Chapter 4
It was astounding how much of a difference a full meal could make. For Ryn, who had been surviving on rough bread and water for weeks, the two large bowls of stew with actual meat looked like a feast, and she didnt wait for Garrett to start before digging in. Though he was just as hungry as she was, Garrett didnt begin eating right away. Directing the large men who were carrying furniture into the small room where to put the second bed, he made sure everything was in place before starting on his stew. He wasnt sure what sort of meat he was eating, and he suspected he was better off not knowing.
Henrick had moved quickly after agreeing to Garretts terms, and the room he and Ryn would be sharing was cleaned out and filled with furniture, lending some dignity to the shabby space. Sensing that Ryn was looking at him, Garrett paused, his spoon hovering in the air as he looked up. She had practically inhaled her food and was staring at his bowl with undisguised desire. Finishing his bite, he fished out a chunk of meat for himself and then passed the bowl over to her.
What? Arent you hungry? she asked, grabbing the bowl and pulling it toward her.
Shaking his head, Garrett started to chew on his thick slice of brown bread.
No, and besides, youll need the energy more than me since youll be doing more physical work.
Ah, thats true, Ryn said, rapidly ladling hot stew into her mouth without even blowing on it.
They had come to an agreement to work together after Garrett had managed to convince Henrick to give him a chance, and Ryn was to be responsible for helping Garrett with things he needed as well as running errands. She had turned out to be the same age as Garrett, seventeen years old, and had spent her whole life on the streets, giving her a wealth of helpful knowledge about the area.
After the meal, Garrett sent Ryn back to the kitchen with the bowls and leaned back against the wall. Even with the little bit hed eaten, he could feel some strength returning to his body. The table had been pulled up against the side of his bed so it was easy for him to reach, and the account book sat on it. He had told Henrick he would need at least one night to go over it, as well as a new, clean account book to copy everything over. Promising to have one of his men deliver the new account book, Henrick had given the command to have the furniture brought to the room and then disappeared to do who knew what. The light from the small window was fading fast, but Ryn had secured a candle from somewhere, keeping the room well-lit.
Feeling like he had some space for the first time since hed first woken up, Garrett closed his eyes and began to examine his condition. He had discovered a few startling things since waking up, and now that he had a chance to reference them against his memories, he was beginning to understand what was going on. He had no idea how he was doing it, but as he closed his eyes and concentrated his mind, he found himself able to sense his bodys condition.
According to his memories, this was called inner sight, and was something that only an Awakened could do. The strange spark of energy that appeared in the center of his chest was the second indication he had Awakened, which provided a clear explanation for why Garrett was still alive. Casting his mind back to the classes hed taken as the princes study aide, he reviewed what he knew about Awakening.
While not all soul sparks granted supernatural strength and speed, they all gave their bearer exceptional endurance, allowing them to survive wounds that would have killed even the strongest unawakened warrior. That explained how Garrett was still breathing, despite having his hand removed, his legs crippled, and being thrown into the river. According to what hed learned, soul sparks were divided into three main categories. Weapon Sparks were soul sparks that would form weapons, typically granting their bearer supernatural abilities with that type of weapon. For instance, someone with a Weapon Spark in the shape of a bow may have uncanny accuracy, no matter the distance they shot from, or the ability to control their arrows mid-flight.
Monster Sparks, which were rarer than Weapon Sparks, took the shape of a monster and granted their bearer increased speed and strength, as well as a feature of that monster. This could be anything from spectral claws to the ability to stick to vertical surfaces, or even powerful senses. The final type of soul spark was the rarest and was referred to as a Tool Spark, as they took the shape of specific tools. Tool Sparks carried varied powers that were practically impossible to quantify, making them highly sought after.
Though he could see the soul spark that rested quietly in his chest, Garret had no idea what sort of spark he carried, as it was still in the earliest stage, the lighting stage, and hadnt yet been shaped. Awakening was, as far as Garrett knew, a random thing, with most people Awakening at some point between the age of fifteen and twenty-five. At seventeen, Garrett was on the younger side, but the fact that he had a soul spark at all was shocking to him.
Following the lighting stage, in which the Awakened grew their soul spark from a tiny firefly into a roaring star, was the shaping stage, in which the Awakened would focus on the emerging shape of their soul spark, condensing and polishing their soul spark until it was lifelike. The final stage, and one that Garrett had never encountered, even in his time in the palace, was that of manifesting, when the soul spark could be projected from the Awakeneds body and used in the real world. According to the stories, the strength a manifesting-stage Awakened could wield was legendary, enough to split seas and crush mountains, but as far as Garrett knew all of that was simply hearsay.
Regardless, he was happy to discover that he was Awakened, even if he was only at the beginning of the lighting stage. With his eyes closed, he pushed his mind closer to the spark in his chest and suddenly felt a whooshing sound as his vision changed. Blinking in surprise, he found himself in the small room with the ornate chair. Once again his body was whole and a small window was floating in front of him.
This is called double-entry bookkeeping. Its a method to ensure money doesnt go missing.
Oh! Thats how youre going to find the missing coins?
Correct. Using this method, well be able to determine what money has come in and what money has gone out. Furthermore, we track the overall flow of money over time. Its useful for our financial forensics, as well as setting up the data we need to find areas of improvement.
Looking at Garrett suspiciously, Ryn glanced down at the neat columns Garrett had created and then back up at him.
You just said a lot of words, but I didnt understand any of them.
Thats fine, Garrett said, waving his hand. It just means were laying the groundwork for our second plan.
What second plan?
The plan where we make ourselves indispensable to Henrick, Garrett replied, picking up his quill and dipping it in the open vial of ink. But to get there, we have to do this first step properly. Would you mind fetching dinner? It should be about time.
Nodding, Ryn got up, but her eyes kept drifting back to the neat-looking book Garrett was writing in, interest clear in her eyes.
Is this something youd like to learn how to do? Garrett asked, putting his quill down and looking at her.
Meeting Garretts gaze, Ryn was shocked out of her daze by the cold, calculating look in his eyes. The difference between the look in his eyes and the words that came out of his mouth often shook her, causing her to wonder about the person shed rescued. He was weak as a sick cat but held the eyes of a predator, making her wonder what hed gone through to end up in such a disastrous situation.
Ah, no, I couldnt, Ryn said, shaking her head. I dont know how to read or write.
Do you know how to add and subtract?
Uh, if I count it on my fingers, Ryn said, blushing slightly.
Then I can teach you, Garrett said, picking up his quill again. For now, get dinner and then well discuss it.
