The Apprentice In The Master’s Shadow: Legends Of The Order, #2

By Ian Gregoire

LEGENDS ARE NOT BORN, THEY ARE MADE!

A reformed anti-heroine decides that being in the shadow of a living legend doesn't earn the respect that she could gain by becoming a legend herself.

Discover the unheralded fantasy masterpiece of the century that the shills of BookTok will NEVER tell you about. Ideal for fans of both the Black Magician Trilogy by Trudi Canavan, and Mark Lawrence's Book Of The Ancestor trilogy.

 

 

Sometimes Respect Has To Be Earned The Hard Way.

The end of an arduous apprenticeship is close at hand, and Kayden Jayta unexpectedly learns that being the favoured apprentice of a living legend is not conducive to gaining the respect she deserves. With little time left to change perceptions, simmering resentment persuades her that drastic action is required to redress the slights of her detractors. Measures that may jeopardise her induction into the Order, and endanger her life.

An overheard conversation presents Kayden with both the means and justification to pursue her objective. The key to attaining the respect she craves lies beyond the borders of the Nine Kingdoms. But the window of opportunity is small; the danger she must face, great; and the price of failure, greater still. Undeterred, she will allow nothing and no one to hinder her from the path she must walk.

The one-woman mission to a foreign land will test Kayden's abilities like never before. If she is to succeed in her dangerous manhunt, she must overcome enemies new and old before facing an adversary she maybe ill-equipped to defeat. And little does she suspect that her reckless endeavour will have unintended consequences, forcing the legendary Fay Annis to confront her infamous past.

But the trials and tribulations that lie ahead must surely be worth the risk, for only unprecedented action will permit the headstrong apprentice to step out of her master's shadow.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lucid Dream
• Release date: May 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9781999600921

Ian Gregoire

The reclusive Ian Gregoire is a taciturn introvert residing somewhere in London, where he was born and raised. Of all life’s diversions, reading and writing are the only ones he ever deemed worthwhile enough to be passionate about. This eventually led to his belated decision to pursue his true calling in life as a fantasy and science fiction author. His debut novel, The Exercise Of Vital Powers, is just the first of many books he intends to inflict upon an unsuspecting world. On the occasions he steps out of his reading and writing comfort zone, Ian has a fondness for computing, melancholy music, retro gaming, and Asian Cinema. Ian also loves peace and quiet, something that is in frustratingly short supply in his life.

Book preview

PART ONE

CHAPTER ONE

Midnight Incursion

Fay Annis opened the patio doors and stepped out of her living quarters into the night. Moments like this were unquestionably the most appreciated perk of her tenure as the administrator of Antaris campus: she had sole access and use of the roof garden on top of the administration building. It was always a welcome pleasure, at the end of a mundane working day, to stand beneath the stars and bask in the tranquillity of night falling across the world. She strolled languidly to the centre of the roof garden, halting beside a potted geranium. Tilting back her head, she closed her eyes, breathing deep as the mild autumn breeze caressed her olive skin while blowing strands of burgundy hair across her face. Finally, she let out a contented sigh and opened her eyes again as she lowered her head.

After a moment of quiet contemplation Fay turned to her left and casually walked towards the south-facing parapet. As she approached, she could see the campus clock tower in the distance, informing her of the imminent arrival of midnight and the associated curfew. Coming to a halt, she rested her hands upon the stone wall and stared out at the sprawling campus before her. As usual during the night, the grounds were lit by the muted pale blue glow of a network of hanging lanterns holding illumination orbs. The scene was the epitome of serenity; the only movement Fay spied below came courtesy of a pair of two-man roaming patrols marching on opposite sides of the campus, plus a seven-strong group of apprentices hurriedly returning to the men’s dormitory before curfew was upon them.

Fay allowed herself a subtle half-smile. The only thing missing from her late night beneath the stars was a hot drink, so she decided to brew herself some tea. Turning on her heels, she stepped away from the parapet only to stop suddenly after just a couple of steps. Her senses detected the use of Zarantar on the campus grounds below, prompting her to warily peek back over her shoulder. It was by no means an unusual occurrence, given there were literally hundreds of Zarantar wielders resident on campus, but Fay recognised the invocation of Raytandushay. She couldn’t ignore the fact that someone making themselves invisible to move around unseen while most people were indoors, sleeping or preparing for bed, was potentially cause for concern if such a person was an intruder with hostile intent.

Ensuring she masked her own use of Zarantar, Fay invoked Makfayshulat to levitate on top of the parapet, squatting down to stare at the scene below, intent on pinpointing the source of Zarantar she was feeling. It emanated from near the women’s dormitory, but was moving steadily away from the building, heading south. In an instant, Fay’s disquiet was alleviated. She was familiar with the Zarantar of the individual sneaking around below: it was none other than the level ten apprentice, Kayden Jayta.

What are you up to, Kayden? Fay muttered to herself, brow furrowed as her hooded black cloak fluttered gently in the breeze.

If Kayden was intending to abscond from campus—breaking curfew—as Fay suspected, she would probably have little difficulty evading the notice of the four Sanatsai sentries posted at the south entrance; the quartet would be focussed on detecting outsiders trying to enter the grounds, not a precocious apprentice sneaking out.

Fay calmly stood upright then casually stepped off the edge of the parapet, dropping from the top of the three-storey administration building. As she fell, she invoked Raytandushay and Makfayshulat to become invisible while simultaneously slowing down and controlling her descent. If anyone on the campus witnessed the feat, they wouldn’t believe what they saw. It was an action that shouldn’t be possible for any Sanatsai to pull off. The simultaneous invocation of a second application of Zarantar while invoking one of the high-level applications was generally believed to be an impossibility.

Landing gently on the ground outside the back entrance to the building, Fay relied upon her senses to follow in the wake of the likewise invisible apprentice at a discreet distance—bypassing the assembly hall, lecture buildings, storage buildings, the mess hall, the clock tower, the library, more lecture buildings and the communal hall. It looked increasingly like Kayden was going to leave Antaris campus, thereby breaking the curfew that was only a matter of minutes away. If that proved to be the case, Fay had no intention of stopping the apprentice. Instead, she was going to follow Kayden to find out where she went and what she did.

