“Zantheus,” said Gaius at once, “I do not think that you should be eavesdropping…”

“Shhh!” said Zantheus with impatience.

This was highly unorthodox behaviour he knew, but he also knew that Gaius looked up to him and would submit to him. Gaius was the second most promising knight in the Order after Zantheus. He had watched with reluctant admiration when his friend had departed to attempt his climb of the Insurmountable Mount.

Behind the door, Zantheus could quite clearly make out two voices. One was older and refined, and he recognised it as Rhemeus’s. The other was younger, but slimier, almost crafty. This was the voice that was speaking now.

“...as we suspected would happen, they have appeared in Qereth. Several sightings of the knight were reported yesterday.”

“So they were able to escape Karios and his men?”

Karios. Zantheus knew that name. The bandits.

“Apparently so. Karios is now dead, and someone else has taken his place according to their way. The knight is at loose in Qereth.”

Zantheus realised that they were talking about him.

“Well, I can assure you once more that I have no idea why this outlaw has adopted the trappings of our Order. He is not one of our knights.”

“Well, quite. I was just double-checking, and I thought it would make sense to come in person this time. We can’t have dangerous characters wandering around like this misrepresenting you. There’s no telling what damage might be done to the Memshalah Government if the reputation of the Aythian Order was defamed in the public mind.”

“And what of this impostor’s companions?”

“The harlot and the red-headed boy?”

“Yes.”

Anthē and Leukos.

“She is harmless. And as I say, he is being dealt with.”

What?

“Is that really necessary?”

“Yes. There is no telling what nonsense they’ve picked up off this rogue knight. The boy in particular is dangerous. We cannot allow anything to threaten the public’s belief in Enlightenment.”

No. They could not be saying this. This could not be happening.

“Please do not speak carelessly, there may still be some novices in the building.”

“Of course, my apologies. In any case, Shul have one of their best men on the job. A black assassin from the Order of Hoshek. He will work quickly and efficiently. They do not leave much mess.”

Zantheus now understood what ‘dealt with’ meant. He burst through the door. Rhemeus’s eyes grew large with shock above his white beard.

“Zantheus?! What in Mashal are you doing here?!”

Zantheus was not interested in him. He had drawn his sword and had it pointed at the other man. “What do you mean ‘belief in Enlightenment’?” he was shouting. “And who have you sent to murder my friend?” Sunndenly he recognised who it was: It was Provost Epistaseis –the head of the Academy.

Everything was happening at once. Rhemeus stood up. “Calm down! Calm down, Zantheus! Our friend here meant nothing-”

“And you!” Zantheus turned his sword on Rhemeus. “You always taught us that Enlightenment was real, that it was to be found on the peak of Mount Awmeer!”

He did not get any more words out because something thudded into the back of his head, flooring him. Gaius, on seeing what was happening, had reacted according to his training and brought down Zantheus in defence of his master. He pinioned him to the ground, holding him in a lock they had practiced many times on each other, securing his arms behind his back.

Epistaseis stood up. “That’s him! That’s the rogue knight from the Academy!”

“It is? But that’s impossible, he only left for his climb attempt yesterday! What are you doing back so soon, Zantheus? And drawing your sword on a superior? Explain yourself!”

From his immobile state on the ground, terrible in his fury, Zantheus continued to shout. “There’s nothing to explain! It’s all a big lie, isn’t it? There’s no Enlightenment and there never was! I climbed Awmeer and there was just a mirror, an enormous mirror! There’s no such thing as Enlightenment!”

“It’s definitely the same knight, Rhemeus,” said Epistaseis. “How could you have lost control of him so badly?”

“No,” said Rhemeus, “this cannot be he. Zantheus only had his departure ceremony yesterday. He has been at the Sanctuary up until that time. He must have lost his mind on the mountain and come down from it early. I am afraid this does happen, sometimes. There is only one kind thing to do. Hold him still, Gaius.”

As Rhemeus drew his sword and began to make his way around the table he had been sitting at, Zantheus’s voice suddenly became very desperate, more desperate than it had ever been.

“Gaius!” he pleaded. “Don’t let him kill me! It’s true! I climbed Awmeer! They’re going to kill my friends! I have to rescue my friends! Gaius!”

Gaius did not know what to believe, but he knew he must carry out the orders of his superior. Only...only he had been best friends with Zantheus all his life. They had grown up together...

His grip on Zantheus loosened just a fraction, but that was all Zantheus needed. He flung Gaius off of himself and rolled at the same time, retrieving his sword from the ground. He blocked Rhemeus’s blow and kicked him hard in the chest, sending him backwards past the official and crashing over his own table. He turned and met Gaius, who had drawn his own sword, thinking better of his brief moment of weakness. But Gaius was no match for him. Zantheus had bested him countless times in sparring before, and now he had the added advantage of having experienced real combat. Gaius struck high, then low, then, as expected, high again. Zantheus saw the third strike coming and ducked under it, knocking Gaius to the ground with his shoulder at the same time. Then he stamped on his right leg, breaking it. Rhemeus was old, and would not be able to catch him, but Gaius might still have been in with a chance.

“Sorry, old friend,” he said over the shouts of pain.

Then he was out of the study, down the stairs of the tower, along the corridors, into the foyer, and then out of the Sanctuary doors again, racing across the plain back towards Qereth.

Anthē, Tromo and Leukos were in danger.

More time, he just needed more time.