Broken Souls (Book 1 of Seasons of the Cycle)

Chapter 31 - Lura Syllana

"Come on, let me show you the rest of the strays," Chalia says, grabbing my arm and leading me out of the room. We head to the room across the hall, and Chalia knocks before barging in. Two women scramble before sighing.

"Seriously, Chalia? Do you have to barge in like that?" the brown-haired, fair skin one asks.

"Right?" the shorter one with dark brown, nearly black skin asks. "We thought you were a Sister."

"And why would you think that? What were you doing before we entered?" Chalia asks.

"Nothing. Nothing at all," the fair-skinned one says, pressing her lips shut.

Chalia smirks. "Okay. You don't have to convince me of that. But seriously, be careful. You know that's forbidden. Don't you two remember what happened to that handsome Paladin? They sent him up north for doing what you two clearly want to do to each other."

"We don't want to do anything," the darker-skinned one says. "We were just... Studying. That's all. We both have a test to make it to level two coming up."

"Whatever. I wouldn't tell anyone. Anyway, this is Lura. She's a fellow stray like us. Damaris just delivered her and I've been filling her in on the go-around. So far, I've told her about the leveling system, the factions, and the ranks," Chalia says before she looks over at me. Then she motions to the darker-skinned girl. "Lura, this is Inhepireth and that's Cheyoise. Inhepireth is from Tent City and Cheyoise is from Low Town."

"It's nice to meet the both of you," I say.

"Did you tell her who to avoid?" Inhepireth asks.

"Not yet. There's a lot I haven't gotten to, and there are way too many people to avoid to list in the first conversation," she says.

"Ain't that the truth," Inhepireth says as her eyes roll.

"Really, the most important people you want to avoid at all costs are Mother Kynice, Mother Aule, and Mother Chaetris. There are definitely more than a few Sisters to avoid as well. Especially Sister Amoann, Sister Zale, and Sister Aelele. They are stuck-up nobles who love to look down their pale ass noses at everyone else," Cheyoise says.

"Cheyoise, you're the last person who can make fun of how pale they are. You're as white as the walls on the higher floors," Inhepireth says with a chuckle.

"Compared to you, everyone is pale." Cheyoise snaps back. "I wish I had darker skin. I can't even go out in the sun without getting burnt."

"You probably have some noble blood in you," Chalia says with a smirk.

"I definitely don't have noble blood in me. I don't even have a house name. Besides, even if I did, a lot of good it's doing me. I haven't got two coppers to rub together."

"It's safe to say we're all in that boat," Inhepireth says.

"What about you, Lura? Are you in that boat, too?" Cheyoise asks.

"Yeah, I grew up in Tent City. I wish I had even one copper. Even if I had any coin, most of it was taken from me when I accidentally used magic. And I definitely don't have a permit." I give a shrug with it.

"That's rough. Most low-borns like us are in the same situation. We're all told not to use magic, but it's hard not to. It feels good and once you do it, it's hard to stop. You just want to feel more of it. Then before you know it, you're casting a spell far too big and the guards are bursting down your door," Inhepireth says as she levitates a few vegetables on her plate with a smirk.

"That's how they get you," Cheyoise says. "The Council gets your possessions, and the Church gets their initiates. Great system."

"It really is..." Inhepireth adds with a sigh.