CHAPTER 23

I yawned, having been woken up earlier than I would have liked thanks to a particularly bright red light that hadn’t been in that hole above my bed. Then I realized that it was likely placed there because of the training I was supposed to be doing.

“Training!” I howled and threw myself out of bed, glad that I had taken up the habit of putting my weapons into the Hollow Flower so that no one could take them again when I wasn’t keeping an eye on them. I threw my training shirt on and careened out of my room on foot with my boots on but untied as I belted on my Shuna

A few moments of all-out sprinting through the hallways put me into the pit just as Byron meandered into the stands, a yawn shaking his entire body. He stared at me blearily, “Oh, you managed to get here before me. Good job.” He blinked, a little more aware, “Tie your boots, Thorn.”

I nodded and leaned down to tie my boots, just catching a glimpse of the foot that caught me in the head.

I groaned as the black spots faded from my vision and Byron stared down at me, “First lesson: always be prepared for a fight. You never know who will be on your side. Come to training unprepared again and whoever is with you that day will beat you so hard, your pets will have bruises, am I clear?”

“Yes, Byron.” He nodded at my pained reply.

“Now, seriously, sort yourself out.” I hesitated and he smiled, “I’ll not kick you this time, get sorted out.”

After I took the time to tie my boots properly and ensured that both of my shuna were attached to my belt, he whistled low, “Where’d that one come from?”

“A gift from a friend, I think?”

He raised an eyebrow, “You think it was a gift or you think they were a friend?”

I shrugged, “I really don’t know, honestly.”

“No matter, just try and keep up with me, yeah?” He grinned and pulled two knives from his waist.

His attacks were slow at first, which allowed me to get used to the flow of his techniques, gladly knowing that Frix was watching his every move and would show them to me later on.

He was fast and precise, his blocks “cutting” me just as often as his actual attacks would have. Every time his wooden blades connects with mine, he used that contact as a way to initiate a parry.

While we sparred, he didn’t speak much. Just showed me what I had done wrong and allowed me to see how he moved at first.

By the time we were done, I was slick with sweat that dribbled from the tip of my nose and he had begun to wipe his brow. He grinned, “Good work. Great footwork, and you’re a quick study too. Keep up the good work and you may be at my level by the time you’re a third year.”

I laughed at his lopsided grin as he walked away, and he paused, calling back over his shoulder, “There are no classes on weekends, but you’re supposed to do some physical training if you don’t want to get destroyed on the first day back to class. Keep that in mind.”

He waved and left the pit with a stretch and I was on my own.

I turned and headed to my room, bathed and checked the parchment from Lolth. On it she had written:

Saemus,

I am sorry that we didn’t get the opportunity to see each other last night due to unforeseen circumstances, and I hope that you are well. Coventry is doing better, but has decided to hold off on dispensing her justice until after you embarrass the Markis in your duel. Don’t be surprised, everyone’s heard about the boy who challenged two people the same day he had arrived to the academy.

Her parents are still here, however they have asked to spend some time alone with her. If you are available, I would like to see you.

-Lolth.

I smiled, glad that Coventry was alright, but that they were holding off was concerning.

Referencing Frix, I found that the poison I gave him would last up to a month or more depending on how quickly his hair grew.

“Are you sure that’s correct, Frix?” I raised a brow uncertainly at the book and it flew open in my hand.

The poison makes its way into the skin and organs slowly, that includes the hair and nails too. As long as there is a trace of it in his body when the powder is introduced, it will kill him. Probably in a more spectacular manner too.

At least I would have an opportunity to exact my own personal revenge, but was that okay?

I took a quill and began to write to Lolth, muttering to myself as I did, “Are you certain that is what she wants? My personal problems with him are so much the lesser in comparison to hers.” After that I quickly added, “I have some studying to do today, but I would like to see you as well. When would you be available?”

When she didn’t immediately reply and the eye was closed, I folded the item carefully and put it into the Hollow Flower on my arm and went to morning mess. I met up with Xanile and noticed that while Bruth and Nori were there, Lolth and Coventry had yet to come.

“Who are you looking for?” Xanile asked after she swallowed her food, glancing curiously at me. She was a little more reserved than her norm, but I’d earned it.

“Lolth and Coventry.” I answered honestly, then said, “My classmates from Botany. Coventry was the one who was attacked. I was hoping to see her to know that she was okay.”

“Etran and Sanera are absent as well.” Xanile observed, then took a bite of her overly ripe Cindry fruit, a sour expression on her face. “Yuck.”

“I told you that you could ask me about that.” I chuckled to myself and cut the one that I had in half, offering her some. “Want to practice fighting today?”

She shook her head, “No, thank you.” I started to pull the fruit back but she grabbed my wrist, “I was replying to your question. I would love that.”

“Oh, okay.” I blinked at the food on my plate and continued to munch half heartedly.

