.
"Just about..." she stuck her tongue out, lifting a thumb in his direction. "Done."
With that, threads were pulled tightly, and suddenly the cloak fit far more snugly.
Cal swung his arms outward experimentally. They weren''t restricted in the slightest and it felt a lot better to move in.
"I thought you were screwing with me, but she really is a tailor," Cassey spoke, not seeming to be bothered by the revelation. "Also, that happened faster than I could blink. So if we fight against her, I''m super dead unless you do something."
Cal appreciated her blunt assessment of the situation. He probably should have made sure none of them were heading for her in the first place. It wasn''t the first time he''d have to protect someone, but it wasn''t an area he would claim to excel in.
"I''ve always been a tailor. My creative process simply requires a certain type of inspiration." Miss Plusier''s head tilted just the slightest as if only now noticing Cassey was a person. "And you are?"
Faced against the assassin, Cassey didn''t miss a beat.
"Interested, very interested." She walked up with remarkably little caution and stuck out a hand. "Name''s Cassey."
Cal sincerely hoped that was a nickname formed off of her designation and not her actual name. He wasn''t sure if he should give her props for being fearless in the face of danger or check her into a mental institute.
"What a bold little snake," Miss Plusier remarked, glancing at the hand but not making any moves to shake it. "However, I''m the type of spider who does not leave their partners intact afterward, and I wouldn''t want to upset that friend of yours over there."
This was not a conversation he wanted any part in, but he felt some responsibility that his temporary underling did not meet her end here.
"I''m not going to even bring up the age gap; you do you in that case. But, and this stays between us, she''s Mask''s ex."
Olivia was the type of stickler who would report everything he said back. As for Cassey? She seemed more like a go-with-the-flow type of person.
"Again, dearie, we never labeled things as such."
Cal ignored the comment, waiting for Cassey''s reply. The agent examined the assassin and then closed her eyes for a second. Her face twisted, her right cheek going high as she gave it some thought before relaxing again.
"I''m down for that."
Was this how a disappointed parent felt when their child decided to go with someone who would clearly be a bad influence?
"No, you''re not." He laid down as clearly as possible. "Now get back over here or I''ll tell Prodigy I found a new volunteer for testing."
It was an empty threat. There were few people he''d subject that to.
"So I can meet her?" Cassey asked all too innocently.
Cal suddenly thought the captain might have had ulterior motives in assigning her to translation duties.
He walked up, grabbed her by her shoulders, and lifted. Carrying her to a respectable distance away from the psycho, he placed her down and turned back to their mediator.
"What gives?" He switched topics for the sake of his sanity. "Shouldn''t they be here already?"
They weren''t in the vicinity as far as he could tell. The possibility that Miss Plusier was setting him up did cross his mind, but if that was the case, he could think of no better location in the city to fight her.
She gave a disapproving tut, shaking her head.
"My reputation is on the line, dearie. I had to make sure you didn''t show up in a random rag and try to pass off as my late colleague."
That was oddly reasonable.
She wasn''t done and continued.
"Speaking of which, should word of this little gathering spread, I have some old friends who might get the wrong idea. Our little group is loose about membership, but breaking the covenant sends a rude message. They may think your new ego has designs against them."
Cal had assumed they''d write him off as an imposter. He couldn''t decide if their thinking otherwise was a good thing or a bad thing. On one hand, it would be more people out for his blood. On the other hand, it was an endorsement of his identity.
He decided it was a positive thing. As long as they didn''t lock onto his fake Ardere identity, having a few more assassins after him didn''t seem like a large burden.
"Technically speaking, as a representative of the Federation." He used that term loosely, as he still wasn''t sure what his legal status was now that he was at majority. "I do have designs against them.
She hummed happily, playing with the ends of her patchwork robe.
"Do give me a call should you ever think of changing that up. I believe I can get quite the commission for signing you up."
Cal snorted. Even if there wasn''t a Federation agent standing right next to him, he''d still say no.
"Flexible hours or not, I''m not joining a bunch of murder hobos."
His description didn''t bother her, and she spun a needle in her hand.
"Many resemble that remark. Now our guests should be arriving soon. So I do hope you''ll be on your best behavior."
He raised a brow at that, wondering at what she was playing at.
"Cassey here is going to turn them down for me," the agent gave a wink that he tried to desperately ignore. "And then I''m going to beat them up a little."
His hand lashed out, catching a needle that had been hurled toward Cassey''s throat. He made sure to sever the assassin''s connection to it before flicking it back toward her.
It sank into a sack of flour behind her, the contents slowly trickling out onto the floor.
"I won''t miss next time," he lied shamelessly. He''d been aiming for her center mass. "And they just entered my range. So be quick at explaining what that shit was."
He felt the two of them at the edge of his awareness.
"So they have," the woman mused, her head tilting in the direction they were coming. "Do understand, this meeting was set by yours truly. That means all participants will leave as they arrived."
Why was everyone so determined to prevent his very understandable attempts to instill important life lessons in the Empire''s next generation?
He was just trying to do a public service.
Cal crossed his arms and leveled a glare at the woman, belatedly realizing that with the hood nothing would be conveyed.
With them getting closer, he would not risk speaking and so had to resort to more banal methods of communication.
He flicked her off.
"Yo boss. Is that supposed to mean something? That''s not one of our signals."
Ancestors, he''d forgotten that wasn''t a thing here. Somewhere in his head were the Federation signals, but he wasn''t about to go digging for them now.
Letting it go for now, he held his arms loosely by his side and waited in silence.
Cassey got the message and made sure to step up beside him, pulling her hood and mask up.
It felt like an eternity before he heard the sound of a door being pushed open. Footsteps followed, and he counted them impatiently while trying to stop any twitching on his part.
"Yes, yes, do come in." Miss Plusier called with a genial wave. "Don''t be shy!"
A brown boot was the first thing he spotted, with the wearer coming into view shortly after.
Alice.
The skirt was gone, replaced by bright red pants with implanted metal plates running up the front. Her blazer was still worn, but the usual dress shirt underneath had been replaced with a brown leather cuirass.
On her back was her great sword, Pyre.
She''d come ready for a fight. At least she wasn''t a total idiot.
Lily was beside her, dressed completely differently than he''d ever seen her. She wore deep purple leggings with a pair of shorts on top. Above the waist, she sported what looked like a purple turtleneck. It seemed to catch the light reflected on it, and he realized it was woven out of some metal.
Over her heart, he could see the defaced symbol of her house.
Her clawed gauntlets were already deployed, adorned on her hands.
They stopped a distance from Miss Plusier, who curtseyed.
"Lady Ardere and Lady Arcutien, an honor as always."
Alice spoke first, standing slightly in front of Lily.
"Thank you for arranging this." She gave a deep nod. "The debt to Mother is paid in full. Now I''ll have to ask you to please step aside."
Her magic flared with the declaration, making it visible to even those with poor senses.
Signatures lit up in the distance, one after another. He counted a dozen and rising, arranged in a ring around them.
They converged on their location, tightening their encirclement.
A single one stood out, and his head tilted up as a section of the wall was blasted apart, concrete being reduced to small bits of rubble.
From the cloud of dust, a figure descended, landing in their midst.
The man rose from a crouch. He appeared to be in his late twenties, with soft features. His light brown, almost blond hair cascaded down his shoulders. Brushing his hands over his shoulders, he cleaned some of the debris that had settled on his dark blue armor.
It was clearly the remains of some scaled beast, crafted into a full-body suit. Loops and hooks were attached seemingly at random to it, each one carrying a weapon of some sort.
Sat prominently on his chest was a golden finger pointed upwards.
"Apologies for the wall; I''ll make sure my people fix it before our departure," he said, placing a hand on his chest and giving a slight bow before standing upright again. His eyes traveled over each of them, stopping at Cal. "Robert Credent, or Whistling Death as you''re now known. For crimes against the Empire, I, The Myriad, hereby place you under arrest."
Cal struggled to process this development.
"No." Lily''s sharp voice cut through the warehouse. "You don''t arrest the violent mass murderer, especially not the one who recently killed a student. Just start stabbing him already."
She waved a dismissive hand in Cal''s direction.
Oh.
This wasn''t a meeting to discuss dealing with Anne.
Cal had fallen a step behind, and he was currently being framed.
Mission accomplished?
Chapter 54
There was a saying about being careful what you wished for. While Cal had wished to frame a dead man for a crime, he''d also wished to avoid fighting Lily''s fianc¨¦.
And yet, here he was, staring down one of the Fingers.
"Our old client?" Cassey was the first to respond to the allegation. Her voice was deeper than before but didn''t hide her feminine tone. "Boss got tired of his yapping and did him in."
As expected of a Federation agent working behind enemy lines, Cassey had already adapted to the new reality and was set to work implementing Operation: ''Frame Him for What He Did.''
Cal was having a surprisingly difficult time coming to grips with the situation himself.
"How naughty." Despite the playfulness of her words, Miss Plusier''s voice sounded ice cold. "Don''t you know? We spiders are hypocritical things and don''t enjoy being tangled in the webs of others." A laugh, eerie yet melodic, cut through the warehouse. "Or did you truly think I would willingly stand aside while you used my name to lure in my dear colleague? A pity, your mother will be so disappointed."
He couldn''t discern whether the tinge of sadness at the end was sincere or not, but Alice bristled at it all the same. Her eyes narrowed, and while her weapon remained holstered, Cal could feel the magic from her well up for a moment.
"I meant no offense," she said through gritted teeth. "And I''m willing to compensate you should you see fit."
Miss Plusier twirled her needle, while several others in her bun vibrated in place, as if eager to taste something more than just cloth and hair.
"Such a debt is discussed before, not after. No, I''m afraid you''ve all forced my hand on this occasion."
