Page 22 of A Touch of Stars and Stones (Kirrian #1)

thirteen

. . .

Aten

H is chair is empty.

Still.

How long can it take to escort her back to The Court? He should have been back by now. And all I can do is stare at the wooden chair where he should be.

“Aten, are you going to participate?” My name draws my attention.

“Yeah. Sure.” I sit back and flick open the book on my desk.

“Why aren’t all the trainees here, Rowan?” Raiden asks.

“Micah is on his way. Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worried. But I do want to understand why the rules about training now seem to have evolved to accommodate Ever Hart.

” She levels her question at Rowan, and I can’t keep the smile from my face.

Raiden has kept to herself up until now.

I’d expect Crimson to complain, given that Ever beat her at her own strength earlier, but she looks like she’s still sulking.

“Well, Ever is at a disadvantage, having not grown up under Aslendrix’s influence and our guidance. She?—”

“Shouldn’t be excluded,” I interrupt. “She should have every opportunity, like us, to train for the trials. Is it your intention, as is every training year, to use the trials as an evaluation tool for our potential future positions within The Court?” I ask, just to make my point.

“You know that is the case, Aten.” He directs his attention to me. “So, I am unclear as to why you are asking this.”

“You are unclear?” I scoff. “Really?”

“Do you have something to say?” He folds his arms over his chest. I get it. He’s trying to assert himself, but having Orion Ciro as your father prepares you for that particularly weak tactic. He’ll have to do better than that with me.

“I thought Raiden had already asked it. But apparently, she was meant to swallow whatever bullshit you were about to feed us.”

I sense the collective draw of breath amongst the class, including Calix’s, but I don’t back down. My stare doesn’t break, and I wait for Rowan’s answer, even if I know I’m not going to like it.

“Listen. Carefully.” He addresses me but looks over everyone else in the room. “Training and what each of you undergoes is not up for discussion. It is up to the Custodians to decide?—”

“No offence, Rowan. But I’m with Ten. What’s up with this girl, anyway? One minute she can’t run, then she can. Then she’s kicked out for the rest of the day?” Calix lays down his opinion, and I turn to look over my shoulder and give him a small nod.

“None of us are given time off. Why is she? Surely she needs more help than us if she’s got to catch up?” Raiden continues her point from earlier.

I don’t know if I like that everyone seems to be as preoccupied with Ever as I am, but I settle for beingpleased if it gets her back.

“It’s clear that you are all finding her arrival… disconcerting.”

“Again, that’s bullshit. I’m sorry, Rowan, but please, don’t treat us like fools.” I may regret pushing this hard, but hey, what are they going to do? “You’re the ones acting differently since her arrival, not us.”

“Fine. We’ve been asked to ensure that her training is gradual. She is raw and untested, her power awakening very late, and due to this, she could be a danger to herself and others. So, she is to get?—”

“Special treatment. Great.” Crimson finishes his sentence. It was only a matter of time—she can never keep her opinion to herself.

“Special treatment or not, she should be here. No more sending her off just because she’s learning. You’re teachers, right? Then teach.” Raiden’s words are to the point, and I’m glad I didn’t have to say them. Plus, it shows she’s got guts to speak to Rowan like that.

I would have said it. I want to fight for Ever.

It’s a gut instinct that is hard to grasp, but it’s there.

Maybe I admire her for sticking up for herself against everyone here despite never knowing this even existed.

And even seeing what she’s done and what I’ve seen, that instinct to help her is there.

Rowan doesn’t look comfortable with the uprising of the ranks. I’m sure that we would be easier for him to control if we were all soldiers, given that he used to be in command of the army.

“Fine. We will welcome Ever to all training. She will not be granted any more grace from us, pending any counter order. However, the physical element of her training will only take place after the Transference. If anyone,” he levels his eyes at me, “has an issue with that, they will take it up with the Head of their Order and the Maker directly. Is that clear?”

The room fills with a few murmurs and mumbles.

“I said, is that clear?” he bellows, snapping all our attention.

“Yes, sir,” we respond as one.

“Given we’re two trainees down, and you’ve made your feelings clear, you’re dismissed.

I don’t want to be accused of special treatment again.

Aten, as you seem so keen to ensure Miss Hart’s position here, maybe you can give her the good news, and if you happen to come across Micah, please send him straight to me. ”

I nod, surprised that I’ve got away that easily.

