Four minutes.

Some of the k.n.o.bs could only be locked in place by a single one of the others, but the movement of any other k.n.o.b would unlock them again.

Two minutes.

Almost there. Adesina was fairly certain she knew the sequence needed to lock all of the k.n.o.bs in place.

One minute.

The last k.n.o.b locked into place and the door swung open. Adesina took a deep breath to slow her heart rate. That had been much closer than she liked. A Shi was usually given more time for a puzzle of that complexity, which was probably why Kendan had given her less.

It took Adesina's eyes a moment to adjust to the light before she stepped out to the last section of the obstacle course. The door from which she emerged was obscured from the rest of the open area. In the center of that arena stood a pedestal, on which rested a small wooden chest. Patrolling around the chest were four guards.

Adesina ducked out of sight and mulled over the problem. She only had two unused darts in her belt. That left two more to be neutralized without being harmed. Adesina muttered darkly under her breath as she peered around the corner to check the guards' positions. After marking the two on which she felt it would be the most advantageous to use her darts, she took a steadying breath and moved into action. The darts flashed out of her hand, flying straight and true. Adesina launched herself from her hiding spot, sprinting across the uneven ground to the two remaining guards.

She misjudged her footing as she ran and stumbled slightly. It wasn't enough to throw off her attack, but the pain in her ankle hindered her agility. She did her best to push her discomfort to the back of her mind as she came to her human targets.

The first one received a sharp blow to the side of his head, rendering him unconscious before he had finished drawing his weapon. The second guard proved to be harder.

Adesina had to move quickly to evade the sword wielded by the remaining guard, clenching her teeth against the pain of her twisted ankle. They circled each other slowly, each a.s.sessing their opponent. Almost as if by luck or fate, the guard's footing on the gravel gave ever so slightly. Adesina was moving before he could blink. She took advantage of this momentary loss of balance to sweep the guard from his feet entirely. Another sharp blow rendered him unconscious as well.

Once again, Adesina had to repress her smile. The triumph she felt didn't last very long, as her throbbing ankle brought her back to reality. She retrieved her darts, limped over to the chest and picked it up. It was quite a bit heavier than she expected. Curious as to what it held, Adesina undid the latch and looked inside.

There were two crystal-like stones, each about the size of her fist. When the light fell upon them, they slowly turned from a soft pink to a deep red. Adesina furrowed her brow thoughtfully as she closed the lid to the chest.

She turned and walked back to the puzzle room, expecting the door to close behind her again. This time, however, it did not. On the opposite door there was a small plaque with four words engraved on it next to a set of four dials. Each of the dials was numbered to one hundred.

Adesina's eyes quickly scanned the words in front of her. They were written in one of the more obscure dialects of the far south. Her knowledge of those dialects was limited, but she did recognize the words: moon, child, anagallis, b.u.t.terfly.

The moon has a twenty-eight day cycle. She spun the first dial, and stopped on the number twenty-eight. There was a faint click as it settled into place. Adesina felt a bit disappointed at how easy this door would be.

It took nine months for a child to be born. She turned the second dial to nine, but nothing happened. She thought about what she had learned in her anatomy cla.s.ses. Technically a woman was pregnant for approximately forty weeks. She tried again, this time stopping on the number forty. There was another faint click.

Anagallis was a flower with five petals. Adesina turned the third dial and heard it click on the number five.

A b.u.t.terfly's life span was six weeks. Adesina tried the number six on the fourth dial, but to no avail. Six weeks was forty-two days. She tried again with the number forty-two.

The door swung open. Adesina walked through and continued onward. The way back through the rest of the obstacle course was more difficult with the chest in hand and with her injury. She had a couple of close calls with the arrows as she crossed the first area. Clutching the chest between her legs, she swung carefully from rope to rope, all the while trying to keep her motion random enough to avoid getting shot.

The closely set poles were easy to get across, as was the tight rope strung between the two platforms. The individual poles and the draping fabric, however, were very difficult to manage. Adesina had to do them one-handed, using the other to hold tightly to the chest.

The last area seemed empty, but Adesina had the feeling that something was amiss. The three unconscious guards lay where they had fallen, but the small servant girl was nowhere to be seen. As soon as Adesina stepped into the open, three guards sprung from their hiding places with their weapons drawn.

Without a moment's hesitation, Adesina hurled the chest at the head of the nearest guard. It struck him with a sickening thud and he dropped to the ground. Undaunted by this, the first guard tried to come up behind Adesina while the other slashed with his sword from the front.