Cal wouldn''t stop her from extracting her pound flesh, but if she tried to go any further, she''d find him blocking her path.
"I don''t want to cause you any trouble," William raised a placating hand. "There isn''t any need for violence here. Thus far, we''ve overlooked your presence in the city, and I''d hate for this to be the event that breaks that unspoken truce."
While the words suggested a threat, the manner in which he conveyed them said he was genuinely apologetic for putting her in this situation.
"Yeah," Lily supported, her upbeat voice betraying a hint of nervousness. "He''s not worth fighting a Finger over. We can pretend you were never here to begin with; whatever we say goes after all."
That sounded oddly familiar, and Cal realized Alice had used a similar wording in the club room. How long had they been planning this? More importantly, why had neither of them decided to involve him in it? The frustration and anger he''d quelled during the day began to bubble up. Cal forced it down.
Positives, focus on the positives he reminded himself.
They weren''t stupid enough to try and hire the city''s favorite mascot/assassin, so that was a plus. Anne was also safe now, although he wondered if she were ever truly in danger. And despite the dangerous scenario they inserted themselves in, they''d brought a hammer. Not the one he would have chosen, that being himself, but if what he was reading from the man was right, it wasn''t a bad one. Then there was also the group forming a perimeter. He wasn''t sure he was supposed to know about them.
This wasn''t a careless confrontation; they''d taken precautions before galavanting into the night.
"Hmm." The Spider''s fingers went up to her hair bun, withdrawing a handful of needles. The bun loosened, threatening to collapse altogether. Her eyes glanced between both groups before a smile blossomed on her face. "I think not."
Her denial struck a chord among them, and he could see Lily step forward, putting herself in between the assassin and Alice.
"I was hoping we could all come to an agreement." William drew a hatchet in one hand and a curved knife in the other. "However, if you do not step aside, my hand will be forced."
The Myriad''s magic flared, and everyone but Cal and Miss Plusier flinched. It appeared like a raging bonfire to his senses, overshadowing everything in the vicinity and making it difficult for Cal to track the ones outside.
Miss Plusier did not match the pointless display. She raised a closed fist with needles protruding out from her knuckles to her mouth, yawning for all to see. She finished the prolonged action and then spoke at a slow pace.
"Provoking a fight at this hour with an elder of all people? The younger generation truly has no shame." She swung her head, purple and grey locks breaking free and falling to her shoulders. Without the bun''s support, the remaining needles clattered to the floor. Everyone present watched them intently, expecting them to shoot out at any moment. They didn''t, and she turned to Cal, pointing a needle in William''s direction. "Be a dear and teach him some manners for me."
He would have been happy to, but he was afraid she would turn the girls into pincushions the second he turned his back.
"That''s one way to go about it," Lily commented, relief in her voice. "But go ahead and justify it however you want."
Cal tuned her out, focusing his attention on Miss Plusier, who must have noticed his reluctance.
"Don''t worry about little old me, dearie," she consoled, making a shoeing motion toward him. "Go, have some fun."
At that comment, both girls stole glances at each other, a look of confusion passing between them. William''s attention shifted from Miss Pluseir to him, and a frown came over him.
"Boss," Cassey piped up, his lack of action prompting her. "They''re wondering why she''s acting like you can actually fight that guy."
Huh? Wasn''t the Whispering Death guy supposed to be strong? Or was he just strong enough to be an issue for most people while crumbling in the face of someone competent?
Hmmm. It was probably the latter given how easily Cal had killed him.
Well, however this turned out, he should probably gauge how much of a threat this Myriad was.
Time slowed as magic flooded his system, saturating every cell in his body. Faster than it took to blink, he was at the limit of his augmentation. He took the extra split second to make sure not an ounce of magic slipped from his control and then stepped forward.
William''s eyes widened as Cal''s fist impacted his cheek, sending him flying into the sacks of flour behind him. They exploded on contact with the human projectile, filling the air with their powdery remains.
Cal looked at his right fist, opening and closing it. Contact had been made, but he didn''t miss how the man had rolled with the punch, lessening the impact. There was also a lack of blood and crunching sounds, indicating that the man had taken the hit with his shell.
Not weak then.
He was taking time to confirm Miss Plusier wasn''t trying anything when his body jerked to the side, a spear passing through where he''d just been standing.
Fast.
Cal swung another fist, aiming for the man''s right shoulder. It plowed through the joint, or a crackling yellow version of it at least. It wasn''t the man himself; rather, it was a copy of him made out of rolling arcs of electricity. With his hand inside the manifestation, Cal tried to wrestle control of the magic, only to find the man''s control too great to overcome. It burst like a balloon, static traveling over his shell and seeking a weak spot for it to enter.
None was found.
"You''re stronger than the reports suggest," William spoke, standing less than a dozen meters away. "I see why you''ve remained at large for so long. However, I''m sorry to say, that ends today."
Lightening coated his body for a moment before it extended, peeling off of him and forming a second William. A third followed, then a fourth.
Their crackling forms were ever-changing. Lightning was a notoriously difficult element to maintain in such a solid form, and Cal found himself impressed that not only did they look roughly like the man, but that each copy wielded a different type of weapon. He could match them up with the original''s adorning the man''s suit.
Cal sorted his objectives.
Escape with Cassey.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
Make sure Lily and Alice don''t end up dead.
Simple enough. Currently, the biggest obstacle to fleeing would be the decent-sized fish in front of him. Even if he just grabbed the girl and ran, the Finger had shown speed enough to give chase. He needed to not be able to do that. A broken leg or two would work nicely, but Cal was open to any form of disablement.
Cal reached for his connection, widening it to more than just a sliver. The magic stored in the void flowed over, bolstering his reserves. He couldn''t afford to be cheap here.
"Anyone else feel like they don''t belong here?" Cassey spoke, shifting into a stance all the same.
His brief exchange with William had only lasted a heartbeat, so the others had only just begun to react.
He blurred forward, going for the Finger himself. A copy intercepted his front, swinging a mace at his chest. At the same time, another swept a halberd toward his feet. Thinking that must not have been enough, the third one attempted to plunge a great axe into his back.
They were right, of course, as Cal pivoted to the side, avoiding both the halberd and the axe in favor of shoulder-checking the mace wielder. The manifestation exploded like the one previously, his shell being battered by the discharge.
That would get old fast.
The final copy advanced, swinging its glaive and attempting to force him back into the encirclement. Cal didn''t feel like playing Whack a Mole. His foot slammed against the ground, a crater forming in his wake as he careened toward the man. Rather than send a double, the man met him head-on, swinging both hatchet and knife. The weapons came at an angle, one striking high and the other low. Cal made to grab both hands, only to find himself grappling with a copy, the man managing to slip away and leave one in his place.
William appeared at his back, swinging both weapons toward him while the manifestation tried to hold him in place. With effort, he finally overpowered it and swung his fist in a wide arc. It went through the copy first, then continued toward his back to hit the original. The fist hit nothing but air behind him, and he was showered with the discharged energy from the copy that had held him. That one hadn''t been like the others; it was densely packed and was able to contend against him physically.
Damn.
Cal didn''t pause in his assault, delivering a quick jab toward the retreating man who met his fist with the knife. His shell took the blow without complaint, and he brushed the blade aside, reaching out to grab William''s wrist again. Another copy took the man''s place. It was like he was a snake, shedding his skin at will. He headbutted the copy, the blow violent enough to blow it apart. Cal shifted to the side, avoiding the hatchet that had aimed for his collarbone.
Close enough to smell each other''s breath, William threw the knife at him. It sparkled with an electric current, and Cal pivoted to his right to avoid it. Cal was giving a left hook when he had to abort, his legs pushing off the ground and sending him into a pallet of flour sacks. Cal extracted himself quickly, wishing he could blow it all off him with wind.
Wind and sound would be the only manifestations he''d allow himself while donning this shroud. Its former owner was adept in using both of them, which made sense as they were closely related branches of magic. Depending on who you asked, they might have even been the same.
Unfortunately, he was far too close to Alice and Lily to use external magic. He was even being careful not to pump too much into his shell.
Through the powdery haze of flour, he spotted two Williams to his front. The original brought out a hammer to compliment his hatchet, while the copy who had ambushed him wielded the thrown knife. The copy had traveled with the knife.
Another troublesome skill.
He was beginning to see why the others called these guys nuisances.
"Easy!" Lily yelled, batting away a barrage of needles. She stood back to back with Alice, who seemed to struggle to keep up with her portion of the attack. "Aren''t you still making our orders for Founder''s Day? Don''t let that work go to waste!"
Amazingly, the needles paused all at once as the woman seriously considered the dilemma.
All hostile actions ceased as he and William paused to see the spectacle.
"I won''t pretend to understand that," the man opposed to him commented for the both of them.
"While crazy hot thinks it over," Cassey said, having transitioned to a more relaxed stance after being given nothing to do. "I want to remind everyone that flour is combustible."
That was a very good call.
Cal glanced around, assessing the destruction they''d caused. Fighting in such a contained space had limited the damage, but several pallets had been toppled, and an untold amount of flour now coated the floor and hung in the air.
Had he been fighting as Callum Ardere, he would have certainly just blown them up. The reminder caused him to turn back to William.
"Apologies for worrying the lady." The Finger addressed the Federation agent. "I assure you, my power ignites only what I wish. And I''m certain my two juniors are the same."
Alice''s expression remained unchanged, still focusing on the needles arrayed against her.
As for Lily¡
"Ha ha," she laughed hesitantly, rubbing the back of her head and accidentally shaving off part of her hair. "That was a close one. I don''t even want to think about what the tombstone would have read."
Cal did. Lily, the flower who died by flour.
Crap, the captain must have been contagious.
