to such a calling.’
Pug stood and so the boys did as well. He pointed to his friend and said, ‘Nakor shall see to your instruction for a few days while my son heals, then I have other work for him, and then we shall have others test you. Now, I have work to do, so be off with you.’
They left, and Tad grinned at his friend. Their fears were now replaced with hope, for they had taken Nakor’s intimation that they might be killed for what they knew seriously.
As they walked down the hallway, Tad asked, ‘Nakor, what trade are we going to apprentice to?’
‘That remains to be seen, my young friend,’ said Nakor. ‘I’m not sure we have a name for what you might do. Let’s say that you’ll be apprentice workers.’
‘What sort of work?’ asked Zane.
‘All manner and type. Things you cannot even imagine. For if you are to become workers for the Conclave of Shadows, it is more than just a trade.’ With a suddenly serious expression he said, ‘It’s a lifelong commitment.’
Both boys were unsure what that meant, but Nakor’s expression told them they were not going to be happy about finding out.
ZANE’S FACE WAS FLUSHED WITH ANGER.
‘I won’t do it!’ he said, defiance reverberating in his voice.
Tad said, ‘You have to. If you don’t, you’ll get into more trouble than you can imagine.’
‘It’s stupid,’ Zane insisted. ‘If I haven’t learnt by now, I never will.’
‘You’ve lived on the shore of a lake for your entire life and you’ve never learnt to swim,’ said Tad, his voice rising in frustration. ‘That’s stupid!’ he shouted. ‘Now, Nakor says you have to learn how to swim.’
The boys were standing near a tree at the edge of the courtyard lake. Other students were splashing in the shallows, and a few were swimming in the deeper water. Tad had always been a decent swimmer, but Zane had never learned. It took this recalcitrance to remind Tad that he had never seen his foster brother swim.
Just then the six sisters of the Pithirendar came over the hill, speaking softly in their alien language. Both boys had become accustomed to the strange nature of many of those residing on what they now knew to be Sorcerer’s Island. While the inhabitants included a number of very strange aliens, the majority were human, including a few human girls with whom the boys had become friendly. But for some reason the six sisters caused a reaction in most of the young males on the island, Tad and Zane being no exception.
Four of the girls were nude – as was their preference – while the other two wore simple white shifts, which they discarded when they reached the shore. The six of them slipped effortlessly into the water, as Tad said, ‘All right, then. Stay here if you want, but I’m going swimming!’
Zane was on his feet saying, ‘Maybe you’re right. Maybe it’s time to learn.’ He hurried after his foster brother and splashed into the water.
Nakor and Caleb watched them from a short distance away. Caleb asked, ‘How are they doing?’
Nakor shrugged. ‘They’re good lads, but if it hadn’t been for your unfortunate accident with the bandits, they never would have come here. They possess no special abilities, gifts, or talents that we can see.’
‘Except they are good lads,’ said Caleb.
‘We have good lads in abundance,’ said Nakor. ‘What we need are some ruthless bastards who will happily cut the heart out of their own mothers if need be.’ He started walking away from the lake shore as the boys splashed and were splashed in return by the Pithirendari girls. Caleb fell into step beside him. They began the long trek from the lakeshore to the villa.
Caleb’s wounds had almost healed completely and he was now moving around with the only the minimum of discomfort. ‘You know, if my father wasn’t who he is, I would also be merely a ‘good lad’.
‘You have a great deal of special ability,’ said Nakor.
‘Such as?’
‘You’re a remarkable hunter, have uncommon tracking and woodcraft abilities, close to those of the elves.’
‘As would any youngster with a little talent who had been sent to live with the elves, Nakor.’ He looked around the island and said, ‘Do you see many skilled hunters here?’
Nakor remained silent.
‘We both know that one of the reasons I was sent to stay with Tomas in Elvandar was my unhappiness here. Father thought a change would do me good, and he was right. There’s a difference between being the only human boy among elves and being treated with respect, to being the only youngster without magical abilities among magic users and being treated with contempt.’
‘Contempt is too harsh a word, Caleb.’
Caleb looked at Nakor. ‘You weren’t always there, nor was Father. Mother saw, and she tried to shield me, as did Magnus, but children can be cruel, Nakor. You want your heartless bastards, get them when they are children and don’t let them learn compassion.’
‘You sound bitter,’ said Nakor as they approached the cookhouse.
‘Do I?’ Caleb shrugged. ‘I don’t feel bitter, but I guess some wounds, even childish wounds, never heal. They just grow faint.’
‘What is truly troubling you, Caleb?’
They passed the cookhouse and continued on to the main building of Villa Beata. ‘I feel useless, and in the wrong place.’ Caleb stopped as they reached the open doorway into the connecting hall. ‘I’m a messenger for the most part, carrying missives that aren’t important enough for Magnus or yourself or any magic-user transport.
‘I know that I can blend in where Magnus can’t, but other than that, what use am I?’
Nakor began to say something, but Caleb held up his hand. His brown eyes were set in a serious expression and his voice held a tinge of anger. ‘Do you think if Tal Hawkins or Kaspar of Olasko had been in that wagon they’d have borne a scratch after dispatching those bandits?’
Nakor remained silent.
‘I’m an adequate swordsman, Nakor. Better than average, but not remarkable. I am a good hunter – perhaps even a great one – but how useful is that in dealing with our enemies? So, I can scout. So can a lot of other men.
‘My point is, there is nothing special for me to do, nothing that lets me pull my own weight.’
Nakor shook his head and put his hand on Caleb’s shoulder ‘My young friend, how wrong you are. The day will come when you will understand your true potential, Caleb, and finally realize just how special you are. Until then, if you want
