Page 7 of A Court of Ash and Midnight
“If she is a spy, then…”
“You will be responsible!”
“I’m warning you, Julian—”
After nearly ten minutes of heated debate, they come back into the room. They’re both walking quickly, as if racing each other to get to me. I take two steps back, almost falling into the fire as the Commander approaches, his eyes burning with anger.
“When I find out who you’re working for, girl—and Iwillfind out—you’re going to regret ever coming here. You are surrounded by the most skilled warriors in all of Aureon. We know a thousand ways to kill a fae, and being as how you’re merely human, that number doubles.” He points a finger at my face. “I will be keeping a very close eye on you.”
I’m not sure how to respond to that at all, but Professor Julian saves me. “Come along with me, Embyr.”
“You’re dismissed from my office,” Commander Thornne says with an angry wave of his hand.
“We were already leaving,” Professor Julian snaps.
I have no idea what’s happening, but I do know I want to be as far away from the Commander as possible, so I hastily follow Professor Julian out of the room. When we reach the door, we turn left and begin to travel down a corridor that seems to stretch endlessly into the distance. This place is enormous.
“Well,” says Professor Julian once we’re a good ways down the hall, “I’m sorry you had to witness such unpleasantness.”
“I can’t say that I understand what’s happening,” I confess. “The Commander made it sound like I’m staying here. But I can leave. I really don’t need to impose…”
“If you leave, he’ll be further convinced you’re a spy for our enemies.” Professor Julian shoots me a sidelong glance. “Plus, if you’ve been on the run for so many years, don’t you want to figure out why?”
I shake my head in confusion. “But… how am I going to do that?”
“I’m going to help you, naturally.” The Professor shrugs, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.
“Why, though?” I’m genuinely taken aback.
He lets out a short laugh. “Well, I tend to want to help people in need. I am a Guardian after all. It’s what we do.”
I try to hide my surprise at this statement. The Professor hardly looks the type to wield a sword. “But the Commander is a Guardian, too, and he definitely doesn’t want to help me.”
“Commander Thornne is a very honorable man. He’s just not generally trusting of others… he has lived a long and complicated life. Seen things that most people have not.”
“So, if he’s the Commander of the Guardians, then what’s your role… or title or whatever?”
“Commander Thornne heads up physical training for the Guardians, and leads our army in times of war,” Professor Julian explains. “But I head up the academic and magical training for the Guardians. We run Viravalle together.”
“Viravalle?”
“Shadow’s Keep. Viravalle is its true name, in the old fae language.”
I nod. “So, you’re going to help me figure out why those men are after me.”
“And get your memories back,” he says with a shrug, as if it’s a simple undertaking.
He stops walking and turns to look at me. “Fate clearly brought you to these gates, Embyr. Commander Thornne was right about one thing—one cannot approach this place without encountering… shall we say, magical challenges. There is clearly something special about you. That’s likely why you’ve been hunted all these years.” He lifts a hand to my shoulder. “I will also admit, I am aterriblycurious being, and you present a very enticing mystery to solve.”
A shiver runs over me. “I promise you, there’s nothing special about me, Professor Julian. I appreciate the offer, but I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed in the end.”
“Nonsense. Why don’t you indulge me, and we’ll see where we end up.”
He begins walking again, and I follow at his elbow. “How did you convince the Commander to let me stay?”
“Oh.” He waves a hand in the air. “I told him if you really are a spy, it’d be better to keep you under our watchful eye. And also that if you are, he can feed you to the nightmare outside.”
I feel the blood drain from my face.
