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He spent the following days reading, sitting in lectures, and doing whatever exercise Lela invented.
One bit of good news: The snows ended, the constant gale blasting down the mountain was only frigid this time of year, and the giant trees, many of which looked like ferns, were sprouting new croziers.
Toby and Teacher spent more time discussing the prophecies. Teacher was giving Toby less and less time to think. Yesterday he wanted an interpretation on the spot.
Sometimes Toby got it; other times Teacher pointed out something to consider, often with his outside voice.
Physical training was better. Well, at least his hands didn’t blister as much.
The mornings with Teacher and Raymond were uniformly terrible, but he looked forward to the afternoons with Lela. The best part was dinner with Lela. He caught himself staring at her, and twice, caught her looking at him.
Part of his brain screamed, ‘She’s doing her job.’
Other parts refused to listen.
***
Toby woke up to his usual routine, with Carrick leading the way toward breakfast. The sun was shining; the weather turned warmer, and the breeze perfumed by blossoms unique to this part of Conaeron. He entered the Hall of Heroes, focused on the various tapestries, and found something new every day.
One tapestry was new for Toby, just back from restoration. A man held a sword and shield in the upper right corner, and Toby recognized him at once.
“Let’s go,” Carrick said.
“Wait.”
“No.” Carrick picked up his pace.
“You think I wouldn’t notice?”
“I said no!”
“What are you ashamed of?”
Carrick tried to straighten up his ruined back. The old man achieved only partial success, but Toby glimpsed the warrior inside.
“This is the Hall of Heroes.”
“So?”
“You’re - a hero.”
Carrick glared.
“I’m sorry.” Toby walked away.
Carrick touched Toby’s arm, but he wasn’t angry. “Look at the tapestry.”
Toby stared at the images while Carrick told his story.
“I was like ye once, except I always wanted to be Messenger.”
Toby objected, but he wasn’t wrong.
“My father didn’t get to test, and it gnawed at him. Father made sure his son would test, so my parents spent every penny on my training and education. But when the time came, they banned me. I didn’t come from the right family.”
Carrick took a second and looked down his scarred nose at Toby.
Toby decided not to challenge the implications.
Carrick continued, “After an ugly fight, the Council ordered Teacher, the one before Sklavos, to put me on the list. My family was so proud. Then I tested and was the first to pass the first test in years.
“Father was already dreaming of living in the castle.” Carrick looked up at the tapestry. “Until the second test. I did what they asked, and the Prime just fell away. My father was upset, but when I couldn’t tell him what happened, he was livid. Never spoke to me again.”
Toby didn’t know what to say. “I’m sorry.”
“Save your pity.”
“It’s not pity.”
Carrick’s eyes flared again, a sure sign that he was on the verge of something regrettable. “You want me to finish?”
Toby held his tongue. He only nodded.
“I thought about being Tester but couldn’t handle it. I became a guard right after your brother passed the first test.”
Carrick stared at his tapestry. “I was on western gate duty when Teacher Sklavos came running out...”
“Have you seen Chase?” Teacher said.
“No, Teacher,” Carrick said. He scanned the area beyond the western gate. His new uniform chaffed with every movement. “No one has passed here in over an hour.”
“Have you seen Griffin?”
“The Tester?”
Teacher glared with his don’t be a moron face.
“No, Teacher.”
Teacher scowled. “Find me if you see anything.”
“Yes, Teacher.”
Carrick remained hyper-alert, but the boredom of guard duty returned.
Minutes turned into hours, and Carrick’s replacement arrived as the sun dipped below the horizon.
“Anything?” asked the replacement.
“The Candidate is missing.”
The replacement nodded. “I relieve you.”
Carrick turned to go inside when a strange noise echoed off the curtain wall. One man dragged another toward the Barrier.
“Go alert the sergeant,” Carrick said. “I’ll try to keep them in sight.”
Carrick scanned the area, then reacquired the target. This could be a diversion.
A few stars appeared in the cloudless sky.
One man fell, and the other kicked him again. The down man didn’t move, so the other man dragged him by the collar toward the barrier.
The second guard returned with help. Carrick and the other guard took off after the runners.
“Stop!” Carrick said.
The fresh guard sprinted ahead.
Carrick recognized the two men. Griffin was dragging Chase toward the Barrier.
Chase seemed stunned, bleeding from a head wound.
“Griffin! Stop!”
Griffin had a wild look in his eye.
Carrick drew his sword.