"That''s nice, children." Miss Plusier spoke airily, clearly not having paid attention to anything that had been said. "I''ve decided to redo your measurements for those dresses. Now those of us older have trouble seeing in the dark, so please forgive the small pinch or two."
Silvery needles launched in their direction. They were fast, and Cal wasn''t sure he''d be able to intercept them in time when they faltered, losing some momentum and direction.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk." The assassin clicked her tongue, holding back the scimitar William had switched to. Blade vs. needle, the two parties stood in a contest, neither giving an inch. The ground was the first to give, fissures spreading across the foundation from where they stood. "I thought I told you two to play by the side."
Her words dripped with condescension. She didn''t wait for a reply, her scattered needles refocusing and homing in for the man''s back. A copy emerged from him, defending his rear while the original traded more blows with the woman. Miss Plusier met them, deflecting each attack with a wretched scrape whenever the metals clashed. The warehouse seemed to tremble at each exchange, and neither combatant appeared to be gaining a decisive advantage.
Cal stood there awkwardly, feeling forgotten about.
"Alright, yeah¡fuck this." If her tone was anything to go with, Lily shared his sentiments. "Alie, I''d ask you to close your eyes, but that would be stupid. So sorry in advance. Go ahead and take out any frustration on that stooge. I got this bitch."
Cassey pointed at herself with a tilt of the head, as if asking if she was the bitch or the stooge.
The question was answered as Lily did something incomprehensible.
With a step, she was at The Spider''s side, her clawed gauntlet striking down, aiming to rake the assassin''s flank. Miss Plusier batted away William''s blade and then twirled, using the same hand to meet Lily''s charge. Needles clanged against the outstretched claws, and the attack was diverted harmlessly.
She didn''t immediately retaliate, a look of perplexity on the woman''s face. There was an unspoken question among all those present.
Lily, what did you think you were doing?
"That''s about what I figured would happen." Lily took a step back, but the look on her face was not one of someone retreating. "But I''m not the kind of girl that lets others dictate her life. Not anymore anyway. So I really don''t care how out of my league you are." She took a breath, sliding a foot back and raising both gauntlets. "I''m going out swinging either way."
Stupid.
But he''d done the same.
"Well said, Lady Arcutien. Allow us to assist you in this quest." A woman''s voice came from above. Cal''s eyes traveled up, seeing a woman in her mid-thirties carrying a great sword and clad in plate armor. She glanced toward William. "I know our orders were to stay back, but we used our judgment."
Sigils lit up; no magic was launched from them, but their light shone on the new arrivals.
A dozen or so men and women were arranged on the surviving pallets. They weren''t uniform in appearance, sporting different sets of armor and weapons. In fact, not a single one looked alike. The only thing to tie them together was a silver emblem depicting a raised finger. This must have been William''s retinue.
Between their appearance and little speeches, Cal was feeling like the bad guy. Which was a good thing, as that was who he was meant to be portraying.
"This is beginning to spiral," William acknowledged with a put-out expression. "Please ensure my fiancee and Lady Ardere remain unharmed." William addressed his followers before turning back to Cal, giving a slight bow. "I thank you for your patience. It appears your record understates your honor as well."
It took a second to realize what he meant, and Cal suppressed a groan. He probably should have pincered the guy while he was fighting Miss Plusier. He had been too distracted, making sure no one unexpectedly left the mortal coil.
"More customers?" The Spider''s eyes flicked to each of the new arrivals. "I''ve always been more of a boutique operator." She pouted for a second before a manic grin formed on her face. "But I suppose an exception can be made."
The needles exploded from wherever they lay, assaulting multiple targets at once. Magic tried to meet them¡ªblades of wind, earthen walls, and a myriad of other manifestations attempted to block their advance, only to have the small objects slice through them. There were several muted hisses of pain he caught, but he wasn''t focused on them.
Cal watched as Lily and the woman from before both advanced on the assassin, who looked positively giddy.
Lily lunged faster than before, her gauntlet bearing down on the assassin, who let the attack sail on by with a single step to the side. Lily''s teeth were gnashed together, and her eyes were wide as she pressed the attack. Her initial strike had been at speeds comparable to Rolland''s.
Now? She was moving a touch beyond that.
Cal sensed the way her magic fluctuated, oozing out of her at inconsistent rates. That was the sign of someone pushing past their limits.
"I''m afraid we''ll have to end this quickly," William spoke, attracting his attention. Cal caught the worry in his tone and found it a tad ironic that it matched his own. If Lily continued like that, Miss Plusier wouldn''t have to lift a finger for the girl''s death. "However, I hope you continue to show the same restraint. I notice you haven''t used your signature."
He hadn''t.
Cal had been fighting with handicaps. Luckily, one of them was partially resolved with the arrival of these knights. He didn''t like leaving Lily and Alice with the crossed assassin, but the knights should buy him some time.
The other was still an issue; he was far too close to those who would recognize him.
Even if he ran, by the time he got far enough, he''d be surrounded by civilians and be restricted by them instead.
If only there was a direction he could go to let loose.
"Hey boss," Cassey said quickly, ducking Pyre''s overhead swing. She didn''t hit back, leaping up in a backflip. She landed on her hands and spun, her boots deflecting Alice''s next swing. "Help? I can''t exactly keep this up."
Up.
Cal mentally hit himself over the head.
Of course.
He looked at the wooden ceiling, the cloudy night sky staring back at him through holes Willaim''s group must have made.
All he had to do was go up.
Cal spared Cassey a look, hoping his ''sit tight for a minute'' would be conveyed, and then took a sharp breath.
The beat of his heart kicked up, feeling like a drum in his chest.
His legs bent, and Cal made sure to meet William''s eyes before promptly disappearing from sight. The ceiling shattered, sending splinters hurtling in all directions and threatening to skewer the remaining combatants, who were already struggling to remain upright as the beleaguered foundation was violently upended by the force of his departure.
He didn''t dwell on their fates, needing to maintain his focus. It had been a long time since he pushed himself past his peak, and he wasn''t satisfied with just breaking a warehouse.
Although, a Finger might do.
Chapter 55
The wind rushed around him, pressing down against him and slowing his ascent. That wouldn''t do, and Cal looked down, seeing he was still far too close to the warehouse for comfort. With little other option, he tapped his foot lightly. A small manifestation appeared beneath it and gave him additional upward momentum.
It wouldn''t be enough, and Cal took more care than usual in crafting the next manifestation, making sure it did its job with as little fanfare as possible.
Reducing his signature to zero was impossible with manifestations. They would always show something upon activation. The key was to make sure they lasted only an instant and used the bare minimum amount of magic to accomplish their task.
In this case, it meant getting him as high as possible. He was hoping the ongoing fight and growing distance would prevent Lily or Alice from noticing his activity.
Manifestations appeared in quick succession, each lasting only a blink and propelling him faster and faster. With all the extra attention he was giving them, a key part of this gambit had slipped his mind.
The Myriad could fly, right?
It would be awfully embarrassing to go all the way up here only to find himself alone.
As if waiting for his doubt, Cal felt a pulse of magic from beneath him, and then a brilliant light zipped out. It rose rapidly and began gaining on him.
Many at this level could achieve some form of flight. Cal''s method was simple, but he''d seen enough others to know the possibilities. Watching William surf on a bolt of lightning added another method to his list.
Cal judged its rate of advance and decided he wasn''t far enough yet.
Raising a fist to the sky, he called on another wind manifestation. Cal could not pull off some of the fancy things like Marcus could, but wind was his most used element, and he''d picked up a couple of things.
His speed drastically increased as his fist began piercing through the air itself. It guided the natural wind around his body, reducing the air resistance against himself. He glanced beneath him, taking a closer look at William''s pursuit.
It was, admittedly, a pretty cool way to fly.
However, it may not have been as practical as the man might have hoped for, as the bolt zigzagged back and forth in its pursuit of Cal. It looked like he was riding a raging bull.
That was lightning for you.
Wild ride or not, William was still somehow catching up.
Cal decided to do something about that.
With the distance he''d gained to the ground, he was comfortable enough to get slightly bolder. He breathed in, forming the magic right in front of his mouth. Condensing the wind, it rotated in place and gained speed as he fed it energy. Before launching it, there was one more thing to do. Cal formed a second manifestation, this one designed to amplify sound.
No sigils were used, and the only warning of the deadly sliver of air was a piercing shrill that echoed through the sky. It grated on his own ears, and he witnessed as William forced his bolt to the side to avoid it, buying Cal more time to climb.
All things considered, it hadn''t gained him a whole lot of space.
Cal didn''t care, as he''d totally nailed that. Sure, it wasn''t exactly like the original''s, but screw that guy. This was Cal''s cloak now.
Fresh off that high, he launched several others, filling the night with their haunting wails.
William did not seem to like that, and he evaded left and right before his bolt abruptly faded from existence. Hands and legs held wide, each limb sparked before streams of electricity converged and lashed out at him. With very little time to react, Cal hurriedly manifested a burst of wind from his free hand, sending him careening sideways.
While tumbling through the air, he watched as a crackling disk of electricity flew past him. It carried the scent of burning ozone, and after reaching its apex, it exploded outward, forming a concave.
A beat later, Cal realized what it was. He released a small chuckle, as anyone in the city happening to look up would be scratching their heads wondering why there was a net of electricity hanging over a few blocks.
Focusing back on the new obstacle, he determined there were two options: he could divert and go around it, risking being caught by William, who had manifested his board again, or he could barrel through.
Naturally, Cal chose the latter.
Power pulled into his shell for a moment before being channeled into the area around his fist. The energy writhed and shifted as he forced the structure to change from one of utility to one of offense.
