“You’re wondering about all your hard earned facts on the fascinating history of the Sixth Order and its innumerable blood-baths.” Dendrish Hendril, the fat man, spat a cherry stone into a delicately embroidered handkerchief. “Your masters have been misleading you, boy. We have no questions on long dead heroes or best forgotten battles. That’s not the strain of knowledge we seek.”
Elera Al Mendah turned her smile on her fellow Aspect. “I think we should explain the test in greater detail, dearest brother.”
Dendrish Hendril’s eyes narrowed slightly but he gave no reply, reaching instead for another cherry.
“The Test of Knowledge,” Elera went on, turning back to Vaelin, “is unique in that all brothers and sisters in training in each of the Orders must pass it. It is not a test of strength, skill or memory. It is a test of knowledge, self knowledge. To serve your Order you must have more than skill with arms, just as servants of my order must know more than the arts of healing. It is your soul that makes you who you are, your soul that guides your service to the Faith. This test will tell us, and you, if you know the nature of your soul.”
“And don’t bother lying,” Dendrish Hendril instructed. “You can’t lie in here and you’ll fail the test if you try.”
Vaelin’s uncertainty deepened further. The lies he told kept him safe. Lying had become a necessary act of survival. Erlin and Sella, the wolf in the forest and the assassin he had killed. All secrets shrouded in lies. Fighting panic he forced himself to nod and say, “I understand, Aspect.”
“No you don’t, boy. You’re shitting your pants. I can almost smell it.”
Aspect Elera’s smile faltered slightly but she kept her attention on Vaelin. “Are you afraid, Vaelin?”
“Is this the test, Aspect?”
“The test started the moment you entered the room. Please, answer me.”
You can’t lie. “I am… worried. I don’t know what to expect. I don’t want to leave the Order.”
Dendrish Hendril snorted. “Scared of facing your father more like. Think he’ll be happy to see you?”
“I don’t know,” Vaelin replied honestly.
“Your father wanted you returned to him,” Elera said. “Doesn’t that tell you he cares about you?”
Vaelin squirmed in discomfort. He had avoided or suppressed memories of his father for so long this kind of scrutiny was hard to endure. “I don’t know what it means. I… barely knew him before I came here. He was often away, fighting the King’s wars, and when he was home he said little to me.”
“So you hate him?” Dendrish Hendril enquired. “I can certainly understand that.”
“I don’t hate him. I don’t know him. He is not my family. My family is here.”
The thin man, Corlin Al Sentis, spoke for the first time. His voice was harsh, rasping. “You killed a man during the test of the run,” he said, his fierce eyes locked onto Vaelin’s. “Did you enjoy it?”
Vaelin was stunned. They know! How much more do they know?
“Aspects share information, boy,” Dendrish Hendril told him. “It’s how our Faith endures. Unity of purpose, unity of trust. Our Realm was named for it. Something you’d do well to remember. And don’t worry, your sordid secrets are safe with us. Answer Aspect Sentis’s question.”
Vaelin took a deep breath, trying to still the heavy thump in his chest. He thought back to the test of the run, the snap of the bowstring that had saved him from the assassin’s arrow, the slack, inanimate mask of the man’s face, his gorge rising as he sawed at the fletching with his knife… “No. No I didn’t enjoy it.”
“Do you regret it?” Corlin Al Sentis persisted.
“The man was trying to kill me. I had no choice. I cannot regret staying alive.”
“So that’s all you care about?” Dendrish Hendril asked. “Staying alive?”
“I care about my brothers, I care about the Faith and the Realm…” I care about Sella the Denier witch and Erlin who helped her run. But I can’t say I care much for you, Aspect.
He tensed, waiting for rebuke or punishment, but the three Aspects said nothing, exchanging unreadable glances. They can hear lies, he realised. But not thoughts. He could hide things, he didn’t have to lie. Silence could be his shield.
It was Aspect Elera who spoke next, her question the worst yet, “Do you remember your mother?”
Vaelin’s discomfort was abruptly replaced by anger. “We leave our family ties behind when we enter this house…”
“Don’t be impertinent, boy!” Aspect Hendril snapped. “We ask, you answer. That’s how this works.”
Vaelin’s jaw ached with the effort of biting back a furious retort. Fighting to control his anger, he grated, “Of course I remember my mother.”