Chapter 14
14
The weeks pass quickly, and I find myself in a comfortable groove at the institute. Getting into a guild so I have access to the Guild Testaments is my top priority, so I keep my head down and focus on my classes and on gathering as much intel for the Families as I can. (Fine, also some occasional hoverjousting.)
Even at only the apprentice level, my classes are odysseys away from anything I ever had at home. I haven’t had to look at a single monomial, polynomial, or trinomial in months. And while the other apprentices might be a lot younger than me, I’ve had to work extremely hard to catch up to them. And I’m not even fully caught up yet.
My anatomy class is the one I’m struggling with the most, by far. I’d done perfectly fine in biology back home, but these classes are totally different. We have to do things like re-create detailed models of body parts with loam and theorize about bizarre and theoretical surgeries.
My art classes, on the other hand, are pure joy. The other week I painted an entire picture using dyes I made myself with plants I grew myself.
However, my mission is always front and center of my priorities. I’ve become adept at sneaking cell phone pictures from various texts in the library and pocketing materials from the infirmary and classroom supplies.
I regularly have calls with Kor, who comes armed with a bunch of specific questions and tasks from the Inner Chamber. Sometimes I speak with other Inner Chamber members as well. The other day I had a very long and very boring call with some United Nations dude about clean energy.
Fun fact, a lot of renewable energy initiatives in the provincial world are actually already based in Maker tech and have been introduced into society over the years by the Families.
Less fun fact, Mr. UN was trying to get more specific details about how much of the island’s electricity is renewable. The answer is 100 percent. It is now my very unfun homework to find out the methods by which they achieve this percentage. But I do actually want to help combat climate change, so I’m not mad about it.
I’m still worried about getting caught, but ever since appeasing Grey by involuntarily acting as Simon’s trampoline, the Guard hasn’t been giving me any more attention than they would a regular student.
My bigger problem lately is that I’ve been feeling guilty. I’ve been spending more time with Kaylie in order to learn about how Maker medicine works, and Xander, the Ark steward, to gain a better understanding of the security surrounding the Guild Testaments, and I kind of hate that I’m lying to everyone who is being so nice to me. It’s not like they’re the ones responsible for keeping their knowledge from the rest of the world.
But I know I’m doing the right thing. I may be enjoying everything I’m learning, and I may have a growing respect for a lot of the Maker ideals, but that doesn’t change the reality of their inherent selfishness. I’m here for the benefit of the whole world, not just for me.
Except for this week. Right now I’m way too busy and distracted to do anything other than work on polishing my gallerie for Quorum.
Which is in two days.
Not only will being a journey give me access to the Ark and the Guild Testaments, but I’ll also get access to the guild labs and stockrooms. Everything about my job here relies on me getting accepted into a guild.
The guild system is not nearly as confining as I’d expected. Unlike provincial university—where you basically have to choose your career path as a child, and if you choose wrong, too bad—the guilds expose you to all different disciplines aligned with your skills.
A journey can choose to become a master of their guild if they contribute an original study or invention to their guild’s testament, and once they master… Well, I don’t know much about masters yet, but the ones at Genesis seem to have mostly educational or administrative roles. Masters can also join other guilds. Over the course of Maker history, there have even been six people who mastered every guild and were given the title Master-of-All. This tidbit was told to me by Hypatia, who had proudly added, “And two of them have been from my family.”
While I’m excited at the prospect of becoming a journeyman for a guild, every time I think about presenting my premature gallerie in front of the guildmasters, I feel like my skin doesn’t fit right.
“Has anyone ever not been accepted to a guild?” I ask Georgie.
“I think it’s happened before,” she answers. “But if I managed to get accepted, you for sure will.”
We’re in the kitchen performing our cleaning rotation. Master Bose and Mbali are on duty with us. Instead of it being considered menial labor, everyone at the institute—from apprentices to guildmasters—takes turns completing the practical tasks necessary to keep the institute running smoothly.
“Don’t let the fear of rejection cause you anxiety,” Master Bose says as he works his way through a barrel of serving dishes, scraping any remaining waste into the compost. “Genesis works with everyone to find their place.” He stacks the plates in a stone oven that uses energy generated by the methane from the compost to clean dishes using ultraviolet light and steam. “When an apprentice receives no guild invitations, the guildmasters give them assignments to work on, and they then reapply at the next season’s Quorum.”
That’s nice and all, but I can’t let that happen. Headmaster Bloche said he will send me away if I don’t renounce my provincial life before the next anniversary of the Exodus, which now that I have a basic understanding of the Maker calendar, I think is only a little more than half a year away. I need to join a guild now .
