Chapter 365 (1/2)

Chapter 365

Valen's fist snapped out in a sharp jab at Seth's nose Instead of stu away as he once would have, the thin boy th His knee came up into Valen's ribs, but Valen blocked with a pal his shoulder into Seth's chest, sending his—already poorly positioned for balance—sent Seth crashi+ng hard to the , and I turned h

Each attending professor had been provided with docu the Victoriad Due to the nature of the event, adherence to tradition and protocol was of extreh to the point of tedium I kneas necessary to co back to er now than I had been as a white core Lance, even if I'd lost some of the weapons in eaway my identity if at all possible

With the reputation that I'd built here as both a professor and ascender, I wanted to test ainst a retainer Both Caera and Kayden mentioned that it was uncoe, but after reading this doculy clear just how rare it was

Never a duel from a retainer required the consent of their Scythe beforehand Caera had mentioned that since there were two open retainer positions this time, people speculated there would be many more prospects than normal

And since both Scythes and retainers could refuse a challenger if they found such a contest to be beneath theainst a retainer

Worst case, if none of the retainers accepted e, I'd have to watch the duels frois would have interjected with soly accurate assessment of this situation, but no such response came

It was quiet in h I could still feel hih up the slope of the closest hts were shi+elded from me, his focus entirely on himself But brief pulses of excitement or frustration that weren'tI could sense his strength

I had gotten used to having my mind to otten how is to cutI had co, I set down the parch bout

Aphene had brought two more students up to spar while Briar led the rest of the class in a series of exercises Marcus and Sloane were exchanging a brutal series of punches and kicks as the classroom doors opened and several armored men stepped inside

Sloane saw the an elbow into his chin that laid him out flat This drew the rest of the class's attention, and the students burst into a round of surprised chatter Briar and Aphene were quick to staly infro halfway up the stairs toward the intruders "We're in the ure strode forward, scratching his trito have to come with us"

I scowled at Sulla, head of the Ascenders association in Cargidan "Can this wait until—"

"I'an to race as I considered what they could be there for

Sulla's grim expression made it clear his visit wasn't social in nature But since this was the Ascenders association and not acadeuards or local law enforcement, I wasn't sure what the issue could be If my identity had been compromised—a possibility I was always conscious of—then it would have been Nico or Cadell knocking down my door

So what, then?

I turned and one long"

Ascending the stairs, I watched the group's hands and eyes for any sign they were prepared to attack The men were tense and watchful, maybe even a little nervous, but I also sensed afrowns "Sorry about this," one of the glare

The head ascender hiainst his will Whatever was going on, these ascenders weren't thrilled about it

And so I didn't resist, but let the and across campus They took up positions around me, but no one dreeapon or prepared any spells—at least that I could detect Most of the students were in class, but we still passed many dozens of people on our way out of campus, and I could already sense my name at the heart of a hundred whispered conversations behind me

Thankfully, the Ascenders association Hall was close by

I followed Sulla up into his office, which overlooked the building's main floor The other ascenders posted up outside the doors, which Sulla closed behind us

I took a seat without being invited to do so, then waited Sulla picked up a leather satchel fro er, he slammed the satchel on his desk and slumped into his chair

"damn it, Grey, do you even understand how close to death you've cohtly to the side andaround the office "I don't seem to have a knife to ave a hus like knives" Grabbing the botto a stack of parchment out across his desk "Do you knohat these are?"

Still watching Sulla, I picked up a loose page that had fluttered across the desk toward me It contained a bracket with each of ainst an unfamiliar name The Victoriad tournament, I realized

"I don't understand the problee back into the pile on Sulla's desk

His left eye twitched Through gritted teeth, he said, "Then please allow me to educate you, Professor" He had to take a h the pages When he found what he was looking for, he held it up for me to see "This is a report on the Victoriad combatants from Bloodrock Acade specifically in the non-ical, unare "This provides sohters Lists of runes, type of e, prefered combat styles…Vritra's horns, Grey, it even names which members of her blood could be threatened or bribed to influence her perforh a handfulother top perforhters from a variety of acadeh research," I said finally, interrupting hie "But what does it have to do with hed and rubbed the bridge of his nose "Then why has a reliable witness co to cheat in the Victoriad, using these documents as proof"

I stared at the pile of papers for a ht?"

Sulla sat back in his chair and stared at me like a horn had sprouted fro an effort to give your students unfair advantage in the Victoriad?"

"If e, it'll be because they've worked for it, not because I bullied soirl's mom," I snapped, irritated to have been bothered with this nonsense "No, I really do have s to do—"

Sulla placed both hands on his desk, knocking a few pieces of parment to the floor, and leaned toward et you killed, Grey"

I eyed the veteran ascender curiously, waiting for hi with, or otherwise disrupting the events of the Victoriad will result in your execution as part of the Victoriad 'entertainment'," he proclaimed ominously "So if you didn't order all this information collected—information which makes it clear you intend to threaten harhbloods—then soet you accused of a crididn't make sense "You said you had a witness? So with htfully before replying "Yes They ca they were forced to make several contacts between you and academy staff all over Alacrya When they intercepted this satchel of documents—supposedly intended for you—they realized what you were up to and felt compelled to turn in the evidence"

Sulla paused "You should know, a handful of people are corroborating this state letters froestured at the papers "The best case scenario is that you are banned fro the Victoriad The worse, well, I've already told you"

Even from the moment Sulla and his enforcers had arrived in my classroom, he had seemed uncomfortable Now the reason was clear "Why are you so certain I didn't do it?"

He scoffed again "Anyone who'd actually met you would know you wouldn't need to cheat I've heard about your students' bestowals, too No, this s, I rested my elbows on my knees and leaned forward "Then telluncomfortable "I could—but if you kill hiht now, it's only been reported to the Ascenders association If Central Acadeet involved…"

"I won't kill hiure out—"

I was interrupted by a device on Sulla's desk lighting up and beginning to hum softly

He stared at it like it was a demon leech for several seconds, then reached out and touched it

A fahblood Denoir, contacting Sulla of Blood Drusus Sulla?"

The dark-haired ascender's eyes ide at theakin to panic "Y-yes, Highlord Denoir, this is—"

"You've just apprehended a Central Acadeainst him are false, and I have information that will help to prove it" Corbett's voice echoed with a slight distortion from the communication artifact, but it still effectively conveyed the weight of his authority "I demand he be released immediately"

I couldn't help the surprised shlord speak Though he maintained a noble air, there was a subtle threat to his words as well

Did Caera put him up to this? I asked myself Or did our conversation ht…

Sulla quickly regained his coh the Denoirs must have outranked Blood Drusus by several times over, he didn't seem like a man to be cowed by the nobility "You say you have inforation?" he asked, his tone all business

"The Granbehls are behind it," Corbett said firainst Grey before, and they are at it again I believe a thorough interrogation of Janusz of Blood Graeme, currently a professor at Center Academy, will reveal that he was paid—and very well—to deliver false evidence against Grey Now, confirm that Grey will be released immediately, or I will be forced to personally visit the Ascenders association"