Goetia

House Rorke, and even Thomas Cross hadn’t often gone by his title, choosinginstead to be known by his station as a Knight of the Order. The Cross lands and holdings had been meager, grown so by the constant and unswerving service of the family to their House and to the Order.

“Yes, Anthony.” Simon also made it a habit to know everyone in the fortress.The boy preened at the mention of his name, then quickly hid his reaction. Simon picked up a towel from his gym bag and wiped his face and upper body. He was surprised at how many of the young Templar—boys as well as girls—stood inattendance. There were at least forty of them, almost enough to fill the gymnasium floor.

“I would ask a favor of you, Lord Cross.” Anthony was dark-haired andblue-eyed. He might have been all of eleven years old.

Simon was conscious of the attention of the rest of the group on him. A few adult Templar stood nearby and watched.

“What do you wish?” Simon asked.

“Would you lead us in the Way of the Sword?” Anthony replied.

Simon looked at the youthful faces. “There are others more skilled than I amin the sword.”

“I’ve heard that isn’t true, Lord Cross. I’ve been told that none are asskilled as you.”

Embarrassment flushed Simon’s features with sudden heat. “Did Nathan put youup to this?”

“No, Lord Cross.” Anthony looked pensive. “I’m sorry if I offended you. Ioffer my apologies.”

“You don’t need to apologize.” Simon felt even more awkward. He’d only comeinto the room to stretch out a few kinks and limber sore muscles. And to forget that Leah hadn’t yet gotten in touch with him. “You haven’t offended me.”

Anthony bowed and started to leave the mat. The other young Templar stepped back as well.

Danielle stepped from the sidelines. “Don’t you dare let them leave thisfloor feeling ashamed,” she whispered. “It took quite a lot for them to get thenerve to ask you.”

“ ‘Them?’ ”

“You don’t think Anthony went to the others, do you?” Danielle asked. “Theyforced Anthony to ask you.” Her eyes flashed. “All they want is some of whatthey perceive to be your strengths and courage to rub off on them.”

“That’s foolish,” Simon said.

“Not to them. To them you’re Simon Cross. Lord Cross. And you’re thebravest Templar they’ve ever seen. You fight demons on a regular basis, and youwin. They want to know that they can be part of that.”

“I’m nothing special,” Simon protested.

Danielle stared at him fiercely. “To them, you are. It’s hero worship.”

“It’s misplaced.”

“Who else should they put their faith in?”

“Themselves.”

“They’re not ready to do that yet. Don’t you remember what it was like to betheir age?”

Simon did.

Danielle nodded over Simon’s shoulder. “Are you going to let them just walkaway?”

Simon wheeled and looked at the young Templar. None of them looked back. All of them were walking away without a word.

“Anthony,” Simon called.

As one, the young Templar stopped and turned back. All eyes focused on Simon.

“Yes, Lord Cross,” Anthony said.

“I have to apologize for my behavior,” Simon said in a formal tone. “I’vedone you a disservice. All of you.”

“You’ve done us no disservice, Lord Cross. We should not have bothered you.”

“I should have listened to you better, little brother,” Simon said. “Youasked for instruction. Tm bound by my honor to teach you what humble skill I have in the Way of the Sword.”

Anthony grinned.

“On the mat,” Simon said. “All of you.”

Quickly, the young Templar lined up in four rows of eight with two stragglers in the fifth row. They moved with military precision and gave themselves plenty of room. All of them carried palladium swords smithed to a size that properly fit their hands. New swords would be forged as they grew.

“Take up your swords.” Simon took up his own and stood in front of them.Instead of holding it in his left hand, he held it in his right. He was naturally left-handed, and his father hadn’t tried to correct that as so manyTemplar fathers did. Instead, Thomas Cross had taught him to fight with either hand. Thomas Cross had also trained himself to be ambidextrous.

“Lord Cross,” Anthony said, “you’re left-handed.”

Simon was surprised they would know that about him. When he did forms, he kept all the exercises balanced. Battlefield conditions changed constantly. Not everyone could make adjustments like that.

“I can wield a sword with either hand,” Simon replied.

“So can we.” Anthony presented his sword and switched it to his left hand. Asone, the other young Templar did the same thing.

Stifling a grin, shocked that he could be amused while still aware that the young boys and girls before him might one day fight and die while using the same skill set they were preparing to exercise, Simon shifted his sword back to his left hand.

“All right,” he said. “Let’s begin.”

Leah woke when the locking mechanism activated. She didn’t move from the bedand kept her arms crossed behind her head while she lay on her back.

Instead of the six-man guard unit Leah expected, only one woman stood there. She was of medium height and had fair hair chopped at shoulder length. Green eyes regarded Leah coolly. Thin and athletic, she looked as if she was in her mid-thirties, but only because Leah automatically assumed the woman was older than she was. Her right temple and cheek held a faded webbing of scars. She wore black armor and carried the hood tucked into her belt. She carried no weapons outside of those built into the suit.

“May I come in?” the woman asked.

Leah smiled. “Politeness from the jailer?”

“I’m not your jailer.”

“The inquisitor, perhaps.”

The woman smiled, and it was an honest and good smile. “Not even that.”

“Are you Greek then? I don’t see a horse in sight.”

A frown creased the woman’s face. “Sarcasm wasn’t overly noted in your fieldservice report.”

“It’s a newly acquired skill.”

“I doubt that. You’re flirting with insubordination.”

“It’s hard not to be insubordinate to a command structure that throws you inlockup.”

“Yes it is. A few years ago, I found I wasn’t terribly fond of it either.”

Leah studied the woman and