Quick Work

  The next morning, the fifth day of their sojourn, they set out again. Beach wiped of all their traces, the cabin left the way they had found it.

  They were heading south this time, and not a word of protest came from the group when they backtracked through the woods instead of taking the main path to avoid Eletia, which was southwest of the beach. It was a battle that didn’t need to be fought, at least not if her current goal was to obsolete magic as soon as possible.

  “Ugh. Are we going to stop soon?”

  Ty felt exhausted too. Not twenty-four hours had passed since completing her mission, and she had barely fallen asleep the night before after spending more than an hour with Faris on the beach. Sitting side be side, talking to him and telling him about the Circles, but not about her destiny.

  “It was nice to take the tomecart going out of Thaon—that saved us a lot of time. We should have just crossed Eslah’s Pass, so maybe three more hours to the next town,” replied Theo compassionately, surprisingly alert for someone with such a poor disposition.

  You should thank me.

  He can still hear it, you know.

  It’s not over.

  Stepping to the side to rub her temple, Ty fell in step with Darius and Elias near the back. “If you’d like, Elias,” she offered, “you can scout out the town. I know you’re from Eletia, but you’re familiar with the area.”

  He twisted around to shoot her an eager, questioning look. “Alone?”

  “No, of course not.”

  Elias clicked his tongue. “Well, I can’t take Kor because she just asked whether we were going to stop soon, and you can’t go because you’re watching over us, so who else?”

  “I’ve got a brilliant idea,” chimed the healer from the middle of the group, shooting a smirk at the two behind him. “Take Selene—you can piggyback her. She’s so small, it’ll almost be like you’re alone.”

  There was unrestrained disgust in Elias’s grimace. “Forget it.”

  It was Alex’s turn to be curious. “What’s this about? I can go.”

  Immediately, Elias turned to the tactician and raised his eyebrows.

  She filled in the blanks and half-shrugged. “Sure, Alex. You both scout ahead. We’ll meet at the proposed location—we shouldn’t need to change our plans unless you come back with something. These areas are much more neutrally aligned, surprisingly enough.”

  “Sounds good. Let’s go, Alex.” Elias rushed to the front of the group without further ado, not granting the talkative student even a moment to bid farewell to her classmates before breaking out into a quick jog to catch up to the other duelist.

  Down two, Ty felt slight relief as she turned to Darius. “Are you alright by yourself?”

  The Ancient seemed thoughtful. “Theo. I like.”

  Ty couldn’t help but laugh at the innocent request. “Yes, I’ll bring him over for you.”

  So much for trying to rest, she lamented quietly to herself with a small smile as she jogged up to the two at the front.

  “Really? It’s that easy?”

  Callie nodded. “Try it out next time. I think it’ll help.” Her eyes met Ty’s. “Hey. What’s up?”

  Ty tilted her head back. “Darius wants Theo. I’ll stay up here with you since we’ve lost Alex.”

  Practically jumping at the offer, Theo beamed and stepped aside.

  “You didn’t even have to ask him, huh?” chuckled Callie gently.

  “He’s in a cheerful mood,” responded Ty simply, watching her two scouts disappear into the distance.

  “Is there a reason we’re having the exam over by Eslah—isn’t the south supposed to be neutral?” inquired the support while facing forward.

  Ty tried to recall the Headmistress’s words as accurately as possible. “There’s a MATS camp stationed outside town monitoring a path used by them and Ancients to go from community to community, and currently there’s credible belief that a group from Eletia is heading over to Eslah. Though normally it’d be taken care of by MATS officials, this time they’re expecting at least a hundred soldiers—we’ll be helping them defend the north side, which should have fewer enemies.”

  Callie took a few seconds for the information to sink in. “A hundred soldiers? For a community?”

  “The more people there are to distract us and keep us occupied, the easier it’ll be for a single member to slip past us. That’s all it takes.”

  “What…do you think they’d do with them, if we weren’t there?”

