“They stopped listening once you turned away to look for them, right?”
“Yes, I saw them running off.”
“I am beginning to wish I hadn’t asked you to make that appointment with King Ilar. It is going to be an awkward session.”
“Then you will be pleased to know I haven’t managed it yet,” Renato replied. He fell into step with me as we walked in the direction of my quarters. He didn’t question the direction, but I knew he noted it. I wasn’t about to return to the festivities now. I wouldn’t be missed until tomorrow’s breaking of the fast; so, I was going to retire. I needed time to spend in the Almighty’s presence before I faced the ceremonies and meetings of the coming day.
“For once I am going to thank you for inefficiency,” I told him with a small smile.
“Father seemed to be avoiding me. I am not sure if it was for your sake or mine, but every time I got near enough to speak to him something would call me or him away.”
“The Almighty’s providence,” I said.
“The Almighty’s providence or the goddess’ intervention, either way, I couldn’t catch his attention today.”
“Were there any deliveries this evening?” I asked.
“A few letters,” he replied. Removing them from the satchel at his waist, he frowned. “I fear that someone is intercepting your mail. The volume is significantly less than normal and the seals look tampered with.”
I frowned over the three envelopes he handed me. I had warned Errol against including anything of secrecy in his letters when the Mesitas first raided my personal belongings. Blandone, however, I could not warn. I needed every bit of information he could get me. Silently praying that Blandone’s letters would not end up among the pilfered missives, I turned my attention to wishing Renato a good night’s sleep.
Once he left me, I sought out my worn copy of the Revelation and immersed myself in the Almighty’s words. They alone shut out the worries and concerns that constantly haunted my thoughts these days.
THE SELECTION OF APPLICANTS for trainee that greeted me the next afternoon caused my heart to sink. Sullen faces, vacant expressions, and slouched forms were prevalent among the seven young men. They sat in their places, making no attempt to contain their sprawled limbs, and watched the proceedings around them without a hint of interest. I found myself thankful that a seventh son was not among this year’s group.
The ceremonial portion of the meeting passed quickly. Then the first of the applicants approached me. Standing in the open space before me, he responded to my brush across his consciousness with a shudder. He preformed each request with minimal effort. I passed him. Each of the following testing sessions passed with similar, unremarkable demonstrations. As the last saluted and withdrew to join his new trainer, Renato appeared at my elbow.
“Master Gulielmus, the graduate who was not able to come to the compound, is here. He requests that you test him today.” Renato’s agitation at the change in schedule came with the sending.
“Is there a reason that I should deny him?” I asked.
“Not that I can find, Master.”
“I sense that this is bothering you, Renato. What is wrong?”
“It is unprecedented.”
I turned to look at my assistant. He met my gaze with a frown. “Within the compound you are surrounded with men who are loyal to you. Here there is no one to defend you should the young man take advantage of you during the testing. All his papers are in place and all the arrangements have been made, yet I was given no notice of his presence until only a moment ago. I don’t like it, Hadrian.”
It did sound suspicious, but I couldn’t deny the young man testing simply on the grounds of a communication glitch. “Tell him to meet me in my quarters in a half hour. Then, I want you to contact King Adrasteia’s oldest son. Estes will be able to help you with the security for the testing.”
With a salute, Renato was gone. I leaned back in my chair and watched the ending ceremonies as the new trainees were admonished to study diligently with their trainers. Renato was correct to be suspicious of this sudden development, but these things happened. It could be only a hitch in communication, someone forgetting to tell someone else.
Once the closing ceremony was over, I waited and watched as the new trainees met their new trainers for the first time. None of the trainers had quite the flair that Errol had. When I first met him that hot summer day in my fourteenth year, his hair had been tamer, but his personality was far from mellow.
“So, you are the seventh son of Orien Aleron,” he had declared. “It was about time someone of humble birth produced a Sept Son.”
I didn’t want to be the Sept Son. I wanted to be a defender like two of my older brothers, and I told him so.
“If the Almighty had meant for you to be a defender, he wouldn’t have chosen you to be born seventh. Count your blessings, boy. You could have been born without talent at all.”
I savored his words as they coursed through my thoughts. He was right. As much as my heart desired something else, I needed to be content with what God gave me. Being Sept Son gave me a great opportunity to show forth the Almighty’s wisdom, grace, and patience to the unbelieving followers of the goddess. It put me in the position to do His will in places and ways that I would have never managed as a defender.
“Hadrian?” Renato’s voice broke me from my thoughts. “Everyone has left and the graduate is waiting in your quarters. Are you ready?”
“Yes,” I replied. Rising from the uncomfortable chair, I straightened my robes. “Have you found out anything more about the missing letters?”
As Renato filled me in on his efforts to discover what happened to my
