The Magic of Recluce - L. E. Modesitt [24]
“Now…it’s that way…” complained Dorthae.
Myrten sniffed. Wrynn grinned as if no one were about to force her—a thought with which I certainly agreed, wondering absently if, with her, I might need that protection.
I glanced around to find Tamra looking at me. She nodded once, then transferred her attention back to Talryn, who had continued droning on.
Had she understood what I had been thinking? How?
“…washrooms and showers are at the end of the hallway. The small building on the other side of the square garden with the fruit trees is the dining hall where your meals will be served. You may eat there, or you may pay for meals anywhere in Nylan. The choice, again, is yours.” He grinned broadly. “But the Brotherhood’s meals are good, and the price is right.”
“Only your life,” said Dorthae softly, but loudly enough to stop Talryn momentarily.
He frowned, then shook his head. “Believe it or not, our interest is in saving your lives, not spending them.” He cleared his throat before continuing. “Your introduction to the elements of the dangergeld will start tomorrow after breakfast in the classroom building—that’s the one with the red square by the doorway toward the harbor from the dining hall. Now I’ll show you your rooms. If you wish to trade a room with someone else, you certainly can, provided you both agree.”
Without another word, he turned and opened the black-oak door, not even looking to see if any of us followed him. Of course, we all did. What else could we do?
My room, like all the others, had a narrow bed, just wide enough for one comfortably. The wooden frame was, thankfully, of polished red oak. A single sheet covered the mattress, and a dark-blue blanket was folded across the bottom of the bed. No pillows, not that I had slept with one since I had apprenticed with Uncle Sardit, and only a single small oil lamp on the table. There was no closet, but a square red-oak wardrobe, half hanging space and half open shelves.
A braided and multicolored oval rag rug perhaps three cubits across covered most of the blue floor tiles between the door and the bed, which was nearly against the outside stone wall. The half-open single casement window was in the middle of the wall, just short of the foot of the bed.
I pulled my cloak from the pack and hung it up, as well as my single spare set of trousers and tunic. The order-locked purse was there, with my apprentice wages, as was another purse I did not remember. I opened it. Inside were ten more gold pennies, worn, nothing more. I swallowed.
For some reason, I had trouble seeing for a minute, perhaps because I recalled the gold penny with the small clip out of it. My mother had remarked on it as coming from the buyer from the Emperor of Hamor. She refused to let me see her tears, but left me what she could. I grasped back in the bag for something…anything.
There was also a short-sleeved summer shirt, but I left it folded and put it on the second shelf. My leather case with the razor and soap I put on the top shelf. The few other underclothes I had fit in with room to spare, as did the small book my father had clearly tucked into my pack.
The Basis of Order…of all things. Who knew? I figured reading it might be something to do. Especially if the training got boring. I didn’t leave it out in the open, but tucked it under the shirt. The purses I put back in the pack, which I folded and put on the top shelf. They would be safe—that I knew. I took ten coppers and a silver penny.
None of the rooms had locks, just bolts that could only be closed from inside. Then again, who was going to try to steal anything with the Brotherhood around? Even Myrten would hesitate…for now.
I shook my head. The hour was early, and even if it were kays down to the harbor, a good walk, and even if my feet were blistered, I intended to try it, just to see if I could get a better idea about what Nylan really represented. And I didn’t want to sit around