Annev sighed. His skin felt warm and his mind was racing. She’s so beautiful, he thought, staring at the steps, and yet some of the things she says …
He didn’t know what to make of her. Sometimes when Myjun spoke, he felt Tosan’s words were coming out of her mouth. Words he utterly disagreed with. At other times, though, her words were like drinking honeyed water … and nothing felt more right.
Chapter Fourteen
‘I wonder what Ancient Tosan would say about Acolyte Ainnevog exchanging gifts with his daughter.’ The jeering voice jolted Annev from his thoughts and he turned to see Fyn slink into the alley. ‘Or maybe I’ll just tell him I caught you kissing.’
Annev’s mood withered.
‘Why don’t you tell Elder Tosan and find out?’ he bluffed. ‘Then he can ask his daughter if you were telling the truth. I think I’d enjoy seeing that.’
Fyn glowered at him, and Annev noticed the boy had shed his brown tunic in favour of civilian clothing. ‘You always think you’re better than us, don’t you?’ Fyn snarled through gritted teeth.
‘There are some things I am better at, Fyn. Like hygiene.’
Fyn laughed, though there was no mirth in it. ‘You think you’re so clever, huh? Sneaking up on me in class. Torturing me. Sneaking those badges to your mousy little friend.’
‘You tortured Titus first,’ Annev said, not backing down.
Fyn sniffed. ‘He would never have passed that test without your help – without cheating. But he’s still going to become a steward, and you’ll still never beat me in a fair fight.’
Ah, Annev thought, he’s here to put me in my place. Great.
‘You’re going to fail the Test of Judgement tomorrow,’ Fyn added. ‘I’m going to ensure it – because nobody beats me. Not you. Not anyone.’
Annev gritted his teeth. Fyn wanted a fight, and he knew exactly how to stoke Annev’s temper. Worse, Annev could feel himself rising to it.
‘I suppose we’ll find out tomorrow, Fyn,’ Annev said, his tone even. ‘Right now, though, I have to help Sodar prepare—’
‘You think working in that old dodderer’s chapel makes you better than the rest of us? You’re so important. You get to question everything—’
‘I don’t, Fyn. I have duties—’
‘And you think that means you can do whatever you want. That the rules somehow don’t apply to you.’ The taller boy paced, fists clenching and unclenching.
‘Fyn,’ Annev said, his growing anger threatening to overwhelm his good judgement. ‘It’s been a long day, and I still have work to do.’ He turned and walked away.
Don’t follow me, Annev thought, hastening his pace. You made your point. I’m not one of you. Let it go.
‘That’s what I’m talking about,’ Fyn shouted before pursuing Annev. ‘Right there! You think you can do whatever you want. Take whatever you want. Leave whenever you want.’ He circled around till he stood in the middle of the street, blocking Annev’s path. ‘You run around making eyes at Tosan’s daughter. You torture people in class and then stand up on Seventhday in your fancy robes, as if you’re so much holier than the rest of us. And you wear that stupid glove’ – he pointed at Myjun’s gift – ‘just to make sure you stand out. Like you’re too good to touch the same dirt as the rest of us.’
If you only knew, Fyn.
‘I made myself a promise today,’ Fyn said, pulling a pair of kali sticks from behind his back. ‘Can you guess what it was?’
Bloody bones, Annev thought. I guess this is actually happening.
‘Let me guess,’ Annev said, moving sideways into an alleyway, his eyes roaming for an avenue of escape. ‘To take revenge for my dumping you in that trough?’
Fyn smiled. ‘The trough I can forgive. The torture … not so much.’ He spun the two-foot-long, fire-hardened sticks and advanced on Annev. ‘You said you’d kill me if I touched your friends. How about I kill you instead.’
Annev reeled, suddenly realising how badly he had misjudged the situation. He looked from the kali sticks to Fyn and knew, no matter what he did, the boy wanted blood.
Damn.
He had three options.
Apologise and hope Fyn accepted it – a virtual, even laughable, impossibility.
He could fight and let the avatar beat him to a bloody pulp. That might temporarily pacify his bloodlust … but Fyn might actually kill him.
He could fight to win … which he and Fyn both knew wasn’t the most viable choice. But their encounters had been escalating, and Annev feared that the only permanent solution was serious injury or death for one of them. Given those options, he preferred to preserve his life over Fyn’s.
He sighed. Well. Let’s work through the list.
‘Fyn. I’m sorry I choked you with the Rod of Paralysis. I was over the line, and I was wrong. It was an accident that I went so far.’
‘Accident?’ Fyn repeated coldly. ‘It seemed to me it was payback for poking your friend. You’re sure it was an accident?’
‘I didn’t mean to go so far,’ Annev maintained, though he knew that wasn’t strictly true. He glanced down the alley and saw that it opened up on to one of the wider streets circling the village plaza.
Fourth option, he thought. Run for the chapel. He edged closer to the mouth of the alley.
Fyn shook his head, his dreadlocks flipping in front of his eyes. ‘Sure. Accidents happen. No problem. I’ll let you off the hook. Let you get away with it. The way you get away with everything else.’
‘It was unintentional, Fyn.’
Fyn tapped his kali sticks together in rapid succession. ‘I’m afraid there’s another accident about to happen. You won’t be well enough to participate in tomorrow’s test.’
On cue, Brinden, Kellor and Jasper appeared behind Annev, blocking the alley. Like Fyn, they had shed their training uniforms and were inconspicuously dressed.
Maybe I can use that to my advantage.
Annev stopped moving towards the street. There was nowhere to run, and his apology had failed. As the boys closed in around him, his gut knotted and more adrenaline began to course through his blood. He took a deep breath. Should he strike first and use what little advantage remained to him? Or should he wait and try to turn their attacks against each other?
Annev looked between Fyn on his left and the three approaching avatars on his right. The alley was about ten feet wide, with walls in front of and behind Annev. He was trapped.
It was going to be a bloodbath.
Chapter Fifteen
Fyn feigned a punch to Annev’s face then snatched the black glove Annev loosely held in his hand. Annev tried to reclaim it, but Fyn stepped back and tore the garment in half – then he tore it again, dropped the pieces to the earth, and ground his boot into the magicked fabric.
‘What do you think, boys? Tan enough now? Still looks too close to brown to me.’ Annev’s hand darted for the shredded Glove of Illusion, but Fyn was quicker, his foot snapping out, nearly catching Annev in the groin.
Annev jumped back a pace towards Jasper and Brinden and barely dodged Jasper’s attempt to get a lock on his arm. He grabbed Jasper’s arm instead and used his momentum to throw the oafish boy over his shoulder, knocking him into Brinden.