The first people who spotted them were Iolana and her mentor, an Adept whose name Jerinne had never learned.
“Saints above,” the Adept said. “What the blazes have you two been digging into? Heldrin, you look like you’ve fought the whole host of sinners.”
“Something like that,” Dayne said.
Iolana, meanwhile, was glaring at Jerinne.
“What?” Jerinne finally said.
“Why is it always you?” Iolana asked, and stalked off.
“Sorry,” the Adept said. “I’ll go have a word with her.”
“No need,” Jerinne said.
“We should go speak to the Grandmaster,” Dayne said. “Let’s not belabor that.”
He took the lead as they went up the stairs, past the Initiate bunks, past the gawks and stares, and then up to the Grandmaster’s aerie. Jerinne had never been up here before, and was surprised how easily Dayne just walked up without invitation or summons.
“Sir,” Dayne said as they entered, knocking on the doorframe. “If we could have a moment?”
Grandmaster Orren was at his desk, hunched over a pile of papers with a look of great consternation on his face. He looked up, and for a moment, there was a look of genuine shock on his face.
“Dayne!” he shouted, coming over with grace and speed that belied his age. “Miss Fendall. You both . . . I presume you’ve been in a situation.”
“You could say that,” Dayne said. “I want to take full responsibility for Jerinne. She should not be reprimanded for breaking curfew or missing training—”
“I don’t care about that,” the Grandmaster said. “I’m simply gratified you are both alive and safe. It . . . I presume you are unaware, but the Order has received something of a shock today, and . . .” He stumbled on his words, his throat choking. “I’m just happy to see you home.”
“What’s wrong?” Dayne asked. “How can I help?”
“Dear saints,” Orren said. “You two walk in here, clearly having been through something traumatic, deeply in need of the baths if not the infirmary. And the first thing you do is ask how you can help.” He chuckled ruefully. “I am humbled by you, Dayne Heldrin.”
Jerinne coughed uncomfortably. “I should go clean up. I’m sure Madam Tyrell is screaming for me.”
The Grandmaster sighed. “No, she most is definitely not. I’m afraid Madam Tyrell is not here.”
“Is she all right?” Dayne asked.
“I cannot speak to her health, but she has gone into hiding, as she is wanted by the authorities.”
“What?”
“I do not have all the details, but it appears that she was embroiled in a conspiracy to overthrow the government. Her crimes were discovered, so she murdered her co-conspirators and fled.”
“I cannot believe that, sir,” Dayne said. Jerinne didn’t say anything, but her instincts matched Dayne’s.
“I am struggling to understand it myself,” the Grandmaster said. He glanced uncomfortably at Jerinne. “We should discuss this privately. Perhaps, Miss Fendall, your instinct to clean up and join your cohort is correct.”
“Of course, sir,” Jerinne said, giving Dayne a quick glance that she hoped communicated the depths to which she did not believe Amaya had been involved in any of the things the Grandmaster had just reported. His expression was not as confident, but he gave her a nod to go.
She left, and made her way to the barracks for the other third-year Initiates. Raila Gendon was waiting there for her.
“I see Iolana told you I was back,” she said.
“What the blazes happened to you?” Raila asked. “You just vanished and Vien made a stink and then Madam Tyrell told us to quiet down but you were gone all night and . . . saints, look at you.”
“I’ve been in it,” Jerinne said, stripping off her torn-up uniform. “What’s this nonsense about Madam Tyrell?”
“Can you believe it? It’s apparently in all the newssheets. There was this conspiracy where this group calling themselves the Grand Ten were trying to overthrow the government. Like, a member of Parliament and a Duchess and some general and I don’t even know who. But Madame Tyrell was part of it.”
“Really?” Jerinne asked. “Madame Tyrell trying to overthrow the government?”
“Well, it makes sense she was into something shady,” Raila said. “I mean, come on. She made Adept after one year of Candidacy. That never happens. And why did she stay in Maradaine, where she had her Initiacy, unless to be in a place of power.”
“There could be—”
“And look what she did to you. Keeping you on the bottom of the roster, denying you a mentor. Because she was threatened by you. Maybe she thought you and Dayne were onto her. She and Dayne had been close in Initiacy, you know. He’d know if something was wrong so she made a point of keeping him away. Let me tell you, it all makes sense that Amaya Tyrell is bad news.”
Jerinne was about to protest how none of that made sense, but Raila went on.
“I’m just saying, she was rude and a bully, and I’m certainly glad she’s gone, and glad that if she shows her face again, she’ll end up locked away at Quarrygate. Or even better, Fort Olesson.”
Jerinne had never seen ugliness of this sort from Raila Gendon. It was more than a little off-putting.
“Saints, look at you,” Raila said now that Jerinne was down to her skivs. “You’re a right mess, my friend. I want to hear all about your whole adventure. How about we go down to the baths and you tell me all about them? Just you and me?”
Ten minutes ago, that would have been everything Jerinne wanted, but now it was distinctly unappealing.
“You know,” Jerinne said. “I’m completely exhausted. I think I’m going to just clean up quick and go to sleep. Figure out everything tomorrow.”
“Oh,” Raila said. “Of course, I should have realized. I’ll . . . I’ll leave you to it.”
Raila left. Jerinne found her drycloth and got ready to go to the baths. If anyone gave her a hard time about her plans for the rest of the day, she
