I was on my own.

I wasn’t surprised that Master Bran left me. He had very little to say and expected me to do what was required with very little instruction. Part of me had hoped that he would say something profound when this moment came. Or at least tell me I was a decent apprentice. To be honest, I think that would have shocked me more than it would have put me at ease. Master Bran had stayed true to form, he said nothing when we parted.

I didn’t stand in front of the door for very long. If Master Bran came out and found me loitering, then I’d be punished. I tucked the note in my pocket and walked out of the building. The sunlight felt different on my skin. I knew there was nothing different about how it had been when I walked inside a few minutes before, but there was something different. Maybe it was the piece of paper in my pocket.

I realized that I hadn’t read the note. Bokor were big on rules and I didn’t want to walk up to the Council Hall if the letter said to report to the square or the Apprentice Hall.

I smoothed out the paper and glanced over it. It simply read, “Master Bran, have your apprentice report to the council chambers.”

I turned up the street and headed to the council building. I had no doubt there would be more instructions waiting for me once I arrived.

I passed the garden on the way. In a place that didn’t have many guests, it was odd to have such a well-tended place set aside for flowers. It made sense that we’d have plants to eat, but there always seemed to be something blooming.

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I didn’t go into the garden. Unless an apprentice had orders, it was taboo. I began wondering what rules might change once I was no longer an apprentice. The potentials had very little interaction with the apprentices. In fact, the potentials rarely stayed on the island. Most left the same day that they delivered their mission reports. I began to realize that I knew very little about my new occupation.

The last building before the Council Hall was the kitchen. The smell of vegetable stew teased my stomach. I hadn’t eaten anything since that morning. My stomach growled in protest as I walked by. There would be time to eat after I reported to the council, or I’d eat dried bread as I was going on my mission. Either way, now was not the time for food.

The Council Hall was a great white building with stone columns in front. My hands ached as I remembered having to clean those columns. Another apprentice had fallen while I had been near the top. It was a dangerous job and one that I was happy not to have to do anymore.

The purple heart stones were set into the stone and arranged in a way that made it look more decorative than defensive. I slowed down so I could take in the scene.

As an apprentice, I had seen many different towns and the ruins of a dozen others. The council hall resembled the buildings from the ruins more than the normal buildings. The arches and overhangs weren’t very functional for defense. Most of the human towns didn’t have time to devote to such luxuries anymore. I wondered how the council could find the labor.

Actually, I didn’t have to wonder, I knew the answer. Apprentices. There were lots of apprentices to do the work.

I opened the large door and walked into the building. I wasn’t going to be an apprentice for very much longer. I took a breath, I was ready for my mission.