The Mountain Dancer

Chapter 57: Shaynike & Ryketune

The wind was fresh atop the roof walk.

Shay sat between the merlons of the battlement, watching the hills across the river. It had been such a long time since she could be alone, and it felt so wonderful. It was an unusually warm day for frostcycle – a light jacket was all she needed.

On a normal school year, she would have been back home by now. If she were a normal graduated pupil, right now she’d be enjoying the last long break before starting her scholarright path. Maybe, if things had played out, she’d be visiting Locktree Lake right now, where it was still warm and the sailboats crissed and crossed in lazy trajectories. She had lost count of how many times she’d read through Rek’s big shard.

She hadn’t the heart nor the opportunity to visit or explore the Grand Library since the Mountain Dance. It felt like it all happened yesterday and a million years ago at the same time. In reality, it had been only a week and a half since she walked up the boreway as the Crown Academic, Affsol by her side, Faevock defeated and the Dance laid out before her.

But the hills across the gorge looked just the same. The wind felt the same. It didn’t seem like it should, but it did.

Maybe the library would feel the same too.

Shay wound down the boreway, her steps echoing in the empty academy. The Head of Secuity had made good on his promise to close off the academy, keeping all those who had been involved with the incident under a kind of house arrest until all the questions and probes were done. As such, the Fistshield that had been assigned to her followed a few paces behind.

They had let Affsol, WeeSeu, Krick and Ella and most of everyone else go a few days ago. Affsol had been the most recent, after they squeezed as much about Rekness out of him as they could. He had somehow managed to keep his sense of humor about him, joking that he was still having to deal with Rek’s endless popularity, even after he was gone. She didn’t find it funny, but guessed that was just how he dealt with stuff.

She hoped they would let her, Zak and Ryke go soon too. It probably wouldn’t be anytime soon though: the two boys were the only witnesses to what happened to Tune and Stoneworth. With the Foxet gone, it was only him and Ryketune with any information on what might have been happening in the academy drainworks that night.

Well, there was the fugitive of course, but the only trace they had found of the tall man was his dagger. In the confusion during the evacuation of the Dance Hall, the Falsesparker had somehow managed to slip away. Shay still dreamt of him and the way his black hat silhouetted against the bright beam of the boreway light. Sometimes she woke in the night, convinced that he was back in the room with her.

She passed through the Community Hall, and by the big Stone in its centre. They had rebuilt the boreway here – the overcycling had shredded it and most of hall itself. Sunworkers were busy restoring the rest of the place, but the big green rock looked untouched and just like it always did. That didn’t seem right to Shay either.

A shard from Monarec: ‘Shay, are you there?’

‘I am.’

‘I wanted to let you know, they’ve set a new date for graduation – a week from today. They say you and Zak will be allowed to attend if you’re not out by then.’

Shay signed wearily at the thought of another week of questioning and interrogations. ‘Thank you Mona,’ she sent.

‘And Shay? A message from the recruiters too.’

‘Which ones?’

‘Well, all of them. You and the others have been given honorary passes to all four Massese Sects and all their subsects. Free choice, Shayshay. Yay hey.’