Chapter 14

“But his son, the prince, with a heart full of fire, sought to mend every wrong, to rise from the mire. With kindness and courage, he faced every ghost, for a kingdom in shadows deserved the most. He gathered the lost and healed the divide, with each gentle promise, he turned the tide. Through whispers of hope in the cold, midnight air, he fought for his people, to show that he cared. So remember, dear child, as you lay down to sleep, even the darkest of kings can wake stars from deep. For a heart that is humble is stronger than gold, and love conquers all, or so the wise told.”

Recovered final excerpt from local allegory titled “The Proud King and The Humble Son, complete, source originates from Ocassus, no name recovered

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I cross the threshold and the air immediately condenses with the scent of old tome pages and the tanginess of fresh ink. My shoulders slacken, not realizing how much tension cord my muscles.

The sound of a tome closing draws my attention to the tables at the center of the laboratory.

“Ah, Ryn! Mediocrely punctual as ever,” Sulien greets without looking up from one tome he’s thumbing through while discarding another on the table. I mark the discarded leftovers of three dry sandwiches by the chair by the window and a ruffled blanket tossed over its rolled arm. “I have to get you up to speed before I go.”

“Where are you going?” I ask, stepping further into the room, finding an odd comfort in the overhead glow of the glass dome, like a shield.

“The arena. The Scavengers are preparing for another research expedition in an hour, and I need to assign research tasks to my sponsored Scavengers.” I shudder at the thought of one of the Scavengers he sponsors when he finally looks up and past me. “Making friends?”

My brows furrow for a moment before remembering I brought Nex, who is standing precariously still at the threshold behind me.

“Oh, I’m sorry, this is Nex Avenell. He’s visiting from Ocassus,” I introduce and gesture loosely to Nex to avoid fidgeting.

I’m banking on his charisma to win Sulien’s favor, but instead Nex says nothing. He seems too intrigued with the giant window at the back of the laboratory.

“Nex Avenell from Ocassus,” Sulien notes slowly, studying. His donned monocle flashes.

When Nex still makes no move to respond or even acknowledge he’s being talked about, I almost wish he would revert to his flippant demeanor.

What is so fascinating by that window that he apparently can’t talk? Maybe he hasn’t seen something created with such ingenuity, and I recall how taken I first was with the window myself.

Before I can nudge him to do something by means of a pointed elbow to his ribs, Nex flashes his crooked smile.

“You must be High Chemist Sulien. An honor,” he says as if he hasn’t missed a beat.

“He’s a chemist’s apprentice himself, and I figured it wouldn’t hurt adding an extra set of eyes to aid in my research,” I quickly elaborate.

Sulien simply nods once, an unreadable look glazing over his eye. “Resources come in all shapes and sizes.” He blinks like it’ll wipe away what he sees. “Shall we, then?”

He grabs a bundle of rolled-up paper and spreads them out on the table under splayed hands. I take that as approval of my bringing Nex, and I exhale quietly in relief. I stride towards the table, Nex following behind me, his languid sauntering replaced by calculated and stiff steps. I toss a pointed look at him over my shoulder as if to say behave.

There’s no way I’m leaving Nex at home to peruse and steal, so I have to resort to bringing him. And I’ll decide if I need to tie him to a chair somewhere depending on his behavior. I can’t decide whether to grimace or laugh at the inclination to call him my pet. Leil would be pleased.

“I apologize in advance, Ryn,” Sulien starts before we reach the table. “I know I allowed you to pursue your own research, but I’m afraid I have a rather pressing assignment for you,” he looks up long enough to look at both me and Nex.

I hide my slight disappointment as I say, “what’s the assignment?”

I only catch the slight movement beside me as if Nex’s eyes flicked to me and away within one breath.

Sulien waves a hand over the map that turns out to be a rudimentary print of the entire mountain of Callanth. “The other High Chemists and I had some concerns regarding Callanth, and King Aramis approved our venture to explore our theories. I’m sure you’ve noticed the increased frequency in frost storms, maybe even noticed a tremor here or there. Originally we believed it was just a natural response to the storm, maybe a correlation. Then residents started complaining of mountain goats behaving aggressively. We all looked into it.” Sulien straightens and rubs the bridge of his nose. “The other High Chemists — Hesperia guide them — are now under the impression that the incidents are unrelated, Telenor specifically,” he spits the name like it tastes bitter. “But history has taught me that if something doesn’t sit well with you, it’s because there’s more to it. And this doesn’t sit well with me.”

“You think it’s a cascade of events?” I ask, my mouth dry, and my eyes flicking between the map and Nex beside me, his spine still ram-rod straight with his arms folded across his chest.

