Early the next morning, an assembly was called in the entrance hall of the academy. Dean, despite his banishment, was allowed to attend. Though it was a little early for his liking, he knew he couldn't miss it. He'd spent the entire night patrolling the corridors of the dorms. Armed with a sword and joined by Maria for a short time, he had kept vigil over both the boy's and the girl's dorms. Nothing had happened, thank the Goddess, but his efforts had the unfortunate consequence of him being exhausted come morning.
Rosetta looked absolutely miserable too, but even she looked better than Sophia, who was barely standing next to her with red eyes that looked straight ahead, not looking at anything in particular.
Dean noticed Matin had reappeared at long last. Now and then, his friend would cast concerned glances at Sophia, though she herself didn't notice. Of Nicolas, there was no sign. Dean was a little concerned but knew that the possibility of Maria keeping Nicolas hostage in her room was high, and he was confident Maria could take care of both of them.
Marianne kept them standing in the freezing hall for a good ten minutes after the appointed time. Making others wait for you was a common habit of those in power, after all. Dean was just about ready to leave when slow, powerful footsteps echoed, announcing her arrival. Marianne slowly made her way to the staircase leading up to the library, where she could stand above the gathered crowd.
Dean felt a surge of anger the moment he saw her. Standing there like the emperor himself, throwing her weight around. By this point, she had all but taken over the academy in its entirety, and she knew it. Layota was also present, having been appointed as Marianne's second. However, the old lady could do little to resist Marianne's maneuvering, and she simply stood to the side with a forlorn expression.
There was no need to ask for silence. The room had been dead still since Dean arrived. The heavy atmosphere of fear and confinement prevented all but the quietest of whispers.
"Yesterday was a most tragic day in the history of this esteemed academy. To lose someone so young and bright is a loss we won't soon forget. Your dearest classmate-"
Marianne paused for a moment and whispered a question that was loud enough for all to hear to Layota.
"What was the girl's name again?"
Layota responded with an actual whisper, and Marianne turned back towards the crowd. Dean had to quash the sudden urge to scream the student's name at the uncaring woman.
"Your dear classmate R-Ribia would not have wanted you all to fall into despair and give up during this most pivotal time. I, with all the power that has been granted to me, shall ensure that your education will continue unimpeded."
"Her name was Livia, you crone," Dean muttered under his breath.
At that moment the doors to the library burst open, and a column of heavily armed guards marched into the entrance hall, lining up along the wall and surrounding the students within.
"I will not allow another child's life to be extinguished, nor will I allow all your hard work go to waste. The exams will continue, and you may study knowing that you are safe under the watch of my personal guard!"
That was enough to elicit whispers from the crowd. Many students eyed the guards nervously while Layota and some of the other instructors looked on with faces twisted in disapproval. Of the headmaster, Methaeus, there was no sign.
Dean couldn't believe how bold Marianne had grown. Didn't anyone else know that this was the first time a person other than the emperor or the priestess had brought an armed force into the monastery? Where were Oscar and Addi to dispute this blatant takeover?
"All entrances will be guarded at all times of day, and access to anywhere but the dorms and academy building restricted. Furthermore, a curfew will be enacted in order to maintain your safety."
Marianne looked around the room, a sweet smile plastered on her face.
"Go now in the knowledge that you are safe and that your studies will be uninterrupted."
"And what of the culprit? Have you found anything out about who or what killed Livia?" Dean asked aloud, correcting Marianne on the student's name for all to hear. Truth be told, he was angry and tired. Speaking out like this wasn't going to do him any favors.
At that very moment, Marianne's smile fell flat as he turned her hawkish gaze towards Dean.
"Rest assured, my most loyal guardsmen are investigating this now. It was an unfortunate accident. A monster crept into the dorms and committed this vile act. It will not happen again now that the academy is under my frim control."
Dean stepped forward so that he was more visible among the crowed.
"Livia was torn to pieces!" he shouted, eliciting gasps and cries from the surrounding students. "I think 'accident' is an extremely disrespectful way to put it, Marianne."
He needed to shut his mouth. Going on like this was only going to enrage her and land him in deeper trouble.
