CHAPTER 22

I stared at the two of them and Lolth as she sat next to me and explained, “Once Lolth told me what happened, I knew I had to do something since she wasn’t lying and Coventry is my classmate. She’s also taught me some lessons on fighting and I had to repay her for that.”

“The root, boy, the root.” The mother urged me on and I nodded.

“Grind it up into a powder and put it onto anything he consumes and within hours, he should die a painful, horrible death.”

They blinked, the father saying, “Should?”

“We didn’t have all the ingredients that I needed to make a perfect match for the poison I wanted to, but it should have similar effects when and if the root is added.” I frowned, wondering if I would ever have need to do something like this again.

“Who are you?” I didn’t answer right away and the father turned to Lolth, “You said he was your male, who does he belong to?”

“House Doranda.” They both stared at her with distaste and she added, “He was conscripted because he killed one of their soldiers for trying to kill him.”

I blinked at her, uncertain as to how she had found that out and she squeezed my knee once before letting go.

“So he is Seelie.” Gronan growled and narrowed his eyes at me. “What proof do you have that you tell the truth?”

“Because I want Lolth, Coventry and the other Unseelie to stay here.” I admitted freely, startling both of them. “I like all of them, they treat me well and they don’t make me feel inadequate for being so young.”

The mother blinked at me, then gasped, “It’s you!”

I frowned at her as did her husband, but she pointed at me, “You’re the child that they were talking about in Court, the ones that the two singers had come to the Unseelie with a request for aid to get you back!”

My parents had gone to the Unseelie for help with me? I stared down at the ground and tried to wrap my head around it.

“Saemus, right?” The mother continued, and this time I felt her hand on top of my head, lifting me up. She stared at me hard, “You have their looks about you, that’s for certain, though they didn’t mention that you were so magically gifted.”

“We didn’t know at the time, I think I was a late bloomer.” It wasn’t a lie because I hadn’t had magic until about three minutes before the test. “What did they offer in return?”

“Themselves and their power.” Gronan grunted, rubbing his strong chin thoughtfully. “I don’t think you need rescue at all, I think you’re just fine here if this is the case.”

“The root will work?” Coventry’s mother asked once more. “You’re sure? Why did you not give it to him when you had the chance?”

“I wanted to give the opportunity to Coventry.” I sighed and looked at both of them. “He would suspect me instantly. And anyone else as well unless it was his sister who did it.”

“So you brought it here for Coventry so that she could get her own revenge?” Gronan had a look on his face that I couldn’t quite understand as he sat back. He turned to Lialarn who still hunched over Coventry. “And you don’t have a problem with this?”

“I hate the little bastard as much as all of you.” She shrugged, staring at me curiously but remaining quiet until she said, “A dog who has attacked someone can’t just be rehabilitated and needs to be put down before they bite again and kill someone.”

“You would make a fine Unseelie.” The man grunted at her and chuckled, then his face turned grim as his eyes once more fell on me. “What do you want in return?”

“Anonymity.” They frowned. “I have a position I need to hold for House Doranda so that the eldest child doesn’t return from her missions and kill me and so that they aren’t implicated and my parents aren’t attacked.”

“I am of a mind that your parents are now Unseelie and that they are under House Colier’s protection.” Coventry’s mother spoke softly. “You could be as well, if you wanted to defect?”

I thought about it. Technically, I could be the Iron Thorn from either side. “As much as I would like to, I have a debt that I have to repay, or at least attempt to repay while I am here. I also have another goal in mind.”

Gronan stared at me for a moment longer, then a smirk began to form on his lips as he muttered, “Iron Thorn?” His wife and Lolth looked at him, then me, then back to him. “Refusing safe haven and remaining where you are, but offering the device with which to kill someone who wronged another court? That can only mean you have your eyes set on a prize as lofty as the rank of Iron Thorn.”

I nodded and said, “It’s the only way for me to control my own destiny and keep my people safe with my own hands.” He frowned and so did his wife. “If you want to give my parents asylum and welcome them among you as a reward for my work, I could never not accept it. But I won’t take anything for myself.”

They nodded, then looked to Lolth, the mother saying, “We have much to discuss, it seems.” She looked to her husband and he gave her the barest nod, “but for now it means that the Unseelie will stay. So long as Coventry makes a decent recovery, we will be lenient. For now.”

