Student of Kyme by Storm Constantine

a couple of miles outside the town, so I had
plenty of time to get more anxious and nervous than I already was.
Malakess complimented me on my appearance and then made small talk,
most of which I didn’t even hear. He was dressed all in black, his
long dark red hair loose upon his breast, but for a couple of thin
braids on each side. He was wearing kohl too, which made him look
very different. His fingers were crammed with glittering rings and
I could tell the stones were real gems, not glass. Like me,
Malakess had put on for the evening a costume that was more than
clothes. Tonight, he was High Codexia and must maintain an
image.
    When we
were close to the Academy, Malakess leaned forward in his seat
towards me. ‘Be wary of any Gelaming,’ he said. ‘They will descend
upon you like hawks, and before you know it… well, anything could
happen. You could wake up in a bed in Immanion.’
    ‘ I hope you’ll protect me,’ I said, rather tersely.
    Malakess
smiled. ‘I’ll do my best, but we’re bound to get distracted and
separated at times. Try to stay close. I’ll be swamped, but I’ll
keep an eye out for you. Use this night to your advantage, Gesaril.
Be alert for any opportunities.’
    ‘ Such as Gelaming beds?’
    ‘ Only if that is your preference.’
    I
grimaced. ‘No. Beds of any kind are not my preference at the
moment.’
    He said
nothing to that, and the silence was slightly uncomfortable. Before
I could stop myself, my mouth had blurted, ‘Why did you ask me to
come with you?’
    He gazed
at me steadily, and for a moment that old ghost swarmed over him. I
looked away. ‘Honestly? I am High Codexia. I want the most
beautiful har in Kyme to be next to me tonight. You will be my
protection too.’
    I wasn’t
quite sure what he meant by that.
    Every
window in the Academy was aflame, it seemed. It is a huge building,
hundreds of years old, and was once a stately home. Now it was a
college, a local government centre, and a temporary home for
important hara who came visiting from afar.
    Carriages
clustered in the driveway, guests milled around, while stable hara
ran around trying to organise the parking of the vehicles. It was
utter chaos. We couldn’t get the carriage anywhere near the main
entrance, so the driver dropped us off halfway down the drive.
Malakess and I walked together in silence, some feet apart, until
the light from the great building fell over us. Then he took one of
my hands and hooked it through his elbow. The show had
begun.
    ‘ This night is very important to you, isn’t it?’ I
said.
    Malakess
nodded. ‘Yes. We want Kyme to be the repository for all Wraeththu
knowledge. We want the Hegemony of Immanion to endorse us
officially. We want students from other lands, and support to
encourage the arts and learning, both here and afar. The Gelaming
consider themselves the only ones capable of, or suitable for, such
a task. They want Immanion to be the centre of everything. I have
to convince them it’s in their interests to share
control.’
    ‘ Shouldn’t you have been here at the beginning?’ I asked. ‘You
know, when everyhar arrived?’
    He
laughed softly. ‘Oh, I have my staff for that. I decided to arrive
later. Don’t want to appear too eager or desperate.’
    ‘ Your assistant will be there?’
    ‘ You mean, Iscane? Yes. He’s in charge. Having a wonderful
time issuing orders to the rest of the staff, no doubt.’
    Well,
that answered one question I’d pondered: whether this Iscane would
resent me taking his place. He had a more important place, or so it
seemed.
    Some hara
in the driveway recognised Malakess as we strolled up the wide
front steps. They bowed and uttered greetings. I was conscious of
many curious eyes upon me. Not many high ranking hara in Kyme had
seen me before, even if they’d heard of me. They would be wondering
who I was and where Malakess had found me. For the first time in
months, I felt a flicker of sensuality within me. I wanted to be
admired.