Jonis by Rowan Erlking (free children's online books txt) 📖

the Sky Lord came from?” the lieutenant asked.

Blinking, the corporal’s face changed shades as he recalled the legend. “No. That can’t be.”

“Why not?” the lieutenant replied, about to go on his way. “I asked Jonis about it, and he was honest with me. He says that Cordrils and Sky Children came to our world from the same place.” He pointed up to the sky. “From out there.”

“But Sky Children are demons! So he must be a demon!” the corporal hissed, keeping his voice low as he could tell people were listening in.

Shrugging, the lieutenant continued his walk. “That’s where he is confused. He admits that Sky Children are demons. But Cordrils really aren’t.”

“They are one and the same.” Their argument was making the corporal go even redder, now burning with anger. He had been watching the lieutenant spend time with Jonis, use his given name rather than his rank, and give more regard to the demon that no one wanted to admit helped them save their city when they couldn’t.

“Nope,” Lt. Gillway replied. “For example, Sky Children can’t pass demon circles or barriers, and demon chains weigh them down like all other demons.”

“Private Macoy won’t let a demon chain touch him,” the corporal retorted.

“Jonis was pretending,” Lt. Gillway said with another shrug.

Cpl. Reemas stared. “He what?”

“Did you know he now sleeps in a demon ward?” The lieutenant continued to casually walk to the office, waving to people as he passed down their businesses and shops. “I also found out he sets a hate ward around himself right before bed. He seems to think that hunter Sisrik will sneak in and try to kill him one day.”

“It might do us some good if he did,” the corporal said with a snort.

The lieutenant gave him a dirty look. “No, it wouldn’t. Jonis is our greatest asset here. If anything, we are safer with him around. Besides, I snuck into his room one night to try an experiment. I took a demon chain and slipped it around his neck.”

The corporal’s eyes grew wide, listening expectantly.

“And you know what?” The lieutenant leaned into his face and said, “It didn’t work. It just hung there like a necklace, just like on you and me. I later admitted to him what I had done, and you should have seen how upset he was that I knew his secret.”

“No kidding, the sly demon,” the corporal growled out, thinking of all punishments he could to get back at the kid for lying.

“Not a demon,” Lt. Gillway reminded. “And besides, the reason he was upset was that he really didn’t want people to think they were defenseless. In reality, it is only his good nature that keeps him from killing us all.”

Lt. Gillway started to whistle.

The corporal was not so happy. He swallowed and peered again to see if the lieutenant had gone blue-eyed. The man’s eyes were still plain gray.

“How can you be so casual about this?” The corporal gripped what was left of his receding hairline.

“Huh?” Lt. Gillway blinked at him, turning back. “Oh, that’s simple. I told you the first time. I figured him out. He’s just a kid wanting to fit in.”

The corporal was not convinced, but decided that arguing with his superior officer was not a good idea.

They walked into the office building, saluting the orderly and the filing clerks. The corporal hurried to his duties.

“Corporal Devis, is Private Macoy in yet?” Lt. Gillway asked the orderly at the doors.

The man shook his head. “Sorry, sir. Private Macoy is at the new hospital setting up the demon ward. They have all the black stone on the site, and he is going to do the spell today.”

“I see.” The lieutenant turned and waved. “Ok then. Are you coming to you-know-what for you-know-who tonight?”

Cpl. Devis winked. “Don’t worry. We’ll have a full house tonight. I’m bringing the frozen custard.”

Lt. Gillway’s mouth just salivated at the mention of custard. He nodded to the corporal and smiled, turning at once. Trotting up the stairs to the kitchen, he set his packages on to the table after turning on the gas lamps for some light. Immediately he placed the box of buns into the warming machine on the counter. The other bottles of clove oil and spices he put on the table. The last package was a long wrapped thing, half the length of the broom handle and nearly as wide. That he stuck behind the icebox.

Clearing the room, the lieutenant took out plates, forks and a few large platters. As he was setting up the eating ware, another solider entered the kitchen and silently joined the lieutenant in his work. They spoke only a few times, arranging a plate of various fruits and vegetables with a dip in the center. Another lieutenant joined them, carrying in a large rectangular box. He hefted it onto the wide platter and untied the strings. Taking off the top, he exposed a beautifully decorated cake.

“Impressive,” Lt. Gillway murmured.

“Only fitting, considering the event,” the other lieutenant said.

“Is everything ready?” Cap. Powal asked, peering into the room from the stair.

Broadly grinning, Lt. Gillway said, “Almost. Corporal Yithers has to get the pudding, and of course the meat hasn’t arrived yet. Where is the private right now?”

The captain crossed the room to peer at the cake. “Right now I have him busy filling out paperwork in my office. He returned early, but Corpora Devis sent him in to me. Apparently it doesn’t take that long to set stone.”

“Not the way Jo—Private Macoy does it.” Lt. Gillway had to check how casually he spoke near the captain. The captain did not approve of casual relationships in the military, regardless of friendships. “Do you think the paperwork will take him long?”

Smirking, Cap. Powal shrugged. “Who knows? That kid really does master things. That job was the last the city magistrates want him to do. In fact, they have suggested that I find another way to occupy his time. They don’t want an idle demon on their hands. And you know the old adage.”

“Yes, idleness breeds mischief.” Lt. Gillway chuckled. “I don’t suppose it would do any good to vouch for him?”