His magic collided with William''s, drilling into the net. It resisted fiercely, and Cal could feel the ends of it beginning to wrap around him like a maw looking to devour him. Cal did not want to discover what would happen if it fully closed around him. While he had the option to overpower it with sheer magic, he first chose to try wrestling the magic away from the man again. Reaching out, he sensed the ethereal touch of the foreign magic and yanked. The structure fluctuated briefly, and he pushed his manifestation forward. Wind cut through lightning, and Cal wasted no time squeezing through the small tear made.
Cal surmised that William''s focus on his surfboard must have been significant to let a slip like that pass. But it wasn''t the only reason, as Cal quickly noticed multiple Williams beneath him. He glanced beyond them, realizing the warehouse had shrunken to the size of his fist.
This was probably enough? At the very least, he should be clear to become more liberal with his manifestations.
Cal ceased any attempts to go higher, letting his momentum play itself out while the Williams approached. The temperature up here was low, and he was certain he''d be rubbing his arms right now if not for his blood running so hot.
Six flew up to him, two remaining underneath, two going above, and the remainder staying at his level. They didn''t stay still; each bolt underneath kept them in constant movement. Fingers pointed in his direction, and sparks leapt from them, converging on Cal.
Did he seriously think that would work?
Cal decided the best teacher was experience. With a hand held behind him, he propelled himself forward with a burst of wind, rocketing through one of the copies before the attack could land. The subsequent explosion of discharged electricity missed him entirely, as he had already moved well past the blast radius.
He''d been aiming for the original, but William had ''shed'' his skin at the last moment, leaving the copy in his wake.
Cal doubled back, counteracting his momentum with an even stronger wind manifestation and sending him hurtling back toward the man. William seemed to learn his lesson, and Cal swept a hand in front of him, manifesting a chaotic mass of air that batted away the ball of electricity he had been about to fly face-first into. With irritation, his eyes scanned for where William had gone scampered off to. He found him and three copies charging him.
Good.
Cal held his palm flat and brought it up to his chest, keeping it horizontal. Power wrapped around it, and in a fluid motion, he extended the arm. A blade of air silently slashed toward his challengers. They sensed its approach and made to evade, some dipping above and others below. However, it was too fast and large for them all to avoid it. One of the copies was clipped, the attack shearing through its leg and causing its destruction. Cal frowned. That was a bad rate of return; he wouldn''t be doing that again.
He pushed himself to the side, avoiding a halberd and forming magic in front of his mouth, eliminating another copy with his whistle.
His back was impacted as a hammer pounded at his shell. He''d sensed it coming, but maneuvering in the air was not easy.
There was more than one reason Cal hated flying.
He kicked back, collapsing the copy and using another burst of wind to get him out of the resulting explosion.
The original approached next, and Cal met the rapier with his fist. It cut into his shell, trying to pierce through to flesh. With a grunt, Cal pushed back, his augmented strength winning out. As the man was forced back, William flicked his wrist. Cal shifted his forearm quickly, feeling the blade scrape against the shell coating it.
Between Cal''s classes and observing others, he had noticed his ability to ''fight'' begin to improve. It was small things, like knowing what the position of a blade told you of the user''s intent or what the stance of their feet said about their style.
That was to say, a few months ago, he would have felt that blade against his neck instead of his arm. However, a few weeks of training could not bridge the gap of years of study, and William''s swordplay was leagues beyond any martial skill he possessed. Had they been operating on a level playing field, Cal would have been in serious trouble.
But they weren''t, and even without his newfound insights, Cal would not be on the backfoot.
A whirling gale made itself at home on his fist. It was his favored manifestation, having ended the lives of countless cultists and beasts alike. He punched forward. There was nothing to stop its advance, and to the rising annoyance of Cal, it pierced through another copy. Like the others before it, just when he was about to do damage, the man managed to slip out and leave a copy.
If he had known William would be this difficult to pin down, he wouldn''t have wasted his first punch testing him out.
Cal jerked his head to the side, letting a lance of lightning flash past. No, that was his frustration speaking. He''d been right to play it conservative. Killing a Finger, in disguise or not, wasn''t on the list of things he wanted to do tonight.
He zoned in on the source of the lance, and the attacking copy was rewarded with a whistle and oblivion.
Fingers extended, he concentrated magic at their tips and then raked both hands down, unleashing blades of wind toward the original. William cleaved through them with his sword, and Cal was soon face to face with him again.
His left hand caught the sword, feeling it bite into his shell.
Any trace of confidence on William''s face was a forgotten memory, replaced with grim determination.
Blade held within his grip, Cal squeezed, exerting every ounce of strength available to him. The metal shattered in his palm, and Cal lashed out with another fist.
His opponent abandoned the broken weapon, retreating with haste and leaving a copy to buy time. A whistle made short work of it, but soon another was left in its place, and he found himself searching for the original. It didn''t take long, and Cal pressed the attack against William.
While he went through the motions, he allowed a part of his mind to step back.
He''d win the test of endurance, but aside from his opening strike, he''d not landed a single hit on the man. It was extremely irritating. William just kept avoiding everything thrown at him and hurling more manifestations at him. Cal''s ability at aerial combat, or lack thereof, ensured his opponent was able to navigate around his attacks and keep in the fight.
Cal internally grumbled at the fact that he was fighting a copy of himself. Not a literal copy like the ones he was destroying, but in terms of fighting style. There were differences, of course, but they shared more than a few similarities.
Why did he think coming up here was a good idea?
Right, it was to cut loose.
But that''s not really what he was doing, was it?
Sure, he was pushing his augmentation a sliver past what he was comfortable with and was giving out manifestations like cheap candy, but is this what he would use against one of them?
No, it wasn''t.
He had his tricks, but when it came down to fighting at that level, there was one he kept going back to.
Given he still needed this body and face, doing it wouldn''t work. But since Cal had the edge physically, he could afford to do things a tad differently.
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He pushed the connection all the way open, saturating his body with magic. None of it escaped him, and Cal took care not to let any of it bleed into his shell.
Ignoring the attacks, Cal restarted his ascent. His departure did not go unchallenged, and he batted away what he could, weathering blows with his shell when he couldn''t.
Pressure built within him, and he felt his body start to protest at the rapid buildup of magic. It was counterintuitive to keep drawing it into him at this point; it did nothing to make him any faster or stronger. He did not let that dissuade him, and soon moisture began to cling to his cloak, indicating he was among the clouds.
There was a spark, and the surroundings came alive with arcs of lightning jumping to and fro. He weaved through them as best he could, looking up and seeing a copy in his path. His whistle cleaved it in two, and he continued higher. The magic launched against him was not aimless, and he found himself being pushed into confrontations with more and more copies. They fell one after another, and Cal did his best to prevent them from delaying him.
Beginning to feel bloated, an axe caught his shoulder, and he punched the copy''s face in without slowing down. Cut off from his magic, his shell had nearly broken there.
It was difficult to focus on the danger, as he''d gone from mild discomfort to feeling like his insides were on fire. Shunting the power to his shell would protect him and, more importantly, make the mass of magic inside him far more tolerable. He would not allow such a temptation to win out, and he kept a tight lid on it. His magic would not be out in the world for any longer than it absolutely needed to be.
With the burning sensation, Cal''s senses grew as foggy as his surroundings. Gravity was the only thing guiding his ascent.
Was this high enough?
Cal twisted his torso, avoiding a spear point. The sudden movement made it feel like he''d ripped his own spine out. He backhanded the copy and held back a groan as his arm felt like it could have flown off with that action.
How much had he stored in his body? It wasn''t the same quantity he threatened to use against the Spirit, and so he didn''t relent. He grabbed at every ounce of power that came through, despite feeling like his body might break down at any moment. It had been a while, but he''d done this before, and he knew what the point of no return was.
"Have you reached your limit?" William asked breathlessly, appearing above him and striking at him with a mace. "It was an admirable attempt."
Cal didn''t reply, raising his forearm to block the blow. The mace bounced off him, and yet he felt like his arm might as well have been shattered.
There was too much magic running in him, and it wouldn''t survive another movement like that. Skin began to split apart as he felt his body unable to contain the dense concentration of magic inside of him. It was a credit to his skill that he was still functional.
All of a sudden, Cal could see clearly again. He had made it past the clouds.
This had to be good enough.
He wasn''t alone up here, and soon dozens of clones joined him. They covered every angle, trapping him in a formation the shape of a sphere. It seemed he was not the only one making a big move. He watched them raise their weapons and zip forward. Cal only diverted enough attention to ensure none were angling for his head. He still needed that.
Taking a deep breath, Cal regretted it immediately as he felt his lungs pop one after another. It was a good thing they weren''t required right now.
His knowledge of sound magic was narrow, but there were one or two things he knew how to do well.
Cal forced his arms wide apart, tendons straining under the pressure. He reached deep within, grasping at the well of magic inside him, readying it to power a single, decisive manifestation.
He was pushed forward as a blade tore through his shell and emerged from his abdomen. Others soon joined it. He did not allow them to distract him, and he wove the magic carefully, layering it far beyond what anyone might have thought possible.
Satisfied, there was only one thing left to do.
With multiple weapons pierced through his body, Cal clapped.
The blowing wind, the buzzing electricity, his labored breath¡ªall ceased to exist for a single moment as the world itself stuttered. The air rippled, shuddering as an invisible wave of sound surged in every direction.
Copies burst, offering as little resistance as the clouds did to the crashing shockwave. It tore through the night sky, dashing away everything in sight and leaving only two figures. They hung there, illuminated by the twinkling stars above, as reality tried to pull itself together.
With the excess magic expelled, Cal''s body was already healing, knitting itself together with impressive urgency. Sadly, he did not have the luxury of waiting for a full recovery. He picked his head up, seeing William had also been forced onto his back by the blast.
