Reaper Academy: Book One

Chapter Seventeen: PLEASE REVIEW

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Again, we are looking for four Darklings this time. One of them is a match for both Tallen and I while the other three are minor Darklings. They were spotted just after sunrise at an inn,” Celia said as she checked her mare.

Tallen, who must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed, merely glared at Articus and Cedrick--more so at Articus. “When we find them, we will take the leader. You two will be for support only. And try to not get yourself killed.”

Articus wouldn’t have called it an outright jeer but it was close enough for his ears. Cedrick must have gotten the same impression for his eyes narrowed dangerously on the Reaper.

His friend normally wasn’t quick to anger but Articus could see the firers burning. Priscilla was his mentor and Tallen was trying to take her place. While they weren’t close, Cedrick still considered Priscilla as his friend.

“Hurry up and change into your new uniforms, and remember your roles,” Tallen said, ignoring Cedrick’s glares. The word ‘role’ seemed to have a hidden taunt to it but Articus didn’t figure it out until he looked down at the uniforms the Reaper was referring to.

White robes.

Cedrick took a step towards Tallen but Articus held up his hand. Giving him a ‘calm-down’ look, Articus picked up the robes, handing one to Cedrick.

“Of course, Master,” Articus said in a tone that he could see Mia nodding approvingly if she had heard it. He kept his eyes on the man’s forehead, a trick masters used to their slaves.

Celia turned her back on the men, hiding her smile while Tallen glared at Articus as they dressed.

Not waiting for them to finish, he strode out the door with a huff.

Just under his breath, Articus said to Celia, “Capture one when he’s not looking?”

Being able to sense other human or nonhuman’s spirit was much easier than Reaper’s tactics at finding Darklings. They didn’t know if these were real Darklings or Reapers but they did have the advantage. Celia understood what he meant.

She whispered the same way he had, the closest thing against Reaper’s hearing short from a sound ward. “Opportunity.” Her eyes darted to Cedrick who was clueless at their conversation.

Eyeing the door as he shrugged into the robes, Articus flashed his hands in soldier’s talk. “I see enemy. Interrogate enemy without ally. Distract.”

Articus and Cedrick had compared their soldier’s hand talk and were surprised at how similar they were. It was funny how their worlds were different but their ‘secret’ hand talk was almost the same. While hand talk didn’t have a full range of words, you normally could get the meaning across. Cedrick raised an eyebrow at Articus in silent surprise--he understood the meaning.

Celia looked between the two men, obviously missing the silent conversation they just had.

Tallen came back in and smiled warmly at Celia. “Well my Roof Mistress, we should get going. I have everything arranged. Coming along you two.”

Articus swallowed his pride and started for the door with Ronin in tow.

Tallen held up his hand. “Where do you think your going? First off, you follow your master. Do you want to announce to the Darklings who we are? And secondly, slaves don’t ride horses. You walk.”

What a royal prick.

Instead of speaking his mind, he quickly unsaddled Ronin and gave him soothing instructions to stay put. Cedrick, who wasn’t so confident in his animal, unsaddled and tied up the animal to a ring that had been mounted into the wall. The waiting room was like a hybrid stable, Articus suddenly realized as he spotted the black rings that dotted the dark stoned walls throughout the room.

Celia gave Tallen a disapproving look before turning toward the door, forcing Tallen to follow her. It wasn’t a very Roof Mistress thing of her to do. Articus smiled.

The waiting room was a room attached to one of the wayward inns that dotted the trade routes throughout the four lands. Outside, trees loomed around them, dead looking and snow covered for as far as the eye could see on both sides of the road. Traffic was moderate in both directions on the Kings’ Path, the main trade route that connected Capri to Ghourd. Because of the traffic, Articus didn’t have to trudge through snow but he did miss his long coat. Thankfully, being inhumanly strong made the league of necessary travel to Togasun a breeze.

He was surprised at how well Celia rode her horse, especially for a woman who came from a land where women were banned from riding. Now that he thought on it, Articus still didn’t know much about his mentor and her royalty heritage.

While the trek to Togasun was easy, it wasn’t in a lack of silence.

