I couldn’t believe it. Sylvia had actually done it. I followed her into a low room, trying not to look too shocked. I couldn’t tell if it had been her constant sucking up to the guards, the way she’d demanded to speak to Flaviana every hour, or if the headmaster truly had gotten an opening in his schedule.

  No matter how she’d finally achieved it, we were here. Behind shown in for dinner with the Headmaster himself. I brushed off my dress self-consciously. I’d borrowed it from Sylvia, not because it was more formal here, but because I could hide my sword underneath it better. There was still a lump if you knew where to look, but it was better than nothing.

  We were ushered to two chairs at the end of a long table, the places already set. There wasn’t any food on the table yet, but there was wine. I allowed Sylvia to pour me a brimming goblet of it while I stared down the length of the table.

  Clearly, a fool had set this table. Otherwise they wouldn’t have put Sylvia and I on one end and the setting for the Headmaster on the other. We’d have to shout for him to hear us across all of that distance.

  Not that I cared, I told myself. I had never planned on speaking to the headmaster at all- I was strictly here to release the prisoners he had. And a bear, I suppose. This was all a chaos of Sylvia’s making. I took a long drink of wine and decided she could fix it.

  I had made it through three goblets of wine and was staring at the center candelabra, admiring the fire dancing, when the headmaster finally stomped in. He was a small man covered in a great deal of cloaks, as if that would make up for it. In comparison to Sylvia’s elaborate purple cloak, however, he still looked plain and a little frumpy.

  I took another gulp of wine and tried not to feel sympathetic. It was hard not to look frumpy next to Sylvia.

  “My lady,” he said, half bowing his head to Sylvia from across the room. “I see you brought your… servant?”

  “Who else would pour me wine?” Sylvia gestured vaguely. I started at the implication, then sighed and went to refill her goblet.

  “I see. Well, I must welcome you to these halls. You’ve certainly traveled a long way to speak to me.”

  He waved a hand, and a woman emerged out of the shadows. In her arms was a roast bird on a platter. “Please, eat your fill. Svena is an artist.”

  As soon as she placed down the tray, she skittered out of the room. Was she bringing sides or had she just run?

  If she was an artist, she still had some improvements to make, I decided as I trotted across the table and bent to carve the bird. Thankfully, while I was occupied Sylvia could keep the headmaster occupied. The third goblet of wine was a mistake.

  As much as I felt the wine coursing through my veins, my hand was still steady as I carved the bird. Some skills were hard to keep down.

  “Thank you,” said Sylvia. She had her politicing voice on. “I simply had to put the rumors to rest by checking on my sweet boy’s health. Although I wonder if this trip has helped me in that respect, given all of the… implications that have been made.”

  “Implications? How unfortunate.”

  I served up a plate for Sylvia, one for me, and after a moment of consideration served the headmaster too. He had the hood of his cloak up still, which was bizarre. Maybe he was bald and ashamed of it?

  Even as I slid the slices of bird in front of him, he avoided eye contact. Probably just too pretentious to speak to servants, I decided, but it didn’t feel quite right. Something was off about him.

  Be careful, Andrena hissed into my ear. I nearly jumped in the surprise, swinging around to see her tucked underneath the table.

  Stop doing that! I’m going to have a heart attack.

  I wouldn’t let you die that way, she said, sounding insulted. I do not like…

  What?

  There is something wrong, she told me. I will remain here. Watching.

  I stared, swaying a little, as she pulled herself back underneath the table. When I glanced back up, Lady Sylvia was staring at me. “Now, now, Madame,” she said, smiling so hard it was more of a grimace. “I know you’re concerned about good service, but this is a conversation with our dear friend. Perhaps it’s best if you sat down now.”

  Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

  Oh, yes. No one else could see Andrena. I’d just been standing and staring underneath the table.

  I tried to look coordinated as I took my seat again and tried to get a bite of bird. Food, that was what I needed. It would soak up my bad decisions.

  “All of this talk about upper division students,” Sylvia was saying. “This division was never mentioned to me during our correspondance. Is it some sort of honor? Why has my son not been elevated?”

  “The upper divison is certainly none of your concern,” said the headmaster. “It’s simply a way to refer to those who choose to remain in the military after their graduation. I seem to recall mention being made of Servius having a… home… to return to.”

  Sylvia had caught it too- that hesitation. “Are there many students without homes here?” she asked. “How sweet of you, to offer them a place to grow.”

  “Not all students want to return,” he said. “Who am I to deny them? Certainly we could use the manpower.”

  He drained his goblet. I pushed my chair back with a too-loud clatter and began to make my way over. “Ah, no need to serve me,” he said. I glanced between him and Sylvia.

  “Let her do it,” she said, waving a hand. “So delightfully obedient, my servant. She just loves to help.”