With the guarded southern entrance looming ahead, Kayden unexpectedly veered away, eastward, seemingly heading towards the stables. Fay was only slightly surprised by the young woman’s caution. While Kayden was certainly arrogant enough to attempt to walk out via the south entrance, right under the noses of the four Sanatsai on sentry duty, she was also aware of the subtle signs that could tip them off to her presence—despite her invisibility. What was surprising was the possibility of the apprentice breaking into the stables. The odds of Kayden successfully spiriting away a horse from campus grounds were so long it would not be worth the risk to attempt to do so.

However, sneaking away from campus on horseback was not Kayden’s intent. Fay sensed the apprentice bypassing the stables entirely, making it clear she would be going over or through the campus perimeter wall behind the building. Moments later her assumption was confirmed when she felt the invocation of Makfayshulat that allowed Kayden’s invisible form to levitate up and over the six feet high wall.

The clock tower began to chime, announcing the arrival of midnight. The auditory intrusion coincided with an abrupt end to Fay’s pursuit of her apprentice, but it wasn’t the cause of her sudden stop. Glancing to her left, she was disturbed by the Zarantar she could feel pooling at the opposite end of the campus.

The fourth chime from the clock tower was followed immediately by all the lighting across the northern quarter of the grounds being extinguished, plunging the administration building, staff residential buildings, the men’s and women’s dormitories, and the assembly hall into darkness. In an instant Fay was sprinting northward, all thoughts of Kayden breaking curfew gone. The lights going out was the result of malicious intent; she could feel the presence of twenty unknown Sanatsai invoking Raytandushay to infiltrate Antaris campus invisibly.

As the eighth chime sounded, Fay was alarmed by the lack of commotion up ahead. She was forced to consider the possibility that the four Sanatsai guarding the north entrance had been caught completely unawares, and were in all likelihood dead. Seeing one of the campus’ roaming patrols marching obliviously towards her, Fay ceased her invocation of Raytandushay, taking the Sanatsai pair by surprise when she became visible once more. Intruders! North entrance! she said, breezing past the man and woman who promptly gave chase.

Moments later, drawing ever closer to the darkened area of the campus, Fay’s senses were still honed on the twenty unidentified Sanatsai she could feel moving stealthily past the administration building that would be partially in her field of vision if the lights hadn’t gone out. She invoked Kiraydan, unleashing a lightning flash orb that zipped up and away into the night sky where it silently detonated, lighting up the campus below like a lightning strike. It would do nothing to make the infiltrators visible, let alone stop them, but it should let them know their presence had been detected. With any luck it would also cause them to panic—at least long enough for Fay to intercept them before they could do whatever it was they were planning to do.

Fortunately, the intervention seemed to have the desired effect; Fay sensed the group come to a standstill. In response she invoked Sinjaydan, releasing half a dozen illumination orbs into the air, their unusually intense pale blue glow chasing away the darkness. Her prompt action didn’t delay the intruders for long. Almost immediately she felt them resume their stealthy path, taking them further beyond the administration building towards the women’s dormitory on the western side of the grounds, just as she rounded the corner of the assembly hall, bringing the administration building into full view.

Fay came to a sharp halt, forcing her two Sanatsai subordinates following close on her heels to do likewise. Hold position, here! she ordered them, without looking back. Wasting no time, she thrust out a hand, invoking Yuksaydan to instantly render the twenty-strong group visible. Again, the intruders halted in their tracks, this time turning to catch sight of her as she began marching aggressively towards them. It was impossible to miss the perturbed expressions on each of their faces; they clearly couldn’t believe that the ‘unseen hand’ of a single individual was strong enough to simultaneously neutralise the invocations of Raytandushay by twenty people.

The discomfort of the all-male group, uniformly attired in well-worn, dark brown leather fatigues, was short lived. The expressions on their faces shifted once again: they looked resolutely determined to proceed with their objective. That they had been discovered simply meant they would have to shed blood to accomplish it, and to Fay they certainly looked like a capable outfit. As she advanced towards them, she saw twenty seasoned warriors, ranging in age from late-twenties to early-forties, all armed with swords at their backs and daggers at their hips. The experience showing on their grim faces told a tale of a combat-ready collective, well drilled, and accustomed to putting their lives on the line. It was an impression they wasted little time confirming. In unison they invoked Balatlaydan, unleashing a heavy barrage of incendiary orbs at the singular assailant closing in on them.

Sensing the attack before it was initiated, Fay invoked Yuksaydan to divert the orbs straight up into the night sky where they detonated harmlessly. Instantly she regretted her error of judgement. It was unwise to make it so apparent that she was at pains to prevent any structural damage occurring to the campus on account of the late night raid. If the group subsequently scattered in all directions, they could cause a considerable amount of destruction before being apprehended; she couldn’t be in twenty different places at once.

To Fay’s relief the intruders held their ground to unleash a second volley of incendiary orbs as she continued to stalk towards them. This time her invocation of Yuksaydan neutralised the five dozen orbs, causing them to blink out of existence before they’d even traversed a quarter of the distance towards her.

Obviously drawn by the sounds of hostilities being initiated, three of the four Sanatsai sentries from the north entrance came into view from around the far end of the administration building, preventing any possible retreat in that direction. Maybe the intruders hadn’t entered campus grounds via the north entrance after all, Fay suddenly realised. For the briefest of moments she also thought the group were about to forgo further confrontation by dashing onwards along the western side of campus grounds, forcing her to give chase. But the arrival of the four Sanatsai sentries from the south entrance, plus the other two-man roaming patrol blocked their path.

Whatever you were hoping to accomplish, Fay called out, it’s over! She slowed to a halt, staring pointedly at the twenty intruders. You cannot defeat us! Surrender now! You will not be harmed! Her tone was calculated to ensure swift compliance of her demand.

The group had little room for manoeuvre. It would be foolish of them not to submit. They couldn’t advance further through the campus without a fight, and their window of opportunity for retreating the way they had come was quickly beginning to close: two of Fay’s most trusted Sanatsai colleagues—Solen Basanta and Darrian Lanza—had just emerged from the rear entrance to the administration building, along with her Jaymidari counterpart, Sister Elsa Renzi. If the intruders attempted to flee, they’d be hard-pressed to get very far.

Worryingly, the twenty men look unconcerned that their infiltration of Antaris campus was quickly unravelling. If anything, the difficulty they were now faced with seemed to stiffen their collective resolve. Something unsaid passed between them, and promptly they all drew their swords.

