couldn’t imagine being intimidated by one of his classmates. “You’re a Master, too,” he said with a frown.
“Master Acolyte,” Ferev corrected him. “It doesn’t matter that we’re the same age. Idhron is still my superior. If you weren’t so laughably naive, you’d know that age isn’t what guarantees you respect in the Order. There are full-rank Masters twice my age that treat Castien as deferentially as any lowly initiate does.”
Eridan’s forehead wrinkled. “But why?” That was what he didn’t understand. How could a man who was barely over thirty command so much respect and fear in the Order?
At first, he thought Ferev wouldn’t answer.
But at last he did, still looking straight ahead. “Castien has always been different from the rest of us. Every single one of us hated him—and wanted to be him, because he was perfect in every class. It didn’t make sense, because he wasn’t even the most naturally gifted telepath in our year: he was just Class 3.”
Eridan’s mouth fell open. “Master Idhron is just Class 3?” Much weaker than him?
Ferev smiled. “He was Class 3 when we were seven years old. He was Class 4 by the time we were eleven. He was Class 5 by the time we were sixteen. Last I heard, he was Class 6.”
Eridan stared at him in puzzlement. “But that’s not—that’s not possible!”
“Apparently, it is. Castien has found a way to increase his telepathic strength—to do what has always been thought to be impossible—and he’s obviously not sharing how he has done it. It’s understandable that most people are wary of him. If he could do that, who knows what he’s really capable of.”
“So that’s why there are all sorts of crazy rumors about him,” Eridan said, frowning. “I thought they were bullshit.”
“Most of them probably are,” Ferev said. “But at this point, no one can know for sure.”
He finally stopped in front of the tall gates of a picturesque mansion.
“Please state your name and your business,” said a pleasant female voice, no doubt an AI.
“Master Acolyte Ferev. I am here to discuss Master Idhron’s claimed initiate.”
“Master Castien is at High Hronthar,” the AI said.
Ferev’s lips thinned. Eridan felt a spike of frustration and reluctance coming off him.
“We should just go back to class, then,” Eridan offered, perking up. He didn’t understand why Master Ferev had been so set on delivering him to Idhron anyway.
Ferev gave him a flat look. “Don’t look so pleased, Eridan. If he isn’t home, it just means we’ll just have to go to High Hronthar. An incident like that should be reported either to your Master—”
“He isn’t my Master.”
“—or to the Chapter.”
Eridan’s mouth fell open. “The Chapter?” he whispered, blinking. “Eh. On the other thought, let’s go look for Master Idhron.”
Ferev snorted, heading back to the t-chamber. “Don’t worry, you will see your Master anyway. He is part of the Chapter, after all.”
Eridan scowled and reluctantly followed his instructor. “Yeah, and that’s so weird. Who becomes part of the Chapter at thirty? It’s ridiculous!”
“It is not my place to discuss my superiors,” Ferev said evenly, but Eridan could still feel a surge of jealousy mixed with admiration coming off him.
Poor man. It must have been hard for him to bow to his former classmate. Idhron being a full-rank Master must have stung enough, but him also being a member of the Chapter must have been incredibly hard to swallow.
The Chapter was the ruling body of the Order. It consisted of twenty-two senior Masters, with the twenty-third member being the Grandmaster. There were rumors that members of the Chapter had a different degree of influence, but obviously lowly initiates were not privy to details. All everyone knew was that the Chapter consisted of the most powerful Masters of the Order, though it wasn’t very clear whether “powerful” meant powerful telepathically or politically. Perhaps both.
Eridan was still mulling it over when the t-chamber arrived at High Hronthar’s public wing. As far as Eridan knew, this wing of High Hronthar was the only section of the ancient castle visitors were allowed to enter. Most of the castle was for the Grandmaster’s personal use.
Their footsteps echoed in the large, empty halls.
Eridan could feel Ferev’s nervousness. Strange, but he seemed more nervous than Eridan was.
“Why is it so quiet here?” Eridan said, breaking the silence. It felt like a tomb here. A huge, luxurious tomb, but a tomb, nonetheless. “Where is everyone?”
“There is likely a session of the Chapter,” Ferev said. “And the current Grandmaster uses only robots and AI for