Chapter 348 - The House of Echoes

Kai leaned with his elbows on the kitchen table, holding his head, the notes for History of the Merian Republic and the Seven Great Houses spread before him. The names seemed to blur as he reread the genealogy of House Damarre for the third time to fix it with Mnemonic Mastery.

Dorianthus VI, Dorvalis III, Dorimalis VII… No, Dorum—shit! Would it kill them to come up with more than three names for their children? No wonder their House fell to ruin.

His head throbbed, overstuffed with the notions he had crammed in the few last days, and now the skill strain was adding to it.

They said I couldn’t strain a memory skill. Damn liars.

“You’re gonna pass that headache to me if you keep going,” Rob said from the couch where he lounged, holding a textbook above him as he casually flipped the pages. “You don’t need to learn every cadet branch. Professor Ermellie says everything’s in the exam, but only checks the main family line and those in the Clique of Traitors.”

“Uhm, I heard she put in niche questions last semester.”

“Yeah, two out of threehundred. You only need to get two hundred right to pass. Stop torturing yourself. The basic courses barely count beyond the first year. At worst, you’ll get a couple less credit.”

Valela got a perfect score, and I can’t break my streak.

“It’s fine. I’m almost done with this chapter.” Kai massaged his eyes, repeating the names from the beginning. “I just have to—”

A knock on the door brought him a traitorous wave of relief.

“It’s for me.” Kai stood from his chair. His back made a satisfying crack as he stretched it. Holding the n.150 room token with two fingers, he channeled a tendril of mana to the brass pommel across the room. The locks clicked. It was a trick Rob had shown him last week—though using mana took more effort than walking for most students.

“It’s open!” He called, recognizing the presence outside.

Finally time.

“You opened fast. So eager to—” Flynn entered, frowning when he saw Kai meters from the door. He wore the same burgundy uniform of Mana Studies students, though the lining of his clothes was black instead of gold, and his crest depicted a sword, longbow and spear crossed over a shield.

“Huh, neat trick. You ready to go, Mat?”

“Just a moment.” Kai shut his textbook with a clap and went to grab his coat from the rack on the wall. The snow had abated during the last week, but the cold hadn’t.

“‘Kay. We got time.” Flynn left the door ajar, stepping inside and looking around the living room, hands in his pockets. “You guys are really tidy. I really envy you. My roommates are a mess. You can’t imagine— Oh, hey Bert! I hadn’t noticed you there. Nice to see you. How are ya?”

“Good.” Rob curtly turned the page of his textbook. His attention back to the words; his friendly voice contained a sharp edge. “And I told you it’s Rob.”

“Right, my bad. I can never remember which way you abbreviate Robert.”

“Maybe try getting a memory skill?”

“Well, I—”

“We can go.” Kai stepped between them before their teasing escalated, pushing Flynn out the door. “We should get going. I’ll see you later, Rob. If Rain arrives before me, tell him he can grab the notes on my bedroom desk. Bye!”

They stood in the corridor outside when Flynn cheerily waved back. “Bye, Bert!”

“You—” The dorm wards cut off Rob’s reply as the door shut.

Really, what’s up with them?

Kai shook his head and headed toward the stairs, giving his friend a look.

“What?” Flynn glanced back, his face appearing innocent and unaware.

“You know what. Why do you keep poking at him?”

“I’m not. Bert’s just a great name! I once read the tales of a great hero with that name. It’s not my fault that Bert doesn’t appreciate my goodwill,” his smile was mischievously gleeful.

“Yeah, it must be that,” Kai said. From the first time he’d introduced them, they’d been like two gulls fighting over a scrap of fish. He couldn’t really blame Flynn since half the time, Rob started it. They only agreed on one thing: their refusal to elaborate or even admit why they bristled at each other’s presence.

Uhm, maybe it’s ‘cause they're too similar? At least for some aspects. Not like all my friends have to get along. As long as it's harmless teasing. They’ve yet to stab one another.

Leaving the warmth of the dormitory, they trod onto the winding paths through the buildings. Hobbes had traitorously come to lie on Flynn’s shoulders, meowing till he got a piece of salted fish.

