made Eridan want to scream and do something ridiculous, just to see that icy composure shatter.
Eridan pursed his lips, hating that Castien still wouldn’t look at him. They had been apart for more than a month. Surely he deserved one look.
“There’s nothing to explain,” he said sullenly. “Salah was a dick.”
“Language.”
Rolling his eyes, Eridan stepped closer to his Master. “I don’t want to talk about Salah when I just got you back.” He leaned his shoulder against his Master’s, enjoying how solid it felt and breathing in his familiar scent. I missed you. He didn’t dare say it aloud again.
Eridan glared at the sky, suddenly feeling a little bit pathetic. What if Salah was right and he really was delusional? What if his Master didn’t care about him at all?
He pulled away and leaned against the railing, looking into the horizon. “Grandmaster said he might reassign me to another Master.”
He felt Castien stiffen. “What?” he said sharply.
Eridan studied him, a little surprised by such a visible reaction. Normally, his Master was very difficult to read, even for him—and they had shared a telepathic bond for years.
Eridan shrugged, watching Castien’s profile carefully, hope stirring in his heart. Did his Master care after all?
“He said he might take me on as his apprentice himself.”
Castien’s face was like stone as he ground out, “I didn’t waste years on teaching you to give you to someone else.”
Oh.
Eridan deflated. He looked away, fighting the sudden tightness in his throat. He didn’t know why he felt like this. Castien had never lied to him about this. He had never pretended to care for him. He had always been clear that he was incapable of deep emotions.
“I was away for less than two months, but of course you managed to get in trouble,” Castien said, a touch of irritation lacing his words. “Have I not told you to stay away from Tethru?”
“But I’m twenty,” Eridan said. “Surely too old.”
“You will be too old for him when you start looking old enough. Tethru does not care for your biological age.” Castien sighed. “I have been keeping you away from him for a reason, Eridan. Once he sets his sights on someone, he fixates. He obsesses. The fact that you are mine—my apprentice—will only make you more desirable for him. You would be a prized trophy for him.”
“But what can he do?” Eridan said, frowning. “Can he actually take me from you?”
Castien was quiet.
His gaze on the water below, he said, “I do not know.”
Eridan stared. He had never heard his Master admitting that he didn’t know something. Never.
“There are provisions for reassigning apprentices that he can use. It happens very rarely, but there are precedents.”
“But would he really bother to go through all the hassle?” Eridan said, still skeptical. “I mean, there are plenty of young unclaimed initiates he can get his creepy hands on much easier.” He cringed—he hadn’t meant to make it sound that way—but it was the truth, nonetheless. Eridan was far more protected than the hundreds of unclaimed initiates, and he didn’t flatter himself by thinking he was all that special.
A cold smile touched Castien’s lips. “Of course there are. But he will want mine. It is a power play, Eridan. Tethru’s power is not as absolute as he would like. He does not have a fraction of the respect Grandmaster Kato commanded. If he can take my apprentice for himself, that would certainly make the Chapter respect his authority more.”
Eridan pulled a face. Of course. It always was some power play. In the years as Castien’s apprentice, he had learned that the Chapter was pretty much a pit of poisonous snakes, all determined to seize more power and backstab each other. Though, maybe he was being unfair. There were a few decent Masters among the Chapter members, maybe even more than a few. The problem was, it was hard to tell if there were decent people behind those cold, formidable facades.
“I still think you’re being paranoid, Master,” Eridan said as the sun finally disappeared into the horizon. The twin moons were already visible against the darkening sky. “I’m sure Tethru has more important things to do thanks to the situation on Tai’Lehr.”
Castien hummed thoughtfully. “Perhaps. And perhaps it will only make him more fixated on the idea. There is little we can do about Tai’Lehr besides planting seeds of distrust toward the rebels, but those things would be delegated to lesser Masters. Tethru will want a distraction, and you just might be one.”