The Blade Wielders: The Provectus Wielder

Chapter 20: The Dangers of Blind Trust

The weight of the news is heavy and crushing, and threatens to knock Castor to the ground. He knew this was coming. He saw the note on Nycto's cell door. But for the Guild to act with such speed and certainty - to condemn a man to death only days after he was told he would be dying - seems too cruel a fate for even for someone like his uncle, who is a particular brand of insane.

Castor and Lewis stare at one another, as if each of them is waiting it out to see who will react first. Layla, Heidi and Jens all seem to be waiting too. Lewis' face is a blank slate that Castor cannot read. He betrays no emotion whatsoever. Yet his eyes, locked on Castor's own, still seem to beg him to take control of the situation.

He speaks in a shaky voice as he looks at his little brother. "I don't understand."

Lewis raises an eyebrow. "We knew there was a possibility this would happen, Cas. I just... I honestly didn't think Dean Rueben had the backbone to go through with this. Not with the Blade still out there and Nycto being our only attainable source to get to it."

"I knew this would happen, I saw the order for execution notice on his cell door when I was down there yesterday - "

"You visited our crazy uncle's cell?" Lewis asks, voice flat.

" - and he told me that they pinned the notice to his door while we were all at your Halony ceremony," Castor presses on. "So the fact that we're receiving this news now, only days after he was given the notice? It seems too quick. Why are the Deans suddenly so desperate to get him out of their hair?"

In his chair with his eyes closed, Jens chimes in, "Perhaps because he's an egotistical maniac?" He shrugs. "Could be for any reason, really, but it's probably that one."

"They can't kill him,"  Castor mutters, running a hand through his hair anxiously and mostly talking at the floor. "They just can't. At least, not yet. We have to go to Thenla for Nina and try not to die in the process." Castor looks up. "And he knows too much. About the Blade. And about the earthquake."

Jens sits up in his chair. "Oh?"

Beside him, Layla touches Castor's hand. "We talked about this, Cas. He was probably bluffing."

Castor whispers to her, "But what my parents said, about the council believing this isn't a natural disaster - "

Lewis clears his throat and Cas and Layla jump apart. He waves his hands around. "Do we have permission to partake in this conversation too?" he asks innocently, but there is an unfamiliar edge to his brother's voice that Castor does not recognise.

"What did Nycto and your parents say, Castor?" Heidi asks.

Castor sighs deeply. "He told me there were more earthquakes to come, and my parents told us that the council believes this isn't a natural occurrence. They said this has the markings of our world all over it. Which means," he adds, "The earthquake may not be an isolated event." He looks right at Lewis. "There could be more."

Lewis snaps up in his seat. "No. No, that can't be."

Jens raises an eyebrow at Castor. "The council aren't always right, and Nycto is a compulsive liar. He was probably just trying to scare you."

Castor shakes his head vigorously, fists balled, mind jumping into overdrive. "I know my uncle," he says quietly. "And this? This was him telling the truth. This could have something to do with Lani and Hellstrider."

From his seat, Lewis says, "But you don't know Nycto, Cas. Neither of us do. Not anymore. He is not the man we once knew."

"I still think he was telling the truth-"