Fay began reaching back over her shoulder to draw her own weapon before remembering she was unarmed. Unruffled, she heard the sound of swords being unsheathed behind her, reminding her that she had subordinates on the scene. She gestured for them to advance towards the intransigent group, and likewise signalled for the Sanatsai quartet from the south entrance, and the trio from the north to move in also.

Take them alive… if you can.

Much to Fay’s surprise, each of the armed intruders slowly laid down their swords at their feet before taking a couple of paces back, hands raised in the air. It appeared they were surrendering without a fight… a little too easily. But she ignored her suspicion. She was more than happy for the situation to be resolved without bloodshed.

On your knees! Hands on your heads! she instructed the detainees. They willingly obeyed, and eleven Sanatsai closed in to apprehend them. Don’t take any chances with them, she advised. If anyone makes a sudden move, or does anything you don’t like… You are authorised to kill.

Glancing towards the administration building, Fay beckoned her three cohorts gathered outside. Both Solen and Darrian promptly marched towards her, leaving Elsa trailing slowly in their wake, warily eyeing the twenty kneeling men being stood over by the campus sentries. Observing the trepidation on the middle-aged Sister’s face, Fay couldn’t help but worry that Elsa had grounds to be perturbed. She wasn’t at all certain that the situation had yet been resolved—their uninvited guests gave up far too readily for her liking.

Her two male counterparts halted before her, standing to attention, and Fay wasted no time in issuing orders. Solen. Darrian. I don’t know if this incident is over yet. I need one of you to check the north entrance and find out why one of the sentries is missing. The other I want covering the south entrance, which is currently unguarded. Grab whoever you can to assist you. She spoke more quickly than either of her colleagues was accustomed to hearing. Once Isko gets here I’ll have him take charge of increasing security in and around the campus.

Who would launch an attack against—

Move! barked Fay, unceremoniously cutting Darrian off mid-sentence. The pair reacted instantly, both heading towards the north entrance then coming to an abrupt halt. Each stared at the other, seemingly trying to decide who should go north and who should go south. Solen, north; Darrian, south. Go!

The two men departed swiftly, running towards their respective destinations, leaving Fay alone with Elsa. The concerned looking Sister, attired in the cream and beige garb that marked her as a Jaymidari of the Sisterhood of the Covens, was staring at Fay expectantly. Fay had neither the time nor the inclination to offer words of reassurance. She quickly looked away to see several dishevelled campus instructors emerging from the staff residential buildings. But there was no sign of Isko. Where was he?

She returned her focus to Elsa.

Fay, what is going on? asked Elsa in a troubled undertone.

Keeping her own voice low, Fay replied, "That’s what I intend to find out, just as soon as you can rouse a couple of your Sisters to assist you in binding the Zarantar of our prisoners. They’re all Sanatsai, but not from the Order. She glanced quickly in the direction of the twenty. They look like foreigners, she said, then looked back at Elsa. And they’re wearing the uniform of an Anzarmenian military brigade."

Elsa looked confused as she replied, What in the world are Anzarmenian soldiers doing here in Mirtana? And why would they attack the campus?

Questions I’ll be putting to them once they’ve been fully subdued.

I will wake up Alina and Daria immediately, offered Elsa, then we’ll have that taken care of right away. The Jaymidari appeared to shudder involuntarily as she, too, glanced quickly at the detainees. I don’t think I like the way the gruff looking one at the end is staring over here. She shuffled away towards the residential building for female staff, giving the prisoners a wide berth as she bypassed them.

Fay watched Elsa depart as a few more bewildered looking instructors began to approach the scene. She turned her attention towards the individual who seemed to have disquieted the Sister, and instinctively she knew him to be the man who had led the raid. As her eyes locked on his she understood Elsa’s unease about him. In ninety-eight years of life she had only seen that look on a handful of occasions. It was the look of a fanatic. There was a time long ago when she could observe that very same look in her own eyes when she saw her reflection in a mirror. Whoever this man was, Fay had no doubt he was a devoted follower, and someone still fully committed to his cause. He and his men hadn’t truly surrendered. Whatever was going on, it wasn’t over yet.

The campus came under attack?

Tearing her gaze from the presumed leader of the intruders, Fay saw her dishevelled colleague Isko Nardini approaching. He was still adjusting his black and three shades of grey uniform when he stopped beside her, indicating that he’d already turned in for the night and had been forced to get dressed again.

So it seems, she replied soberly.

I’m sorry, Fay. There was an obvious hint of shame in the veteran Sanatsai’s contrite words. I can’t believe I slept through an attack on the campus.

Your apology is unwarranted. What I need from you is your cool head to take charge of securing the grounds, replied Fay, getting straight down to business. I cannot say with any certainty that this attack is over. She was now speaking in her customary matter-of-fact fashion again. Having Isko at her side made it easier to compose herself. Of all the campus staff serving under her, there was none she could rely upon more in a crisis.

Isko was a veteran of the Leshek campaign, which had brought about a swift and decisive end to the occupation of the island territory following the surprise invasion by Sirathania to annex Leshek from the dominion of the Kingdom of Darmitana. She had served alongside him as part of the five-thousand-strong deployment despatched to the island by the Order, getting to know him well during the campaign. She knew him to be a man of calm temperament, who kept a cool head under pressure. He was exactly what she needed right now.

How many men do we have stationed beneath Antaris? she continued. There weren’t nearly enough Sanatsai on campus grounds for her liking. She had less than a dozen people standing guard over the twenty hostile detainees, and until they all had their Zarantar bound they remained a threat.

Three hundred, replied Isko.

I want a hundred up here immediately, patrolling the outskirts of the campus until sunrise; I’m not taking any chances. Isko nodded, so she continued. "And I want a further fifty on campus grounds—a dozen at the south entrance, a dozen at the north entrance. The rest are to help stand guard over the intruders until Elsa returns with her Sisters to bind their Zarantar. Once that is done, those men are to form two-man roving patrols within the campus."

As you wish, said Isko. "But what’s preventing you from binding the Zarantar of the prisoners? I’ve witnessed you do it single-handedly, whereas it takes three Jaymidari in unison to accomplish the same."

I can only bind one individual at a time, and the level of concentration required might prevent me from reacting if the other nineteen tried something.

Accepting the explanation without question, Isko marched away towards the administration building in compliance with Fay’s order. Standing alone once more, she glared at the twenty kneeling detainees. It would take at least ten minutes for the Sanatsai stationed beneath the campus to make it above ground—more than enough time for something to go wrong. Maybe that was why she couldn’t shake the feeling the worst was yet to come.

