“Do you think he meant to harm me?” Relam asked curiously. He had his own theories, but he wanted the master’s input as well.
“Definitely,” Agath said with such finality that Relam stared at him in surprise. “Keep in mind, your highness, that this is not a safe world we live in.”
“I know,” Relam assured the sword master.
“I’m not so sure,” Agath replied cryptically. They stopped in front of the door to the assembly hall. “Right. Well, we must move on. Give me a moment to compose myself, then send Cevet and Knet to me.”
“Yes, master Agath.” As Relam turned away, he stopped. “By the way, thank you for coming to my rescue.”
“You’re welcome, your highness,” Agath replied.
Relam pushed through the door and into the assembly hall, leaving Master Agath alone on the training ground. Inside, the hall had been cleared save for a few benches shoved against the wall. The other cadets were seated there, looking anxious.
“How’d it go?” Cevet asked immediately, jumping to his feet and moving towards Relam. “What did you have to do?”
“Where’s Sebast?” Delan demanded, advancing on Relam as well.
The prince held up his hands, palms outward to ward off. “Don’t ask me what I had to do. I can’t tell you. Sebast has been dismissed.”
“Dismissed?” Jatt asked stupidly. “What does that mean?”
“Kicked out, banished, something along those lines usually,” Relam replied, sinking onto one of the benches.
“You’re saying that Sebast failed?” Knet asked, looking stricken.
“Yes.”
“We’re doomed,” the nervous cadet dithered. “Maybe if we leave now we could come back next week, after a little more practice, and try again.”
“By the way, Master Agath wants you and Cevet next,” Relam said, looking up at Knet.
The boy paled and muttered something unintelligible. Then, he began pacing frantically back and forth across the room, clearly agitated.
Relam snorted with contempt. “Cevet, Master Agath should be ready for the two of you by now. Good luck.”
“If we’re fighting practice bouts, I won’t need luck,” Cevet said disgustedly. “Knet looks like he’d drop his sword if I said ‘boo’.”
“Yeah, well, he’s better than some others,” Relam muttered in an undertone.
“Meaning Sebast?” Cevet asked curiously.
Relam made no reply, merely stared straight ahead, jaw clenched.
“What happened?” Cevet pressed.
“Later,” Relam replied. “Right now, you and Knet need to start your trials.”
“Right,” Cevet said, frowning. “Come on Knet,” he called as he headed for the exit.
“Just give me a moment!” the nervous boy shrieked. “I’m trying to remember everything Master Agath taught us. I’m sure I’ve forgotten something about-”
He broke off as Cevet and Relam seized him by both arms. “What- What are you doing?” he cried.
“Helping you,” Relam grunted as he and Cevet frog-marched the other cadet to the door. “Good luck.”
“No, I won’t go yet, you can’t make me!” Knet shouted, kicking his feet. “I’m not ready!”
“Jatt,” Relam said, exasperated. “Could we enlist your services, please?”
“Uh, services? What d’you want me to do?” the large boy asked.
“Carry . . . this . . . coward . . . outside,” Cevet panted as he struggled with the flailing Knet.
“Huh uh huh, okay,” Jatt said, chortling to himself. He crossed the room in a few long strides and seized Knet by his collar. The nervous cadet gave a squawk of dismay and whimpered pitifully as Jatt dragged him out through the door, Cevet following close behind. Jatt deposited Knet beyond the door, then smartly withdrew, closing the door behind him.
Almost immediately, there was a heavy impact as someone ran headlong into the door. Relam sighed with exasperation and went to one of the benches leaning against the wall. Grunting, he lifted it, balancing it awkwardly, and leaned it up against the door to brace the timber portal against Knet’s reentry attempts.
“Pathetic,” he muttered. “Honestly, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“Nothing to be afraid of?” Delan demanded incredulously. “Sebast was dismissed!”
“Don’t worry,” Relam assured the other cadet. “Sebast was asking for it. As long as you aren’t as-” He took a deep breath and stopped.
Delan scowled and sat down. Jatt lumbered over and sat as well, the bench groaning in protest.
They sat in silence for what felt like hours. Relam knew that for the two Cadets who had yet to spar, the waiting must be even worse. He at least had performed well during the first part of the trials. If getting attacked by Sebast with a real sword could be considered performing well.
Finally, Cevet and Knet returned, Knet pale and grim, Cevet smiling confidently. “Jatt, Delan, you’re up,” the smallest cadet announced.
Delan rose quickly, stalking to the door and pushing through it confidently. Jatt sat still, looking around the hall.
“Um, Jatt?” Cevet said.
“Huh?”
“You should get going?”
“Oh, right. What does Master Agath want us to do?”
Cevet sighed and rolled his eyes expressively. Relam stepped in quickly.
“Master Agath requires your presence on the training ground outside. He’ll tell you what to do when you get there.”
“Oh.” The massive lordling lurched to his feet, swaying ponderously, and left the assembly hall, still looking slightly confused and unsure of himself.
Relam took a seat again, and Cevet moved to join him. “How’d it go?” the prince asked.
Cevet settled beside Relam on the bench. “Well enough. I won two out of three. Beat Knet easily in the first one. He calmed down for the second though and managed to disarm me. The third bout took forever, back and forth and back and forth. Must have been fifteen, twenty minutes. I finally wore him down though.”
“Good job,” Relam said quietly.
Cevet shrugged. “I did all right. I wonder what the next round will be like.”
As it turned out, the two cadets didn’t have much time