I started to stand, but Gronan’s massive hand landed on my shoulder as he stared menacingly into my eyes, “The root had better work, boy.”

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Grimly, I decided and said, “If it doesn’t, I’ll kill him myself, and then I may have to take your offer for asylum.”

He nodded as he let me go and I made my way to the door followed by Lolth, who stared at me strangely. I had to ask, “Will you be staying with Coventry tonight?”

She nodded, and I smiled at her, “Good. She needs her friend. Let her know I’m hoping she feels better?”

She nodded again, and though I wanted to ask her what was on her mind, or if things were okay, I just bid her, “Goodnight.” And left the room.

It was still well before curfew and I knew I would be found by someone, so I tried to make my way outside toward the training grounds, hoping there was something out there that would allow me to blow off some steam.

I was pleased to find that the obstacle course was up once more and that I could make my way through it.

Grateful, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before I allowed myself the pleasure of releasing it and launching myself forward.

At my full speed, I was up and over the course in bounds and since I was alone, there was no reason for me to hold back.

I was on my sixth round when soft clapping reached my ears. I stopped and stilled where I was on the balance bars, searching for the source of the sound.

In the dying light of the sun, a shaft of light shimmered across Instructor Lialarn as she watched me, stepping from the shadows.

“More to you than just magic, Saemus.” She called and stepped closer. “So much more.”

“Instructor.” I bowed my head and she nodded back. “How can I help you?”

“Well despite the fact that you just signed one of your compatriot’s death warrant, I meant to help you learn to control and perfect your magic still.” She watched me curiously. “I imagine you want to keep this a secret from your house, so I will help you find a white lie to tell Xanile.”

“She knows a classmate was injured and that it was Etran Marki who attacked her.” I shrugged. “She knows I went to keep the peace in the academy.”

“So what you did was talk her down and help her find a way to get news to the staff.” She watched me as I listened. “A girl or boy went through something like this in your village, and came to your mother for help. You felt like you had a unique perspective on it and wanted to offer your help.”

I frowned at her, unsure of what to say or do. “Xanile knowing this wouldn’t hurt her nearly as much as knowing you had a hand in the death of a prominent member of her Court.”

“Even if I was going to force him to leave the academy anyway?”

She nodded, “Especially then, it makes it seem like you thought you wouldn’t win and you took an easy way out.”

That stopped me and all my thoughts in their tracks, “I would have won.”

“Would you?” She raised an eyebrow. “You had no way of conquering his magic and now his sister can control you just as easily. If she finds out what you’ve done—and she likely will—she will come for you and kill you if you aren’t ready.”

“So then, how do I prepare?”

“Learning to wield your magic as more than a way to empower and change the plants around you.” She pointed to herself. “Just because your magic has a primary element, doesn’t mean that it can’t be used for other things. It just takes practice.”

“Which is what you offer.” She nodded once and I just sighed. “Alright. Let’s go.”

She dipped her head and motioned for me to hop down from my perch and join her. I did as expected and joined her, dropping to the dirt with ease and plodded alongside her.

I found myself drained, suddenly.

I sighed and she reached out, touching my shoulder, “The emotional drain of what you’ve done is great.” She squeezed where her hand had landed, the muscle bunching there, “Taking a life is hard, but sometimes necessary.”

I frowned, realizing why it was that I felt this way. It was because it did feel like the cowards way out.

Was I okay with that?

I’d reflect more later, our echoing footsteps down the halls brought me back to my senses for the time being and I focused on moving forward.

**

Xanile wasn’t happy with my answer and the fact that I came in with our instructor didn’t seem to help at all.

The main premise of our lesson this even was attempting to turn our power outward.

“Pool your mana around the bowls before you.” She intoned for the second time in five minutes, “Then solidify it and compact it. This is the most basic version of the protectis, a shield against magic.”

Pooling my mana was the easy part for me, the green of it visible in front of me. It was the act of solidification and compaction that made it hard.

There had to be a better way to do it, right?

My mana spilled down and away from the bowl one last time and I growled, “I’ll be back, I think I need to go use the chamber pot.”

I waited for Lialarn to nod to me as she continued to watch Xanile fail as I had.

Once I was in my room, I opened Frix’s book and asked, “How am I supposed to do this?”

