At dinner, I sat with the other Nephilium and Alistor joined.
"So what did Guardian Rook want today?" asked Neil.
"He reminded me I needed to be well rested to be able to apply myself to my studies."
I saw Alistor smile faintly. Was it because I had told him the truth and not my own kind? Why was I hiding the information from my peers and told Alistor up front with ease?
"What are you smiling about mortal?" snapped Adam. "How she does- how any of us do in classes effects the others."
Alistor looked at him unblinking.
"From what I hear, Neil isn't good at charm speak, Xavier isn't good at swordsmanship, Jesse isn't good at archery, and you, Adam, are not so good at intuitions class. You all have a weakness so don't just harp on Eve when she's still adjusting."
No one spoke further as we ate our meal in silence. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Igor approach.
"Lady Eveline," he greeted. "Guardian Rook and the Swordsmaster request your presence at once."
I stood quickly feeling my heart skip a beat. The Swordsmaster who could decide to send me home was now privy to me sneaking out last night? I shouldn't have said anything. Igor said nothing as we began to leave.
"Eve! I'll clean up your spot!" called Alistor.
I knew he meant it as a kind gesture, but it meant nothing with the magnitude of the situation I was in at this moment.
"Did they tell you anything, Igor?"
He shook his head. "I'm the Swordsmaster's squire. He only asked me to fetch you."
The halls were all clear as we navigated through the corridors. I soon found myself in front of the doors to the Swordsmaster's office.
"Best not to keep him waiting," said Igor.
I brought my hand tentatively to the door and pushed it open. I felt my heart skip a beat when I saw four figures in the small office. Rook, the Swordsmaster, the king and his champion. I stood there petrified in place.
"Come sit," said the Swordsmaster gesturing to the only open chair in the room. "Lock the door behind you."
I did as I was told feeling myself barely able to breath.
"Before we begin, you aren't going to be expelled, Lady Eveline," said the King. "Breathe, dear."
I slowed my breathing focusing on taking long breaths until I felt my heart slow back to normal.
"Can you repeat everything that happened last night?"
I started from the beginning not leaving out anything other than Sasha and Twill's names. They hadn't done anything wrong so I didn't feel it was necessary. By the time I was done, I heard the bell ring for my final class.
"I will talk to Guardian Ezekiel for you," said the Swordsmaster.
"Thank you."
"I had no idea that the lower city was in such a mess," grumbled the king. "It needs to be fixed."
"I agree," said his champion. "We will start rounding up the Blood Moon ban."
"How will we know she has even returned to them?"
"I have a hunch she's tied to the ban in some way," I said, "I'll look for my friends with her in tow and I'm sure someone will come to find her."
"And how do you plan to find out if they are a member?" asked the Swordsmaster.
"Don't they all have a bleeding star tattoo somewhere- usually on their wrist?" I asked.
I had read about it somewhere in Neil's notes.
"Aye, but its not a guarantee."
"What if I build up trust to gain intel?" I volunteered.
They all looked to the king.
"We will let you release the girl- you have one month to gain trust and information."
I felt a small smile cross my lips. "Thank you, sire, for this opportunity."
"You must be able to keep up on all your studies, Lady Eveline, You are already a month behind from staying home to help with the harvest," warned the Swordsmaster.
"I will. I won't let you down."
He nodded.
"You can have one other accompany you- preferably not another Nephilium as it may look suspicious."
Alistor was the only mortal I knew and also the only one I trusted.
"May Alistor Renn be my partner?" I asked.
"Aye," said Octavian, the Swordsmaster without a moments hesitation.
They discussed the rest of the plan. For the next month, only Alistor and I would visit the Lower City with no extra guards. Tonight the guards in the dungeon would appear knocked out to make the Halfling lioness trust us more hopefully.
After I was dismissed, I set out to find Alistor to see if he would agree to help me. Octavian told me his room was on the second floor on the furthest southeast corner on the right. I knocked lightly a few times before he came to the door.
His hair was down and looked as if I had just caught him after a bath for the collar of his shirt was wet. His skin looked more pale in the fire light casting from his fireplace. It was then that I noticed that his room was more clean than I had ever thought possible for a boy. My brother's had always been a mess, but Alistor's was tidy. All his books were neatly stacked on his desk, bed nicely made, firewood tidy and safely away from the fireplace.
"Eveline?" he asked surprised.
"May I come in?" I asked.
He moved to one side before shutting his door. He sat on the edge of his bed and gestured for me to sit at his desk. I moved the chair out to face him before telling him the plan and asking if he would agree to join me. I explained he was the only one I trusted to be my partner on this mission as well. I wasn't the least bit surprised when he agreed.
"I will meet you at the dungeon door soon."