“Please, try not to look so upset. I am not mad at you or anything, there is just something that I want to do this afternoon before our lesson this evening.” Her explanation was rushed as she took a bite and savored the juices of the fruit before she swallowed and added. “I need to find something and have to prepare this morning for it.”

“And you don’t want my help?” She shook her head at me and I just nodded, “Good luck then. I hope you find it.”

She smiled at me, “I do too.” She finished her meal and rose, “See you tonight in the lounge, and I look forward to beating you in learning magic.”

I found myself smiling at that, “We’ll see about that.”

I finished the food that my stomach would allow me to eat and meandered out of the mess hall and into the hallways en route to the training grounds. I would see if I couldn’t get a little extra training in physically and increase one of my stats if I could, since I could raise them five times again now after leveling up my magic.

This time instead of a confidence course, or a web of ropes, I found a large set of logs that were tall enough to be intimidating standing up close enough together to jump from one to the other. The tallest of them had to be at least fifteen feet or so from the ground. The fall would hurt, for certain. The majority of the others arrayed around it were all lower, anywhere from three feet to nine as they traveled in a spiral inward with regular intervals between them.

“It’s a combat course.” Vidda explained from behind me, the older grey elf boy’s soft smile greeting me.

“Hello Vidda.” I looked around and asked, “Shalie not with you?”

“He’s not feeling too well, has a stomach ache.” He rolled his eyes. “He’s always saying that when he doesn’t want to do any work on the weekends.”

“I see.” It was hard to contain the chuckle at the younger boy’s cheeky behavior. “Care to show me how it works?”

He grinned outright, “I was hoping you would ask.”

He led me to the sides of it, explaining as we walked, “The object is to become ‘king’ by claiming the tallest ‘tree’ in the kingdom. The further you move in, the easier it is to get knocked down, but the more rewards there are. The closer you get to the center, the more points you get, and whoever holds the king’s position longest wins.”

“What do you win?” I asked and he shrugged. “What have people won in the past?”

“Anything from weapons to not having to attend class for a week?” He frowned and thought for a moment, “Beast Cores too, now that I think about it.”

“Is there a range of prizes?”

He nodded, “Yeah, for the top five players there are, I think.” He pointed at the logs and I started to try and clamber up the one before us, but he yanked me back down. “This one is special though, so I can’t let you on it, it’s why I’m here. No one is allowed the advantage of having done it before except the second and third year classes.”

“Oh, sorry, Vidda, I didn’t mean to almost get you into trouble.” I felt genuinely bad about almost having done so.

“Don’t worry about it.” He waved his hand as if to swat my apology away. “I do have to ask you to leave though. It’s a whole strategy thing, I guess? Headmaster’s pretty strict about that.”

I laughed, “I see. Your father is kind of nice though.”

He snorted and rolled his eyes, “I knew he was going to bother you once Shalie said something.” He shook his head and just sighed. “Old man can’t leave well enough alone.”

“He cares.” I smiled at him and he nodded. “Well, I’ll get going then. Try not to work too hard, and if Shalie needs a remedy for his stomach ache, let me know. I can make him one.”

Vidda laughed and said, “I’ll keep that in mind to threaten him with later. See you, Saemus.”

Finally, with nothing else to really do and not wanting to risk going to the pit and running into anyone I shouldn’t without Lolth or Xanile to keep them or me in check, I went back to my room to read my Botany book properly.

Inside it, there was a note that I didn’t recognize at first in an unfamiliar, but legible hand that listed some of the things I had been entitled to. The headmaster had given this to me!

Cadet Saemus,

Below are a list of the allowances that we can afford you as your parents have made a generous contribution to the academy as a whole.

More mess access. You may go to the mess hall and speak to the on-duty clerk for extra rations.

Training gear. There is a special armory within the academy that only the staff have access to with training equipment reserved for students who have either earned its use, or have the benefit as I am giving it to you. You are welcome to use it at any time, however please note that while you may use it, it must be returned to the school.

The library, typically reserved for the second year students and above is now available to you. Please see the school map for directions, and simply tell the head librarian your name. He is expecting you and will have more for you there.

Finally, limited access to the training forest. Within the training forest is a set of barriers in the form of marked trees. Trees are color coded to allow students to be aware of the level of danger that lies ahead. From the beginning of the tree line to the white and yellow markers is where you will be allowed to go unaccompanied without an instructor, but do practice vigilance. There are still creatures that will seriously harm or kill you contained within those trees by powerful wards.

Your blood has been added to the ward already and you will be allowed through. Thank you for your parents’ contribution to the education and collective balance of the Fae Realm.

Headmaster Sahenlal.

I was seething at myself for not having realized that I could have been doing something with myself all this time. It was still after breakfast with plenty of time before afternoon and evening mess.

Maybe I should pay a visit to the training forest for a little while before all the stuff I have going on this evening?

Grinning from ear to ear, I stepped out of my room and made my way toward the training forest.