Celia and Tallen, although under the mask of whispers and the hallowing wind, argued the whole way there. Articus politely kept his ears closed to their quarrel and, by the look of Cedrick, he did the same. By the time they reached Togasun, an agonizing hour later, the two Reapers ended their bickering--Celia clearly up one on the scoreboard.

“Cedrick and Articus, come with me. We will find our Lord a room to stay at.” While she didn’t sneer the word ‘Lord’, it was implied and Tallen got the hint. Smartly, the Ghourdian excused himself, giving a feeble excuse of gathering information about the town.

That was the Reaper’s idea of tracking a Darkling down. Gather information about the town and find anyone that had recently joined the community. Investigate those leads and if that comes up as a dead end, find the most influential person in the city or town.

Sometimes, however, agents of Tekal find Darklingic activity in the city they are assigned to and report the descriptions of the Darklings to Tekal. To the mage’s puzzlement, the modified Finder’s Stone for Darklingic activity wasn’t a hundred percent accurate. That was one reason why all the fully trained Reapers weren’t in Tekal. Most were stationed in towns, assigned to watch the communities for Darklings, while the strongest Reapers stayed in Tekal as the attack squad--or bumbling politicians as Priscilla put it.

“I’m sorry,” Celia said when they rounded the first corner she came to, obviously wanting to get away from Tallen as quickly as possible.

“You shouldn’t be the one apologizing,” Cedrick said stiffly.

“No, I should. I should have requested for another Reaper when I heard it was him. He--he believes the Devotees tests have been rigged.”

Articus kept his white hood up but his eyes alert. Togasun was a large city build around the two major crossroads in Capri. But as cold as it was, a diverse group of people walked the cobblestone. Just in front of him must have been thousands of travelers in the street. Shops of all types dotted the wide roads like weeds. He saw at least five different Blacksmith forges on the first street--each had at least ten white robed men helping the Master Blacksmith with the bellows. Big city.

“He is probably right,” Cedrick said cautiously.

Celia frowned. “What do you mean?”

“When I heard Lord Wes and Baine passed their tests, I didn’t believe it. With only a weeks worth of training, even a single nugget could have beaten those two boys. So I did my own investigation.” Cedrick’s eyes scanned the crowds in front of Celia as they walked. Articus was watching a Shield in action and a slow building of anticipation weld up in him. It had been a long time since he’d been on a mission.

“I found the three Devotees that tested them and I learned that the Head Mistress hadn’t overseen the testing. It had been Master Reaper Nicolas.”

“That isn’t unusual,” Celia said defensively as they walked around another corner. Three Peacekeepers who were making a show of scanning the crowds bobbed their heads toward Celia, the only Lady near them.

Celia politely bobbed her head back to them when Cedrick continued in his whispering tones.

“All three Devotees did both of the Novices test and, after getting one of them over a bottle of brand, they had been approached by Reaper Reed before the first test. I couldn’t get the conversation out of the man but I got the gist of it.”

Articus eyed Celia knowingly, she nodded.

Cedrick, not missing a beat, said, “And seeing you two the past moon, I get the feeling I’m missing the bigger picture.”

“Ignorance is bliss,” Articus warned.

“Yeah, when you are six feet under,” his friend grunted.

Articus tried for humor. “That’s what a shovel is for.”

“Come on Articus, I can help.”

“Not much you can do even if you knew,” Articus murmured.

“I’d be another pair of eyes. Look, I won’t tell Nina if that’s what you are worried about.”

They paused in front of an inn that was across the street from where the four Darklings had been spotted. Celia must have been thinking the same as Articus. If they hadn’t attacked them over the past two moons, the mission was probably the real deal.

When Articus looked at Celia, she shrugged. It wouldn’t hurt, he told himself. Motioning with his eyes, Celia led them into the inn.

After the necessary greetings with the innkeeper were over with, she ordered for two rooms. It brought a curious look from the innkeeper but he didn’t speak his mind when she produced gold. Slaves normally stayed in the slave quarters, a cramp closet-like room that housed all the patrons’ slaves.

Taking the flight of stairs up to one of the rooms, Articus and Cedrick dropped off their baggage. Shutting the door, Celia weaved a sound ward into the room, blocking all sound from outside. Articus took the cue and tried to sum up everything he knew of the situation as best he could.

