Bastial Steel (9 page)

Cleve opened the door, and the guard handed him a sealed note. “It’s from Kasko Lage,” the guard said.

Cleve opened it to find a folded piece of paper with some sort of red substance dripping from it. No words were written on it. “What is this?” Cleve wondered.

Rek peered around Cleve. “It looks like blood.”

Blood?
Cleve maneuvered the letter to avoid the blood touching his skin.

“That’s strange,” the guard commented, leaning in for a closer look.

“What does it mean?” Rek asked.

The guard shrugged. “I’ve never seen that before.”

“I think it means I have a new friend,” Cleve muttered.

Chapter 6

The sun was nearly gone from the sky. The only reason Cleve noticed was because he was having trouble seeing the target that he’d been staring at for the last few hours.

Guards had set him up in the training grounds with a bow. They stayed with Cleve to shoot some arrows, only to succumb to frustration and leave when they soon found themselves far less skilled than he was.

One made Cleve promise him a duel the next day, to which Cleve gladly agreed. He’d been aching to use both a sword and bow, craving them like a fatigued body begs for sleep.

“Did you hit the target?” Jessend surprised him by asking just after he shot. She had a hand cupped over her eyes. “I can’t even see it.”

“Come closer and you can.” He waved her toward him.

She closed the door to the palace, folding her arms with a slight shiver and walking to him. She leaned against him and squinted.

“You did hit it. Is this how far you usually shoot from?”

Cleve judged the distance to be around fifty yards. “Something like this, usually.”

Jessend pushed him playfully. “You’re sweaty. You need to shower before you get in my bed.”

Cleve had no reply. He must’ve made a face, for she showed him a disappointed look.

“You don’t want to stay with me like you did last night?”

“I’m very tired,” Cleve admitted. “But I want to hear what happened with Kasko. As long as we don’t stay up too late…”

Jessend nodded. “So I assume you got his letter?”

“Yes. Whose blood was that?”

“His own. He made me watch him cut his hand. He thought it would scare me, but it didn’t. Kasko can cut himself to pieces in front of me and I would only smile. I pretend to show fear, only because I don’t know what he’ll do if I don’t.” She shivered.

“How does your father not see that Kasko wears his sanity like a hat?”

“Because he’s never taken it off in front of my father. And I’d say a wig would be closer to the truth—it’s more deceiving than a hat.” Jessend looked toward the door. “I’m tired as well, always am after a visit from Kasko. Get in the shower so we can go to bed. I’m going to look for my sister in the meantime. Come by my room in an hour.”

“Alright,” Cleve agreed.

When Cleve came by later, Jessend’s door was locked, and his knocks went unanswered.

Probably found her sister,
he guessed.

He sat on a velvet bench nearby, his thoughts wondering about home. It always made him nauseous to imagine a battle raging against the Academy’s walls with him not there to help defend it. Thousands of Kreps storming into the school, the students and teachers outnumbered and outmatched.

Cleve’s fists clenched as if he felt it was happening right now.

Why did he keep seeing Reela getting killed when he thought of her? It pained him every time, like a needle pricking his heart.

But he did manage to realize that it hardened him as well, made him remember his priorities. He swallowed a thick stream of saliva that had built up in his nausea and pinched his leg to distract himself from the worsening pain in his chest.

Cleve couldn’t sit any longer. He noticed a guard coming down the hall.

“Do you know where Jessend is?” Cleve stood and asked.

The guard glanced over his shoulder. “She’s in Lisanda’s room.”

Cleve thanked the guard and started to leave before he realized he had no idea where her room was. “Can you tell me where it is?”

The guard grunted dismissively. “Right there.” He pointed to the room next to Jessend’s and went back to his route.

Cleve knocked.

“Cleve?” Jessend asked from behind the door.

“Yes.”

She opened it just wide enough to slip through, closing it behind her and stepping out into the hall. Her eyes were red and her hair tangled.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there earlier, but…Lisanda…” Jessend choked down her next words. “She was finally telling me about Jek. It’s really bad. I had no idea how close they really were—are, close they are,” she corrected herself twice, shaking her head as she took a breath. “I’m going to spend the night with her. Tomorrow you’re starting horseback training. I’ll send someone to get you in the morning.” Jessend turned and slipped back into the room.

Alone in his bed, Cleve missed Jessend’s company more than he ever would’ve guessed.

He tried to remember the last time he’d felt as lonely as he did that night.

When I was in Welson’s castle, after he told me I had to kill Rek,
Cleve realized.
I didn’t even sleep that night.

But in bed now, he did manage to drift off, awaking with the sun peeking in through his window.

Soon after he was up. Gerace was knocking and slowly opening his door without waiting for his answer.

“Cleve Polken, I’m bringing your breakfast,” she announced, keeping her head low as she entered. Cautiously looking up, she seemed to let out a breath of relief when she found Cleve dressed.

She wheeled in a plate with a fancy silver lid atop it. “Eggs, bacon, cheese, bread, and juice,” she told him.

“Thank you, Gerace.”

She pushed her top lip toward her nose in a petulant manner. “It’s Jay-riss.”

Cleve could tell she was saying her name slightly different than he was, but he couldn’t hear the difference. He felt himself squinting as he attempted to figure it out.

“Jay-ress?” he tried.

She rolled her eyes. “Jay-riss!”

Cleve became disinterested, not wanting to try again, but she seemed to be waiting for him to say it. He sighed.

“Jerr-iss?” Cleve knew it was wrong the moment he said it.

She scoffed, her curly dark hair bouncing with her head. She turned on her heels and left.

Cleve could hear her sit down on the bench outside. He waited, but she didn’t move. So he peered out curiously.

