Chapter 1
Obey
‘Why does this keep happening?’ a man said from the hallway.
Anya’s eyes flickered as she rolled over in bed.
‘That’s the third one this year,’ another man said, ‘They’re getting more frequent.’ The drum of footsteps softened as they travelled out of earshot.
Another kidnapping, Anya stared at the ceiling, I doubt the teachers are going to admit it.
She stretched her legs and sank further into the pillow, failing to get back to sleep, her mind fixed on the whispers from the corridor. She slipped back into her dreams just as the bell screeched the room awake. Shuffling onto her feet, she squinted down the long room at the other girls in her year, two hundred of them, all detangling themselves from threadbare bedsheets. Rolling herself up from the mattress, she followed them into the bathroom, undressing, and placing her nightwear into a basket. Tiptoeing towards a faucet, she grabbed a bar of soap and splashed water on herself as a teacher stood in the doorway.
Some of the girls still stared, she averted her eyes whenever she caught them looking. Every morning was the same and they remained shameless in their gawking. Anya had black, shoulder length hair with a messy fringe. Her sharp face remained unemotional despite the conditions. What gave her so much attention was a mark imprinted on her stomach that had been on her since the day she was born. Two arcs twisted around each other, crossing twice with a small circle overlapping one of them. She wrapped a towel around her torso and dried herself before scampering back to her bed. Retrieving a box from underneath, she took out her white shirt first, underwear, socks, plimsoles and a dusty pinafore.
Lines of rickety desks filled the classroom. It was a sterile space, narrow and long, with a dull granite floor. Anya sat shoulder to shoulder in between her two friends Katya and Sophia. They sat up straight as the teacher scraped a stub of chalk across the blackboard.
‘Another girl is missing.’ Anya said.
‘Another Kidnapping?’ Katya mouthed, ‘are you sure?’
‘I overheard teachers this morning.’
‘What did they say?’ Sophia leaned in to join the conversation, ‘was it a girl from our year?’
‘I’ve no idea,’ Anya bowed her head.
‘I’m sure they’re close to catching him.’ Sophia said.
‘They don’t actually care about us,’ Katya said, ‘no one’s searching for the kidnappers.’
‘Don’t say that, of course they care about us.’ Sophia glanced at the teacher, ‘I think it’s The Vigilants.’
‘The Vigilants? Katya scowled, ‘that’s stupid. Are you seriously—‘
‘Page 390.’ The teacher said.
Anya raced through the pages of the Auraspex as the other girls fanned open their own copies.
‘I’m sure you’re all familiar with the parables of Vollossovitch’s youth, but today we’ll be considering his life through the geography of the islands. Read, and reread pages 390 to 392 for the next hour, after that, I’ll be testing the class on comprehension.’
Slumping her head into her hands, Anya strained at the words packed onto the page. She’d read this story dozens of times already, doing it again was pointless. After finishing the section, she flicked back a page to begin the second readthrough. A hand crawled onto to her book and drew three grids in the corner of the page. Anya glanced at Katya, who had retreated back to read her book.
She wants a game of knots?
Her hand crept down her thigh until it reached a scar. It no longer pained her when she rubbed it, but it persisted on her skin.
‘You really want to play?’ Anya whispered, ‘you’re going to lose again.’
Katya grinned and made the first move as Anya continued to read. A minute passed and Anya got a kick from her right-hand side. Sighing, she glanced up, the teacher was still drawing on the blackboard. Examining the game, she picked up the pencil and selected a move before finding her place in the book. The game continued with every move preceded by a check on the teacher.
‘What are you two doing?’ Sofia said, ‘they told you not to spoil the Auraspex. If you don’t stop, I’m going to tell.’
Katya leaned across Anya and stuck her tongue out. ‘It doesn’t matter, I’ve lost anyway.’
She placed the final circle in the top middle square and slumped back into her seat. Anya tried to hide her smile, but she, burst into a grin. It vanished when a shadow cast over her.
‘Again?’ the teacher said, ‘it’s one thing to steal a pencil,’ he raised his voice, ‘but to stain the Auraspex with it is unforgivable.’
Anya stood up, her heart racing. Bowing her head, she walked to the front of the classroom.
‘I’m not stupid?’ he turned to Katya.
Her chair screeched as she stood and joined Anya by the desk. He teacher picked up Anya’s Auraspex and waved it in their faces.
‘Do you have any idea how expensive these books are?’
‘No.’ Katya said.
He slapped the book against her face. ‘Guess.’
‘They’re very expensive,’ Anya swallowed, ‘because paper is expensive.’
‘That answer surprises me. It tells me that you know what you were doing was wrong and of your own free will you carried on anyway,’ he turned to the class, ‘What we have in my hand is one of our most precious resources. Inside these pages we have transcribed the word of God, and we give this to you for free, so you get a proper education. We are generous and this how you repay us.’
He picked up the leather strap displayed on his desk.
‘Ten strikes obviously didn’t teach you a lesson last time. I’ll start with twenty. Of course, that might be too lenient for Headmaster Fyfe. Either way, bend over the desk so I can get back to the lesson as soon as possible.’
