Wielder: Apprentice: Book 1 of Lady Shey's Story (The Wielder Cycle) (5 page)

“Akros, you fool!” Enowene said, and then raced toward the tower door without further hesitation. She had to get to Sheyna. The screeching sharpened in frustration as Enowene slammed and bolted the door before the creature could catch her.

The creature swooped down into the door with a thud. It furiously clawed at it, but Enowene braced it closed. Another blood-curdling screech, and the clawing stopped.
She moved to a nearby window and peered out into the courtyard. The dragon-like creature was swooping at Akros like a bird after a prowling cat. A scraping sound garnered her attention, and she pressed her face against the glass. Her mouth went dry; a figure crawled up the side of the tower, leaving small bits of falling stone in its wake. Something else was not right about the encounter. The tower was silent. Adrenaline pumped through Enowene’s body. No one stirred at the commotion outdoors or investigated the screeches. The adrenaline helped her leap up the stairs two and three at a time to reach the girls. At last, she reached the correct corridor. She flung open the door and rushed directly to Sheyna. With a flick of her wrist, each candle and every oil lamp in the room burst with light. Upon the bed, which was askew with covers in disarray, sprawled out facedown and at an angle edge to center was Sheyna’s lifeless form. A deep wound oozed blood from the middle of her back.

Akros followed the rushing-air sound of beating wings. The creature, wounded by his sword, desperately searched for safe quarters. Unable to take flight for long, it alternated hopping with moments of quick flight. When Akros was close enough, he drew his dagger and expertly lobbed it. The spinning dagger found its mark, and the dragon-like creature fell lifeless. Akros almost lost his footing on the cobblestone street in his haste. Four steps to his left, away from the dead creature, another set of black wings folded into the silhouette of a lithe body. Red eyes fixated on Akros in an icy stare. He did not waver from the shadowy figure’s intense gaze. Instead he leaned against the stone wall and panted, trying to catch his breath. The red eyes blinked. “It is done. The girl is dead. I killed her, disguised as the tower mistress.”

Akros tried to disguise the pain that gripped his heart. “What will you do now, then?”

“I will report her demise to the master, of course.” The figure turned toward the orange moon in the background. “The moon is bright tonight. I must be off.” The creature again focused his red eyes on Akros. “You will come with me to the master.”

Akros resisted. “Now that the girl is dead, what use am I to the master?”

“Indeed, what use are you?” The creature’s wings expanded. “I do not question the master’s intent.” With blinding speed, the shadow creature lurched for Akros, whose instincts made him dodge. The creature proved to be too fast for him, and two talon-like claws penetrated both his shoulders. He clenched his teeth against the pain as the creature took flight. He gripped the talons and pulled up so the bulk of his weight no longer rested entirely in his shoulders.

Enowene’s breath came forth in tiny gasps. Tears flowed, welling up to block her sight. She wiped them on her sleeve. She bent down to touch the lifeless girl’s youthful face. Movement in the corner of her eye revealed a small green statuette of an elven princess, tumbling off the edge of the bed and landing on the floor with a tinging thump. A skinny, girlish hand reached out from under the bed and grasped the figurine. Enowene let out a sharp yelp. She scrambled to grab the arm and pulled a tearful Marella out from under the bed. As soon as she was clear, Marella jumped into Enowene’s arms.

“It was awful; that creature looked exactly like you, but I knew it wasn’t. It smelled dirty and earthy, not your scent at all.”

Enowene squeezed Marella tightly. She did not want the girl to see Sheyna’s body on the bed. Holding the blonde girl’s head in close, she let her eyes wander to Sheyna. The tears of pain turned to tears of joy. She pushed Marella away so the girl could peer into her now beaming face. Enowene pulled the girl in close again and kissed Marella’s forehead over and over, muttering, “You wonderful, wonderful girl.”

Tucked in her bed fast asleep, Sheyna dozed safe and sound with soft, slumbering breath.

Sunlight poured in brightly through the round window, reminding Sheyna where she was. It was not a dream; she was in the tower. She stretched out her legs and then flung the covers off and raced to the window. The sun was still low on the horizon. She changed into her blue dress and pulled the covers of her bed straight. She planned to leave the room when she happened to catch sight of herself in the mirror of the dresser. Her hair was sticking out in all directions. She searched the drawers of the dresser and found a brush.

She hesitated for a moment. “Well, even if this brush does belong to Marella, I’m still going to use it,” she said to herself. She brushed out the tangles and carefully placed the brush back into the dresser drawer. Her stomach began to growl, but being used to it, she ignored it.

