Belvedor and the Four Corners (Belvedor Saga Book 1) (22 page)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

The girls undressed and washed for bed in the wee hours of the morning, worn out from the night’s exertions.

“What’s that there?” asked Arianna.

“What’s what where?” Lessa said, turning her head from side to side, looking for something amiss.

“That, there on your neck.” Arianna pointed at her back.

“Oh.” Lessa didn’t quite know the answer herself. “It’s just a scar from when I fell.”

“It looks so… Well, I’ve never seen a silver scar before. How could a wound heal like that?” Arianna leaned closer to get a better look, seeing the mark twist in a spiral of silver as if the trim of the elders’ robes had been stitched to her skin.

“I really don’t know how,” said Lessa, shrinking back from her scrutiny as Sano appeared on her shoulder.

He curled his tail around her neckline, covering the scar from view. As Sano’s bright orange eyes flicked between them, Arianna became once again mesmerized by the creature. She still couldn’t believe something so small and gentle had given her such a fright.

Wanting to change the subject away from her skin mutation, Lessa dropped her voice to a whisper as she stole a nervous glance over to a table covered in parchment. “I notice Talis gave you some reading as well,” she said.

“I know a bit more than I would like to,” said Arianna, her tone harsh.

Taking the hint, Lessa didn’t press on the subject, but Arianna was certain Talis had told her the same bizarre stories.
Magical, unfathomable stories.

Yawning, Arianna said, “Solomon will surely have our heads for staying up all night. Let’s get to sleep.”

“Sure thing,” said Lessa. “Oh, don’t want to forget this!” She bounced over to the door. Locking it from the inside, she placed the key under a pillow on the bed. “For safe-keeping.”

Within minutes, they fell sound asleep with Sano curled at their feet.

“Rise and shine ladies!” Solomon bellowed at the top of his lungs as he swung open the door to the Well Room. Daylight flooded into the room, piercing the pleasant darkness of their sleep.

Arianna groaned, pulling the covers up over her eyes.

“Good morning!” she heard Lessa sing.

Arianna lowered the covers, feeling like she had just drifted to sleep. She rubbed at her eyes as they adjusted to the bright light and sat up. Both Solomon, Cyn, and Lessa were hovered over a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, and toast in the next room. Arianna sniffed the delicious air. “Okay, I’m up.” She ran to join the others at the table.

“Morning, dear. Here, have some breakfast,” said Cyn with a warm smile. Arianna looked from Cyn to Lessa and then back.

“Relax, Arianna!” said Solomon. “I’ve told Cyn everything. Eat your breakfast because we’ve a long day ahead of us.” He shoved his face full of food and threw back a glass of fresh milk.

“Solomon, could you be more of slob?” said Cyn, wagging her fork at him. Scraps fell to her lap and Sano leapt after them, making her squeal.

Before Solomon could retort, Arianna chimed in to save the day. “What have you planned for us today, Master Bell?” she asked.

“Well, there’s much training to do,” said Solomon. He turned his attention to Lessa. “I believe Talis has left you some lessons as well?” He raised his eyebrow at her while he shoved another forkful in his mouth.

“Yes, of course he did,” she said, less than enthused.

“If you all are going to start poking swords at each other again, I think I’ll be off.” Cyn pouted. “I’ll send Solomon with supper.”

They waved goodbye, cleared their plates and set to work. Arianna started to stretch her arms and legs, her muscles tense from last night. She practiced controlling her breathing as she warmed up with different forms that tested her body’s flexibility limits.

“With only twelve days ‘til the festivals, you’ll have to train doubly hard,” said Solomon. Arianna’s brain reeled at the number. Her meditation broke as she staggered forward.
Only twelve days?

“That’s less than two weeks.” She ran her hands through her hair, and they tangled in the messy curls.

“Don’t worry. You’re already ready. I just need to tweak you a bit,” said Solomon, nodding. “Let’s begin.” He gestured towards the training floor.

Arianna watched Lessa as she unpacked her rucksack, placing a number of strange mixtures on the table while Sano bounced around the room. She had a few glass tubes of red liquid and a sticky, white paste that she began to measure out in doses.

Grabbing a small jar, she tossed them all in and prodded them with a wooden mixing tool. It smoked in her face, and she coughed at the rancid smell. Her face fell as she pulled out a parchment from her bag. After scanning the words, she attempted the experiment again, humming something as she went.

Arianna sauntered over to Solomon. The painting of the warrior’s crest shone bright on the wall behind him as he pulled off his robes and rolled out a large mat, inviting her forward. 

“Now, take your stance,” he said. “Remember to use the meditation phrases you learned. They’ll help you concentrate your attack and make your mind stronger.”

Arianna nodded, trying not to roll her eyes. In her opinion, the meditation words did quite the opposite of making her stronger. In fact, they made her lose focus, and she tended to avoid them when she practiced alone.

They started slow as they both edged back and forth, neither of them armed. Just warming up. The day always began with a fist fight.

Arianna lunged forward and swung her leg around at his side. It landed in his hip, and he groaned. He spun around, sending her a kick in the chest, and she flew backwards, slamming into the floor.

“Good,” said Solomon. “Try that again.” Arianna got to her feet, straightening her shirt.

He ran at her, and she brought her leg up high in the air. It landed on his shoulder, but he didn’t buckle under the weight. He tackled her to the ground. Rolling, she got to her feet and Solomon moved to copy. He smiled, and she inched forward, concentrating on her next attacks.

Her fists came down hard on his chest, and she ducked as he swung back at her. Jumping, she tried a spinning a kick at his side, but of course he blocked it. Loosening up all of their muscles and firing up their adrenaline, they continued like this for some time. Then, Solomon handed her the swords.