Anya glanced into the teacher’s eyes before turning and leaning over the desk to present her backside. the strap hissed as it cut through the air and landed on her thigh. The pain singed her skin as she clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. Awaiting a second, she closed her eyes, but it never came.
‘What have they done?’
Anya opened her eyes and turned her head. Headmaster Fyfe was there, his cane echoed on the stone floor with each strike as he marched in the room.
‘Sir, I was going to inform you straight after class. They defiled the Auraspex again.’
Anya was concentrating on her posture and trying to forget about the throbbing pain on the back of her leg.
‘Oh dear,’ Fyfe said, ‘I require Anya at this instance, so I ask that you delay the punishment until I return her to class.’
‘But sir,’ The teacher said. ‘Her actions are unacceptable. It’s only right she is disciplined immediately.’
‘I would always agree with you, but something has arisen, it’s out of my control, so I must insist that you release her from class.’
The teacher loosened his grip on the strap and gestured for Anya to go with Fyfe. She hesitated, parsing the situation, no one had ever been taken out of class before, least of all to spare them punishment. A sigh of relief washed over her. Although, there was no guarantee that whatever was waiting for her outside the classroom was any better than twenty lashes.
Once she reached the door, Fyfe grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her down the corridor, her plimsoles slipped on the floor as she tried to keep up. Anya pondered the possibilities that lead her here, nothing good came to mind. She wanted to ask where they were going, but her lips refused move. He pushed her up against a wall and pressed the tip of his cane onto her ribs.
‘Anya…’ he said, ‘you be a good girl and do as you’re told, the repercussions for doing something out of turn will be severe. You may think the lashes you are due is pain. Let me tell you something, you know nothing. Do I make myself clear?’ He caressed her cheek with his cane.
She nodded.
‘Before we take another step, I want you to look as good as possible. You’re not the prettiest, but you should at least be presentable.’ He sorted her pinafore and brushed her fringe with a claw.
‘Where are you tak—’
‘Speak only when you’re spoken to. You’re thirteen, I shouldn’t have to remind you of that.’
They continued down the corridor until they reached a door, he opened it and funnelled her into a room with a man reclining on a black padded chair. Pinned between his index and middle finger, a cigar was burning, Anya coughed at the smoke that was filling the room. His face was familiar to her, the distinct edges to his jaw, his thick eyebrows and stubble.
High Lord Granquist?
She was almost certain it was him. There was a lesson on him a month ago, and she ransacked her mind for any insight on him but the only thing she recalled was that he was the King’s brother. What wasn’t apparent in her lesson was the size of him. His shoulders were as broad as she was tall, with muscles that squeezed against his tunic.
‘This is her?’ His voice was deep.
‘Are you High Lord Granquist?’ Anya said.
Fyfe swung back his cane. ‘I told you to—’
Granquist bolted across the room and restrained him. ‘Are you going to strike her for asking a question?’
‘I… I… she spoke out of turn.’ Fyfe was shaking.
‘And you acting out of turn corrects that?’
He yanked the cane from Fyfe’s hand and pushed him out of the hold. The head teacher’s lips tightened.
‘Yes, I’m High Lord Granquist,’ he turned to her, ‘your teacher tells me you have a mark on your belly, is that true?’
Anya didn’t react at first, she was busy trying to figure out why one of The Royals had summoned her. With stiffening muscles, she nodded.
‘Take off your dress, I want to see it.’
She dragged her grey pinafore over her head and lifted up her white blouse to expose her stomach.
‘I want to see it properly, take off your top as well.’
She bit her lip and did what he said. He bent down on one knee and pressed his face against her mark, examining the two sweeping arcs crossing each other, accompanied by a small circle.
‘How long did you say she’s had it for?’ he scraped his fingers against her skin.
‘She’s always had it,’ Fyfe said, ‘since the day she was born.’
‘Since the day she was born?’ Granquist scowled.
‘Yes… sir’
‘And when was she born?’ He licked his thumb and rubbed the mark.
‘Year 726… the month of… I’d need to check my records.’
‘The tenth day of the Month of Stars.’ Anya said.
She inhaled the noxious smell of smoke from Granquist while he pinched her skin.
‘It’s incredible.’ He shook his head. ‘It’s exactly like the others.’
Chapter 2
Outside
‘Where were you taken?’ Sophia said.
The three girls were on their knees, scrubbing the floor.
‘It was a little room,’ Anya glanced over to the doorway where a teacher was overseeing the year group who were cleaning the kitchen, ‘I’d never been in that part of the state home before.’
‘And they made you strip off?’ Sophia whispered.
‘He wanted to see my birth mark.’
‘It’s a load of nonsense,’ Katya said, ‘Fyfe must’ve seen your mark a hundred times now. Why did he need a closer look?’
‘I’ve already told you,’ Anya checked her surroundings, ‘Fyfe didn’t want to, it was High Lord Granquist,’
‘What?’ Sophia said, ‘isn’t he one of the royals?’
