Bombed

Chapter Sixteen: Burden of Proof | Part 2

Thirtyx hated that it was still on his mind the next morning, 64 bars before his Comp and 25 before he endeavored to steal a Selkie’s pelt. While Rhea and Benn bickered about semantics over breakfast, Thirtyx addressed his fingers with a hollow stare.

“Thirtyx, you’ve been awfully quiet,” Rhea huffed. “Care to weigh in?”

He folded his arms tightly across his chest, like he could squeeze the anxiety out of it. “On what? I have the easy job. The finer points of the trance and the nudging spell are your business, not mine.”

“That’s an awfully ungrateful attitude coming from the person whose life we’re trying to save.” Benn popped the cork out of a potion vial with his teeth and tipped it into his drink with such practiced dexterity that Thirtyx barely saw the lavender color before it dissolved, the glass back at Benn’s lips.

Thirtyx inhaled to apologize, but Seerla was already at his defense. “Have you considered what the fallout might be for him if this goes wrong? Especially with his Comp tomorrow? Of course he’s on edge!”

Rhea and Benn gave Thirtyx the same signature look each time Seerla jumped to his aid like that. With how pointed it had become lately, Thirtyx marveled at how Seerla hadn’t noticed. As always, he ignored them. “I’m sorry. Really. We should be working together, not arguing. What was it you wanted my opinion—”

He trailed off as he noticed Wyex, one of the Dragonfolk with whom he’d shared a boat the night of the Selkie party, standing by the table, his lips moving with no sound. Benn quickly nullified their silencing bubble. Under the table, Seerla grabbed Thirtyx’s arm.

“The Liamer amulet forge!” Wyex barked at Rhea and Benn. “It was bombed last night. A carriage just came to collect Sarlen!”

Rhea covered her mouth. Benn pinched the bridge of his nose. Seerla let out a horrified gasp while Thirtyx pressed his lips into a thin line. “Bombed?” Rhea repeated. “It wasn’t a backfired spell or an issue with the manufacturing process?”

“Bombed. They don’t know how or by whom, but the explosions were too organized to be an accident.”

“Is anyone hurt?” Benn asked.

“It’s bad. A couple workers dead. Several injured. Sarlen’s dad is… touch and go. So what in the twin hells is the palace going to do about it?”

Rhea and Benn reacted with identical eyebrow raises. “That sounds like a question for the palace, considering we aren’t there and have to get to class,” Rhea said.

Wyex bared his teeth. “You helped the Selkies after the mudslides! Why won’t you help the Dragonfolk, huh?”

“Wyex, we literally just heard about this,” Benn sighed. “If word has reached Grimm, I’m sure he’s—”

“I’m not sure I trust Grimmary anymore, given how vulnerable he’s been leaving himself.” Wyex gestured wildly at Thirtyx, a move that nearly smacked him in the face. “And maybe I shouldn’t trust you two either.”

They watched in stunned silence as he stalked away.

The students with friends or family near enough to communicate mentally or to send an instant letter became the most popular individuals on campus. By the end of the first class, the Dragonfolk state had officially ruled the explosion intentional. By the end of the second class, they’d learned Mr. Liamer had been poisoned with bloodfire before the explosion.

He wasn’t expected to make it through the day.

The silence of the third class weighed on Thirtyx like armor. With half the class Comping tomorrow, Professor C gave them the period for independent study. Thirtyx halfheartedly reviewed a few pages in his study guide while wondering how this would affect their plan to steal Farish’s pelt. Was the pall of despair and confusion enough interference to block Rhea’s nudge and make everything go awry?

He surveyed the expressions of the classmates who might be getting updates and saw Rhea flinch like she’d been shocked.

A couple other people looked up, but she covered by scratching her shoulder. Thirtyx didn’t buy it. He saw the strain still on her face. As he silently implored her to catch his eye, she began to write, her hand awkward and uncoordinated—like it wasn’t moving of her own volition. But while she stared intently at her work, she didn’t seem alarmed.

When her pen stopped, she gave her paper an almost imperceptible nod before raising her hand. “Professor C, I’m feeling a little dizzy. May I please go to the infirmary?”

“Of course, Miss Grimmary. Do you need anyone to escort you?”

“Oh, no, ma’am. I’ll be alright. I probably just need a constitution potion or something.”

As she crouched to pick up her bag, she met Thirtyx and Seerla’s eyes in turn and shook her head a fraction of an inch. Seerla then turned to gauge Thirtyx’s expression, but he was sure he looked as baffled as she was.

Rhea didn’t return before the end of class.