“But you really don’t need to worry,” Georgie interjects. “You’re a Sire! Guilds are always dying to recruit Sires. Plus, the hoverjoust teams all want you.” She lowers her voice conspiratorially. “Officially, guildmasters don’t take that into consideration, but everyone knows they all want to give their teams an advantage. You’ll for sure get more than one invitation.”
Mbali adds softly, “Do prepare to be rejected by the Avant guilds, but don’t let it wound you. They’re extremely selective.”
And they’d never accept a provincial recruit is the part she doesn’t say out loud.
She’s referring to the Blood Science and Mysticism guilds, both of which are illegal at Genesis but still practiced at Avant.
Master Bose nods in agreement. “Not that you’d want to go to Avant anyway… bunch of stuck-up monarchists.” He looks over at Mbali. “Present company excepted, of course, Journey Keftiu. I have great respect for the Matriarchy of the Isles.”
Tracing her finger along her snake necklace, Mbali winks and says to me, “If you’re truly unhappy with your placement options, you can always join the Pirates.”
“Who are the Pirates?” I ask dubiously.
“They’re a group of Makers who have rejected both Genesis and Avant. They live at sea and believe that no one should be limited by a guild or council.”
“Never heard of ’em,” Georgie says. “But they sound like my kinda people. I’ve been called a pirate once or twice.”
Once we’re finished our cleaning duties, Mbali and I head together to the Sire lab. As I work on my woeful attempt at creating a golem that can move its limbs and support itself well enough to walk (but does not yet have any useful purpose), I’m still obsessing over Quorum.
I dubiously look over at Rafe. Since Hypatia, Simon, and Mbali have all decided to like me, he’s mostly stopped being overtly hateful, though I can tell it costs him something. But I actually learn a lot from observing him while he barks orders at me and gives me withering glances. As long as I don’t talk much or, heaven forbid, bump into him, he’s generally tolerable.
And Rafe is in my top choice of guild, the one most likely to have information about Sire ability sharing and the one best suited for me to help Grandfather. I need advice from wherever I can get it, so I decide to chance it.
“Why did you choose the Bioscience guild?” I ask him.
He looks up at me and blinks.
For a moment I lose my train of thought as an image vividly overlays my vision.
Rafe lying in a field of red flowers.
I thought I’d finally managed to be free of that dream weeks ago, but the picture in my mind is as clear and detailed as a photograph.
I blink away the memory and refocus on the real Rafe, who is staring at me as if he can’t believe that I’ve attempted small talk. “It’s just that I’m trying to figure out what guild is best for me, assuming I get any invitations,” I say.
“You’re a Sire. You’ll get invitations,” he says dismissively, focusing back on whatever is under his microscope. I assume he means to ignore my question entirely, but after a moment he says, “At Avant, I was part of the Blood Science guild. I had to relinquish that when I came here.” He momentarily rubs his bare middle finger, where I assume he used to wear his old guildstone. “I chose to reguild into Bioscience as it’s the most similar.”
“Do you like it?”
“Yes. Bioscience is a natural choice for a Sire, given our innate healing abilities.” He keeps talking, eyes concentrating on the incisions he’s making. “Once I master, I’ll probably go on to the Artisan guild to pursue music.” This surprises me, but not as much as his volunteering the information in the first place. “I’d also consider Alchemy or Mysticism. I have little interest in the Ciphers, and we both know I have no business messing with the ethics of Sophistry. So Bioscience made the most sense as a starting point.”
He’s never spoken so many sentences in a row to me. He’s actually telling me about himself. The experience of him acknowledging me as human is a nice change.
“Well, what about me? Do you think Bioscience would be a good choice?”
He scrunches his brow for a moment, and I’m sure he’s about to say no, but then he shrugs and says, “As I said, it’s a good choice for most Sires.”
Back in the common room of my apartment later in the evening, I recall the conversation and wonder why Rafe doesn’t think Bioscience is a good fit for me. He probably just assumes I’m not good enough for his guild. But it’s not one of the guilds Michael’s been nudging me toward either. However, Kor thinks it’s best, and I agree. For Grandfather if nothing else.
I’ve been using every spare moment I have searching for a way to help Grandfather, but I haven’t found anything specific about cures for cancer. I searched the library, tried asking questions to the snooty Bio journeys, and even snuck into the Bio lab after following Kaylie to find out where it is. The only consistent response I get is, “There’s information about it in the Bioscience Guild Testaments.” Joining the Bio guild is my best bet at ever seeing those.
