Aedan Calahan and the Silver Hand

Chapter 11

The only thing rottener than the Dublin thief Aedan used to be was his first day at Keeper's Grotto.

He quickly found the downside of being a part of Caste Ash. There was no food. The Mess Hall was in the Keeper's Grotto, a few minutes' hike from the Fortress. It wasn't that Aedan didn't enjoy walking in the fresh autumn air. The frustration lay in finding the castle through the First Oak, which some students called the Ercunian.

Because the Ercunian was so sacred to the Druids, it would be considered sacrilege to pave even a simple wooden path. It was considered sacrilege to alter the First Oak at all, so thus Aedan and Callum, together, wondered helplessly.

They rolled out of bed later than literally everyone else in the Fortress, aside from Galileo, the Kellas cat that prowled the dormitory and corridors. They were left to find their own way.

As a result, they got lost. For a very long time.

When they finally sat down to eat, the bread was cold and crunchy, as well as one of the finest meals Aedan had ever eaten. Shannon redeemed his failure to wake them up by saving a spot for them.

"Sorry," he explained. "I heard about last night. Figured you guys could use the sleep. Class doesn't start for half an hour." He paused, studying them both. "Everyone's been talking about you guys, you know. Even the other castes. I know for a fact you two have been marked by Rowan's team. They used to be the "little brother" of Ash, so to speak, in hurling. But they've dominated us in the tournament for five years in a row. They're the team to beat now."

Finding the first class, was easy, thanks to Shannon, who must have memorized a map of the school.

"The school was built in accordance with solstice lines," Shannon explained. "Every corridor is on either a longitudinal or latitudinal line with a Druid sanctuary. If you know the Seven Sanctuaries, then finding the classes are easy because you just have to follow the linear lines."

Aedan and Callum glanced at each other.

As students from Ash and Willow filtered in, Poet Maryam Kevya waited patiently behind her crystalline podium that refracted the candle lights like a diamond. She began when everyone took their seats. Eimear waved at Aedan.

"Druidry is not magic," she began without introduction. Her voice echoed in the high ceilings. "Enchanting is not magic. Enchanting and Druidry, however, appear every bit like magic. You should be writing."

Aedan realized he'd forgotten something to write with. Shannon realized and handed him a spare inkleaf from his cloak pocket.

"Enchanting is the most destructive force in Druidry and as a consequence, the most dangerous to learn. If you are careless by choice for even a moment, you will be removed from my class permanently. I suggest you underline that in your notes, so you do not forget."

"Enchanting is numbers and lines. I am not referring to it at its rudimentary level, either. I am speaking literally. Enchanting is a form of Druidry that comes from pairing numbers and lines. On your feet. Watch."

She drew a straight line on the floor with the end of her staff. The line began to glow with increasing brightness until it completely faded.

"Your turn."

Aedan drew a line with his staff. Nothing happened, except for the screeching of dragging his staff across wood. When combined with the other students, it proved to be an exceptionally annoying noise.

Eimear's line was the only one glowing out of the entire class. Only for a brief moment. Shannon's line began glowing next. They were both giddy with excitement.