We all file out of the class, the trainees scattering in their respective directions, but Crimson is tapping her foot, waiting for me with her arms folded.

“You’re going to see her?”

“Yes. You heard Rowan.” I don’t stop.

“Ten, you don’t have to. She’s not your responsibility. She’s not even a friend.”

“She is a friend, even if you don’t want to make any kind of effort with her.”

“Whatever. I guess I’ll be seeing her in training.”

I leave before she says anything else.

As I cross the bridge that leads back to The Court, one of the Warriors steps forward.

“Your father has requested you speak with him.”

“My father? I have nothing to say to him.”

“I can escort you if you’d prefer.” He makes a small step forward, his hand gliding down to the hilt of his weapon. It’s not always clear what abilities Warriors possess, and I’m not dumb enough to pick a fight with more experienced officers.

“No. That won’t be necessary. I’ll go to him,” I confirm.

But as I approach the gate, I see Orion, my father himself, walking towards me. Seems his impatience won out.

“Can we speak? In private.”

“I gathered that. I’m not sure what I have to say to you,” I tack on.

“You can play the petulant child who didn’t get what he wanted all you like, but things are different now. So, let’s put our differences aside and talk.”

“Differences?” My anger rises, my mind racing.

“Aten, please.”

My father didn’t often ask, certainly not with pleasantries attached.

Taking a deep breath, I nod, and he leads the way back to his office within The Tower, in silence.

I’ve not been in here for weeks.

The map of Kirrasia still lives on his desk, an intricate detail of our country, including the mainland of Sunatora and Nehandun, which make up the rest of the continents.

My eyes scrutinise the border to Estereah.

I’ve never really given it much thought, but now, I’m drawn to it, questions forming in my mind about our defensive position against the small land, the other possible threats to us, and the strategy behind identifying any others with gifts outside of our protection.

It’s like my mind is open, running over scenes and scenarios I’d have never considered before, pulling together the histories we’ve been taught about, the battles fought in the past, and for what reason.

Like the knowledge is knitting together in my head, and the map is the catalyst, spinning something new and clearer.

“Have you spoken with her? The girl?”

His question interrupts my thoughts, and I take a second to consider how to answer.

Flashes of the memories I’ve had with Ever all intertwine, lingering on the fear that gripped me at seeing her fall to the floor the other night.

“Ever? Yes. Briefly. She seems to have been kept from us at training. Contact is being limited.” I skip the details, considering the time we spent together as ours and not for sharing.

“On our command. She is raw. Uncontrolled. A danger.” Now I know where Rowan got the order from.

“Really? That’s lofty praise from the Head of the Warrior Order towards a random girl,” I jest, but realise that if he’s cautious of her from only their first confrontation, then he’d be locking her up if he knew what I knew.

The fear returns as I imagine her being questioned. Tested. There’s no fucking way I’ll betray her confidence.

“Don’t mock me, Aten. Not now.”

“Why the sudden worry about Ever?” I shift the direction back to what I want to know.

“What do you know about her? What’s she said?”

“Very little. As I said,” I repeat. And lie.

“It’s important, Aten.” He stands next to me as if imploring me to understand. “For you to find out what you can. Listen to her. Take notice of her.”

Oh, there’s no worry there.

“Okay. Why? We’re all getting sick of being kept in the dark about her, and it’s only been a day.”

He takes a step back, reverting to form. “Need I remind you of the precarious peace that we have here? That there are those who wish to end that?”

“That’s the same threat that you’ve always used to control us. What does that have to do with Ever?”

“We should be vigilant of outsiders with the gift of Aslendrix.”

“We’ve welcomed outsiders before. We have a whole division of Watchers for that very purpose.” It doesn’t happen often. It’s rare, but this isn’t the first time the Watchers have brought people to our land with the gifts of Aslendrix. Why is everyone getting so focused on her?

But, as the question builds in my mind, I think over my encounters, and I already know she’s different. My own actions have confirmed that. But I thought that was just me.

“Just obey my command, Aten.” I grit my jaw and look at my father.

Would he ever tell me why he chose to forsake me?

“That would carry a lot more weight if I still belonged to your Order, Father. I am no longer yours to command.” I turn and leave, not offering him a chance to answer.

And I go directly to Ever.

I pace outside, second-guessing myself.