The Clockwork Assassin

Chapter 4

After getting Rohden settled a floor below me and giving him a detailed tour of the Oak, we walked down to the Great Hall and I walked in and Rohden just stood there in the doorway.

"Come on find a seat." I told him and since we came in with a group he looked uncertain, so I grabbed his shoulder and sat him down next to Amalli, one of the young female Healers, he looked at me with resentment in his eyes

"What?" I asked him "Uncomfortable? Get used to it"

After talking to him I walked up to the High table and Jantar was already standing behind his chair. He saw me approaching and stood to attention.

"You're early, surprising." I said to him

"I wanted to talk to you" he said loosening his attention stance he grabbed my hand and pulled me to the Hadacati meeting room on the left side of the room I sat down in my chair and him in his respective one

"If you wanted to talk you should talk" I told him icily

"Look Zana, you're my baby sister and I don't want to do anything to hurt you and I'm sorry that my comment hurt you I know what Etlan meant to you and I don't want anything to come between you and I because we're the only family we have left, and before you interrupt I know that Kaliac, Ealstar, and Astel are family too but we were raised together by our father and he wouldn't want us to be separated by something like this, something so huge we should carry the weight together. Zanariah I love you so much you're my sister and I want you to talk to me and not bottle it please I'm sorry for my comments earlier and I won't do it again."

I looked at my brother after he was done with his speech and I stood up and he followed suit and I just hugged him and he hugged me back.

"I know you didn't mean it the way you said it, and I'm sorry I lost my temper and that I hurt you and I know that Father wouldn't want this it just hurts so much" I told him bursting into tears

He just held me while I cried, muttering his brotherly words to me. Then the sound of Caris's staff echoed through the Hall and we bolted out of the meeting room and stood behind our chairs and Astel instantly looked relieved and grabbed Jantar's hand to reassure himself that Jantar wasn't going anywhere. Astel had been abandoned a lot in his life so when Jantar wasn't where he was supposed to be, Astel panicked, everytime.

Caris was limping up to the head table and when he got there he sat down and we followed suit in our respective orders, and after a delicious meal by the Cooks Guild, Caris stood up and the room went silent listening to what he had to say.

"Today has been an interesting day our very own assassin has had a exciting day" he said his voice carrying through the room I stood up next to him

"For 2 years we've been looking for someone to follow my practice" I stated in Caris's tone "And today I found the perfect apprentice"

I stepped out from behind the table and walked down the rows and grabbed Rohden by the shoulder of his new black shirt and pulled him into a standing position.

"This is Rohden, my new apprentice" I said grinning wickedly

The people looked at him and started to grin as well while Rohden looked confused. I looked to Caris and he nodded so letting go of Rohden, I wrapped the tables in magic and moved them to line the Hall and Rohden's eyes widened

"What's happening?" he whispered to me

"Proof that my choice is a good one" I said back and then I walked to the steps in front of the High Table and threw my sword on the ground about 3 feet in front of me

"Rohden Fazrata," I said "If you can take the sword and cut me with it you will be officially my apprentice if not you'll be sentenced to the Tryants under the command of my brother" I looked at Jantar who was sizing Rohden up