Nethermost Realm: Prisoner of Arlunn

Chapter 14

Please note: I am updating this draft of The Prisoner of Arlunn. The most important change is that the main character's name has been changed from Philip to Rian.

14

After that terrible inquiry that Kyran had faced in front of the Matrizar and some of the other wizards, Rian at last began to relax. Those moments when Kyran had confessed to murder without any remorse had nearly undone them both. He just felt relieved that Kyran could explain the compulsion he was under from the necromancer Molan, as his magic-spawn.

Things settled down after that. Genesse arranged several tutors to be sent to teach Kyran—nothing earth-shattering (or was it Arlunn-shattering, in this case?)—just history, art and the law.

The one thing about Kyran was that he could be counted on to be interested in any tidbit of information, no matter how tedious or boring. He liked to sift through facts and find patterns or draw conclusions. Everything was like a big math equation to him. His disposition improved immensely once he felt that they weren't about to destroy him. And who could blame him?

Once again, Rian found himself with time on his hands as Kyran began to pore through the stack of books left to him. At Emmara's urging, he had promised to begin attending classes up at the college.

Something called the Challenge was starting soon. Emmara felt very urgent that he should get ready for it.

The following morning, Ehina met him and escorted him up to the college to begin his studies. They found Emmara in her office, a pleasant corner room with two large windows, a balcony and lots of light. With all the bookshelves, it felt like a small library with a table in the middle full of books and a desk in the corner full of stacks of paper.

She smiled. "Rian."

Ehina waited outside, his ever-present bodyguard.

Rian took the seat that Emmara offered and they sat down.

"I have looked over your test several times," she began, hesitantly, as though thinking of a way to word bad news.

"It's abysmal," said Rian, saving her the effort. He smiled weakly.

"It's worse than abysmal," she said grimly. "Grade school children all over Cathal know more than you do about ... everything."

"So, it's hopeless," he said.

She shook her head. "No, but ... typically the college doesn't accept any but the very best and most outstanding of mages. But you—we only agreed to this because—"

"I'm the Heir of the Seven Worlds of Cathal. I know."

"The Favored Heir of the Seven Worlds," she corrected. "Magical ability is usually genetic and your family has the strongest wizarding blood of all. You may be able to catch up, to a point, by the end of a year, before the Challenge grows too serious."

He nodded. He hadn't paid much attention to the details of this championship. It had held little interest to him. So many other issues took precedence.

"All right," he said. Anything to keep the Arlunni happy and avoid disrupting the hard won balance that they'd achieved since he and Kyran arrived.

She nodded. "Very well." She stood up and collected a stack of books, putting them in a shoulder book bag for him. "These will be your textbooks for now. They're very basic and I understand you're still struggling to learn how to read, so Devonn has agreed to help read to you for part of the day, if you wish it."