Red Madrassa: Algardis #1 (21 page)

Sitara and Sidimo were nowhere in sight when they arrived, but Vedaris thought he heard movement in Sitara’s room when he dropped his bags off on his bed. He had five pages to complete on the Dark Arts‌—‌joy!‌—‌and therefore some serious background reading to do. He took his texts with him into the living room below Maride’s room. It would be best to study at a desk by the light of a fire.

Sitara heard the other students come in. She’d been puttering around her room putting away the few books she’d acquired while trying not to think back on the conversation with Sidimo about Saras. To take her mind off it‌—‌there was nothing she could do after all, not then and not now‌—‌she grabbed the book of poems she’d been given. It was supposed to be a text of folk poetry about the Northern Sea Lights. With that and an empty notebook, she decided to curl up in a chair in the living room and read. Vedaris was already there. She smiled; she was getting used to having the boys around.

As she read the poetry, the imagery of the vast northern tundra came to mind: icy drifts of snow and gusts of chill arctic wind. As she scribbled into the notebook, her thoughts on the climate and pertinent facts about the weather, she drifted off into her own little world.

After walking upstairs and entering his room, Sidimo sighed and decided to laze around a bit. But that soon palled, so he thought about his study assignment: two weeks, and two hundred pages to read and memorize the rules of being a healer. “I’d better get started,” he muttered. He had heard some of the other students leave their rooms and go over the bridge into the living room. He decided to join them there, at least for the hour before dinner.

Maride had ten texts to review before next Tuesday. Ten! He decided that he would summarize and review two tonight, and work on another in the morning. He was lucky the Initiates for his other classes hadn’t assigned homework; he had enough on his plate as it was. As he walked downstairs from his tower room, he was surprised to see the other students already hard at work in chairs and tables. Most were scribbling furiously or quietly reading, but Allorna was gesturing now and again. Maride smiled at her as he took his place.

As they worked on their projects silently, the bell for dinner came and went. No one was interested in getting up to trudge across campus, not even for a hot meal. Eventually, though, Sidimo spoke up: “We should probably consider stocking the kitchen downstairs with some basics‌—‌bread, meat, cheese.”

Maride, bleary-eyed from processing fifty pages written in a tiny, hard-to-read script, apparently by a crippled beetle, wearily agreed.

“I don’t have second bell class tomorrow,” said Allorna with a shrug. “I can stop at the market and grab some food.”

“Why not?” demanded Sitara. Then her eyes lit up. “Oh yes‌—‌the project, right?” Seeing Vedaris’ lost look, she quickly explained, “Allorna’s creating Likan oil. She’s supposed to take tomorrow and Thursday to gather ingredients.”

“Right,” said Allorna, “But my partner is getting the stuff we need from the market tomorrow.”

“If we can get back before the halfmark for the second bell class, I’d like to come with you,” said Maride. “I need some quills and blank notebooks.”

“Sure. We’ll leave right after first bell class.”

Sidimo had disappeared midway through their talk. He returned with a small clinking bag. “You’ll need some coins, right?”

Allorna, who knew he’d stashed money in his rucksack before leaving for the guard tower, accepted the coins with a simple “Thank you.” Vedaris snorted, but didn’t protest the courtesy. They all settled back into their previous tasks, eventually drifting off one by one to their rooms for a night’s sleep before their second day of classes began.

The next morning dawned bright and early. At first bell, they practiced their basic drills and katas; afterward, Maride and Allorna changed out of their fighting tunics and headed into town. “Beautiful day, isn’t it?” commented Maride merrily.

Allorna snorted, “I’m sure it is somewhere. Here, it’s dreary and raining. What’s so beautiful about it?”

He just grinned, ignoring her annoyed tone. He liked the rain. When they passed farmers heading up the hill to the Madrassa, Allorna swore she saw one man give him the sign of the Wayfarer. “Looks like I’m not the only one who thinks you’re crazy for enjoying this weather,” Allorna said.

“Better this than the hot, sticky summer of Sandrin,” he replied.

She shrugged. The city weather hadn’t been so bad. The numerous street fights between locals and incoming sailors, with the reassigned task of port duty as a result, had downright sucked, though. As a trainee, and on the bottom rung of gardis trainees at that, she had had to run all the messages from the port guards to the gardis halls and vice versa. The task was
supposed
to help the runner commit both protocol and the streets of Sandrin to memory. It did that, and gave many recruits heatstroke at the same time.

