[49]

It was almost midnight by the time Raxx, Ugz, and I navigated through the dark forest, and back to campus. Because we could both see in the dark, and possessed the Wilderness Traversal skill, the journey was much faster than it might have otherwise been. Afraid to draw attention from the assassins, or to my mind, Florence’s invisible creature, we stayed quiet the entire way, only speaking once we made it to the eastern gate.

“I don’t know what to do,” I admitted to Raxx, as we passed through the gate.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Nicolai admitted he was the assassin. Florence set the whole thing up. Either she’s crazy, or she has an invisible friend. I’m leaning toward the second theory after watching her door open by itself.” I said.

Raxx grunted, thinking things over. He had seen the door open by itself, too.

“Izzy?” I said, after a while.

Raxx shook his head and said, “Nah, let’s go straight to Marwin.”

I nodded in agreement.

Less than an hour later the two of us sat in Marwin’s office, looking at a man very annoyed at being woken up.

“Well, you are telling the truth, or at least believe it.” Marwin said, looking at both of us with red eyes.

“Can you tell us what the Vargie Roo is?” I asked, hoping for an explanation.

“The Vargyr Raas is a Jalmese political-commando group seeking vengeance against Ergentein aristocracy for their crimes before and during the republic revolution. They carry out assassinations, acts of sabotage, and to a lesser degree ferment revolution against nobility everywhere. Erzaal is an evil god according to their rhetoric.” Marwin answered, shuffling some papers into a pile on his desk.

“So, what, they want to hurt Elaine to get back at her dad? Elaine and Nicolai weren’t alive back then. Strange that he should feel so strongly.”

“Yes, probably. Duke Highrow is a big target that casts an enormous shadow,” Marwin said, giving me a meaningful look. Raxx did not know about the RRS, but somehow Marwin knew I did. “Extremism often finds fertile ground in the hearts of the young. There is no use trying to make heads or tails of it. We will gather them up for questioning and sort this out.”

“What will happen to him?”

Marwin sighed, rubbing his temples. I could tell he was at his limit to answering my dumb questions but continued because he felt indebted. After all, we had succeeded where they failed.

“We’ll round up the three you saw and try to determine their innocence. If we think they are guilty, we’ll turn them over to Marshal Dryden. Before you ask, Ashmere is a neutral territory so we have representatives of other nations that handle issues like these. Marshal Dryden is the Ergentein commander. Since they tried to kill a noble of your country, that’s where they’ll go.” Marwin said.

“Last question, I promise,” I said, holding up my hands. “What are you going to do about Florence Claybrook?” She worried me the most. Her dirty hands were in too many things, and Marwin seemed reluctant to cause trouble for the nobility. I was not sure if it was because he was a noble himself, or if it was just a lot of trouble for him.

“We will bring her in for questioning as well.” Marwin said primly. “Now, if you please, I have a lot to do tonight. Or rather, this morning, I should say.”

On the street outside the Ministerium, I looked over to Raxx. “Did that make you feel better?”

Raxx tilted his head and said, “They found nothing before. Why should this time be any different?”

I did not like that remark. Besides giving me the creeps, Florence had done a lot of nasty things in a short amount of time. If anyone was a demon cultist, it had to be her. Unfortunately, I could not just say it without proof.

“It’s out of our hands. Guess there is no use crying about it.” I decided.

On the way back to the safe house, I spotted a man standing at our door. I recognized him from previous visits as a messenger. He looked genuinely relieved to see us.

“Mr. Horste, thank the gods! I’ve been waiting here all night and was afraid I might have missed you.” He said, giving a strained smile. The man’s livery was haggard. I could tell he had traveled hard to deliver his parcel.

Reaching into a bag, he handed me a sealed envelope. I immediately recognized my writing on the front, addressing my father.

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“This is the letter I sent last week,” I stated, feeling a growing pit in my stomach.

“Yes, I’m afraid we could not deliver it. By the time the messenger made it to Weston, the village was in ruins. I am very sorry, sir.” The man reached into his pocket, handing me a stack of coins. “Here is half of the cost you paid for an expedited delivery. It is our policy to return some of the payment in a situation like this.”

I scarcely heard him.

My heart thundered in my ears. Ankest had already attacked! Or had it been bandits? Raiders? They killed my father. Hate, like nothing I felt before, grew in my chest. Reynold. Somehow, some way, it had to be that stain on humanity.

“Who attacked the village? Does anyone know?” It beggared belief. The roads to the north of Weston had problems with bandits, but the village itself had been too large for run-of-the-mill outlaws.

“I’m afraid not, sir.” The man said, clearly upset at not having answers.

“When did they attack?” I asked, barely in control of my voice.

“I believe three days ago,” the messenger said with a grim look.

Reynold left seven days ago. It took a day to get to Felbrigg, then another by arcanorail to make Donnet. It was too plausible for him to catch up with the invading army and direct a small force at Weston two days later. Especially if they had already advanced deep into our border. I could feel it in my bones. He was exactly the kind of petty-minded noble fool that would destroy a town for revenge against someone that offended him.