  While Ty was trying to think of an answer, Kor chimed in for her. “We’ve recovered a handful before. Haven’t you read any testimonials? There are entire books.”

  Callie lowered her head. “I—no, I…I haven’t. I’ve…” Her hands nervously fidgeted with the strap of her harness. “I didn’t want to. The ones we have…the mandatory ones for class—those don’t go into too much detail.”

  The chemist’s reaction was barely lukewarm. “You should. Even if it’s hard to stomach. It’s more than just taking them away. It’s forgetting, it’s changing, even though they’ll always be regarded as essentially inhuman. If you want more reason to fight, you’ll find it in those books.”

  Knowing that Kor could have mentioned a plethora of other horrors, Ty slightly relaxed while Cyril piped up in a solemn tone.

  “There’s been a lot of disappearances lately, huh?”

  Theo was the one to answer him. “Yeah. That board outside the lecture halls can’t fit ‘em all anymore.”

  “How do we not know where they go? Where they’re taken?”

  “According to first-year history, the highest percentage of reclaimed Ancients were runaways, followed by those who were discovered through MATS investigations.”

  “You left out the part where the reclaimed make up only a small percentage of the lost,” murmured Sel.

  Kor’s matter-of-fact tone was cutting. “Probably because those who are taken in never see the light of day.”

  “Please…please stop.”

  All eyes turned to the back, at a downcast Darius. Even Ty, who not only turned back, but halted altogether.

  “Stop,” snapped Ty immediately, not trying to echo Darius’s strained words but issuing an order.

  Her eyes were analyzing a group of shadows trailing far behind them, who also halted at that very moment.

  “That’s…” started Theo.

  That’s two seconds, dear.

  I don’t know if they’re dangerous yet.

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  Do you want to wait to find out?

  The question answered itself as the three soldiers—one holding a book, while the other two wielded swords—bolted in their direction.

  She pushed past her classmates, standing between them and the threat closing in on them. “Kor and Callie, Warding barrier over them.”

  “Them?” whispered Cyril from behind her as she dared to take a few extra seconds to think of a way to deal with them without taking another life.

  “Theo, do you have a Parapnos?”

  Without even confirming, he began casting it.

  And then the one caster opened their book.

  “Faris, Mistshroud.”

  “Just kill them.”

  Easily waving a barrier over her own group, Ty considered the botanist’s words. Felt the voices in her mind gobble it up. Felt her sword trembling in its sheath, begging to be let out.

  The fog of the Mistshroud descended.

  “Done,” spoke Theo after two heartbeats as the threats collapsed onto the ground.

  “You wouldn’t know how to dualcast a Paradem and Paradis, would you?”

  “That’s two Grade V spells.”

  He’s right. Why should we waste our resources on them when we can end it easily? Only mom knew how to meld those. If only it were so simple, implanting false memories.

  “I’m serious. We should kill them. They were trying to hurt us. It’ll be like last time.”

  “Last time was an ambush,” she tried to defend herself.

  Far away, she observed the fallen silhouettes of the three soldiers. They would wake up and remember everything. They would remember them. They’d endanger their mission, the Academy of the Graces, everyone. It was too risky; there was nothing they could do to protect themselves short of wiping their memories—which Theo had already refused—or killing them.

  Feed me.

  “Kill them,” echoed the daughter of the Matriarch.

  Against her better judgment, she ordered everyone to stay put while she walked over to the three individuals.

  They did not stir when she approached, not even when she was standing right beside them. The crest on their uniform—it was different. It was from the south.

  Kneeling on the prickly grass and reaching to open the tome, she suddenly felt movement to her side, an unexpected weight near her hip.

  One of the soldiers had woken up, and his hand was reaching for the hilt of the sword tied to her side.

  “Wait—”

  That was all she could get out before the soldier grasped the sword, only to scream out in anguish as Ty stood up and walked back, bringing along the black, rapidly disintegrating arm of the man along with her.

