58Assembly
She immediately looked down at the stone floor, avoiding his gaze. "Yes Master Riggs."
"Well then, don't you think you should be on your way?"
She opened her mouth to respond but then thought better of it. "Yes Master Riggs."
"Well?" He raised his eyebrow.
Brynn restrained herself from rolling her eyes and instead, walked past Riggs into the Hall of Glass.
"I should imagine he'll be at Assembly by now, which is where I believe you should be. Perhaps he'll have a chance to speak with you afterwards."
It almost sounded as if he was talking to himself, but she knew he was referring to how she had missed the meeting with Daemon. She purposely kicked up dust in frustration and didn't look back. She climbed back up to the Dormitory, folded her arms and ignored the short boy who she bumped into on her way up the stairs. He frowned at her but when she said nothing he continued on his way. Brynn had been about to flopped down on her bed and tried to forget aboutthe missed meeting and the fact that she was supposed to go to Assembly.
Instead she decided to try and find Master Doln and see if he would talk to Daemon for her. She ran down the hall and narrowly missed Namat, a boy she knew from Master Geno's class. The route to the Sun Room was a long one and Brynn had to stop and walk halfway there. Disappointment sprang to her face when she found the room empty and blazing with sunlight. She grabbed the next person she found walking the halls.
"Excuse me, could you tell me where to find Master Doln?"
"He should be getting ready for Assembly right now. You won't be able to talk to him until after it's over."
Brynn groaned at this. Why did it have to be today? Assembly was a meeting held by the Masters in the Meet Hall every week to discuss anything that happened 'in Guild'. It usually lasted until well after the sunset and no one was allowed in after it started. Anyone who wanted toattend was allowed to and Brynn had been excited about theit in the the Masters had attended, with their respective Apprentices sitting in the seats closest to them. But it had been so boring that Brynn had fallen asleep sometime after a discussionon the rising cost of horse feed and had woken up to an argument about the quality of sand being delivered by merchants. From that short nap onward, she had avoided Assembly at all costs. A short sleep in the middle of the day was nice enough but that meant shewas awake all night and had disastrous effects the nextmorning.
ButBrynn had remembered Master Farab saying that today's Assembly was important. Shehadn't been paying much throughts had been occupied withwhy no one had mentioned the missing students yet. But Amara would know what was going on. She always knew.
Brynn ran back through the maze of passages, making sure to follow the landmarks back the way she had come. First back towards the Glass Hall, then past the Red Room and down the dark passage. She didn't bother with a wraith and instead ran her hand along the wall to make sure she didn't fall or bump into anything.
As her hand slid along the cold smooth wall, she was forever looking behind her for the green sashes of Apprentices. Several times she ducked into dusty old rooms when she heard footsteps coming towards her. In the darkness she could only guess who it was and had to hold her nose to keep from sneezing. When she finally made her way back to the Ganti Field, she was careful to dim light geos around her and peek around the door. She didn't want anyone to notice her at a distance. She looked out into the field and saw Initiates packing up their gear and recapturing wraiths. Amara was near the middle of the field helping Dro gather up pieces of glass from a broken geo. Brynn looked around for Mistress Rasan but when she saw the Chair sitting empty and on the ground, she grinned.
First she tried to catch Amara's attention by waving at her. But her blonde hair was hiding her face from view and Brynn hissed at her.
"Amara." She frowned at the lack of response from her friend but a grin slowly spread across her face when she picked up a small pebble near the door. She bounced it in her hand a few times before throwing it at Amara. It hit the Initiate's leg and bounced harmlessly onto the ground. Amara finally looked up, wondering who was throwing rocks at her. When her eyes locked on Brynn, she kept her face smooth and expressionless. She calmly stood, dusted herself off and began to walk towards the great doors, all the while glancing around for Rasan. When Amara reached the doors, she leaned against one and scuffed her boots in the soft dirt, creating a cloud of dust.
"What are you doing here!" she whispered, not daring to look at Brynn. "Do you know Rasan dragged me halfway to Daemon's office, asking where you were?"
"Yeah she practically had you…" her eyes widened slightly and refused to finish her sentence.
"Had me what?"
"Nevermind. Look, I'm in enough trouble, I don't need you heckling me." Brynn glanced down the hallway once more before pulling at a loose thread on her uniform.
Amara glowered at her. "I could have easily told her where you were but I didn't. That means we're friends and friends have the right to heckle each other. "
Brynn rolled her eyes at this. "You didn't know where I was. I didn't even know."
"I would insist but that might just get me into more trouble than you're in right now, though I don't see how that's possible," she grinned. She moved her head to the left and let her eyes drop to the dirt marks and part of a stray cobweb on Brynn's once-clean uniform. "Besides, I don't have time to listen to your explanation. Assembly's starting in a few minutes and apparently we're all supposed to go."