Adesina dodged the stroke, and the sword cut into the first guard instead. While the guard was distracted by this unexpected wound, Adesina roundhouse-kicked her, sending her crashing into the wall. The agony in Adesina's ankle resulting from this attack, however, was enough to mar her focus momentarily.

The final guard lunged again, bringing a heavy fist across her face. Lights exploded in Adesina's eyes, disorienting her with pain and dizziness. She staggered for several steps before she was able to catch herself and reel back with a counterattack.

He was bringing his sword around, and didn't expect her to recover so quickly. She grabbed his hands and spun, disarming him and bringing his own sword to his throat.

He spoke in a deep, rumbling voice. "I yield."

Adesina nodded and returned his sword to him. She limped over to where the chest lay and picked it up. It seemed to be undamaged, so Adesina tucked it under her arm and walked out of the maze. Due to the pain and fatigue she felt, Adesina decided to go under the fence instead of over it. After nonchalantly dusting herself off, she handed the chest to Kendan, who was waiting for her on the other side.

Adesina recognized the expression in his eyes and braced herself for the verbal fencing that was sure to come.

"You were told not to harm the guards."

"Nor did I, Shar."

Kendan raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

She hated when he did that. She took a breath and reminded herself to stay calm and unemotional. "No lasting damage was inflicted."

"Blood was drawn."

Adesina raised her chin defiantly and said in a cold voice, "I am not responsible for the carelessness of other Shimat."

He smiled, and there was a brief pause as he looked at her admiringly. "Very well, then."

Her breath caught in her throat when he smiled like that. She quickly lowered her eyes to compose herself. Kendan had a knack for reading her thoughts through the subtle expressions in her eyes.

He held up the chest. "Did you open this?"

Adesina frowned slightly. "Were you not watching?"

Kendan didn't answer, but looked at her expectantly.

"Yes, I did open it."

"And what did you find?"

She was confused by this line of questioning. "Two stones, Shar."

Kendan seemed satisfied by this answer. He nodded and set the chest down. "Come. Your weaponry could use some work."

Adesina stifled her feelings of indignation at this slight on her skill. Sometimes it felt like he was incapable of letting her have a single moment of triumph. It was not enough that she had overcome the obstacle course he devised; it was not enough that she was pushing herself to exhaustion. None of it was enough.

She swallowed back the tears she suddenly felt forming and lifted her chin in a gesture of confidence she didn't feel. "Yes, Shar Kendan."

They practiced first with the spetum, then daggers, then axes. None of which were really favored by Adesina, but were still wielded with great amounts of skill. After he was satisfied, Kendan made Adesina run at full speed until she was gasping for breath and her eyes were filled with tears from the pain in her ankle.

When all of this was done, Kendan surveyed Adesina with a pa.s.sive look on his face. "You may go to your room now. Finish preparing for your journey and get what rest you can. You will be summoned when it is time."

Adesina nodded, not trusting her voice. All of the physical exertion as well as the lack of sleep were catching up with her. While walking back to her room she went over her mental checklist. By the time she reached her door she was rea.s.sured that she had taken care of all of her preparations. The time was hers to get some sleep.

Adesina wrapped her injured ankle tightly, and a.s.sessed that no lasting damage had been sustained. She washed herself thoroughly before laying down on her cool, welcoming cot. She blew her breath out in an audible sigh and closed her eyes, instantly falling asleep.

High in the Sharifal's tower, Signe gazed out the window at the training students below. She felt a wave of satisfaction as she watched the sixth year Shi going through their maneuvers. These were the students who were halfway through their education. There was much that they had learned, and even more that they would learn in time. So much talent. So much potential.

There was a soft knock at the door. "Enter." Signe did not need to turn around to know that Kendan had walked into the room. His quick, deliberate step was easily recognized. "Well?"

Kendan required no clarification. "Adesina is in top form. There was some blood drawn, but not by her."

"And did she open the box?"

Kendan hesitated before answering. "Yes."

"You verified this?"

A quick nod went unseen by the Sharifal. "The stones were already red when I opened the chest."

Signe sighed and turned to face the young Shar. Kendan's expression hardened slightly. "She freely admitted to opening the box. That is something, is it not?"

The Sharifal raised an eyebrow. "That does not change the fact that she took matters into her own hands. She was not given permission to take that action."