From where she stood—two dozen yards from the captives—Fay could still see the defiance in the leader’s eyes. What are you waiting for? she wondered. A disturbance in front of the men’s dormitory building diverted her attention from the prisoners. Turning her back on them, she saw a small group of pyjama-wearing apprentices congregating outside the entrance. Some of them began walking tentatively towards the scene, while the others loitered.

Apprentices! she yelled, advancing a couple of quick paces towards them. "Return to your dorm rooms… now! She spied several curious faces peering from all the windows of the building. Stand clear of the windows! All of you!"

As soon as the apprentices began to comply with her order, Fay returned her attention to the detainees, just in time to catch the meaningful look on the face of the group leader, passed down the line of kneeling men. She couldn’t say for certain what was exchanged between them but she knew something was about to—

It happened so quickly.

The lead intruder lowered his hands from his head down to his sides, causing a small, blood-red globe to fall from his sleeve into his hand. Fay recognised the object immediately, but she had no time to respond to her alarm. In an instant, the remaining nineteen interlopers lurched this way and that to wrestle the Sanatsai guards standing over them to the ground, while their leader rose to his feet initiating a determined dash towards the women’s dormitory building. She took a step forward, intending to stop him in his tracks, but was prevented from acting when she felt the Zarantar of all his accomplices. Her alarm spiked further still with the realisation of what it meant.

Time seemed to slow down as Fay’s attention was drawn back to the nineteen men. Eleven of them were struggling on the ground with their adversaries from the Order, while the remaining eight were now rushing headlong towards her. No! she yelled. Suddenly, the nineteen men were no longer just flesh and blood people. They were all screaming, fiery humanoid forms.

Fay instinctively invoked Inkansaylar, and instantly a translucent barrier sphere reminiscent of a large soapy bubble formed around the onrushing suicide attackers closing in on her. Her timely reaction successfully contained the detonation that spewed smouldering blood and viscera within its confines, but there was nothing she could do to avert the other, almost simultaneous detonations that instantly ended the lives of the remaining aggressors and eleven of her subordinates. She was blown off her feet by the blasts, and sent hurtling several yards through the air before colliding heavily against the wall of the nearby assembly hall.

Badly winded, and more than a little dazed after landing in a crumpled heap on the ground, Fay recovered her wits quickly enough to remember the attack wasn’t over yet. There was still one last individual who needed to be stopped, and someone’s life depended on it. From her prone position she glanced towards the women’s dormitory; the sole surviving attacker was fast approaching the entrance to the building. She opened her mouth to shout, Stop him! but though her lips moved, no sound issued forth.

It was a blessed relief when she sensed Zarantar Jist, the art of the Jaymidari, nearby. In that moment, the running man was caught within an inertia field that left him moving in exaggerated slow motion. Fay grimaced as she gingerly sat upright to see Sister Elsa returning to the scene with a hand outstretched in front of her. Thank goodness for Elsa; her timely intervention had rescued the situation. There was no longer any danger from the last of the intruders. Even if he succeeded in neutralising Elsa’s invocation he would never reach his intended target—Fay would see to that.

Rising slowly to her feet, she invoked her unique, hitherto nameless healing ability. Once she was standing upright her heart was still beating rapidly, but she was fully recovered from the effects of the multiple blasts that could have killed her. Without a second thought, she promptly stalked towards the fanatical assailant caught within Elsa’s inertia field—barely restrained anger simmering inside her.

As she drew nearer, Solen sprinted into view from around the administration building, having returned from guarding the north entrance—no doubt drawn back to the chaotic scene because of the escalation of hostilities. Fay sensed the imminent attack directed at the man who led the raid, but she wouldn’t allow Solen’s invocation of Balatlaydan to end his life. He was the only person left who could provide answers as to who ordered the attack and, more importantly, why. In response to the unleashing of three incendiary orbs, she invoked Yuksaydan to instantly neutralise the flaming bringers of death and destruction.

Stand down! she yelled. I need him alive!

Solen willingly complied.

Continuing her own march towards the constrained intruder, Fay invoked Turmiraydan, letting loose a concussion orb to render her target unconscious; she had no intention of allowing her soon-to-be captive the opportunity to end his own life before she could question him. The luminous pale green orb flew through the air before slowing, almost to a standstill, the moment it entered the inertia field surrounding the assailant. Fay intensified her invocation, causing the orb to resume its swift momentum into the back of the attacker’s head. He would now fall to the ground, knocked out, as soon as the inertia field was neutralised.

She halted a few yards short of the inertia field but decided not to wait for Elsa to bring it down. Instead, Fay waved a hand, invoking Yuksaydan to neutralise the impediment. With the inertia field gone the forward momentum of the now unconscious running man caused the body to stumble a few paces closer to the women’s dormitory, falling to the ground just yards from the entrance. The blood-red ball he was carrying slipped from his grasp and rolled away. It began to glow intensely as it rose up from the ground, charting a swift course through the air towards the dormitory.

Immediately, Fay invoked Inkansaylar, creating an impenetrable barrier sphere to contain both the fallen detainee and the deadly weapon he had brought with him. The glowing globe repeatedly struck the inside of the translucent bubble constraining its flight—much like a demented fly unable to pass through a closed window. Now there was work to do before Fay could get down to the business of interrogating the man who had led the attack.

Elsa arrived at Fay’s side moments later, while Solen halted in front of her, standing to attention. Why did you leave the north entrance? Fay quizzed Solen, knowing that the men she’d ordered Isko to place on security detail had not yet arrived to fill their positions.

When I heard the multiple detonations I had to come back, he said. But don’t worry, the entrance isn’t completely unguarded, Kai Garonidas is there, and he’s currently detaining a civilian who claims to have unwillingly brought the attackers here. There was no time to verify the claim. Frowning at her, Solen added, Are you worried about further attacks?

Not for the moment. But as Fay looked over Solen’s shoulder at all the faces peering through the windows of the two-storey women’s dormitory behind him, she couldn’t rule it out entirely. For now, since you are here, I have another task for you. Solen looked at her expectantly. Make your way to the communal hall right now and unlock the doors. I’m going to evacuate the women’s dormitory and have the apprentices gather there for a little while.

Why are you evacuating the women’s dormitory?

She cocked her head slightly and fixed her penetrating gaze on Solen, making it abundantly clear she wished for her instruction to be carried out at once, not be questioned.