‘She’s lying,’ Katya said, ‘I’ve already told her, there’s no way that a royal takes a step inside this wretched place, never mind requests a girl he’s never met before.’
‘What was he like in person?’ Sofia asked.
‘He’s massive, twice the size of Fyfe. And… he smelled funny.’
‘I would expect this crap from Sofia.’ Katya said.
‘I’m just saying what happened.’ Anya glanced at the teachers.
‘The High Lord probably visited because of the kidnapping,’ Sophia said, ‘the girl that was taken this morning was promised to the palace.’
‘So, he summons Anya?’ Katya said, ‘You don’t get promised until you’re eighteen, they’re not going to take her instead.’
‘But the girl who was kidnapped was seventeen,’ Sophia said, ‘I found out from some of the older girls, her name was Avery, she was so good she got promised a year early, that’s never happened before. The palace will be furious.’
‘Shh, the teachers are watching us,’ Anya said, ‘let’s just finish our cleaning.’
The next morning, Anya rolled out of bed, showered with her year group, and lined up ready to go through to the dining room for breakfast. As she waited, a hand grabbed her shoulder.
‘Let’s get going.’ Fyfe towered above her.
she rubbed her eyes as he hauled her through the corridor. They reached the reception where a stout man sat on a chair beside heavy wooden doors. She had never been here before, girls were forbidden from leaving the state home. Light struggled through the opaque windows, barely illuminating the black and white chequered floor. The receptionist strained his eyes at Anya before giving a nod to Fyfe as he barged the door open, keeping her in tow.
The glare of the sun beat down on her as they stepped outside. The state home they had left was grim and grey, with battlements lining the roof and turrets built into the corners. The few windows were slits squeezed between the faded stone walls and stitched together with metal bars. Surrounding the state home was a wrought iron fence, tight patterns constricted around each other and at the top, spikes aimed at the sky. Fyfe tightened his grip as they turned right.
‘Headmaster,’ Anya regretted opening her mouth, ‘why are we outside? We’re not allowed to leave until we were promised.’
‘You were summoned to the palace after yesterday.’
He quickened his pace up the cobbled path. The granite buildings either side of her glistened in the sunlight, many were houses, but some were shops selling books, clothes, and tools. A scent caught her attention, it was coming from a store with a sign above it that read bakery. Soft brown objects lounged in the window display.
What kind of food is that?
She drooled as they walked past it. The streets were busy with men going about their business, some were accompanied by young women wearing long flowing dresses. Everyone they passed stared at her.
‘Why are we going to the palace?’ Anya asked.
He took a deep breath. ‘I’d be wasting my time if I explained everything to you. There’s a reason we don’t teach The Prophecy to the girls. You just won’t understand, most of you never will.’
They passed through the port as the stench of fish swamped the air. The sails of ships loomed over the buildings they walked past, numerous men were barking the price of their catches, it was a hive of activity with crates of colourful fruits being unloaded onto the dock. Men swarmed around another of the boats as they latched it onto a piling. There was a buzz of men coordinating the vessels with sailors heaving barrels and crates onto ships.
‘What are we going to do at the palace?’
‘You’ll show your mark to the High Priestess, we’ll be told to leave, and we can forget about any of this ever happening. The idea of a girl becoming a Son of Prophecy is ridiculous.’
A poster caught Anya’s attention, it was a faded yellow with artwork of four men shown with distorted features and missing limbs. PIRATES topped the poster with a short inscription below. Piracy is punishable by death. Her teachers warned her about them in her lessons, they would raid ships on the open sea and kill those who got in their way. Apparently, they were the biggest problem in modern society.
‘Do you speak to High Lord Granquist often?’
‘No, of course not.’
‘Well, why did he come to visit the palace yesterday?’
His fingers dug into her wrist. ‘That was to do with an incident that happened in the state home, it’s none of your concern, now shut up. I told you yesterday, only speak when you’re spoken to.’
She had a good idea that incident was definitely something to be concerned about.
The palace was at the most northern tip of Wildarch, placed on top of a cliff edge. It was magnificent, four stories tall with a sharp slanted roof coloured a pastel blue crowned with black spikes. Tall windows lined the front of the building and choking vines crawled up the pale exterior walls. The gardens in front of the palace were full of thick evergreen trees and cheerful flowers. A long stairway led up to the palace flanked either side by hills draped in grass. At the front stood a gate of sorts. Four watchtowers surrounded the entrance to the gardens, each similar in aesthetics to the palace. Guards were scanning the city at the top and more were parading around the ground. In fact, there were guards everywhere, with their dazzling grey armour, each one carrying a square shield and a long sword. Fyfe approached one stationed between the two central watchtowers.
‘Are you lost sir?’ The guard said.
‘Yes… I mean no. I have a meeting… arranged with the palace… in the palace, sorry.’
The guard raised his eyebrow before glancing at Anya.
‘Enter the watchtower and ask for Captain Kinkade, he’ll assist you.’ The guard gestured to his left.
