Kingdom Fall (Ethereal #1)

-Chapter 4-

Secret passages

Archie

'You go on ahead,' Sage mumbled, his face still covered by the blanket.

It had been two weeks already and the boy was still not used to getting up early. Archie was feeling rather fed up of waking him up. Sage always went bed to early as well. Maybe country folk had a habit of sleeping a lot. They pretty much had nothing much to do but farm anyway.

Ignoring his sleepy roommate, Archie dressed up and walked out his room. He was still annoyed at Sage but maybe the boy had reasons to be tired. Sage had the cruelest and coldest knight of the millennium assigned as his mentor. Maybe it was more tiring working under him. Even Sir Wilhelm didn't allow Archie to breathe. Sir Cedric was surely murdering the poor lad.

Also, there was something off about Sage. Archie just could not figure out what it is. When he went down to Sir Wilhelm's study, a full armor was waiting on the table to be polished. Once that was done, Archie had to polish Sir Wilhelm's personal arsenal. It must have been a very unlucky day for him since he met his brother Sworden on his way to the dining room. Sage was not there for lunch.

This made Archie a bit worried. He never showed up for lunch. He also missed dinner sometimes. The next thing he expected was to find the boy dead in his room. Collin, on the other hand kept on rambling about how lazy and timid his mentor's war-cat was.

'You can't even all it a war-cat,' said Collin. 'And the creature has a cool name too. Thunder. I mean... Thunder is all loud and lightning. That cat is the opposite. Guess names actually mean the opposite.'

Archie had to agree on that. His name will no resonate with him. Maybe he also was true with Sage. Sage was not a sage. Since Sir Wilhelm was busy with some matters, Archie got a free half day after scurrying around for a fortnight. He did not bother to knock on the door of his room. Surely Sage was somewhere being busy. When he opened up the door, he found Sage changing. Actually, he was just about to put on his tunic.

Sage's face turned red as a red-bulb. He seemed to suppress a scream before yanking the blanket off his bed and wrapping it over. Archie, who got a fright himself, slammed the door shut.

'What was that?' Archie muttered. Sage had bandages all around his chest. Was he hurt? What type of training did the Kingdom's Secondary force him to do to have so many bandages. Maybe he should tell Sir Wilhelm. If things go on as it is, the boy might really drop down dead anytime soon. Also, Sage did a pretty good job hiding it. Once Archie felt a good deal of time had passed, he knocked on the door.

'Uh... can I come in?'

No one answered.

'A-are you all right?'

'Just come in!' Sage snapped from inside the room.

Archie slowly twisted the knob of the door and walked in. Sage was fully dressed. He was sitting on the bed, still red in face. Archie, not knowing what to do sat on his own bed.

'You could have knocked!' Sage said.

'I didn't expect you to be in here,' said Archie, 'You should have locked if you so much didn't want anyone to see that you were hurt.'

'Uh, hurt?'

'Don't fool me!' said Archie. 'What type of training is Sir Cedric giving you? Can you even stand?'

Sage took a while for the information to sink into her skull. He blinked once or twice. Archie had to admit, his expressions sure did mimic that of a girl.