Gloria Oliver (23 page)

“Waste not, want not,” Sonsan chimed in.

Talia recalled the Administrator saying something of the sort to her on their first meeting. It just didn’t occur to her she meant there was more than one guild. She’d not heard of things being run this way before. And the rumors the others shared about Nertak didn’t say whether he was a part or even head of one or not. Having boys sneaking around into girls’ rooms had nothing to do with the sale of goods—or did it? If he’d really been a spy … But would the guild have need for those sorts of skills?

“Your attention, please.” Lareen’s voice boomed across the dining hall, surprising them all. With a bright flash, the Administrator appeared on top of her table, startling a number of the teachers right out of their chairs. Lareen still wore the black robe from before. Talia went absolutely still, her skin cold.

“I presume you are all aware of the events which transpired this morning?” Lareen didn’t wait for an answer. “Violence was committed against one of the guild’s members, as well as the destruction of school property.” Her grave expression scoured the room. “The tribunal convened earlier today and upon hearing all the evidence, we’ve finally reached a judgment.”

Lareen paused, as if to let the almost palpable tension build in the room before revealing the decision.

Talia hardly dared breathe as she waited for what the Administrator would say next. The entire room was silent with anticipation.

“Both Clarence and Kel have been fined a thousand gems each to pay for damages to both the store and the school grounds. What they cannot pay, they will make up for in labor.”

A faint murmur of disbelief rippled through the assembly at the high sum. Kingdoms could be bought for less.

“This is not everything, however,” Lareen told them. “For the next four weeks, both have been placed under house arrest and are restricted to their quarters. Their meals will be nothing more than what is served in the Bolamian Imperial dungeons. That is all.” With another sudden bright flash, the Administrator was gone.

The noise level of the dining hall immediately rose to three times its normal volume. Talia didn’t notice, only relieved Kel and Clarence’s punishment wouldn’t be worse than it was. The fact Nertak, the crime’s victim, was part of the tribunal still nagged at her in the back of her mind. She’d not been sure what kind of satisfaction the strange old man would vie for. She’d dreaded that Kel would be whipped, or tortured, or worse because of it.

By the time they were dismissed from dinner, wild speculation ran rampant on the punishment chosen and whether it was just or not. Even after the mandatory walk, students milled around discussing it. Talia excused herself, not caring to hear any of it, saying she was tired and wanted to turn in early.

In truth, she felt exhausted. The day’s strange events and the pure relief that Kel and Clarence’s fate wouldn’t be a disastrous one claimed all of her energy and more.

Not even bothering to change, she crept into bed and fell almost instantly asleep. She didn’t wake once throughout the night.

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WHEN TALIA WALKED in to the dining hall, the place was empty. With a pang, she realized it would be some time before she would get to see Kel rushing through his breakfast before picking up fruit from the kitchen to take to Clarence.

A touch of guilt colored her feelings. Though in the end, the incident wasn’t directly her doing, she still couldn’t help but believe she was at least partially responsible for what happened. No one else seemed to think she had anything truly to do with it—yet she just couldn’t get rid of the certainty that if not for her actions, Clarence and Kel wouldn’t have done what they did.

She found her group’s usual table and sat down to wait for the others. She didn’t really say much once they arrived, and found she didn’t really have much of an appetite. She ate less than usual even with the watchers’ gentle prompting.

“Talia, are you still not feeling well?” Daltan’s shy, dark eyes studied her from across the table.

“You do seem awfully quiet today,” Mandee added.

“I’m a lot better actually.” She tried hard to give them a sincere smile. “I guess I’ve just been a little distracted this morning. Sorry.”

“There’s been an awful lot to be distracted about lately,” Sonsan said.

She could only agree.

After breakfast she and a number of her classmates got together in the library to study. This was mostly to pass the time before they would all have to cave in and lug their weekly water upstairs. It was well past midmorning when they were interrupted.

“Excuse me. Is one of you Talia? The Administrator wants to meet with her.” A watcher came up to them and asked the question as soon as they noticed her standing there.

