The Far Wild

8 - We Can Debate The Letter Of The Law Later, Or Preferably, Never

* * *

Suni

I guided my reservoir quill across the page, following the arc of the impaler’s tail. Or, trying to. My fine control wasn’t good enough and the line strayed, wiggled a bit and made the tail look all wrong.

“Practice makes perfect.” That was what Professor Symeos always said. I winced as I took in the dozen or so pages of impaler sketches, each of them flawed in some way. Most in more than one. “Practice makes perfect. Eventually. I hope.” I moved to a still-blank spot on the page and readied to try for what felt the thousandth time in the last two hours.

If only my hand wasn’t sweating so much, making my grasp on the quill slippery. If only it wasn’t so danged hot. Even in the shade of the balcony there wasn’t much relief, but that was the height of afternoon in Lekarsos.

A warm breeze kicked up, lifting several of the pages from the table. I almost let it take the darn things. There would have been some relief in just letting them blow over the balcony’s railing. Maybe it’d carry them all the way over the college’s wall, out into the jungle where they could be lost forever. Like so many others who’d disappeared in the Far Wild. Like Kamil, who was out there now. Not that he was in any danger from the wildlife—or at least, not at any increased risk from the wildlife. No, animals just did their thing. They didn’t have malice. Didn’t scheme. Humans, on the other hand. There was the problem. Why I couldn’t focus. Sure, I’d wanted to be on that expedition, but what I wanted was less important right now. Kamil was in danger from whatever Bospurian schemes were in motion. He was in danger, and I was sitting here, trying to pretend like everything was alright. Maybe it was. Maybe I was overreacting. But then that’d mean the Governess was too.

The guards stationed all around the college were evidence enough of her concern. She was taking the morning’s attempted theft as nothing short of evidence of a Bospurian plot.

There were guards were everywhere. Three at the south and east gates, one stationed at the entrance to every building, two groups on constant patrol inside the wall and another two outside it. It was as if the Governess was expecting a Bospurian army to spring up out of the tree line at any moment.

“You really should stand in the shade,” I shouted down to the closest guard. “You’re going to give yourself heatstroke.”

The poor man was stationed across the courtyard at the entrance to the botanarium. The building was all glass paneling so the plants inside could grow while being protected from the elements. Great for the plants, bad for the guard, who looked to be cooking alive in his armor.

He looked up at me but didn’t respond.

“There’s a perfectly good patch of shade five paces to your right. I promise you’ll be able to stop any Bospurian agents infiltrating our greenhouse from there.”

The man looked toward it, considering a move, no doubt. Then all at once he snapped to attention and stared straight ahead. A moment later, the Guidemaster strode through the south gate. Elpida Petros. Her years of experience as a guide in the Far Wild would have made her the foremost naturalist in Lekarsos if she’d had the patience for it.

Why was she here?

I looked down at the failed sketches, then all at once pushed them into my bag. I was kidding myself if I expected to get any more work done today. My mind was too distracted.

I took the stairs fast as I could and just managed to catch Elpida as she was approaching the college’s porch.

“Good afternoon, guidemaster. We’re quite popular here today,” I said, gesturing out to the guards.

“Better safe than sorry,” Elpida grunted as she stepped into the shade of the porch. She paused a moment to wipe the sweat from her face with a rag, then steal a sip from her flask.

“Alcohol is a diuretic, you know,” I said, eyeing the thing.

“It’s far from my first summer in Lekarsos, girl. Gonna take something cleverer than dehydration to finish me off.” She capped the flask and tucked it into her coat.

“Why are you here?” I asked, cutting right to the point. “Is there any news on our thief? Or is it about Kamil?”

She didn’t respond for a moment but winced slightly.

“I knew it! I shouldn’t have let him go. Why did I—”

“Stop.” She leveled a stern gaze at me. “It’s not the ‘trapped in a cage with a hungry terror bird’ sort of danger you’re imagining. More of the ‘that bite might be venomous so we should keep an eye on it’ sort.”

I don’t think that calmed me in the way she’d imagined.

“Look, don’t work yourself into a panic. Everything’s well in hand.” She offered over her flask. “Sip of gorgam might help.”

“No, thank you very much.” Even I heard the disgust in my voice. But it was justified, was it not? The stuff was foul, with few redeeming qualities. And besides, the last thing I needed at a time like this was to be impaired.

“Suit yourself.” She took another sip. “Here, do me a favor? Get that report the thief was after and bring it to me in Symeos’ office.”