The clang of metal reverberated loud throughout the room as their swords smashed together, over and over. Solomon whirled around like a thundering wind, always bringing his sword down hard.

“Fortilo!” he shouted midair. The blow he sent knocked Arianna clean on her back, the collision exploding in sparks all around them. “Use the words!” he said, now in Master Bell zone. He continued to slam his blade into hers, never backing down. She staggered to her feet, bracing herself under each attack.

“Fortilo…” She spit his words back at him, but they tasted silly coming out of her mouth. Ducking an attack, she swung both swords to his middle. He guarded well, turning so his elbow caught her in the ribs.

She collapsed from the sudden impact, and her annoyance became apparent. “Elictras,” she cried after regaining balance. She raised her swords, but Solomon danced around her, his bad knee doing nothing to ale him.

He caught Arianna’s strike and sent it back tenfold. The swords sizzled and sparked as they collided over and over, but Arianna held her hand up in yield as she took most of the shock. She hadn’t landed one hit on him yet, and this time she decided to blame the
meditation
words.

Her irritation burst through her control as she let her doubts spill from her mouth. “Why must I use these words if you barely do?” she said, resting her hands on her knees.

“They’re all in here,” said Solomon. He tapped his temple, smiling. “It takes time to master that though. Don’t worry, your power will grow.”

“But why must I say these words at
all
? They don’t make me feel stronger,” said Arianna. She shook her head, vexed.

“It’s because you have no faith!”

His reaction shocked her as she flinched from his booming voice. Flicking her eyes to Lessa, she saw Solomon had her attention as well.

Lowering her gaze, Arianna grew cautious of her master’s growing impatience. “But how can I have faith in a word?” Her voice grew no louder than a whisper. 

A growl escaped his lips, and he threw down his sword. Arianna tried to take back her words, but reality wouldn’t permit that. It seemed everything she did lately let him down.

“
I mean,
you have no faith in anything!” he said, throwing his hands up. “I’m tired of waiting for you to come around. The meditation words are
spells
, Arianna. All this time I’ve been training you, teaching you. I’ve been lacing your mind with knowledge of magic, and it’s about time you accepted these things for what they are!” He began to pace in front of her, looking at the floor.

Arianna stood stunned, trembling from head to toe. This subject just wouldn’t leave her in peace. It haunted her now and forever, no matter how much she tried to avoid it, no matter how much it was disguised or obliquely alluded to. 

“I wield my weapons alongside knowledge of magic, and so shall you!” he said as if the information had been tearing at his skull for years. Who knows… it probably had.

Arianna stepped back, speechless. Her voice stayed silent, but her brain spun with questions.
The meditation words are spells?
First she tried wrapping her brain around the word ‘spells’. All this time she thought them merely expressions to help her concentration as Solomon once said.
He lied?
She trusted him with everything.
I don’t trust him with this
. She felt betrayed, lost as her world swayed.

Solomon turned away from her. His hands rested behind his back as he stared at the painting of the golden snake and swords, studying the way the serpent entangled the shining blades. 

“Every exercise I have ever taught you in order to enhance your strength, both physical
and
mental… they all have double meanings,” he said. “You’re my apprentice in body and soul, sword
and
magic. Why can’t you see this? Time is not on our side, Ara.” His words came harsh, his voice soft. “I’m only trying to help you.”

Arianna dropped her weapons, and they landed on the floor with a rippling sound. Behind her she heard the shattering of glass on the table as it tinkled and chimed in the awkward silence. Lessa’s hands shook, her mouth hanging agape.

“And you!” Solomon said, whirling around to face the young healer. “Why, your very master is a sorcerer. And a fine one at that! Or do you know?”

Lessa wouldn’t meet his gaze, and Sano came to console her.

“Those medicines you brew are full of magical qualities, and the words I hear you whisper while your stir are equally charmed. This world
is
enchanted, ladies, in ways you can’t even begin to imagine.”

His look turned maddening as his words ripped through their world. Arianna just couldn’t process the conversation as she searched for something tangible to grasp onto and make sense of. The words kept sliding through her mind, one after the other, incomprehensible.

Afraid he might lunge at her in his fury, she moved to where Lessa was sitting. Never had she witnessed Solomon so passionate about this issue. Since Talis entered her life, he’d been so willing to accept that she still didn’t know how to believe in magic. How could he expect her to truly believe in such stories after the life she’d lived? He had only encouraged her to study it and learn for herself.

“Magic
is
of this world,” he said, addressing them both. “Open your minds. Can’t you recall a time or place when something inexplicable happened to you? If you can’t, then I will never mention this subject again.” His voice grew soft now, pleading as he stared, boring into their eyes. “But I know you can.”

Arianna tried to look away, but she couldn’t. Her mind surged, rolling through her memories, images flickering, unbidden, across her mind.

She remembered the inexplicable force drawing her to the hot springs in the jade tunnels. She saw the day Solomon chose her as his apprentice, handing her the priceless dagger. Her mind spun, and she followed a shimmering light back to life after Grinda bested her. She saw Lessa pointing an arrow at her heart, and then they stood together watching a star blaze a path through a dark sky.

Her eyes focused back to reality, locking in with Lessa’s dazzling blue. Arianna watched and waited as her friend looked into her memories as well.

Lessa trailed her fingers up her arm, remembering her miraculous survival from not one, but two Poison Cures—a poison that when injected can have permanently paralyzing affects. Her eyes flickered to her bow in the corner of the room, and she thought of Talis and the new life he’d gifted her. Then, she rubbed at her mysterious, beautiful, silver mark, remembering that it too was a testimony to her strange luck. But Sano… she gazed at him with watery eyes. He was the best gift of all.