Solen hurried away in compliance.

Return here when it’s done! she called out after him.

Once he disappeared from view, Fay turned her attention back to the barrier sphere imprisoning the unconscious attacker. She was unconcerned that anyone witnessing her glowering countenance might ascertain the difficulty she was having in suppressing the burning anger within. This is all my fault, she thought bitterly to herself. I should have just killed them all the moment they attacked; now several people are dead because of my mistake. Feeling the weight of Elsa’s gaze upon her, she glanced sideways at her Jaymidari counterpart. What is it, Sister? she inquired, noticing the curious look on the woman’s face.

Nothing! exclaimed Elsa. "For a moment I was wondering how you were able to make your concussion orb move at normal speed within the inertia field. But then I remembered… you are you. She glanced at the nearby barrier sphere. So, what are you waiting for now if you intend to evacuate the apprentices?"

Without replying, Fay turned around to see who was among the handful of campus instructors gathered at the scene; she required a female colleague next. Just the person, she thought as she caught sight of her middle-aged counterpart Briselda Lorenti. The no-nonsense Sanatsai was tucking her shoulder-length, dark hair behind her ears, and the habitual expression of irritation she so frequently wore was etched upon her tanned face. It was possible she was annoyed that the attack had dragged her out of bed, but where Briselda was concerned the source of her irritation could never be stated with any degree of certainty—there was always something or other aggravating the woman.

Briselda! I need you, said Fay, beckoning her fellow Sanatsai with a raised hand. The other woman promptly marched towards her.

How may I be of assistance, Danai Annis?

Fay sighed. For a start, you can try to remember that as campus staff we are not required to address each other by our rank. How many times do I have to tell you that? And secondly, I want you to organise the immediate evacuation of the women’s dormitory. Have the apprentices gather together in the communal hall for the next half hour or so.

Very well… Briselda’s hesitation betrayed her uncertainty, though there was no change in her expression. But what reason do you want me to give? If I don’t tell the apprentices something, the whiny bitches… I mean, the young dears will complain, then it will take that much longer to get them to leave the building.

By now, they are all fully aware of the attack on the campus. Tell them there may be an injured intruder hiding in the dormitory, and we need them out of there so we can begin a thorough search.

Looking pensive, Briselda narrowed her eyes at Fay. There’s one more attacker unaccounted for? It was hard to gauge whether it was alarm in her voice or something else.

There is no intruder in the dormitory, Briselda, Fay confessed in her matter-of-fact fashion. I just want the apprentices out of there right away; they don’t need to know why. As far as Fay was concerned there was nothing to be gained by causing senseless panic by revealing the truth: all signs indicated that one of the young women residing in the building had just been targeted for assassination.

Briselda promptly departed, signalling two female colleagues to follow her to the women’s dormitory. Fay returned her focus to the captive inside her barrier sphere.

Having been silent until now, Sister Elsa took the opportunity to address Fay’s obvious concern about the last remaining intruder. You’re worried about something, Fay, she noted. If it’s not further attacks, what is it?

Fay pointed a finger at the barrier sphere remaining in place between them and the entrance to the women’s dormitory—more specifically, at the flying blood-red ball still furiously trying to escape its confinement.

A big red, glowing… gemstone?

The uncertainty in the Sister’s voice informed Fay that her Jaymidari colleague had no idea what they were looking at. She glanced sideways at the woman, giving her an inquisitive stare. You don’t know what that is? Her own surprise was just as evident as Elsa’s uncertainty.

Apparently not!

Returning her gaze to the barrier sphere, Fay offered Elsa the benefit of an explanation. It’s a reaper stone, she said. A weapon created by a powerful Saharbashi to eliminate a rival whom he considers to be a threat to his ambitions, or even his life, without the risk of a direct confrontation. She peered at Elsa once again. The real mystery here is how and why the twenty men who attacked us came to be in possession of it. Each of them is—or was—a Sanatsai, albeit foreign, judging from their features and clothing.

Surely you’re not implying we have a Saharbashi here at Antaris? The incredulity in Elsa’s tone was also present on her face. It’s inconceivable that one of them would be stupid enough to attempt to hide in plain sight among us

If not for the seriousness of the situation Fay would have laughed at the idea of a Saharbashi residing on campus. Both the Order, and the Sisterhood were mortal enemies to those who chose the path of the Saharbashi. Throughout the Nine Kingdoms the practice of Zarantar Najist—the ‘impure arts’ as the Sisterhood called it—was forbidden, and carried the death penalty. Standing orders from the ruling body of the Order mandated the killing on sight of each and every Saharbashi found to be living anywhere in the Nine Kingdoms. No trial, no appeals for clemency, no pardon… just a swift death.

You are correct, Sister, agreed Fay, there are no Saharbashi here at Antaris. She paused for a moment, shifting her gaze to the two-storey dormitory ahead. "But… someone, somewhere felt sufficiently threatened by somebody in that building to task twenty men with hand-delivering a reaper stone. Once the dormitory has been evacuated I’m going to find out who."

She ambled forward, entering the barrier sphere as though it wasn’t there, prompting awed gasps from many of the campus staff members gathered at the scene. The reaction was a reminder—since Fay occasionally forgot—that she was capable of feats that almost no other Sanatsai was able to emulate, and she had just demonstrated such an ability by defying an accepted truth. The invocation of Inkansaylar created barriers that were impenetrable; nothing could breach them. By default, only light, sound and air could pass through the Zarantar-induced translucent bubble, though it was possible to block these things as well. By walking through the barrier sphere confining the last surviving intruder, Fay had done something that should have been impossible. Not even the invocation of Naymutandushay, making the body intangible, would be enough to allow someone to pass through a barrier sphere.

With hand outstretched, Fay casually invoked Yuksaydan and instantly the ‘unseen hand’ seized hold of the blood-red reaper stone, sending it floating swiftly into her waiting grasp. She turned around to face Elsa, still standing outside the barrier sphere.

I assume that little thing is considerably more dangerous than it looks, said Elsa, pointing at the red ball in Fay’s hand, and that’s why you’ve contained it within a barrier sphere.

