The Devil in Green by Mark Chadbourn Read Free Book Online Page B

listen.
'Everything here is based around discipline,' he said, 'to focus the mind. Your day will be mapped out for you, and it's a long day, believe me. This isn't a place for the lazy.'
He marched ahead of them with the stiff gait of a well-drilled military man, which made Mallory's loose-limbed amble seem even more lazy. Miller hopped and skipped to keep up like a pony on a rope.
'The knights, however, have a slightly different timetable from the rest,' the red-headed man continued. 'There's a lot of studying, a lot of training. For most people out there—' He motioned towards the sprawl of wooden huts visible through the window. '—the day begins at six a.m. with prime. That's a full service in the cathedral, plainsong, the works. The prayer and chant continues through the day, seven days a week. Terce at nine a.m., sext at midday, none in mid-afternoon, vespers at the end of the afternoon and compline at dusk. After that, everyone retires to their rooms for the great silence and the cathedral is locked. At midnight everyone rises for the night office, followed immediately by the lauds of the dead. It lasts about two hours in total, and then you're off on the cycle again. You will be expected to attend services when you are not involved with your other duties.'
Mallory glanced at Miller; the younger man was clearly enthralled at the strict routine that left Mallory feeling an uncomfortable mixture of depression and defiance.
'Your routine will be individually tailored, depending on where your strengths and weaknesses lie,' the knight continued. 'For the first week or so, it will mainly centre on physical fitness and weapons training.' He eyed them askance. 'To see if you have what it takes to meet the exacting standards required of a Knight Templar.'
Mallory knew enough about the military mindset to understand what that meant: they could look forward to days of gruelling and unnecessary exercises to see if they had the strength of character to continue. And then Blaine - a military man at some level, Mallory guessed - would begin the long task of breaking their spirit so they would obey orders without question.
'After that period, the physical and weapons training will be confined to the early morning, after prime. Then you'll be studying herbalism for treatment of wounds out in the field. The supply of drugs won't last long and there's no infrastructure to manufacture any more. Astronomy is . . . difficult.' His jaw set. 'But you'll need to navigate by the stars. And then there's the Bible study and philosophy classes. Those are the main ones.'
He brought them into a large oak-panelled room on the first floor. On one wall was fixed a plain wooden sign carved with the legend: ' Let nothing have precedence over divine office' - The Rule of St Benedict.
At the other end of the room was a heavily fortified door beside a window that opened on to a small office stacked with boxes. The knight hammered on the windowsill to attract the attention of a man with a scar that turned his left eye into a permanent squint. He was introduced as Wainwright, the knights' quartermaster.
'Two uniforms?' he said, mentally measuring Mallory and Miller before disappearing into the bowels of the store. He returned a second later.
'Perfect for a torchlight rally,' Mallory said, holding the black shirt up for size.
'Uniforms are to be worn at all times,' the red-haired knight said. 'And that means all times. Being caught without it means the disciplinary procedure.'
Mallory considered asking what this entailed, but he knew it would only depress him further.
     
The rest of the day was spent in a process that fell somewhere between induction and confession: names, education, abilities, criminal record, past transgressions, hopes, fears. Miller gave them a detailed account of his relationship with his parents and the breakdown of his romance, the catalyst that had propelled him towards Salisbury. Mallory changed his story several times, often during