Sunday Snippet October 30, 2016

This is from Book 10 of The Academy of the Accord and it hasn’t seen the editing pen yet.

(By the way, just to clear up any confusion, this is from the prologue and is set at a different school (Arcane Academy) not The Academy of the Accord.)

I’m skipping ahead quite a bit from last week.  Calef was expelled from Arcane Academy and spent the rest of that term confined to his room.  The semester is over and he and Rarian have met up again at the apothecary in the town near the school. (Dayli is the apothecary.)

 

“Dayli thinks we may have to stay an extra day or two,” Rarian said.

Calef nodded.  “We talked last night about what was happening at the school.  She’s afraid that they might be waiting for us.  I don’t mind staying here.  Do you?”

Rarian shook his head.  “We’re safe here, that is the main thing.”  He watched the wizard out of the corner of his eye as he continued. “Did you find out anything about The Academy of the Accord?” 

He nodded, his eyes lighting up. “It’s north of here, in the mountains.” He reached out one hand and a parchment floated to it from the top of the box where he had left it.  “When I got here yesterday, Dayli had this for me.  It was delivered here by a messenger, with a note for her to give it to me the next time she saw me.”

“What is it?” Rarian asked.  “And what does it have to do with us going to The Academy of the Accord?”

“A letter.  And everything.  Listen.” He unfolded the parchment and summoned a ball of light to illuminate it.

Calef, you do not know me, but I used to be a cadet at Arcane Academy. My name is Terhesh, and I am hoping that Rarian remembers me.  I am writing to you, trusting that the two of you are still together and that you will share this with him, as I know that the cadets there are not taught to read or write.

He looked up at Rarian.  “Do you remember him?”

Rarian nodded.  “I do,” he said, fighting down memories and regrets. “Go on.”

I am now at a different school, The Academy of the Accord.  It is a good school, a place where the two of you would be welcome, where you would fit in and be able to have friends. Here, no one would look down on you or make fun of you because of your friendship or the bond you share.

I hope that the two of you can come here, but if you cannot, please let Rarian know that I have found my wizard, and I understand now how the two of you feel, and I hope that someday we can meet and be friends.

In honor,

Terhesh

“That sounds too good to be true,” Rarian murmured.  Somehow both arms were around his wizard now and he stared over his shoulder at the parchment as if trying to form a picture of the school.

“I know it does.”  Calef looked up at him.  “This Terhesh… is he prone to lying or exaggeration?”

“No.”  Rarian’s voice was firm and confident.  “Lying is against our codes and he held to them more rigorously than most.  And exaggeration is a form of untruth, so, no.  If he says that it’s a place where we would be allowed to be friends, where we could have friends, then that is what sort of place it is.”

Calef’s eyes lit up.  “Then I cannot wait to get there.”

“Neither can I,” Rarian replied.  “How far is it?”

Calef laid the piece of parchment to one side, revealing another, this one a map. “We’re here,” he said, pointing.  “And this is The Academy of the Accord.”

Rarian studied the map.  “It’s going to be a long journey.”

“I know. But do you think we can do it? And can we get there before the next semester starts?”

“We can,” Rarian replied.  “And we will.”

 

 

 

Find more great reading
at the Sunday Snippet group.