Little ruffian.

The cold air helped Kai clear his head; he had more pressing matters to worry about today.

Time to find if the lead’s worth anything.

He and Valela had debated whether they should go together, but ultimately decided that revealing their close relationship to an information guild was a bad idea. If House of Echoes was half as good as people said, they’d already have intel on Matthew Reece Veernon. Inquiring about Elijah was already a thorny matter—even using the cultists’ journals as an excuse.

There was a difference between suspicions and confirmed intel. He didn’t want to offer more reasons for scrutiny.

“Where are we going?” Kai asked. Once he’d gotten his treats, Hobbes blinked away without another care. “You never told me how you found out about the House of Echoes?”

“Shh! Not here.” Flynn raised a finger to his lips and hurried their steps. “Don’t say their name out loud.” He gave a side glance at their back and hunched to make himself less conspicuous.

“What?” Kai whispered, hurrying to follow his gaze. This late in the evening, students huddled in the warmth of their dorms, leaving the pathways deserted. Even Hallowed Intuition was silent. “Does the House really know if we say their name?”

Could that absurd rumor be true?

Flynn led him through a circuitous path for a couple minutes before speaking. “You mean, the House of Echoes? No, not really. I’m pretty sure that rumor is bullshit, but—Ow!” He massaged his shoulder where Kai punched him. “I was trying to create a little mystery. I thought you could use the distraction. Why are you the only one allowed to act dramatic?” he asked, waving his arm with a theatrical flair.

Kai pursed his lips. “I’m not dramatic.”

“Of course not.” Flynn rolled his eyes and moved back to avoid another jab. “I’d forgotten about your savage side. Shouldn’t mages use diplomacy before violence? The House of Echoes really doesn’t like people throwing their name around. That part is true. Everyone who tries to make their locations public has unfortunate events befall them.”

Kai grunted, unsure if he should believe him. “You still haven’t told me how you found where their branch is.”

“Well…” Flynn ran a hand over his chin with an enigmatic smile. “As you told me: a mage never reveals their secrets.”

“It’s a magician, not a mage. And it’s tricks, not secrets. Either way, you’re neither.”

Why did I ever think teaching him Earth sayings was a good idea?

Flynn staggered back, eyes wide, miming a stab through the heart. “How can thy words always cut so cruelly? I'm magical enough!” He snapped his fingers, making a spark of Lightning crackle over his hand. “That looks mage enough to me, doesn’t it? You’re only looking for an excuse to steal my secrets.”

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

“Alright, keep your mystery. But be careful calling yourself a mage. Some people around here are quite sensitive about titles.”

“Yeah, I know you manadorks are all touchy-feely. Hey, how was that? Did I use that correctly? Mana nerds?” Flynn grinned at him like a puppy waiting for praise.

“It was… better. But really, be careful.”

“Worry not, bud. I always check if people are nearby. And I have this now,” Flynn tapped the enchanted silver stud in his earlobe. “Won it in a bet. It stops speech from carrying far. It's weaker than normal sound wards, but more discreet. Pretty good if people aren’t trying to purposely eavesdrop on you.”

“That’s actually… quite neat,” Kai admitted, studying the runes. The enchantments didn’t look too elaborate, but cleverly made. “Looks like custom work. It must be worth quite a bit.”

Cloaked too. I almost didn’t notice it.

“Yep, I had to stake two of my best daggers.” He grinned proudly. “Anyway, you really can’t imagine the nicknames the guys at Martial Studies use. Mana brains, hand flappers, nonsense babblers. And those are the tame ones. If your professors knew the actual jokes we make during training, the Martial grounds would become one large crater by dawn.”

Probably better I don’t know.

“I’ll take your word for it,” Kai said with a laugh. “We should spar sometimes. It’d be nice. Been a while since I trained my Swordsmanship. And you can show me what they teach to the uneducated brutes of Martial Studies.”

“Sure,” Flynn said. “There are a few places we can use in the martial ground. Just don’t complain when I beat you. You’ve been getting soft sitting on your ass all day to study dusty tomes.”