They found the fresh foods market easily enough. “I’ll get some fruit, meat, and bread,” Allorna said.

“Great, the scribe is just over there,” Maride replied, pointing to a small tent with a neat table set up before it. They met up later, when they’d completed their various tasks, and on their way back before third bell, they split up for their respective classes.

When Maride arrived in
Intro to Research,
he found that an active discussion had already begun. Initiate Barinum, sitting at the head of the table with two other students, motioned for Maride to join them. “Ya, Maride, blessings upon you.”

“Thank you, Initiate. Morning blessings to you,” he replied, as he shifted his bag to his side and prepared to gather class materials from his rucksack.

“No need, no need,” said Barinum with a chuckle. “This is just a discussion for those who arrive early.”

“Early, sir?” said Maride politely, with a quizzical look.

A girl with blonde streaks in her brazen hair answered, “Some Initiates start classes on Madrassa time‌—‌a full 10 minutes after the first bell, to give students time to travel to and from other classes.”

“Yes,” said Barinum, with an appraising look. “This isn’t a school requirement, merely a courtesy that some Initiates prefer to extend. For those who arrive early, I am happy to discuss research techniques prior to the formal beginning of class.”

“I understand, sir,” said Maride. “If I may ask a question, then?”

“Certainly,” replied Barinum.

“What is your opinion on the languages of the lost peoples, and the position of the School of Research‌—‌Magical and Dormant‌—‌to provide an answer to the unsolved code?” said Maride.

Barinum blinked, a bit surprised, then rubbed his chin. “Hmmm…‌an astute question, and one that will take much longer than the half-minute we have left before class to answer. Suffice it to say that I believe that, one day, it will be one of our researchers who will unlock the key to those texts. How? I cannot imagine…”

At that moment the bell rang, and the students who had filled the hallway filed in to begin the day’s lessons.

Across campus, Sitara had already begun a session’s work with Bella. She scrubbed vigorously at the snails that had latched onto the mare’s water trough while Bella lazed in a corner of the stall. Her tail flicked occasionally to ward off an errant fly. “Gods,” thought Sitara miserably. “At least I’m not hot.” That thought went through her head just as she stumbled, falling half-in, half-out of the trough with her arms submerged.

“Careful!” snapped Bella. “You’re getting my water dirty.” Spluttering, Sitara wiped her face and flicked a lock of wet hair from her eyes. She looked over her shoulder, decided not to comment, and went back to scrubbing.

When she finished, she threw her brush into the scrub bucket tiredly. She needed to get Bella’s golden grain, and then “class” was over. As she rose, she nearly jumped out of her skin. Tavis was standing on top of the stall’s door, staring. Just staring. She hadn’t heard him get up there, and Bella hadn’t said a word…‌so she hadn’t noticed, either.

A flicker of unease went through Sitara. Why didn’t he
say
anything? Apparently Bella thought he was a creep too, because she calmly rose from her seated position and told him to buzz off. Two minutes later, that had had no effect. “You’re in my way, you big ape!” Bella sneered as she approached the stall door.

Tavis flicked a brusque glance at the flying horse, jumped down from the stall door, and opened it with a flourish, as a young gentleman should. Sitara wasn’t sure if he was being sarcastic…‌but he was certainly no gentleman. His aura didn’t vibe that way. As she exited the stall carrying the bucket, he reached down and plucked it neatly from her hands. With a frown she lunged for it and said, “That’s quite all right,” very firmly. She wouldn’t have minded normally‌—‌her arms were awfully tired‌—‌but the way he’d grabbed it was rude.

Tavis, ignoring her pique, swung the bucket to his other hand, leering at her while saying, “Nah, I don’t mind. Not after that show you just gave me.”

Her shoulders stiffened and her cheeks flamed. She’d been bent over the trough the entire time. She glanced around, hoping no one else had heard him, then lunged for the bucket one more time; but he was faster, pulling it away. The grip that landed on her rear end wasn’t unintentional, she was quite sure. She skittered back from him, whirled around, and walked quickly to the stable granary as if she had meant to the whole time. His laughter followed her down the hallway.

