A clipped voice wafted into the suite. “The Lord Praesidio requests your party’s presence down in the grand study.”
With a nod from George, Ziri pulled open the door further to reveal a livery-clad sentry standing on the other side.
“All of us?” Jax asked, curious as to why they were being summoned. It was possible, she supposed, that the thief had already been caught.
“Yes, Your Grace. I’ll escort you all there, now.”
Jax and her friends followed the guardsman out onto the landing and down the stairs to the main floor. He halted at a large mahogany door and rapped a staccato beat against the polished wood.
Lord Ashcroft promptly appeared in the entryway. “Our friends from Saphire. Excellent,” he said as he pulled back the door. “Come in, please, and find a seat.”
Jax shared an uneasy look with George, who stood taut at her side. Together, they entered the massive, domed chamber, lined with tables and chairs. Jax had spent many hours of her youth here in this room, working on her studies, giggling with her friends. There had always been a pleasant hum of activity in the grand study. Now, it was veiled in chilly silence.
But they were not alone. Several figures sat on the far side of the room, all gathered around one of the larger tables. As they neared, Jax spotted Carriena slouched in a chair, a scowl across her pretty face.
When Carriena locked eyes with Jax, she straightened. “Goodness, there you are! We thought all this hubbub had something to do with you.” She motioned to the six other people seated at the long table.
Jax gave her friend a tight smile but kept her mouth shut. It was clear Lord Ashcroft had not explained the purpose of this little summit, and she knew it wasn’t her place to share the events of the afternoon.
Jax sat next to Carriena, silently indicating for George and Ziri to find seats. She was eager to see what Lord Ashcroft had in store for them.
The esteemed Lord Praesidio took his place at the head of the table, where he remained standing. “I apologize for the disruption to your afternoons, but I’m afraid there’s been an incident.”
Headmaster Ezarath, who sat a few chairs down from Jax, crossed his arms, his wrinkled face an annoyed mask. “First you whisk Master Yokudran away for some unknown reason, ruining my staff meeting, and now this? What in the Virtues is going on, Ashcroft? As headmaster, I have a right to know.”
Ashcroft dipped his chin in conciliation. “Of course, Headmaster. I deemed it appropriate to explain the situation in front of you all at once, due to this being a grave security breach.”
Jax couldn’t resist a slight smirk at the power struggle playing out in front of her.
“Security breach?” came a light, breathy voice.
Jax quickly located its owner, seated at the end of the table next to George. The woman cut a striking figure with dark hair and porcelain skin. She had almost an ethereal quality to her, ghostlike, as if she had never ventured out into the sun.
Carriena leaned close to Jax and whispered in her ear. “That’s Mistress Nightingale. She’s one of the new professors the headmaster has hired in the past few weeks, to replace those who failed to return to their posts.”
Jax simply nodded her understanding, as she wanted to hear Lord Ashcroft’s explanation.
“I’m sorry to report that Master Gautherd was attacked earlier this afternoon while working in the archives. Duchess Jacqueline and Captain Solomon found him unconscious, but thankfully, alive.”
A flurry of gasps broke out around the table, with several inquiring looks fluttering between Jax and George.
“Attacked?” Headmaster Ezarath seemed aghast at the news. “Virtues, I requested the gates be barred to all visitors, Ashcroft. How did some fiend penetrate our defenses?”
Lord Ashcroft squared his shoulders. “Headmaster, given the circumstances, I’m inclined to believe we’ve been deceived by a friend, not a fiend.”
Ezarath sputtered. “What in Virtues is that supposed to mean?”
“With the increased security you requested, my men have confirmed that no one has left the confines of the Academy. We have sentries stationed at all possible exits, even hidden ones. No one could have left the grounds of the Academy unnoticed.”
A suave, refined gentleman seated across from the headmaster cleared his throat. “Well, doesn’t that suggest that the culprit is still at large somewhere in the fortress?”
“That’s Kareem Daghir,” Carriena whispered in explanation. “He’s the Deputy Headmaster under Ezarath. He graduated the year before we entered the Academy.”