Well, uh. I bit my lower lip without meaning to. Felt my jaw clench as I worked out an answer.

“Uhm. Kamil took the report with him,” I said, quieter than I’d meant to.

Elpida’s brow settled heavy over her eyes and I could feel the weight of her judgement doing the same on my shoulders.

“Took it with him?”

“It was damaged when the thief dropped it. I saved what I could but a bunch of the pages ended up in the mud and then others were stepped on by Senesio and a few got crumpled. They were mostly illegible and someone had to rewrite them so the report was presentable. I know it’s not strictly within college policy, but Kamil insisted.” The words came all at once. Explanation, excuse, and justification all together in one big jumbled mess.

Elpida let me finish, then sighed. “Professor Symeos is inside?”

I nodded. “Up in the study.”

Elpida turned to the guards standing at the entrance. “No one’s allowed in until I’m done speaking with the Professor.”

“Yes, ma’am,” they said in unison, and somehow managed to make their posture even more straight and rigid. With that, Elpida strode into the building. I moved to follow her, still trying to explain, when the guards stopped me.

I looked down to the hand on my shoulder, then up at the man.

“What are you doing? I’m an apprentice here.”

“I meant you too,” Elpida said from inside, all the way at the base of the stairs now. “This is a private conversation.” Her boots clunked up the stairs and I was left on the porch with just the guards.

“This is ridiculous,” I said, looking from one to the other. “I live here!”

“Grab a seat and relax,” one of them suggested with a shrug. “Orders are orders.”

I wanted to protest. I was convinced that Elpida was here about Kamil and that meant something was up. Kamil was in more danger than everyone was saying. That had to be it, right? I looked past the guards and at the stairs. Considered making a run for it. I’d never been an athlete, but maybe if I was fast enough...

“Don’t even think about it.” The guards stepped together and blocked the entire doorway.

“Fine. You win.” I spun on my heel and made a show of storming off of the porch. I strode out of the shade and the humid heat of the sun only caused the anger inside me to boil all the more. As it happened, there was more than one way up to the second floor.

I turned the corner of the building and slipped out of sight of the guards. The shade of a large oak tree covered me, its branches providing some relief from the sun, but more importantly reaching up toward the college’s higher stories.

Rupert’s tree, actually. He wasn’t anywhere to be found right now, which was all the better, I figured, as I pressed my palms to the rough bark and pulled myself up. The last thing I needed was Rupert howling and causing a scene. I’d have enough trouble not doing that on my own. My boot lost its grip and slipped. A spray of bark tore from the tree and I nearly toppled backward before grabbing a branch and holding tight.

I froze for a moment, but the guards must not have heard, or not cared, because no one came to check.

The branches thinned as I moved upward, but I wasn’t going far. Just to the window near my desk in the study. It was open above me, not more than eight or so paces up. Another warm breeze came through, rustling the leaves around me and setting the tree to moving in the wind. The branch I was on groaned and eased to the side.

“Come on, come on,” I hissed, clinging tight and trying to keep my balance. Kamil wouldn’t have had any trouble with the climb—he’d always been naturally athletic. He always laughed that I was better suited to my books.

The window was just ahead, though. Almost there. Elpida’s voice became audible as I neared the open window. I placed my feet carefully, making sure the bark was strong and steady, then extended my legs and reached toward the lip of the window.

Got it!

My fingers found purchase and I held tight, stretched between the gently swaying branch below and the window above. My normal self would have been embarrassed to see me there. Would have asked if I’d gone crazy.

“You think he’s in that much danger?” Professor Symeos asked. I pulled my head up just enough to see him at his desk with Elpida seated across from him. His eyes flicked over toward the window and I ducked.

“Personally? I think everyone’s losing their shit over nothing,” Elpida grunted. “But you know how it is with them back across the ocean, only concerned with political maneuvering and imperial ambition. Backstab this person, conquer that island. Move on and do it again.”

“Fair enough, I’ll give you that,” Professor Symeos said, nodding sagely. “But this is more than just an ambitious politician. This threat comes from a foreign power.”

Elpida huffed. “Bospur’s the same as everyone else back in the old world. All-consumed with politicking. And besides, ancestors know we have just as many spies in their cities as they do ours. Our emperor and theirs have been going at it for so long I’m convinced it’s become sport for them. No, I don’t think we need to be all up in arms about this, but when Captain Giorgia Barba comes storming into your office, well, even I can’t disobey her.”