Talia tensed, even as all her classmates turned to stare at her in surprise. What could this be about? Did Lareen finally decide she should be punished as well for her part in Kel’s attack? Strangely, the thought of punishment didn’t upset her as much as she thought it might. “I’m Talia.” With her heart speeding in her chest, she rose to go with the watcher.

The watcher smiled kindly at her and without another word led her away as her friends watched. She followed, walking a couple of steps behind the woman, saying nothing as they climbed the stairs. They passed a number of people already intent on bringing their water, but no one paid her much attention.

Her mind sped through all the reasons why Lareen might be summoning her and could come up with nothing but her first thought. She wondered if her own punishment would have to be discussed with the tribunal as in Kel’s case or if Lareen would decide it on her own.

Once they reached the golden door leading into the Administrator’s rooms, the watcher opened it for her yet didn’t follow her in. Talia looked back as the door closed behind her, then walked slowly down the small foyer-styled hallway to Lareen’s office. She hesitated a second, listening, when she found the door to the office slightly ajar. Hearing no voices issuing from within, she knocked loudly and then went on in.

“Ah, you’re here.”

Talia heard the Administrator’s voice but didn’t see her. The room was once more arranged the way she saw it on her first visit, but no one was there.

“Come on out here,” Lareen said.

It was only then Talia realized the room’s balcony doors were open. She walked over to them and peeked outside.

Lareen was spread out on a long settee, her eyes closed as the sun’s warm rays washed over her body.

Though her eyes didn’t open, she signaled to Talia to join her as if she knew she was there. “Sit, sit, let’s enjoy this for a minute.”

Not totally understanding, Talia stepped out onto the balcony and headed for the second settee. She sat down, still feeling tense, and tried to relax as she looked out at the tranquil, far off view of the mountains.

Her eyes wandered after a few minutes, and she studied the fast progress of some of the clouds across the sky. Despite what she expected from this meeting, she soon found herself growing slightly more at ease.

“Are you feeling better today?” Lareen asked. “I heard you weren’t doing well yesterday.” The Administrator still lay with her eyes closed.

Talia forced herself to answer. “Yes, much better, thank you.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” Lareen turned her head and looked at her for the first time. “If you’re feeling up to it, there’s a job I’d like you to do for me.”

Talia frowned. This didn’t seem to be going where she expected.

“I’ll pay you two jewels a week if you take the job and also will add a note to your record,” Lareen added.

Her frown deepened. “I don’t understand.” This all sounded as if it were more a reward than a punishment.

Lareen smiled lightly and sat up. Talia quickly did the same.

“As you know, two of our people are currently under house arrest. Since they can’t leave their quarters, it makes it a little difficult for them to get things to eat,” she explained. “So I’m currently looking for a volunteer to take their meals up to them.”

Talia stared at the Administrator still not understanding. The job itself was simple enough, but why have a student take care of it? And why pay them? And more confusing still; why ask her if she wanted it?

“You have to understand, this is an important job and I have to be careful as to who is chosen,” Lareen said solemnly. “If the wrong person were picked, and they decided not to feed them, we might not find out for days, if not longer.” Her eyes shone.

Talia stared at the Administrator in shock. Was she serious? Did she really think someone would let Clarence and Kel starve? Would they? Or was she actually insinuating she was giving her this task so she might take revenge on them if she wished? The thought sent a shiver down her arms.

“And to be honest, I believe you’re uniquely qualified for this task,” Lareen went on. “Not only are you already intimately acquainted with the case, and so won’t be too curious, but you’ll also keep anything else you might discover to yourself.”

Talia looked away, feeling more lost and confused than ever. Was she saying she trusted her? It was almost as if the Administrator knew she hadn’t told a soul about what happened. But how could she? Not for the first time, she was sure the school’s administrator was more than she seemed.

“Will you take the job?” Lareen stared at her hopefully.