Jax studied the thirty-something-year-old man. His olive skin and dark, glossy hair hinted at his Kwatalarian birth, and the crest on his midnight blue, short-sleeved robes confirmed it, bearing a royal seal of the Kwatalarian ducal court. A court she now oversaw.
Lord Ashcroft nodded acknowledgment. “The Praesidio have already completed their preliminary search and found no intruder. But I would agree the culprit is still inside these walls, Deputy Headmaster.”
His words hung suggestively in the air.
Carriena broke the strained silence with a scoff. “Are you suggesting one of us had something to do with this, Ashie?”
Ashcroft grimaced at her use of his unsanctioned nickname. “I would be a fool not to explore every available suspect, Mistress Carriena.” He held up his hand as the table exploded into affronted protests. “Please, I do not relish this. I am just doing my duty to protect the Academy and its inhabitants.”
“Has Master Gautherd recovered from the attack? Can he shed any light on this?” Ezarath asked once everyone had quieted down.
Master Yokudran spoke up. “He’s resting in the infirmary now. I’ve examined his wound and the swelling is already subsiding, but the poor man has no memory of either the incident or his attacker. He’s very agitated about some documents that he believes to be missing, but he would not speak further about their contents or why they would be stolen.”
Jax met George’s curious gaze from across the table. Master Gautherd had chosen to remain silent about the existence of the providence documents. Did he not trust Yokudran?
Ezarath’s cheeks ballooned as he sputtered. “Stolen documents? You mean, the Academy has been robbed, as well?”
Lord Ashcroft ignored the headmaster’s outburst. “Master Gautherd may not have seen his attacker, but once he was settled in the infirmary, he was able to provide some insight about when the attack occurred. One of the last things he remembers clearly is glancing at the clock in the processing room. The time was twelve-fifteen.” He paused, his amber gaze surveying the group around the table. “The Duchess of Saphire,” he resumed, extending his arm toward Jax, “and Captain Solomon of the Ducal Guard found Master Gautherd unconscious shortly after one.”
Jax shifted uncomfortably at the attention Lord Ashcroft had drawn to her, but inwardly, her growing tension melted. This new information explained why Lord Ashcroft had been so quick to dismiss her and her friends as suspects. If Master Gautherd had been attacked sometime shortly after twelve-fifteen, the Saphire delegation had still been dining with the headmaster. Their luncheon hadn’t ended until twelve forty-five, when the headmaster and Carriena departed for their staff meeting.
“Given that we know Master Gautherd was attacked sometime between twelve-fifteen and one, I’d like to get a statement from everyone here as to your whereabouts at that time.” Lord Ashcroft smiled congenially. “Just so we can eliminate you all and continue our search of the castle. Master Casimeer, might you go first?”
Toward the end of the table where Lord Ashcroft stood, one of the remaining strangers bowed his head. Master Casimeer was a stoic, broad-shouldered man who looked more like a warrior than a scholar. His dark skin reminded Jax of the night sky, his fiery amber eyes like starbursts. “Of course, Lord Praesidio. Kareem and I took tea out in the courtyard,” he paused, sending a soft smile toward the deputy headmaster. The action was intimate and tender. “We came inside a littl
e after twelve, after getting caught in a passing rain shower. We went to our respective rooms to change, then met inside the second-floor lounge at one for the staff meeting.” He looked to Ezarath now, his gaze narrowing slightly. “Kareem, Carriena, and I were the only ones to arrive on time for the headmaster’s meeting.”
“I see.” Lord Ashcroft’s eyes settled on the headmaster. “Is this true, Ezarath? You were late for your own meeting?”
Ezarath gave a disgruntled snort. “My impromptu luncheon with the Saphire delegation sidetracked my schedule. I left Mistress Carriena for only a moment to go to my study to retrieve my notes.”
Carriena cleared her throat. “I will vouch for the headmaster, Ashie. Our luncheon with the Saphire group ended at twelve forty-five, and we left the dining hall together. We had almost reached the lounge when Ezarath realized he’d forgotten his notes. He hurried away to his study and was back not ten minutes later.” She folded her arms as she leaned back against the back of her chair. “Hardly enough time for Ezarath to dash down to the archives and bash poor Gautherd on the head.”
