Taris shook his head. "You won't actually require a trainer for this task, at first. You'll understand what I mean when the time comes. At some point I may have to give you guidance, but not until you've learned to summon the Eye of Divinity."
"I see," said Lannon, his heart sinking.
"We get this whole room to ourselves?" said Timlin, studying the door to their quarters with childish excitement shining in his eyes.
"Blue Squires are quite rare," said Taris. "Sometimes the Color Trials won't produce one for a year or more at a time. I find it extraordinary that three Squires were chosen Blue during these trials. As far as I know, that has never happened before. But we certainly have need of them."
"Who will train us?" said Vorden.
"Don't worry about such things tonight," said Taris. "For now I want you to get some sleep. Tomorrow you will be visited by Garrin Daggerblood of the Blue Knights. Garrin will get you started on your training, but there are others who will instruct you also."
Timlin opened the door and peered into the room. "Can you light a lantern? I don't like the shadows."
"The moon is bright tonight," said Taris. "You need no other light." He entered the room and opened the shutters on a round window.
"Now goodnight, Squires. And I wish you all pleasant dreams."
With that, the sorcerer motioned them inside and closed the door behind them. They could hear Taris whistling softly as he moved off down the hall.
The room was fairly small-compared to the other Squires' Quarters-containing only fifteen beds. The beds were all neatly made, with nightstands by them. Nothing else worth mentioning could be found in this chamber. The stone walls were bare, interrupted only by the window that let in a beam of moonlight.
Lannon's dragon sword lay on his nightstand. He showed it off to his companions, but they didn't seem too excited by it so he sheathed it and put it back. "It's supposed to be real dragon bone," he mumbled.
"It's a great sword," said Timlin. "I wonder what my weapon will be?"
The boys put their packs beneath their beds and lay down in a row across from each other, staring at the cobwebs on the ceiling beams. No one spoke for a while. Then Vorden voiced his frustration. "I can't believe this," he muttered. "What are we doing way up here?"
"At least we've got the whole room to ourselves," Timlin said.
Vorden turned and glared at him. "That's not a good thing, Timlin. I liked having lots of friends around me."
"I kind of like being in Taris' tower," said Lannon.
"This feels strange," said Vorden, "like we've just been cut off from the rest of the world-like we've been cast aside or something."
"It's not that bad, really," said Timlin. "It kind of feels right somehow."
Lannon and Vorden both glanced at the lad. Timlin lay on his side, his head propped up on his hand and his eyes shining thoughtfully in the moonlight-seeing something that only he could see.
"This is pathetic," Vorden grumbled again.
Lannon and Timlin said nothing. Neither was very outgoing, and they liked the solitude of this room. Lannon wanted to make friends with the other Squires-but not all at once, for that seemed overwhelming. This would give him a chance to get acquainted with them slowly. And he had already made two friends, which was more than he'd ever had in Knights Valley.
As one by one they drifted off into sleep, they were plunged into dark dreams. In those nightmares, screams came from catacombs below, while metal cages rattled and chains dragged across stone. Things moved in the darkness below the keep, twisted shadows filled with an insatiable hunger-always seeking to escape their forgotten chambers and taste the essence of the living once again.
Chapter 7: The Temple of the White Guardian
Early the next morning, the three Squires were awakened by a Blue Knight. He was young and average in size, with wavy black hair and a thin mustache and beard. He wore a cloak representing his color, with no weapons visible, and soft leather boots that made virtually no sound as he walked. He smiled and spoke in a quiet voice. "Greetings. I am Garrin Daggerblood. And I already know who you three are, so you need not introduce yourselves."
Lannon sat up hurriedly. By the look of the sunshine streaming in through the window, it was already late in the morning.
"I guess we slept past breakfast," Timlin said nervously.
Vorden yawned and stretched. "Nobody told us exactly when we should get up, Timlin, so what does it matter?"
Garrin chuckled. "Not to worry, Squires. I allowed you to sleep in, for there is little that needs doing this day. After lunch, we must attend a meeting at the Temple. And then I'll bring you back here where you'll be pretty much on your own until dinner, for I have obligations to attend to and your training does not truly begin until tomorrow morning. Now let us go eat. And don't forget to wear your sashes. You must always have them on whenever you leave your room."
They followed Garrin down to the Dining Hall. This room had one table that stretched nearly the entire length of it. A fireplace stood against one wall, containing only grey ash, next to the kitchen door. Drethess Silverknight-the Red Squire they had met on the previous evening-sat at the table eating lunch with another youth. A Blue Knight was seated there as well, sipping at a big wooden mug. He appeared to be in his twenties, yet was already balding on top. His face held a gloomy expression that brightened only slightly when Garrin came in.
Drethess greeted the Squires with a nod and went on talking to his companion. The Blue Knight nodded. "Greetings, Master Garrin."
Garrin smiled, and then his face grew somber. "It is good that you have returned, Kaelist, even if the others could not."
Kaelist shook his head. "My journey went very poorly. Trevek and Dolan were lost, as was Selenar, the Ranger who helped us once before. She was… She…died bravely. They all did. I barely escaped with my life, for whatever that's worth."
Instantly Lannon thought back to Saranna, the beautiful Ranger woman they had met on the North Road. He was glad it wasn't her who had been killed.
"This is sad news," said Garrin. "Yet I'd already heard about it-just before the Color Trials began. When will they be honored?"
"Three days from now," said Kaelist.
"I liked Trevek and Dolan very much," said Garrin. "I didn't know Selenar personally, but I'd heard of her courage. I will be there for the ceremony. Meanwhile, I would help ease your grief somehow, were it possible."
Kaelist shook his head. "It doesn't matter. My grief means nothing, for it cannot bring them back." His face suddenly held a wounded, haunted look-his eyes sinking in and his mouth hanging open. "It was all for nothing, and now I fear that no hope for us remains."
"We need not speak of this now," Garrin said quickly, glancing at his three Squires. "If you wish, we can go to my quarters and talk in private."
"Not now, Master," said Kaelist, staggering up from his chair. "For now I desire only to be alone." Kaelist left the Dining Hall, and that was the last Lannon and the other Squires ever saw of him.
Garrin sat down, his face troubled, while beckoning the others to do the same. When they had done so, an Orange Squire came out and took their orders. At Garrin's suggestion, the lads ordered stew and bread. Timlin tried to order two bowls, but Garrin gave a disapproving shake of the head. "Food is not endless here, Timlin. Scrape one bowl clean before you request another."
"I doubt he could handle even one bowl," mused Vorden. "Timlin has the eyes of a giant and the stomach of a mouse."
The stew was delicious, the bread baked to perfection. Lannon and Vorden ate quickly and heartily, while Timlin picked away at his soup, apparently finding many ingredients in it he didn't care for.
"That Knight seemed troubled," said Vorden, his mouth full of bread. "Looks like he had a rough time of it."