Talia found she couldn’t meet her stare for long. “I—” She hesitated, not sure what she should say. Still, dare she take the chance someone else might be given the job, and they might let Clarence or Kel starve for fun? Over the last day, it’d become increasingly obvious not everyone was fond of them. And maybe, by taking the job, she might find a way to make all this up to them. “Yes, I’ll do it.”

“Great!” Lareen gave her a bright smile.

“But the pay isn’t necessary.”

“Nonsense.” The Administrator waved the comment aside. “You’ll need the money later. Besides…” her voice lowered to a mere whisper, “it’s the very least I can do after what you’ve been inadvertently put through.”

Talia’s eyes widened. “Excuse me?”

Lareen stood up and stepped up to the balcony’s wide banister, her silken dress flowing around her legs.

“Kel pushes himself very hard, but I push him even harder. Perhaps too hard…” She glanced back at Talia, her eyes troubled, before looking out toward the mountains. “Despite what you may have heard, I know Clarence and Kel have great potential. I believe they could be Judges.”

Talia felt her pulse rise. Kel and Clarence judges? Helyn had told them that in the guild, Judges stood second only to the Council of Elders, though in some ways they held even more power. The Judges roamed the land and were the final decision-makers on cases of the greatest magnitude or those involving locations of the guild or foreign countries. Their impartiality was their greatest asset and equally as rare.

To become one was a long and arduous process.

“As you now know,” Lareen continued, “Nertak’s methods may be crude but they do serve a purpose.

Kel has been well aware of this for some time. His reaction to what was done to you is therefore more than puzzling to say the least. It may be a sign I’ve pushed him too close to the breaking point.” She sighed.

Talia could hear the guilt and worry in Lareen’s voice.

“There are so many things we don’t know about him…” Lareen turned around and leaned against the banister. “In many ways, Kel is a special case. You see, unlike most of our students, we know almost nothing of his past. And from what I’ve learned over the years, he recalls little to nothing of it himself.”

She paused for a moment before going on. “He was found at the age of eight by a group of knights after he made his escape from a local orphanage. He’d been there three years, given to the orphanage by a merchant who found him walking down a road alone in a daze. Seemingly, Kel owns no recollection of how he got there or any memories from before that time except his name.”

Lareen stared at her with sudden intensity. “He’s always been a loner. And other than for the adversarial relationship he’s developed with Clarence, I dare say he has no real friends, just many acquaintances.

Though before this I would have said Nertak was closer than some. It makes it very difficult to tell when something is wrong.”

Talia found herself asking a question before she could stop herself. “But wouldn’t Clarence know?

Wouldn’t he tell you?”

Lareen smiled, but it was a sad smile. “He might find out, but he wouldn’t tell me. Those two are in a class by themselves. Clarence’s past is even more of a mystery than Kel’s, and he is as stubborn and as much a loner as his partner. It’s part of the reason I thought they might get along well together.” Her eyes softened. “Well, enough musings. If you’ll go see Tula in the kitchen after you are through with lunch, she’ll show you where Clarence’s food will be set for you as well as Kel’s.”

Talia nodded quickly.

“Clarence will be in the dragon’s dormitory,” Lareen told her. “Kel’s room is on the roof and can be reached by a set of stairs Tula will show you.” She reached down into her dress, into a pocket which wasn’t obvious before. “Here.” She handed her two gems. “Now go on, I’m sure your friends are waiting for you.”

Talia nodded again, half-bowed, and then quickly left the balcony. Once she left Lareen’s office and reached the hallway leading to the golden door, she stopped and glanced back the way she came, suddenly unsure about everything which just went on.

The lunch bell echoed in the room, startling her. Without further hesitation, she went out the door and headed for the nearest stairwell. By the time she made it to the dining hall, her friends were already there.

“Talia, is it true?” Narilla scooted over, making a place for her to sit.

“Is what true?” She threw her an askew glance, noticing how everyone seemed to be staring at her.

“Sonsan said you got called to go see the Administrator.”

She bit her lip, not sure how to respond. “Uh, yeah, it’s true.”

“Well, don’t just sit there,” Sonsan cut in, “tell us what happened!” Yllin and several of the others nodded in agreement.