  Without thinking, she spoke words that couldn’t be taken back, the same ones she spoke to the darkness that one night, desperate to release the soldier from his suffering as he disappeared entirely from existence.

  Forever.

  In the emptiness, the two remaining bodies burst into flames.

  A chime rang, and the fog dissipated. Her time was up.

  “Told you to kill them,” shrugged Sel as she started continuing on their way, followed by Cyril and Kor.

  “Oh, let me stay up front,” Callie called after them, rejoining the group.

  Darius, still with a downtrodden look, subtly shook his head before doing the same.

  “Was that enough?” asked Faris with a bored look on his face as the tactician caught up.

  “Yeah,” Ty sighed, shooting the bright-eyed, inquisitive Theo beside him a fragile smile before patting her caster on the back. “Go up to the front in case Callie needs someone.”

  “Alright.”

  When he got to the front, Ty took a long piece of cloth out of her pocket and handed it to Theo.

  He took it without question. “Darius was serious when he said I shouldn’t touch it, huh?”

  Pulling her tactician’s ring off her finger and rinsing the blood with a wordless spell, Ty sighed again. “I should have just killed them.”

  “Here.”

  She flung the reddish droplets off her hand before offering it to Theo, who began bandaging her finger with the cloth.

  “What would you have done?”

  “I would have killed them, of course,” the physician replied matter-of-factly as he pulled a small metal clip out of his pocket and fastened the bandage neatly into place. “There’s no reason for me to be merciful.”

  “You really wouldn’t think twice about sparing them?”

  “There’s no time to think about that when you’re facing people who want to kill you. You can’t let your emotions take over—you should know that better than all of us, tactician.”

  After slipping her ring into her cloak pocket, she let her hand drop and faced forward. “Let’s pick up the pace,” she called, watching Callie and Faris wave in acknowledgment from the front of the group.

  “You killed the others last night with less hesitation.”

  “I asked them first.”

  “…You’re really not numb to it yet?”

  A bewildered Selene finally inserted herself into the conversation. “What in the world are you two going on about?”

  Ty cocked her head. “Why did you ask me to kill them immediately?”

  The botanist blinked, countering, “Why didn’t you? You’re practically made to kill people.”

  Her head remained cocked, unperturbed. “Doesn’t the Circle of Graces have something against killing people? Or has the Earth Mother asked you to turn a blind eye to them, too?”

  Selene’s expression only darkened, refusing to back down as she growled, “Ah, I wish I didn’t have to face any consequences for my actions. Must be nice, just following orders and having everyone cover for you.”

  The group’s chatter died down as they soaked in the acrid words that were loud enough to be heard by all.

  A pleasant grin emerged on the tactician’s face before she exhaled and straightened herself. She put her hands in her pockets and looked up at the darkening clouds above, thinking about everything she had hidden from everyone. “Oh, I’ve been facing the consequences for a long time now, don’t you worry.”

  “Speaking of consequences,” added Theo stonily from beside her, tugging on her coat and nodding to her left.

  She followed his gaze and rested her eyes upon a new group of soldiers marching toward them.

  “What’ll it be?” snickered Sel.

  “Just keep walking,” ordered Ty, sizing up their opponents easily. They were standard soldiers, like the ones they had seen on their way to the beach. Donning the Eletian crest on their armor, they were easy enough to dispatch, less easy to clean up.

  “What would satisfy you, princess?” Ty chuckled, shrugging off her coat while keeping up a brisk walk and eyeing the rapidly approaching group of four.

  “Don’t listen to Selene, Ty,” chided Callie anxiously from the front.

  Ignoring the compassionate comment, the royal replied haughtily, “I don’t care. Just kill them.”

  “Easy.” Ty unlatched her tome harness and handed it to Theo, encumbering him with more of her belongings.

  “I’m here if you need me,” the other royal said with a wave, looking in the same direction as everyone. “But I’m sure you’ll be okay.”

