Master Tarek’s warm chocolate eyes were sober as they stared at me, and I puzzled out the words on the back of the paper.
Emeis oi anthropoi… “We the People…” I translated.
“Fuck me,” I whispered as I read through the traitorous document.
“Fuck us all,” Master Tarek responded.
***
The weeks had passed without word from my mother. She had promised to be back within the month, but a series of storms had come up across the Mediterranean, and no word had come from her.
I spent my days with my tutors or in the Great Library. While I had trained to fight and defend myself, I had never been great at it. Elex and Erix had spent many hours working patiently with me when I was younger, but I soon lost interest. Books were far more interesting. I had done my best to keep up the skills they had taughtme before they had disappeared but lately, I had been forced to start avoiding the practice yard because Maalik and his cronies liked to spend their free time there.
It had been almost eight weeks since mother had left for Greece. My fifteenth name day had passed with little notice. Usually at fifteen if one had not developed either Elusian or Mageian powers it was assumed that you would be human. As the true blooded child of the king I should have been named a Crown Prince along with Maalik, but no one had remarked on it. I assumed my father was delaying until my mother’s return. At least, I hope that was the reason for the delay.
Rumors were rampant that her ship had been lost at sea and I struggled daily with the fear that she might have died. She had been the one good thing in my life since Elex and Erix had disappeared. I buried myself in my studies to distract myself from the fear.
At night, in secret, I would send the part of myself that was slowly unfurling out into the earth, trying to learn control of the power building within me.
I had been doing my best to stay out of Maalik’s line of sight. Generally he avoided the Great Library, so that was where I spent most of my time.
I spent hours in Master Tarek’s private study, examining the printing press diagram and reading the books that Master B had sent him, returning to my own quarters only late at night, if at all.
I was having some success translating the books we were sent. The words were often spelled oddly, or the syntax was strange, but with some effort I was able to decipher the language of these westerners Master B had met.
Their written works were a revelation of sorts. One of the books that had been included in the shipment had included a history of their country, which I devoured. As I read about the civil war that had split their country over the abolition of slavery and state’s rights I was reminded of the war we had waged for years against Illyria. It was their “Declaration of Independence” that staggered me, though. Such a complex document with such world-changing potential.
Just the thought that government might derive its power from the consent of the governed was a radical idea. In Alexandria, theKing reigned by divine fiat. In these “United States” it seemed that they had thrown off the yoke of some despot and created their own system of government. I dimly recalled reading a history book claiming that a land named Britain had been destroyed in the world breaking. It seemed likely that this was the Great Britain referenced in the document.
I was lounging in Tarek’s quarters, engrossed in the translation of one of the books when suddenly the door to his rooms flew open. A flood of soldiers poured in as I looked around in alarm. Master Tarek had been out, having had a class to teach that morning, but I had a key to his rooms and had let myself in.
Master Aurelius strolled into the room, the sneer that seemed to be a permanent fixture on his face quite evident.
“Take him,” he commanded, unable to keep the unholy glee out of his voice. “Now is the time you shouldreallypanic, my little prince.”
His blow came out of nowhere and everything went black.
The next thing I knew two soldiers had me by the arms and were dragging me through the hallways.
“What are you doing?” I said groggily, trying to put authority into my voice as my mother had taught me.
“Release me!” I demanded, but they ignored me.
They dragged me to a small cell Aurelius used for his interrogations. I was chained spreadeagle with my face against the damp wall, my arms and leg stretched to the point that I couldn’t move.
The hours passed. From other cells I could hear the sounds of cursing and howls of agony. I shook in my chains. Somehow, they must have figured out what I was. It was the only thing I could think of that would have brought me to this cell. But they hadn’t tried to Suppress me, which confused me.
I tried to force my budding Mageian powers to work, but an underground spring ran beneath the prison. With the pain in my skull, drawing on my powers through water was almost impossible.
After what seemed like an eternity, I heard the cell door open and someone entered.
“Who’s there? Release me!” I yelled, pulling at the chains fruitlessly.
“You’re not going anywhere,mikros prinkipus,” I heard Aurelius’ voice say, and the breath caught in my chest. “At least, not until I’m done with you.”
He trailed his hand over my body and I froze. Aurelius had never before dared to touch me. He must feel that whatever he held over me was ironclad. I felt the stone beneath my hands, ready to respond, but I knew I didn’t dare call upon my power. He hadn’t Suppressed me, so it was likely Aurelius didn’t know about my power. If I had any hope of rescuing the situation, I had to make it to the King.
“U-unhand me, Aurelius,” I managed to stutter.