You’re thinking about it backward, and she’s teaching you in a way that will force you to think of it on your own. The words were slow in coming, but flowed nonetheless. Instead of pooling mana around the object first, you have to envision what you want in a manner that you understand. You want a shield? Think of something within your strengths, the base of your magic, that will give your protectis shape and form.

“Then I add the mana.” I confirmed.

Then you add the mana, and do not forget—you can rely on me too. While you learn your power, I will aid you. But you have to remember that no one can know about me.

“I’ll remember.” I nodded and put the book back into my spell inventory and steadied myself before I went back into the room.

“Welcome back.” Lialarn smiled at me and raised a brow, “Did you fall asleep in there?”

“No, just had to work some things out, ma’am.” I returned to where I had been kneeling in front of the table by Xanile. She was much further than where she had been and looked like she was beginning to grasp the concepts of it on her own as powerful armor began to form around her bowl like an armordilla curling into a battle ball.

“Excellent progress, Cadet Doranda.” Lialarn beamed at her student. “Cadet Thorn?”

I nodded and reached out toward my bowl, envisioning the one thing I could think of that was nearly impenetrable except for a force so strong it was almost not worth it to get it. The shell of a Sallow Steel Nut.

The seeds inside were some of the tastiest things you could have on Winter Solstice, but it took days of hammering for hours to open just one, and it was to be enjoyed in a soup so that you could savor it without having a bunch of them.

While I envisioned the shell, I poured mana into it like a mold, shaping it and filling it to the brim almost like it was a container. It was slow, but by the time I was finished, the protectis was as solid as the bowl was.

“Quite impressive, Saemus!” Xanile grinned at me, her constructed shield fading, mine with it as my focus waned. The bell for curfew rang and she yawned, “Well, we should rest. I know there’s no class tomorrow, but I have a lot of studying to do. Instructor Lialarn, when will you be joining us?”

“After evening mess again, I think that seems to be a best practice.” She smiled and turned to me. “Good thinking being a part of someone’s healing tonight, even if it feels like it didn’t amount to much.”

I bowed my head, “Thank you, Instructor.”

She nodded and collected her effects before walking out of the room, leaving me and Xanile alone.

She started in right away, pestering me about what happened, and all I could say was, “I made an oath that I wouldn’t speak about it other than that for now, it seems to be taken care of.”

She narrowed her gaze, “Did you swear on your true name?”

“No.” Her eyes widened with her smile, so I added another truth, “But the oath of a Middling Elf is given under the pretense that it not be broken unless it will directly undermine a previously given oath. My parents taught me that and I can’t just gossip about it.”

She looked forlornly at me, almost like she didn’t trust me, so I said, “I’m sorry.”

She sighed, “You gave your word, and that will have to suffice. I would expect nothing less of someone who my house is responsible for, I just hope that the little slime gets what’s coming to him.”

I schooled myself carefully on not making the smug face I wanted to. She pulled away from the table we sat at and pointed to a drawer near her side of it, “Your food is in there, along with your reward from Winfred for the other day. Good work, Saemus.”

She stood up and left the room slowly, almost as if she were waiting for me to try and stop her, but when I didn’t, she continued on into her own room.

Knowing what I did and thinking on it more made my stomach sour and though I wanted nothing more than to eat the food I longed to, I couldn’t. I took it to make it seem like there was nothing wrong, and the cookies that Winfred had made smelled divine. Tempting.

But any time I thought I might be able to stomach just one and opened my mouth for a bite, it felt like I would be swallowing ash.

I opened Frix’s book and wondered softly, “Am I a bad person for what I did?”

Frix was quiet for a time, but finally answered, This is more Kalia’s territory than it is mine. I can tell you what happened. I can tell you what he would have done to her from a statistical standpoint, and educate you on what that can do to someone—anyone—and how what he would have done would have been so much worse. But I can’t tell you how to feel. You’re so young, Saemus, and though you have the strength and desire to go home and protect the forest and your family, sometimes that alone is not enough.

Sometimes, someone has to bleed for something to be made right. When there is an incredible injustice in this world like that, I can only be grateful that there are people willing to step up and do the hard things to ensure that evil pays. If you want to be the Iron Thorn, you will need to learn that there are lines you will cross and sometimes prices to pay—sacrifices to be made. All in the name of preserving the balance.

I frowned, watching as the words faded from the page and branded themselves onto my soul.

I went laid in bed that night and stared at the ceiling until finally I fell asleep.