Ezarath bristled. “I don’t need anyone to ‘vouch’ for me, Mistress Carriena. I am the headmaster of the Academy, for Virtues’ sake.”
Lord Ashcroft ignored the headmaster’s barbed remark, instead returning his focus to Carriena. “Ten minutes, you say? Were you also alone during that time, Mistress?”
Carriena’s brow furrowed. “Yes, I suppose so, until Kareem and Casimeer showed up. But as I just said, to get down to the archives and back up to the second-floor lounge in such a short amount of time, one would need to possess superhuman speed.”
Or have access to the Praesidio’s security passages. Jax mulled over the possibility that the culprit could have used the hidden stairwells to remain undetected and out of sight. The Praesidio did not patrol the passages regularly, and although they were kept secret from students, most of the staff had to know of their existence.
“Deputy Headmaster, do you have anything to add to Master Casimeer’s account?” Lord Ashcroft turned his attention to the handsome Kwatalarian man.
“Only that I changed very quickly in order to stop by the main library before making my way toward the lounge,” Kareem Daghir replied, his smooth accent a lilting lullaby. “In my downtime, waiting for students to return, I’ve been doing some research on the Code of Succession.” His eyes slid toward Jax. “In light of Duchess Kwatalar’s passing, I grew rather curious about this mysterious doctrine that has placed my homeland in the hands of a foreign court.”
The cool rebuke sent a shiver down Jax’s spine. How had he learned of her impending ascension? Had Ezarath and his spies informed him? What’s more, had Daghir sent word to the advisors in Duchess Amyra’s broken court? Virtues, how she wished the headmaster had kept his findings to himself. If Kwatalar learned about the Code of Succession through unsanctioned channels before the Saphire Ducal Guard arrived in the duchy with the news, it could spell more unwanted angst.
“Did anyone see you in the library?” Lord Ashcroft asked.
The Academy’s main library was attached to the great study they all sat in now. Since the archives contained precious treasures from around the realm, a more functional library had been curated for everyday use and was used mostly by students, not professors.
Daghir shook his head, a wisp of dark hair falling in his face. “No, my lord. However, I do believe I spotted Mistress Nightingale in the hall upon leaving, but she was heading toward the astrology tower, not the lounge.”
Mistress Nightingale released a musical titter. “Oh really, Kareem? How convenient that you spotted me, and yet, I didn’t spy you.” Although her tone was light, it was tinged with accusation.
“What were you doing heading toward the astrology tower, Mistress?” Lord Ashcroft countered. “Searching the stars hardly seems like something a political scientist would concern herself with.”
At Jax’s questioning gaze, Carriena explained in a hush, “Vera is a political scholar. She specializes in historical treaties and accords.”
“You misunderstood my response, dear Ashcroft.” Mistress Nightingale’s ageless features turned hard. “I was nowhere near the astrology tower this afternoon. The deputy headmaster must have seen someone else.”
“Preposterous,” the deputy headmaster scoffed. “Who else would I have mistaken you for, Vera?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know, Kareem. Perhaps you saw no one at all.”
“Enough,” Lord Ashcroft snapped. “If you weren’t near the astrology tower, Mistress Nightingale, then where were you?”
“Rowan and I,” she motioned with a graceful flick of her delicate wrist to the figure across from her, “spent most of our morning in the conservatory. He asked for my assistance repotting some herbs that had been neglected whilst the Academy was closed, and I acquiesced.”
“You left well before twelve, though, Vera.”
Jax focused on the final stranger at the table. With sharp features, he exuded an aura of self-confidence not normally found in lifelong scholars. Long, dark blond hair hung past his shoulders, his handsome face smooth and clean-shaven. His tailored clothes looked expensive, and despite the warm weather, he was the only one at the table wearing a robe with long sleeves. She guessed his fair skin was unaccustomed to the harsh sun and balmy southern climate.
Vera bristled at his curt remark. “I needed to bathe and change before the staff meeting, seeing as I was covered in dirt.”
“Master Lotus,” Lord Ashcroft gave a surname to the stranger named Rowan, “you say Mistress Nightingale left before twelve?”
