Part 11 (2/2)

As they turned to walk away from the shop, Adesina caught a glimpse of Master Chatham glaring at them from his window next door. She reached out and rested her hand on Ravi's back, which had become a habit.

”How well do you know Master Chatham?”

Aleron was surprised at this choice of subject. ”Not very well. Why do you ask?”

She shrugged. ”I have only met him once, but he seems to dislike me. I do not understand why that would be so.”

”Well,” Aleron frowned, searching his memory, ”I remember hearing that he left the High City when he was young and no one knew where he went. When he came back, years later, he was very bitter. I do not think anyone knows why.”

The young woman shook her head. ”What does that have to do with me?”

He shrugged. ”Perhaps it has nothing to do with you personally. You sort of represent the outside world, and maybe his anger is directed towards the world rather than an individual.”

She was surprised by the wisdom in his simple words. He was unlike anyone she had met in the High City, and she decided that she wouldn't mind getting to know him better.

Their talk turned to lighter subjects. Aleron was eager to learn her opinion of the city, their school, her peers, and so forth. Adesina was cautious in her answers, but found herself being more honest than expected. There was something about Aleron's open and understanding expression that made Adesina feel like she could say anything she wanted. She was careful to answer as Adrie, but each reply was colored with her own opinions.

Aleron was not only open to what she said, but he agreed with her on the majority of the points discussed. He was aware of the pretension of the city and felt the same dissatisfaction. He looked around to make sure no one was listening and then leaned towards Adesina confidentially. ”Right now I am training to be a healer with my mother, but as soon as I come of age, I am leaving the High City.”

He looked as if he had done something very daring by expressing such intentions.

Adesina suppressed a smile of amus.e.m.e.nt. ”And where will you go?”

He shrugged. ”I do not know yet. Tunith is a large continent, and they say that there are lands beyond the seas! I have always wanted to travel around and help people who could not get it otherwise.”

Adesina couldn't help but smile at this statement. ”That is very idealistic of you.”

His expression became worried. ”Is it an unlikely goal?”

She felt a twinge of regret from causing him to question his aspirations, yet she didn't want to give him false hopes. She considered her words before answering. ”Wellait will be difficult, but not impossible.”

Aleron looked relieved. ”Oh, I am not afraid of hard work.”

The smile returned to Adesina's lips. ”Of course not.”

At this point they had arrived at Master Ha.s.s's house. She wasn't sure how to bid him farewell, but he saved her the trouble of working it out by simply giving her another cheery smile and a wave as he walked away.

Jelana met Adesina at the door with curiosity in her eyes. ”Was that Mistress Breena's son?”

She nodded. ”Yes. His name is Aleron.”

”He walked you home?”

Adesina hesitated. ”Was it improper of me to allow it?”

Jelana hastily shook her head. ”No, no. It just surprised me.”

The s.h.i.+mat had the uncomfortable feeling that a number of interesting ideas were brewing in Jelana's imagination. To avoid further questioning, Adesina hurried upstairs.

Jelana had made it clear that she thought it wise for women to marry young, even if that meant sacrificing the completion of their education. Adesina suspected that she wouldn't be too picky about whom Adrie chose to marry, as long as he was a citizen of the High City.

Ravi, who seemed to be having the same thought, chuckled softly as they walked to Adesina's room. ”What will you do when they find a suitable match for you?”

Adesina snorted. ”Politely decline, and bid them to mind their own business.”

She sat down on the bed and watched Ravi stretch out on the floor. ”There are worst things in this world than having people care about your happiness and well-being.”

Adesina reached for the small dagger she kept hidden under her mattress. She twirled it in her hands absently, leaning back to stare at the ceiling.

Chapter Twelve: Alone.

Adesina had now been in the High City for six months. The late autumn and winter had pa.s.sed and spring had arrived. Adrie had found her niche in the High City society. Although she was still viewed as an Outsider, she felt that she had discovered how to fit in.

Five days a week she went to school, where she led her cla.s.s academically; much to the mortification of some of her cla.s.smates. Four days a week she went to Ha.s.s's shop right after school and worked until evening. Aleron always walked her home, chatting about anything that came to mind, but not in the mindless manner that was typical of Gainor. Sometimes Ha.s.s joined them, and sometimes they walked alone.

She appreciated the friends.h.i.+p she had developed with this young man, but she was often reminded that it was founded on false pretenses. Most of the time she was merely playing a part, and that left her feeling very alone.

Adesina missed being herself, and she missed the life of a s.h.i.+mat. Most of all, she missed spending every day with Kendana”the way he challenged her to go beyond her best; the familiar banter that pa.s.sed between them; the way he looked deep into her eyes, as if trying to read the etchings on her soul; and, more recently, how he had reached for her hand and warmed her with his touch. She missed all of these things; sometimes so much it was painful.

Now she was surrounded by the pretension of the High City, living among those she knew were not her equal. She did her best to keep Kendan from her mind, but that was difficult.

Adesina was often paraded around the city as if she were some kind of prize. This was usually done by one of the Governors, but it was also done by those who called themselves her friends. She had thought that she would be caught up in the political maneuvering of the city, but it seemed that she was wanted for nothing more than to be seen with certain high-ranking citizens.

A good deal of her time was spent in the company of Gainor, Deasa and Rina. With the aid of these girls, Adesina was given a whole new set of lessons that had never before been presented to her. She watched the girls with a growing fascination as they practiced their charms, flirted shamelessly to get what they wanted, and displayed a wide variety of etiquette that was adaptable to almost any situation. These strange lessons ended with the fading light and Adesina returned to her host family for a quiet supper and an evening of storytelling, music, or individual amus.e.m.e.nts.

To the casual observer, it would have seemed like the happy, simple life of the majority of the citizens of the High City. But the casual observer would not have seen that Adesina was awake long after the others had gone to bed and up again long before dawn. Every day she reviewed her mission information, more out of habit than need. She practiced her skills in weaponry, and made sure that she remembered every lesson that she had been given during her years of training. There was only so much she could do in her limited s.p.a.ce, but she did the best she could.

Once a month, in the dead of night, Adesina slipped out of the High City through a drain grate she had discovered early on. She would then steal across the open field to the refuge of the forest. There was a small hidden cave where she met her s.h.i.+mat contact and reported on her status.

Kendan always greeted her with a tender smile and a squeeze of the hand. At first, Adesina found these attentions to be confusing, but now she looked forward to them. She began dreaming of him taking her in his arms and holding her close, but he never did. Instead he would touch her hand, and his eyes would twinkle when he noticed the blush on her cheeks.

Their time together was limited, and therefore precious. In these stolen hours or half-hours, Adesina finally felt that she was with an equal, and the fluttering of her heart whispered that maybe it was something more than that as well. She tried not to look too deep into those feelings, afraid of what she might discover there. Instead she attempted to act as if it didn't matter, even if she knew she was lying to herself.

Adesina rarely had anything of importance to report, and was frequently admonished to be patient while waiting for her first a.s.signment.

But she was impatient.

Her task had been to establish herself in the High City so she would always have a solid alibi. With the exception of Chatham, who continued in his irrational dislike, anyone that Adesina had come in contact with would swear for Adrie's character.

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