So Bioscience is my first choice… right? But if I don’t get in, I need a backup option.
I wish Georgie were here so I could pick her brain more. As if I haven’t been doing that for days. I’m glad for her sake that she’s been busy in her Couture Studio sewing pieces to barter at the Quorum faire. She must be sick of my constant spiraling.
All this worrying is fruitless when I could be doing something practical like actively enhancing my gallerie. I should be practicing my song.
With help from Michael and from my apprentice classes, my gallerie has come a long way. Madam Adelina, my pitch instructor, has really helped me improve my singing voice. In Apprentice Art Studio, I’ve made some decent drawings and discovered that, in addition to my plant dyes, I really enjoy both egg tempera and pastels. I’ve prepared an original recipe in culinary science and, with Kaylie’s help, completed a life-size anatomically accurate sketch of a human circulatory system. Through it all, I’ve gathered a fair number of pieces worth showing. However, my song is still a mess.
But there’s no way I can be productive with my brain this preoccupied.
Izzy has talked me through many overthinking tornadoes. If she were here, she would tell me to approach things logically and make a list.
I grab a paper and pen and write down each guild starting with Bioscience.
Bioscience
PROS:
– Medical stuff
– Sire sharing thing??
– Good fit for Sires
– Great hoverjoust team
The negatives for the Bioscience guild write themselves:
CONS:
– Snobby/competitive journeys
– RAFE
I move on to the Artisans next.
Artisans
PROS:
– Georgie
– Music + art = yay!
CONS:
– Bad hoverjoust team
What about the Sophists? They have an amazing guildmaster. I met with her once because she wanted to make sure I was integrating at the institute “spiritually, philosophically, and psychologically.” She is, as Michael had told me, the direct descendant of Ada Lovelace. She’s also as sweet as a gushberry and a total genius.
Sophists
PROS:
– Michael’s guild
– Nice guildmaster
– Art history = yes, please
CONS:
– Most other kinds of history = boring
– Psychology, sociology, theology = also boring
– Michael might be my TEACHER…
Mbali is the only Alchemist I’ve met. I know that their high material is glace, and I’ve passed the Alchemy lab a few times and it’s always smoky and smelly. They’re involved in things like chemistry, botany, and agriculture. It takes me a moment to make my list since I haven’t given the guild much thought before.
Alchemists
PROS:
– I’m good with plants
– Do they actually do alchemy—like make gold?
CONS:
– I got a C in chemistry last year
– Stinky lab
The Ciphers are my last choice, and I know little about their guild other than that Georgie often talks about their hoverjousting captain, Hera, and that Michael’s sister has done some prominent research for them. I’m pretty sure I don’t have the head for whatever they do. Even their guild emblem looks like some kind of complicated equation with a golden ratio spiral and the geometric and military compass invented by Galileo. I jot my notes quickly.
Ciphers
PROS:
– Great hoverjoust team
– Engineering and physics are theoretically cool…
CONS:
– MATH IS EVIL. STAY FAR AWAY
As an afterthought, I add the two Avant guilds to my list even though I’ve been told they’re only part of the Genesis Quorum as a formality since both practices have been banned here.
Mysticism is the smallest guild, very selective, and shrouded in secrecy. I don’t know why it was banned at Genesis, but Hypatia had once mentioned that mysticism is considered dangerous and that some people who studied their testament went mad or even died. Technically, Genesis allows apprentices to be guilded as Mystics and travel to Avant to learn from the masters there, but it’s rare.
Mysticism
Not an option, drives people to madness
Blood Science involves experimentation that’s controversial and risky. Genesis replaced the entire guild with Bioscience, but Avant still practices it.
Blood Science
Not an option, illegal at Genesis, morally problematic
I sit back and look over my list, just as confused as before.
There’s a knock at our apartment door, and I know it’s Michael.
He’s here to help me with my song—the one I’m supposed to be practicing. I’d taken a scribble that had started out as a poem and added a melody, but something’s not quite right. My plan had been to ask Kor for help, but every time we spoke, he seemed too busy, and he kept reminding me to focus on my mission instead of being distracted by projects. So earlier today, I’d asked Michael for help instead.
Except now that he’s on the other side of my door, I question that decision. Is this going to be awkward? He hasn’t been anything but professional with me lately, so what am I worried about?
I fold my guild list and put it in my pocket. Then I get up to open the door for Michael.
