Chapter 23

She was up and about the next day but still felt like absolute shit. And it took a few days before she was feeling relatively normal again. The lack of classes and lessons did give her a lot of free time, which she was unused to. Even during exam weeks she didn't have this much time on her hands for so many consecutive days. She did continue to practice with water, and Kalys spent some time helping her with it, but only after he felt she was well enough.

The man spent a lot of time with her during her recovery, sometimes just sitting in her room reading a book, or he'd bring his work in with him and sit at her desk to do it. He didn't talk much, but when he looked at her, there was this look in his eye. He was worried. Did he really think she had tried to kill herself? Some days he even dragged her to his office to keep an eye on her. Those must have been the days he couldn't be out of his Division for long.

She also had plenty of time to finish reading Aris's entries. The man was a clan head! He talked about the winter solstice and plunging into a frozen lake with his father. He also wrote about the peaceful depths and how much better it was the deeper he went. Until she learnt to swim, she would never be able to do that, though. And honestly, after what had happened, she wasn't sure it was such a good idea. But God, was it tempting. Then his entries just ended. There was no mention of planning a suicide, but each entry was a little more bleak than the last, and it did seem like he was slowly deteriorating mentally. His winter entries were also obviously winter as sleeplessness took its toll. Even his handwriting became little more than chicken scratch in places. 

They left her feeling sorry for him and scared for herself. 

When Kalys felt her well enough to be left alone, he still checked in regularly, popping in to take lunch with her. He kept side-eyeing her, like he was expecting her to off herself right there. It had been an accident. She hadn't tried to kill herself. She kept her mouth shut, though; checking on her seemed to make him feel better, and she still remembered how terrifying he had been with Seph and Vaan.

Mika hadn't mentioned it at all, but every now and then she would get this look on her face, a sort of mix of concern and pity. Sun wasn't even sure what she knew of it since she certainly hadn't said anything. And Kalys didn't seem the type to spread something like this. 

Nick and Zen had come to visit as well; as far as they knew, she had just been sick. She was embarrassed about what had happened and had no intention of telling them. There really wasn't any need for them to know anyway.

They hadn't stayed long; Kalys had turned up every time. The first time he had invited them both to join them for lunch in that same threatening tone. Both boys had decided to leave, claiming other plans. Liars. Not that she could really get too uptight about it considering what she was keeping to herself. 

By the time her suspension had ended, she was feeling back to normal for the most part. And she was actually looking forward to classes. If only to get out of the manor, which felt rather stifling these days. 

She did wonder what it would be like after everything that happened with Seph and Vaan. Surely they wouldn't instigate any more confrontations. Kalys must have put the fear into them; he'd put it into her a bit. She had also asked him about what happened with Seph's mother, but he told her not to worry about it; the situation was handled. He ignored her whenever she tried to get any specifics out of him, and she was a little fearful of pushing too hard for them. Would Seph's mother have told her son, and would he tell her if she asked? Probably not. Best they just avoid each other.

When Mika entered her room that morning, Sun was already up, dressed in her uniform, and raring to go. 

"Eager this morning, aren't we?" Mika breezed in. 

"Weirdly enough."

"Sit, I'll do your hair," Mika commanded.

Sun obeyed, accustomed to having someone doing her hair now. And she couldn't deny Mika did an amazing job. It still felt a little... pompous, but she wasn't as against it as she had been. 

"It's good to see you looking so much better," Mika said, their eyes connecting in the mirror. 

The sincerity in her gaze had her resisting the urge to fidget. 

"Thanks," she said, her eyes dropping to the vanity. 

"You had us worried that day."

"Sorry," she mumbled. She meant it, but she was still uncomfortable.

Mika gave her a kind smile as she continued with her hair, and Sun just wished the awkwardness would leave her. 

Once she was ready for the day, she joined her brother for breakfast. It didn't really matter how quickly she ate; she felt she couldn't leave until he was done. He had never said as much, but her etiquette classes had alluded to it. 

When he was done, she headed to the Academy. She wasn't sure what Kalys did before leaving, but he rarely went straight to Perdition from breakfast. 

Outside the Academy, Zen and Nick were there, and she grinned. They were back into their routine, which came as a welcome relief she would never admit to. She liked the predictability of routine after a childhood that had none. 

"Good morning, children," she greeted happily.

"Why are you so chipper?" Zen grumbled.

"Why aren't you?" She retorted. "I thought you'd been missing combat class."

"Don't have it today. What a waste of a day."

"Oh no, you can only use your brain today; how ever will you manage?" Nick exaggeratedly bemoaned.

"Don't know why I'm friends with you guys," Zen pouted as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

Before they could get to their class, the trio was stopped by the headmaster. 

"Good morning, Sun," he said, his tone far too serious for the greeting.

"Sir?" She asked, hesitant. Having the headmaster come to see you usually didn't bode well.

He indicated for her to walk with him and dismissed the boys. Sun fell into step beside the headmaster. 

"We are considering you for graduation with the next batch," he told her. This was surprising, though she kept her face passive, her recent training coming to the fore. She had been taught that emotions can be used by your enemies against you, so she shouldn't be careless with who she revealed them to. 

"You will be accompanying two Revenants and two other classmates on a mission. You will be evaluated, and if all goes well, your chances of graduating increase greatly."

"Thank you," she said. "When will this be happening?"

"You'll leave the academy tomorrow morning. You will be meeting your teammates in the conference room."

She nodded. 

"Be in uniform and make sure your weapons are ready. Pack light, but you will be gone indefinitely."

