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Theo's heart was in his throat as they rode toward the castle. It loomed above them, its gray stone melding with the gray sky. Simeon rode ahead of him. Theo hated him. He hated him so, so much. They'd been traveling for about a week, and Simeon hadn't … touched him since that first night at the tree. Even still, every time they stopped for the night a streak of anxiety flashed through Theo's body.
"I have a delivery," Simeon called to the guards once they were within shouting distance. He sounded so pleased with himself it made Theo's skin crawl.
Two bored-looking guards were standing in front of the gate. The one on the left asked, "What do'ya have, another reaper?"
"It's none of your business, guard," Simeon snapped. "Let us pass."
"I was just askin'," the guard muttered under his breath as he opened the gate. Simeon clicked his tongue and entered the courtyard, Theo's horse following. People bustled throughout the courtyard and Theo felt a spike of hope. Maybe someone here would help him. Maybe he'd be able to escape. The hairs on the back of Theo's neck stood up. Someone was watching him. He looked to his left and spotted a woman with white-blonde hair and the tattoos of a reaper. Her eyes were locked on him and she looked … hungry. Their eyes met and she flashed Theo a smile that was anything but friendly. Theo tore his eyes away from her to focus on Simeon. They were almost to the stables now. The horses came to a halt and Simeon dismounted.
He approached Theo and swung him down from the saddle. He rested a possessive hand on the back of Theo's neck. "Keep your eyes down," Simeon said. "You are not to speak to anyone or try anything. If you embarrass me, you'll regret it."
Theo didn't respond as Simeon led him into the bowels of the castle. He lost track of the number of twists and turns. Finally, they stopped in front of an imposing set of doors. Simeon knocked on the door.
"Enter," came a voice from inside.
Simeon opened the door and led Theo into the room. A woman was seated behind a desk. "I'm terribly busy. What do you need?" she said, not looking up from her papers.
"Argente, I found one. I found a mage."
Argente's head snapped up. For the first time her eyes landed on Theo.
"He's older," she said. "Bring him here, I need to smell him." Theo realized that she must be another reaper. And an important one at that.
Simeon led Theo over to Argente, his hand tight enough around Theo's arm to leave bruises. Argente grabbed Theo's hand and brought it to her nose. She sniffed.
" Fascinating," she murmured. "He's powerful. Very powerful. Where did you find him?"
"At a tavern in a little town. I couldn't believe my luck," Simeon replied.
"You should be commended. We've been anxious for a new mage. Hopefully this one is more useful than the others." Argente released Theo's hand and stood up. "I'll call the council together for the testing. Wait here."
Argente left the room. Simeon led Theo over to a set of chairs by the fireplace. "Kneel," he barked as he pushed Theo to the ground. Theo stumbled and almost fell on his face. Simeon settled himself in the chair. Theo knelt on the rug and tried to look anywhere but at Simeon. "You better be fuckin' useful," Simeon said. "If you turn out to be another fuckin' healer I'll be pissed."
Theo turned to Simeon, brow furrowed. "Healer? What do you mean?"
Simeon sighed. "When a mage draws from a vessel, they manifest the magic. Some mages can heal, some can see the future, some can control the weather. But each mage can only manifest magic in one way. The most common mages are healers. We have enough of them."
Theo's head spun. "So … if I'm a healer you'll let me go?" He tried to tamp down the hope in his chest.
"Fuck no," Simeon said with a snort. "Whatever you turn out to be you're still the property of the empire. We'll know what you are after the test."
Before Theo could ask what the test involved, the doors to the room opened. A servant bowed to Simeon. "The council is ready to receive you."
Simeon stood up and pulled Theo to his feet. They followed the servant down the corridor to a large room. The hum of conversation ceased as they caught sight of Theo. They stopped in the center of the room. Theo stood in front of the reapers, keeping his gaze fixed on the floor, willing his body not to shake. One of the reapers, a serious looking man with a shock of dark hair, began to speak.
"What's your name, mage?"
Theo swallowed his protest about not being a mage. "T-Theo, sir."
"And how old are you?"
"Eighteen."
There was a murmur among the reapers. They man raised his hand for silence.
"Bring in the vessel."
A door to the left opened and two guards entered, an older man walking between them. The vessel didn't look remarkable. He was older, his hair streaked with gray and his face creased with lines. The guards led him to stand directly in front of Theo. The vessel concentrated his gaze on the floor, refusing to meet Theo's eyes. One thick black tattoo encircled each of his wrists.
