Chapter 63

Early, when the night was nearly over but not yet dawn, Dane covered his mouth as he yawned in winter's frigid air. The winds blew through the embrasures of the crenellations atop the Tower of Dawn. Dane was a wight; he did not find it cold. However, Lara did.

After dinner, Jimmy passed the word on to the girl, who passed it on to him. He had been assigned watch duty on the tower. He was replacing Falon. The thought of that had made it hard for Dane to keep a straight face in front of Night and company.

When Jimmy had stationed Lara as his assistant, he had been dishonest. She was more of an attendant. She had been bid to be around him at all times to help transcribe all word to him. He pitied her. Dane knew he would want to disembowel someone if he was forced to wake up early in the morning and watch the darkness for hours with a deaf man who made for poor company.

Believe it or not, she had brought a blanket and wrapped herself in it.

If not anything else, guard duty was boring. There was nothing to do but listen to the chatter of Lara's teeth, the wailing wind, and the occasional muted clang or smash from the slums below.

Footfall sounded from the stairs at the far corner of the circular platform, and Dane turned to find a handmaiden ascending the stone. Dane thanked her for the warm cups of tea she handed him and handed one to Lara, who was reluctant to remove her hand from the thick blanket.

Dane sipped at it. His attribute, [Wight], made his body colder than ice, and Dane was honestly concerned about ingesting anything hot…yet it seemed it was just fine. It was hard to remind himself that this was utterly unscientific…and completely magical.

Someone screamed, and Dane almost spilled the tea over himself. Grumbling, he set the cup on the merlon and peered down. The outline of a hulking figure gained the stone slope, and three people from the slums shot forward to battle it.

Lara got up from where she sat and came to look t. Like ever, there was fright in her eyes.

Other than boring, Dane had learned, the job of a Castle Guard was also revolting. He had been informed that it was not his job to battle Nightmare Creatures that moved up the slope unless they got too close to the castle. In other words, leave those unable to pay the draconian 'tribute' to die.

Dane did not think he could sit and watch people die, and he was tense as he readied himself to fly down there at a moment's notice. However, it was unnecessary tonight. The three slum dwellers had managed to bring it down with relative ease.

He let out a sigh of relief after the battle was over.

"Tell me, why is your king so insensitive to the plight of these people? Why not let them in?" He knew that groups of Sleepers known as 'Hunters' led by a 'Pathfinder' hunted for food in the ruined city every day. They certainly had the means to protect these people. 

Lara gave him an odd look as she reluctantly let her blanket fall, hurriedly scribbled words on a slip of paper, and gave it to him before picking her blanket up.

"It has always been this way. He is your king now too," it stated.

"That does not excuse his heartlessness. And you're right, he is my king…for now." He loathed to call Gunlaug his king, but Dane was playing soldier for the man. 

Lara scoffed and wrote something else.

"Others have said similar things. Their skulls hang from the gates even now. You have not yet seen the Bright Lord or you wouldn't have such foolish thoughts. He is unkillable."

Dane crumpled the paper in his hand. "No one is unkillable."

Soon later, a guard came to replace Dane. And for some reason, he seemed pretty smug about it. As they descended the steps, he asked, "What was he smiling about?"

She handed him a slip she had prepared beforehand. "Castle Guards have training sessions each morning before the sun rises. Guards stationed for watch duty are excused."

"Must I attend?" Dane scratched at dirt stuck in his fingernails. He hadn't had the time nor the tools to groom himself lately. "Where can I get razors and nail clippers?"

Lara struggled to write, carrying her blanket, so they returned to her quarters to deposit her things before continuing. As they walked to the courtyard, she briefed him on several things. 

First, all Guards must attend the training session headed by the lieutenant in charge of the Castle Guards, Tessai. Refusal could have consequences like being removed from the order.

If he wanted to be exempt from that, he would do well to train hard and become a Hunter. Even more importantly, today was dueling day, and Tessai was not lenient to those who skipped dueling day. As for his clippers and razors, she promised to help him get it.

***

When Lara said that Tessai headed the training sessions, she had half-lied. In reality, all he did was sit and watch. Or maybe that was because it was dueling day.

Jimmy had been kind enough to explain it to Lara at dinner yesterday.

Each man must duel three times, and you were not allowed to trade blows with the same man twice. You were expected to use Memories but could be punished for seriously injuring your opponent. Killing, unless as an accident, would land you a death sentence.

Falon, the guard he had beaten yesterday, was there too. He had cowered behind another guard when Dane arrived. The lieutenant was a morose giant with long brown hair that fell to his shoulders and cruel eyes of a similar color. He had a beard, well-groomed to his chin, from where it fell untidily.

Other than the rules of combat, the lieutenant had two other rules for dueling day. Anyone who lost all three of their duels had to work a single shift from the schedule of each person who beat them.

As for the other, anyone who won all three duels would receive three soul shards from Tessai. Those two rules ensured that no one would pull any punches.

Falon announced something, speaking in a high voice. Due to his inability to fight, he had been made a herald. Two duelers returned to the line of Sleepers in the hall, one bearing a nasty bruise under the eye. Falon took two names from a list. He shivered, looking at Dane.

Lara tapped his shoulders twice, letting him know it was his turn. Dane smiled, nodding at Falon politely.