"Yes, sir."

As soon as he was out of sight, she couldn't stop the smile from splitting her face. Her first mission! Gods, she hoped she would do well. 

The rest of the day passed agonisingly slow; she wanted to rush home and get organised. When she told the boys at lunch, they acted happy for her, but she could see their worry beneath it as well.

When she got home she was forced into her lessons. She tried to ask if they could skip them today; she had more important things to do. That had resulted in a whack to the back of her hands. She had to sit through her stupid lessons all the way until dinner time. She couldn't wait until she no longer needed these. With all the time she had devoted to it, she really felt she was making a lot of progress. But today her head just wasn't in it, too busy mentally listing off what she would need to take. 

-

Kalys took his seat beside his sister at dinner that night. She sat still and quiet, but he could feel the excitement buzzing around her. Since his display with the boys from the Academy, he had felt some of his progress with her diminish. They had reached a somewhat comfortable relationship; now she was wary of him again. 

Had he made her afraid? Surely she should know he would never harm her. 

"I take it your headmaster informed you of your upcoming mission," he said.

She looked momentarily surprised but then smiled slightly and nodded. Of course the headmaster had spoken with him before going ahead with it. Kalys had his reservations, but he couldn't hold her back either. Not without cause. He had also used his influence to get a Commander he trusted to lead the mission. While he trusted them all to various degrees—they were his colleagues, and they were all entrusted with the safety of the realm—there were some he trusted a little further and who he believed were more competent. 

"Have you packed?" He asked.

She shook her head. "Not yet. There hasn't been time."

"I have spoken to your tutors; tonight is yours to prepare for tomorrow."

He should have remembered her etiquette lessons had started today and called them off once he found out about her mission. He had been... distracted. There were so many ways this could go wrong. He wanted to be there himself to oversee it, but he had been denied permission. He was torn between his duty to her and to his position. But if he couldn't be there, he had the next best person. 

"Thank you," she said.

She sounded genuinely grateful, and the smile she gifted him with was brighter than he had seen out of her in some time and the first to be directed at him. He found himself memorising it and storing it away. 

"I trust your... affliction won't hinder you too much?"

It was still winter despite the slowly warming temperature, and he knew she was still sleeping in the quarters that had been set up for her in the cellar. Plans were being drawn up for a more comfortable and private room beneath her own. Construction would begin in the spring.

"I'll be fine. I used to manage before I had a cellar to sleep in," she assured him. "Since you already knew about the mission, do you know what it is?"

He gave a nod.

"Are you allowed to tell me?" She pressed.

"I wasn't ordered not to."

She let out a barely perceptible frustrated huff. "Will you please tell me?"

He internally smiled at her irritation. He rarely allowed himself to be even remotely childish, but there was no one to see, and he was comfortable enough around her now. 

"You'll be looking for the Eighth's missing members. They disappeared out in the borderlands while on patrol, along with the people of the villages out there."

Sun was surprised they would send candidates out there considering the seriousness of the situation. Entire villages had gone missing without a trace. She hadn't known Revenants were missing too, but it made sense, she supposed. The Eighth stationed Revenants all over Nostravan, often for months at a time. It was the division she was most interested in joining if she became a Revenant. To be able to travel all over the realm was something she would love to do. Nick and Zen were a bit reluctant about her trying to get into the eighth, but they supported her if it was what she really wanted. Mostly they would just miss her if she was stationed away for weeks or months-long stretches. 

Although she did have to wonder if Kalys would even let her. But then, he wasn't stopping her from this mission, so maybe he wasn't as controlling as she thought. 

Once dinner was over, she headed straight back to her room to figure out what she needed to pack. 

Kalys watched her go; it was rare to see her enthusiastic about anything outside of her best friends. He was displeased about the mission, but his efforts to have her reassigned to something else had also been met with denial. While the Academy might have bent to his will, Perdition would not, and they were part of this decision. 

After dinner he made his way to his study. Mika was there waiting for him. He wasn't fond of the way she came and went in his space. She wasn't a regular maid, and though he trusted her with Suns safety, he trusted her with little else. 

"Tomorrow Sun leaves on a mission, so you are free until she returns," he told her. He had intended to tell her tomorrow when he saw her. 

"You don't want me to tail her? Make sure she comes back safe?" Mika asked.

"No, it would be too easy for you to be caught out."

"Don't underestimate me," she sneered at him.

"I am not. She will be with a Revenant Commander, a very observant one. He would realise you're following them."

"You trust him?" She asked.

"Yes." 

Commander Mercer was one of the very few he trusted near completely. He may be a bit too lenient with most people, but he was reliable and honourable, and the only one he would allow Sun to go on a mission with. At first they had wanted to send her out with Stark. After the way the man acted at her demonstration, Kalys was not letting that happen. So using his influence, he had managed to get Commander Mercer assigned to it instead. He wished he had more information on what was going on out there so he would have more of an idea of what she was walking into and if a Commander and his lieutenant were enough to prevent anything terrible befalling his sister.

"You know," said Mika, as she headed for the door. "I'm quite fond of Sun. She's so... unlike the rest of the nobility I've encountered. I guess because she wasn't raised in it."

Kalys's eyes narrowed on her, wondering why she felt the need to voice her musings. He didn't care what her opinion was as long as she did her job. 

"I hope she comes back intact."

With that, Mika disappeared out the door, and he took his seat at his desk to get on with his work. Perhaps he should have found a less opinionated and outspoken ex-assassin to watch after Sun.