"Dean Kasanagh there is a time and place-"
"Furthermore, you expect us to believe a ghoul or a woodwraith managed to get past the walls, avoid the eyes of the guards, open the door to the dorm building and make it all the way to a student's room without anyone noticing?"
He was angry. That was it. He needed an outlet for that anger, and Marianne was standing right there. He would end up in serious trouble for this, and it would be worth it.
"Silence!" Marianne shouted, causing Dean's lips to seal shut almost immediately.
"The matter is being investigated. If you want to ask questions, then take it up with my guardsmen. You are distracting the other students from their studies with your fear mongering!"
Dean looked around. Many students avoided his gaze, and there was no sign that any of them wanted to join in on his criticisms. Some girls who had been close friends of Livia were openly crying. Two nearby guardsmen were watching him, ready to pounce at a moment's notice if their countess asked. Feeling his back stiffen, Dean turned back towards Marianne and bowed.
"I spoke out of turn. Forgive me," he said with as much sarcastic venom as he could muster.
"It is the privilege of the young to be impetuous and careless with their words. Do not let it happen again," she said dismissively.
Dean stood there silently for a moment. That was it? She wasn't going to have her guards escort him from the premises, at the very least? He couldn't help but feel the slightest bit disappointed.
After a few more assurances and a little more grandstanding, Marianne left. The crowd silently watched her leave. There was no sign of relief in their eyes, only weary resignation. A single guardsman stepped forward and announced in a booming voice.
"That will be all for today. Everyone is to return to their dorms until classes begin tomorrow morning. Please follow the guards in an orderly fashion."
Dean ignored the man for a moment and looked around for Matin. He found his friend in a daze, not too far away. Following his gaze, Dean saw Sophia as she made her way out the door.
"Hey Matin," Dean said after making his way through the crowd.
Matin's eyes lingered on the door for a moment before turning to Dean.
"Oh, Dean." He responded in a whispering, detached voice.
"Where were you yesterday? We were worried sick, you know."
He tried to sound as kind as he could. The young man looked like he'd snap in two if a gentle breeze came into contact with him.
"Yesterday?" Matin asked, eyes widening before they darted from left to right. "I was studying in mother's room, getting private lessons from the family tutor."
"I see. Was your mother acting suspiciously at all?"
He did his best to make his voice sound casual. This was, in essence, an interrogation. But Matin didn't need to know that.
Matin shook his head.
"I barely saw her at all, and when I did, she was being unusually nice to me. It made me feel… happy."
Dean looked at his friend with a little pity. Matin was clearly exhausted and at the end of his rope. His voice was distant and hollow sounding as if his responses were practiced beforehand.
"Come on, you two, move along!"
They were interrupted by a guard and forced to make their way out of the academy with the rest of the students.
"Something's not right here, Matin. We need to find out what's going on."
Matin didn't respond and simply continued walking through the snow towards the dorms.
"You're worried about Sophia, aren't you?"
Matin looked at him in surprise. It was nice to know that name still warrented a reaction from him.
"You can tell?"
"Friend, you couldn't have made it more obvious if you tried. You should talk with her." Dean said with what he hoped was a calming smile.
Matin closed his eyes for a moment and sighed.
"I don't even have the right to look at her anymore, let alone speak with her."
Dean placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"You two were astounding when working together. The pride and joy of the academy. I told you once that if you two worked together, the empire would be much better for it, didn't I?"
Their co-operation had brought about the best in both of them. Sadly, that was something Marianne just couldn't abide by. Dean felt a fresh wave of anger fill him.
"You gotta speak with her again if for no other reason than to spite that mother of yours." Dean said.
He had meant it as a joke. Well, half a joke. Anything that bothered Marianne was not a waste in his eyes.
He hoped for some sort of reaction, but Matin simply smiled at him and nodded. The smile looked as empty as one could be.
*
A few hours of glorified house arrest later, Dean heard a knock on his room door. It came not a moment too soon, as the boredom was just about to kill him. Thankfully, he had managed to get some sleep in and felt a little less drowsy. He opened the door and, to his surprise, found Addi looking up at him with two of her guardsmen standing nearby. She looked almost as tired as Matin had.
