The Rage Eater

Chapter 31: News from Copper Province

"Where are all the Masters?" Sim said, looking around the candlelit Dining Hall.

It was pandemonium.

Sofi's wolf jumped up on a nearby table, knocking over glasses and plates. Someone's eagle shrieked as it swooped through the air. And everywhere students were whooping and laughing, reveling in the anarchy.

"They must've b-b-been called to a meeting," Tim said nervously. "I think there's been r-r-reports of more orc attacks beyond the Badlands."

"The Orcs Without Masters?" Aubrey said.

Her arm was still wrapped in a thick bandage, but most of the colour had returned to her cheeks.

"N-n-no," Tim said. "Something different. Something worse."

"Forget the Masters and forget the orcs!" Aaliyah barked from across the table. "We need to focus."

Aaliyah's snake, Ruby, was curled on the table, circling a fat dead rat.

She's right, Sadie thought. They were still down one student and one beastly, and the team lists were due tonight.

"Do you know anyone, Aaliyah?" Emily asked between mouthfuls of eucalyptus leaves.

"If I did, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you."

In one swift motion, Ruby opened her mouth and bit down on the rat, hard. Sadie tried to repress her horror as the rat slowly disappeared into Ruby's mouth, forming a thick lump in her neck.

"What we need is speed," Sadie said as she fed Dylan a soil puck.

"And stealth," Aubrey added.

Sadie looked around at the chaos, searching for the right beastly.

A giant turtle ambled between the tables, a grinning student perched atop his hard black shell. Way too slow, Sadie thought.

Then she spotted King sitting quietly besides Fran. He was slim and fast, perfect for darting in and out of an enemy's territory.

But there's no way, Sadie thought. Fran hates me. She hates everyone.

"Attention, attention, everyone!" someone bellowed.

Sadie turned around. It was Nicolas, standing on a table and holding a bulging brown sac.

"The mail has arrived."

Quickly, the chaos receded, and the room began to quiet. "Much better," said Nicolas, smiling. "Now let's see whose parents still loves them." With an actor's flair, Nicolas plucked a letter from the bag and read: "Timothy Terrin." He shook the letter. "Oooh, it's heavy. Mother must really miss her baby boy."

With great glee, Nicolas took each letter from the bag and read the name of its recipient, interjecting occasionally with a snide comment.

"Why do the older students tolerate this?" Aubrey asked.

"Because everyone is t-t-too afraid to anger the Bilton Clan," Tim said without looking up from his letter. "And Nicolas knows it."

"The Borzoos aren't afraid," Aaliyah said. She stood up and growled, "Hurry up, will you!"

"Patience, please," Nicolas said with mock indignation. "I'm going as fast as I can."

By the time Nicolas had emptied most of the bag, Aubrey an Aaliyah got a letter each. Tim got five. His family were as much writers as they were readers, he had explained, somewhat embarrassed.

Sadie waited anxiously. She was sure her mother had written, but what if she had got the address wrong or the pigeon had somehow dropped it?

"Sadie the mamzer!" Nicolas boomed. "What a surprise. Who knew that peasant mother of yours could even read," he said, eyes beaming as a handful of students chuckled.

Sadie glared at him as she snatched the letter from his hands. She would get her revenge, but it would be in the Game of Thieves, not here. She hurried back to her table, eager to read her letter.

With great care, Sadie unfurled the parchment and read, trying to suppress the flood of feelings it stirred inside her. She'd been so busy she'd barely had time to think of home. But now, as she read the letter written in her mother's careful, looping script, it was all she could think of.

In the letter, Gillian described how much she missed Sadie, how proud she was of her, and a funny story about a taverner who, after paying for their 'suite'—which, Gillian was first to admit, was hardly much of a suite at all—got so sloppy with ale that he fell asleep in the stables across the street and woke up the next morning cuddling a horse. At this, Sadie laughed out loud, only to notice that the rest of the Dining Hall had grown quiet, their eyes all on Nicolas.

"My, oh my, someone's father has very bad handwriting," Nicolas said, turning over one of the letters. "But it looks like there's a seal. Oh, this is rich: Copper Province Prison."

The Dining Hall fell deadly silent.

"Who among you has a parent in Copper Province Prison?"

No one said a word. But everyone knew. There were only two students in the Academy from Copper Province. One was Geoffrey Galeran, the proud son of the ruling Clan.

The other was Fran Botka.

"Really? No one knows. Very well then," Nicolas said, breaking the wax seal. "I guess I'll just have to read it aloud and find out."

"Stop!" Fran called.

She walked towards Nicolas, her face almost as red as her hair.

"My father always said your father was a greedy degenerate," Nicolas sneered. "I guess now he's finally home."

Fran grabbed the letter and dashed out of the Dining Hall, her fox King trotting close behind.

Sadie could barely believe her eyes. Fran Botka, the toughest girl in the entire school, a scholarship student who beat up two nobles without so much as breaking a sweat, was crying.