Bastial Energy (52 page)

“Because we’re leaving for a mission.” Reela entered her room, grabbed a backpack, and flipped it over her bed to make sure it was empty. “Pack light,” she said without a look back. “We’re walking about eighty miles there and eighty miles back. We may be gone a fortnight or more.”

Effie stood next to Steffen in Reela’s doorway. They watched in confused silence as Reela went to her wardrobe and started palming through it. She stopped suddenly and looked over her shoulder at them. “Get started, will you?”

“Reela.” Effie held up her hands in an attempt to stop her. “How do you know any of this?”

Reela halted for a breath and then spoke a burst of rapid sentences without the slightest pause. “I went to Oakshen to get my mother and took her to the castle in Kyrro City to translate for the Elf and Krepp. While she was translating, I found out they had Cleve in the dungeons, so I went down to visit him. Then I met with my mother outside the castle to find out what she knew, and then I started back to the Academy and saw Terren on the way there.” She took one quick breath. “We started talking about Cleve and then everything else. I got Terren to tell me about this mission and convinced him that I would be helpful to bring along. He’s at Alex’s house right now, then he’s coming here.” Reela put her hands on her hips. “Get started.”

Again Effie was lost. She looked over and found Steffen to be the same.

“Cleve is in prison?” they both asked at once.

“Yes, I’ll explain everything later.” Reela fluttered her hand, turning her attention to her backpack. “I told Terren we would be ready to leave when he gets here, so pack while I talk about the mission.”

Effie gave in and went to her room. There were clothes everywhere, so finding her backpack wasn’t as easy as it was for Reela. She rummaged around for it as Reela started talking again.

“The reason the Krepps joined with Tenred is because the Krepps believe we know where the underground Slugari are. The Krepps have been searching for the underground colony to take it over, enslave the Slugari, and feed upon them. They sent someone to deliver a threat to King Welson that stated if we don’t give up the underground colony’s location, they’ll attack us.”

Steffen shouted from his room, “That was the Krepp and Elf we saw going through the Academy?”

Effie had heard the news of this Krepp and Elf but nothing more than that. She listened carefully, eager for more.

“No,” Reela answered as Effie heard her door close, likely to change out of her dress. “The Krepp and the Elf are allies with us,” Reela shouted from behind the door. “They intercepted the messenger the Krepps had sent, but they didn’t know what he was doing until they questioned him. The messenger tried to kill one of them, for they’re both enemies of the Krepps. Luckily, the messenger failed and ran, leaving the scroll with them. They brought it through the Fjallejon pathway, and the Fjallejons sent a pigeon to the castle because the pair looked suspicious. Guards came to pick them up, heard their story, and escorted them to the castle to meet with the King.”

“The Krepp spoke our language, Effie!” Steffen added from his room. “And the Elf is a psychic, a very strong one. Leonard is still calm after whatever the Elf did to him.”

Effie finished stuffing all the socks, undergarments, and other clothes she could fit in her bag. She went down their short hallway and stood in Steffen’s doorway. He was holding his pet rat in his cupped hands.

“I need to drop Leonard at a friend’s house so she can keep him fed while we’re gone,” he announced.

“She?” Effie teased. “You have a friend who’s a girl?”

“Yeah, Marratrice. She’s in my class, hates running, loves potions, and likes Leonard, even though he did try to bite her nose once. I’ll do it as we’re leaving.”

Effie heard Reela’s door open.

“Once Reela tells us where we’re going,” Effie said, turning to find her friend standing behind her and buttoning the last few buttons of her black shirt.

“We’re going to the underground Slugari colony,” Reela answered.

Steffen put Leonard back in his cage. “I thought we didn’t know where it was?”

“We don’t,” Reela answered, raising her eyebrows. “But the Elf does. He and the Krepp were on the way there when they saw the messenger. He hasn’t ever met the Slugari, only sensed their presence below ground with psyche.” Reela put a hand on Steffen’s shoulder. “Terren was instructed to bring a chemist who’s familiar with the caregelow plant that’s rumored to be with the Slugari, so I told him while we walked that you’re definitely that chemist. You’re supposed to bring scrolls and pens to document what you find and get samples if they allow it.”

