Despite my strange encounter, sleep came quickly, and I woke up the next morning more refreshed than expected. I was still tired, as I had stayed up late writing up a few preliminary ideas for my martial arts style but awake enough for my tasks.

I kept one eye out as I went about my day, which mainly consisted of meeting with Master Lysandra, digging through her notes, and preparing the next set of treatments for Lord Sinnett. The healer had managed to craft a plan that mitigated the worst of his condition, and she even seemed to an extent optimistic. She confided in me that he was likely to pass within the next few months no matter what but believed she could stabilize him in the short term.

Privately, I doubted her confidence. Not that I was in much of a place to second-guess her opinion, but the man had looked not so much on death's door as two steps past it. How could anything, magical or otherwise, fix that?

However, since it was not my place to question her commands, I stayed quiet and complied. Hours passed as I dug through dry texts on remedies and further treatments, digging up any relevant information for the healer while committing as much to memory as possible. I fully intended to do additional testing on my own, and hopefully, these little clues would help me reach that goal.

Around mid-afternoon, I decided to take a break. I had spent too long reading, and the words had begun to blend together and bounce off my thoughts without sticking.

I decided to take the risk and stepped out onto the ship's deck. There, sailors busied around the vessel in a way that suggested they were not so much busy as they were attempting to look busy. Sure, some checked the rigging for damage, cleaned barnacles off the hull, and mopped up messes, but I noticed the majority looked as if they were simply moving here and there without much direction.

There was a strange tension in the air, like everyone had their breath held, and the deck was almost silent. It took me a few seconds to grasp why that was so bizarre.

Almost every worker I had ever met, from the miners of Aresford to the laborers in Aranth to these sailors, did the same things. They would joke and prod one another in a friendly game, half to pass the time and half as a rite of passage. I myself had been on the receiving end of these comments, though I rarely engaged after my first and only attempt ended in embarrassment.

Yet now, no one said anything. The sailors moved with barely a word, only speaking when necessary but never more than a grunt or muttered sentence. I did not have to look long to figure out why.

Niccolo leaned against a railing, an almost blank expression on his face. He had one hand raised in front of his face, and a flickering lilac flame danced between his fingers, weaving through them in a blur.

I froze and was about to retreat when the man's eyes snapped in my direction. He closed his fist around the flame, pushing off from the railing and walking to meet me.

"Ah, there you are! I was worried you'd never come out," Niccolo smiled and inclined his head, "I wanted to apologize again for my intrusiveness last night. My curiosity got the better of me."

"There is no need to apologize, my lord," I assured him with a smile, hoping to put an end to the conversation before it began.

"Nonsense. I interrupted your training, and that's as much a social misstep as you're likely to find among us. Please allow me to make it up to you. Join me for lunch."

My guard went up in a heartbeat, and I almost refused on instinct. Lunch with Lord Sinnett's student and attendant was about as direct a risk of insulting the man as possible, and I would rather step into a cage with a wolf. At least the wolf was predictable.

However, refusing might insult either Niccolo or his lord by proxy. I could fall on my mentor, saying that I had more notes to read or treatments to prepare, but I was hesitant to do that. If Sinnett was looking for an excuse to cut me down, that might be enough.

Besides, it was always better to make friends with a noble than an enemy. So, I smiled and gestured towards the fortress.

"Lunch would be great. Please, lead the way."

***

Contrary to what I expected, Niccolo did not lead me to some well-lit, decorative dining chamber or his private quarters. Instead, we took lunch in a small section of the yard, tucked away in the corner and far from prying eyes or open ears. Someone—I assumed a servant—had set up a table with two chairs and a mound of food for us.

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I did not miss the fact that no further servants bothered or, nor did I ignore how the guards seemed to avoid our little corner of the yard. Clearly, the fire mage wanted some privacy, but why was difficult to say. Was he planning to threaten me, or did he wish to gossip like many nobles often did?

Niccolo seemed not to notice my caution and practically dove into his lunch head-first. He ate with less manners than I expected from a noble, eschewing his utensils in favor of picking at the fruit, meats, cheeses, and bread with his bare hands.

"So," Niccolo said after a few minutes, "A healer, huh? What's that like?"

"Fascinating," I said, only half-lying to my surprise, "There is an almost infinite amount of things to learn, and Master Lysandra is more than happy to teach me."

"I can imagine. She's famous for her generosity and patience. That, and some...quirks. Is it true she has her students read children's books?"

I chuckled, "No. She has us read fiction in general."

"But why?"

"I think she enjoys having the chance to talk with someone else about them," I replied, having come to the somewhat dull conclusion weeks earlier.

Niccolo swallowed a mouth full of food, a curious expression on his face as he said, "Huh. Well, can't begrudge someone for having a hobby, can we?"