In an instant, he was above the still-conscious yet dazed man. He cupped his hands together, raising them overhead.
"Grace?" William choked out, blood dribbling from his mouth.
No, Cal.
He brought his hands down on the man''s chest, the shimmer of his shell visible as it took the impact.
William was launched downward, streaking like a meteor to the ground. It wasn''t enough for Cal, and he caught up to the man, hammering him with a barrage of punches. Each one pushed him away, only for Cal to close the distance and deliver another.
Dull thuds rapidly filled the empty sky as Cal unendingly rained blows on the exposed man. There was no opportunity given to counter; Cal''s first attack had already been enough to overwhelm the man''s shell, and while he had managed to reform it, all he could manage at this point was a desperate attempt to maintain its integrity.
After what felt like an eternity but was less than a second, Cal felt his fist sink into the man''s chest, bones crumbling under the force of his attack.
He pulled back before he opened a hole in him. Grabbing the man''s shoulders, Cal inadvertently looked into the man''s eyes. They didn''t waver, determination etched into them.
Not bad.
Their foreheads met, and William''s head rocked back, his eyes falling shut.
Still holding onto him, Cal watched for any signs of deception, but none made themselves known.
The Myriad was thoroughly knocked out.
He relaxed, allowing both of them to continue their free fall. As his body continued to mend itself, muscles weaving together and skin sealing shut, Cal scanned the area for the warehouse. He did not find it. What he did find was a smoldering crater.
What. The. Fuck.
Could he not leave them alone for a minute or two?
Cal grabbed William by the collar, pushing himself toward the now-burning industrial district.
Without someone constantly throwing lightning in his face, the trip was remarkably shorter. He breathed a sigh of relief as he began to recognize the signatures of people he didn''t want dead. The area was nearly unrecognizable, the only trace of the former building being scattered pieces of rubble. The surrounding buildings hadn''t been left unscathed; their facades were either ripped open or leveled completely.
Miss Plusier stood in front of the hole. Burning embers fell around her, yet he could see her robe untouched. Faced opposite her was the knight from before. She stood in defiance, her greatsword trembling, but held up all the same.
Behind her, Lily struggled to her feet. She was coated in ash, and her right leg did not look the correct shape. Her outfit was shredded in places, with the edges of the punctures being stained a dark red. Beneath her was collapsed but still breathing Alice. Despite her lack of consciousness, she looked in a much better state than Lily.
The remainder of William''s retinue was scattered around. Several of the less injured were attempting to perform first aid to their comrades.
All that stopped as he landed by the group. A symphony of hitched breaths and gasps met him.
"Done already?" Miss Plusier responded with disappointment in her tone. "We''ve only just begun ourselves."
There was a curse as one of William''s retinue fell to the floor, his leg collapsing after having his tendons severed by a needle.
Right, don''t leave the psycho alone again.
"S-sir!" The knight with the greatsword turned to him. Her eyes seemed to have trouble believing what she was seeing, but she managed to compose herself. "Release him!"
She was in no position to be barking orders, but Cal was planning on doing it anyway. What was intended to be a gentle throw turned into a fast lob, causing the woman to be doubled over by the stricken Finger.
He dialed himself back, returning to more normal levels.
"Boss," A piece of concrete mumbled, and Cal hobbled over, his legs not functioning as properly as they should. Pushing it aside revealed a prone Cassey. There was an ugly gash across her front, but it looked cauterized and so was not bleeding. "Crazy hot ended up getting me out of there," she rasped through chapped lips. "So I think I have a chance."
Cal contemplated putting the slab of concrete back on. For better or worse, he grabbed the girl''s outstretched hand, hauling her up. She leaned against him, unable to stand on her own. Disregarding any sense of propriety, his magic intruded in her, assessing the damage. She gave an involuntary shudder but remained still under his inspection.
Not great; he needed to get her to the captain to arrange for proper care.
He gave Miss Plusier a nod of thanks and then raised his hand, pointing at her and the city, telling her it was time to get lost.
"In my prime, that would have been enough to earn your last breath." Her eyes roamed over him. "Though that fate may yet befall you, even without my gentle ministrations."
Thankfully, due to the way in which it was constructed with long individual threads, his disguise remained structurally intact. That being said, there was more than a little visible damage, and he must have looked to be in a sorry state.
Cal didn''t respond, and he was about to level a glare before remembering that hadn''t worked before on account of his hood.
Still supporting Cassey, he took a step forward in challenge, indicating he was more than ready to fight her if needed.
Which was true. He looked far worse than he was and was perfectly capable of initiating a fight. However, it would need to be away from here, lest she try to use hostages. Cal was evaluating his options in silence when her shoulders sagged, and she began massaging one of them.
"Rest easy, dearie, for age is not just a number, and it is about time I get to bed." She straightened and then performed a curtsy. "Lady Arcutien, Lady Ardere¡ªoh, still sleeping, are we? Well, in any case, a pleasure to have served you today."
She was gone in a blink, and one would be forgiven for questioning if she ever stood there in the first place.
Cal should be doing the same right now and scooped Cassey up, realizing she was not fit to travel under her own power.
His back was turned when he heard a shout.
"Wait!" Lily stood, sparks sputtering around her. They flickered, struggling to come to fruition. "You''re just going to leave?!"
Was this chick sane? If he was an actual bad guy, she and everyone here would be corpses in short order. It was something everyone else seemed aware of as they looked at her, trying to will her to be silent.
A scoff was given in reply. Not his own, of course. No, it came from his arms.
"We didn''t get paid to kill any of you," Cassey grunted out. "And we don''t work for free."
Quirks aside, she was a good agent.
Cal did not wait for a response and, under the eyes of everyone, sped off into the night. He needed to see the girl tended to, but overall, he''d chalk today off as a win.
No one in their right mind would be looking at Callum Ardere after today. He was finally free and clear to start his obscure academy life.
Chapter 56
James Wyatt blinked bleary eyes. Lights and shapes slowly came into focus, exasperating his pounding headache. He was at his desk, face cradled in his arms.
He squeezed his eyes shut and put a hand in his breast pocket. Pulling out a tin case, he opened the latch, held the case to his mouth, and shook it several times. His tongue was dry and rough, but he forced himself to swallow the small tablets.
Head still down, he guided the magic within himself. His body''s processes accelerated, breaking down the pain relievers and providing him with a slight relief. While his reserves meant he would never be a knight, what little magic he did have was finely honed.
He forced his eyes open, pushing his head up from the desk. His arms felt heavy, and he leaned back in the chair, struggling to stay upright. Exhaustion was an old friend by now, but this was more excessive than usual.
His nap must have been interrupted. He tried to parse through what had stirred him. His head craned left, toward the West. Next, it inclined upwards. He''d felt¡something. He couldn''t place it, only knowing it was responsible for waking him up. There might have been an accompanying sound as well. He couldn''t remember. His head turned forward, seeing the only other occupant in the room.
Mia was sitting at one of the student''s desks. She had a pen and was reviewing some documents. Whatever had occurred did not seem to have alarmed her, and so he let his curiosity wane. It was probably his oversensitivity to magic acting up again. His natural ability to feel the flow of magic was part of what made him such an astounding magic engineer.
Or had.
His eyes drifted to the nameplate in front of him.
Professor Wyatt
She''d given it to him as a gift recently, and he''d begrudgingly accepted it.
His mind clung to that word, professor. Had he known they would make him actually teach, he would never have accepted the position.
A sigh escaped his lips, and he stared at the ceiling.
It wasn''t as if he ever had a choice in taking the job. Even if he had worked in the crownlands, the center of the Empire governed directly by the royal family, he would have been stifled. No, the only place he could escape the chains of a society determined to hold him down was the Academy.
With hindsight, perhaps it would have been better to work in such a restrictive environment. At least then he could have deluded himself into thinking that was the reason he failed to meet everyone''s expectations. Instead, he had only one person to blame for his failure.
Himself.
He twisted his chair, turning to the blackboard behind him. To the untrained eye, the schematic looked like a series of randomly placed rectangles with a number of skewed lines drawn connecting them. What Wyatt saw was the future. An impossible one, for as elegant as it was, it would never work.
It was the same with most of his work nowadays. Large plans, massive potential, and, in the end, giant wastes of time.
When he was younger, he thought himself blessed. His magic potential was weak, but he more than made up for it with his mind. He remembered the snide comments and remarks he received from his classmates about his lack of ability. He''d tried to ignore them, telling himself that the taunts from the ignorant could do nothing to harm him. For a time, he''d managed to convince himself that was the truth. That while they lived in the past, he was destined for so much more.
Wyatt was no oracle. But while he could not see the future, he could imagine it. A wondrous world where all houses were warm, they could traverse the oceans without fear, and the Waste that encroached upon them was beat back for good. The world would be healed, made better. And it would all be by his hand.
It had made him arrogant and entitled. Those feelings were not entirely unfounded, as he was commended early on by the Emperor himself. Too early, as he realized only years later. His younger self had been elated, his feelings of superiority confirmed. So invincible did he think himself that he allowed his accumulated bitterness to break free. It lashed out at all those who had belittled him. They took it with smiles, piling on platitudes. What else could they do?
Wyatt had overestimated himself. He believed the world would bend to his reality, and when it didn''t, those he spurned took notice. Every little setback brought a flurry of whispers. Questions arose constantly over his supposed genius. They were right, of course, and so when they pushed him from his lofty peak, he''d offered no resistance.
None had tried to catch him either. His family was sick of him. Any friends he''d acquired were false. And as for allies? Why would he, the one and only Wyatt, have any need for those?
All he had now was a job he was being gradually pushed out of.