Steffen’s mouth dropped open and his eyes widened. “They trust such a task to a first-year chemist?”

It didn’t seem nearly as special to Effie, and it must not have to Reela, either, because she shrugged. “Terren says they’re only taking first-years because we’re capable but also less useful in a battle. The Academy may be attacked while we’re gone. Marie Fyremore will be the temporary head while Terren is away. He says she’s more than capable.”

“She is,” Effie agreed. “So it’s obvious why the encyclopedia is going. What about me? What’s my role in this?”

“Extra protection, light when we need it, fire for camp.” Reela took Effie’s hands in hers. Only then did Effie realize how excited she was starting to feel. It was making her heart race, spreading quickly over her body. “There are no other mages coming, just you. Terren isn’t all that familiar with first-years, but he spoke to Cleve, who recommended you both.”

The mention of Cleve made them quiet. The excitement suddenly dulled. Effie gave a look to his empty bedroom across from Steffen’s.
Reela will explain what’s happening with him,
she reminded herself.

Effie was glad Cleve felt that he knew her well enough to recommend her. He’d never seen her use any advanced spells, just Bastial light here and there around the dark house at night. However, she’d never seen him use a weapon, either, and that didn’t matter. She knew how strong he was just by being around him. It was the way he carried himself, the words he chose. She could feel his passion to improve in everything he did.
He must have figured the same about me,
Effie liked to think.
It’s funny how you can know certain things about someone without ever witnessing it.

“He’ll be back, Reela?” Steffen asked.

Effie could hear Reela gulp before letting out the soft cough of her throat clearing. “He will. I’ll tell you more as we walk,” she answered quietly.

I’ve never heard Reela answer a question with so little confidence.
It made Effie’s nerves bundle and twist.

“I’m glad,” Steffen answered happily, seemingly unaware of Reela’s tone. “But before Terren gets here, will you let us know ultimately what the King wants with the Slugari? Don’t tell me he’s verifying their location so we can give it away to the Krepps. That will lead to the destruction of their race. The Krepps have already driven the Elves away, but the Slugari don’t have the same ability to run. They’ll be wiped out. Killed, cooked, and eaten, all of them. We can’t let that—”

“Calm yourself.” Reela patted his shoulder. “We don’t even know where the Krepps are even if we wanted to tell them the location of the Slugari. The Elf and Krepp who’ve come here have convinced the King that the Slugari have ways to help us with this war. It’s just as important to the Slugari as it is to us for the Krepps and Tenred to be defeated. We’re going to bring them to our side and find a way to stop this war together—he’s here.” Reela started toward the door. Effie and Steffen followed.

Just as Terren began to knock, Reela opened the door.

“The Elf and Krepp are waiting outside the northern walls,” Terren said without preamble. By the rough look in his eyes, Effie figured he was probably not one for formalities. “Did you explain everything?” he asked Reela.

“Yes, we’re ready. Steffen just needs to drop off his rat at someone’s house.”

Terren’s mouth straightened. “Make it fast. We have ten miles to walk if we wish to spend our first night in a friend’s cabin in Corin Forest. Otherwise, we’re sleeping in the middle of the Fjallejon pathway.”

“Ten miles!” Steffen blurted. “It will be night in a few hours.”

“Are you telling me you can’t walk ten miles?” Terren said with an edge to his voice.

“I can walk ten miles, but—”

“Good,” Terren interrupted. “We’ll meet you at the north gate. Go.”

Steffen hustled out the door with his cloth bag bouncing around his back and his rat’s cage swinging in his hand.

So this is what a warrior instructor is like,
Effie thought.
This explains a lot about Cleve.

But just then, Terren surprised Effie with a warm smile. “Ready?” he asked nicely. It was like she was seeing a different person.

“Yes, Headmaster Terren,” Effie answered.

