Arcturus bit back a groan and followed Obadiah up the stairs. Sacharissa pattered behind them, whining as she sensed Arcturus’s agitation. After a moment, Obadiah spun on his heel and kicked at Sacharissa, but she skipped out of the way with a growl.
“If you can’t control your demon’s infernal noise, I will shut her up for good,” Obadiah snarled.
“Sacharissa, stay,” Arcturus said hastily, pointing at the ground. She cocked her head at him, as if to ask: Are you sure?
“Be a good do—” He caught himself. “… demon and wait here for me. I’m sure it won’t take long.”
She stared at him pitifully, then settled down and laid her head on her front paws.
“Good girl,” Arcturus said. Obadiah grunted, then continued on down the corridor.
They walked for a few minutes in silence before curiosity overcame Arcturus’s fear.
“What do you mean by ‘level’?”
“Different species of demons have different levels of demonic energy. For example, a Canid is a level-seven demon. That means, to have been able to summon her, you are at least a level-seven summoner,” Obadiah replied, without turning around.
Arcturus realized they were heading toward the southwest tower. As they turned into what Arcturus expected to be a stairwell leading to the top of the tower, they entered a large circular chamber with a ceiling that stretched hundreds of feet above them to the roof of the tower.
In the center of the room was a strange column, made up of different segments of multicolored crystals. It was so tall it reached the very top of the room, and Arcturus had to crane his neck to see the tip of it.
“Put your hand against the fulfilmeter,” Obadiah ordered, then pushed Arcturus to his knees before he could respond. He seized Arcturus’s hand and pressed it against the cool gemstones.
Immediately, Arcturus felt something sucked out of him, flowing through his hand. It felt cool as ice, and to his surprise, he could see a cobalt-blue glow around the edges of his palm.
“What you are feeling now is your mana being sucked into the fulfilmeter.”
“M-mana?” Arcturus stuttered. He could feel it roiling in his blood, cold under his skin.
“Yes, mana is the power you use when performing a spell. You will learn more about that soon, perhaps today if you keep your ears open.”
The last of the mana drained out of him; then the flow was reversed. But this was very different from before. It was hot and violent, a sharp contrast to what he had experienced just a moment earlier.
“Demonic energy, what all demons are made from. The more you can absorb, the higher your fulfilment level,” Obadiah murmured, tightening his grip on Arcturus’s wrist.
The segment of gemstone Arcturus was touching lit up with a hum. The others above lit up soon after, each one emitting a dull thrum as they did so. Seven times the room flashed with new light; then the humming began to slow. It was just as well, for Arcturus felt full to the brim with the caustic energy. It felt like he was boiling from the inside out. As he thought it was over, the eighth segment flickered into life.
“A level-eight summoner,” Obadiah said, with a hint of surprise in his voice. “That is … above average … especially for a summoner as young and as new to his demon as you. The usual for an untrained noble who has just arrived at the academy is seven, which is what I assumed you would be. I find this very interesting. I’m sure the king will share that sentiment.”
“What does it mean?” Arcturus said, massaging his wrist as Obadiah released him. He felt a flash of dread. Would it have been better if he were a weaker summoner?
“It means that you are unusual only in that you are a commoner, neither too high nor too low in level. You fall within the normal range of what we can expect from a novice. It also means that you could summon a level-one demon, such as a Mite, on top of your level-seven Canid. Of course, as you train in the various arts of summoning, your fulfilment level will improve over time, and you will be capable of summoning more powerful demons.”
Arcturus relaxed. Normal was good. He was unusual enough, without being something the king might see as a threat. As Obadiah began to lead him out of the room, Arcturus couldn’t resist one more question.
“A Mite?”
Obadiah gave an exasperated sigh, then turned back to him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a roll of leather. As he unraveled it, Arcturus realized it was identical to the leather mat he had found in Charles’s saddlebags, a brown square with a black pentacle embossed on both sides. Obadiah dropped it to the floor and touched the leather with his fingertip.
The pentacle flared with violet light, just as it had in the stables. This time, instead of an orb expanding above, ethereal strands of white light blossomed from the glowing symbol, merging together like threads on a tapestry. It was not long until an insect-like form materialized and the glowing white faded to reveal the true colors beneath.
The demon looked like a giant beetle, so large it would barely fit on a man’s hand. Its carapace was a dark red color, with a sting not unlike a bee’s on its behind and a pair of sharp mandibles that clashed as it stared at Arcturus through two black eyes. With a flutter of insectile wings, it buzzed into the air before settling on Obadiah’s shoulder.
“Beautiful, isn’t he?” Obadiah said, stroking the Mite’s shell. “Rubens is one of my weaker demons, but perhaps the most useful. He’s my eyes and ears at Vocans—step one toe out of line and he’ll come straight back to me. Unless I’ve already seen it, of course.”
He reached into his pocket once again and pulled out a shard of crystal. It was flat, like a broken piece of glass, yet Arcturus could see the room reflected on the polished surface. Obadiah tapped it on the Mite’s shell and held it out for Arcturus to see. For a moment Arcturus thought he was looking at a piece of mirror, but as Rubens buzzed into the air, he realized that the image on the crystal was exactly what the beetle demon was seeing.
“The scrying stone and summoning leather are the two most important items in a summoner’s tool chest,” Obadiah lectured, pocketing the crystal and rolling the leather up once again. “Your demon usually resides within your body and can be summoned into existence, then infused back into you using the leather. The scrying stone lets you share your demon’s senses, including sound and smell, though you need to look at the stone to be able to see what they do. Of course you will only be able to see black and white with yours. Canids and their various cousins are all color blind.”
Arcturus smiled, glad to confirm his suspicions. Still, it was strange that he had been able to do it, if briefly, without a stone at all. He would have to investigate that later. The fact that Sacharissa could somehow be “infused” into his body filled him with both excitement and apprehension. Could that really be possible?
“Right, that’s enough for one day. I’m your provost, not your teacher,” Obadiah said, shaking his head as if surprised he had shared so much.
“Thank you, Lord Forsyth,” Arcturus said, holding out his hand. “I look forward to learning more. May I ask, would it be possible for you to take me back to Sacharissa and then show me how to find the baths?”
“I’m not your servant, insolent boy,” Obadiah snapped, ignoring the hand and stamping out of the room. “We can collect your demon because it’s on the way, but there’s no time for a bath now; you’ll have to wait until later. It’s breakfast time. All the students are there. It’s time for you to meet them.…”
CHAPTER
7
OBADIAH LED ARCTURUS TO the dining hall, taking him into the atrium and beneath the carved archway. Sacharissa paced protectively beside them, sniffing with excitement as they passed through the doors and the scent of food pervaded the air.