“Which leads?”
“Back to Etar. I lead my family back tomorrow.”
Alena licked her lips, thinking quickly. She didn’t have any better options. She’d been trying to come up with one for days, and now this had fallen in her lap.
She would be a fool not to accept.
And yet, she hesitated.
If she traded the secret, the Etari would be in danger. Kye was willing to go to extreme lengths to protect himself. If she joined with the Etari, would he continue to push? She saw the escalation playing out in her mind. She refused to be the cause of a war.
As much as it pained her, she would have to find another way. She shook her head. “I appreciate the offer, but I can’t. I don’t want to put your people at risk for my sake.”
Alena made to leave, but a sudden hand gesture from the woman stopped her. “You have not interacted much with us, I think.”
Alena nodded, wondering what the woman meant.
“You have saved one of our young from his own mistakes. For that, there is a debt my family owes you. You have told me the risk of your secret, and I have still offered you aid. You have no responsibility for the consequences of my decision. I respect the kindness you attempt to show me, but it is misplaced.”
Alena frowned. “If they attack you because of me…”
“Then it is my fault for offering you aid.”
Alena wasn’t sure what to make of the reasoning. It didn’t quite ring true to her, but she didn’t doubt the conviction in the woman’s voice.
And in a moment, Alena’s decision was made, her final objections pushed aside. She wanted to leave Tonno.
“I will join you, then.”
The woman stood and bowed in imperial fashion. “Be ready to leave in the morning. We must make haste before the governor arrives.”
33
“Again!” Kurl shouted.
In unison, two dozen wooden swords sliced down. Brandt’s was just one of many.
“Again!”
As Kurl came by he nodded at Brandt. “Your tip is coming too far down as you cut. You’re losing control of your energy and focus.”
Brandt nodded, taking a slow breath and focusing on internal energies. He was tired, but that was when focus was needed most.
In his mind, swordplay was a constant pursuit of unattainable perfection. Brandt now lived among some of the strongest swords in the empire, and even they still had room to grow. Small adjustments led to tremendous changes. Strength, balance, and control all had their roles to play in the art.
He lost himself in training. When he was here, in the courtyard, all that mattered was his sword and his movement. The troubles of the world slipped away.
He saw the same on the faces of the other monks. They didn’t train because of orders, or because they had some ultimate goal in mind. They trained for training’s sake, to constantly improve themselves.
He was pleased to be among them.
The hole in his memory still existed. Kyla had hoped that perhaps they would return on their own in time, but every passing day strangled that hope.
But if there was one truth about life, it was that time covered all wounds, slowly drowning them with new experiences. His days were filled with mind-numbing effort, and in the months he had spent here, he had developed new friendships. He had always been welcomed, but now he was valued.
The session ended and Brandt collected the swords. He had just finished putting them away when a soft bell rang in the courtyard. It wasn’t an alarm, but a notice. Given the day, everyone knew what that bell meant.
The emperor had finally arrived.
Brandt had seen the emperor once before, back when he had completed his wolfblade’s training. The emperor had given a short speech welcoming Brandt and the other graduates to the ranks of the empire’s elite soldiers.
Brandt climbed the wall of the monastery, along with quite a few others. The monastery was positioned so that it was nearly impossible to approach unobserved. The road to the monastery could be carefully studied for over half a league.
The emperor’s retinue was smaller than Brandt had expected. He wondered if it was usual for the emperor to travel so lightly guarded, or if most of his protection had been left at the beginning of the trail, where it was easier for an army to camp.
Brandt returned to the courtyard as the monks assembled. He joined the line, just another face in the line of monks.
The gates opened, and the first line of the emperor’s personal guard came through. Four riders sat tall on enormous warhorses. Both rider and horse were armored with heavy plate. Brandt pitied any enemy who stood in their way. Another four warriors entered next. They wore nothing but light armor, similar in design to that of the wolfblades. A single glance was enough to evaluate their quality. They didn’t appear as intimidating as the armored warriors, but were every bit as dangerous.
Then the emperor entered. Once past the wall, he removed his helmet and took the monks in with a sharp eye. He rode between the lines, giving each of his subjects a clear view.
Brandt recognized the martial skill in the emperor’s riding. Like every emperor named Anders before him, he had risen through the ranks of the military. Rumor among the warriors of the empire was that the man was an excellent sword but an even better strategist. He looked to be about fifty, but held himself with the steadiness of a much younger man. Streaks of gray cut through his hair, but most of it remained dark despite his age. His hair was cut short, a military cut similar to many others.
Then the emperor passed by, and another four lightly-armored guards followed. The procession ended with another four heavy cavalry, the horses glaring almost as fiercely as their riders.
The emperor dismounted and approached Kyla, offering her a short bow. She returned the gesture more deeply and led him into her study.
The monks
