The Given Children

Chapter Five

They guided me outside of the cell, where we waited for the men to tie up first Lapis and then Daven, one at a time. I took deep breaths and tried to ready myself. We had started training in self-defense when we were around ten and though we’d missed the last two years we had made sure to keep in shape and practiced. Though not nearly ready enough considering they’d taken us by surprise before and locked us down here.

Lapis and Daven were both better fighters than me, especially when it came to hand-to-hand combat. I was the fastest but it wasn’t like I was going to outrun my friends and leave them behind if the situation arose. I’d missed a few classes on orders from Solis, times when I was too weak or busy up in his workroom. The thought made me clench my hands into wrists and I suddenly couldn’t wait to tear into someone. Most likely there would be a couple Hunters, which would make things very difficult seeing as they trained on a vastly different level than us and were magically altered to be stronger and faster.

With a soldier on either side of each one of us, we were marched up the stairs in a line, down halls and through doorways, attracting stares where ever we passed. I did my best to ignore them, holding my head high, but I could sense Lapis squirming and tensing behind me. I thought I heard Daven mumble something to her before a guard shushed him. We entered the Main hall and I tried to take in everything I could; the six other guards standing behind Governor Pontius, who looked both intrigued and a little repelled. There were two more guards standing next to the large doors-the only exit other than the halls that branched back further into the building. And standing right in front of the doors, looking livid and cold was the Steward.

His eyes were more sunken, his face much more gaunt than when I had last seen him. He was thinner and his hair was edging toward white more than gray. At his side were four Hunters, two which I recognized, standing a head over everyone else in the room, their sleeveless tunics and black, shadowy uniforms making them look very, very dangerous. Not counting the swords and knives and various weapons they has on them. The Governor’s men looked a little taken aback, clearly not expecting them to be quite so intimidating. The Hunter’s didn’t scare me as much though as the look in the Stewards eyes. He stalked over to us quickly after the Guards arranged us in a line before standing over to the side.

The Steward lips curled down and without pausing he walked right up to Daven and struck the back of his hand against his face, the gold ring he wore to symbolize his position cutting a line from his temple to the left corner of his mouth.  I scowled in anger, Lapis’ hands flew up to her mouth but Daven just stood there expressionless, defiant.

“How dare you?” The Steward spit out, inches from Daven’s face. The Governor and his men looked unsure of what to do.

“You were given a gift, a privilege, and you treated it like dirt, scorning your duties and insulting the Witchlord. Your actions resulted in the injury of the Witchlord!” He was almost yelling by now, his grating voice not quite reaching the Governor who looked around curiously.

“You are scum and you spread your vileness until it polluted one of your brothers and your two sisters here.” At this he glanced over at both Lapis and me, and I wanted nothing more than to jump in front of Daven, defend him against this onslaught. He was speaking to us like we were naughty kids who broke the family heirloom.

“He didn’t pollute anyone.” I said with as much spite and dignity I could muster while wearing rags covered in dirt and smelling like urine. “We’re perfectly capable of polluting  ourselves.”

The steward’s nose twisted up like he smelled something rancid- or caught a whiff of my dungeon smell- and he stepped over to me, momentarily sparing Daven.

“Don’t get me started on you, girl.” He whispered. “You have betrayed your Witchlord and cut him much more deeply than your cohorts have. You have stolen from him one of the most valuable, magical properties he had in his House and you will be punished accordingly.”