Page 11 of The Tree of Spirits (Paragons #2)
KNIGHTLY POLITICS
“ T hanks,” I muttered to Kato as we departed the Black Obelisk, heading toward the train station. At least it wasn’t raining anymore. But it was getting pretty dark outside.
“Thanks? For what?”
“For covering for me. Again.”
“Hey, it’s no problem.” Kato extended his arm, inviting me to enter the train first. “But you do know the General is out to get you, right? He’s watching your every move, Seven. You should really try to keep a low profile.”
“I always try .”
He pointed at the TV inside the train. Clips from today’s ‘Pandemonium in the Park’ episode were cycling on constant repeat. “ That is not low profile.”
I felt my cheeks warming. “Hey, I didn’t cause that. The Brothers did.”
“Brothers?” he repeated, his voice echoing more than usual in his helmet. “As in the Brotherhood of Earth?”
“Yeah, apparently they’re the ones who sent Cursed Ones after the Chosen.”
The metal handgrip groaned when his hand closed around it a little too tightly.
“From your reaction, I take it you heard about those incidents,” I said quietly.
“Yes.”
“The Brotherhood was also behind the Cursed Ones’ attack on the Garden,” I said. “You might want to let the General know. I mean, I would have told him, but he was in such a mood. He probably would have branded the tip a confession and punished me for it.”
“Probably.” Kato’s fingers drummed across the shiny, slightly-dented metal handrail. “Where did you get your information on the Brotherhood?”
This time, it was I who gripped the handrail. “I’d…rather not say.”
“Why not?”
“Because I made a promise,” I said, hoping that was enough for Kato.
Of course it wasn’t.
“A promise? To whom?” he asked.
“A friend.”
I didn’t want to get Conner in trouble for trying to do the right thing. He had admitted that he wasn’t on an official Quest.
“Friend.” Kato said the word like he was trying to make sense of it, trying to figure out what I was hiding. But thankfully he didn’t ask me any more questions about it.
We grew quiet for a while, as the train rumbled down the track. It was I who finally broke the silence.
“So, is the General always so grumpy, or is this all my fault?” I asked with a smile.
“It’s not your fault,” Kato told me. “He’s been especially on edge these past months, ever since the Rebels left the Castle. And this week was not a good one for him. The attack on the Garden, then the Tournament. And then someone tried to steal the Techno Knight’s suit from the Black Obelisk.”
“Tried to?”
“The suit wasn’t there. The General had already sent it to Daykan to look it over.”
“Who tried to steal the suit?”
“The General thinks it was the Rebels.” Kato shook his head. “But I’m not convinced. What would a bunch of former Knights who have magic want with a suit that mimics magic?”
“Well, that magic-mimicking suit allowed a human to put up a pretty substantial fight against seven Knights,” I pointed out. “So imagine what someone with real magic could do with it.”
“I suppose.”
We didn’t say anything else until we left the train at the Castle station.
“I’ll walk you home,” Kato said, staying close by my side.
He was always so chivalrous.
“Afraid someone’s going to jump out and attack me?” I teased.
“Considering what’s happened to you already this last week, that is not an entirely unlikely scenario.”
Unfortunately, he wasn’t wrong about that.
“I can take care of myself, you know,” I told him, even as a little voice inside of me screamed out, Shut up, Savannah! A totally cool Knight is walking you home! Just go with it!
“I know you can take care of yourself,” said Kato. “I’m more worried about any Watchers who try to follow you. You don’t look like you’re in the mood to take any crap from anyone right now.”
“No, I’m really not.” I sighed. I drew in a deep breath as we entered the woods, drinking in the sweet, minty scent. “It’s been a long day.”
“I can imagine. Saving that man. The Scavenger with the scruffy face.”
I looked at him. “You’re well-informed.”
“Not well-informed enough.” He flipped open his helmet, and the expression on his face was frustrated. Very frustrated. “You know you can trust me, right?”
“I do trust you.” I touched his arm.
He frowned. “Then why won’t you tell me what happened in the Park? Why are you keeping secrets from me?” He sounded almost hurt.