The captain shook his head.

“I’m afraid not. However, I received a response concerning your proposal from Danslik.” He handed over the official green envelope with the Patriarch’s stamp on it. “I think you can break the news to Private Macoy as a birthday present.”

Cap. Powal turned and walked back down the stairs.

Lt. Gillway held the envelope carefully in his fingers, staring at it.

“The meat’s here!” Lt. Laslow announced, grinning as he held up the huge wrapped box, standing in the doorway.

“Shhhh!” the others hissed at him.

“Oh, calm yourselves,” the lieutenant snapped, carrying the box across the room. “He’s still in the captain’s office. The kid does not have Gole ears after all.”

“He might!” someone snapped.

“Unlikely,” Lt. Gillway responded, taking the box and setting it on the counter. He and Lt. Laslow took off the lid. The aroma of warm roasted beef slices filled the room. Lt. Gillway leaned over to Lt. Laslow though and said, “However, any old guy could have heard that announcement.”

Lt. Laslow smirked. “Not with what I saw downstairs. Cpl. Devis has been harassing the kid as soon as he stepped through the door. I saw Macoy looking like he has a headache.”

“Hurry up!” hissed up a corporal from the downstairs office. He ran up the stairs.

“He’s coming!” Another jogged into the room, closing the door behind him.

They halted, hearing the tired footfalls of the young Cordril march up the steps. Each foot was heavy, weighed down from a, incredibly full day of work setting stones to not just one demon circle, but five. The task had only just been finished after so many months of stone cutting, shaping and marking of roads. They heard in each step, a young man ready to drop into his cot for a long nap.

The doorknob twisted.

The hinges creaked, just barely opening to let a skinny teenager through.

Jonis blinked, staring at the men that stood in the kitchen. “What are you all doing here? Don’t you all eat in the mess hall?”

Lt. Gillway stepped forward. “Uh, you remember our little talk about what foods you have never eaten before, right?”

Too tired to play around, Jonis nodded his head slightly. “Yeah?”

The lieutenant walked over to the warmer and pulled out the small box of buns. “Well, I got you the steamed buns, local food of Ladis. Now sit down and eat them. Everyone here wants to witness this pivotal moment in your life.”

Jonis stared exhaustedly at him. “Pivotal moment?”

But they ushered him to the seat anyway, placing the box right before the boy.

Peering at the box, Jonis sighed. He opened it, peeking inside and looked at the bun. Glancing up at the gathering crowd that now included the captain and the commanding lieutenant, Jonis took out a bun and said, “Why is there an audience? Are these poisoned? Am I going to drop dead after eating these?”

Someone snickered.

“No,” Lt. Gillway said with playful annoyance in his voice. “Of course not. They just want to witness this monumental event.”

They heard Jonis sigh.

“You know, I’m too tired to care if I drop dead.” And he took a large bite from the bun.

“Ha! You owe me twenty silver pieces!” Lt. Gillway barked triumphantly to a corporal.

The other men cheered.

Jonis chewed and swallowed, blinking up at his friend and the rest in the crowd. “Merkam, you made bets on this?”

Lt. Gillway collected his fee, counting the silver pieces and grinning. “Of course. I keep telling people you and I have an understanding. Since no one believed me, I decided it was only fair to make a profit on their foolishness.”

“That makes absolutely no sense,” Jonis said, getting out of his chair to go to his room.

Lt. Laslow shoved him back in. “Stick around. The party has just begun.”

Jonis cast him a tired look. “Party? Lieutenant, I’m too tired for a party. Besides, you guys always drink at parties. Cordrils just can’t—”

“I know. You can’t stomach alcohol,” Lt. Laslow replied. He was laughing.

Someone put a hat on Jonis’s head.

Another man started up a song:

 

Let us stand hand in hand.

Let us sing out for joy.

Let us go for a walk on the shore.

For today is a new day.

And this year is a new year.

And we are not the same as before.

 

Now make music on the guitar.

It’s the best way time is spent.

It’s a pity our birthday,

Is a once a year event.

 

Let us meet magic makers.

Let us get a magic spell.

Let us make this day last ever more.

Come what may on this new day.

Never fear on this new year.

And we sing yet another music score.

 

Now make music on the guitar.

It’s the best way time is spent.

It’s a pity our birthday,

Is a once a year event.

 

The men laughed, cheering Jonis who had heard this song sung to so many boys growing up, but not yet once to him. Traditionally, it was a man’s song. Women had another they sang that was less playful and more beautiful. In his case, Cordrils celebrated birthdays a little more simply. It had always been his father and him until his father died. At Dalis Camp, his fourteenth birthday had been entirely overlooked. Now fifteen, Jonis burst into tears.

“Oh, Jonis, are you ok?” Lt. Gillway jumped to his side.

Jonis wiped the tears hastily away, grinning with embarrassment. “Sorry. I had not expected this at all.”

“Which is why we did it!” Lt. Laslow cackled as he went over to get his meat. “Now let’s eat!”

The men cheered, eagerly heading to the counters for the food. Jonis tried to get onto his feet for his own plate, but the captain shoved him back in his chair, grinning.

“Let the men serve you for once,” Cap. Powal said. “It is your time to be treated like a king.”

This was a new concept for Jonis. However, he did as commanded, sitting back as the men brought him a large plate full of everything—more than he could