Victor had said otherwise, suggesting that teaching a class might reignite the passion he had when he was younger. Back when he felt there was nothing he couldn''t accomplish.
But there was no regaining that. Because he knew now that he was not blessed. No, he was cursed. Cursed to dream of the future, to be so close to touching it, and yet being too incompetent to see it realized. It hadn''t been a sudden realization. The cracks in his dreams had appeared throughout his life.
That dreaded Conference had been the first. That year was hosted by the Free City Edin, and he''d been selected to represent the Empire in the innovation category. The most talented youth from all corners of the continent had been gathered, ready to prove their worth. Until the welcoming dinner, there had been no doubt in his mind about his victory.
Then he saw her. She was the youngest-looking face in attendance, looking like a child brought along to witness the spectacle. He remembered his fellow competitors laughing at how she played with her food, arranging her peas on the plate while ignoring all those around her. In a rare show of camaraderie, he shared their humor over the mannerless snake.
That was until he looked at the plate.
Formed from lentils and peas, it was a schematic unlike anything he''d ever seen. Its purpose was unclear to him, and yet something deep inside him screamed to burn it into his memory. Before he had a chance, her fork flicked, sending the entire structure into disarray. He''d looked at her in shock, only to see a look of utter boredom on her face.
He''d known there were monsters who walked the earth under the guise of humans. He''d even interacted with some before, the Hand who''d escorted his group to the Conference being one such example.
But that day was when he began to question whether the gods truly had died. For what else could Prodigy be but the reincarnation of Inis, the god of knowledge herself?
Every report he read after on her only reinforced that thought. At first, he had been jealous of her gifts. Now? He was resigned.
Wyatt rose from his chair, taking an eraser and smudging the schematic out of existence. This one had started with the thought of increasing train car efficiency. He had been thinking of creating a device that dynamically adjusted gravity to lessen the load of each car while ensuring there was still enough friction between the wheel and track to propel the train forward. That idea had grown, and he found himself wondering why he should bother with friction to begin with. He could have the entire train hover over the track. It would be propelled by a magnetic device attached to the train that corresponded to a series of others laid out on the rail. They would sync up during the journey and function as a sort of relay race, pulling the train across the vast expanse of the Empire.
It was worthless. The train portion wasn''t the problem; it was the rail. Even with the best conductors they had available, a non-negligible amount of magic would be lost when traveling from one rail unit to the next. With the amount of power needed to pull a train forward, it meant they couldn''t use a central hub to house cores. The power source would have to be localized for each magnetic device. Needless to say, installing cores along miles of track would never be approved.
Maybe he could have¡ªshould have scaled down the project. But what was the point? There would just be another problem encountered. Another impossibility he would learn of far too late.
It was better for the dream to die with him.
He turned, shoulders sagged. He was ready to resume his nap when he saw Mia. Her pen remained in the same position as before, and her lips were pressed thin. The confounded look didn''t suit the taciturn girl, and he hobbled around his desk to approach her.
"Mia?" He questioned, wondering what had stymied her. Had it been another he would not have bothered. After all, what help could a drowning man provide? However, he had a soft spot for the girl. She was living proof that in a life full of mistakes, he''d done at least one thing right.
"Yes," she replied, not meeting his eyes. He waited for her to elaborate, but nothing came.
His hand traveled to his head, scratching his green locks. They felt grimy, and part of him realized he was overdue for a shower. He told himself he would take one tonight, even if the lie was obvious.
"You don''t have to do that anymore." He pointed to her chest. "I made that for a reason."
Her hand traveled into her shirt, coming out with a locket. She rubbed her finger over it, as if reminding herself it was not a fantasy.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
"Habit," she said, not breaking the pattern that had been ingrained in her from a young age.
Wyatt leaned up against one of the desks adjacent to her, resting his body. He was already in his descent when he''d met the little girl in the palace. He''d recognized the kindred soul immediately. She was like him, a cursed being.
What else could you call a girl who unwillingly subverted the will of all those around her with mere words alone?
It was an affinity in magic the likes of which he''d never seen. In any other element, it would have been celebrated. But of all things, it was mind magic.
Wyatt did not care about her parentage; he would have helped her all the same. He couldn''t remember how long it had taken. It was all a daze, his hands guided by a manic obsession day in and day out. But he''d done it. He''d created a discrete, portable device able to neutralize her magic, gifting her the ability to interact with the world.
What he could not do was remove the years of memories she''d lived through in that lonely palace. They had shaped the girl. To this day, she hid herself from the world, preferring to live in those of her books.
He''d tried convincing her otherwise. She should not be like him, wasting her best years in dingy classrooms with professors past their prime. His arguments were seldomly acknowledged, her mind rigidly set.
Wyatt looked at the header of the document. It was familiar, and he realized she was doing his work again.
"I told you I''d get to that," he weakly chided. Grading tests was incredibly dull, but the deadline was approaching. "You shouldn''t stick around for that."
Her eyes remained rooted on the document, but he knew what she would say about that. She was convinced he''d fall apart without her presence. That wasn''t wrong, but the effort was wasted on him, and he''d told her countless times she owed him nothing.
"Wrong," Mia tapped on one of the problems.
He trusted her statement without looking at the answer.
"Then mark it wrong." Fragments of memories came to his head. What was the kid''s name? It started with a C. Right, Callum Ardere. Wasn''t he in the same club as Mia now? He could recall some discussions around that. Had they become friends of some kind? That would explain her reluctance to fail him. "Or mark it how you want."
If she wanted to give him a pass, he would not stand in her way. He knew her flexible in that regard as well, as she had already taken the initiative to creatively file his paperwork for the class, showing he had the minimum amount of students required rather than having just the one.
Mia shook her head, her short brown hair waving. It was dyed well; he could believe it was her natural hair color had he not known her.
"Wrong." She tapped the problem again. "But not."
Oh, was it too difficult of a question for her? It might have been; he''d combined a handful of old tests together to form this one. It was very possible he had slipped something in more advanced by mistake.
His eyes flickered at the question.
Draw a converter to strip foreign corruption from cores.
He couldn''t remember if they''d gone over that. His gut told him no. The usual route of progression was to first cover basic principles of hardening devices to resist degradation from ambient magic. Core converters only came later down the line, as there was not much to cover there.
There was only one working model, Hendrick''s Converter. It was a fundamental model in magical engineering; every design powered by cores used it. Using scrubbers, circuits, a single regulator, and then two exhaust ports, it processed the magic from a core and produced fuel capable of powering any device it was hooked up to. Generations had tried to improve on it; he''d tried his hand at it himself, but it was a work of art and not something to be added to.
Mia did not share his breadth of knowledge, but with how long she''d stuck around him, she should have known this much.
He glanced at the answer box.
That was wrong.
It looked nothing like Hendrick''s. The configuration was all wrong. Why did you need so many parallel circuits? Hendrick''s used one master line that only split into two at the end, while this had six placed tightly together. Wyatt didn''t pause to think about why there were regulators drawn all over them, the other issues stealing his attention. The core wasn''t even placed in the center, hampering the amount of connections that could be made to it and thus stunting the rate of power drawn. And where was the exhaust for the corruption? If you ran it, the corruption would build up in the circuits and promptly destabilize the unit, most likely causing it to violently combust. The only output was for the purified magic; the rest was a loop leading back to the core.
It was like they expected to store the corruption back in the¡
That couldn''t be right.
Wyatt swiped the paper from the desk and hobbled back to the board. Taking a piece of chalk, he referenced the paper and redrew the diagram.
Corruption was the death knell for any device, and Hendrick''s converter was designed around limiting exposure time. It would draw the magic, run it through scrubbers, and then have a regulator divide it into pure and not pure before promptly expelling the latter. There was an inherent loss in the system, as the waste could be further processed to retrieve additional pure magic. However, to accomplish that would require more scrubbers and lengthen the time the magic ran in the system. When considering the power used to operate the scrubbers and the degradation of the unit, Hendrick''s was the optimal approach.
This design was contrarian. It cleaned the magic and then cycled it back to the core to be pulled again. While the corruption could be safely stored in the core, any further power pulled would result in a higher ratio of corruption to magic, harming the circuits it ran through. The secret lay in the parallel circuits used to draw power. More specifically, it was the regulators attached to them. Regulators served a single purpose, to check if corruption was present in a given feed of magic. In Hendrick''s, only one was needed at the end. Here, some were placed near the beginning of the circuit, bordering the core itself. The only reason he could infer they would be there was if they were calibrated to accept certain levels of purity. If they did that, then the system suddenly made sense. It would draw magic. If what was drawn was almost purely corruption, it would be looped back into the core quickly, limiting exposure and preventing the harmful substance from running through the rest of the unit. If it was not, then the scrubbers did their work as usual. At the end of the circuit, it would reach the final regulator, which then either fed it to the fuel line or sent it back to the core to begin the cycle anew.
He ran some numbers in his head. They did not add up, and he scrambled to write them down, checking the math on the board.
"Wrong, but not," Mia repeated, having come to his side.
With this setup, if you used the core as a place to stockpile the corruption, the amount of magic gained per core over time would represent an increase of twenty-three percent. That was a rough number, and it depended on the quality of the core, but he knew it to be near enough the truth.
It was such a simple alternative. How had he never thought of it? Answers came readily to him. Advances in regulators to even determine levels of contamination were recent innovations, and more often used as failsafes than anything else. Then there was the position of the core itself. Placing it in the center was how they were all taught, and it made the most sense. It provided the most access to the core and meant the attached circuits could run in a circle orbiting it. This provided ample room to install scrubbers and reduced the overall size of the unit. But that never accounted for having to feed circuits back into the core.
There were more reasons he wouldn''t have thought of it; he could feel excuses just waiting to spill from his mind. He''d failed. Again. The answer to many of his problems had been so close this entire time.