Master Rowan Lotus dipped his chin. “Yes, but to be fair, the conservatory is right by the entrance to our suites and I saw her go up.”
“Did she come down?”
Master Lotus gave a sad smile. “I’m afraid I do not know. Not long after she left, I gave up on my task and went down to the kitchens to fetch a cup of tea. Chef Peregane can verify my being there. We chatted for a time, and then I went upstairs to my own room to quickly change before making my way to the staff meeting.”
“A meeting which you were late to,” Vera purred with a smirk.
Master Lotus ignored the barb in her comment. “Chef Peregane had a great deal to say about the impromptu arrival of a certain guest.” His golden gaze fell to Jax. “I simply lost track of time.”
“What about you, Master Yokudran?” Lord Ashcroft asked the portly healer. “What were you up to during this time?”
Master Yokudran dabbed at his forehead, either nervous about the subject or winded from scurrying around the fortress in order to assist the ailing Gautherd. “I’m afraid my account is rather boring. I was doing some research of my own, right here in the study.” He motioned around the room. “In fact, I believe I remember hearing the library door open at one point, which I suppose would have been Deputy Daghir popping in.” He glanced at his superior with a trepid smile. “I was quite absorbed by my work, so I don’t recall the exact time.” His cheeks grew pink. “I tend to lose track when reading. It’s why I was a few minutes late for the staff meeting. Why, I’d hardly settled in when you came to whisk me away to tend to Master Gautherd’s injuries.”
“Well, there you have it.” Daghir puffed out his chest. “The Academy staff were all accounted for during the time this crime was committed.” The deputy headmaster’s eyes narrowed. “Can the same be said for the Saphire delegation? It is quite odd that they arrive and tragedy befalls us not two hours later.”
“That’s enough, Kareem,” Headmaster Ezarath snapped. “I will not have you insulting the honor of the Duchess. She and her companions were dining with me at the time Master Gautherd was attacked.”
Tension boiled between the two men until Daghir finally broke his defiant stare.
Lord Ashcroft cleared his throat, and Jax wondered if the Lord Praesidio was accustomed to dealing with the two warring egos on either side of him. “I thank you all for your personal accounts, and
again apologize for the inconvenience this has all caused.” He gave them all a conciliatory bow. “The deputy headmaster has made a valid point: Since everyone here was accounted for during the time of the attack, it is clear to me that the culprit must still be hiding somewhere in the castle.”
Jax frowned at his immediate dismissal that anyone around this table could be involved. From what she’d heard, there’d been ample time for several of the Academy professors to dash downstairs and assault Master Gautherd. She found it unreasonable that the Lord Praesidio was prepared to clear them all of suspicion.
“For everyone’s safety,” Ashcroft continued, “I am assigning you each an escort from the Praesidio. I cannot take the chance that this phantom culprit will not strike again.” He snapped his fingers, and several armored knights strode into the room. “These men will accompany you throughout the rest of your afternoon, but rest assured, you will hardly realize they are there.”
Mistress Nightingale snorted, eyeing the Praesidio closest to her. “How am I supposed to get any research done with someone breathing down my neck?”
“I know the situation is not ideal, but until the culprit is apprehended, I’m afraid I must insist upon these measures for your own safety.” Lord Ashcroft motioned toward the doorway. “You are all free to go. I shall provide updates on our search in due time.”
Jax shared an anxious glance with Carriena as everyone rose from the table. Ashcroft was just releasing them all into the wild? What about further ironing out the missing gaps of time in each alibi they had just heard? In her opinion, this entire investigation was being handled incredibly poorly.
“Duchess Jacqueline,” Lord Ashcroft’s voice cut through her troubled thoughts, “if you and your party wouldn’t mind remaining behind, the headmaster and I do have some additional questions to ask.”
Jax hoped she’d imagined the look of smug triumph on Daghir’s face as he departed the room, arm-in-arm with Master Casimeer. He obviously believed Lord Ashcroft planned to interrogate their party.
Shooting a quick glance at an expressionless Ezarath, Jax gave a nod of agreement, signaling to Ziri and George that they should reclaim their abandoned seats.
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