Chapter 40 Kidan
KIDAN
Object Deconstruction was Kidan’s favorite class for one reason only: It was perfectly acceptable to shatter things in glorious ways. Kidan could flatten a piece of metal with a hammer for hours without people thinking she was mad. And these past few days, she was unleashing her anger mercilessly.
“There’s a gentle art to breaking an object,” her professor, a tattooed woman from Luroz House, would say.
The trick was to avoid pressure at the center, chipping away at the edges in a careful maneuver. Kidan found it most challenging, often destroying things entirely. But there were things she was good at too.
Like jewelry. She made a charm for Yusef and a pocket watch for GK. For Slen, she’d made a small masinko, a lute with a single string, after learning about Ethiopian instruments in their lessons. That was before… everything.
She made things for Susenyos too. Things she’d never give him.
A small angry creature. Hair rings for his twists.
Currently, she was working on a too-wide mask reconstructed from a broken wooden table.
She carved slits into the slab, staring into something ancient and more powerful than her.
This seemed to be the closest she’d ever get to the damned mask artifact.
It was incomprehensible the Last Sage chose something as ordinary as objects to bind vampires to powerful laws. But other times, she’d regard a piece of metal in a certain light and think how the only thing human beings left behind were objects. They carried their history, memories, and will.
It was a short walk to the Philosophy Tower, but with each step, the clouds darkened and swelled overhead, promising a downpour.
Ever since the House Council meeting, the protests around Uxlay had gotten worse.
Kidan had to cross the courtyard quickly because they’d swarm her otherwise and if anyone touched her, she’d do something she’d regret.
It reminded her too much of the journalists parked outside her apartment, vultures eager to label her as a monster.
Slen was already there when Kidan arrived for Mastering a House Law class, huddled in her large jacket.
A part of her hoped all of this would be wiped away like a dirty window, maybe just maybe, that settling into class would reorient them to their old friendship.
Slen’s flat gaze regarded her for a second, making Kidan draw a breath, before she faced the whiteboard.
Kidan swallowed the fire climbing up her throat and chose the seat the farthest from Slen. Until she was almost at the wall.
Yusef came in a few seconds later, running a hand through his hair and panting heavily. “Sorry, sir. I had to run from Drastfort.”
The professor was sitting behind his desk, always looking out the window to the opposite tower. There was never a book on the wide table. Every lesson and quote, the stony professor pulled from his mind, a catalogue of endless knowledge.
Yusef moved to the middle of the class and paused. He drew a line between the opposite ends, taking in Kidan and Slen’s squared shoulders. His face was crestfallen as he took the seat in between the two.
Professor Andreyas stroked his smooth chin for a few minutes before he stood. His shadow lengthened on the gray floor, and he held up a golden house pin between two long fingers.
Kidan’s spine straightened at once. Slen’s pen, which had been rhythmically tapping against the desk, stopped.
“I’m rarely surprised,” the professor said. “But perhaps I should stop underestimating your cohort. I did not think one of you would master your house before we finished our teachings.”
Kidan’s eyes widened, her head whipping to Slen.
She did it? Already?
Slen stared forward, not sparing her a glance. Kidan’s fingers curled inward. What was she going to do now—
“Umil,” Professor Andreyas said. “Come collect your last pin.”
Kidan mouth fell slightly open, unsure she’d heard right. Yusef rubbed his head sheepishly and slid out of his chair, walking forward. From Slen’s stiff posture, it was clear she didn’t know either.
The walk to the golden pin transformed Yusef, his shoulders appeared broader, and he dropped his hand from his neck, chin held high.
Yusef took off his silver Umil House pin and secured the golden one to his sleeve.
“Thank you, sir.”
Even his voice had lost the humor that usually accompanied it. Finally, he faced them. Features handsome and familiar yet renewed.
Power can be silent, a charm, a smile.
The professor let them soak in the oppressive silence. Kidan’s heart beat slowly, a part of her was proud, but there was a larger portion of her thoughts scrambling to make sense of what had happened.
How this affected her.
Because she could no longer count on Yusra Umil’s vote. And Yusef would be torn between choosing her and his loyalty to Slen.
The professor, ever one for bringing uncomfortable truths to the surface, spoke it aloud. “It will be interesting to see which way your vote sways, Umil.”
Yusef’s features contorted into apprehension. Kidan looked to an ink spill on her desk. Her dislike for the professor returned. GK had said their professor enjoyed dissecting cruel acts in the name of education, and it was true.
But more than that, Kidan knew Yusef’s aunt would have upheld tradition… but Yusef—who killed GK because Slen asked him to—whom would he vote for?
Kidan should have seen it coming. Of course he would easily inherit Yusra’s culture and master his house.
Kidan had seen them in the gardens, walking slowly, Yusef’s arm linked with the elderly woman’s as he pointed out architecture.
Kidan had watched them with a smile and a hint of jealousy.
They went on their walks almost every day, for an hour.
Then there was his dad, who had forgiven him and taught Yusef how to draw again.
All of that must have helped.
Slen’s pupils had stretched a little, the same way they had when Yusef told her he wrote her name down for the power exercise. The fact that she couldn’t conceal her surprise was a feat in itself.