He’s not awkward at all as he lets himself into our common room, his long legs taking him straight to the guitar on the couch. It’s actually his guitar. Most apprentices make their own instruments, but I haven’t had the time to learn that process yet, so Michael lent me one of his older ones that he’d made when he was an apprentice.
“Just wait a sec while I get my music,” I say, heading into my room.
I rifle through the numerous piles on my desk until I find my sheet music and then turn to leave, but my stomach sinks when I see Michael waiting for me in the doorway.
I hadn’t meant for Michael to follow me to my room. In fact, that is the very last thing I wanted, for the very reason that is reflected on his face right now.
Abject horror.
Okay, it might be more like mild shock, but I know what must lurk beneath his polite mask.
I have failed my oath to keep my bedroom neat, and it’s in its usual state of colorful chaos. Explosions of clothing, accessories, and art supplies are all over the floor and bed and pouring out of the drawers.
“How do you find anything?” Michael asks.
I burn with shame while at the same time trying to shove a bright pink bra under the bed with my toe. Please let him not have seen it. And please let there not be any dirty underpants lying around. I’m too scared to look.
“Well, you know me, extraordinarily talented,” I say, cheeks aflame.
He smiles tightly, and I feel like such a… child. I try to use sheer force of will to erase the blush from my face as I shoo him out of the room.
I sit down and grab the guitar, ready to move on from my embarrassment. Michael sits on the opposite couch, and I start to play him what I have so far. I’m stilted and nervous and all too aware that it’s not very good.
“It’s really good,” he says when I finish.
“No, it’s not.”
“Yes, it really is. It needs some work, but the bones are solid.”
He suggests minor changes to the lyrics and melody, but his biggest input comes in ways to improve my playing.
“No, not like that.” He comes to sit next to me to adjust my finger placement. As his confident fingers rearrange mine on the frets, my breathing becomes uneven.
He’s good at this, and his changes coax something deeper from the song. Make it something I can imagine letting others actually hear.
When I play through the finished version for the first time without any mistakes, I feel a thrill in my blood.
“Honor a Maker!” Michael says, and the thrill spreads warmly through me. That exclamation is what Makers say to offer congratulations for significant creative accomplishments. No one’s ever had reason to say it to me before.
Michael takes the guitar and begins absently plucking at the strings. All his frenetic energy vanishes as he plays with sure, steady hands. He starts to tell me about the first song he ever wrote, which he claims was “total chaff”—and it probably was considering it was called “Angel in the Sunrise”—but soon our conversation falls away as we both get pulled into the music.
Michael holds his guitar like an extension of his body. There’s a natural twang to the instrument, but he pulls a softness from it in a way I have yet to master. The notes string together into a yearning voice. His fingers break into a flurry of rushed movements, eliciting a thrumming sequence that amazes me in its complexity, made even more impressive by the fact that Michael’s not looking at the strings. He’s looking at me.
Our eyes meet, and I catch my breath. The muscles in his neck relax and tighten with the movements of his arms, his lips softly parted, his eyes smiling. I feel the music like it’s touching me in all the places that Michael’s not touching me, and he just keeps… looking at me. Like something important is being communicated without words. Like all the things he’s not saying are loud enough to drown out the song.
And then it’s over.
Michael puts down the guitar and clears his throat. “I’ve missed this instrument,” he says, looking at the guitar as if we didn’t just share an intense, soul-bonding moment.
He searches my face and asks, “Ada, are you happy you chose to come here?”
“Yes,” I say without hesitation. “Very happy.” And I know it’s true. I’ve already changed so much—learned so much—and I wouldn’t give up this experience for anything.
In this moment, I’m not thinking about my mission. In this moment, I would rather learn from Genesis than spy on them. And in this moment, I’m pretending as much to myself as to everyone else that that’s all I’m here to do.
I swallow. “But I’m still conflicted about which guild is right for me.”
Michael smiles. “Trust your gut. Don’t think about what anyone else would want. Listen to what the guildmasters have to say and focus on what resonates with you here.” He holds his hand against his heart. “And after Quorum, once you’ve joined a guild”—his eyes soften—“you’ll officially be a Maker.”
He reaches up to my ear, and I feel the ghost of a touch above my Sire diamond at the spot where my guildstone will go. My heart stutters, and I hold my breath.
The lock of the apartment door clicks, and Michael’s hand snaps back.
“Hi!” Georgie chirps.
“Well, I should probably be going.” Michael rises from beside me. “Your gallerie is going to be wonderful, and by this time two days from now, you’ll be a journeyman.”