Page 52 of A Sword of Shadow and Deceit

There’s a sudden urgency within me, a need to find my client and therefore, my target, and get this job over with. I want to be free. I want to leave the Mortal Gods Academy and, the universe willing, I’d like to never fucking return.

Taptaptap.

The sound of a bird’s beak clipping against the glass of my window has me up and out of bed in an instant. It’s not as though I was sleeping anyway—sleep is an ever-elusive beast now and in its place, a strange anxiousness has appeared. I quickly unlock the window and swing it open to allow the bird to stick its clawed leg between the metal mesh.

I unravel the little note tied to its foot and read the contents.

Meeting requested. Riviere shop. — R

There’s no date and no time, but Regis knows better than to expect me to be able to sneak out at any given time. Only by the fact that we’ve known each other for the last decade do I expect that he’ll be waiting around Madam Brione’s shop for however long it takes me to get out of the Academy and meet him.

Turning away from the bird, I grab a matchbook set next to my bedside, light it and the candle there, before holding the thin piece of parchment over its flame. I watch until the last of the page’s ashes have disintegrated into the cool metal bowl beneath the candlestick.

The bird flutters off, no need for a return message. Regis and I have an understanding. He doesn’t request meetings unless there’s actually a need for one. I’ll be there when I can, and I hope whatever he has to tell me concerns our client and target. I don’t know how much longer I can bear to be locked within these walls with no purpose. Soon.

I close the window just as the sun crests over the mountainous horizon. Not seconds after I’ve shut the window and relatched it, however, a bell chimes in the near distance.

I freeze. It tolls ominously. One, two, three times—each one seeming to grow louder as if its echo is infused with someone’s Divinity. The sound is low as it reverberates through the stone walls of the north tower. It’s signaling something, that much is for sure. Whatever it is, there’s only one way to find out.

Without wasting time, I quickly slip into my uniform, sliding a fresh tunic over my head and tucking it into the pants that others have finally grown accustomed to seeing me in despite my gender. I braid my hair back so that it swings behind my shoulders, away from my face save for the short tendrils at the front of my forehead and the sides of my temples. Once I’m done getting ready for the day, instead of heading to the Terra dining hall, I go up to the Darkhaven quarters.

I knock a quick barrage against their door before opening it and stepping inside without being called. To my surprise, I find the three of them already in their shared space, all of them facing the overarching window as the last vestiges of the bells toll. They stand several paces away from each other, with Ruen by his books, Theos opposite him, and Kalix right by the stairs and closest to the window. Each of them has an expression of anticipation on their faces, but only Kalix appears even marginally excited by whatever this sound means. Ruen and Theos appear very much disturbed by it, and it burns me that I do not know.

“Good morning, Masters.” My voice appears to do the trick of bringing the three of them out of their reverie and in sync, they turn towards me.

“Terra!” Kalix bounds across the room and I tense, keeping my hands at my sides as he throws himself at me, grabs me around the waist, and lifts me into the air. “Did you hear the bells? Do you know what this means?”

He spins me in a circle and it takes every ounce of my self-restraint not to bash him over the head and free myself from his grip before he sets me back down with a bright face. “I’m afraid I don’t, Master Kalix.”

His grin is boyish and charming, reminding me instantly of Regis when he’s trying to woo an unsuspecting barmaid. It’s almost enough to make me forget what I’ve seen him do in his training classes—almost. As it stands, Kalix has something about him that sets me on edge. I haven’t been back in his room other than to do my hurried cleaning since that first day, but every time I intrude into his private spaces, I have the distinct feeling that something continuously watches me. He may seem jovial and pleasant at first glance, but there’s a deep twinge of lunacy in his rich green eyes.

I don’t trust this sudden excitement from him.

“It’s the mid-term battles announcement,” Ruen says, his voice strained and quiet as he answers my unspoken question.

I lift my head and glance his way before swapping to Theos who turns away from all of us and stomps across the room into one of the bedchambers. The slam of the door vibrates up the wall and despite the stone outline, several paintings shake at the force of his irritation.

“Ignore them,” Kalix insists, throwing his arm around my shoulders and sending me off-kilter as I stumble under the abrupt weight. “They’re just worried about Theos’ friend.”

“And you’re not?” The question escapes my mouth before I can stop it.

Kalix laughs, though, without offense, and shakes his head. He shrugs. “The boy will either win or he’ll lose,” he says. “No use worrying about something we can’t change.”

How easy must life be to go through it without any sort of concern? It’s truly amazing. Reaching up, I grip his hand and carefully pluck it off my shoulder before lowering it back down between us. Men like him are an effort in futility to try to understand. There’s no use in bothering. Instead, I turn to the only one of the brothers remaining.

“Is there anything I need to do to help you prepare?” I inquire, directing the question to where Ruen still stands, his gaze centered squarely on Theos’ door.

A beat passes and then he blows out a breath. “No,” he says. “We likely won’t be called to fight. You’ll just need to come to the arena and stand with the other Terra—”

“Awwww, come on, why can’t she sit with us?” Kalix whines and just as if he’s completely forgotten that I’ve already removed his arm from my shoulders once, he replaces it, and I stiffen with repressed rage. He leans into me, rubbing the side of his face over the top of my head like an overgrown animal.

Yes, an overgrown animal—that’s exactly what he is. I peer at him with new eyes. He’d probably look quite at home with a leash and collar. The image that brings up in my mind forces my lips to twitch in amusement. It doesn’t slip his notice.

“See!” Kalix exclaims. “She likes the idea!”

The twitching immediately stops.

“Fine, I don’t care.” Ruen sighs and waves his hand at the two of us absently. “Go do … whatever it is you normally do this time of day. You won’t need to return for classes; they’ll be canceled in preparation for the battles. Meet us at the arena just before noon. Battles will start then.”

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