Actually, she began, it’s completely harmless… to everyone but the person it’s been created to kill. Her brow furrowed as she glimpsed down at the ball in her hand. It’s very odd that someone felt it necessary to task twenty people to deliver it. She looked back up at Elsa. Stranger still that having been guided here by the reaper stone they would risk entering campus grounds. They could have simply released it from outside the grounds, or even several miles away—it would have sought out and killed its target just the same. Fay fell silent, peering back over her shoulder to catch sight of the first of the female apprentices being ushered out of the women’s dormitory. They wore night clothing, casting concerned glances at the scene of the attack as they proceeded south towards the communal hall. She muttered, more to herself than to Elsa, Whoever’s behind this really wanted the intended target dead, and wasn’t leaving anything to chance.

She tore her eyes away from the dormitory entrance to look back down at the reaper stone in her hand. It hadn’t reacted at all to the nearby presence of any of the apprentices leaving the building, though it was close enough to be in range. The deadly manifestation of Zarantar Najist only had to come within approximately a dozen yards of its target to become fully active, bringing an unpleasant demise to the unfortunate victim. But as long as it remained inside the barrier sphere with her, Fay wouldn’t allow it to fulfil its function.

Outside the translucent, impenetrable bubble, Fay finally observed the first of the Sanatsai reinforcements she had requested. The uniformed men and women were pouring out of the campus armoury where, unbeknown to the apprentices, there was a secret passageway leading down to the vast cavern beneath that housed not only several hundred Sanatsai but also the portal connecting Antaris to scores of other locations throughout the Nine Kingdoms, and further afield.

The decision to drastically increase security in and around the campus wouldn’t expose the existence of the cavern beneath Antaris, but it was a given that the apprentices would wonder how so many Sanatsai from the Order managed to arrive so quickly in the wake of the attack. Nonetheless, it couldn’t be helped. Fay had no way of knowing with absolute certainty whether the danger had passed yet; she had no choice but to take every precaution.

She watched as most of the cohort jogged briskly towards the north entrance where a dozen of them would take up sentry duty, while the rest would establish perimeter patrols. The same thing would be occurring at the southern end of the campus. As for the small number of Sanatsai who weren’t advancing towards the entrance, they would remain within the campus to initiate two-man roaming patrols.

Moments later, the reappearance of Solen Basanta, who she had sent to open the doors of the communal hall, informed Fay that this was now done. Solen had jogged into view to stand to attention beside Elsa, and was now looking a little confused by Fay’s confinement inside her barrier sphere with the still unconscious captive. In response to his raised eyebrows, she said to him, Tonight’s attack was targeted at a specific individual inside the women’s dormitory. Once the building has been fully evacuated I’ll be able to identify who that is. Shifting her gaze to Elsa, she continued, "While I’m inside, you will take care of binding the Zarantar of our uninvited guest before he regains consciousness, and…"

Elsa was nodding her head in agreement when Fay trailed off; the sight of Darrian returning to the scene after his brief stint guarding the south entrance being the cause.

Darrian! Good, you’re back, noted Fay. "As I was just explaining, tonight’s attack appears to have been an assassination attempt targeting one of the apprentices. Once Elsa, Daria and Alina have bound his Zarantar, Solen will take charge of securing the prisoner below ground. Turning her attention to Solen, she said, I want him kept in solitary confinement in a holding room where he is to be restrained at all times. I don’t want him attempting to take his own life before I’ve had a chance to interrogate him. I have questions that require answers. Until then, no one is to speak to him."

Briselda emerged from the dormitory, trailing in the wake of the last of the female apprentices. She called out to Fay, announcing that the building was now empty, then escorted her charges towards the communal hall with her two Sanatsai colleagues. The reaper stone hadn’t reacted at all to the presence of any of the apprentices who vacated the dormitory, yet Fay could feel it continuing to try to pull free from her grasp, determined to reach the entrance to the building. The obvious conclusion to be drawn from the observation was that the target was still somewhere inside. She was at a loss to say who that someone was, but she was eager to go inside to solve the mystery as quickly as possible.

When Isko gets here, she said, addressing Darrian, the two of you will accompany me inside the dormitory. To her Jaymidari counterpart, she added, "Sister Elsa, as soon as the prisoner’s Zarantar is bound I will need you to go to my office and send a message to Temis Rulan. The Council has to be informed of this attack, and I recommend that they get in touch with the other eight campuses. Although I have no reason to believe that the threat extends beyond Antaris, it would be prudent for the other administrators to increase security in and around their campuses."

With a nod, Elsa acknowledged the instruction.

Before she could speak again, Fay caught sight of Isko marching hurriedly back to the scene. She waited for him to arrive and join the others standing outside her barrier sphere.

Your security arrangements have been implemented, he said, standing to attention. Anyone attempting to enter Antaris without permission won’t succeed. You should also know we have detained someone at the north entrance—a civilian with a horse-drawn cart who claims he unwittingly assisted the intruders. I took the liberty of raiding his memories to confirm his account, but he wasn’t being entirely truthful. He accepted payment to ride here and ask for directions, thereby distracting the sentries, but he wasn’t lying about having no knowledge of the raid. While I’m satisfied he isn’t part of the group, I haven’t released him yet as I thought you might want to question him yourself.

Finally, Fay ceased her invocation of Inkansaylar, bringing down her barrier sphere. "Thank you, Isko. Now, I’d like for you and Darrian to accompany me inside the dormitory. I have reason to believe that our friend here,—she looked down at the unconscious Sanatsai intruder—was sent here to kill someone."

She now harboured some doubts about the assertion, but wasn’t yet ready to give voice to them. Certainly, the reaper stone had failed to react to the presence of any of the young women who had just vacated the building, but it was still homing in on a target inside the dormitory. Regardless of that, there still remained the possibility she was simply mistaken about the motive for the attack. She found it hard enough to countenance the idea that any Saharbashi would feel threatened by an apprentice of the Order, and the sending of twenty fully-fledged Sanatsai to ensure a successful kill was even harder to believe.

Solen, while we’re inside, continued Fay, addressing the campus armourer, could you delegate the recovery of the remains of our fallen comrades. Her Sanatsai colleague glanced at the carnage. He grimaced, then replied affirmatively. Fay added, soberly, First thing in the morning I want them repatriated to Temis Rulan for burial.

Turning quickly on her heels, Fay advanced towards the entrance to the women’s dormitory, while Isko and Darrian both fell into step behind her. For each step taking her closer to the building, Fay could feel the increasing strength of the reaper stone’s intent to pull free of her grasp as it homed in on its target. She initially took it for confirmation that whoever the blood-red globe had been invoked to kill was still somewhere inside, but as she crossed the threshold into the dormitory, casting out her senses to pinpoint the location of that person, Fay felt nothing. The building was completely empty.