He reached out, placing a palm on the drawing, confirming its existence. It was more difficult than he thought it would be, and he had to use his other hand to steady the trembling.
It had been right in front of him this whole time. No, it had been sitting in a damn desk drawer!
When all was said, he was just like the rest of them. An ignorant fool.
A haunting memory, one he''d recently recalled, came to the forefront of his mind.
This was like seeing the work of Prodigy all over again.
"Go to the records office," he rushed out, backing up and catching himself on the desk. "I want this kid''s entrance exam." He reached behind him for the drawer. "Use my-."
Wyatt paused, realizing he no longer had the privileges he used to.
"Okay," Mia responded with a nod. There were advantages to being an imperial princess, and accessing student records wasn''t one of them. But Mia was a resourceful girl; if she said she would do something, it would be done. "Going."
She made to leave, and a thought came through his spinning head.
"Get everything he''s ever written."
It was not every day one got to look into the mind of a genius, and Callum Ardere certainly was one.
Chapter 57
Cal laid on the sofa in their shared living space. His leg was hanging off the side and kicking back and forth lazily. He was in his night clothes, having changed the second he''d gotten back from the city.
Cassey had been delivered to a stone-faced captain who hadn''t wasted any time stabilizing her before whisking her away. He couldn''t help but kick himself for never having learned how to heal someone else. He knew it wasn''t a simple thing, but with his control being better than most, he should be able to accomplish it. It had always come off as an intimate action to him, and he''d never had someone to practice with.
He had dropped off his shroud with her and then raced back to the Academy. Maybe he should have stopped by to debrief with Olivia, but he didn''t want his absence to be noticed, or at least that was the excuse he was planning to tell her. Try as he might, he could not picture his recount of tonight''s activities producing a smile on her face. He''d leave it to the other poor saps¡ªerr, brave Federation agents, to pass on the news.
The city had been livelier on his way back. Which was expected, considering someone had deleted a warehouse full of flour. The guards had been scurrying about while people cautiously looked on from their homes. Up until he reached campus, he had been confident in the assertion that it wasn''t his fault. Then he''d eavesdropped on a few conversations and discovered that not one but two explosions had been heard. With the warehouse counting as one, it was easy to figure out which had been the second.
It took him a moment to piece together what had happened. Had he been standing on the Academy grounds and someone else had released magic at that scale, he''d not have been able to sense it. Its use was instantaneous, and the distance was too great. At most, something would have flickered to his awareness, but it would have disappeared so quickly he would have questioned its existence.
What he had failed to consider was the chain reaction his magic had started. If he had set fire to a shrub, cutting off the magic wouldn''t extinguish it outright. In a similar vein, the air displaced by his manifestation had to go somewhere. The end result was a shockwave heard far and wide.
He tagged it as another lesson learned. It hadn''t been something that had come up before, as he''d never tried to power up a sound manifestation to that degree. The slip-up was deemed unimportant; it didn''t really change anything on his end. After all, Cal, the dutiful student, had been tucked away in bed the whole night, unlike his delinquent sister, who might have been out playing vigilante.
Cal focused on more important things, like his reserves. He''d spent more than he would have liked tonight, and while he wasn''t close to running dry, it offended his sensibilities to take such a setback. Recovering it naturally would be a time-consuming endeavor. Usually, he''d have a core to satiate himself with, or failing that, a hunt scheduled soon after. Here he had neither, and it wasn''t like he could just fuck off to the Waste for a day or two¡
Right?
Cal began to wonder how quickly those aerial beasts would be able to make a round trip. Would it be so bad to offer to go look for Ferguson on Rolland''s behalf? Obviously, he''d not be able to find the man, but if he happened to kill a horde of beasts in the meantime, who would know?
He''d gone from flat denial to entertaining the idea. Especially since there should be nothing preventing him from taking a brief trip. Callum Ardere should be a free man, and while Alice and Lily might have trouble explaining what they were doing in proximity to a wanted criminal, he was sure that with the preparation they conducted, a reasonable excuse was readily available.
Cal sat upright with a frown. Maybe he should go out and look for them? Or, if that was too suspicious, he could go bug the Spirit to see if they were even on campus. Before going that far, he decided to try something easier.
He texted Lily, asking if she''d seen Alice and knew anything about the noise. He waited, staring at his phone. Was her phone still intact? If she had taken it with her, there were decent odds it was not.
It took some time, but eventually, he received a response.
Shut up.
Rude, he''d not even begun rubbing it in. He typed a response, asking if she was going to need to do more community service after this. Speaking of, he should probably get himself signed up for some as an excuse to talk to Ethan again. It would be hard to investigate the Evergreens otherwise.
His phone dinged, and things must not have been so bad if she was replying so quickly now.
Shut up.
It was low effort, and he could feel her frustration. He was typing another response when another message came in.
Infirmary, just past the main entrance on the right. Avoid the front, 3rd balcony from the right, 2nd floor, east side.
With those instructions, Cal got up, patting his stomach. He probably should have eaten something while waiting, but the thought didn''t occur to him¡ªmostly because getting carved out tended to ruin the appetite for a while. But he was fine now. He went to their small pantry, raiding it and looking for anything he''d made earlier in the week. Finding some, he slipped them into his pocket and left.
Using his phone''s static map, he found the place easily enough. For what he thought should be an important structure, it was far smaller than expected. At a mere two stories, it took half the lot of a regular school building. The roof was also at an odd slant, making one wonder if the builders had read the plans wrong.
From the treeline, he counted out the balconies before leaping toward the third. He landed, finding several weapons pointed at him.
"Thanks, but I''m not looking to get checked in," Cal quipped. He didn''t recognize the three on the balcony, but that silver emblem told him they were with William. There were two flanking his sides, with the final member at the front. The blades moved to hover a millimeter above his skin, and Cal deduced that they were not in a joking mood. "Liliane told me to come? I''m Callum Ardere."
The one in front of him gave him a deep stare before nodding.
"Inside," he said simply, turning his attention back out.
The two others backed off, and Cal followed the man''s orders. Unlike most balconies here, the door slid open instead of being on hinges. Crossing the threshold, purple eyes locked onto him
The interior was quaint. There was a single bed on which Lily lay upright on, propped up by a tower of pillows. She hadn''t changed clothing, and he could see wrappings over her arms and torso; they matched where he remembered her being injured before. Her leg was raised slightly, and the leggings she wore had been torn to gain access to her shin. The limb was braced by a smooth piece of wood and slathered with some salve.
There was a raised table by her bed that looked to be for eating, and dressers pressed up against the far wall. On top of them lay esoteric devices. If he had to guess, which he was, they looked medical in nature. Above them were cabinets that held vials of various sizes and colors. Closer to the door leading to the hall was a chair for visitors. He opted to stand.
"Is this where you tell me I should see the other guy?" Cal opened, seeing her dour expression.
She huffed, blowing an errant strand of hair out of her face. Or she tried to, as it stubbornly stuck to her forehead, matted down by sweat. Cal watched with amusement as she tried shaking her head to dislodge the stubborn hair follicles. She scrunched her face, and that proved enough to resolve her minor dilemma. He noted the lack of arm movement, with them lying limp by her side. A phone was next to her right hand.
"I wish," she said unhappily. "I didn''t land a single hit on her."
That matched up with what he''d seen, but he wasn''t supposed to know anything, so he raised his eyebrows in false surprise.
"Sounds like you had all the fun without me." He approached her, poking her shin and watching for any reaction. "Do your dates always end this rough?"
The comment did the opposite of his intent, and instead of a heated remark, her expression slackened.
"Hey," she called, oddly calm. "Come closer; I want to tell you something."
Cal studied her closely, seeing the way her lips parted.
"You''re going to bite me," he predicted, moving a hand closer to her face to test his claim. He pulled it back swiftly as white teeth clamped down where it had just been. "Very classy." She would not be getting any cookies. "Now do you want to tell me what in the hells happened?"
Lily pouted, eyes narrowing. She glanced outside, toward where the guards were posted, and then back to him.
"You''re lucky they went overboard with the numbing agent," she muttered before resuming in a normal volume. "Officially, I was on a date with my fiance. And by date, I mean I made him take my best friend and me on a shopping trip." That was the official story? He supposed that being on an actual date with William was too far-fetched for most people. "He got a report of a wanted criminal being spotted and moved to apprehend him. As nobles carrying the spirit of the Empire, we felt honor bound to assist." Cal could not tell if that was sarcastic or not. "While moving to arrest him, his underling admitted to the killing of a fellow student. We thought she might have just been trying to absolve herself from guilt, but she seemed way too proud of it, and he never denied it. Then this and that happened. Long story short, he got away, I got unwanted acupuncture, and Alie needs to learn how to listen when people are talking."
The warehouse was Alice''s doing? That was the best news of the night! He was looking forward to holding that over her head the next time she tried to chastise him on some minor thing.
"And unofficially?" He probed, wondering how truthful she was planning on being.
Her arms shifted, and he got the sense that she would have tried zapping him if capable of movement.
"Before that, do you want to explain why they admitted to the murder of Petro? Because that part was true, and you don''t look surprised."
Cal tried his best to not look like a deer caught in the headlights.
Oh¡right. That was unexpected from her point of view, wasn''t it? Cal searched his memory, but try as he might, he couldn''t remember them going over what he would say when the Whistling Death claimed credit for the attack. Did Olivia not think he''d get this far? Hopefully, she''d not underestimate him next time.
"I didn''t know you were talking about him." Cal feigned surprise while speaking cautiously, taking time to choose his words. "Petro did ramble on about not knowing who I was dealing with. He hinted at having some powerful guy on his payroll, but then he also made a point of saying he didn''t need him to deal with the likes of Emily and me." Cal piled on the lies. "I wasn''t exactly asking questions, but maybe that''s who he was talking about. It might look bad that his client was killed under his watch, so instead he''s taking the credit for it himself?"