“I’m not that out of shape.”

“Yeah, prove it.”

“I think I will.”

In the distant fog, colossal towers soared above a patch of snow-covered pines. They headed toward Realion’s central cluster of buildings—the most frequented and popular area of the academy.

He had been making discreet inquiries about the House of Echoes since he formulated the plan with Valela four days ago. His efforts had yielded no results thus far. He had considered everything, from hidden in plain sight to a secret entrance in a gnarly oak and a door that only appeared under the moonlight. Among many other increasingly ludicrous ideas.

Seeing how much Flynn enjoyed having the mystery on his side, Kai suppressed his curiosity. The location didn’t ultimately matter, only what they could tell him about Elijah.

I can wait till we get there. It can’t be too far.

He knew what he’d ask.

Inquiring about Virya was out of the question—her identity felt too problematic even to him. He wasn’t even sure it wasn’t a false name. Dora's name in the alchemy book she left him was likely real, but if looking for Elijah was a risk, asking about Elijah and Theodora Etinam was begging for trouble.

That was the Old Kai way. New Kai knows to avoid unnecessary risks. If I find Elijah, I can learn about the others.

It was still a risk, but one he needed to take.

Kai might know nothing of his teachers’ identities or why they came to the archipelago, but he knew the tunes Dora liked to hum when she brewed potions over three cauldrons. He knew Elijah was often cranky in the morning, and that the easiest way to guilt-trip him was by putting on a brave front and not complaining. And Spirits, he even knew about Virya. How she enjoyed watching the dawn rise over the sea with a cup of floral tea, while in the evening, she preferred to sip spiced blends and read tomes under the moonlight.

Those and a hundred more details.

I might not know their history, but I do know them.

Resolved in his decision, he chatted with Flynn as they walked. Their chances to catch up were too rare to be wasted. Classes were ramping up as they neared the end of the first month; neither of them was worried about the basic courses. Passing them was the bare minimum to study at Raelion and take on the mid-year Trials. Those might pose a bigger challenge.

No one knew what they’d test, or even how long they’d last. Some years it was a sparring tournament, or a team challenge with all three courses of studies; other times, students were dropped into the middle of a mana zone and tasked to find their way out. In this, Patricians were as blind as commoners. The only constant of the Trials was that they caused the largest share of expulsions.

“The new dean is known to prefer practical challenges,” Flynn said. “But there were some accidents last year, so they might change it.”

“I heard first-years spread rumors to scare the competition.”

“Yeah, but—Oh, we’re here.” Flynn halted before a flight of wide steps, leading up to a massive marble building.

Kai craned his neck, looking up at the opulent facade of Wing Aurea. The open entrance radiated warmth and light against the gloomy dimness of the winter evening, letting in a lively stream of students. “Here? The House of E—um—”

Flynn covered his mouth, drowning the word. “Don’t say the full name out in public. My new trinket isn’t that powerful.” He warned, then turned to the building with a grin. “And where else would it be? This is the busiest commercial hub in the academy. Both the House of Enlightenment and the House of Mirrors have a branch here too.”

Huh, is that like sibling rivalry? They don’t want to get upstaged?

“C’mon,” Flynn began climbing the steps with Kai trailing behind.

The buzz of people and shops welcomed them inside. Baked bread and sweets, sizzling meats, spiced wines, and a bitter liquorice drink. The smells wafted over Kai. They seemed stronger since he started practicing Rain’s exercises. He was still working on distinguishing the scents, controlling the overwhelming sensory information rather than suppressing it. Despite having ways to go, he enjoyed discovering levers to his Perception that he didn’t know existed.

Rain’s right on that. Most people waste this attribute.

Circling the crowd, Kai and Flynn walked to the lifting platforms. Repeated use had turned his awe for the magic elevator into mundanity. Nodding at the porter, they ascended onto the fourth floor—the level dedicated to clothes and accessories.

Checking the wares of the Wing Aurea was another task Kai had never found the time to cross off his list.

