When he got back to his room and started putting his new belongings away to clear his bed so he could sleep, he found one last surprise.

On the desk were all of his things. Every possible object he owned except the most ragged of his clothing from both his room next to Jass’, and the Priory. Including his purse, with every groat still in it.

Startled, he tried to think at his Companion. :Cymry!: he “called” her, hoping she’d answer.

:What do you need?: she asked sleepily, and he explained what he’d found.

:Who did that? And how come?: he finished. It worried him. . . .

:Oh. That would be Alberich’s doing, I expect,: she replied. :Usually they go send someone to tell families that the Chosen’s arrived safely, and to get their belongings, if they didn’t bring anything with them. Don’t you want your things?:

Well, of course he wanted his things. :I just—:

The fact was, he worried. Who went there. What they’d said. And how they’d known where he came from. . . .

:Kantor says it was all Alberich’s doing, at least getting your things from your room.: Well, that was one worry off his mind. Alberich would have gone as the sell-sword, and intimidated his way in. Good enough. :He sent off the usual Guardsman to the Priory. They’ll have told the Priory you were Chosen, and the Guardsman would have brought someone hired to take your place, so the Priory won’t go shorthanded. Kantor says Alberich didn’t tell your old landlord anything. Is that all right?:

Since it was exactly what he would have wanted had he been asked, he could only agree. :Aye. That’s fine, I reckon.: In fact, he couldn’t think of anything else he could possibly want.

:Get some sleep,: she told him. :It’ll be a long day tomorrow.:

A longer one than today? With a sigh, he climbed into bed, feeling very strange to be in such a bed, and even stranger not hearing the usual noises of the city beyond his walls.

But not so strange that he was awake for much longer than it took to find a comfortable position and think about closing the curtains he’d left open to let in every bit of breeze. About the time he decided it didn’t matter, he was asleep.

Chapter 16

16

A SCANT week later, Skif was just about ready to face all the returning Trainees. He knew what the Heralds of Valdemar were about now—at least, he knew where they’d come from and what they did. And he was starting to get his mind wrapped around why they did it. If he didn’t understand it, well, there were a great many things in the world that he didn’t understand, and that didn’t keep him from going on with his life.