“The Dark,” Vaelin said. “The blood, it gave him power. That’s what the bodies were for.”
Caenis’s didn’t look up, but nodded once more, still cleaning his blades.
Vaelin felt the tremor return to his hands, his anger flaring at the memory of his helplessness before the one eyed man. A helplessness not shared by Caenis. Caenis could leap through Dark borne fire and hack down the man who called it forth. You know so much more than you tell me, brother, Vaelin realised. It’s always been this way. “There are no secrets between us,” he said.
Caenis’s hand paused in mid stroke as he worked a cloth over his sword blade. His eyes met Vaelin’s and for the briefest second there was something there, something different from the affection or respect he normally saw in his friend’s eyes, something almost resentful.
The door opened and Master Sollis entered with Aspect Elera. “You two should be resting,” he said shortly, moving to the bed to check on Frentis, his eyes tracing over the blood stained bandages covering his chest and arms. “Will he scar, Aspect?”
“The cuts were deep. Master Harin is skilled but…” She spread her hands. “There is only so much we can do. Luckily his muscles are intact. He will be strong again soon.”
“The man who did this is dead?” Sollis asked Vaelin.
“Yes, master.” Vaelin gestured at Caenis. “My brother’s stroke.”
Sollis glanced at Caenis. “The man was skilled?”
“His skills were not with weapons, master.” Caenis glanced uncertainly at Aspect Elera.
“Talk freely,” Sollis instructed him.
He told Master Sollis all that had transpired since their departure from the Order House, from the Black Boar inn to their confrontation with the one eyed man beneath the city. “The man had knowledge of the Dark, master. He could call up an illusion of fire and he bound Brother Vaelin by his will alone.”
“But not you?” Sollis asked with a raised eyebrow.
“No. I expect I surprised him by seeing through his illusion.”
“You made sure of the kill?”
“He’s dead master,” Vaelin assured him.
Master Sollis and Aspect Elera shared a brief glance.
“I hear the Aspect had been gracious enough to provide you with a room,” Sollis said, turning back to Frentis. “She would feel insulted if you failed to use it.”
Recognising their dismissal they rose and moved to the door. “Tell no-one else of this,” Master Sollis ordered before they left. “And do something to shut that bloody dog up!”
In the morning Master Sollis questioned them closely about the route to the One Eye’s chambers and the ancient temple to the Faith they had found. Vaelin offered to guide him but received only a stern refusal. When he was satisfied with their directions Sollis told them to return to the Order House.
“Brother Frentis…” Vaelin began.
“Will heal just as well with you at your training where you belong. The Test of the Sword is but eight weeks away and none of you are ready yet.”
They trudged back to the Order House without Master Sollis who had given them another warning to keep silent before going off to investigate their findings. Scratch had whined in protest when they led him away from the House of the Fifth Order, needing much reassurance from Vaelin before following their steps.
To Vaelin their tower room seemed to have shrunk in their absence. A night of fear and mystery made it feel so small, a child’s room, even though it had been a long time since he felt like a child. He stowed his gear and lay back on his narrow bed, closing his eyes to see again the one eyed man’s wall of flame and Frentis's tortured form. I believed I had learned so much, he thought. But I know nothing.