“Terren is fine,” he said, turning to start toward the north gate.

Effie and Reela followed him for a step, but Effie stopped to lock the door behind her. When she turned back, she met Reela’s eyes. They spoke to Effie, but she couldn’t tell what they were saying. Then Reela pushed out her hand from her waist, fingers extended, and Effie knew what it was:
We’ll be safe with each other.
Effie took it with her own hand. A warm comfort came through her, setting the corners of her mouth up in a wide smile.

Chapter 52: Strangers and Handshakes

ZOKE

Five Humans, there they were, close enough to spit at—three men and two women. Two of the men were taller than him and Vithos, but the one with sandy hair seemed to be in charge. He had an extra bag tied on to the bottom of his backpack. When he came through the gate, he knelt to untie it, and the other Humans watched and waited.

Zoke and Vithos stood in silence, waiting for the Humans to approach. The one in charge pulled open his second bag and took out bread and dried meat, distributing it among the others. Then he walked to them, his eyes hard and set. If he was half as uncomfortable as Zoke, then he hid it well.

He led with a loaf of bread. “You speak common tongue?” he asked Zoke.

“Yes,” Zoke answered, accepting the gift. “But the Elf doesn’t.”

“Will you translate for me?” the Human asked.

“Yes,” Zoke said again, ripping the bread and handing half to Vithos.

The man held out his hand vertically, like he was pointing at Zoke’s stomach with all five clawless fingers. “My name is Terren. What are your names?”

“Mine is Zoke, his is Vithos.” He then translated for Vithos.

“Why is his hand out like that?” Vithos asked Zoke in Kreppen, the only language he knew.

Zoke asked Terren about it. The Human’s mouth tightened into a grin, and his hand fell back to his side. By then, the rest of the Humans had circled around. Of the three men, one had black hair and a light brown beard that was almost red. Zoke noticed him first because he was carrying a cage with a bird in it that struck Zoke as strange.

“When we meet someone, we usually shake hands,” Terren said.

Zoke translated.

“Then we should shake our hands,” Vithos said. “We are in Human company. We shouldn’t insult them.” Vithos extended his fingers and waggled both his hands. Zoke couldn’t understand why the Humans would want to do that, but he joined Vithos in moving his hands back and forth through the air.

A few of the Humans started to laugh. Then Zoke recognized the taller of the two girls. She had fair skin like Vithos. Her hair had the same brightness as his as well, except it was lighter in color and far thicker and wavier.
She was the one who touched
Vithos,
Zoke realized.
She said she knew him
.

She was the first to open her hands and wiggle them like Zoke and Vithos before the rest of the Humans joined in. It brought no pleasure to Zoke, but all the Humans seemed to find it funny. Their smiles were like that of a Krepp, but their mouths were half the size and with white, dull teeth. They looked more like Vithos than any Krepp, except for their ears, which were small and round, at least the ears that weren’t covered by hair.

As each stopped shaking, Terren started introducing the others. He pointed to one Human at a time, saying a name and giving Zoke and Vithos a chance to repeat it. The oddest name was the first one, which Zoke heard as
“Owl-licks.”
But when he asked the man with the birdcage how his name was spelled, he replied with the letters “A, l, e, x.” That made it easier to realize his mistake. Alex had a sword on his belt, as did Terren.

The others were easy to pronounce:
Reela, Effie, and Steffen.
While all the Humans had a bag on their backs, the shorter trio introduced last had no weapons, except Reela, who had just a small dagger on her belt. It was confusing why the two taller male Humans had swords while the other three Humans didn’t. Every Krepp carried a sword or a bow when traveling.

The smallest was Effie, who had dark hair, and was short and very thin. There was something about her that reminded Zoke of Zeti, a confidence in the way she carried herself, perhaps. She had something latched onto her belt, but it wasn’t a dagger. It was like a stick in the shape of a thin rod but unlike any wood he’d ever seen. It was black and sleek with a sturdy look about it. He pointed at it and asked.