Inessa was curled up in the library, trying to read. She had tried asking the servants to help find a tutor to continue to teach her, but there wasn’t one found. Pablo said he would look for one, but that had been days ago. She tried not to think about it too hard. Surely it might be difficult to find a tutor for her. Especially among the upper class, what with the rumors. She hoped it wasn’t because Pablo or the staff were simply ignored her request. It was just odd, adjusting to a new person in the house. Especially a new matron of the home.
She heard a carriage approaching, and she hurried to her feet. She gathered her skirts, rushing out of the library, through the hall, and out the door. The carriage hardly stopped before Indenuel climbed out, smiling as he caught her, kissing her. Inessa hugged him tightly, holding him, making sure he was real, never wanting to let go again, but knowing she had to.
“I missed you,” Indenuel said, still holding her.
“I missed you. So much,” Inessa said. She clung to him, feeling herself smile for the first time since he was arrested. “Have you gotten fatter since your stay in the dungeon?”
Indenuel laughed. “Quite possibly, yes. Sara managed to sneak some of her cooking into the dungeon.”
“Right. I heard about Tolomon and Nathaniel,” Inessa said, turning her head to see Tolomon standing not that far. “Are you alright?”
“Fine,” Tolomon said with a slight bow. “Thank you for asking.”
“I do not believe you, but I’ll let it go for now,” Inessa said, still hugging Indenuel. She rested her head against his chest, trying again to believe this was real.
Indenuel broke away, taking her hand as he walked toward the house.
“Have you had breakfast yet, sir?” Pablo asked.
“I’ve had enough, thank you Pablo. I will be expecting guests for lunch. Nathaniel and Rosa will be over, and if everything goes well, Inessa, Tolomon, and I will be spending a few days at their home,” Indenuel said.
“Very well.”
Inessa frowned, looking at him. “‘If everything goes well’? What does that mean?”
Indenuel glanced around before smiling at her. “Not here. I’ll explain later.”
Inessa wasn’t satisfied with that answer. She stopped walking, glancing between him and Tolomon. “Are you… are you planning on getting arrested again?” she whispered.
“No, no. Nothing like that,” Indenuel said, rubbing her arms. “Well, we most likely won’t get arrested.” He gave Tolomon a questioning look, causing his bodyguard to shrug. “Pretty sure we won’t.”
Inessa nodded, trying not to feel like her heart was caving in on itself. “Right. Of course.”
“Inessa, come on,” Indenuel pulled her in for another hug. “It’ll be alright.”
“I’ve just… I’ve really missed you,” she whispered. She hated sounding so desperate. It had been lonely for the past few days. Granted, it couldn’t be nearly as horrible as trying to help Nathaniel and Tolomon heal from a deadly lashing, but she couldn’t deny this was hard.
“I’ve missed you too,” Indenuel said, giving her another kiss. “Come on, let’s go inside.”
***
Nathaniel and Rosa did everything possible to make it seem like a social call. Indenuel, in the quiet of their room, had told Inessa the corruption of the Graduates and what they were planning to do. He could see the fear play across her face, but she nodded, just as determined to stop it.
They had lunch in the dining hall. To be honest, Tolomon acted like it was any other day. It was Nathaniel, still walking stiff, resting often and looking paler, that made Indenuel remember that they had both gotten twenty-five lashings only a couple days ago. Martin did as he promised, checked their backs and sent Nathaniel to his family. As it had been a few days out and they weren’t getting another lashing, Indenuel could only assume it worked.
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They were in Indenuel’s study, chairs all around the desk as Nathaniel vocalized the plan. There was a seat for Tolomon, but he was too busy pacing.
“I don’t like it,” Tolomon said.
“Do you have another plan?” Nathaniel asked.
Tolomon grunted in a way that sounded like, “Several.”
“Let me clarify, then. Do you have another plan that could work quicker?” Nathaniel asked.
“Do you realize what you are suggesting?” Tolomon asked.
Rosa shook her head. “It’s my idea, Tolomon. I’m not afraid.”
“It’s not just you. Your entire family could be targeted. There are a hundred ways to draw you out, and they could use deadly force. Adrian falling in a river. Tomas getting bit by a snake. Diego having a deadly accident at the King’s Militia,” Tolomon said.