Griffin dropped Chase’s arm, reached inside his leather tunic, and extended his hands at the faster guard.
Griffin mumbled something.
The guard stiffened as if gripped by some huge unseen hand. He pitched forward and slid on his face and chest.
Chase tried to crawl away.
Griffin aimed at Carrick, mumbled, but nothing happened.
Griffin threw something to the ground, grabbed one of Chase’s ankles, and renewed his efforts to cross the barrier.
The dropped amulet evaporated in a puff of smoke.
A boiling black cloud, formless except for a handsome, smiling face, appeared on the other side of the Barrier.
Griffin stepped across, pulling Chase along by one leg.
Chase started kicking and grabbing at the grass.
Griffin pulled harder on Chase’s leg. Another guard jumped across the Barrier and grabbed Griffin.
“The last thing I remember,” Carrick said, “is reaching the Barrier.”
“What happened?” Toby said.
“Apparently, only part of me was across when the One fired. I woke up a week later like this. Didn’t get out of bed for a month and couldn’t walk without help for a year.”
“Chase’s leg?”
“Was the only part of him across the Barrier.”
Toby nodded. He’d seen the leg, but the official story was ‘an accident’ when Chase was off ‘at school.’
“Why didn’t Griffin take the Amulet or...”
“Or just kill him?”
Toby nodded.
“We wondered that, too. Teacher wondered if the One wanted more than the Amulet.” Carrick brushed some dust from his tapestry. “If the One couldn’t be the Messenger, maybe he could own the Messenger.”
A chill ran over Toby. “What happened after that?”
“Despite his injuries, Chase worked harder than ever, harder than any other candidate. Everyone said he was the best.”
“What happened?”
“The second test got him, too.”
“Does anyone get to the third test?”
“Two since Tobias sacrificed himself, and one died.”
“What are the second and third tests?”
Carrick’s eyes went wide, jaw clenched.
Toby stepped back. “Sorry. I forgot.”
A beam of sunlight cast across Carrick’s craggy face, which triggered a thought: if Carrick tested just before Chase, “How old are you?”
“Twenty-seven.”
Toby almost said, ‘Wow!’ but held his tongue.
Carrick silently walked further down the corridor.
Since Carrick rarely talked about himself, “You married?”
Carrick spun and grabbed at Toby’s arm. “Who tol’ you?”
Toby blocked the grab and stepped back. “Told me what?”
Carrick stepped closer. “Nobody better not be talking about me wife.”
“Nobody said anything.”
Carrick cooled to his usual level of boiling rage and turned toward another tapestry. He stared into the fabric. “She was like everyone.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Open yer eyes!” He pointed at his face. “Who would want to wake up next to this for the rest of her life?”
“She left you?”
“Who talked?”
Toby stepped back again. “No one.”
Carrick was deep in thought again. “I did her a favor. It was for the best.”
Who is he trying to convince?
Toby said, “What about the other guard?”
“Didn’t make it.”
“Griffin?”
“Dead.”
“Why would Griffin work for the One?”
Carrick changed from self-pity back to cranky in a flash. “What are you askin’?”
“He was Tester.”
“What do ye think that means?”
“I don’t understand.”
“Who is being tested?”
He didn’t say the obvious answer.
“You haven’t read the books.”
“I must have skimmed that chapter.”
Carrick rolled his ancient appearing eyes and shook his head. “Why do ye think Teacher makes ye read all the time?”
“To learn how to think?”
Carrick smiled. “Well, that’s right, but the facts are becoming important, too.” His eyes narrowed again. “Who - is bein’ - tested?”
“Not the Candidate?”
“No’ just the Candidate. Almost anyone can work an amulet in a safe classroom. Candidates must face real danger. It’s hard on both Candidates and Testers, but nothin’ else works.”
Carrick started limping down the corridor. “Unfortunately, most Testers become twisted by the things they have to do. Teacher was Tester for many years. Mayo was my Tester, and he is still a piece of work. I’ve known Raymond for years, and he’s so different now.” Carrick looked up at his tapestry. “The job changes people - damages some. I couldn’t take it.”
Toby looked deeper at the wrinkled face and glimpsed the young man inside.
Carrick limped up the hall, and Toby fell in behind.
Toby looked toward the floor; the revelations of the last few minutes took his mind far away. One thing was evident; he’d never see Teacher, Carrick, Raymond, or Chase the same way again.
Carrick limped along faster. “No breakfast today.”