Misfits of Aquila (Aquila's Originals 1)

Chapter 22: Captains, Part 3

RHIDDYL HAD MISSED something. It must have happened after she'd left her friends that morning, after overhearing a passing Rider talking about one of her old friends. While she'd spent a fruitless morning trying to track down Jaymes, all her student friends appeared to have fallen out. When she met them all at lunch, the atmosphere was strained. Zett was quiet, but he normally was, although it was unusual to see him without Caelo attached to his side. Instead he and Vhen sat together, while Caelo frowned at them from across the room. Taryn and Orla were missing altogether and Guto was obviously in a mood. Since he was normally quiet and withdrawn Rhiddyl didn't even notice until she was halfway through her meal. At which point an older student ran into the hall shouting that two skyships had been spotted coming from the north and south-east.

The final students had arrived.

There was no chance after that to talk, because everyone was too interested in watching the North Point and Sutherall students arrive. Such was the chaos caused by the addition of twenty-one more students that it wasn't until the next morning that Rhiddyl managed to speak to Vhen.

"What happened?" she whispered over breakfast, while Tenzi and Keiva took turns cajoling Zett into eating. The poor lad looked like he hadn't slept a wink. His usually pristine appearance was sadly dishevelled and his eyes were puffy. Once again Caelo wasn't with them; she sat on the far side of the room, laughing loudly with a group of Etherian students.

Vhen looked rather rough himself, yawning so widely his jaw cracked. "Caelo gave us a fright yesterday and Zett hasn't got over it yet."

Rhiddyl wrinkled her nose, thinking that was a silly thing to lose sleep over. "What -?" she started to ask, but was interrupted by the arrival of Dean Myran and his Rider officers.

Benches scraped all over the hall as students and Riders alike all got to their feet. The dean was already waving them at ease before they all managed to get upright.

"Don't let me interrupt," the former Rider captain said, smiling around the room. "I know how important a meal breakfast is."

"All meals are important, sir!" one of the Riders called from the back of the room.

"They are when you're on patrol," the dean agreed amiably. "But since what I have to say is of no interest to you lot, eat in peace. You too, older students, I'm here for our newest friends."

Benches scraped again as the Riders and older students resumed their seats, leaving just the newcomers on their feet.

"Now everyone has arrived safely, it's time to get to work. Come with me." As he turned and left the room, the captains falling into step behind him, Rhiddyl looked around and found her fellow students standing still in confusion.

"Today, students!" one of the lieutenants barked, startling them all into life.

Rhiddyl scrambled over the bench and caught Tenzi's arm as she tripped, then they were all filing out of the dining hall, down the broad corridor that led to the intricately carved double doors of Maegla's Hall. Rhiddyl had only ever been here when it was ruined, the ceiling broken, the walls defaced, the doors thrown down.

Now it was resplendent. The doors themselves were a mixture of dark and pale woods, inlaid with coloured chips of stones and glass that picked out scenes from the myths of Maegla. There She was harnessing the power of the sky and sea to create the first storm; there She was gifting the first miryhl to the first Rider; there She was passing a blessing over Aquila. The Sky Gods of the Overworld had long been the most revered and powerful of the human gods, but while Heiryak, God of the Sun, held sway over most of the Overworld, in Aquila Maegla reigned supreme.