LITMIR.BIZ

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who had come to sit beside him and now regarded him with a half-smile, an expression very familiar to Hatu. He had been so lost in thought he hadn’t noticed her come over.

      ‘What?’ he snapped, keeping his voice down lest he draw unwanted attention.

      ‘You’re doing it again,’ she whispered.

      ‘What?’

      ‘That thing where you … go inside your head and get angry.’

      ‘I do not—’ he began.

      ‘No!’ she cut him off, raising her voice slightly. ‘You do it. You know you do. I’ve seen you, many times, go back and remember something and get angry over it, all over again, for nothing! Now, stop it!’ she hissed.

      Hatu sat back, blinking. He wasn’t introspective by nature, despite clinging to certain memories, and a part of him knew she was right, but his anger flared towards Hava, erupting alongside his annoyance with Donte and loathing of Raj. He glared at her with full force.

      ‘Fine,’ she whispered. ‘Be annoyed with me if you must be angry with someone, but seething over things that happened so long ago is going to get you killed some day if you don’t—’

      He grabbed her wrist and hissed, ‘Stop! Now!’

      Her eyes widened, and she yanked her arm away, standing up. Hatu followed her a second later. As they locked eyes, they both knew Hatu was just moments away from losing control.

      Donte finally took note of their confrontation. He hurried back to stand next to them as they faced each other in silence. ‘What is going on?’ he whispered, conscious of other eyes being drawn to the trio.

      Hatu could barely speak, he was so close to losing his temper. Finally, he managed to swallow his anger and whisper back, ‘Nothing.’

      ‘It doesn’t look like nothing,’ Donte hissed. ‘You want to get us all punished?’

      Hava held Hatu’s gaze, then she turned to Donte to reply. Her words were cut off by a shout: ‘Attention!’ All eyes turned to the gang captain, Hilsbek. Hatu, Donte, and Hava quickly squatted where they stood so as not to be noticed while the others sat. Next to Hilsbek was a man Hatu, Hava, and Donte recognised: Bodai was one of the most important masters, a member of the Council. He looked around the room and spied Hatu in the corner. He pointed and motioned for the boy to stand up. As Hatu did so, Hilsbek shouted, ‘Go and get your bag. Meet us outside!’

      Hatu hurried to the pile of ragged bags in the corner of the warehouse and quickly dug out his pack. It looked much like the others and contained a change of clothing, a few coins sewn into a seam, some cleverly disguised tools, and a flat tin can of hair dye. It was an oily dye, and dirt clung to it, but it was a necessity. Unlike the women and men who sought to restore their youth or change their appearance for vanity, Hatu needed only a little to turn his eye-catching red-gold locks to a dingy brown.

      He hurried towards the door and suddenly found himself falling forward. He rolled, avoiding injury, though he would sport bruises on his shoulder and hip soon, and came to his feet to see Raj scurrying back, his half-mocking, half-defiant smile daring Hatu to react while those around diverted their attention, not wishing to be even remotely associated with a confrontation.

      The anger that had been simmering inside Hatu now boiled over. He took one step towards Raj, then felt arms encircle him from behind as Donte lifted and pulled him back.

      At the same moment, Hava stepped past Hatu and with wicked speed spun and delivered a punishing wheel kick to the side of Raj’s head before he could react as he tried to stand to face Hatu. Raj flew sideways, slamming against a crate, his eyes rolling up into his head before he slumped to the floor.

      Donte held Hatu for a second as Hava turned and with one step had her nose almost to his. ‘Are you stupid?’ She spoke loudly, not caring who overheard. ‘You were just summoned by a master and you’re trying to fight Raj?’

      Donte released Hatu, who had ceased struggling. The sudden intervention of his friends had somehow drained Hatu’s rage. Hava leaned over and picked up his bag and handed it to him. ‘Go!’ she commanded, obviously angered by what she saw as her friend’s intransigence in letting Raj goad him.

      Hatu looked around and saw that every student in the warehouse was watching them. A few were looking around to see if anyone in authority was present, for their schooling had taught them all that, as unfair as it was, entire groups were often punished for the misdeeds of one. The fact that the crew boss was outside with Master Bodai had some of them settling back with expressions of relief.

      He stumbled towards the door and realised he had said nothing to his friends. He looked over his shoulder and saw Hava and Donte watching him. Hatu nodded his head in farewell.

      This was not the first time a student had been singled out to accompany a master or a preceptor on a mission. Hatu had travelled with both, but it was the first time he had been ordered to accompany one alone. On such assignments, he usually travelled with a small group of students.

      Outside the warehouse, Hilsbek narrowed his gaze at the boy, as if he was about to say something, but before he could speak, Master Bodai turned and said, ‘I know you, don’t I?’

      Hatu shrugged. ‘Yes, master, I have seen you before—’

      ‘Call me “brother”, for I am a holy man and you are now my beggar boy.’

      Hatu instantly fell into his role. ‘I have seen you before, brother, when you came to visit Master Facaria. But we have never spoken—’ Bodai held up his hand, indicating Hatu should say nothing more. He nodded at Hilsbek.

      Hilsbek wished them a safe journey and then returned to the warehouse. For an instant, Hatu wondered if Raj’s condition would be noticed, but immediately returned his attention to Master Bodai.

      Bodai nodded. ‘Then we know each other by reputation.’ He motioned for Hatu to follow. ‘We take ship soon, and will have ample time to go over details, but for now, tell me what you have heard.’

      Hatu was so taken aback by the question he paused for a moment and had to step quickly to catch up. Bodai was old enough to have lost some hair, and had what was known as a ‘high forehead’, but what remained of it was streaked white and grey, and hung to his collar. Hatu guessed he was in his sixties, though he walked with a lively step for a man of his age, and had a sense of strength about his movement that marked him as a dangerous opponent despite his advancing years. Experience and core strength might well overcome a younger, stronger enemy.

      Hatu said, ‘I know only what other students have said, brother.’ He looked concerned as he struggled to say the right thing. ‘You explain things. To prepare them for … whatever it is they need to do. Some of them like you.’

      Bodai smiled slightly, his tanned face creased like wrinkled leather around his blue eyes, broken nose, and jutting chin. ‘Some of them like me?’ he asked. ‘What of the others?’

      Hatu hesitated, and Bodai said, ‘They think I talk too much?’

      Hatu nodded once.

      Bodai halted and laughed. ‘Perhaps I do. But I’d rather bore you to death than be killed because of your ignorance.’

      Hatu was surprised that he found the response both amusing and reassuring. He appreciated the master’s mirth, and the man’s attitude appealed to Hatu’s hunger to understand everything. There was no such thing as too much information; his desire to learn lay at the root of his constant frustration and anger.

      Bodai paused, narrowing his gaze. ‘This amuses you?’

      ‘No, brother, it pleases me.’

      ‘Well, then,’ Bodai responded with a playful slap to the back of Hatu’s head, ‘as it is my mission in life to please you, boy, we have begun well.’

      ‘Yes, brother.’

      ‘I shall call you … Venley. How many languages do you speak, Venley?’

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