Ginn Hale - Lord of the White Hell Book One

"If this has been going on for eighteen years, as you say Kiram, then the royal bishop has had more than enough time to place a request before a Bahiim council." Rafie gave Kiram a sympathetic look as if Javier were already dead.

"The man on the hill is probably the royal bishop's agent," Liahn said. "Do they keep priests up in that academy?"

Kiram nodded. The sick chill clenching his stomach intensified.

"There's a chapel and a holy father. He administers muerate poison to Javier as penance." Kiram's voice trembled as he spoke. It was so obvious. Holy Father Habalan actively poisoned Javier. He bled him and kept him from accessing the healing strength of the white hell. And Javier submitted himself to the ministrations because he trusted his church.

"He gave muerate poison to a student and no one in the academy objected?" Rafie asked.

"It's what they all expect," Kiram replied. "Javier inherited the white hell from his ancestor Calixto. Everyone expects him to endure harsh penances because he's damned."

"Cadeleonians and their hells," Nakiesh muttered. She pulled her knees up to her chest. Liahn removed her own heavy wrap and placed it over Nakiesh's shoulders. For a few moments they were all quiet. A few of the crows preened their wings.

"We should return to the wagons soon. I'll tell the Circle of the Crooked Pine what we've discovered," Liahn said. Then she looked at Kiram. "But they aren't going to intercede in Cadeleonian business. I already know that. I'm sorry, boy. But that's how things are."

Kiram couldn't meet her pale green gaze. Instead he cast his eyes down at the worn floorboards.

"I'll report to the Circle of the Willow Grove and the Circle of the Red Oak in Anacleto," Alizadeh said. "They might offer their assistance to the royal bishop. There isn't much more they could do."

Kiram nodded. He couldn't stop thinking of that moment when he had found Javier on the chapel grounds, lying there like he was dead.

He couldn't give Javier up. No matter how foolish it might be to intercede in Cadeleonian business he would intercede. He would do something. He had to.

He'd promised Fedeles as much, hadn't he?

After Liahn and Nakiesh and their sister crows had gone, Rafie turned back to study Kiram.

"Don't you get any strange ideas, Kiri. Alizadeh and I are taking you back to Anacleto with us. It's not safe for you here."

"What? No!"

"Yes," Rafie said flatly.

"You can't just take me out of the academy!" Kiram scrambled for any reason. "Mother's already paid my full tuition-"

"We both know she'd give up your tuition a hundred times over to keep you from harm."

"But I'm in the midst of the autumn tournament. I've made commitments. I have to serve as squire to my upperclassman and I have another day of duels." Kiram knew he was babbling but the thought of just being whisked away from Javier and Nestor and the academy was too terrible.

"You're not going to be taking part in anything if you get killed." His uncle pinned him with a hard glare. "This isn't a game, Kiram."

"You think I don't know that?" Kiram snapped back. "I've seen Javier lying in a pool of his own blood because of what the holy father is doing to him. My friend Fedeles is being tortured to the point of madness! I know this is serious-"

"We won't be leaving until the Irabiim are done with their business here," Alizadeh broke in with a calm that silenced both Kiram and his uncle. "That should allow Kiram time to see out the end of the autumn tournament and say his goodbyes."

Rafie glared at Alizadeh but Alizadeh simply cocked his head and offered him a crooked smile. "You'll know where he is this way and watching him compete will give us an excuse to get closer to the residents of Sagrada Academy and see if we can't discover a little more about this shadow curse."

Kiram saw the muscles of Rafie's jaw clench on an angry retort, and he nearly offered Alizadeh an argument as well. So much anger and frustration churned up inside him that he could hardly think, but he at least recognized that Alizadeh's proposal was an improvement over the immediate departure that Rafie wanted.

Outside the window the city bells rang out. Half past five.

"I have to go and report to Master Ignacio if I'm going to remain in the tournament." Kiram didn't meet Rafie's eyes. He simply bowed his head and waited.

"All right," Rafie said at last. "But you come back here when you're done."

He nodded his assent and took his leave.

As Kiram closed the door he saw Alizadeh shake his head at Rafie, his expression somehow both amused and deeply sad.

Kiram arrived at the city stables late but not far behind the bulk of the second-year students. Master Ignacio hardly seemed to take notice, only giving him a hard disapproving glare as he hurried past. Kiram wasn't sure if Master Ignacio was feeling generous towards him for his success in the fencing ring or if the war master was simply too angry with the student who arrived drunk to care about Kiram's tardiness.

The drunken student was held down in a horse trough until Kiram thought he might actually drown. Then he was hauled out, dripping wet, and dragged away by two grooms to do penance in the city chapel.

Kiram quickly took his place beside Nestor among the second-year students in the stable yard. He glimpsed Javier ahead of him, standing next to Elezar, but couldn't seem to catch his attention. Elezar playfully punched Javier in the shoulder several times, until Javier retaliated.

"I was worried when Javier showed up alone," Nestor said.

"I bumped into my uncle and spent the afternoon with him."

"Oh, that must have been nice." Nestor suddenly frowned. "Is something wrong? You look rather angry."

"I thought my uncle of all people would understand but he didn't. He wants me to leave the academy. He doesn't think I'll be safe here."

"What? No, you can't go!" Nestor frowned deeply. "You've just gotten settled in. Damn it, Kiram, I don't want you to leave!"

"I don't want me to leave either."

"We'll have to convince your uncle that you're just as safe here as you would be at home."

But he wasn't as safe. He couldn't be. Back in Anacleto he would be smothered in security. His family and neighbors insulated him in the familiar and only the most decent Haldiim socialized with him. Nowhere could be as safe as his mother's house back in Anacleto, where he would be shut away from the rest of the world.

"Maybe my mother could talk to your uncle." Nestor seemed to consider the thought for a moment and then shook his head. "Probably not. She'll end up explaining how battle and injury bring men closer to the true faith. That probably wouldn't mean much to a Haldiim."

"Not my uncle, no." Kiram scowled down at the dirt. Next to him Nestor hung his head.

"When do you have to leave?" Nestor asked dejectedly.

"After the tournament." Kiram glanced back towards Javier and discovered that his attention was returned. For a moment, Javier seemed about to break away from the other third-year students and come to him but then Elezar grabbed Javier's neck and after that all of his attention turned to wrestling out of Elezar's grip.

"So, we've got a week to change your uncle's mind." Nestor continued his strategizing. "Do you think a fellow physician like Scholar Donamillo could convince him?"

"I don't know if anything is going to change his mind." Suddenly Kiram felt like he couldn't stand to dwell on the hopelessness of it for another moment, so he changed the subject. "How did it go with the girl, Yellow Butterflies?"

A flush spread across Nestor's cheeks.

"I'm in love," he said very quietly and very seriously. "Her name is Riossa Arevillo. She draws really well and she loved the Mirogoth shapechanger. And she wants to meet you."