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Back The Art of Exile Save as PDF
Chapters (51)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Map
  4. Dedication
  5. GENESIS INSTITUTE GUILDS
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  50. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  51. IMAGE DESCRIPTIONS

The Mystic guildmaster—an extremely old man with a long white beard and a large skullcap—rises on shaky legs. He grips his ivory cane with both hands, and in a heavily accented voice that crackles like dead leaves crunching underfoot, he says, “The Mystic guild invites Sire Ada Castle to join us as a journeyman.”

There are numerous audible gasps around the room. His words were somewhat muffled by his waist-long beard, but I’m pretty sure I heard him correctly.

The Blood Science guildmaster’s face is pinched. The Genesis guildmasters all have wide eyes. Even Bloche looks ruffled.

The Mystic continues. “You can complete your foundational studies here at the Genesis Institute and come to the Academy at Avant to train in the mystical arts after next winter’s thaw, when the threat to our young Sires will have passed. We hope you will consider our offer, cousin.”

Cousin?

He leans heavily on his cane and creakily lowers himself back into his seat.

I look around the room, at a loss, unsure of what just happened. The entire room is ghost quiet. All I can hear is my own heartbeat.

An Avant guild has invited me—a recruit—to join the most exclusive of all the guilds. And now I have more invitations than any other apprentice today.

It’s time for me to make a choice.

16

I stand on the Quorum stage feeling the pressure of countless gazes watching, waiting for my decision. Other apprentices have had most of their lives to prepare for this choice, but all I have is now. I’ve been rejected by my first choice, but I now have several other offers, including a tantalizing new option that has just presented itself.

Should I consider the Mystic’s offer? Hypatia said it’s dangerous to study mysticism. Yet I can’t deny that I feel a pull to it. Aria Loew had fascinated me, not to mention that I desperately want to find out why this mysterious guild that is so selective would ever want me. The idea of it makes me feel… elite, maybe even powerful. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling some temptation to throw my plans to the wind and see what learning from the Mystics could mean.

But no. The Families need me at Genesis, right? And everything I’ve heard about Avant makes it clear it won’t be hospitable for a recruit. I wish I could consult with Kor to be sure.

Everyone is still silently waiting for my answer, and I feel like I should just make an impulsive choice—the way I do whenever a waiter comes to take my order. Ugh. If I can’t even choose an entrée, how am I supposed to make this decision that absolutely should not be rushed? I close my eyes, trying to think clearly.