  Theo, with almost all of Ty’s equipment in hand, looked less concerned with how she was going to take on the group alone and more concerned with how they were going to deal with the aftermath, commented, “Am I on cleanup duty again?”

  Giving her physician a quick peck on the cheek while keeping her hand firmly on her sword, Ty tried to say sweetly, “Thank you, dear. Make sure everyone keeps walking. I won’t take long.”

  “Won’t take long? Four people? I’ve got to see this,” chuckled Kor, hand on her hips and sidestepping so she could see their opponents.

  “Go on, Ty, I’ll take care of them.” With his free hand, Theo spun Ty around before pushing Kor forward so that she kept in pace with the team. “You can watch and walk properly, Kor. You too, Sel.”

  Stopping where she was to take a deep breath and size up her opponents, Ty tested her arms and legs a bit. Light. It felt good to leave everything but her sword behind, especially when she could never shake off the fatigue these days.

  In stark contrast, all four soldiers had armor on, making clangorous noises as they approached. Grating and annoying, drawing all kinds of attention to themselves.

  Troublesome.

  What kind of ambush is this? Do they know who they’re dealing with?

  If they did, they would turn tail.

  Seeing Ty standing alone, a remnant of her group, the soldiers did not alter their course. They headed directly toward the tomeless one who stood patiently, whose right hand was resting on the scabbard at her side.

  No civilians this time. No books. The decision would be simple. She had taken many other lives more innocent than these.

  Easy.

  When they were finally within combat distance, Ty was already impatiently walking toward them. Their weapons were drawn—two swords, one spear, and one axe. Tricky to dodge all at the same time, but without her coat and equipment, it would be no problem.

  What’s your name? she imagined herself saying as she unsheathed her sword and started walking toward her first opponent, the one with the axe.

  I don’t have one, she answered herself as she ducked the first swing, spinning around and gliding her blade through their chest.

  I am your Child of Hope, she offered as she pushed the dying body onto another enemy so she could focus on grasping the spear that was about to pierce her from behind.

  I promise this won’t hurt. Effortlessly snapping the weapon when it met her free hand, she drove her bloodied sword into its owner and used a spell to turn the top half of her new makeshift weapon into a ghostly blue reminiscent of her conjured swords.

  I’m going to return you to the Earth Mother now. Is that okay? Trying to ignore the drops of blood that landed on her face, she stepped to the side to let the body fall as she narrowly avoided a sword flying past her face, sending her altered spear back in their direction.

  Yes. And then it was the final one. She stood still for a moment, waiting for their move as blood trickled down her face. They were the one she had thrown the first body onto—were they in shock?

  She swung her sword and pointed it at the soldier, her head slightly cocked. Waiting.

  One, two.

  No movement.

  She sent her rapier into their chest, and like the others it glided easily through the armor and out as the enemy fell. The deep red blood exiting them ascertained that her blade had met its mark—there was nothing else for her to do now but find the Mother’s next victim.

  “Quick work.”

  The shadow from the edge returned for the second time. The one that reminded her what it felt like to fear.

  “Wasn’t too long, I hope?”

  “It wasn’t even a full minute. You should have seen the look on Kor’s face. Her mouth fell wide open.”

  A laugh she had once thought to be impossible after taking so many lives escaped from her lips as she wiped her face with her sleeve and washed her blade.

  “Here, put your stuff back on. I’ll clean this up.”

  Sliding her clean blade back into its scabbard before unencumbering Theo, Ty gave Theo a knowing smile and raised her eyebrows while re-equipping herself. “I dealt with them in less than a minute—how long do you think it’ll take to clean up?”

  The physician unenthusiastically surveyed his burdens. “Definitely not under a minute. Maybe five. I’ll catch up easy.”

  Easy.

  Feeling a wave of inexplicable emotions emerging upon hearing the word, Ty jogged briskly back to her class.