A distant cackling of fire filled my ears as we neared a break in the trees. As we emerged we were greeted by an array of faces. Some younger like me, others much older. Disinterest plagued their faces as they turned back to their nightly duties. 

“Lexion, Evander, I see you brought me my new recruit. He is much smaller than June made him out to be,” a tall man said emerging from a corral of older mages, “Tell me this isn’t what had you boys scared. I mean he couldn’t weigh more than a hundred ten pounds soaking wet.”

Palaemon wasn’t far off. Since my change I had lost a good amount of weight. A boy my age should be at least twenty pounds heavier than I was. 

Palaemon walked over to stand in front of me and nudged my head up to make eye contact with him, “Welcome to barrack life, Isturn. This isn’t going to play the same as it did while you were with these idiots. I have rules. Play by them and you and I are going to get along just famously. Piss me off,” he paused, tightening his grip on my jaw, “And I will make what they did to you look like a walk in paradise. Do you understand me?”

Fear rippled down my spine and I shook my head. His pale blue eyes pierced me with a glare that said he meant every word. Smirking, Palaemon released my jaw and took a step back. He took a moment to look over me, no emotion showing on his face. 

Turning to address my guards Palaemon waved his hand, “Take the muzzle off and the cuffs. He can’t train if he can’t move.”

The guards hesitated and looked at each other nervously. I don’t know who was more shocked at Palaemon’s orders, my guards or me. There had probably been about twenty minutes in total since I had arrived on the isle that I wasn’t shackled, muzzled, or both. Now a man that didn’t even know me, ordered my release of them. Either he was very confident in his abilities, or incredibly ignorant to what plagued me. 

“Are you sure you want him out of the muzzle? Little shit is faster than he looks, and he is more than happy to sink his teeth into whatever he can,” Lexion questioned.

Palaemon’s face darkened. He turned to look at Lexion specifically and twirled his fingers into a fist. As he did so a crystalline jar, strapped to his waist, opened. From it sprung a stream of water. The water flew over to cover Lexions nose and mouth. Panic welled in Lexion’s eyes and he released his hold on my arm to claw desperately at the water that had begun to suffocate him. 

“I don’t know how your aphiel runs things, but over here, when you are given an order you don’t question it,” barked Palaemon.

“Of course, sir. We understand,” Evander said hurriedly.

Lexion nodded along, still clawing at the water. Satisfied he had made his point, Palaemon pulled the water back into the jar. Lexion leaned down to rest his hands on his knees and gasped furiously. Evander, meanwhile, removed my restraints. He paused ever so slightly when it came to removing my muzzle. Rubbing at his neck, he sighed. Reluctantly, he removed the muzzle and let it drop to the ground.

Hesitantly I slowly moved my hand up to rub at my jaw where the muzzle had been cutting into my skin. Grateful, I bowed my head slightly to Palaemon.

“I have no more need of either of you, return to you aphiel. And you,” he said gesturing to me, “Are going to follow Finney here to your sleeping quarters. Tonight you meet your fellow newbies, tomorrow you train.”

Finney offered a faint smile and rested his arm on Palaemon’s shoulder. A good foot taller than Palaemon, Finney was dressed in heavy fur pelts. Both arms were exposed, and a tinge of blue dusted his fingertips. On his inner arm a noni brand scarred his skin. Noni, the sigil of binding, was branded into a mage when he or she took a companion. Companions were mages whose souls were compatible enough to sync together. While synced the duo could perform acts that neither would be able to normally do alone. Those who fought truly as one could even merge their abilities together. 

“I can’t believe they actually had him muzzled. Don’t get me wrong, a good beating every now and then can really set someone straight. But to be muzzled all the time… How did they expect him to learn control?” Finney questioned.

Palaemon chuckled at Finney and patted his arm, “Well now you can train him how you please. He is officially your problem.”

“Excuse you, you are the one who wanted the Isturn, why do I have to train his ass?” Gaped Finney.

“Because, I am busy. And who else knows me better than you?” Smirking at Finney, Palaemon turned and left, leaving a rather flabbergasted Finney behind him. Growling lightly, Finney shook his head and rubbed his eyes.

“Course he takes on a new project and leaves it to me. He better be happy I fucking like him, asshole,” he whispered to himself.

Turning to face me, Finney winced as he finally took a moment to truly look at my state of disarray. He stood silently for a few moments as if pondering what he wanted to say or do. Lifting his hand he slowly ran the pad of his thumb over his lip, his eyes calculating as he planned what to do next. 

“Throwing you to the other Isturns like this seems far crueler than I like to be. They are going to take one look at you and declare open season on your ass. Let me take you to the stream so you can wash up first,” Finney spoke calmly, “Don’t get used to this kindness though. After today you are on your own kid.”

Ushering me to follow him, Finney led me back into the woods. We followed a stream as we walked. Small lanterns, lit by a mage’s light, lined either side of the water’s bank. The glow of the lanterns seemed so unnatural. Growing up I was used to the warm hues of the candle lanterns that lit the castle walls, but these lanterns held a cold and ethereal light. There were so many new things to me on the isle. Magic was considered looked down upon in the aristocracy, and any lower class feared using it lest they be sold to the Forsaken. Truthfully I always thought the aristocracy looked down upon mages because they feared what they could do. 

Finney slowed as we approached a dimly lit pond. From a small cliff above fresh water washed down, creating ripples on the water’s smooth surface. Gesturing forward, Finney indicated for me to get into the water.

“You have ten minutes, use it wisely. There is soap in the chest over there. I’ll be back in a few minutes with your clothes. Be done by the time I get back,” Finney said dryly.