Chapter 38
The knight sent to fetch me doesn’t say a word beyond my name and a brief command. Pulse pounding, I follow him through the faculty wing of the academy, down toward the classrooms. The interrogation room has been set up here, so the walk is short.
It’s sparse, with all remnants of what this room once was—an office, if I had to guess, judging from its size—removed.
A single flickering lantern hangs in the ceiling’s center instead of a chandelier.
It casts shadows dramatic enough that Kaelis would approve.
Stellis linger in the gloam along the edges.
Centered in their ranks are two hooded figures. One must be the Hierophant.
There are two chairs in the middle of the room. One is already occupied by Emilia.
“Sit.” She gestures to the chair across from her.
Wordlessly, I do as commanded.
She’s not wearing armor now, and I can see more magical gnarled scars twisting from her knuckles up to her shoulder, where they disappear again under her clothes. I try not to stare. Instead, I keep my posture poised and breathing even. My expression is one of mild concern.
Emilia doesn’t speak right away. Instead, she studies me, crossing her legs and resting a stack of paper on her knee. Tapping the pen on the blank page as if searching for her first question.
I wonder if she’s waiting for the Hierophant to make a motion. I try to look at the two robed figures from the corners of my eyes, but their faces are too shrouded. But the one to my left seems to be about the right build…
Silence persists.
He’s not turning me in. The thought has me slowly sucking in a breath. Trusting him wasn’t the end of me. Maybe I will get out of this alive.
“How long have you been at the academy, Professor Veillgar?”
As if she doesn’t already know…“This is my first term.”
“You seem to care an awful lot for your students, Sorza in particular, for only knowing her for a couple months.” Her pen scratches across the page.
“Yes, I am dedicated to all my students. And Sorza is a talented Arcanist,” I say with a slight smile.
“I hear she comes often during your office hours.”
“Many students do.” I fold my hands in my lap, shifting on the chair. I swear they found one of the most uncomfortable ones. “It’s up to them to choose when they’d like some extra tutelage.”
“And how do you feel about Luren?”
Luren has come only once or twice, and always with Sorza. I don’t bother trying to hide my surprise at the sudden and specific mention of Luren. “She is also a talented Arcanist. Overlooked by many, I think.”
“Tell me, Professor.” Emilia’s eyes, now a pale gold after Jura’s death, flick toward me and then back to her paper. “In all your discussions, do you find Luren as someone who is loyal to the crown?”
Ah…So that’s what’s happening. Luren, ever the outcast. Ever the one they seem determined to pin everything on. The one they knew was close enough to me last year that I gave her a token.
I blink, emphasizing a startled expression. “Of course she would be.”
“Do you have any reason to believe Luren has information on the whereabouts of Clara Graysword?”
“No, not at all.”
As Emilia dips her chin, I catch a subtle glance to her left. A pause. Then the scratch of her pen. Before she looks up again, I dare to follow where her gaze went. It’s the other hooded figure. She lifts her chin slightly.
Sorza.
The pieces are falling into place. Naethor knows what Sorza can do—that she can determine fact from fiction. He probably granted Ravin authority to use her, and thus Emilia by proxy. If the Hierophant couldn’t find me on his own, they’d use Sorza’s skill to root out anyone giving me aid.
Sorza gives the smallest of nods. Emilia exhales and leans back. By the time her eyes return to me, I’m waiting on her again. Even if the other Stellis saw me looking Sorza’s way, they have no reason to believe I recognized her. My glance lasted only a second.
“Very good, now, do you have any information on the whereabouts of Clara Graysword?” The look she gives me is piercing.
“Of course not. I’m not sure why you think I would.” I let offense bleed into my final statement, trying to coax out more information as to why she’s asking this question of me, specifically.
“You are one of four new professors this year. Given the circumstances, I must ask.”
“Ah, of course.” I smile again.
“Now, one more time, do you, or does anyone you know, have any information, current or past, about Clara Graysword, or any other names or faces she might be now using to conceal herself?” Emilia tilts her head slightly, putting Sorza back in her periphery.
I don’t miss how carefully the question is phrased. Where is the line with Sorza’s power? When does a half-truth become a lie?
“No,” I say simply.
Another slight nod from Sorza. She’s putting her life on the line for me. If my cover is broken, ever, Ravin will hunt her for this. I know he will. Two Majors are already missing; perhaps King Naethor won’t care about ending the life of a third. Especially one who has proven she will not be loyal.
Gregor was right: There are people I can trust.
“Good. Very good.” Yet as Emilia taps her pen, I can sense a slight agitation in her movements. This isn’t going as she planned. She’s coming up empty-handed, even with permission to use the power of Majors. I fight a smile. “That will be all, Professor Veillgar.”
“Thank you for your diligence,” I say as I stand. “If I come across any information, I will be sure to tell you or a city enforcer.”
“See that you do.” She barely looks at me, having written me off.
I’m escorted back to my room, where I am kept, meals delivered, no word given, and no sign of Kaelis…
Two more days pass before the Stellis finally announce that we are free to resume life in the academy as normal.
We emerge from our rooms like confused animals finally freed from their cages.
The Stellis knights still prowl the halls, but only to gather their things.
There’s a collective exhale that students, faculty, and staff alike share.
But it’s twinged with a touch of worry: Everyone is glancing from the corners of our eyes as we search to see if anyone was taken.
The answer comes when we all converge in the main hall for breakfast. Every seat for students and initiates is filled. It is a seat at the faculty and staff table that’s vacant. Head Professor of Reading Las Rothou stops in her tracks, her hands rising to cover her lips.
“It cannot be. I didn’t see this in the cards…”
The other professors stop what they’re doing, quickly taking a tally. Sure enough, one among us isn’t accounted for. Armena, I remember her from the first night, also a new professor.
My mind is racing all through breakfast and class. I try to keep things as normal as possible. But as soon as the bells toll, I say, “Sorza, a moment.”
The students shuffle out, Sorza delaying. Luren whispers something to her and casts a wary glance my way. I wonder what Emilia asked her. Probably about Sorza staying after class, given that she’s now skeptical of Sorza spending time with me.
Sorza reassures her with a smile and sends her off.
“Thank you,” I say quietly as the door closes. “You could’ve damned me, but you didn’t.”
“You know I’ve thrown my lot in with you.” Sorza approaches, hopping up onto one of the desks.
“Armena, the one who was taken…”
“I had to give them someone. Emilia has had no real leads. Her investigation is floundering,” Sorza says grimly.
Guilt haunts the depths of her eyes. “Ravin didn’t care about the truth; they needed someone for optics, to justify what they did here and make the citizens feel like they’re closing in. ”
I nod solemnly. “It had to be done,” I say, as if that could assuage both our guilt at someone being arrested because of us. Maybe I can get the Worldkeepers to track them down…I wouldn’t be surprised if Vaduin is already doing so. “I won’t forget what you did.”
“You’d better not.” Sorza scoops up her bag and walks out the door.
I’m not far behind. It’s been four days since I last saw Arina. I’m sure Gregor figured things out, but it’s well past time for me to relieve him. Hopefully, since Emilia was here, that means that the Worldkeepers haven’t been under threat in the city and things have been quiet—
The distant echo of a scream has me halting in my tracks. Ice surges through my veins.
Arina.