The words spilled out of his mouth, and he internalized a cringe. He''d been put on the spot, but was that really the best lie he could come up with? Probably, he wasn''t some genius.
"Is that so?" She questioned, holding his stare.
The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.He desperately wanted to change the subject but knew doing that would only invite more suspicion.
"I don''t know. Do you have any better ideas?"
Because he would have loved to have more himself.
Seconds played out, the tension in the room building up. Finally, she blinked, and the intensity was gone.
"He might have been trying to make a statement against the nobility, or maybe someone else just paid him more. Who can say what''s going on his head?"
Cal didn''t release a breath of relief, but he would have liked to. That had been more nerve-wracking than facing down William.
"Are you going to tell me the unofficial part?" He asked, not comfortable with the silence that had overcome her.
She sighed, shaking her head slightly before beginning to speak.
"We were doing what Vic wanted. Alie set up the meeting, and I got William on board. Which was easy, considering who we were going after." Her tone, which had started off calm, began to shift, the words coming out quicker. "Plenty of people would have been happy to learn he was gone. Which he was supposed to be." Her fingers gripped the sheets, and her nails tore into the fabric. "But fuck me, he''s way tougher than anyone said. Seriously. How was he only ever a member of the Blessed Order? They''re tough, but they''re not hospitalize a Finger tough. William should, no, I should have been enough to kill him. Assassins should not be that strong, not in a straight fight. If there weren''t a bunch of other people around, I would have thought I had hallucinated the whole thing."
She had to pause to catch her breath, and Cal took that opportunity to pick at an opening.
"Why did you say assassins? Was there more than one? Not counting the underling, I mean."
He was stealing Olivia''s move, but thought his cause was just. He was still unsettled by Lily''s questioning and turning the tables on her helped to improve his mood.
"It''s better that you don''t know," she responded distractedly.
Cal gave her the flattest look he could muster and grabbed her hand. Lifting the limb up, he let it go, and it landed with a plop on the bedding.
"Because that went so well for you," he added, in case his message did not come across.
"We''re adding bedside manner to your study plan," she said in a way that made it difficult to tell if she was joking or not. "Let''s just say we''re not changing wardrobes anytime soon." If he hadn''t been there himself, that might have been a tough hint to go off of. "And not telling you was Alie''s idea. She figured the second you knew the plan, it would have been impossible to convince you to stay behind."
If he had known she had the pull to get William to play along with their ruse, he would have gladly been on board. Miss Plusier would have been given notice, Cassey would have been left behind, and Cal would have convincingly faked his own death by actually dying. As long as his face was intact, he could afford to lose most of everything else. This was all so avoidable.
"Maybe I wouldn''t have." He acknowledged that from her perspective, it would appear he would have trouble keeping out of it. "But is having one more person to watch your back a problem? I''m stronger than both of you."
"Don''t be an idiot," she said heatedly. "What do you think happens if you''re both there and things go bad? House Ardere would be gone for good. This way, at least one of you would still be around to keep it going."
That was much heavier than expected, but that only made his point stronger.
"Then did Alice have to be there? I could have gone in her place."
He couldn''t have, but her logic was flimsy, and he was eager to poke holes into it. In his mind, it was simple. Neither of them trusted him enough to tell him something this sensitive.
Another uneasy silence descended, this one in his favor. He could see Lily waging an internal war. There was something about the atmosphere that told him to hold back.
"I should not be the one telling you this," Lily began, having come to a decision. "It''s really not my place. But if I don''t, you won''t understand." She inhaled deeply, holding her breath for a moment before releasing it. "Alie would have only given you pieces of the story. I know because it''s one of those things she hates talking about. I don''t know all the details; no one does for sure. What matters is what everyone does know, and that''s that your father ran like a coward, leaving his entire family to be slain. Alie would never, and I mean over her literal dead body, put her family at risk while she stayed out of harm''s way."
Lily gnashed her teeth and took a sharp breath. Her hands regained life, and she pushed herself further up. With visible struggle, she pointed a shaky finger at him.
"That means you can''t die. Got it?"
Shit. Dying was one of his best strategies.
"And yet, she wants me to be a Finger? Because that''s not a dangerous job at all. Speaking of which, there wouldn''t happen to be an opening now, would there?"
Lily collapsed, the energy from before leaving her body.
"William is¡ stabilized. I''m not sure if they''ll leave him here or send him back to the capital for treatment." Was that regret he detected? Maybe she didn''t want to marry him, but Cal realized it was not to the extent of wanting him dead. Good thing he was so careful then. "And do I really have to explain how sending someone who has yet to spend a single semester at the Academy is different than someone who will spend years training and being coached on how to handle bat-shit scenarios like tonight?"
He didn''t miss a second in responding.
"Yes."
Seconds ticked by without a word exchanged between them.
"See that pillow under my foot?" Lily asked, looking at the fluffy white cushion. "Do me a favor and smother me with it."
Cal gently pulled the pillow free, making sure not to disturb the leg. He had only just placed the pillow over her face when the door clicked open. Turning to see the battered but still standing girl, Cal said the first thing that came to his head.
"You blew yourself up," he took the offensive, eager to have the edge for once.
Alice shut the door behind her, walking forward and then pulling out the chair to sit by Lily''s bed.
"I just finished talking with the headmaster and Justiciar Vincent," she ignored his opening salvo, which he found entirely unfair. "Based on our reports and the investigation by his partner, he''s confident in connecting the Whistling Death with the murder of Petro Lucerna. It''s also been posed that the perpetrator acted alone and may have perished tonight from his wounds."
He''d been wondering where she was; given Lily''s lack of concern, he''d gathered she was fine. What he didn''t know was that she was establishing the events of the night with the relevant parties. Had they really convinced Justiciar Vincent that easily? Coupled with Janice''s earlier remarks, he began to grow suspicious over how quickly the man seemed ready to sweep this under the rug. If it was just to add a feather to his cap and call it a job well done, that was one thing, but if it was in service of some other objective...
And his head was beginning to hurt. Somehow, he thought that even if there was a super spy in his shoes, they would have trouble keeping track of all the moving pieces right now. Well, Mask wouldn''t, but they were the exception.
"Callum," Alice stated plainly. "Please stop suffocating Lily."
He looked down, realizing he''d been holding the pillow firmly in place. With some bashfulness, he removed the pillow, seeing Lily''s skin tone matching the color of her eyes.
She took a gasp, her shade turning lighter. Several more followed, and they waited until she was fully recovered.
"Oh, sure, now you worry about oxygen," Lily said while giving a pointed look at Alice. "But when we''re standing in the middle of a bomb, it completely slips your mind."
It was nice that they were on the same page about that. Taking that level of explosion head first would kill most.
"I directed some of it away from us," Alice said tersely, not meeting either of their eyes. "And I had other things occupying my mind at the time."
Your tailor trying to knit your skin would certainly be a bit jarring. It was clear her nerves were still jumbled and Cal tried to ease them.
"Well, I''m glad you''re both alright," he paused. It wasn''t an intentional one. That line had carried more weight to him than it should have. This was problematic, and he sought to disrupt whatever he was feeling. "And that only one of you did something stupid. Unless Lily has anything to share. Like, I don''t know, attacking someone way out of your league?"
He gestured to her leg, giving reason as to why he would make such a leap. Alice''s lips pressed flat, and she frowned at the girl.
"It''s not as bad as you think," she said awkwardly, squirming as best she could with her limited movement. "I knew who I was dealing with. She likes to play with her food, so I figured I''d keep her busy while William does his part. Then he could come back and cover our retreat."
Oh, that was far better reasoned than he expected. It also conveniently left out how she''d antagonized
him before leaving, but that was much more difficult to bring up.
"Lily," Alice whispered, reaching out and holding her hand. "I''m not upset, but I do hope this means you will stop holding back on my account. Your coddling does neither of us any good."
Lily''s face fell, and a line of protest looked to die on her lips.
"I didn''t mean to insult you," she said with a tired voice. "I just wanted to do it together."
Alice shook her head, a sad smile on her face. Her red eyes bore into Lily, and she gently squeezed her hand.
"Those heights are beyond me. I won''t be a Finger and I''ve made my peace with that." Her eyes glanced at him, and she continued. "I have no need for it either."
Reality struck him hard, and he was left reeling from the blow. Not only did he feel incredibly out of place, but it was more apparent than ever how badly this situation was going to blow up when his identity was finally revealed. The chair would be broken, and there would be no way to fix it.
"Yes, you can," he blurted out with little thought. "Become a Finger that is. I''ll help you."
What was he even saying? He could barely pass off training with Marcus. Alice, who knew him far better, would see right through his bullshit.
"Callum." She spoke slowly, in a way that conveyed her sincerity. "That''s kind of you, but there''s really no-"
"We''re doing it," Cal, for some incomprehensible reason, did not take the out he was about to be given. "Trust me, I know what I''m doing."
He had no idea what he was doing. No, that wasn''t right. He knew what he was doing, and that was panicking.
A snicker was heard, devolving into a full fit of laughter. Cal regarded Lily with what, in no way, could be described as a pout.
"Sorry, but you''re saying that all seriously, yet you''re dressed in pajamas."
He looked down. It was just shorts and a shirt. What was so bad about that? And he''d intentionally not changed to make it seem like he''d been in them all night.
"We can save this for another time," Alice replied while muffling a laugh. "You should go back to bed; you have classes tomorrow."
He did? Right, he''d forgotten it was still the fourth day of the week. Well, just one more day to get through until the weekend.