Chapter Fifteen

Ket returned to Saevyer Mansion late. His hands were numb and his nose was freezing, but that did not deter him. He put Kieran away in the stables and entered Saevyer Mansion, feeling the pleasant whoosh of warmth soothe his frigid aches.

Ket was unsure whether or not to simply sneak past the kitchens and Makeda, or to present himself to her. He was saved from making this decision because, moments after Ket entered the mansion, Makeda literally flew out of the door leading to the Dining Room, looking both frightened and livid, followed by poor Polaris, who simply could not keep up with her charge.

“Where have you been, Ket?” yelled Makeda furiously, lighting upon the ground in front of him. “You left over eight hours ago, and even Anthro’s gone, oh, I was in such a panic, you’re lucky I didn’t go into cardiac arrest again – ”

“I went to the School to make a deal with Sir Jonat,” he told her quietly. Lying, he decided, would take too much effort. “And Anthro’s gone because I know who his father is. I figured the least I could do was reunite them.”

Makeda stared at him, stunned. She folded her arms and bluntly asked, “What?”

“He’s Anthro Jonat. I’ve known for a while.”

She now put her hands on her hips, eyebrows creasing dangerously. “That still gives you absolutely no right to run away, Ket…!”

“I didn’t run; I came back, didn’t I?” he returned coolly. Polaris nervously twisted the hem of her blouse, looking between the two, as though unsure whether or not to break it up.

“I cannot believe your impudence, Ket!” exclaimed Makeda. “Go to your room immediately!”

“I’m not a child anymore,” he countered. “I’m fourteen-years-old. I’m going to lead an army to Golachma. That’s what I was doing with Sir Jonat! I was making a deal. I needed recruits, and he’ll supply them.”

“You’re still a boy; you can’t do that!” ordered Makeda temperedly. “I refuse to allow you.”

“No you won’t. You can’t expect me to listen to you, after I watched what you did!”

Makeda opened to mouth; Ket steeled himself for more harsh words; to everyone’s immense surprise – especially Makeda’s – she instead burst into tears and flung her arms around Ket. “Please don’t go,” she sobbed, sending pangs through Ket’s heart. “You can’t. I—I won’t be out there, I’ll be stuck here, and I won’t be able to protect you. If you die…I’ll have nothing left. It’ll be all my fault.”

Ket gently embraced his grandmother. “No, it’ won’t be,” he whispered, his shoulder dampened by her tears. “And you won’t be alone. I won’t die on you, Grandmother. I swear it.” Visions of Sorena’s wicked blade plunging into him covered his mind, but he pushed them out of the way. He refused to acknowledge the horrendous truth that, one day, he would face off his mother, and he would be slain.

A few hours later, he was in his room. It was close to midnight, but he could not fall asleep. He sat at his desk, thinking aimlessly about the days gone past, when there was a knock on the door and Makeda entered, Polaris scuttling helplessly behind her. Polaris seemed to have given up on trying to control the strong-willed woman and just made sure she didn’t injure herself.

“Ket…I cannot deny you the right to gather and army and fight,” she told him softly, “however, all I can say is be careful, and train hard. I won’t be able to fight with you, but I signed you up for a rigorous program that Sir Jonat runs specifically for students who wants to fight. It’s in Compre, but not at the School. In a little under three years, you will go through all of the battle training that a student who studies for all six years goes through.”

“Thank you, Grandmother,” he whispered sincerely.

“Just…don’t get hurt,” she choked out. Makeda left; Polaris smiled briefly at him before following after her.

Shortly afterwards, Ket went to bed, feeling happy anticipation of what was going to happen very soon.

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