Upon entering the common room between the bedchambers, Sheyna could now see what was displayed on the tapestries. They were depictions of women in formal clothing attending a gathering in a forest of green and picking wildflowers. On the table at the center of the room was a flower pot with blue flowers. Sheyna heard no movement from Marella’s room, so she peeked in to see if Marella still slept. There was no sign of the girl, and her bed was made. Marella had already gone.

Sheyna shrugged and headed for the door to the hallway. Before she could reach out for the handle, there was a knock on the door and then Mavis entered. “Ah, there you are. Mistress Enowene has sent me for you. Come along now,” Mavis said, motioning for her to follow. Sheyna sighed, unsure of what was going to happen and of what lessons Enowene had in store for her. She wondered if Marella had gotten up early to go complain about her. Despite what Enowene had told her earlier, Sheyna worried that the head mistress would surely still expel her from the tower for fighting if Marella complained enough.

Mavis led her down the long, now familiar, halls to Enowene’s chamber and opened the door for her. “Go on inside; Mistress Enowene expects you.”

Sheyna nodded and entered, fully expecting to see Marella standing next to Mistress Enowene grinning. Instead she found Enowene seated behind her desk. She appeared tired.

“Welcome, child,” Mistress Enowene said. “We have much to discuss.”

A pang of nervousness traveled up Sheyna’s spine. “We do?”

“Close the door behind you and come have a seat.”

Sheyna closed the door and walked to a chair placed in front of Enowene’s desk and sat down.

Enowene took a deep breath. “Has Marella had time to show you any of the tower?”

Sheyna shook her head. “No, it was late, and I asked her to take me to our rooms so I could go to sleep.”

Enowene clasped her hands together and put her elbows on her desk. “Marella has already spoken to me of the events last night.”

Oh no, Marella did get up early to complain. Enowene is going to expel me, or at least punish me. I was right
, Sheyna thought. “She has?” She said weakly.

“Aye, and I sent her to the cleric to have her eye seen about. It had swollen in the night.”

Sheyna closed her eyes in self-disappointment. “I understand. I will accept whatever punishment you see fit. Marella does not want me here.” She stood up.

“Sit back down. I find it hard to believe she doesn’t want you here since she sat right there, in that very chair not two hours ago, asking that I not send you away.”

Sheyna perked up. “She did? Why? She hates me. I smacked her good in the eye. I certainly would not be so forgiving if she struck me!”

“Aye, she did. Be thankful she is more forgiving than you, a trait you could learn from her.” Enowene sighed. “The issue here, I think, is that Marella has never had many friends and no one has ever stood up to her the way you did. I suspect she is curious about you. You must be mindful of how you conduct yourself from now on.”

Sheyna raised an eyebrow. “Curious about me? Is her curiosity stronger than her dislike of me?”

Mistress Enowene sat back in her chair. “I don’t think she dislikes you. I believe her inexperience with making friends makes it seem that way. As I stated previously, if I were you, I would be careful of my actions. Also, and you should mark my words, I will discipline you rather harshly the next time I hear you have struck another apprentice. Do you hear me?”

Sheyna bowed her head. “Aye, mistress.”

“Good.” Enowene took a book from her desk. “Can you read?”

Sheyna nodded. “My mother taught me. She held a position in the king’s court before she was exiled.”

“Oh, I was not aware that your mother held such a high position,” Enowene said.

Sheyna was perplexed at Enowene’s reaction. Surely, she knew her mother held the position. “Aye, she did. Didn’t you know her? You must have at least met her after she arrived here when I was a baby. ”

“Aye, we met.” Enowene brushed back a strand of her hair. “Sheyna, again I apologize for your life on the street, but I could think of no other way. I pray to Loracia that you will forgive me.”

I bet I could find a dozen better ways to take care of a child!
she thought before she nodded.
“
I have already forgiven you. My mother taught me that it is not good to hold grudges.”

“Truly a wise woman, your mother.” Enowene took a deep breath and changed the subject. “I suspect you are a quick learner.”

“I am, mistress,” Sheyna assured her.

Enowene took Sheyna’s chin in her hand. “I sense that there is more to you than even you know.”

Sheyna was unsure of what Mistress Enowene meant, but it sounded like standard rhetoric to her, something motivating and soothing for every apprentice to hear.

Enowene stared into Sheyna’s eyes with contemplation. “My darling girl, I have news to tell you, and I avow now is as good a time as any. I have made arrangements for you to continue your training elsewhere.”

Sheyna’s jaw dropped. She felt betrayed somehow. “You what? But, Headmistress . . .”

Enowene stopped her by holding up her index finger and wagging it back and forth. “Oh no, you don’t. There will be no argument. Events have forced my hand. You will still be apprenticed, just not here. You will be taken to the Vale of Morgoran in the heart of Symboria. There you will be taught by one of the greatest three wielders this world has ever known. In fact, I sent word for them to travel here to decide on whom will apprentice you.”