I did not reply directly, instead asking, "And Lord Sinnett? I have not heard much about him, save that he was a war mage of great renown."

"Oh, that is putting it mildly. His lordship is the most respected fire mage alive. It's said that in his youth, he was on the path to reaching Archmagus but set aside that selfish pursuit in favor of duty."

I almost snorted. If Lord Sinnett was at all the man I suspected, he would never have sacrificed his chance at personal strength or glory. Few would, and he did not strike me as the self-sacrificing type.

"Admirable," I said, trying to mimic the starry-eyed looks I had seen on the faces of various apprentices, "And you are his successors?"

Niccolo was too busy refilling his wine glass to notice my pitiful acting and responded without looking up, "Yes. Lord Sinnett famously crafted a number of spells and techniques tailor-made for a fire mage. We—the others and I—hope to master them to protect our home as our lord did."

A part of me wanted to admire his commitment. I doubted Sinnett was so compassionate, but Niccolo spoke like a true believer.

"Well, I do hope you reach your goals," I took a sip of my drink, "You seem to have the right mindset, and judging by your practice on the ship, your mana control is excellent."

Niccolo chuckled, "Years of practice will do that. I'm just worried about his lordship's condition. Can...can you tell me anything more about him?"

And there it was. Niccolo wanted to know about the fire mage and whether or not he would die before sharing his secrets. I was not disappointed his friendliness was a facade. I had expected as much. But so quickly tipping his hand? Poor form.

"I am afraid I cannot share anything specific about Lord Sinnett or his treatments. Neither are my secrets to share and if he does not see fit to speak them, I will not either." I replied, channeling my best Girem as I sat up straight and met Niccolo's eyes.

Though his mana felt at least two stages higher than mine, he dropped his gaze and nodded a few times, "Right, right. Of course. I just..."

The fire mage glanced around, then leaned in closer, "I can trust you, right? You are a healer, and your master has always had a reputation for honesty and compassion."

"Of course, you can," I nodded, "Any secrets you share are between us. Well, besides my master, of course."

"Good, good. Thank you. You see, his lordship was fine until recently. A few months ago, he set out to the south with three of the others. He often took us with him as a chance to...prove ourselves worthy, I suppose. But when he returned..."

"He had fallen ill?" I filled in, and Niccolo nodded, "That is not unusual. Is it possible he caught something?"

"That is what we thought, but what kind of simple illness can persist through magical healings? And none of the others fell ill."

"I could not begin to speculate," I replied neutrally.

Niccolo swallowed, then looked around once more before leaning in even closer, "I think...I think there may be more at work here."

My blood chilled, and I cleared my throat as I sat up, doing my best not to appear too alarmed. Just like that, the threat to my life had risen dramatically.

Poison was a simple deduction and one I had considered and dismissed already for two reasons. First, it was shockingly rare amongst nobles and mages. They tended to be easy to notice and simple enough to cure, and only a few would resist the efforts of a healer like Lysandra.

And that was the second reason. If I had thought of it, Master Lysandra would have as well. She might be eccentric, but she was also brilliant, with years of experience and training. It was such an obvious possibility that I had not bothered bringing it up with her for fear of wasting her time.

Well, that and a keen realization that if there was foul play afoot, saying as much put my life at risk. I now understood why Niccolo had dragged me out here and cursed the man for doing so. It could be excused as gossip between mages before, but if anyone heard us...

Niccolo followed me across the table, his voice falling even lower.

"I...I think it was Tomas. He's the second oldest of us, and I think he's hoping if Lord Sinnett's life is in danger, then—"

I made a show of breaking into a coughing fit partway through a particularly long sip of my drink. Niccolo fell silent, his face registering surprise and annoyance in equal parts.

After a few seconds, I faked a smile and responded, "What a fun story. I am sure Master Lysandra will appreciate it even more, though I do not know if it is suited for polite company."

"But—"

"I do not mean offense, but some might find some of the jokes unflattering," I continued, making sure my smile did not quite reach my eyes, "I am sure you understand."

Niccolo blinked, and after a few painful seconds, he nodded with a fake smile of his own.

"O-oh, yes, of course. You're so right. Maybe I should keep it to myself for now."

"That would be best, I suspect."

I wanted to return to my room, but making a retreat so quickly might look more suspicious. Instead, I forced myself to stay with the young mage for another ten minutes, eating and exchanging tips about magic. It was a tense conversation, and I counted down the seconds until I could excuse myself.

Finally, when it felt safe again, I stood and smoothed out the front of my shirt, "Thank you for the lunch, but I should return to the ship. There is plenty more work to be done and not nearly enough time for all of it."

Niccolo opened his mouth to reply, but I had already turned away and begun walking towards the ship. It took everything in me not to break into a run or conjure up my armor, and it felt as if every eye within the fortress now tracked my passage.