The Skyhome Academy

The intendent’s office proved to be a large, richly furnished room with a high ceiling. There were several expensive paintings on the walls, shelves of ornate tomes, and small sculptures on stone pedestals. The largest image hung behind the baron’s desk—a dignified portrait of the king.

Off in one corner were wanted posters for the top five criminals sought by the government. Public enemy number one was of course Rohesia Griffonskull. The colored image showed a pretty but grim-faced young woman with dark auburn hair held back in a bun.

Rose, Emma, Simon, and Mage Isabel were all seated before the desk. The young noble’s father stood behind her.

Baron Tessel briefly leaned back in his chair. “That was a troubling story, Cadet Spellshield. But I can’t be completely sure it wasn’t fabricated to avoid punishment for breaking curfew.”

“I’d accept a year’s detention if it meant there would be an investigation into what happened, Sir.”

“Well, there’s no reason it should come to that. With your father’s permission, I could view the memory myself…?”

Rose looked behind her to see her father’s concerned expression. “It’ll be fine,” she reassured him. He nodded to the intendent.

The young noble felt a sudden sense of vertigo—the baron had entered her mind with his telepathy. The office disappeared from her awareness. Images of the last several hours came unbidden to her, drawn forth to her consciousness by the archmage. Finally—

—Rose heard a rough masculine voice through an open door some distance ahead. “…⁠the day can’t come soon enough. I want to be there to see that arrogant prince die.”

Treason! Rose ran toward the doorway, with her companions following her. She drew her wand and cast her arcane shield—

—And just as suddenly as this departure from reality had begun, she was seated before the baron once more. As she had relived the memory, Rose had been unaware that it was the past rather than the present she had been experiencing.

“It’s a disturbing sensation, isn’t it?” Baron Tessel lamented. “I apologize, Cadet…and also thank you for your honesty. The incident was exactly as you described—after all, I highly doubt a first year would have the expertise to fake a memory.”

“She’s only had introductory training in telepathic self-defense,” Rose’s father confirmed.

The baron nodded. “Now that I’ve examined the memory…those words are concerning, but we can’t be sure there was a real threat behind them. Some of the more foolish peasants sympathize with the traitors and say such things in private. But it doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll take up a wand against the Crown.”

“Or it could be that we’re all in danger, Sir.” Rose countered. “That illegal pamphlet that got dropped at the beginning of the year⁠—”

Baron Tessel interrupted her with a slight chuckle. “I’m aware of the threat in the pamphlet. Your father already shared your theory with me. I’m satisfied that the traitors don’t have the resources to launch a successful assault on this castle.”

“But what if they had help from the inside?”

“I appreciate your vigilance, Cadet. But I personally oversee the background checks done on all peasants who come to live at this academy. More than a handful of malcontents slipping through our screening process strains credibility.”

Rose’s father now addressed the intendent. “Even still, Baron… In light of this incident, perhaps you’d reconsider my proposal to increase the castle’s garrison?”

“I’m sorry, but there’s simply no budget for additional security.”

“We could sell some of these paintings,” Mage Isabel said. “Sir.”

Tessel frowned slightly. “Lieutenant, you forget that the Skyhome Academy is the most important symbol of wealth and magical might in the Graylands. It wouldn’t do for our foreign cadets to report home having seen any sign of weakness.” He then chuckled once more. “Besides, there’s not much point to being a noble if you can’t keep around a few nice things.”

Rose looked around at the opulence of the office, and found that she agreed with Mage Isabel—surely some of this excess could be sacrificed without harming the academy’s image?

“Baron, shall I inform Prince Robert of this incident and conduct an investigation?” Rose’s father asked.

“Of course. Whether or not he had true ill-intent, whoever made those remarks should face legal repercussions. But be sure that your activities don’t interfere with the function of this academy—or cause any budgetary problems.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Baron Tessel then focused on the cadets once more. “Putting yourselves in danger was against academy rules…but I’ve decided to forego any punishment.” He smiled. “You’re dismissed, Cadets.”

“Thank you, Sir,” they said in unison.

Soon everyone save the baron had exited his office. “I would have given you all a month’s detention,” Mage Isabel said as she shut the door. She then focused on Emma and Simon. “I’ll bring you both back to your barracks.” They followed her into the elevator.

Meanwhile, Rose and her father lingered near the office. “Are you upset with me?” she asked him.

“I suppose I should be…but I would have done the same at your age.”

Rose smiled. “Did you get into trouble when you were a cadet?”

“I broke curfew for much more frivolous reasons than you did,” he said wistfully. “…⁠Don’t take after me in that.”

She nodded. “I’ll be responsible. …⁠Maybe I could even help you with the investigation somehow?”

The mage paused to consider this. “You could sit in on my interviews, to see if you can recognize the voice you heard.”

“I’ll do my best.”

They started slowly after the others. Rose decided to address something that had bothered her. “Do you think Baron Tessel took the situation seriously enough?”

“It’s not our place to question a high noble after his decision is made.”

“I know, but…”

“I’ll admit, I would have preferred a more forceful response. But I don’t have to look at the bigger picture like he does.

“You can be sure the baron has no motivation to go easy on the traitors—he lost his lands when they conquered them.”

“That sounds painful.” Her father nodded, and she brought them to a halt before they could enter the nearby elevator. “…⁠But you don’t think he could be getting soft because of his age?” she asked quietly.

“Not at all. I saw him in an exhibition match at last year’s tournament, and he still has the most fearsome spells I’ve ever seen. Don’t forget that the baron is an archmage—someone who can achieve mastery in every form of combat magic is as clever as they come.”

Rose nodded. “You’re right.”

“I usually am,” her father teased. They stepped into the elevator and sunk toward the dormitories.