Nightfire | The Whispering Wall #1

Forty Four: Marcus

Nika was exactly where Koen said he was. He was deep in conversation with another member of the guild, and Jordan slowed when he realised it wasn't Yddris, and that they were too tall to be Hap. Other full-fledged Unspoken made him nervous, especially since there were so many of them. When Yddris had mentioned the festival, he hadn't mentioned the sheer number of demon hunters planning to show up.

He had not been particularly encouraged, either, by the fact that for all the Unspoken who were present, he was one of only four apprentices, and the other three were all much further ahead in their training.

"Jordan," Nika said warmly, when he could put off his approach no longer. "How are you feeling? Are you coping alright?"

"I'm okay," Jordan said. "Koen said you were looking for me."

"I was," Nika replied. He indicated the person beside him. "This is Ortin."

The Unspoken stranger clasped Jordan's elbow and nodded.

"He's the guild's namekeeper."

Something tickled the back of Jordan's memory, but his gut seemed to remember it faster, since it was already filled with dread.

"Ordinarily you'd have to wait until your first visit to the Guildtown to choose a name," Nika said, and Jordan wasn't sure whether he hadn't noticed Jordan's anxiety or was choosing not to acknowledge it. Ortin's gaze was heavy, and Jordan knew that the namekeeper had noticed. "But Ortin is in town for a few weeks and I think it unlikely you'll be able to address this before the end of the season if we wait until you can make the trip."

"Choose a name," Jordan repeated, not quite making it a question. "Like an alias?"

"It can be," Ortin said. His voice was deep and ponderous, and oddly reassuring. "Many of us choose to adopt it as a true identity of the person we become or may become when we take the cloak. It can be whatever you want it to be."

"And if I don't want a new name?"

"You're under no obligation to take one," Ortin replied without changing pace or tone. "Regardless, I must put down your given or chosen name in the guild's records."

"Harkenn has already applied for your place in the guild," Nika explained. "But he can't register your name, and the application still requires a signature from you."

"It wasn't my intent to panic you," Ortin said, faintly amused. Jordan tried to still his trembling.

"Not panicked," he muttered, not caring if he sounded sulky.

"We'll help you," Nika said, "We won't rush into anything."

Belatedly Jordan noticed his tutor's presence at his shoulder. Yddris didn't say anything, but it made Jordan feel a little better to have him there.

"So you all have..."

"Chosen names, yes," Nika said.

"Right."

It wasn't something he was enthusiastic to address right now, if he ever would be, and as if he'd sensed this, Yddris changed the subject. Jordan couldn't have been more relieved.

"Are you staying with me, Ortin, or do you have rooms?"

"Haven't had time to get rooms," the man said, accepting the turn of conversation with ease. Jordan fidgeted. "No one expected to be needed so soon after arriving."

"It's a good job you set off early," Nika said. "I think everyone was expecting another week to prepare, at least."

"Harkenn almost had a fit," Yddris said, and the tone of his voice suggested that it had not been a pleasant experience. "He was pissed enough already that the guild put its foot down over transporting civilians across the Barrens this year."