Sulien doesn’t look up. “I think each event is a factor that could lead to a cataclysmic event.”

I can feel the color drain from my face as I swallow. I note the tousled beard, the metal ringlets discarded somewhere, his black waistcoat buttoned crooked. I connect the leftover sandwiches and blanket to his disheveled look. He must’ve slept here. The crease between his white brows solidifies my theory.

“What do you want me to do?” I ask, bracing my hands on the table.

“Research, investigate, and research some more. Whatever it takes to prove that this is more than random events. In order to convince the court to take preventative measures, whatever they may be, we need to prove there’s an impending threat.” He taps the center of the mountain. “The tremors are coming from somewhere within the mountain and I’d wager my good eye that that’s causing greater effects than we are aware of.”

“Why not ask your Scavengers to do the research?” Nex asks with his tone leaning on the skeptical side. I glare at him, but under the glowing ceiling his features are emphasized, the sharpness in his eyes devouring any ambiguity. I stifle my glare, only because of the despondent look in his face.

At that, Sulien looks up from the map, directly at Nex. For a moment I think he’s going to snap at Nex, and I wouldn’t blame him, but then he merely shakes his head.

“This isn’t something I want to publicize. Not yet. And sending my sponsored Scavengers on frequent expeditions would draw attention. I don’t need the High Chemists getting suspicious that I’m veering from their consensus.”

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“You want discretion,” I summarize before Nex can say anything.

Sulien nods. “And luckily I have an apprentice who appears to have a knack for persistence.”

Heat returns to my face at the compliment. “When do you want me to start?”

Sulien looks from me to Nex, his gaze biting. “Now.”

***

I didn’t think dust would be what ended my life, but when Nex drops the sixth tome on the table, a wave thick with dust swarms the air and I erupt into another sneeze attack. For the sixth time.

“Do you — sneeze — have to toss — sneeze —the tomes— sneeze — every time?” I cough out and waft at the particles settling on the table.

Nex went to the bookcase closest to the window and returned to the table with another heavy tome before I’d finished my sentence. He also returned with a sly smile on his lips.

“You’re awfully sensitive for someone who plans to hurl herself into a voluntary free fall tomorrow,” he quips and quickly jumps out of reach of my boot as I kick at him.

I gently finger the for-edge of the tome, its muted navy cover torn at each corner. “Be grateful you’re not tied up in the corner.”

“There’s that promise again. All talk, no follow-through,” he dramatically drags his feet to the opposite side of the table, his face contorted into such a deep expression of disappointment I roll my eyes to hide a growing smile. “You may not be tied up, but you are on a short leash.”

“My favorite kind,” he wiggles his eyebrows at me as he braces his hands on the table. I can’t resist. I lift the tome in front of me off the table, then drop it, sending a new cloud of filmy dust directly into Nex’s smug face. He immediately launches into a coughing fit while I adopt his previously smug expression.

I flip the tome open, ignoring his choking. “Let me know when you’re done and we can begin,” I say sweetly.

Nex finally recovers and shoots me an unamused look. He slides a tome in front of him and flips it open without breaking eye contact.

I fold my hands on the open tome in front of me. “First things first; this is my apprenticeship and therefore my assignment. You are allowed to contribute and assist, but you’ll follow my lead. Got it?”

The slightest tug of the corner of his mouth breaks his flat stare. “So many rules with you. Do you ever break any?” I open my mouth to retort, but he quickly raises his hands like he did when I ordered him to return the compendium on the night we met. “Fine fine, yes, I’ve got it.”

I narrow my eyes at him but continue. “Sulien wants us to somehow locate the origin of the tremors. I’m thinking during training tomorrow we can scout the mountain side. See if we spot any cracks or crevices that could lead us to the origin.” Nex merely nods. I resume. “I’d like to also talk to some of the people that herd the mountain goats. I want to see if the aggression was an isolated incident or if there was a specific cause—”

Nex snorts. “That’s assuming we’re not just wasting our time.”

I scan his face, but it reveals nothing. However, his posture does. He still stands braced against the table, but like a crouched hunter his shoulders are taut and his entire frame so still I can’t tell if he’s breathing. A stark contrast to his demeanor just a few moments ago.

I straighten, a barbed vine of indignation wrapping around my throat. “Do you need to eat for you to be agreeable or is it just happenstance that you haven’t had anything to eat for roughly four hours and you’re suddenly grumpy?”

Whatever Nex grumbles in reply must not have been enough because he also sticks his tongue out at me.

I raise a triumphant brow. “Mature.” I gaze down at the tome again. “I suggest we look for any maps with a more detailed layout. But seeing as Sulien most likely used the most updated version, we might not find any better.”

