Page 131 of Kingmakers, Year One

He means that if we’re caught, we’ll be executed ourselves.

I say, “There’s no recompense unless we get caught.”

I can tell Valon doesn’t like this idea at all, but he’s no rebel. He may be an Heir by title, but he’s a soldier by nature. He’ll do whatever Bram and I tell him to do.

Bram considers the idea for a moment. I see him accept it, anticipate it even, chis mouth twisting up in a smirk.

He says, “Accidents happen all the time. Especially in theQuartum Bellum.”

“Exactly.” I nod. “That’s exactly right.”

27

ANNA

Hedeon Gray and Ares help me carry Leo to the infirmary. Leo’s a fucking mess, and not just because of Dean. I’m pretty sure he had a hefty concussion going already before he even got in that fight. Now he’s coming to in fits and starts, mumbling things that don’t make any sense.

Even though we’re soaked in rain crossing the courtyard, Leo’s skin is burning.

The infirmary is located in a long, squat building that used to be used as a slaughterhouse for all the poultry, pigs, and cattle that provided meat for the castle. It’s hard to know if the lingering scent of iron in the air is from those long-dead creatures, or from all the students who have shed blood on the floorboards since then.

We hammer on the door, waking up Dr. Cross, who has his offices and apartments at the back of the building. Even after I see his light flick on, it still takes him a long time to pull the door open because he’s about a hundred years old.

Finally he cracks the door, peering up at us through his inch-thick glasses, wrapped up in a paisley dressing gown with his feet in gardening clogs.

“Why must you students always get yourselves in trouble at such inconvenient hours?” he sighs, by way of a greeting.

“Sorry,” Hedeon says. “Leo got pretty beat up in the challenge earlier. And then . . . he fell down the stairs and hit his head again.”

Hedeon isn’t dissembling for Dean’s benefit—while Dean would be in trouble for injuring Leo, Leo will be punished for fighting, too. There’s an unspoken agreement among students that fights are covered up at all costs, as long as both students remain alive.

Dr. Cross just rolls his eyes, opening the door wider to let us inside. He’s heard too many feeble excuses to bother even pretending to believe ours. The truth is glaringly obvious, since both Ares and Hedeon likewise show clear signs of a fight—Ares with blood in his teeth, and Hedeon with a deep tear in the neck of his shirt that shows the tattoo on his chest.

“Bring him in,” Dr. Cross croaks, shuffling across the uneven floor.

Ares and Hedeon haul Leo inside. Because the roof is so low, Ares knocks his head against the overhead lamp, sending it swinging so the shadows in the room veer wildly from side to side.

“Careful!” Dr. Cross says. “I don’t need any more patients at the moment.”

He shows Ares and Hedeon the cot where he wants Leo placed.

Hedeon throws Leo down hard enough that Leo lets out a groan.

“Watch it!” I say.

“He’s not exactly light!” Hedeon retorts. Hedeon has come a long way in improving his temperament this year, but he’s still sulky and quick to anger.

Swallowing my irritation, I say instead, “Thank you for carrying him. You guys can go if you want. I’ll stay with him.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” Hedeon smooths back his rain-soaked hair. “There was a pretty little Accountant eying me. She probably ran away during the brawl, but if not . . .”

Ares looks like he’s going to offer to stay, but then he glances between me and Leo and thinks the better of it.

“I’ll head off to bed,” he says. “See you at breakfast.”

The two boys file out, leaving me alone with Dr. Cross and Leo.

“Where’s everybody else?” I ask.

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