She nodded, pivoted on her heel, and strode out of the chamber without sparing me another glance as if she'd delivered a package and not a person.
"I'll let the shaman know you are here." The cadet knocked on the inner double door, which was also engraved with the linked effigies of Elu, and opened it to announce my arrival. He then turned to me. "The shaman will see you now."
I stepped into the sprawling office, momentarily taken aback by the wall of windows and the incredible views beyond them, but I quickly recovered and scanned my surroundings. Shelves lined the side walls, packed with books, scrolls, and artifacts. A massive desk dominated the center of the room, crafted from the same dark wood as the door but inlaid with intricate patterns in what appeared to be silver.
Shaman Saphir Fatewever sat behind the imposing desk, looking much as he had at the Circle of Fate—perfectly groomed, nearly white hair with a matching beard, and piercing blue eyes that seemed to look straight into my soul. The only difference was his robes, which this time were midnight blue and not white, and a medallion that I hadn't noticed the first time I'd seen him. The likeness of Elu seemed to be cast from silver, with a sapphire for the right eye and a ruby for the left. It looked like there was also an inscription on the circle around it, but from the distance, I couldn't make out the writing.
I wondered if the symbols were just decorative or actual writing in some ancient proto-language of our common tongue.
Aurorys had a singular writing system and a single language that varied slightly across provinces, mostly in everyday speech rather than in written texts and literature.
Elurians, Elucians, and Sitorians could communicate effortlessly with each other.
Behind Saphir, perched on the back of his chair, was Moki, and just like at the Circle of Fate he was watching me with his large, intelligent eyes, his assessing gaze making the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
"Cadet Alar Tekum," Saphir said, amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes. "Or do you prefer that I call you Prince Alaranthus Tekumuton?"
I maintained my composure, though hearing my full name and title spoken aloud in this place sent a chill through me. "Alar is fine. I rarely use my official title even when I'm not traveling under an assumed identity."
He laughed. "I like an Elurian who speaks the truth. And since you are just using an abbreviation of your full name, it is not really an assumed identity. And yet it managed to fool the entire cadre of our security personnel who are dedicated to finding out everything there is to know about Elurian candidates wishing to join our pilgrimages."
There was no point in denying any of it, so I should at least take credit for my well-executed subterfuge. "Not many can wield the resources I deployed, so you shouldn't be concerned about others pulling a similar stunt." I looked into his wise eyes. "I assure you that I pose no threat to Elucia, and my motives are the security and prosperity of both of our nations, but my position in court would have meant an automatic rejection, so I had no choice but to hide my identity."
Saphir nodded, still looking more amused than upset with me. "Please, take a seat, Alar." He gestured to a chair positioned before his desk.
"Thank you, sir."
I wasn't sure how I was supposed to address him, but since he didn't correct me, I assumed that 'sir' would do. I also needed to find out how he knew who I was.
Had I been betrayed?
"I must admit," Saphir said once I was seated, "that I'm curious. What brings the fifth son of the king of Catonia, the head of the Elurian Federation, to the Dragon Force?"
"My intense desire to become a rider aside, I came here because I fear for the future of Eluria. The Shedun threat grows, with more and more of the Sitorian Union supporting and adopting its extremist ideology, yet our leadership remains complacent. Our leaders don't understand that without fortifying our defensive and offensive capabilities, we are ripe for conquest by the Sitorian Union. Since the seventeen monarchies stopped fighting among themselves and the federation was formed, our leadership has been neglecting our military capabilities."
Saphir looked at me with his ancient eyes, not denying or agreeing with my grim assessment. "And you took it upon yourself to remedy this situation single-handedly by becoming a rider?" he asked with just a hint of amusement in his tone.
I couldn't blame him for being doubtful when I doubted my plan myself.
"I hope to gain knowledge and advance in the ranks, so one day I can lead the Dragon Force to defend Eluria if needed." I met his gaze directly. "My brothers are too preoccupied with court politics and succession maneuvering to see the bigger picture. And my father is focused on diplomacy and downplays the importance of military might."
"Does he know that you are here?" Saphir asked.
I nodded. "He reluctantly agreed to my insane plan, as he called it, probably hoping I would not be found gifted and would return home. My cousin, by the way, is not aware that my fatherknows we are here. He thinks this is just a great adventure, which it is."
Saphir's eyes bored into mine. "Won't you be missed in court?"
I smiled. "As a fifth son, I'm not under much scrutiny, and no one is going to wonder where I disappeared to. They would assume I'm traveling between the provinces and having a grand time with my cousin. Bottom line, I'm not important."
"On the contrary, Prince Alar." The shaman leaned his elbows on the desk and steepled his fingers. "You are very important."
I hadn't expected that, and it took me a moment to recover from my surprise. "So, you approve of my plan?"
Moki made a sound similar to a chuckle, and Saphir's lips quirked in response. "Moki likes you. He says that you are clever and decisive."
I didn't know whether the shaman was teasing me or the strange creature had actually spoken to him and given me a compliment.
Before I could ask for clarification, Saphir leaned back, and Moki jumped into his lap.