Kendan scowled at the floor. "I do not think that this exercise should be held against a Shimat's promotion."

She studied Kendan's handsome face intently. "You did not feel so in the past. Why is this different now?"

Signe, who knew Kendan far better than any other being, watched the almost invisible signs of emotion flicker across his face. She could see clearly the inner struggle that would have been hidden to anyone else.

"Adesina is naturally inquisitive. I did not order her to not open the chest." His voice was suddenly defensive.

Signe smiled softly. "I will take that into consideration. What of the other matter?"

Kendan's expression became strangely guarded. "I will see to it. I intend to begin immediately."

There was something in Kendan's tone of voice that didn't ring true. Her eyes narrowed slightly, becoming speculative. "What is it, Kendan?"

Neither spoke for a few minutes. His eyes had returned to studying the floor. "You are sending Adesina to the High City?"

It was more of a statement than a question. Signe could hear the discontent in his voice. "Yes."

Kendan's gaze flashed upward. "Do you think that wise? The war is most apparent in those lands."

She waved a strong hand. "The High City is neutral. They have always been very firm on that point."

He snorted quietly. "That means nothing. The political intrigue is stronger there than any other land. You are thrusting a brand new Shimat into a war zone."

Signe was unmoved. "She has been trained, Kendan. She knows how to handle herself." She studied his face for a moment before continuing. "That is not what is troubling you."

He stiffened ever so slightly, but merely shook his head. "It is nothing."

The thoughtful silence persisted for another few moments. "Very well." Her tone was indifferent, but she kept her sharp eyes on the young man before her.

Kendan took a deep breath. "I must go prepare for my journey."

A tilt of the Sharifal's head indicated dismissal. "May fortune favor you, my nephew."

"Thank you, Aunt Signe."

Chapter Five: The Shadow.

About two hours after sunset, Kendan knocked on Adesina's door and informed her it was time to leave. He was also wearing simple traveling clothes, similar to the ones that had been given to her. Adesina thought it strange to see him out of his Shar robes, but decided that it suited him. The black robes made Kendan seem intimidating and unapproachable, whereas the dark green and brown of his travel clothing gave him a more relaxed and friendly look.

She did her best to keep her voice casual. "You are coming with me, then?"

Kendan smiled. "Of course. Do you think to find the High City by yourself?"

Adesina lowered her eyes self-consciously. "No, Shar Kendan."

Together they gathered her bags and took them down through the maze of underground corridors to a large room that appeared to serve as a stable. There were two brown horses standing in the main area, saddled and waiting for them, and a couple of smaller pack horses. Kendan's bags were already strapped to the saddle of one of the riding horses.

They secured Adesina's bags to the other riding horse and then mounted. Kendan led the way through a series of tunnels that angled downward and eventually led to an opening in the cliff face on the coast about a league southwest of the fortress.

Two guards stood just inside the entrance of the cave that led to the tunnel, ensuring that no unauthorized persons entered in this hidden way. They acknowledged Kendan with a nod as he and Adesina rode past, but said nothing.

The travelers rode out onto the rocky beach and were met by the brisk ocean breeze, which tossed Adesina's l.u.s.trous hair and momentarily caught her breath. She found the scent invigorating and impulsive, and it brought a brief smile to her lips.

From there they turned north and followed the coast for another three leagues before the cliffs ended and they proceeded inland.

Adesina looked at the gra.s.slands before them in awe. She had never seen so much open s.p.a.ce before. The night sky was clear with a bright moon to illuminate the path. They continued north but began angling east.

Hours later, Kendan stopped and set up a makeshift camp. Adesina started to dismount, but stopped suddenly when she saw the figure of an enormous cat appear twenty feet away. It was about four feet tall, with smooth black fur and large golden eyes that shone with remarkable intelligence. The same eyes that Adesina had seen in the forest during her final test the previous year.

Adesina spoke in a strained voice. "Shar Kendan?"

Kendan smiled up at her. "We are no longer in the fortress, Adesina, you do not need to call me *Shar.' I am no longer your teacher. We are equals, at last."

She was a bit fl.u.s.tered by his last statement, but chose to disregard it for the moment. She pointed to the beast that watched them with a detached sort of curiosity. Kendan looked where she pointed and frowned in confusion. "What is it?"

"Do you not see that animal?"

"What animal?"

The cat sat down and c.o.c.ked its head to one side. Adesina lowered her hand and spoke in a subdued voice. "The large cat..."