Athelings and Apprentices
After leaving The River Pearl, Martel first had to return with Flora to remove his armour and change into his own clothes before he could walk back to the Lyceum. When he arrived ho, he went straight to sleep. But the trip on the dark streets of Morcaster gave him the opportunity to consider the information from Dawn. The jewellery on her finger was more than it seed. In fact, it was a signet ring, belonging to a scion of a minor house.
Martel rembered when Maximilian had lost his, and the lengths the viscount was willing to go to that he might recover it. The novice did not imagine Jasper had stolen this particular signet ring, as that was not his style; it seed more likely he had obtained it from the owner by the sa ans that he took Martel's silver. And although every important mber of that particular house would have such a ring, Martel had a good guess as to whom Jasper had extorted; the only student at the Lyceum who had a hawk for a crest. But such would wait until tomorrow; satisfied with the outing, Martel slept soundly.
***
The next day, Martel considered how to make his approach. He had himself felt rather embarrassed about Jasper extorting him, and he imagined the acolyte's other victims shared the sentint. He spent a long ti planning the conversation, how to broach the subject and how much he was willing to reveal about his own predicant. In the end, his contemplations beca an excuse to delay what could be a most unpleasant mont, especially if the conversation took a bad turn. Steeling himself, Martel went to the third floor of his dormitory tower, knocking on the door.
Alain opened, looking at him with surprise. "What is it?"
"Can we speak in private?"
The mageknight gave a frown but opened the door fully and stepped aside to allow Martel entry. "What is amiss?"
"I'm having so trouble with Jasper. You know, the earth acolyte." He watched Alain's reaction and noted that an expression ran across the young nobleman's face, indicating displeasure, annoyance, or sothing to that effect. "I think you may have the sa issue with him as I do."
Alain crossed his arms. "What makes you say that?"
"I've been following Jasper. He has a girl in town, and I saw your signet ring on her finger."
The mageknight grabbed one hand with the other, though Martel noticed both of them were bereft of jewellery. "He gave my ring to so – strumpet?"
Martel nodded. "He has a good amount of my silver as well. And I suspect there are others."
Even though alone in the room with a closed door, Alain whispered his next question. "What does he know about you?"
"I think we both prefer to keep our secrets," Martel pointed out.
"Oh, of course. Forgive my impertinence."
"To that end, we must deal with him. Can I count on your support?"
The mageknight seed hesitant, weighing the decision. "What should we do?"
"I have an idea."
***
One part in play, Martel crossed the castle to find another. Although it had taken him a while, everything had fallen into place after his conversation with Dawn. Jasper reading his ssages and following him around could explain so of the information the acolyte had gained about Martel, but not everything. For instance, the exact sums he was paid for his work with the Night Knives would only be known to himself, the rcenaries, and the people at The River Pearl.
The conversation had also illuminated matters left unspoken, which Martel now saw in a different light. He ran through this in his mind as he approached the apothecary. He had been convinced of Nora's guilt, that she had been complicit in Jasper's extortion, perhaps because the acolyte's threat to expose his secrets had made Martel inclined to view everyone in the worst light. Also, he had assud he was Jasper's only victim, and so when the acolyte protected Nora's trade with apothecary redies, Martel's next assumption had been that Nora sohow benefited from this; he had not considered that she could be a victim too.
Stepping into the small workshop, where the sll of drying herbs greeted him as always, Martel prepared himself for the second difficult conversation of the day. He cleared his throat until Nora noticed him. "What are you doing here?"
"You've probably noticed my mood hasn't been the best lately," Martel began. He felt guilty about how he had treated Nora with almost contemptuous silence, but apologies would have to wait until afterwards. "I have had so troubles. With Jasper, the earth acolyte. I think you're familiar with him?"
"What sort of trouble?"
"The kind where he forces to do as he demands. And I think he does the sa to you." Martel stared at her with his blue eyes.
Her voice grew soft. "How did you know?"
"The mageknights buy their redies from you. When I offered to make so for them, Jasper threatened to stop. Because I think he benefits from you selling to them," Martel suggested, searching her face for any clue that he was right.
"I only ant to do it once or twice." Her voice grew thick. "My father can't find work. I already make it for the apothecary, so there could be no harm in selling a few, right?"
"And Jasper found out?"
She nodded. "He threatened to tell Mistress Rana unless I kept doing it, giving him most of the money. I don't want to do it, I don't want to risk my apprenticeship, but what else could I do?" She shivered and looked to be on the verge of tears.
"You are not alone in this," Martel reassured her. "You know how so of the acolytes gather each Pelday evening, in the Chamber of Earth?"
"Yes, but I'm not a fighter. I never go." Nora looked at him with wide eyes.
"This coming Pelday, you should."
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