I need a skill to get more hours in the day. Or maybe to sleep less?

The hallways here were quieter than the entrance atrium, the air carried the scent of tanned leather, newly polished metal, faint beeswax and a dozen others he couldn’t yet place.

Kai held back from breathing in deeper to avoid smelling the passing students—he wasn’t yet sold that everything was worth studying.

“Don’t get lost. It’s this way,” Flynn said, leading him through the hallways.

Bright displays tempted him wherever he looked. They passed a shop selling spider silk scarves. They had fabric that gleamed like metal, and others thin as gossamer, dyed in a myriad of shades and designs, promising comfort in any season.

Kai didn’t get to ponder if he’d ever wear something produced by a spider when they moved to a window showing enchanted boots and belts, then shops of flowing fairy dresses, fur coats and pocketwatches.

The enchantments wove through every article blinded his senses, like he was standing under the midday sun. It was too much. He didn’t have the brainspace to examine the wares—not today.

How far—

Flynn soon stopped in front of a corner shop, absent of any shadows or echoes.

“This one?” Kai looked at the book shop—The Whimsical Quill. Imitating the students' window shopping, he studied the displays of leatherbound tomes inlaid with gold filigree and small rubies. The store placement was a little unusual on this floor, though not enough to raise eyebrows; they were at an academy and books were the most common ware sold in the Wing Aurea.

Compared to most book shops, The Whimsical Quill seemed to cater more to casual reading than to class textbooks and sold a wide array of leather accessories. Nothing else really stood out.

That’s probably the point, genius. Not too strange and not too common. Plus, every student needs books.

“You’re here. You said you’d be on time.” A girl with the crest of Martial Studies walked up to them, stopping by Flynn with the familiarity of past acquaintances. She has her scarlet hair styled in tiny braids and an angular face, giving Kai a critical once-over. “Is this the friend you mentioned? Mat? You look smart enough to help me study.” She grinned at him.

“He sure is.” Flynn clapped his back and rested his arm on his shoulders. “I can give you his fee if you're interested. Also, we’re barely thirty seconds late, which wouldn’t have been an issue if you'd trusted me.”

Huh?

Kai looked between them, trying to interpret the conversation and place the newcomer. There weren’t many people Flynn had mentioned to him, aside from his rowdy roommates—who were guys.

Was it the girl from his intake? Rowan…? “Sure, you can join Flynn and me after we get some sparring in this week?” He spoke not to let his silence become awkward. His brow furrowed in confusion. And what does he mean—

“I’ll think about it. Thanks for the offer.” Her steel blue eyes burrowed into his. “Okay, Mat. I imagine Flynn’s already told you what you need. I’ll spare you the warning speech and get to the essential. It’s simple. Just ask the attendant you’re looking for: The Adventures of Rail Lanonn. Make sure to specify you want an original copy. They’ll quibble a bit and show you the way. Just that. Nothing else. They don’t charge new customers who know the title. Don’t fall for it if a clerk suggests otherwise. Do you need me to repeat anything?”

“I—No. I got it.” Kai glanced at Flynn, his mind putting together the pieces. “You didn’t know where this shop was? Is that why you were playing mysterious? ”

“I knew the place and where to learn the way in. But Rowy here was curious to see if you really existed.” Flynn scratched his neck while Rowan blushed, then glared daggers at the nickname. “Trust me, it’s really awkward when you don’t know the way in and have to hint at why you’re there,” he said with a shiver. “They’re trained to revel in your discomfort and play with your mind till you start doubting you’re even in the right place.”

“I told you not to call me that?” Rowan said.

“Hey, look at those hats!” Flynn pointed at a display of feathered hats across the hallway behind her. “I bet I could pull that off! Best not to linger. There is nothing to see here after all.” He gave them an obvious wink. “Good Luck finding that book, Mat. I’ll catch you later.”

“Wait—” Before Kai could voice his questions, Flynn was striding toward the millinery shop with Rowan stalking after him.

“I’ll see you next week to spar,” she waved.

Great…

Standing alone before the hidden branch of the House of Echoes, Kai sighed and entered.