Read Online Rebel Elements (Seals of the Duelists) by Jasmine Giacomo - Free Book Online

building. Though hallways stretched in three directions from where he stood, a single, massive room took up a good portion of the ground floor. High-ceilinged, it sported a raised circular dais in the center, surrounded by six sections of benches. On the far wall, a deep purple ribbon hung from ceiling to floor, and three large metal discs, each with a different pattern inset with colorful stones, were affixed to it. The bottom disc matched the mosaic outside, and the middle one matched the white-haired man’s second tattoo, a sort of multi-colored starburst. The top disc appeared oddly blank, a dull gray.
    The white-haired man joined Bayan. “I am Headmaster Tuur Langlaren, Hexmagic Duelist. I believe we have been waiting for you.” His gaze included Calder, as Philo ushered the blond boy over to them. Bayan wondered whether the old duelist had somehow known of his journey to the Academy.
    Philo introduced the trainees to the headmaster.
    “From Balanganam?” Headmaster Langlaren asked. “Well, that is unusual. You’ll be our first Bantayan from that province here at the Academy.”
    Bayan gritted his teeth at hearing his homeland called a mere province, but he said nothing.
    “I’ll leave you, then, my boys, in the headmaster’s capable hands,” Philo said. Kipri handed the boys their bags and wished them well.
    “Thank you for the ride, Surveyor Philo,” Calder replied.
    “It was the least I could do. Now, Bayan, as your sponsor, it is my pleasure to get you anything you need while you’re here. If you have anything you want to ask or tell me, don’t hesitate to write a letter. I believe there is a royal mail packet that makes express deliveries between the campus and the palace every four days. You may address it to me in care of the Department of Ways.”
    Bayan nodded, and Philo, Kipri, and their guards departed. Leaving Philo’s avuncular care for life on the cold cliffs of Helderaard suddenly seemed a poor exchange. At least he had Calder with him.
    A man and woman emerged from a door across the large room and approached with apparent eagerness. As they got closer, Bayan noticed both had tattoos on each of their hands.
    “Is this the one?” asked the tall man with light brown, kinked hair, as he indicated Calder.
    The woman with him was nearly as tall, and her black hair was gathered into two short, pointy braids behind her ears. She gestured to Bayan. “Perhaps it’s the Pinamuyoc boy. Been a few years since we had one through here.”
    Bayan felt thick anger flood his mind. Couldn’t they talk directly to him? He didn’t even look much like a Pinam!
    “Pim, Wekshi,” the headmaster said with a nod. “In fact, it’s both of them. He placed a hand on each boy’s shoulder. “The Surveyor was returning from Balanganam with Bayan here, and he picked up Calder in Renallen.”
    “Balanganam?” Pim and Wekshi exclaimed together and exchanged a surprised look. Bayan couldn’t tell whether it was a good or bad surprise.
    The door opened again. “Thirty-five?” a plump, blond man called.
    “Thirty-six!” Pim and Wekshi replied.
    “Thirty-six!” the man echoed happily. With a broad smile, he left, letting the door slip shut.
    “Excuse me, sir. Thirty-six what?” Calder asked.
    The headmaster led the boys to the dais in the center of the room. The other two adults sat on one of the small benches at the front of one section, murmuring excitedly, while the boys sat on the small bench a section over.
    “Thirty-six trainees ready for the next round of classes,” the headmaster replied. He waved an arm toward the blank iron seal at the top of the purple ribbon, and its dull gray surface morphed into lazy white clouds gliding over a calm, green river valley, as if the iron had become a round window onto a distant pastoral scene. Bayan stared in amazement, but Langlaren continued speaking as if nothing had happened. “The Academy is steeped in many traditions, as you will soon learn. One