“What?” Gerace asked, displaying her annoyance with lowered eyebrows.

“Why are you just sitting there?”

She rolled her eyes. “So I can take you to the horse range when you’re done, since you still don’t know your way around.”

“You’re just going to sit there and wait for me to eat?”

“Yes, so if you wouldn’t mind starting, I have a lot to do.”

Cleve went back in and started eating. The food was hot and delicious, but he couldn’t enjoy it knowing Gerace was right outside waiting.

After a few bites, he got back up and said, “Will you come in here while you wait?”

“Do you need something?” Her anger had turned to curiosity.

I just don’t want you sitting out here, isn’t that enough?
“Do you want some food?”

She shook her head. “I’ve already eaten.” The way her eyes drifted down to his feet made it clear her meal had not been nearly as good as his.

Cleve heard someone walking down the hall. Before he turned, Gerace jumped up and bowed her head. “My lady.”

Lisanda stopped to curtsy. Cleve hadn’t noticed before, but she was taller than Jessend by perhaps an inch. She had the same small head, with big brown eyes, but her nose and chin were more pronounced, giving her face a slightly less round shape than Jessend’s.

“Cleve, are you not hungry?” Lisanda asked, noticing his nearly full plate inside the room on the table.

“I am. I just felt awkward eating with Gerace sitting outside waiting for me.”

With her hands on her hips, Lisanda turned to the pale young girl. “You’re making him uncomfortable. Please make yourself busy until he’s done.”

“I didn’t mean—” Cleve started to say.

“Yes, Lady Lisanda.” Gerace ran off before Cleve could correct his mistake.

Now she’s going to hate me even more
.

Lisanda strolled into Cleve’s room and sat at the table with his food begging to be eaten. She eyed his empty seat until he sat.

“Go ahead and eat,” she said. “I just want to get to know you better while I have this chance.”

Cleve hesitantly scooped some food into his mouth as he waited for her to continue.

“Are you a psychic like your Elven friend?”

“No. Why do you ask?”

“I’ve never seen Jessend so confused. What have you done to her?”

Cleve would’ve thought Lisanda was joking, but her tone was accusatory. She had the same noble accent and low voice as Jessend, though it felt far less playful, as she seemed to be blaming him for something.

“I’m not sure what you mean.” Cleve continued to eat, hoping this conversation would end when he was finished.

“My sister has always been so sure of herself. But recently she questions her own desires, she weeps easily, and she’s even told me she’s not sure she knows what love is. So I ask again, what have you done to her?”

Cleve was starting to get the feeling that Lisanda was just being protective in that moment. At least he hoped she wasn’t always like this, otherwise he’d soon find her more annoying than Captain Mmzaza.

Interestingly enough, Cleve knew exactly how Jessend was feeling, at least weeping easily and questioning her own desires. The same things had happened to Cleve since their night together.

“We’ve each suffered the loss of loved ones,” he told Lisanda. “We’re still healing, and the process of that makes us feel like we’re not ourselves.”

Pain seemed to strike Lisanda’s previously tough face. Her tight lips loosened into a frown, and her eyes started to glisten.

“Oh.” She let out a sigh. “I think I understand…I might be losing someone as well.”

Might be?
Her words made no sense to Cleve, but from the way she was glancing down at the table, he thought it was best not to pry.

He finished his food quickly and stood. “Is Jessend waiting for me at the stables?”

Lisanda shook her head. “Not yet. Sit back down.”

Cleve didn’t obey at first, hoping he could change her mind. Yet, he thought of no excuse he could give…now that he didn’t have to be somewhere.

He sat, finding Lisanda’s face had gone hard again as she stared at him intently.

“What do you want from us?” Lisanda had a way of sounding extraordinarily accusatory, as if she’d already assumed Cleve was guilty of something.

It made him think to ask, “What did Jessend tell you so far?”

“I want to hear you say it. I want you to tell me—if I could snap my fingers and everything you wanted could come true, what would it be?”

The answer came easily. “I’d want to be able to return to Kyrro with Rek. I’d want Kasko Lage to be gone. And I’d want Jessend to be happy.” As soon as he said the three things aloud, his head felt five times heavier from guilt. He couldn’t look up. “I realize how impossible it is for all three of those to come true,” he muttered.

“At least you’re not an idiot,” Lisanda said flatly. “Jessend won’t be happy if you leave, and Kasko has his eyes set on my sister like a hawk circling its prey.” Lisanda tapped the table to have him look up at her. “Jessend told me she wants to help you get back to Kyrro. She believes our father will help with the ship if you can help him with something. She’s planning to speak to him about this. I wanted to hear it from you. Is this what you’ve discussed? You’re fine with allowing her to help you so that you can leave her with Kasko?”

I was before,
but Lisanda’s right
. “I need to get back as soon as I can. There’s a war in Ovira. But I won’t leave Jessend until Kasko has been taken care of.” Cleve felt pride lifting him from his chair. He stood with his chest out.

But the way Lisanda rolled her eyes at him made him sink back down into it, ashamed, though he didn’t even know why.

“You’re a skilled warrior,” Lisanda said, “but the fight between you and Kasko won’t be with arms. You have a lot to learn before you can even hope to scare him.” Lisanda stood. “Request a meeting with Micah Vail when you can. Speak to him about it. He’ll help you come up with a plan.” She slipped her arm around Cleve’s. “But for now, it’s time to start your horseback training. Jessend is waiting for you.”

“You said she wasn’t.”

“Would you have stayed and spoken with me as patiently if I hadn’t?”

Cleve understood and let Lisanda lead him out without argument. Gerace walked by them to clean up after Cleve.