She briefly halted in her tracks. Stay alert, she intoned without looking back at her two colleagues. The dormitory is empty, but the weapon the intruders brought with them indicates otherwise. She could feel the pull of the reaper stone growing ever stronger, as if sensing the proximity of its prey.

Allowing the small, glowing ball to guide her steps, Fay resumed her cautious advance further into the building, eager to get to the bottom of the mystery. It wasn’t long before she and her subordinates were walking through the central corridor on the top floor of the building. The glow emitted by the reaper stone had intensified, and Fay found herself needing to tighten her grip as it tried to escape her grasp. Evidently, its intended victim was close at hand, in spite of her certainty that no one was in the building. But if she was wrong, and someone was lurking in the dormitory, no harm would come to that person. She wouldn’t allow the reaper stone to fulfil its deadly function; it would be neutralised the moment such action became necessary.

Fay halted in the open doorway of the dorm room used by the seven young women who had progressed to level ten apprentice status. She was suddenly aware of something nagging away at her subconscious, but was unable to apply the requisite concentration needed to allow whatever it was to coalesce into a coherent thought—thanks to the blood-red sphere in her hand frenziedly trying to flee from her tight grip. As she cast her gaze throughout the empty room, she was at a loss to explain the excited state of the reaper stone. If there was a wielder of Zarantar present, invoking Raytandushay to remain invisible, she would know about it. Such a scenario could not escape her senses, and in the highly unlikely event there was someone on campus, other than herself, who had mastered the ability to mask their use of Zarantar from the senses of others, then it wouldn’t be possible for a reaper stone to home in on that person’s presence.

Over her right shoulder, Isko inquired, Is there something we should know? His stilted undertone betrayed his concern.

Maybe, she replied. Let us see! She relinquished her grip on the reaper stone, and instantly the glowing red sphere flew out of her hand. It moved rapidly through the air then came to an abrupt halt, hovering above one of the ten beds in the room. The bed clearly hadn’t been slept in, but a depression at the edge of the mattress, coupled with the wrinkling of the bedsheets, indicated that someone had been perched there not long ago. The observation caused Fay to realise that only six of the beds had been fully occupied when she gave the order for the dormitory to be evacuated.

With the fiercely glowing blood-red ball now circling haphazardly over the bed, it suddenly all made sense to Fay as she advanced into the dorm room towards the bed. Though the ten minutes of chaos outside hadn’t caused the absconding Kayden to completely slip her mind, it had made her lose sight of the fact that no other apprentice at Antaris could feasibly be the target of the assassination attempt.

What is that thing doing? asked Darrian, trailing behind her. There’s no one in the bed.

Not right now. Fay stopped at the foot of the bed. And given that the usual occupant of the bed isn’t here, it will take a few moments before the reaper stone is able to acquire the current whereabouts of its target.

Before Darrian could offer any response to her explanation, Isko interjected. Are you implying that whoever sleeps in this bed was the target of tonight’s attack? He looked and sounded dubious. Why would anyone go to so much trouble to assassinate a mere apprentice—a female one at that.

I’m not implying it, I’m telling you categorically that this is the case. She invoked Yuksaydan to seize hold of the reaper stone once more—it offered little resistance as it was pulled swiftly into her waiting grasp. Turning to face Isko, she gave her trusted colleague a pointed look. And is there some reason why a Saharbashi should not fear a gifted female apprentice?

Isko winced under the weight of her glare. I didn’t mean to suggest that one of the male apprentices would represent a greater threat, he said apologetically. But if you are correct, we had better identify the young lady who sleeps in this bed.

Unnecessary. Fay already knew it was Kayden’s bed. She also understood why a Saharbashi would have cause to fear this ‘mere apprentice’. What was beyond her comprehension was how Kayden managed to come to the attention of whomever was responsible for ordering the raid on the campus. This is Kayden Jayta’s bed.

Kayden? exclaimed Darrian at Fay’s side. I guess I’d better go to the communal hall and grab her, at once. We need to find out what in the world she’s been up to to get on the wrong side of a Saharbashi, and why we now have over two dozen dead bodies littering the grounds outside.

Fay grabbed Darrian by the arm. Don’t waste your time, Darrian, she said. You won’t find Kayden, she isn’t here any more.

What do you mean she isn’t here?

Kayden has broken curfew, she replied, releasing her hold on his arm.

Once again, Isko interrupted before Darrian could respond—this time to ask an obvious question. If Kayden isn’t on campus grounds, why did that… reaper stone seek her out in here?

Fay glanced down at the blood-red globe in her hand, and intoned, "Kayden’s Zarantar is unusually strong. She looked back up at Isko. Consequently, her… presence will linger in a place for a little while after she has departed. The reaper stone was drawn to this room because this is where Kayden was a short while ago, waiting for the right moment to slip away. Unfortunately for the attackers, the fact that Kayden sleeps in this bed means her lingering presence will be stronger and persist longer here. That probably explains why the reaper stone didn’t discern her absconding from campus just as the raid was beginning; for the moment it’s still detecting her presence in the room."

Observing the disquiet on Darrian’s face, prompted by the revelation about when Kayden had left the grounds, Fay knew exactly what he was thinking. But it was Isko who gave voice to the thought.

The timing would suggest that Kayden had foreknowledge of the attack. Maybe she was involved in planning the raid.

Don’t be silly, retorted Fay, though she accepted how the coincidental timing looked highly suspicious. Like I said, Kayden was the intended target of the attack. If she hadn’t broken curfew she would have been in danger here; she might still be in danger for all I know. Fay cast out her senses, extending her reach beyond Antaris campus via a ley line to pinpoint Kayden’s current whereabouts. She quickly detected the apprentice approaching the nearby town of Timaris. I will head to Timaris immediately to bring her back. Turning on her heels, she marched for the exit. Follow me!

Both Darrian and Isko promptly fell into step behind her, following her out of the dorm room.

Isko, I’m leaving you in charge of affairs here on campus until I return, she said, strolling towards the stairwell at the end of the corridor. The apprentices can return to their dorms now, and I want you to arrange for twenty men to head out to Timaris after me. They are to be out of uniform and remain out of sight on the northern outskirts of the town until I approach them with further instructions.

Out of uniform? queried Isko.

