Chapter 91

Riley watched warily; a general sense of unease percolated through her day like the autumn wind blowing over Ashenvale.

Late summer it might have been, but that meant the halcyon days of warmth would soon be at their end. The wind seemed to blow in an ominous herald that autumn and winter were coming.

"You're quiet, Riley," Tobias observed, walking with a confidence born on the wings that he was home.

The verdancy of the castle grounds stretched out before them in the mid-morning light. Trees were green, and the sun beat down in defiance of the scented autumnal breeze. Puffy clouds drifted by as Riley scanned for black dots, wanting nothing more than to be undercover and indoors, hiding from the perfect day.

"Yeah," Riley trailed off and perked her ears higher, determined to not be surprised. Yet nothing happened as they passed the oak tree and moved over the drawbridge that led them into the Valenheim academy. Tobias turned left as he entered through the main entrance.

Riley recognized the familiar office where she had gotten her silver torc.

"Good morrow, Ranger," a servant in a copper torc bowed as he approached the counter.

"Good morrow, fellow, inform the headmaster that I have business to discuss with him," Tobias replied, using every bit of his rank and status.

The servant turned pale, then bowed again. "Right away."

He scurried off as if a fire had been lit underneath him.

"Does it feel weird?" Riley asked.

"Yes, yes it does," Tobias replied, scanning around, as Riley felt an odd mix of both nostalgia and... regret.

She perked up and cocked her head in a scan. Tobias picked up on her curiosity, then shrugged before patting between her ears.

The familiar red-robed mage that Riley remembered from the morning assembly entered, bowing deeply.

"Hello, hello, Ranger Tobias, you've done us all proud!" He beamed, clasping his hands together. Rail-thin and balding, what hair he had left was pulled back, spectacles rested on the edge of his nose that he peered out over, and his red robes hung heavy on him like they were a size too large.

Riley, looking him over, could not help but think of a turtle, the images popping into her mind.

Tobias suppressed a giggle, coughing into his hand while shooting her a wry look of bemusement.

"I can't help what my mind does!" She complained between the two of them.

"Headmaster Dodson, might we meet in your office? I have matters to discuss with you," Tobias intoned, his words dripping ominously.

"Is… Is there trouble?" He asked.

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"None at all. This is about an investigation I've been assigned, of which you may be able to assist the kingdom," Tobias replied, summoning every bit of official weight he could muster.

Riley felt a wave of bemused contentment and satisfaction wash over him.

"You're enjoying this," she snickered.

"You're damn right I am," he replied with that same bemused confidence.

"Why certainly, right this way," He bowed again, with trembling hands, and emerged a moment later from behind the counter.

Leading them down the hall and arriving at an iron-banded door, he pushed it open, only to reveal a row of small, cramped offices, each with its own banded door.

Moving down the hallway, he led them to the last one on the right. Keys jangled as he pulled them from a pocket on his robe.

Unlocking the door, he scurried inside.

"This is not what I expected," Riley scanned around the closet of a space.

A large wooden desk took up a good third of the room and was perfectly centered to allow someone to transit behind it on either side, but offered precious little room. Two scroll racks chased up the walls behind it, framing a simple wooden chair, of which two identical models were set precisely opposite to allow the door to swing.

A blue light crystal set into the ceiling shed its light on the tiny space as the Headmaster seated himself, sitting up as if at attention. "Now, we may speak in private. What is this about, Ranger?"

"It pertains to the death of Instructor Alecto. I understand he was killed a year and a half ago while I was still a student here," Tobias asked.

"Yes, a terrible business. He was an excellent weather mage, cold as winter but a gifted caster," Dodson replied, his eyes betraying the loss of a good friend.

"Walk me through it. Where was he found? Did he have any enemies?" Tobias asked in rapid fire.

"As for enemies, I know he was disliked by his students and hated by the servants, but not enough to kill him. It would be a long list if we were to compile everyone that might have a grudge, though. He demanded nothing but the best from everyone around him, maximum effort. Weather mages are often meticulous, as you well know. There are so many variables to track and impacts to consider; they tend to become perfectionists; otherwise, crops fail, people die, and you know how it goes with magic." He shook his head, looking down at his desk.

"How was he found?" Tobias prompted.

"It was rather grisly. I don't recall the exact time, but he was found by two servants beginning their day, so I'd put the discovery between three and five bells. The Guard found nothing unusual other than the state of his body, which was essentially mummified and crumbling," Dodson explained.

"Do any of the coppers have such an ability? A water caster, perhaps? You said he was hard on servants," Tobias pressed.

"A servant having that ability? My dear Ranger, they're coppers," he chuckled as if enjoying a private joke.

"Excuse me, it's just the idea of it, you understand, but yes, he was hard on them. As you know, coppers are our failures. They missed their opportunity to contribute to the magical work in any meaningful way. Some of us look on them with pity, but others hold nothing but revulsion. Alecto had no room or compassion for failure and demanded perfect obedience."

"Which is more than enough reason for someone to want to kill him," Riley surmised.

"Was there any investigation done of the students or the coppers?" Tobias asked for Riley.

"There was, all was normal. Students are barred from the grounds after sunset, as you will recall, and coppers are locked in their wards after ten bells. All were present and accounted for in the nightly counts. It was outside of trials season, and all extraordinary exceptions were also considered," Dodson replied.

"That sounds like a prison!" Riley was forgetting her unease as she found her anger.

Tobias stiffened. "Were there any unusual events? Did any coppers go missing before or after? Anything unusual?"

"Coppers go missing from time to time, but that's a matter for the Guard and retrieval teams," Dodson deflected.

"And what of the students, did any go missing in that time?" Tobias continued as if speaking patiently to a child.

"I don't know, but that would be more unusual," he stammered.

"Do you keep records?" Tobias snapped.

Dodson flinched. "Why... Yes, yes, Ranger, we do."

"Then I want you to compile all records for me, going six months back and forward, and have them delivered to the Prancing Cockatrice," he rose briskly.

"Of course, and if there is anything else you'd think to need, you are but to ask," he bowed and held out his hand.

Tobias looked at it, then turned and left.