His assumption was nothing more than a hunch, but it felt right.
After all, there were no coincidences.
He returned to Landow Academy and asked to meet the headmaster. Ignoring the man’s angry glares, Brandt asked if he could see the student roster. The headmaster complained but complied.
Sure enough, there she was. An Alena, on university track.
Brandt thanked the headmaster and left without another word. That afternoon he waited outside the academy as it let out. He had dressed in inconspicuous clothes to better blend in with the crowds.
He spotted her without a problem, the mere sight of her causing his fist to clench. It was the girl from his memory. She had been involved, and he would find out the truth of what had happened that night.
He waited until she walked past him, then turned and followed. He had no specific plan. All he knew was that he wanted to question her. He tailed her as she walked toward one of the nicer neighborhoods in town.
Then she disappeared.
He blinked, trying to understand what had happened.
A cart had passed between them, and after, she was gone, as though she’d never existed. He spun around, but couldn’t see her anywhere.
Then he heard a voice behind him. She was trying to sound tough, but a slight tremble in her voice gave her away. “It’s rude to follow someone.”
She had long, dark hair and full lips. But Brandt was drawn immediately to her eyes. They were as sharp as his sword, and they missed nothing. He could see the fear within them, though. Alena was tough, but the events of the last two weeks had strained her. They weren’t the eyes of a killer.
His gut told him that she was innocent of the worst of the crimes. “I want to know what happened the night my wolfblades were killed.”
Those sharp eyes studied him for a moment. Most days, Brandt realized he expected the authority inherent in his position to be enough. It worked with the headmaster, as well as Commander Scot. This girl didn’t seem to hold the same respect for authority, though. She would choose to trust him based on her own assessment.
She gestured toward a nearby teahouse. “You’re buying.”
Not long after they sat at a table in the corner of the teahouse, partially hidden from most of the other patrons. Brandt noticed that Alena’s eyes never rested long in one place. No wonder he hadn’t been able to follow her without being discovered. She possessed the skills Niles someday hoped to have.
Alena poured herself a cup of tea, her hands only betraying a slight tremor. It was some of the most expensive there. She took a deep sip, then met his gaze. “How much do you know?”
“Assume I know nothing.”
“An easy assumption.”
The words were biting, but the tone was not. The girl was quick-witted and probably couldn’t help it. Her blush of embarrassment was proof enough of that.
Suddenly, Brandt missed his fellow wolfblades. Their banter had drawn them together. Once a warrior reached a certain status, others tended to treat them with deference. The military thrived on the system, but without peers to keep one in check, the deference could go to one’s head.
Alena eased that burden, just a little. Without further prompting, she launched into her story, beginning with her apprenticeship with Bayt.
Another full pot of tea later, she finished. Her head was down, her gaze focused on the table between them. “Ryder saved my life.”
Brandt fought the storm of emotions battering his calm facade. Ryder could be a pain, but he had always had his heart in the right place. Like everyone else, he was gone now, in no small part due to the actions of this girl.
Brandt wanted to hit her and comfort her at the same time. She was a thief, yes, but perhaps it was more accurate to say that she had been playing at being a thief. She was foolish, but wise enough to recognize her own foolishness.
He was so distracted he didn’t realize that he hadn’t responded to her. He’d let the silence stretch between them.
“What will you do?” she asked.
He wasn’t sure. He was well within his rights to kill her and be done with the matter. She had freely confessed to crimes punishable by death.
But he didn’t think she had told him everything.
More than that, his people had died trying to save her life. To kill her now seemed disrespectful to their memories.
Uncertain, he turned the question back on the girl. “What will you do?”
She looked up. “If you allow me to live, I plan on finding out who the bandit is. If Niles finds out about my involvement, he will kill me. The only way to save myself is to uncover the truth.”
“And how will you accomplish that?” The girl might be clever, but why would she succeed where so many others had failed?
“Bayt wasn’t just a thief and a smuggler. He collected information, as well. I’m hoping that some of that information will guide me.”
Brandt leaned back and sipped at his tea. He decided he didn’t want to kill the girl. It was nothing but noting the feelings in his body. His wolfblades had died for her. Mistaken or not, their fates had been set before this meeting even began. “How can I help?”
“What do you know? Right now, I have a pile of information, but without context, I don’t know what to search for.”
“Not enough. I suspect that he comes from wealth. His martial skill must have required years of dedicated training.”
“Why not just a soldier?”
“I think he has served. But his skill goes far beyond what the military provides. I’d also like to believe I would have heard of such skill if he was still in the military. He’s more than talented enough to join the ranks of the wolfblades. I imagine he served for a year or two, then left.”
“And he has a
