cascade | kotlc

19. Exilium Required Documents

 She stared at him in shock. "Is Exilium not an official elvin institution? Why do we have to- survive?"

"Exilium is about personal strength," Mr. Forkle warned. "It exists for the Unworthy. Expect rules, lots of rules, which must absolutely be followed, regardless of how unfair or bizarre they may seem. Names are forbidden. Friendship is forbidden. Talking or interaction of any kind is forbidden. Refusing an order or an assignment is-"

"Let me guess," Keefe jumped in. "Forbidden?"

"Astute observations," June said drily. "Thank you for that insightful comment that we needed."

"I do that kind of stuff," he admitted, winking at her. She scowled.

"As our resident rulebreaker," Mr. Forkle continued, "I cannot emphasize enough how important it will be for you to submit to authority this time. Exilium is beyond the protection of the Lost Cities, which means there are no restrictions for how the Coaches punish disobedience. Also, the less you draw attention to yourselves, the safer you'll be. You need to blend in at Exilium. Embrance your anonymity."

"Will we really be wearing masks?" Biana asked.

"You will." Granite opened the chests, which Sophie noticed had been painted with a black X across the top and the letter E embossed where the lines intersected. June groaned when she saw the uniform. It was a trench coat. She despised trench coats. Too long, too finicky, too heavy, too thick. Ugh.

"It'll be fine, June," Fitz promised, coming near her. "It won't be that bad, I'm sure."

"Somehow I feel like it will be," she grumbled, curling up her legs and crossing them.

"I'll try them out," Biana offered, heading toward her bedroom and carrying the boots, mask, and clothes.

She clomped back a few minutes later in the steel-toed boots which laced up over the fitted pants. The long-sleeved shirt was also black, and worn under a gray vest with silver buckles and chains across the front. The back half of the vest draped low and flared like a trench coat.

God fucking damned trench coats. Why do trench coats exist? I hate them so much, damnit.

"You'll be fine," Fitz promised June. "It won't be that bad."

"Stop being in denial," she whined. "Are you seeing this thing? It's heavier than myself!"

"No it's not," he said, half amusedly, glancing at all the silver chains and buckles and the heavy mask. "Well, maybe it will be."

"It kind of is," Biana admitted. "It's very thick, and the mask smells funny. The fabric is making me sweaty."

"I told you so," June complained before she burrowed her head in his lap. "Why did I agree to this?"

"For the greater good," Fitz teased as he took his mask, examining it and frowning after tapping the heavy metal. "Okay, this is actually horrible. Why can't Exilium get- at least more comfortable uniforms?"
"Nobody knows," Granite said. "The Campus changes every day, as part of their security."

"Why would Exilium need security?" Biana asked. "Why would anyone want to get to Exilium of all places?"

"There are not enough coaches to handle all the Waywards," Mr. Forkle explained. "A break out would be unstoppable."

"Why doesn't the Council just send more Coaches, then?" June asked.

"Probably because they don't want to," Sophie grumbled. "They want to pretend Exilium doesn't exist."