“Qaros and Adane House remain unmastered.” The professor’s disappointment arced around the room, piercing Kidan’s ribs. Slen’s slender fingers curled into a fist.
It was a miserable feeling, to feel significant one second and insignificant the next. Even if Kidan spent her whole life buried in texts, she’d never share in all the knowledge the professor held. She entered his classes hungry and left feeling even more ravenous.
Yusef shot her an apologetic look before returning to his seat.
“Shall we move on to the second rule of lawmaking?” the professor said, slipping a hand into his coat pocket.
Kidan reached for a pen, leaning in.
Criteria one had been: A house law can only magnify, duplicate, or destroy what already exists within its given boundaries.
“Criteria two, actis. A law must always be bound to a circumstance.”
Kidan mulled over the words, already seeing how they applied to the Adane House law.
If Susenyos Sagad endangers Adane House, the house shall in turn steal something of equal value to him.
The circumstance to the law here was endangerment.
“For instance, you cannot create a law that says ‘No one can enter Uxlay.’ Why not?”
Kidan answered this time, focusing on her professor’s mahogany face. “Because the term ‘no one’ refers to no circumstance. However, ‘No unauthorized person or no soul without an invitation’ creates the specific circumstance in which the law can take place.”
“Yes. A law must always be connected to an event, action, or object. It needs to be anchored.”
She inclined her head, a little proud. Dean Faris’s No teacup shall be set down in this house came to mind as well. In that case, the circumstance was Faris House.
If she was to make GK human, it would have to be something like As long as GK sets foot in Adane House, he will be human.
A thrum of excitement shot through her. It had taken a while but she was getting close.
“Now, there is a physical component to your task. We have discussed the different types of power one can wield.” The gleam to the professor’s eyes dimmed the classroom, only a shaft of broken sunlight resting on his shoulders. “But you must also experience its opposite, complete helplessness.”
Kidan already didn’t like the sound of this.
“To teach you the utter importance of setting an appropriate law, each of you will spend half a day physically bound to your companions. Where they go, you go. Whatever they command, you obey. This is called the Red String task.”
Complete silence. Then they all burst into questions and comments at the same time.
“Physically bound?” Kidan asked. “Like tied up?”
“Sir, respectfully, that’s insane,” Yusef added.
“How long is the string?” Slen said.
Kidan turned to her. “Really, that’s your question?”
Slen didn’t answer, making her bristle.
Professor Andreyas let them finish. “Your dranaics’ job will be to test you.
During this time, whatever law they set upon you, you must carry out.
This exercise was suggested by the Last Sage himself in Dranacti Principles.
He used it to teach humans compassion, help them understand how restrictive the binds placed on vampires are, and to remember if they ever inherit a house, to never abuse that power. ”
Funny, Kidan thought. Abusing power was all Uxlay knew. The Last Sage must want to destroy this place.
“But, sir… what if the vampires abuse this power? Instruct us to do awful things?” A chill dried Kidan’s throat.
“Then you will learn this lesson even better.”
Her mouth dropped open a little.
“Dranaics aren’t here to serve you, they are your partners, your shadows. Think about what kind of house master you will be during this time. Will you be kind or selfish? Destructive? They must find you worthy of such position.”
Yusef rested back, a triumphant smile on display. “Sir, I don’t have to do this, right? Since I mastered the house.”
The professor’s eyes narrowed a sliver. “You do. Passing this class is compulsory regardless of your status.”
Yusef’s shoulders deflated. Despite herself, Kidan’s lips twitched.
From his desk drawer, Professor Andreyas retrieved a red rope with two wristbands.
There was a black clasp in the middle to extend the thick band out, reaching almost two yards before it contracted again.
“The moment you’re clasped in, the timer will start.
Six hours. If at any point, you or the dranaic breaks the red string before the allotted time ends, you will fail.
There is no freedom when you are playing the games of laws.
You have until our next class to complete this. ”
Cold sweat beaded on Kidan’s palms and she wiped them down. Tied with Susenyos… for half a day. It could go either way. And what about Samson? Nausea built inside her.
Slen rubbed her fingers together, either looking for a smoke or a violin bow.
Professor Andreyas whisked his gaze over all three.
“Listen carefully, actis.” His commanding tone made the room shake.
“Not every acti is meant to inherit a house. Once I reveal the third and final criteria, you will not be able to walk away as easily. Consider critically if this life is for you. Even you, Umil. You may want to pass the house down to someone else in your family.”
Yusef thumbed the golden pin, silent. If Dranacti had been challenging, Mastering a House Law appeared to be designed to break their resolve, a mountain that hid more and more challenges.
Yet none of them moved to drop out.
“Very well,” the professor said. “Remember, take their instructions as if they are a law set upon you. Bear its weight and restriction. Understand that this is how dranaics feel every day. They can only feed on graduated actis, their strength is cut in half, and they’re forced to die when they turn another soul. ”
Kidan’s attention went to Yusef. First thing she had to do was secure his vote. From across the wide classroom, Slen watched him too.
Great minds.
Kidan had to hurry.