Fay was unsurprised by the concern she heard in her colleague’s query; she had just given him an order to break the law. Throughout the Nine Kingdoms it was illegal for any Sanatsai to be out of uniform when in public—wielders of Zarantar should be recognisable on sight, at all times.

You heard me correctly.

There was a brief silence, and Fay didn’t need to peer behind her to know that her two male counterparts were exchanging glances. It was Darrian who eventually broke the silence. You seem so certain that Kayden has gone to Timaris, he said. And wanting twenty men to head out there after you suggests you are expecting trouble to follow her.

It’s just a precaution, she insisted. It’s unlikely there’ll be any further attempts on Kayden’s life tonight… but I can’t rule it out entirely. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble in an effort to eliminate her apprentice. The men tasked with ensuring that it was done were prepared to sacrifice themselves in order to accomplish it. Until Fay knew who that someone was she would be prioritising Kayden’s protection over everything else.

A short while later the Sanatsai trio exited the dormitory and halted outside the entrance. Taking in the sight of the ongoing clean up of the scene of the bloody attack, Fay realised an explanation would have to be provided to the apprentices. First thing in the morning she would have them summoned to the assembly hall where they would be provided with a story close enough to the truth. Confidence had no doubt been shaken given the number of deaths, but she would use her simmering anger at the night’s events to restore the sense of security and invulnerability.

While Isko departed to assign twenty men to go to Timaris, Fay instructed Darrian to head to the communal hall to inform Briselda that the apprentices may return to the dormitory. Before he set off, she let go of her hold on the newly agitated reaper stone. It flew swiftly out of her hand, making ready to resume its search and destroy mission. She instantly invoked Yuksaydan to neutralise it permanently, causing it to erupt and splatter to the ground in a small puddle of blood.

It’s made of blood? said Darrian.

Of course!

Darrian departed without another word, leaving her alone outside the women’s dormitory. She peered upwards at the black canopy overhead; it was time to drift her way across the night sky to Timaris. Not only did she want to ensure the safety of her apprentice, she needed to know what exactly Kayden was getting up to. Remembering the stealthy manner in which the young woman had left the grounds, Fay couldn’t shake the sneaking suspicion that Kayden’s breaking of curfew was by no means a one-off occurrence.

She invoked Makfayshulat to levitate into the air.

CHAPTER TWO

The Perks Of Being Miss Jayta

Kayden was annoyed to be arriving in Timaris later than she would have liked, and all because one of her stupid roommates had taken so long to put out her damn light and go to sleep. It had needlessly delayed her stealthy departure from the dormitory. And though she could have run from Antaris to reach her destination a little earlier, she didn’t want to arrive sweating like a pig. In future, she might have to give serious consideration to breaking curfew by coming to Timaris immediately after the final class of the day, and simply remaining outside campus past curfew. This would increase the risk of being discovered, but she knew at least one apprentice who regularly did this and avoided being caught… so far.

As it was, Kayden was just relieved to have made it into town once again without being rumbled by Fay. On each occasion she had broken curfew these past four months, she had grown increasingly worried that this time would be the time her luck finally ran out. Given how her relationship with Fay had developed over the course of the last two years, Kayden didn’t like the idea of disappointing her master. Not only were they genuinely good friends now, that friendship had brought about a drastic improvement in her disciplinary record at Antaris. She had only been sent to Fay’s office to be reprimanded on three occasions—the last time being over eighteen months ago.

Unsurprisingly, given the late hour, Kayden encountered very few townsfolk out and about by the time she arrived outside the Delmara Inn. The glow of firelight could be seen flickering through several windows of the two-storey building, and the ‘No Vacancies’ sign was on display outside. Fortunately, the arrangement she had with Rondario, the innkeeper, meant the spare room in the attic was always kept vacant for those occasions when she visited unannounced.

She pulled back the hood of her cloak then knocked upon the door, employing the rhythmic beat that would let Rondario know it was her. Moments later, she heard the door being unbolted from the inside before swinging open to reveal the burly, middle-aged landlord. He was casually attired in dark brown trousers and a grubby white vest; his jowly face sported a week’s worth of salt and pepper stubble, and his thick, bare forearms were covered with dark hair. Kayden promptly crossed the threshold into the establishment and stood silently, observing as Rondario bolted the front door again.

With the door securely locked once more, the innkeeper proceeded to lead her through the tables and chairs of the deserted saloon, weakly lit by two wall-mounted lanterns on opposite walls.

Miss Jayta, he said, guiding her towards the stairs leading up to the floor above, "I was beginning to wonder if you would be showing up tonight; your um… colleague arrived almost an hour ago."

Though she had slowly grown accustomed to it, Kayden still found it somewhat amusing to be addressed as Miss Jayta.

Well, I’m here now. She halted at the foot of the stairs and waited for Rondario to go through the usual routine of telling her to let herself out when she was ready to leave, and not to worry about payment for the room in the attic.

We’re completely full tonight, for a change, Rondario announced. Lots of visitors from out of town come to see the Shintanese troubadour, Petro Serendini. He is touring Mirtana, and will be performing in Timaris later this week.

The break in their established routine caught Kayden by surprise.

Oh… that’s nice, she replied, trying to conceal her lack of interest.

I feel awkward having to say this, continued Rondario, looking suitably awkward in the dim light, but I… I would really appreciate it if you could keep the noise down to a minimum while you’re here tonight.

Kayden stared pointedly at the innkeeper, eyebrows raised. What noise was he talking about?

He blanched under the weight of her gaze. I mean no offence, he said in placation, but I’ve received the occasional complaint about the noise coming from the attic when you’re here. In fact, last week one of my guests—after checking out—actually reported me to the Local Guard, claiming I had brutally murdered a poor young woman up there. It took a while to clear up that misunderstanding.

Under normal circumstances Kayden would have taken exception to such a gross exaggeration, but she really didn’t want to be having this conversation with Rondario. Fine. I’ll try to keep that in mind, she said in a non-committal tone. She then ascended the stairs, leaving the innkeeper below.

A short while later Kayden was on the next floor, pacing through the nondescript corridor that led to the staircase leading up to the spare room in the attic. As she ambled her way there she heard murmuring voices emanating from several of the rooms she passed by; the inn really was full, it seemed. Coming to a halt at the bottom of the narrow staircase, a half-smile curled Kayden’s lips as she stared up at the door at the top. After a brief pause, she began to climb