Nathaniel nodded, leaning back with his cup of tea. “If you were given this assignment to kill Rosa, how would you complete it?”
Tolomon barely glanced at Nathaniel before he grew silent, his mind thinking. “Poison her with something innocent. Something a child might accidentally drop into a wine glass. Make it so an actual child, Adrian or Tomas, be the one that gave her the…” Tolomon stopped talking, clearly uncomfortable with the thoughts in his head, though he still paced.
“You will be at our house for as long as it takes,” Nathaniel said. “And I’ll be there too. I’ve already asked off a week for recovery.”
“And I would wait until you return back to the palace to do this,” Tolomon said. “So many things could go wrong. This is your family, Nathaniel.”
“The only person doubting your abilities right now is you,” Nathaniel said.
Tolomon placed his hands behind his head, still pacing. “Pre-mission jitters. It’s all this is.”
Rosa stood up, handing Nathaniel her tea. She then walked over to Tolomon, stopping him from pacing, touching his shoulders, not his elbows. It surprised Tolomon enough that he looked at Nathaniel with a hint of worry before looking at her again. “You are going to be just fine. You and Nathaniel are two of the best swordsmen alive right now. I am willing to take this risk. There are thousands of children out there who I need to know are going to be safe. Countless others that need to be avenged. You can do this,” Rosa said.
“I know,” Tolomon said. “It’s just I… I love you.”
Rosa smiled. “I love you too.”
Indenuel raised an eyebrow, honestly expecting them to kiss, but he understood why they didn’t. Nathaniel, after all, was sitting right there.
Rosa let him go and walked over to Nathaniel, receiving her teacup back. He glanced between the two of them. “So, you weren’t going to kiss?” he asked.
Indenuel snorted.
“There’s the… um,” Rosa started to say.
“I’m still technically a Graduate,” Tolomon mumbled. “Even if the system is corrupt.”
“Not now.”
“You two are married. I’m pretty sure I’d go to Hell for kissing another man’s wife.”
Nathaniel shrugged, draining his tea. “I’m honestly fine with it. Even before when I thought she didn’t love me, I would have been fine with it.”
Inessa frowned, then glanced at Indenuel. He smiled, squeezing her hand, realizing he hadn’t told her about the three of them. “I’ll tell you later.”
Tolomon said nothing. He folded his arms, glancing out the window. “We should go. Nathaniel returns to the palace in a week, and we’ve got to draw them out before then.”
“By doing what?” Nathaniel asked.
“Starting rumors. Find a gossiping servant. I’ll hang around you two as much as possible, do my best to… to do what I’ve always done. Around her,” Tolomon said.
Nathaniel watched Tolomon carefully. “Is it because I’m here? Is that why you won’t kiss her?”
“Nathaniel,” Tolomon started to say.
“I know the gossipy servant you’re looking for. She loves drama, and if she spots you kissing her, that will send a whirlwind of rumors that would bring a Graduate over quickly,” Nathaniel said.
“I’m trying not to get Rosa hurt. Even if we survive this entire thing, she and I could still get the punishment of adulterers. You are very, very high up in the social class. We might be alright with hand brushing. Kissing would be too dangerous.” Tolomon said.
Nathaniel shrugged. “I’m quite sure the monarchy would understand once we gave them the proof.”
Tolomon shook his head. “And I’m quite sure Navir will make sure Rosa dies if we don’t get the proof to the monarchy. We try this way first.”
Nathaniel placed his teacup and saucer on the desk and stood up. “Alright. I guess. We should head back, then, and start this whole thing. Indenuel, do you have your things packed?”
“Pablo and the staff have been working hard, yes. We should be ready,” Indenuel said. Nathaniel patted him on the back, and Indenuel almost did the same but stopped himself, remembering what exactly happened to Nathaniel’s back.
“Is it, um, feeling at least a little better?” Indenuel asked.
“It gets better every day,” Nathaniel said. “Is Tolomon…?”
“I honestly forget sometimes that he was whipped,” Indenuel said.
Nathaniel’s smile was sad as he shook his head. “I honestly wonder what goes on in the Graduate program.”
“I feel like we’re just getting a taste of it right now,” Indenuel said as they left the study.