Chapter 2 — A Spy’s Confession

The grimace Jarrel made and the awkward look to the side were nowhere near enough to even slow the tirade Ria let burst forth from the hurt of him leaving her alone again when she needed him most, “You didn’t even have the decency to answer the communication stone! I had to find out from Keira whether you had survived the attack! All my friends-”

Ria cut the words off, and her anger flared further. Could she really say all her friends had visited? Did Ellen no longer count as a friend?

Pushing the uncomfortable thought down into her soul reservoir and blinking back the threatening tears, she took a deep breath to calm herself and tried again, “My friends have visited. Keira’s parents have visited. My Order’s entire Grand Games team came to visit…”

Her teammates had come all together, so her time with each had been limited. She was still holding a grudge against Orlisi who had conveniently disappeared before the attack happened, and the girl’s lame excuses weren’t going to fly without a more proper explanation… or without properly facing her wrath.

“...Students from my classes. Even people I didn’t know have come to visit, give flowers, and pray for my recovery.”

Jarrel hesitated like he had received a blow, and at least had enough decency to look embarrassed, maybe even regretful. “I’m really sorry, Ria. I know you needed me here, but I… had to work through some things…”

He had to work through some things?! What did he think she was going through this past week?!

While she was staring at him with incredulity, Jarrel visibly mustered his courage and approached the bed, managing to meet her eyes with something akin to steely determination. “I was in a place where we couldn’t talk without being overheard, and the conversation you deserve… is safer in person. You also know outsiders are only allowed into designated public places within the academy without administrative approval.”

Ria narrowed her eyes. She was starting to get a worrying feeling about where this might be going.

“Can I sit?” Jarrel asked, motioning to the bed.

She judged him with her eyes for a few more moments before relenting, “Go on.”

He gave her a tentative smile and sat about halfway down the bed then took a deep breath of his own and let it out. “After what happened, there are things you need to know. About your parents. About why you were raised in Shadewood. I won’t be able to tell you everything, but I owe it to you and Rale and Arisette to do my best to tell you what I can.”

The way Jarrel was carefully structuring his words had Ria’s arm hairs stiffening. Was he…?

The fear seeded by Iori and Zoe rose to the fore and spurred her to forcefully seek the answer, she cast Sensing Sphere and wrapped Jarrel in her sensing magic. At first, his aura of sharpness cut her magic and kept it at bay, but she wasn’t to be deterred and flowed out her full power, using her truth to overwrite his truth and overwhelm his aura. His eyes widened in surprise as she forced her magic through his body, searching.

“Oathbound… so, it is like that,” Ria breathed out in dismay. “Iori was right.”

In Jarrel’s scalp, hidden under his hair and wrapping the back of his head, was a binding.

Jarrel grimaced at her statement. “I can’t speak to what Lady Iori told you, but no, I am not Oathbound. I am free in my actions.”

Ria dropped her sensing magic and replaced it with the shadow magic that she used to deaden her and Phaelys’ conversation before the-

Now wasn’t the time to relive what happened.

“Are you an Inquisitor?” she demanded with a carefully emotionless voice.

Jarrel shook his head, not seeming put off by her question. “I’m not, but there are things I can’t talk about.”

“You work for the Hall of Inquiry and Bindings.”

The corners of his lips quirked up slightly, and he might have been giving her an approving look as he answered, “There are a lot of people who work for the Hall of Inquiry and Bindings. Not all are Inquisitors.”

Ria narrowed her eyes at Jarrel’s oddly specific non-answer. If he could say that much…

Before anything else… there was one thing she had to know. If she dared. Her heart was thundering as she grabbed her largest fear with both hands. “You… pretended to care for me—invited me into your family—because of your mission.”

She stared at him, watching his eyes slowly widen in shock.

“No! Ria, it’s not like that! Rale was my friend!” Jarrel spun to his feet by the end of the bed where she was sitting scrunched up, knees against her chest, and wrapped her in a fierce hug. “How can I not want to protect his daughter! If you’ve been thinking such a thing… How long? No, it doesn’t matter. Ria, I’m here for you. I would cut down anyone, if it meant keeping you from harm. They can stop me from being at your side, but they can’t take that from me.”

Ria was shocked by the passion and bared edge in the swordsman's words, and the warmth that replaced the cold that had been strangling her heart overwhelmed her with its sudden surge of relief, robbing her of voice and causing her eyes to again moisten.

Jarrel pulled back to directly convey his sincerity with his eyes, hands firmly on her shoulders as he searched her expression.

How much had that doubt been hanging over everything she thought and did?

Ria breathed in a ragged breath and blinked away the wetness before mustering a smile. “Thank you, Jarrel. I accept your oath and your blade.”

Face dropping slack, he stared at her for long moments. “How much do you already know?”

No, the question is how much do you already know, Jarrel.

She thought about getting him to confirm her lineage first, but in her heart she already knew and had accepted the divination was true. “Mother was the firstborn of the crown prince of Revant.”

Jarrel sucked in a breath and sat back onto the bed. “Who else knows? The Novidus?”

