The Mountain Dancer

Chapter 40: Rekness & Shaynike

The news about what had happened at the feast reached him by shardtrade.

The disciplinary advisor who was monitoring his detention wouldn’t let him leave the room though. He was confined to the same place where he and old Minyel usually did their lessons.

He thought about using Icevein to subdue his jailer so he could get out, but he was pretty sure that that was bordering on illegal. So he sat there and fumed, silently. The MoonLunarFire tugged at his arm and chest.

It was all too similar to what had happened between him and Flek. The memory of lying there, helpless, covered in his own piss... and now Shay... there was no way it was a coincidence. No way. He was going to kill them.

But first he was going to deal with Affsol.

As it turned out, his so-called friend had made it easy. When his detention was period was up, he stormed back to the boreway and found Affsol there waiting for him, just like when they let him out of the Headmentor’s Chambers.

As Rek approached, Affsol said: “Dude! Hey, she’s okay, I think. I mean not-a hurt, but man, this is–ACH!”

Rek’s fist caught Affsol right in the teeth. It felt both odd and satisfying using hand-to-hand. Affsol was too good with Bodyanchor to be caught off-guard any other way.

Affsol stumbled backwards and nearly went toppling down the stairs. His wards came up and some instinctive Distanceska jabbed out at Rek, but he easily Sluicestepped around it, and brought up his own Bodyanchor.

“Massus on high dude, what was that, I say?” Affsol said, pressing a hand to his mouth. It came away bloody.

“You think this is funny don’t you?” said Rek, wondering how easy it would be and how much trouble he’d get in if he sent Affsol crashing down the stairs.

“Funny? What are-a you talkin’ about dude? You frigging chipped my tooth, you asshole.”

“I read the shards, what in Massus were you doing, asking Faevock to the Dance? I was supposed to do that. Me. And now Shay’s paying for it, you stupid... you stupid, stupid...” he couldn’t think of a good insult, so he fired a blast of Distanceska at Affsol instead.

Affsol twisted it away, and took a big step back. “Hey now, hey! They-a both asked me to do it, wasn’t-a my idea dude. You weren’t going to ask Fae anyway-a, I thought!”

“I would have been able to protect her if you hadn’t gone and gotten involved!” He went for Affsol again, trying both some hand-to-hand and some offensive probes. His friend ducked a swing, and deflected another with Distanceska, but one of the probes got through and made him stumble. Rek used the opportunity to shove him into the wall of the boreway.

Affsol groaned and slid down. Rek towered over him. Now that he’d won, he wasn’t sure what he was going to do. He supposed he couldn’t render Affsol too harshly, or else he’d send a shard to the Fistshields or advisors or something. Plus, there was energy to be saved for Flekjoe.

“I-I’m sorry dude. I didn’t-a know, I swear. Ella told me plans had changed and t-that-a they were figuring new couples!”

He didn’t have time for Affsol’s babbling. “Where is he now?”

“Who?”

“Flekjoe, idiot.”

“I don’t know man. I came here right away after-a I checked to make sure Shay was okay.”

“He wasn’t near Shay?”

“No, her friend and some advisors took her back to her room. She fainted and fell but Zak grabbed her, the big Zak, he was with them when they left, carrying her–”