“He can
keep
the bucket,” she muttered furiously. It wasn’t Bella’s, anyway; it belonged to the stable. The brush was another matter, though, she thought with a sigh. She’d have to retrieve it later.

Sidimo sat quietly in
Emergency Aid
, reviewing the text on the Human heart before the day’s class. He turned the page to a diagram of the system of chambers and the arterial network, and found it fascinating. As the students filed in, he had to admit to himself that going to school at the Madrassa wasn’t so bad. How they’d arrived here was another matter, one that he’d have to discuss seriously with Maride and Allorna soon. The new student rosters were already on their way to the capital. It would take weeks to arrive but it was only a matter of time before the gardis came to claim Maride and arrest his co-conspirators.

The day passed slowly, with Sidimo’s thoughts repeatedly returning to the subject.

Vedaris was seated in
Uses of A Mage
with his fellow students, impatiently waiting for Initiate Warame to arrive and begin today’s discussion on Innate Magic. Vedaris had to admit that he was excited to learn more. This branch of magic was unique; special, even. It might explain, for example, why he’d never manifested powers as a young dragon.

But ten minutes after the bell had rung, they still waited in the classroom. Some students began to shift and glance anxiously at the water clock at the front of the classroom. Sosara, sitting next to Vedaris, turned to him and asked, “So…‌what was your send-off like?”

He quirked an eyebrow at her as if to say, “What are you talking about?”

Seeing the question in his eyes, she said, “Our parents had our send-off at the quay with trumpeters and family.” She sighed. “It was…‌a bittersweet occasion. I was sad to leave my family.”

“But we came here for a good reason,” interjected Leonidas firmly from her side, as if to remind her of the opportunities the academy presented.

Sosara nodded and faced forward as Initiate Warame finally arrived, and class began. They had a lively discussion of how to detect Innate Magic, and about the mages who could use it. Vedaris was startled to learn that having an innate skill was no guarantee of the mage’s ability to use it. Towards the middle of the class, the initiate assigned them office hour times.

“We’ll discuss each of your powers in detail and in private within my office, beginning now,” she said. The initiate beckoned with a hand at Sosara, “You’ll be first.” They went across the hall; the other students were left to their own devices to read the accompanying text for the time. In fifteen minutes, Sosara came out. She didn’t look happy; in fact, she looked rather frustrated.

As Warame beckoned to Vedaris, out of the corner of his eye he saw Sosara and Leonidas begin to whisper furiously to each other.

The next day, Allorna sat on the edge of the Ameles Forest with Sidimo. She wasn’t stupid enough to put her back to the looming darkness, with its huge trees and twining vines, which is why she wasn’t startled when Stuart appeared out of the forest. Surprised, yes; startled, no. He held a satchel in his hands, and tipped his head in greeting.

“Ready to go?” she asked, as she stood and dusted off the seat of her trousers. “Yes,” he replied, flicking a curious glance toward her companion.

Sidimo came forward to clasp Stuart’s hand in greeting‌—‌a common courtesy within his tribe. “Sidimo, School of Healing,” he explained. “I heard you’re gathering ingredients for Likan oil. Thought I’d tag along, if you don’t mind”

“You’re welcome to,” replied Stuart. “We’re here to gather canthor petals, marcas tree sap, and moon moss. The petals are only visible in the early afternoon, so we’ll gather the sap and moss first.”

“Fair enough,” replied Allorna, as she took her first steps into the forest. It was dim within, sunlight filtering in only through rare patches in the canopy. They ranged apart, Stuart taking the lead. When they reached a slow-moving creek, she was glad she had worn her boots. It was bad enough getting water in the soles, but silt in the bottom of a shoe was torture.

They continued walking along the creek bed for a while, always heading east towards the heart of the forest. They pushed hanging vines out the way occasionally, but there was little undergrowth to deal with. Allorna couldn’t take her eyes off the verdant flora all around. Beautiful flowering plants of all hues towered around them, straining upward to reach the filtered green sunlight with their large petals.

Finally they reached a clearing, where a ring of stones sat in the softly waving grass off to one side. In the middle of the clearing was a small copse of trees.
Strange,
thought Allorna as she looked at them. There were no other plants in the little grove, just the moss-covered trees. Sidimo stood near one of the trees, examining it from a distance, not touching the bark or the moss. As she came forward he said, “Don’t touch it. The tree is poisonous.”