  She didn’t have to be rude about it. I grabbed the wine clumsily and leaned over to get his goblet. At first I thought he was just insecure, the way he kept leaning away from me- but then he turned towards me, and for a moment I could see his face.

  His eyes were burning green. And as he reached out to grab the goblet from me, his robe slid back just a bit. Beneath it, coiled around his wrist, was a gleaming cuff. The same type they’d used on Teuthida.

  “Thank you,” he said, short. He reached up and pulled the robe down. “Please return to your mistress now.”

  I bowed, barely able to believe what I’d seen. Is he… trapped? Why would they put one of the gods in charge?

  They must be hurting him, said Andrena. She’d peered out from underneath the table again. Her eyes were locked on the head of the table. No wonder I couldn’t find my sweet Cabellus! He’s been hidden by whoever’s forcing him to be here.

  Ah, yes. Now I remembered. Cabellus was Andrena’s godly husband. I hadn’t realized she actually had any affection for him. Although… maybe it was just her possessive nature.

  You have to get him out, she said, when I didn’t respond. He has such a gentle nature. I fear to think what’s happened to him!

  The god of war? A gentle nature? Maybe she really did love him. Although I wondered, if so, why it had taken Andrena so long to discover he was missing.

  I’ll do what I can, I told her. I put my hand over the lump of the blade. If I wanted to use it, I’d have to yank my skirts up. Hardly a subtle move. Let me think! I added, when Andrena gave me an annoyed look. Go back under the table if you’re just going to micromanage me.

  “I simply wonder why you need any manpower at all. This is a defunct base, is it not? I thought that was what made it safe to teach children here.”

  “It doesn’t hurt to be prepared, does it?”

  Sylvia gave him another blank smile. “Prepared for what? This is too far out of the way to have war with the west. Unless you were planning on another attack on the south…”

  “Why would we attack anyone?” His face was hidden across the table. I thought of those green eyes burning into me and felt a little nauseous. He wasn’t acting like Teuthida at all- he seemed almost content. Unless he’d just given up on escape? “Please, calm yourself, madame. They simply patrol the coast for beasts trying to escape the sea. It would be a pity if a child was caught by such creatures.”

  Sylvia didn’t seem to believe his claims, but she still gave him a smile. “It’s good to know you have no intent of attacking anyone,” she said.

  “I’m simply a headmaster,” he said. “I hardly affect policy. I’m just here to make sure all of our students have a full education.”

  He’d finished his plate. I lurched up again. If I could only get close… if his captors were waiting nearby, they might not hear a whispered offer. I might have to remove the cuffs, like I had with Teuthida, but at least he would know someone was on his side.

  “I am content with all the food I have,” he said as I approached, but I continued and leaned down as I placed the food in front of him.

  “If you wish to escape your bonds,” I said, “I can free you. I have a sword-”

  The headmaster pushed back from the table. His hood fell back, showing his blazing green eyes. “Guards,” he said, pointing at me. “There is an armed, dangerous element here! You were meant to check her, were you not? How could this have happened?”

  Lady Sylvia, always one for drama, gasped loudly. “How could she? I’ve trusted her with my children!”

  “This is all a misunderstanding,” I said, stepping back. I put both hands up. There were already guards flooding into the room- six of them. At their head was Flaviana, her face set in annoyance. “I was simply offering, uh, my help.”

  Everyone was facing me. I gulped. “I wanted to help defend the headmaster. All I said was that I was good with a sword.” I glanced over my shoulder. “After serving the Lady Sylvia for so long, I was, ah…”

  “Good with a sword, are you?” Flaviana was definitely delighting in my struggle. Had she told the headmaster I was a paladin? I wondered if she’d kept quiet, not wanting him to know what had happened at the temple. It certainly hadn’t looked good for her side of things.

  “I’m decent,” I replied. “You need manpower to fight off the beasts, don’t you? You should take me. I can help.”

  The guards were at a standstill. Flaviana turned to the headmaster, raising a brow. “What would you have me do with her?”

  “If she’s truly worthy, she would be useful,” he said. “Why not? Take her over, see how she fares.”

  “Where exactly are you taking me?”

  “You’ll see soon enough,” said Flaviana. She gave me another glance. “Hand over the sword before we go.”

  The bulge in my dress had betrayed me. I should have just worn my normal skirts. I fumbled underneath the mass of silk before finally emerging with the abyssal blade.

  I had a feeling I’d stumbled into something way out of my depth. As I left the room, following Flaviana, the guards all avoided eye contact. They were even kind, helping me down the stairs and offering me a spare lantern.

  Andrena?

  I stared out into the darkness, the cold wind biting as I tried to follow the guards. Flaviana stood behind me, a firm reminder I couldn’t run away.

  The goddess didn’t respond. I was truly alone. I shouldn’t have had all of that wine.