“I’m sorry, Kato.” I squeezed his arm. Or tried to, anyway. There was so much armor between us. But at least he didn’t feel the need to hide his face around me. “It’s just that…well, they aren’t my secrets to tell.”
“Aren’t they?” His voice dipped lower, hovering just above a whisper. “I know, Seven.”
“Know what?”
“About you.”
“What about me?”
“About your magic.” He met my gaze. “You didn’t get your magic from the spirits. You’ve always had magic.”
My jaw dropped. “How…”
“I’ve known since Shadow Fall,” Kato told me. “You pick up spells far too quickly for someone who’s only had magic for a few days. It’s like second nature to you. Intuitive.”
“Oh. Wow.” I blinked at him. “You’re pretty smart.”
“I know.”
His confidence made me laugh.
“You could have told me,” he said.
“That I’m a freak?”
He took my hands, holding them there, between us. “You are not a freak, Seven.”
“Then what am I?” I asked. No, pleaded . I was desperate for answers.
He gave my hands a squeeze. “You’re someone worth knowing.”
“Thanks.”
“You can thank me by trusting me. Whatever is going on, whatever trouble you got into today. I can help you.”
“You already have,” I replied. “But like I said, some secrets aren’t mine to tell.”
“Someone was there with you in the Park,” he guessed. “Someone besides you and that scruffy Scavenger and his dog.”
I really had to tell Conner to come clean with what he was doing. Kato would understand. Sure, he played the perfect Knight, but he knew that sometimes you had to break the rules to do the right thing. After all, he’d lied to the General to protect me.
“Hey, that scruffy Scavenger is called Marlow,” I laughed. “And he’s a good man. He helps people.”
“You went into the Park to rescue him.”
“Yes.”
“You can’t save everyone, Seven.” He said it like he was speaking from personal experience.
“Maybe I can’t save everyone, but I can try,” I replied. “I thought that was the point of being a Knight.”
“Being a Knight is…” His eyes drifted upward as he searched for the right word. “…complicated.”
“Because of all the politics?”
“Yes.”
“That’s why I’m ignoring all the politics,” I declared.
He snorted. “I wish it were that simple. But there’s so much more to being a Knight than saving people and showing off your magic. You can’t ignore the politics forever.”
“I can sure try,” I said stubbornly.
He studied my face.
“You think I’m horribly naive, don’t you?” I said quietly.
“Yes. But I wouldn’t call it horrible ,” he added quickly, in response to my frown.
“There was a time that I thought I could ignore politics too. Sometimes I wish I could go back to that time. When things were so clear. So simple.” His gaze swept the forest before it returned to me.
“But it’s not that simple,” he said with a resigned sigh.
“I can’t just ignore the things that I don’t want to deal with.
People are counting on me to save Gaia.”
We tackled the trudge through the forest in silence, following the trail toward the Apprentice Village. I breathed in the warm and humid summer air.
“You put too much pressure on yourself, Kato.” I sidestepped a fat tree root, and my shoulder brushed against his. “Sorry.”
His hand flashed out, steadying my gait. “You have nothing to be sorry about.” He didn’t retract his hand.
Which made it much harder to focus.
But I tried anyway. “The world isn’t counting on just you. You aren’t the only Knight on Gaia, you know.”
“I know I’m not the only Knight on Gaia. But I am the most powerful.”
I laughed.
His eyes narrowed. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing. It’s just that you’re not the only Knight I’ve heard make that claim.”
“Yes, well, clearly you need to stop hanging out with such self-important Knights.”
“Clearly,” I chuckled. “So, it looks like we’re almost there. Soon you’ll be free of me and can go off to do important Knight things.”
“You are not a prison, Seven. And I don’t ever wish to be free of you,” he said quietly, his eyes ensnaring mine.
“Uh, same,” I choked out.
The corner of his mouth twitched. “Good to know. Well, good night.” He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed the top of it.
And I just stood there, pulse racing, head spinning, gawking at him like a total idiot as he melted back into the forest.