Raxx placed an enormous paw on my shoulder to calm me. “If there is one thing I know about battle, it’s that it’s chaos. Your father could well be alive.”

“Is that true?” I asked the messenger.

“Of course, sir. The office has given me no direct knowledge of survivors, but it is always possible. Weston is a rather large village, after all.” The messenger said, reassuringly.

“Thank you.” I handed the man several silver coins from the stack he had just returned to me.

He bowed and left.

“I can’t believe this is happening,” I told Raxx, drinking heavily from a bottle of rum a few hours later. I never drank the liquor before, but I found myself an instant fan. Admittedly, it could just be because Raxx’s personal stash was of the highest quality, as much as I needed to get my mind off the only person I loved dying.

Everyone respected Thurstan Horste. My father was a man small of stature, and quite unattractive, but they well knew him for his shrewd intelligence. In my Da, I found a perfect role model, worthy of adoration. He had never left me wanting for anything, providing a stern hand and compassion in balanced measure. I missed him every day, and just the thought I might never see him again made all my previous problems with Sabine and Elaine seem pointless.

I knew it was a mistake to drink the night before physical training, but I did not care. Raxx understood without a word, patting me on the back and taking a draw from his own bottle of rum.

My worst fear had come to fruition.

…

Elaine

In the early morning hours, Elaine Highrow strode into her father’s gloomy office without knocking. There was little point. She knew the man was aware of her presence the moment she set foot in Harcourt, much less the Highrow household. Elaine had been thankful for him ignoring her many days of seclusion but knew that she could not hide forever. Her debriefing was long overdue. Without a word, she plopped down into a leather-bound chair and waited for him.

As usual, John Highrow, Duke and Magister of the Royal Reconnaissance Service sat at his desk reading over intelligence reports. Though, for his daughter, he had no issue with postponing duties of state. The man worried for her as much as he did for the Kingdom.

“Elaine!” He said, going through a mixture of visible emotions. For all his training, not even he could hide the shock of seeing his daughter unenchanted.

Guilt rolled through Elaine’s stomach at seeing the barely contained pleasure threatening to burst across his face. It had been the first time he had seen her like this in years, and the first time since she became an adult.

“Father,” Elaine said, fighting back tears, “I’ve failed.” She thought she had enough time to master her emotions, but seeing her father’s caring face broke the dam.

“Oh goose!” The imposing head of the secret police sprang from his chair as nimbly as a man half his age, rushing to kneel before her with concern etched on his wrinkled countenance.

Elaine delighted at hearing the nickname, feeling some measure of relief at the word. He had called her that sobriquet since she befriended a mean goose on their estate not long after her toddling years. Everyone hated that foul fowl, and it in turn seemed to relish bringing misery to the entire Highrow household, save Elaine. It was only through her fast friendship with the creature that he spared its life.

“You’ve done nothing wrong. Do you understand?” He said seriously. “It was not your fault that Reynold Kestev was a bigger moron than we believed. Human idiocy is an uncontrollable variable, you know that.”

Tears ran down her cheeks, unbidden now. She did know that, but it still felt good to hear someone else say it.

“It isn’t just that, father.” Elaine said, trying to wipe away the cursed emotion. “I’ve been a complete fool. My refusal to accept the truth made me weak. I’ve humiliated myself, and worse, let our enemies embarrass us.”

Duke Highrow’s face held a tight smile. He knew this situation was delicate, perhaps even too much for even him to navigate. Elaine had old scars that had never healed properly, and the last thing he wanted to do was reopen that pain. It had been the only reason he allowed her to dawdle away in self-pity. Still, her assessment was not wrong.

“What will you do about it?” He asked gently.

Elaine did her best to look resolute. “What I should have done years ago. I’m going to stop hiding behind a facade. There is too much at stake to give our enemies a foothold through my vice.”

Duke Highrow nodded, letting her continue to speak. It was an old interrogator's trick to let the silence prompt someone to ramble. In this case, Elaine needed to unburden herself.

“I’m still not sure how they discovered me. No one at Ashmere should have been able to pierce the veil. It worries me almost as much as my personal failings.” Elaine said, sniffling.

Duke Highrow looked at the red-rimmed eyes of his daughter and thought her the most beautiful person in all the world. How could those cretins reject her? She was everything a noble woman should be.

“About that… The reason I’ve called you in is I received a rather interesting report just now from Administrator Marwin, regarding an associate of yours. A Mr. Horste? Well, it seems he may have uncovered the plot against you. Both of them.” Duke Highrow began.

“Oh?” Elaine said, stiffening in her chair. A spark of her old fire reflected in her tear-stained eyes, sending a tingle of pleasure to rush through Duke Highrow’s stomach.

Her father pretended not to notice her grasping the golden coin in her right hand.