The silence in the garden grew heavy, broken only by the crunch of the frozen grass beneath Cassane's feet. She looked at me as if I were some sort of oddball; she couldn't understand how I could remain so calm knowing I had a target painted on my back by House Sterling.
"You're either an idiot or a suicide, Cassian Varkas," she declared, turning away to hide that hint of remorse she'd shown. "But I suppose that ignorance is what keeps you breathing. Tomorrow we'll return to the Imperial Academy in the capital. That's where your real hell will begin. My father believes you'll be safe in my shadow, but the Sterlings don't play fair."
"In your shadow?" I let out a small chuckle. "How protective of you. You almost moved me, Cassane. But don't worry about me; I have a nasty habit of not dying when people expect me to."
She didn't reply. She walked away towards the main hall, leaving a trail of frost in her wake. I was left alone in the darkness of the garden, watching the moon reflect off the ice she had left behind.
"You heard everything, didn't you?" I said without turning round.
From the shadows of a great oak, a figure materialised with the fluidity of a spectre. Adela appeared at my side, her eyes glowing with a violet light from her sixth circle of black magic. Her face, usually sweet towards me, was contorted into a grimace of contained fury.
"That woman…" Adela hissed, clenching her fists. "She's using you as a human shield, Master. House Sterling is famous for its high-ranking fire mages. If that noble tries anything against you, I won't leave even his ashes for burial."
"Calm down, Adela," I replied, ruffling her hair as I used to do. "It's fun. Let them believe I'm the weak link." After all, there's nothing more entertaining than seeing the look on a predator's face when it realises its prey is, in fact, something it can't even begin to comprehend.
"Are we really going to the capital tomorrow?" she asked, regaining her composure but keeping her guard up.
"Yes. The Imperial Academy… it's about time we went back."
When I returned to the banquet, my sister came straight over to me, intercepting me before I could reach the drinks table.
"Well…" whispered Margery, scanning my face with her violet eyes. "Did you manage to find out what Cassane stands to gain from all this?"
I looked at her for a second. Her intuition wasn't easy to fool, but I didn't want to burden her with the threat of House Sterling just yet.
"She just wants the marriage proposals to calm down a bit," I replied with a slight smile, playing it down. "It seems that, ever since her ice affinity awoke, the harassment from suitors has become unbearable. I'm the perfect shield: someone harmless who can't refuse the deal."
Margery looked at me doubtfully, squeezing my arm lightly.
"I hope that's all it is, Cassian," she said, her voice breaking with sudden anguish. "If anything happens to you… I don't know what I'd do on my own."
I knew she was thinking of our mother. Since her death, she had felt responsible for my safety, seeing my lack of talent as a vulnerability she had to cover with her own power.
"Nothing will happen to me, Margery. I promise you" I said, giving her a reassuring squeeze of the hand. "Tomorrow I'll be leaving for the Imperial Academy; things will be different, but I'll be fine."
She nodded, though a shadow of worry remained on her face. She slowly let go of my hand, glancing towards where our father was talking with other nobles, as if seeking in him some assurance of safety that she knew she would not find.
The banquet continued for another couple of hours amid hypocritical toasts and forced laughter.
"Tomorrow, the capital…" I murmured to myself.
My time at the Academy could be summed up as that of a mere spectator.
I had a couple of friends there; we went unnoticed, lost amongst the crowd of brilliant talents. They weren't mediocre, but they didn't really stand out either, sitting at a similar level to Elric. Even so, I had to be grateful that they were willing to spend their time with me, the 'useless' one of the Varkas, when most of the nobles wouldn't even deign to look at me.
I wondered how they would react upon seeing that their friend, the one who always stayed in the shadows, was now returning engaged with one of the most unattainable women in the Empire.
…
We had already returned to the county mansion. In the privacy of my room, I addressed Adela, who was awaiting my orders in the shadows.
"Send someone to investigate Cassane Windsteel, Adela," I ordered in an icy tone. "Although I like surprises, I don't want to feel as though they're playing games with me without having complete control of the situation."
Adela nodded and curtsied.
"It shall be done at once, Master. I shall not let any of the Windsteel's secrets escape your notice."