Carefully watching his defeated reaction, she shook her head. “No one knows the specific details. I haven’t told anyone the entire truth.”

His brows furrowed. “Then how did you learn of it?”

Ria explained about the divination in the library in front of her friends and the one she performed later that night. She went on to explain Iori’s and Zoe’s suppositions about Hidden House involvement and the subsequent Astral Reflection performed using the Mirror of Truth.

Jarrel groaned when she told him the results of the Astral Reflection. “It is no surprise you’ve been having so much difficulty. Your mother’s bloodline isn’t safe. The royal family of Revant doesn’t exactly advertise that their children are magically sealed soon after birth. It was an undertaking, but Alva—Jeni’s mother—she was able to study your mother’s seal and duplicate the sealing for you.”

Ria blinked at the revelation regarding the source of her seal.

Phoebe had just visited a few days ago to update Ria with the preliminary results of the research into her spiritbinding. The working conclusion was that the construct was primarily designed to suppress her orichalcum bloodline but also had complex logic embedded with external conditions that could change the state of the binding. Master Onai suspected that one of the conditions might even cause the binding to reverse its effect, empowering her bloodline should she become dangerously injured or should her life or the life of someone she deeply cared for become at risk. The sealing was also designed to gradually fade over time once broken.

The more she had heard, the more Ria dared to allow herself hope that it could have been a binding meant to keep her safe rather than a cause for existential dread—a binding which parents might lovingly put on their child with an eye toward a future where they might not be around to help.

And now Jarrel had confirmed that hope to be the case. Another chain giving weight to her fears slipped free, but…

“What about my brothers?”

“They inherited your father’s bloodline too strongly, unfortunately, and the sealing wasn’t necessary.”

Another missing piece and another answer to be had. Ria kept her face and magic under control. “Father’s bloodline?”

Jarrel let his gaze go to the window and the campus visible outside. “Hmm… What can I say about that without getting in trouble, I wonder?” he mused. “How about I tell you a story about Archmage Luventi, a deep-dwarven princess, and an underground rift instead?”

Ria’s eyes widened to an extent that must’ve been comical.

Her thoughts went to the attunement challenge after her first Grand Games meeting and how similar her results had been to Luventi’s newcomer results. Was she actually descended from the famous archmage?

She didn’t miss the mention of dwarves either.

A chuckle from Jarrel brought her back from her galloping thoughts. “I haven’t seen that expression since you found that old Luventi grimoire Alva had acquired for you and Jeni for when the two of you got a bit older. Though, I guess with your 13th birthday having passed, it would have been this year.”

“It wasn’t Jeni’s grandmother’s?”

“No. That was just a story told to you kids. The equipment in the hidden room belonged to Jeni’s parents. Let’s just say that… I knew Jeni’s parents before going to Revant. Rale, as well. And when the significance of your mother’s existence was discovered…” Jarrel paused and shook his head. “Let’s try a different approach. The idea of acquiring and uniting certain bloodlines would have strong appeal to a bloodline researcher with such interest. Such an extremely rare and valuable source would naturally need to be protected, so… someone would have to do the protecting and acquiring.”

Anger flared at what Jarrel was saying, and her lip raised in distaste. “You mean, I exist because the inquisitors sent you and Father and the others to trick Mother?”

Jarrel made a placating gesture. “No, nothing like that. Rale courted your mother properly. They got along well, and as the crown prince’s illegitimate firstborn, your mother knew she would eventually be in danger without backing. Creating a promising future for her children was something Arisette was very passionate about. She wasn’t keen on you three being used as political pawns in some scheme for the Revanti throne and prepared you with the hopes of eventually moving to Crysellia.”

There was something about that... “Is that why Mom would buy me books from Crysellia?”

Jarrel nodded. “Probably so. To expose you to Crysellian culture. But don’t forget, your father was Crysellian.”

He was right! She wasn’t just Crysellian by oath! She had always been Crysellian!

That meant she wasn’t a traitor!

No. That wasn’t right either. Her duty would have been to both her heritages, and she had chosen to turn against one of them before even knowing about the other. Not that she was given much choice when the king of Revant betrayed her first—ordered that she and everyone she cared about die for trivial gain.

“But I don’t understand…” Letting the confusion show on her face, Ria asked, “Why wait? Why not leave for Crysellia right away?”

“Things aren’t that simple. Revant may seem like a magically backward country—and to many extents it is—but that doesn’t mean they don’t have divination magics protecting their border crossings or that they weren’t on guard against your mother leaving. Your mother lived at the mercy of the crown and the crown prince, having her run away as a teen and hiding her within the country was one thing—something they would tolerate to an extent. But—as you’ve seen—Revant is not very tolerant of their royal bloodline falling into the hands of other countries. Living in Shadewood was comfortable, and we got complacent.”

Ria let her gaze join Jarrel’s in looking out the window, wandering to a patch of wispy, cloud-strewn sky. It was a lot to take in, and she still couldn’t rid herself completely of the feeling that her mother was taken advantage of by Jarrel and her father. Even so, she felt a bit of warmth at Mother’s efforts to provide her children a chance at a better future.

