The next morning the Preceptor watched Jemryn, from his desk as he ate and Bria was right. He was obviously bothered by something and only picking at his food.

Once all the food had been cleared away, Sir Bern took all the recruits on a training run up the mountain trails above the palace, leaving Jemryn alone with the Preceptor.

The preceptor stood up and stretched. ‘Jemryn, please follow me into the garden’

Jemryn gulped and looked down at his feet but followed the Preceptor out through the door.

‘You are bothered by something. Have I said or done something to scare you? Has someone here done anything to scare you? Predators come in many forms. Bears and wolves won’t ask you to keep secrets but there are predators amongst humans too, and one of their tricks is to tell you to keep something a secret, maybe even that you won’t be believed. Has anyone asked you to keep a secret?’

Jemryn shook his head but refused to meet the Preceptor’s gaze.

‘Something, yesterday, has scared you badly, lad, and maybe with reason. I ask that you trust me. I wish neither you nor your family any harm and will protect you if I can. Have you done something wrong and are scared of the consequences?’

Jemryn shook his head but finally met the Preceptor’s eyes. ‘Is your name Daucus?’

The Preceptor smiled. ‘Yes it is, although not many now living know that and none use it. It’s not a secret though.’

‘Is the Loremaster called Ran?’

The Preceptor looked at him carefully. ‘Possibly and he has taken a great deal of trouble to expunge that name from any record or restrict access to it if he can’t. He loathes it although I don’t know why. Do not ever use it. That IS a secret and you do not want to draw his ire. Did you find an old document somewhere?’

Jemryn sat silently staring at his boots for a few moments. ‘I found a book. Sir Blevin’s diary. It was hidden behind the straps of one of the shields that seemed to have fallen down behind a crate in the vault, but now I don’t think it was an accident. The shields seem to make what ever they are protecting invisible to scrying. It was quite hard to read so I skimmed most of it. There used to be lots more knights and lots more dragons. Some of the knights disappeared or died for no obvious reason. Sometimes several dragons came a year but at least one came every year but there were enough knights to beat them back. Sir Blevin wasn’t happy about what happened to Celosia. I think he thought that the dragon would flee if he could but the Loremaster wouldn’t let him.’

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It was the Preceptor’s turn to stare at his boots deep in thought. ‘Sir Blevin was my friend but he was much older and wiser than me. With his death, I am now the oldest. He was always considered a little crazy. Did he say anything else?’

‘He said your father had warned you about the Loremaster. He was obsessed with tax records.’

‘Was obsessed, or was that just guile to hide the fact that he was documenting something else? And yes, my father did warn me about him, but again, I don’t know any more than that. I was only about your age when he disappeared. Where is the diary now?’

‘I asked Bria to hide it in the Lady’s Hall because only the girls can get in there and they are all too young to have been assassinating knights for hundreds of years.’

The Preceptor sat silently for a moment, eyes shut. ‘Yes I can see that logic and it it’s possibly the safest place for it apart from a fire. And now I will tell you a secret. Bria told me that you had found a book and that you were terrified.’ He held up his hand cutting Jemryn off as he started to speak. ‘I believe that Bria did the right thing. I am responsible for your well-being. She has not read the book or offered to show it to me as she promised you. I tell you this because secrets can be a wedge that splits people apart. I believe, strange as it may seem to you, that you should trust her more because she came to me, not less. Now, do you have anything else you want to tell me?’

Jemryn thought about the strange note about his father but then shook his head before asking. ‘Do you think that someone really has been killing the knights for hundreds of years?’

The Preceptor breathed deeply. ‘I have long suspected something but when I took over, there weren’t that many of us left so each loss was a bigger part of the whole and held up to scrutiny more. Sir Blevin’s death might yet be the downfall of our mysterious assassin.’

He stood up and clapped his hands together. ‘Enough talk of evil deeds. This might be the last day nice day this year. You have done very well over the summer and you have earned respect from everyone. Go and spend the day with your family to make up for your efforts yesterday. I will see you this evening’

‘does everyone include the Loremaster?’

‘Oh he will have respect for you. he might not like you but he will have to be wary about what he says if you are within earshot. Now go!’ laughed the Preceptor and shooed Jemryn out of the door and down the corridor