"We need to figure out the nature of your powers. This vessel is extremely weak, so it will be safe for you to use him."
"Use him?" Theo said, fighting the urge to take a step backward.
"Simeon, you may begin the testing."
"My pleasure," Simeon said. He took a knife offered by one of the guards. It was made of … not metal. Bone, perhaps? The blade was serrated, measuring about six inches long. Strange symbols Theo had never seen before were carved into the knife. Simeon used the knife to cut the ropes binding Theo's wrists.
The vessel let out a little choked sound as Simeon pressed the knife into Theo's hand. He wrapped his hand around Theo's so he couldn't drop the knife.
"What's happening? I don't want to hurt him," Theo said.
"The vessel will be fine, he's used to it," Simeon replied. "Hold out your hand," he barked to the vessel.
The vessel held out a shaking hand. It was crisscrossed in jagged scars. Scars that matched perfectly with the knife Theo was holding.
"No," Theo said, heart pounding as sweat broke out across his forehead. "I don't want to do this."
"That's why I'm here," Simeon said. He grabbed the vessel's hand with his free one, then guided Theo's knife-wielding hand towards the vessel's palm.
Theo tried to pull back his hand, but Simeon was stronger than him. He paused when the knife was just a hairsbreadth away from the vessel's flesh. "Don't disappoint me," Simeon whispered in Theo's ear. Then the knife was slicing into the vessel's hand. As soon at the blood welled to the surface Simeon tossed the knife aside and pressed Theo's hand against the open wound.
For a heartbeat, nothing happened. Then Theo gasped as euphoria rushed through him in a crash of warmth. The magic was pure, unadulterated power. Theo grasped the vessel's forearm with his free hand to steady himself. The warmth was building to a scorching heat. Instinctively, Theo released the magic. His ears rung and his eyes blurred as it burned out of him.
Someone was screaming, but he couldn't seem to care. All that mattered was the magic, the euphoria, that flowed into him and back out, each crash of his heart sending him further and further into bliss. Then abruputly the magic stopped. Theo's eyes rolled back into his head and he swooned. A second later he was aware of someone's hands cradling his body, lowering him to the floor. He blinked his eyes, trying to clear the spots from his vision. Once he could see again, his gaze landed on the vessel.
Theo screamed. The vessel lay on the floor, his body smoking. There was a smoldering hole in his chest, where his heart should be. His eyes were nothing but charred empy sockets. There was a hand-shaped burn on his forearm. Right where Theo had grabbed him.
The room was in an uproar. People were shouting, cheering, applauding.
"Fuck Theo, you're even more powerful than I expected." Simeon clapped a hand on Theo's shoulder.
Theo jumped. "I killed him. I killed him. I killed him. Oh goddess." His entire body was shaking. He'd never killed anything in his life. He couldn't even bring himself to slaughter the chickens for supper at the inn. He'd always had to ask someone else to do it. And he had just killed a human being. "I didn't mean to," Theo said through sobs. "I didn't mean to kill him." Theo keeled over and retched, bile stinging his throat.
Simeon placed a hand on Theo's cheek, wiping away the tears from his eyes. "Vessels are replaceable." Theo couldn't respond. He couldn't even breathe. He was trying to but he couldn't seem to get enough air into his lungs. Simeon wrapped his arms around Theo and pulled him into a tight embrace. Theo sobbed into Simeon's shoulder. "It's okay," Simeon whispered. "It's okay, sweetheart. I know you're overwhelemed. Let it out. I'm here."
Theo didn't know how much time passed. Enough for his tears to dry and him to become aware of the bone-deep ache that permeated every inch of his body. He slowly realizer that the room had gone quiet.
"Theo, mage, we find you to be a pyromancer. Simeon De Nav, reaper, will serve as your warden. You are considered a dangerous weapon, and as such you will be given smoke plum to ensure your loyalties stay intact and to protect the general population. You are the property of the True Nuvian Empire until your death. Do you have any questions?"
Theo's mind whirled. "No," he whispered. His stomach had dropped to his feet and his vision was tunneling again. "Please, no." He didn't even know what he was asking for. Freedom? Death? For this all to be nothing but a nightmare?
Strong arms lifted him to his feet. Theo's legs were shaking so badly they couldn't support his weight. Someone was talking to him but he couldn't make out the words. All his attention was fixed on the charred corpse of the murdered vessel. Hands clamped around Theo's biceps and they pulled him out the door and towards his fate.