“Worth a shot,” he says, then starts thumbing through page after page, puffs of dust mixing with the air with each page turned.

A busy silence falls over us both, only the dry crumble of pages dots the time that passes. Time that allows me to stew. I know I shouldn’t be disappointed by the change in assignment. I know I should be grateful. I get to study under a High Chemist. I get to peruse these tomes at my leisure, get to witness the inner workings of the Citadel. At some point, after this assignment, I get to delve into my own research, see what I can discover, what I can change. But a kernel of dismay rubs against my resolve to grin and bear it.

Maven would tell me that there’s no deadline, no reason to rush, and to soak up every ounce of the experience. Leil would tell me to try day drinking. Right now the latter option sounds mighty appealing.

I don’t have time. In less than a month, I’ll need to visit Vix again and purchase another Stormglass shard, and by Hesperia’s irony it would be that shard that consumes me. An unstable one. Every time is a gamble, and I’m going in blind.

Yeah, Leil’s option does sound more helpful right now.

“Tell me more about your research,” Nex’s voice penetrates the haze of thoughts swirling inside my head, and I snap my gaze to his. He’s leaning on his elbows now, and at that angle silken locks of dark hair sweep in front of his eyes. I blink at him, oddly distracted.

“What?”

“Before this assignment. Tell me about your research or what you planned to research,” he repeats patiently.

I chew my lip, thinking back to our brief discussion on our walk back from the Market. I could just tell him to mind his own business. But his eyes are so sincere and curious, I don’t find fault in my sharing.

“I wanted to start researching how to make the properties of Stormglass permanent, to make Carving safe,” I answer in one long breath.

Something flashes across his face, but it’s gone before I can decipher it. “Why?”

Why indeed.

“Because it’s being wasted. Imagine being able to heal anyone and anything by just using Stormglass once. No contraband. No smuggling. Just trained healers using a natural resource to help others.”

Nex purses his lips, then clicks his tongue. “Ambitious,” he nods to me. “And unlikely.”

I almost gape at him, but he looks so knowingly smug again I wire my mouth shut. I drag my eyes to the opened tome on the table. I’ve flipped through half of it, but I’ve retained nothing.

Across from me, Nex slams his tome shut and replaces it with another. “Stormglass is limited to its specific uses because it’s so unpredictable. The solvents are carefully measured and poured, the Tiles thoroughly forged. Anything new has been tried and tested for years. Only what has passed the test of dormancy is what you’ll see around you. Anything else is scrapped or tossed off the mountain. It’s too volatile.”

His words might as well have been shards of Stormglass cutting through me. I don’t look at him as I start flipping pages again, but I don’t notice if there’s any map on them.

Too volatile. He’s not wrong. But the image of the mother holding her child, that child clinging to life, makes me believe that I’m also not wrong.

“Volatile or not, there are people willing to risk their lives, the lives of those they love, at a shot of a cure. Illness, weakness, loss… I’ve not met a single Carver who didn’t start Carving for a good reason.” The words spill out of me before I can stop, and before I can catch myself, I’ve revealed too much.

I press my lips together firmly and plant my eyes on a torn edge of a yellowed page. Nex, of course, doesn’t miss a beat.

“Then why not do both? Your research and this assignment?”

I flip to the next page and focus on a splotch of ink. “Sulien was pretty clear that this takes precedence.”

The table creaks as he leans in. “If you’re going to pursue this at some point, you’re going to get a lot more pushback from others than what I just gave you. Be ready to fight for your cause. Granted, you might have to break some rules in order to get what you want.”

I abandon the ink splotch and lift my eyes to Nex’s challenging glint.

He’s antagonizing me on purpose. That little thief is poking and prodding and pushing to get a reaction out of me. My skin prickles with irritation.

“Arrogant prick,” I mutter under my breath, and just to prove it to him, to prove that I’m not idle, I square my shoulders and send that look right back at him.

“What are the major components of a storm?” I ask innocently.

“Moisture, instability, and lifting,” Nex lists without hesitation.

“And if you remove one component?”

“It collapses,” he answers slowly, eyes narrowing.

I smile. “I developed a theory during our lunch rush today. If removing a component collapses something as powerful as a storm, what would happen if I added a component to a Stormglass shard like we do with solvent? What if I added something that would stabilize it, remove the volatility?”

Understanding dances in his eyes as he nods at me like I just answered an obvious question. “Sounds like you have some experimenting to do.”

“After Sulien’s assignment,” I tap the tome with my index finger.

“But—”

“After,” I repeat firmly.

Nex just rolls his eyes. “Fine, whatever my master demands.”

I pat him on the head. “Good boy.”