He made a motion as if to interrupt me but I went on. “Your services and friendship are longer needed or desired.” I turned my back on him and gazed out into the courtyard, willing myself to not flinch or turn around. The sound of loud footsteps, followed by a heavy door slamming was indication enough that Joss had left. What surprised me more was to see that Darren had slipped out as well. I about crumpled to the ground in despair.

“Well done, girl. It seems you do have a bit of a backbone after all.” Adept Lorna walked to her inner office door, opening it for me. “That one has the chance to become great and the potential to become a High Adept if he works hard. You were right to discourage him.”

She closed the door behind me and I took in the utilitarian gray features of her office with its high, vaulted ceiling surrounded by wide windows and simple white curtains. The floor was simple tiles in muted grays, black, tan and ivory. A black desk set in the middle of her office surrounded by a no-nonsense tan rug. There were no personal touches evident in the room, but it was grand in its simplicity. The walls were bare except for the sconces to bring in more light when needed. A set of stairs at the back of the room led up to another level to Lorna’s private living apartment. Each Adept lived above their offices so they would always be close by in case of emergencies.

I sat in one of the two uncomfortable, high-backed chairs that faced her desk. She went over to a table and poured me a drink from a decanter before coming and sitting on the edge of her desk and handing it to me. This was when I noticed that she wore gray clothes that were made for a man but tailored for a woman to show off her best features. Comfy and practical, I thought. I could definitely see her riding a horse and not being encumbered with skirts, and I was slightly envious.

I took a sip and swirled it on my tongue, tasting a sweet cinnamon and honey flavor, which covered an earthier ingredient I couldn’t identify. Taking another sip I tried with great difficulty to adjust myself in the uncomfortable chair. And then I realized, she probably bought these chairs for the sole purpose of intimidating students by making them uncomfortable. I wanted to dislike her just for her choice in furniture.

Leaning forward, Lorna watched me before placing her hand on her knee and addressing me. “I’ve heard quite the story from Darren Hamden and the ever-exuberant Joss. What I would like to hear now is the story from your own mouth.”

I started to speak but felt a fuzzy feeling in my head. She listened quietly while I told her everything, even the bits I refused to tell Joss and Darren, only pausing to collect my thoughts and feelings when it became too painful to tell. Partway through I felt a faint prickling at the back of my mind. When the question and answer session was over, Lorna paused in her thoughts.

“And you have no clue to the real identity of the leader of the Septori, this Raven?” She sounded frustrated.

I shook my head.

“What about the Septori, do you know what country they were from? How many there are in total? Were there any signs that they were alleged with the King of Sinnendor?” With another negative shrug from me, she stood up and began to pace in front of her desk, a slight wear pattern evident in the tan rug showing that this was a regular occurrence. Stopping abruptly mid stride she turned and began a new set of questions.

“How many in the cells were Denai, how many human?” She got a quill and began to write.

I recounted how many I knew of including the ones that had passed away or disappeared. “What do you think the Septori were doing?” I asked.

“We need to discuss this with the other Adepts, especially Kambel Silverbane, our resident historian, who just arrived shortly before you.” She pulled on a small pull cord and a page quickly appeared. Lorna scribbled a message on a slip of ivory parchment before handing it to the page. “Come.”

Following Lorna down a series of back stairways and hallways I soon lost all sense of direction. Our destination was a large meeting room with heavy drapes covering the windows and obscuring all outside light. Candles were the only light within the room which lit up a large, framed map on the wall. Closer examination of the table showed a duplicate map of the lands of Calandry, Sinnendor, and the other surrounding provinces burned into the wood with an artistic hand. This must be the Adept’s council room. Adept Lorna nodded for me to take my seat. A lone chair sat in the middle of the room and it looked suspiciously like the same ones she kept in her office; hard and uncomfortable.

We didn’t wait long before the main door burst open to a whirlwind of yellow robes and fluttering hands. It was Adept Breah Avenlea with her shoulder-length, brown hair. She was dressed in a soft yellow dress and was talking animatedly to Kambel Silverbane, who looked every inch the part of a historian.

Adept Kambel was short and slim with wavy, unkempt gray hair that disappeared into his long gray beard. His intuitive brown eyes peeked out of small silver spectacles. Ink spots littered his somber green robe and the tips of his beard, as if he would accidentally dip his beard in the ink instead of a quill. They were quite the comedic pair, long slender Breah talking with her hands in a frenzy and short Kambel bobbing his head in agreement to what she was saying. It looked like Adept Breah was conducting a symphony and that Kambel’s head was the orchestra.

The mood abruptly changed when the door opened again and the largest man I had ever seen entered the room. He was dark as night with a bold demeanor and muscular stature, dressed all in shades of black. Three silver slashes marked the collar of his shirt. The same slashes matched his banner and identified him as Adept Pax Baton. His shaved head reflected the candlelight and the small gold earring he wore looked too delicate for the warrior’s frame. He strode into the room and took a seat at the table which looked like a child’s tea table in comparison. Surprisingly he expertly maneuvered his frame into the seat and spread his long legs out before him.

“I’m glad you got my missive,” Lorna stood and waited while Adept Breah and Kambel took their seats. “It’s unfortunate that I had to send Cirrus away this morning, but this can’t wait for him.” She quickly relayed both my story and Darren and Joss’ tale of finding me floating in the river.

“How do we know she is telling the truth?” came Pax’s deep timbre of a voice.

“Because I put Alethiem in her tea earlier and tested her mind for shadows and hints of deceitfulness.”

This took me by surprise and I stared at Lorna feeling betrayed by her dishonesty and low handed tactics. It was as if any trust she had previously built up was destroyed with a few words. I could feel the resentment start to rise to the surface and I had to bite back an angry retort that I was ready to spout out.

Adept Lorna turned to me with a solemn face that spoke honest sincerity. “I’m so sorry Thalia, please forgive me. Alethiem is an herb that when ingested makes it impossible for the speaker to lie.”

“I didn’t lie! I told you the truth,” I snapped out.

“I know, I know, she said guiltily. “But I also was in your mind reading for any half-truths and tampered memories, which could have been a possibility since you couldn’t remember your time before imprisonment. Your memories could have been planted and we had to be sure. You will be happy to know that I didn’t find any.” A small smile crept up Lorna’s face in an attempt to reassure me.