“A fraction within Tekal, called the Fourth Triangle--which we believe is lead by the Head Mistress, Fal, Reed, and Nicolas--is trying to kill Lady Tyrn. They have posed Reapers as Darklings. Motive unknown.”

Cedrick merely rubbed his growing beard in thought. Beards were a lot more common in the north than in the south, especially in the winter. Articus had been thinking of growing one as Briar had but old habits die hard.

“They tried to kill you on your first mission?”

Only Cedrick, Articus mused.

“Aye. Failed miserably but not without lack of trying.”

“Vanguards.” Cedirck said the title as if it were an inside joke.

“We have no proof except for a dead man’s last words. They haven’t tried anything since the first attack against the Lady and since my first mission,” Articus said, ignoring the hidden jibe. “In fact, I’m almost certain that whatever had happened was a political move now. She tried and failed. What worries me is the fact that there are Reaper’s posing as Darklings doing black on black ops.”

“Power,” Cedrick said with a shrugged. “It’s not uncommon, Articus. I wouldn’t put it off completely but you are probably right. No threat now.”

“Thanks dad,” he muttered.

Cedrick grinned and then a thought occurred to him. “What was that about you seeing the enemy and interrogating?”

Celia answered this time. “He can sense how strong people are in spirit. We weren’t sure if this was going to be like Boria… but I’m starting to believe it is over as well.”

“That’s what King Tugor thought,” Cedrick grunted. King Tugor had been assassinated by his old political nemesis when he thought that the weak alliance they had forged would protect him. Articus had been reading a lot into northern politics of late. “But you can really sense how strong someone is?”

When Articus nodded, he said, “So am I stronger than Tallen?”

He laughed. “Aye, but not by much. You are at par with Celia.”



Cedrick and Articus left Celia for a drink. They left after changing into more suitable clothes, leaving their white robes in their room. When a Novice becomes a Devotee, they are given new clothes for their mission. It was one reason why the white robes weren’t necessary. Thankfully, everyone only saw the white robes and not the face. Besides, Articus mused, there must be forty rooms here.

Down stairs they found Tallen just entering the inn. When their eyes locked, the blueblood became furious. Since they were in public, Tallen’s hands were tied and Cedrick knew it. Laughing aloud, Cedrick waltz passed the Lord and demanded a drink from a white robbed woman.

Smiling, Articus politely nodded to Tallen and walked up to Cedrick’s table, sitting down noisily. Tallen demanded his room number from the poor innkeeper before storming up the stairs.

“Of all the royal pricks I’ve had to deal with,” Cedrick said happily. “He is at the top of my list.”

“You haven’t met UL Theodoros Gre’gar,” Articus said, watching Tallen disappear from the top of the steps.

“As in our Gre’gar?”

“A cousin of Waylon’s. The black sheep of the family, or so I heard. Speaking of that bunch, when is Nina’s going to stop playing games?”

Cedrick’s drink appeared before him and Articus ordered some bread and water. While it was too early for Articus to have wine, Cedrick didn’t believe in such things.

“I heard she talked to you,” Cedrick said cautiously.

Of course. He’d listen in on any conversation she has. Hmmm, interesting.

“Aye.”

“Up north, women have to talk with their fathers before they can--pursue men. If they don’t, they can be shunned. And once they are ‘broken’, they can’t leave the man. Unless you are my wife,” Cedrick said with a sad grin.

At Articus’s questioning look, Cedrick explained. “You don’t think those kids I have are mine? My little boys can’t swim like you, remember?”

“Oh.”

“Abusive ex-husband,” he said in a way of explaining it.

“No need to explain,” Articus said, waving his hand. “I’d call you a friend no matter what you’ve done.”

Cedrick nodded solemnly in appreciation. “She’s had some hard times. But enough of that. As for your question, she will talk with her father for permission. Even though he has disowned her, he loves her dearly. Our customs aren’t always ethical, you see. He wouldn’t say no to her but the situation is…”

“Complicated,” Articus finished for him.

“That doesn’t begin to describe it. She can’t even be seen near him publicly. It was the Gods’ mercy that Priscilla showed up at my doorstep the day after Vinna appeared.”

“You were assigned to her?”