"Guess this complete fiasco's got you on edge too, huh?" he asked, trying to sound funny.
The moment he saw the dark look in Addi's eyes, however, his smile dropped.
"Dean. Nick's in the infirmary. It's not looking good. I need you to come with me now," she said, her words fast and abrupt.
"Was he attacked?" Dean asked, grabbing his coat from the nearby hanger.
Addi shook her head.
"He fell ill. Maria's with him. Come on."
Dean was not about to argue. Taking a moment to put on his coat, he joined Addi as she hurried to the cathedral. The curfew meant nothing if you were out on the orders of the priestess, but Dean didn't have the time to feel joy from breaking Marianne's rules. Nicolas had fallen ill now of all times? The timing couldn't have been worse.
"When did you find out? Have you told the others?" Dean asked as they stepped out into the courtyard.
"I've asked some of my servants to go fetch them. Dean, listen carefully to what I'm about to say."
He looked at her, and seeing her serious expression, nodded silently.
"I'm not taking you to see Nick exactly. It's Maria I'm worried about."
"Maria?" Dean asked.
Addi furrowed her brow as she mulled over her next words.
"Maria, she… she's probably not going to take this well. There's a chance she might act out violently and get herself or someone else hurt in the process. I need your help to keep her calm."
Dean couldn't respond right away. Addi's words went against everything he knew about Maria. She was a little older than the rest of the group and, as such, had always felt like an older sister to everyone. Easy-going but strong of will, Dean trusted her mental and physical strength more than any of the others. Whenever he needed to rely on someone, he often found himself going to her. There was no way she could act out in the way Addi was saying. Could she?
"I've never seen Maria act too much out of line. Sure, she can say some unsettling things sometimes, but are you sure you're not worrying too much?" He asked. Then, after seeing Addi's face stiffen slightly, he added. "Not that I'm refusing to help you, of course. If she is thinking of doing something stupid, we'll talk some sense into her. No problem!"
Addi's face did not loosen in the slightest.
"Thank you, I know it's hard to believe. Let's just wait and see."
Addi seemed much more subdued than usual, and Dean thought he smelled alcohol off her. He wanted more than anything to cheer her up, but with the guards nearby, he was severely limited in his actions. Surely there had to be a way to help her through this, some kind of funny prank. It was neither the time nor the place, for sure, but that was exactly why-
"If you even try to touch me, my men will run you through." She said, cracking a cold smile.
"How did you-"
"Your eyes always dart towards and away from me before you try something. I've known you a long time now. You need to learn to be more subtle."
Had she really been watching him enough to notice such things? Ever since she became The Priestess, the time they spent together had lessened significantly. There was no way she could be so wise to his actions.
"Damn women and their intuition," he muttered.
Addi's face did end up softening somewhat. A minor victory, but he would take it.
As they walked through the courtyard, Addi paused and looked up at the fallen snow.
"And the fresh snows herald the death of the priestess and the Goddess' rebirth." She whispered, her red eyes unblinking.
Dean, who had taken a few steps ahead without realising she had stopped, turned to look at her. She had always looked otherworldly when standing in snow. He would go so far as to say she resembled the goddess herself. Her pale skin and white hair were almost indistinguishable from her surroundings, making those red eyes stand out all the more. He never mentioned these thoughts, however. Her albinism was associated with many painful memories for her. Now, she just looked sad, almost lonely in a field of white. If he were a painter, he would love nothing more than to capture this image on canvas and preserve it.
"You're talking about the upcoming winter solstice festival?" He asked, recognizing the words from the holy texts.
It was still a month away, but given the early snows, he too constantly worried that the church might sacrifice Addi to bring an end to the winter. Of course, that practice had recently ended with Oscar's victory in the civil war, but there was no way to be sure. Of course, if it ever came to that, he would do everything in his power to save her.
"We don't know how things will go now that Oscar's in charge. He was never a big fan of the church's beliefs, anyway," he said, trying his best to comfort her.
Addi looked back at him and smiled, which actually managed to take his breath for a moment.
"I'm not worried about that at all. I-" She paused and narrowed her eyes at him. Eventually a smug grin grew on her face.