"I suppose that means I have to attend as well."
"If you don't it'll just be worse for you in the end. I think the fact that Daemon didn't trust anyone but a Glass Master to find you is saying something."
"I know. It's just…they'll take notice when I come in and I can't stand the idea of them watching me, following me with their eyes."
"You can complain on the way there but you'd better hide first, Rasan's coming this way."
Brynn backed into the shadows to hide and Amara waited to fall into line with the Initiates Rasan was leading. Brynn wondered at the last minute whether Rasan would do anything about the light geos but they were only dark to the left of the doors and the way to the Meet Hall was to the right. Brynn held her breath as the group passed into the hallway but Rasan only grimaced slightly and then replaced it with a frown.
"Keep up now or we'll be late."
Brynn fell into line behind Amara and ducked behind her shoulders whenever Rasan glanced behind to see that everyone was silent as they walked the large hallways. The line was merely a formality for Assembly. Everyone knew the way to the Meet Hall but when everyone was summoned, it was custom to lead the classes in. None of the Initiates had attended a mandatory Assembly before and so Brynn was surprised when Rasan stood to the side when the class was filing into the Meet Hall. There was no turning back though and it was all she could do to keep from glancing at Rasan's face. She had been hoping that she wouldn't be seen butbeforeshegot through the doors,the Glass Master took a firm grip on her shoulders.
"You will meet me after Assembly to discuss your inability to follow instructions."
"Yes Mistress Rasan." Brynn did her best to look Rasan in the eye but the cold look she received made her want to shiver.
Rasan released her and Brynn had to restrain herself from running to the nearest table where Amara was sitting. The entire room was chattering and whispering about why they'd been called but were immediately silenced when all the doors were slammed shut. The Glass Council filed in from the two doors beside the large fireplace and the room rose to their feet to acknowledge them. Amara sighed at the formality of it but shut her mouth when Daemon stood and everyone sat back down again.
"Before I begin Assembly I would like to explain why you have all been called here. It is to inform you of a grave situation concerning the entire guild. Last night it was determined that several geos from the Cache were missing. We suspect that they have been stolen."
Even the formality of Assembly couldn't keep everyone from gasping and whispering in shock. Even some of the Glass Masters looked surprised but everyone on the council stared out over the room with a cold silence.
"Master Jorek discovered this after a routine inspection. We believe this incidentto betied to the Ganti game where a Lava geo was released on the field.
I don't have to tell you of the seriousness of this crime. Stealing a geo is grounds for dismissal and exile. I would ask that any of you with information speak with one of the Masters after Assembly. I must also warn you that everyone is suspect and we reserve the right to search Dormitories and Heelikai if need be. For the meantime, the Plateau is off limits and students are restricted to the Guild grounds. If for any reason, you need to venture out into the city, your wraiths will be confiscated before you leave the gate. That is all."
This elicited angry grumbles from various people, Apprentices down to Brynn herself.
Daemon held up his hands and waited for them to stop. "This is being done for the good of the guild and I would expect you all to understand the need for caution." With that he sat back down and Geno began to rattleoff the number of new swords needed for the guards and how the price of firewood was costing the guild a pretty penny. Brynn heard the familiar scritch, scritch of pens on paper. When she looked over, she saw Namat scribbling away on a small piece of paper. Some Glass members, especially Initiates wrote down what was said at Assembly though Brynn didn't see it as important. Even if there was something interesting to write down, she didn't have pen, paper or ink with her. They were all sitting on a table in the Dormitory, but she didn't need those things to remember what Daemon had said.
As Brynn suspected, that had been the most interesting part of Assembly and by the time it was over she felt extremely drowsy and hungry. The heat from the sun usually made the Meet Hall unbearable during the afternoon because of the glass roof. Obviously it must have been something that the architects hadn't thought of. It was either that or they had done it on purpose. Either way, students usually spent as little time in the Meet Hall during the day as possible, gobbling down lunch and secreting food under their uniforms to eat in a room with a tolerable temperature. Now, just as the sun was setting, the heat lay over the hall and Brynn could feel it, like an extra set of clothing sitting heavily on her shoulders.
When the Council rose to signify the end of Assembly, the doors were opened and serving boys entered with steaming plates of food. Of course, everyone was required to stand and wait until the Council had exited the Hall. Meanwhile, the food was set in front of the students, taunting them with tantalizing smells. As soon as the Council was gone, students dropped onto the benches and crammed their mouths full of food, half starved from a long and boring afternoon.
Of course, between bites, all anyone could talk about was what Daemon said."Who would steal geos?" Amara finally said.
"Well it can't be anyone from the guild," said Namat who had a spot of gravy on the side of his cheek.
