Apprentice (The Black Mage, #2)(77)

The majority of the time the men and women of the Crown's Army stayed on base training, enforcing Crown Law, and assisting Devon's local farmers. Only a small grouping (in comparison to their actual number; I hardly considered one thousand men – the size of Port Langli's local regiment - "small") regularly patrolled the countryside. The army was too expensive to house in the capital so the camp was at the city's outskirts.

The soldiers who resided in camp took care of its upkeep and any services that needed rendering. Units took turns cooking and cleaning, hunting and building to keep the costs to a minimum. Still, the commander made it clear the army's salaries alone ate away at the Crown's coffers. Housing a large army was an incredibly expensive feat, and it was easy to see why the king considered Caltoth's frugality suspicious.

While we didn't get to learn as many specifics as I had hoped, the leaders did spend a lot of time addressing each mage's role in the event of a siege. Devon was the most important city of Jerar, and as such there were certain tasks that needed to be seen to first.

I was so distracted with all of our learning that I almost forgot about what was coming.

Ella was quick to remind me. "The mock battle, Ry, it's tomorrow." Three months had passed in the blink of an eye. I was so stupefied I almost fell out of my chair.

To calm my frazzled nerves my friend suggested we spend an evening outside of the barracks… Which was exactly how Ella, Alex, and I found ourselves in one of Devon's local taverns the night before the big match.

Interestingly enough we weren't alone. Half the factions' apprentices and some of the Crown's Army were already crowding the tables by the time we arrived. "The Lusty Wench" was, apparently, a local favorite.

Waiting for the others to get back with the drinks I pulled out Derrick's most recent letter and read:

Dearest sister (and Alex who never writes back – for shame!),

I'm a soldier! I know, I know, you never had any doubt but it is still such a relief to be out of Demsh'aa for good! I love our parents dearly but I believe the three of us have all seen enough herbs to last a lifetime, eh?

They already have us stationed along the northern border… I've only been here two months but it is has quickly become evident the instructors weren't exaggerating. There's already been two raids since we arrived! Both times I was asleep, and by the time my section of the barracks was awoken the enemy was gone.

I know it is not good thinking but I really hope I get to serve during the next one. Some of the other boys are already bragging that they've made their first kill. I don't want to kill anyone – I know I will have to, it's only a matter of time - but I would like to serve Jerar and keep those nasty Caltothians out.

I hope your apprenticeship is going well. You and Alex are fourth-years now – just one more year after this and you'll be mages! MAGES! Just in time for the Candidacy, too!

Write back and say hello to your pretty friend Ella – tell her if Alex messes this one up I'd be happy to prove not all men in our family are halfwits!

- Derrick

I set my brother's letter down with a chuckle. It might be my most challenging year yet, but at least Derrick was having a good time. Someone should be.

Alex snorted loudly, having finishing the letter over my shoulder just moments after. "That little pest is full of himself now that he's got himself a soldier's blade."

Ella smiled widely. "I don't know, Alex, Derrick is pretty handsome."

My twin choked. "He's three years younger!"

I let them continue their banter. I couldn't wait to be stationed up north with Derrick next summer. Everyone knew Ferren's Keep was one of the four cities the apprentices trained in and it was only a half a day's ride to the border from there. I had missed many things since Alex and I had first set out for the Academy three years ago, and my family – especially Derrick - I missed the most. Already my younger brother had matured from a feisty twelve-year-old into a young man. Cavalry didn't have a four-year apprenticeship period like the other war schools but I still couldn't believe Derrick was a soldier. I had missed that period of growth from child to adult and it was alarming how quickly it had happened.

Next year couldn't come soon enough.

"Do you think we will lose again this time?"

I glanced up over my plate of roast boar to frown at Ella. She was talking about the mock battle. "You think we will?"

"We are mentees. The odds aren't exactly in our favor."

Alex put his arm around the girl's waist. "We won our first year – and we were the underdogs then too."

"Yes, but we won because Ry was able to bat her eyelashes at Ian instead of fighting him. Somehow I don't think that tactic would work quite as well this year."

"Hey!" I huffed indignantly. "I can fight him."

"Sorry, hun, but he is your mentor. I've seen the two of you in practice." My friend looked sympathetic.

I cringed. She was right, of course. Ian did beat me most of the time. The last two months Byron had let the fourth - and fifth-years cast on their own. Without the master's split-second commands to prepare me for my defense I had struggled to keep up with the random assault of attacks. Still, I liked to think I had done better than most of the other fourth-years.

That, and I was still better than Ian at pain casting. Darren and I were better than all of the fifth-years who could pain cast… but that didn't really matter when the third-years were still much better than our second-year mentees.