“She’s a nasty reputation, that’s for sure.”

“And direct orders from the capital. They’re prioritizing this. I don’t think Kamil’s in trouble, but no one’s asking me, so we’re going to bring him and his expedition back. Hunker down in town until Captain Barba is satisfied there’s no imminent invasion or other such nonsense.”

My heart leapt at her words, near made me slip from my perch. A rescue mission? They were going to bring Kamil back!

“What would Bospur even want with Kamil? He’s a naturalist.” Professor Symeos looked confused for a moment, then his eyes widened. “Does this have to do with his survey of the Solimikos River? We thought it was promising but further investigation proved otherwise.”

“Might be Bospur hasn’t heard that last part,” Elpida said with a shrug. “Could be all they heard was ‘magnesia ore’ and now they’re obsessed. Either way, I don’t really care. You’re the head of the college here so the law says you’re to be kept apprised of matters concerning your students. We’re going after Kamil, so there, now you know. We leave first thing in the morning.” She nodded, then rose and turned to leave the study.

“Wait!” I shouted without thinking, then clambered up, onto the windowsill and into the room. I tumbled to the floor, then hurriedly stood up and wiped some dirt from my shirt.

Elpida was staring at me with a look of confusion. Professor Symeos, on the other hand, wore something closer to a mischievous smirk.

“The hell do you think you’re doing?” Elpida asked. If looks could kill, hers would have maimed me at least. It hit me like a bucket of cold water on a sweltering day and my body went numb. Tingly and frozen in place.

“I’m... I’m going with you.” It took every ounce of will I had to manage the words and they sounded far from confident as they came out. But I had to do this. “Tomorrow, to get Kamil. He’s in enough danger that Captain Barba is going to bring him back. I’m going too. My bag’s already packed.”

“You absolutely are not.” Elpida laughed off the suggestion. “You’ve got guts, girl. I’ll give you that. But this is beyond you.” She turned to leave, dismissing me like one would a misbehaving child.

I swallowed hard, stared at the middle of her back, and shouted my next words. “I invoke the rights granted by the charter of the Imperial College of the Sciences.”

Elpida stopped in her tracks. Turned slowly. She’d been dismissive earlier, now she was angry.

“The charter’s just words on paper, girl, not magic. Hardly enough to force me to bring you with us.”

“On the contrary,” Professor Symeos leaned forward in his chair. “The charter is law, written and sealed, and it exclusively grants a plot of land to the Imperial College in every colony, as well as our members a spot on all expeditions.”

“Law written by bureaucrats cooped up in the capital,” Elpida retorted. “By people who don’t know the realities of this place.”

“But it’s law nonetheless.”

I smiled as the professor said it. His support emboldened me. Elpida was less pleased by the change of pace. Her cheeks were red now and she looked exasperated. She started to say something, then stopped and shook her head.

“You two can’t be serious. This is a rescue mission, not an expedition. We have no need of a naturalist, much less an apprentice naturalist.”

“The charter doesn’t exist for your needs, but for ours,” I replied. “To protect the research of the college and ensure it isn’t pushed aside in favor of economic or military ventures.” A bit of sass crept into my voice. It surprised me as much as anyone.

Elpida ran a hand through her hair and rolled her eyes. “Is this really what we’re spending our time on right now? I have a rescue mission to prepare. We can debate the letter of the law later, or preferably, never.”

Professor Symeos chuckled at that, then turned toward me. “Suni, I hereby appoint you as a temporary representative of the Lekarsos Branch of the Imperial College. You’re assigned to tomorrow’s expedition. I trust you to act in my stead and ensure Kamil is brought safely back.” He frowned. “Ancestors know it’s not the expedition you wanted, but I think there’s experience to be gained. No reason to waste the opportunity.”

Elpida groaned. “You want to come and be deadweight? Fine. Whatever.” She turned toward the door shaking her head and mumbling. “Bunch of idiots just trying to get themselves eaten... ” She paused at the exit to the study. “We leave at dawn tomorrow. Don’t be late because we’re not waiting for you. Or, actually, maybe go ahead and show up late.” She stomped down the stairs.

The moment she was out of sight I let my relief show. I sighed, then melted into the nearest chair as if I’d been reduced to a liquid.

“Thank you,” I said to Professor Symeos.

He let his mischievous smile fall away. “Bring our friend home, Suni. And see the Far Wild for yourself. Might be you learn a thing or two while you’re at it.”