"I wonder which geos were stolen," said Brynn.
"Just because everyone in the guild has geos doesn't mean it wasn't one of us," Amara shot back at him."
"Why would one of us need more geos?" Nimat said.
Brynn looked around for Rasan, wondering why she hadn't come over to talk to her but there was no sign of the Glass Master.
"I don't know but it has to be a possibility," Amara said.
"Well, then I guess that means it's a possibility that you stole them," he said, chucking a piece of bread her way.
"The same goes for you," she chucked a linen athis face, hitting the spot of gravy dead on.
"It would help if Daemon had said what kind of geos were taken," Brynn interrupted. "I'm sure that would help to identify who took them."
"Why would he tell us? We're just Initiates. Beside, it isn't any of our business," said Amara.
"Well I'd still like to know. After all we are part of the guild." Brynn gulped down cold water from a battered metal goblet and made excuses to those at the table. She would seek out Rasan instead of waiting for her. She couldn't afford to make any more mistakes with the Glass Masters. She hurried out of the Meet Hall and headed towards the Gate Room. Usually after Assembly the Masters headed there to further discuss matters. It was located in a tower that was closest to the cliffs overlooking Syndana Lake. It was called such because of a bridge and gate connecting the tower to the fifth level of the guild. The tower controlled the operation of the bridge and gate, effectively keeping out anyone who wasn't wanted.
When Brynn arrived at the gate, it was down and the bridge was up. She rang the little bell located close to the gate and peered through the slats to see if anyone heard her. She saw the door to the tower open but she hardly had time to see who it was before the door slammed shut again. But it wasn't soon before the bridge began to lower and the gate lifted up into the ceiling. Brynn crossed the bridge, finding it barely wide enough for one person to walk across it comfortably. The temptation to look down was overrun by her fear of heights and she quickly entered the door held open by Master Geno.
Some of the Masters were sitting around a table in animated conversation; others were staring out tiny slits that served as windows. Master Takamara was climbing a ladder set against the wall to her right that led to the observation deck.
"Brynn," Mistress Rasan beckoned her over. "Come, take a seat."
She quickly made her way over to the elderly lady and sat in the closest unoccupied chair. It was uncomfortable and was poorly made because every time she shifted her weight, the chair would rock from side to side.
"I thought I'd give you time to finish your meal before I summoned you," Rasan wiped her lips with a square of linen and pushed herself back from the table. "But I see that you made your way here without any direction. At least you didn't get lost on your way here." An odd twinkle in her eye barely kept Brynn from shifting in the chair. Did she know?
"It is important that all members of the guild work together. Do you understand?"
She didn't wait for Brynn to respond and continued in a quick, clipped tone. "That is why it is imperative that when someone gives you instructions that you follow them, no matter what they are."
"Yes Mistress Rasan."
"Now, you have yet to finish your punishment for the incident in the market and I understand that Master Daemon was to meet with you to discuss that. Your burns have healed and I suppose that he felt it time for you to finish what you started. He would see you now but I'm afraid that he's going to be busy with the Town Council for a few days. We will set up another meeting and you will make sure to attend."
"Yes Mistress Rasan."
"Very well. That is all I have to say on the matter." With that she stood and out of a sense of respect, Brynn struggled to her feet, cursing the rickety chair. She followed Rasan who held the door open for her, essentially kicking her out of the gate room but before she closed it, Brynn caught a glimpse of Erik downing a drink from a very large cup. The door practically hit her ankles as it slammed behind her and Brynn made her way back across the narrow walkway. Fortunately it was made out of stone and didn't sway in the wind, for a strong breeze was blowing, whipping her hair about her face.
When she got back to the Meet Hall, kitchen boys were clearing the table and small groups of students were chatting in corners and on the walkways by the tapestries. Her whole table was still there, except Nimat who had scurried off somewhere, probably to memorise his Assembly notes.
"I'm not even going to ask where you were," Amara said.
"I just went to go see Rasan about my meeting with Daemon. I have to finish cleaning the Hall."
"Well you should. I've walked through there since the fire and there's dust everywhere."
"Well I didn't exactly have time to clean anything; there was a fire you know."
"Yes we all know about the fire," Amara sighed.
Before Brynn had time to reply a number of people burst into the Meet Hall and began yelling as loudly as they could. "Possessed, in the city. Everyone is to fetch their Heelikai and report back here."
Author's Note:Really there is no excuse. But I can now claim that my writer's block which has been plaguing me for some time is now. I'd like to thank Ria for reviewing and I promise that I will put out another chapter before Christmas. That gives me lots of time and it will get done because of the time I've given myself. The big problem has been school and I'm going to make sure it doesn't get in the way again.
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