“Did Arisette tell you your real name?” Jarrel asked, the question breaking the contemplative silence that had fallen between them.

Ria blinked and gave him a questioning look. “My real name? What do you mean?”

A smile tugged the corners of Jarrel’s mouth upward. “When you were born and it became clear that you had strongly inherited the Vor`Daarryn blood, Arisette named you: Celestria Theana. Your full name is Celestria Theana ad`Drelfgar Vor`Daarryn.”

“Celestria Theana…?” Ria tested how the name felt on her tongue as her mind unraveled the roots used to give the name meaning. Celestria… stars, reaching. Theana… divine, daughter. Oh, no. They didn’t.

Daughter of gods who reaches for the stars.

Her breath caught at her parents’ audacity. The held breath soon turned into an aggrieved huff, and she sarcastically muttered, “That’s not a dangerous name, at all.”

Another chuckle escaped from her father’s friend. “They likely kept it a secret from you and others to protect you from divination.”

Ria furrowed her brows. “I’m guessing my brothers aren’t really ‘Kurt’ and ‘Ben’ either then…?”

Jarrel smiled an almost boyish smile. “Nope. Kurthaine Horacci ad`Drelfgar and Benatio Isentis ad`Drelfgar. Kurt’s name means ‘wise ruler’ and ‘time keeper’. Ben’s name means ‘good change’ and ‘intellectual awareness’. Your parents put a lot of thought into your names with the hope that they could grant you strong fates.”

A muffled knock at the door sounded through her privacy magic, and Ria looked up to see a first-year Healing Hands student who she had gotten to know a bit during her stay trying to get their attention.

Dropping the magic, Ria addressed the girl, “Yes, Saire?”

“If you’ll forgive the intrusion, Master Healer Revenis and Healer Mina will be coming to perform some tests and preparations will need to be made, so visitation time will be ending soon,” the girl informed them.

“Thank you, Saire. You may tell them that I am ready,” Ria told the first-year girl.

Saire glanced to Jarrel before excusing herself.

Jarrel looked amused by the interaction, but his expression clouded as he turned his attention back to the room’s patient. “I heard you might be getting released from the Healing Hand’s care soon.”

Ria nodded. “Today, if the tests go well.”

“Then there is another bit of news that you need to be made aware of. You said Keira’s parents visited. Did they tell you about… the arrangements that the High Council has agreed upon regarding your safety?”

“No. They didn’t.” A grimace found its way on Ria’s face even though she tried her best not to show it. Having Jarrel restrict what she could and couldn’t do was bad enough.

“Other than what has been directly ordered of me, my information is second-hand, but from what I understand, the Gryphon Knights have been tasked with your safety and you aren’t allowed to leave the academy grounds without advance permission and an adequate protective detail. Everything from your room at the Vorshan Estate has already been moved to your new rooms in Parthanex Tower.”

Ria looked to the room’s door, outside which a Gryphon Knight had been stationed since she woke up at Healer’s Hall.

“Lady Etrina has also made arrangements for Young Lady Keira to stay at Shining Sun Hall,” Jarrel added.

It was inconvenient, but with the truth of her heritage known by too many parties, she was mature enough to recognize that restrictions would be a reality for her going forward. Ria silently nodded to let Jarrel know that she would accept it—for now.

Ria looked around the room now empty of the flowers and her possessions, all having been transferred to her vault.

All except for one. A certain communication stone sat in Ria’s palm waiting for her to provide it with the energy needed to initiate contact with its twin. Another fear to face. A confrontation that needed to happen if she was to move forward.

She mustered her determination and sent the pulse of energy.

“You call, my favorite royal?” the elf’s voice cheerily answered from the stone.

Ria grimaced at the fake cheer and decided to be blunt. “Orlisi, I know you’ve been avoiding me. We need to talk.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the stone followed by a long sigh, and when the elf-girl started talking again her voice sounded defeated. “I’m sorry, Ria. I knew about the attack and that if my grandfather had been there when the attack happened, it would have been bad… Something went wrong. The flow of fate must have been diverted; you were supposed to heroically lead the defense at Phaelys’ side...”

Ria’s throat clenched, and her gut twisted.

Was everything that happened because she anchored herself against the flow of fate?

Or, was it because she had tired and let her grip on the anchor slip.

The silence stretched, and Ria chose to let her anger go and change the subject. She wasn’t ready to forgive the elf girl yet, and the weight of the price could be decided later.

“Phaelys agreed to join us in exploring the Castle’s lost lower levels and to cover for us should there be any consequences.”

There was a pause before a relieved voice spoke through the stone, a less forced cheer returning, “I’ll be there. Whenever you’re ready… I have news of my own, too. While you’ve been recovering, we’ve been busy figuring out how to get to the missing floor in the Tower of Dreams—Iselyn, Aldri, and I. Sneaking into the tower at night with Phoebe's help, we’ve made some progress toward figuring out the spatial magic between the floors. If your orichalcum magic can allow us to solve the remaining problem, it’s possible to attempt the ritual on the next full moon.”