Chapter One – Part Nine – Negotiation
There was a lot more light the next time Kintere opened his eye. He blinked, rubbed at his face with swollen hands and craned his neck to see where the light was coming from. Edvard Thryche was crouched in the doorway, a heavily armed guard behind him pointing a brightly burning torch into the small cell.
“Good morning, Kintere.”
“Master Thryche.”
“I trust your stay here hasn’t been too unpleasant. I’m here to bring you out.”
“Good,” the big man sighed, relieved, and began to wiggle his way toward standing.
“Ah, not too hasty though. I’m afraid you’ve been banished from the city. You and Kienor both, actually.”
Confused, Kintere shook his head, trying to understand. He’d just gotten into a fight! He expected a few days in prison, or being reprimanded by the Duke – some simple punishment for ridding the court of a great waste of time. But banishment? It seemed a bit too much.
“Auss won’t have you, and your brother won’t be leaving the jail any time soon, so I’ve a proposition for you.”
“Wait,” Kintere interrupted. “Slow down.”
“What did you have in mind?” Blackfang asked without moving from his apparently comfortable recline on the hard gravel floor.
Edvard grinned.
“Jinda. Or perhaps Attensah. The next intake of the Academies is happening in less than three weeks. Rhayd and Mireya are already prepared to go. You have no reason to stay here, Kintere, so I thought you might like to go with them. And since good Kienor is likely thought of as dead by his tribe by now – or worse, a captive – and won’t be staying in the city, I’ll offer him a place as well.”
“Let me see if I understand you correctly,” Blackfang said, hoisting himself up on his elbows. “Kintere ruined your outing to court, so you’re sending him to a school normally attended by your nobility? That sounds entertaining.”
“Then you’ll go?” Edvard asked, that annoying smile widening further.
“Nieri herself would have to summon me before I missed seeing Tere try and get on with nobility.”
“And you, Kintere? There’s clearly nothing left for you, here.”
He was right, and Kintere knew it.
“Where will you send Rhayd?”
“He’ll likely go to Jinda,” Thryche said after a moment’s consideration.
“And Mireya?”
“Oh, definitely Jinda as well. She’s got a rare talent, that one. You, however, will be going with Blackfang here to Attensah. It’ll play better to your strengths.”
“I won’t see them again?” For a moment, Kintere’s stomach rose into his throat.
“Oh, you will. Commencement and placement of those trained at either school takes place on Yeun, where we’ll be headed first.
Kintere nodded, calming himself. He knew what he had to do, in that case.
“Alright,” he whispered. “I’ll go with you.”
Edvard grinned and slapped his shoulder, causing him to wince. As the elderly mage went to gather a guard to set the pair free, Kintere was left to his own scheming, accented by howling laughter from Blackfang. There was no way Kintere would be going to Attensah.