“Aye. Been with her since I’ve joined His service. My father was a farmer. I ran away from home when I turned sixteen. Three moons I tried my hand in stealing. Come to find out, I wasn’t very good at it. Spent some time in jail and ended up being recruited into his Lordship’s service after the guard gave me one of those life lectures. To be honest, that probably saved my life. Started as a page for Lady Nina and her father had me schooled. When I hit my growth spurt, they gave me a sword and trained me how to use it. Turns out I was better with a sword than stealing. Lady Nina insisted that I be assigned to her… we had become friends of sorts.”

Articus would never have guessed the man had started out as a street brat. The slave showed up with food and Articus’s drink. Handing her a silver mark, Articus lazily sipped his water, enjoying the moment.

“How about you? When did you join the Vanguard?”

“Didn’t really join per se. I was sold into it by a merchant who found me alongside the road. Went from orphanage to orphanage until I was twelve, then I was taken under the apprenticeship of a soldier who worked as a liaison between the Empire’s Guards and the orphanages. On my eighteenth Name Day, I joined the Red Guard as a First-Private. Worked my way up to File Leader by my twentieth Name Day--that’s when I joined the Vanguard in the 3rd Legion. When I was twenty-three I gained the rank of Under-Centurion of the 2nd Legion and at twenty-five I became Centurion of 1st Legion. The story of my life.” Articus ended with a sigh. It was definitely not as interesting as Cedrick’s but the man whistled.

“US at twenty-three in the Vanguard? I thought you boys made it tough to go anywhere in the Vanguard.”

“It isn’t uncommon,” Articus tried to defend himself, which he wasn’t sure why he was defending himself to begin with.

“I don’t believe it,” Cedrick muttered as he took a sip of his wine glass. When he set his glass down, he wore a mischievous grin.

“Uh oh.”

“What?” Cedrick asked innocently.

“Spit it out.” He’d known Cedrick long enough to recognize the ‘look’.

“Just a rumor,” Cedrick remarked offhandedly.

Articus waited him out until the big man finally spilled it. He was infamous at gathering gossip and weeding out the truth of it.

“Fine, fine. Be a hard ass. You know you aren’t any fun. There has just been a lot of speculation, that’s all.”

“About me?”

“Aye. You and Celia.”

“Ahh.”

“Be honest with me. What is going on?” There was a little Dylon in Cedrick, even if he wouldn’t admit it.

“So did it hurt when you had the mage change you?” Articus asked with mock sympathy.

“What?”

“When they changed you from a woman to a man.”

Cedrick growled and then laughed. “You are a hard man, Articus Wayden. But seriously, people are talking like you guys are having… ‘Escapades’.”

“Really?” Articus asked in amusement.

“Really.”

“Hate to disappoint…”

Cedrick grinned. “You are blind. You realize that don’t you?”

“What you mean by that?”

“She likes you.”

“This is really childish.” Articus tried to ignore the dryness in his throat.

And then, as if a gong went off in Articus’s head, his eyes darted to the front door. Four men walked in, all glowing green. The glowing part had come to Articus on his third Awakening. He could judge how strong one was by reading their auras. One in particular was stronger than both Tallen and Celia combined. Thankfully, he could control the brightness in his mind. If it wasn’t for it, he would have had to close his eyes from the man’s aura.

Cedrick sat his wine glass down and frowned at Articus. Acting as if nothing had happened, Articus took a sip of his own glass, his eyes back to Cedrick. As he placed the glass back down, he flashed his left hand: “Enemy here.”

Calmly, Cedrick raised his hand toward a slave nearest to the door, getting a good look at the four new patrons as he flagged the woman down.

The strong one was in modest clothes, probably a merchant. His other three companions were also dressed in the same manner. But the most interesting thing about the group was the vibe Articus got from them: they were afraid.

And the leader of this bunch is one of the weak ones, Articus noted curiously. The leader was surrounded by his three companions. He was a short, redheaded man who exuded confidence. But Articus could still smell a hint of fear in him.

Tekal didn’t have too many books on Darkling’s and their social structure--that is, if they had a social structure. Like themselves, Reapers knew just enough to get by when it came to Darklings.

”They will act human, look human, and plead like a human. But the moment you give them an opening, they will kill you.” Celia’s voice came to him from a past memory.

And then the strongest of the group looked right at Articus and gave him a small knowing nod. As if they knew each other.