The Knight Academy

CHAPTER 5

We spent most of our July days together like that before I realized a week was up. I asked Clive if he wanted to stay for another week. My face felt warm but he replied quickly that he would love to stay.

"The meals are delicious!" he said nonchalantly. "And you're here, Nathan."

It was actually in his room (the guest bedroom) when this occurred, so I closed the door behind me.

I rushed out of his room, burying my face in my hand. I had invited Clive over for another week! What should I tell Daniel? He probably wouldn't mind either way but what about Richie? Would he report it to my father?

Well, he was my partner. I could always say Clive and I were just getting along jousting with one another.

Truth was, after the initial excitement to see one another and reading books, talking about the books, and exercising together, we no longer wanted to ride horses or joust.

Clive was quite sick of reading after the four days Daniel gave him lessons. He was scary when he taught so I avoided most lessons until Daniel called us both there.

"Perfect," Daniel said. "We have finished your great-grandfather's biography, it's time to learn of mages. I don't believe you know a lot about it, Nathan, so join us."

"I know about Emil Voynich!" I said, putting my hands up in an attempt of refusal.

"And what about Gustave?"

"He's second in command," I said without fail.

"Then Glovesmith?"

"Who is that?"

"Exactly."

I sat next to Clive and felt the heat in the library, making he strain my neck for the wind.

Daniel gave a lengthy lesson that no matter how much I wanted to be a knight, despised. Yet then again I felt as though all the other students probably studied under a tutor during summer. Our school only had the cream of the crop.

"You finished twenty years of history within two hours, you've done well," I groaned to Daniel. Daniel was much more gentler than Jonathan so I felt closer to him and dared to complain.

"I'm disappointed you haven't even learned about that!" Daniel said as Richie came to give us refreshments. I drank the cool water desperately. There were tarts and both Clive and I took one.

"At this rate next year you'll be caught between both history as well as knight tasks. You two will get to actually fight people. These prisoner of wars and criminals will be like running targets for practice, assuming you two have mastered a weapon each?" he went on.

Clive swallowed his tart before nodding. "Nathan and I are efficient in swords, bows, and rifles. We probably have the best combination, too."

"Hmm," Daniel nodded to himself, gloves on his chin.

"I told you, none of the tests were hard either, it was a lot of memory but I have been taking extracurricular classes from my tutors since I was a child," I muttered.

"Yes, this year Nathan ranked third in the exams," Clive grinned.

"And who was first and second?" Daniel asked, and even his cheeky smile returned.

"I was first," Clive said casually. "I forgot who was second, though—"

"It was Samuel Goldings. Don't forget, he's from a knight family too!" I snapped.

"Anyways, I was first," Clive repeated, and reminded me of something about him that always pissed me off.

His grades.