Page 5 of Prowess Trials
“You assaulted Lady Leralynn.” River’s voice was too calm by half. “Is there a reason I shouldn’t castrate you right here?”
“LadyLeralynn?” Zake spat on the floor. “Is that her latest set of lies? I assure you, Leralynn is no more a lady than I am.”
River’s hand twitched at his side before he could stop it.
“More to the immediate point, I’ve information you need. That you can have.” Zake’s manicured but now filthy fingers played nervously on the bars. “I know about the fae’s plans. All of them. But I require—”
“Master Zake—” River held up his hand, silencing the babbling. “Have you evidence of even a single fae near the Academy? Not deductions or theories— but hard facts?”
“What in stars’ name do you mean? You were talking to one not two minutes past.” Zake pointed to the door Coal left through moments earlier, his voice rising to fill the dungeon. “Did you not see his ears? And Leralynn’s? That bitch is a lying whore who—”
River caught his own swinging fist a moment before it could shatter whatever bits of nose and sanity Zake had left, slamming his knuckles into the metal bars instead. On another day, perhaps, he could have patiently sifted through the prisoner’s twists of lucidness and insanity. But not today. Not now.
It was difficult to believe Coal had listened to or believed anything the dimwitted man said. But then again, two days ago, River would never have imagined himself capable of sabotaging the Academy’s exams to let a student cheat. On that note, two days ago, Tye would have happily gutted Leralynn, and here he was today, proposing. One strange behavior was an anomaly. Two could be a coincidence. But three? Could Leralynn possibly hold that kind of sway over men’s minds? Or was magic involved after all?
River backed away from the bars, heading for the door.
“Commander!” Zake called to River’s retreating back. “Wait.”
River didn’t turn around.
He found the captain of the Academy’s guard as soon as he left the dungeon. “Spread orders that no face- or head-concealing garments may be worn inside the Academy or the Prowess arena,” he ordered. “I don’t care what the fashion, I want everyone visible.”
“Yes, sir.” The captain obeyed quickly, turning to convey River’s order. “Anything else?”
River ran a hand through his hair. “Shuffle all guard shifts. Randomly. I want no predictability as to which man is where and when. The servants too.”
The captain’s eyes widened in protest, but River walked off before the strange order could be questioned. With only hours remaining until the opening ceremonies, he would spare no effort to ensure the guests’ and students’ safety, no matter how much it inconvenienced the guards. This arrangement would reduce efficiency, but if there were any more imposters like the prisoner, any plans and routines they might rely on would be disrupted. It was something.
It was also the last proactive decision River got to make, with the morning rolling into the natural chaos of final royal arrivals.
Within a quarter hour of walking out of the keep, River was too busy to think, much less plan. No, an exception could not be made to allow the Yulti king to house his dozen traveling concubines in separate suites in the keep. Yes, the same honor guard of veteran soldiers had to meet and escort all royals around the grounds, even if said royals tried to wave the extra security off. No, Lady Gertrude could not wear her snake garb if it covered her face and ears, no matter how lucky the snake was.
With Lady Gertrude’s shrill discontent still echoing in his ears, the sight of an Academy instructor chatting away with a man in a deep-hooded cloak sent a streak of irrational fury through River’s veins. Reining himself into a dignified gait, River set course for where Han and his companion huddled in the shadow beneath the arena’s wooden risers, their voices low in a discussion that was plainly meant to be private. Well, if Han couldn’t be bothered to respect River’s orders concerning concealing garments, River felt few qualms about interrupting—or stepping away from the path where the bleacher’s setup carried the men’s quiet voices. At least River presumed the bleachers were to blame for the magnification, because there was no other reason his ears should have picked up a discussion happening twenty yards away.
“What are you doing here?” Han asked, his black hair and crisp red Prowess uniform hugging corded muscle. Even in the shadows, the Prowess trainer’s strange pale eyes flashed bright with anger.
“I’ve learned that a certain stain of a human got himself arrested.” The hooded figure’s equally quiet voice was rich with confidence. And unfamiliar. “We can’t allow—”
“Zake lost his mind along with a good deal of blood.” Han crossed his arms, his attention split between his companion and a high flip Tyelor was practicing above the horizontal bar, one final pass before guests flooded into the arena and Sage announced the commencement of the Prowess Trials. “No one believes his ramblings.”
Zake? What did Leralynn’s attacker have to do with anything? His chest tightening, River changed course to position himself behind the central stage, the annoyance over Han’s companion’s hood giving way to more pressing questions. Bending low to pretend interest in a wooden support strut, River focused on the quiet words.
The hooded figure grabbed Han’s wrist. “You knew the idiot was arrested?”
“It makes no difference.”
“That isn’t your decision,” the stranger hissed. “I’ve indulged your little side hobby long enough. I won’t be taking a risk to let you race your bloody hamsters.”
“Humans,” Han corrected, sending a shiver along River’s spine. This was the second time the word “human” had been uttered in this conversation as if it were a curse word—as if its speakers were anything but. “Same brain, but more muscle. And a third of them aren’t even here yet. This is simply an opening exhibition.”
The stranger released Han’s wrist with a noise of disgust and turned away, Han turning back to his athletes with an unreadable expression.
Quietly straightening from his crouch, River followed in the hooded man’s steps as he left the arena through the far exit. Something wasn’t right. Well, many things were not right. And River was done watching and waiting and arguing with people who were either too greedy to think straight or too deeply conniving to tell the truth. From now on, River intended to keep his own counsel. Ask his own questions.
Dogging the hooded man into the thick band of forest that hid the Academy’s wall from view, River finally decided to drop stealth for the sake of efficiency. They were far enough away now that any confrontation would keep clear of cadets and their guests, which was the best River had time for just now. Raising his head, River added his voice to the wind. “A moment of your time, sir.”
No answer, just a red cloak flashing in between brilliant green branches.