"Like what you see, Dean? Your mouth is hanging open." She giggled, doing a little twirl. "I know, I look amazing in the snow. You don't have to tell me."
She was getting a bit too uppity for her own good. It was time to pull her back down to earth.
Dean pretended to wipe a tear from his eye.
"My dear little apprentice is finally becoming a woman."
Addi's smile vanished, replaced by a scowl.
"Will you ever drop that seniority act? I'm the Priestess now, so show some damned respect! Besides, a year of difference means nothing at our age!"
"As long as I live, you'll always be my apprentice," he said in a way he hoped sounded cool and reliable. He couldn't let her know his real thoughts on the matter. Not now at least.
Addi grumbled, and her eyes shot towards the nearby guards who knew better than to return her gaze. They were scanning for potential dangers while doing their best to ignore their conversation.
"Just don't distance yourself from me just because I'm the priestess, alright, Dean?" She asked, her voice growing quiet and serious.
Dean silently cursed himself. Of course, he had treated her differently ever since she became one of the most powerful people in the world. It was difficult not to. He tried to make up for that in the precious few times they had alone, but he wondered if that was enough. He'd have to redouble his efforts once everything with Marianne had calmed down.
The infirmary could be found on the ground floor of the cathedral, in a room in one of the transepts. It was usually a quiet place, but today it was anything but. Nurses and brothers of the church rushed all over the place, and every bed was occupied.
Dean's mouth dropped open as he witnessed the scene. It wasn't a large room, so extra bedding had to be brought in from outside. He'd never seen it this crowded before. Not only that, but the stench of vomit and other nasty substances clogged his nostrils.
"What happened here?" He whispered.
"Many students fell ill at the same time, not only Nicolas. We think it may have been food poisoning or a new disease of some sort," Addi said, handing him a scented handkerchief to cover his mouth and nose.
A disease? If it were something like that, then there was a high possibility that it was contagious. Dean hesitated a moment before stepping further into the infirmary. He knew the handkerchief would do little to prevent him from contracting anything. Even so, he knew he had to see Nicolas and Maria. He simply had no choice in the matter.
They pushed forward to the far end of the infirmary. There, a few larger beds were placed for those of higher status. There, they found Nicolas sleeping on a bed. He looked even paler than before, and for a brief, horrible moment, Dean thought that he had already passed on.
Sitting next to his bed was Maria, holding his hand. Her eyes were wide open and red. They did not look away from Nicolas even as Dean and Addi approached.
"It's hitting Nick particularly hard." Addi whispered. "He was already sick, and this has just made things worse."
Dean sat next to his friend and watched him for a moment. It was difficult to calm his mind. Was Nick really going to die? How had this happened so suddenly? Such thoughts whirled in his mind over and over again.
"Have you noticed anything about the students who got sick? Almost all of them were high scorers in the mock exams," Maria said.
Without Dean noticing, Maria's wide eyes had shifted from Nicolas and were now staring holes into Dean and Addi. Dean could almost feel the suppressed rage coming from the young woman. Addi was right. Maria needed someone to talk to.
"Maria, I know how this might look, but don't jump to any conclusions. Nick is still alive, and he's the son of the emperor himself. He'll pull through this, I know it," Addi said.
Maria clicked her tongue.
"I wanna believe you, Add, but just look at him. And don't even mention that bastard of a father of his. He hasn't even shown his face to see him."
Maria's gaze slowly turned back towards Nicolas, and though her expression was like stone, a single tear trickled from her eyes.
"That bastard doesn't give a shit about him."
"But we do!" Addi argued, raising her voice slightly. "Shouldn't that be all that matters?"
Maria let out a bitter laugh.
"He's gonna die. I can feel it, and you know as well as I that this wasn't some accident. Just look around you."
"You can't be sure. And Maria, I promise you, I'll have my best men get to the bottom of this. If anyone's responsible, no matter who they are, I'll see them punished. I promise!"
"Your best? Why would you even need your best? It's so painfully obvious who did this." Maria laughed bitterly.
Dean knew who Maria was referring to. If she were right and most of the high scorers were victims, then that could only point to one person. He could almost agree with Maria were it not for her eyes. Those eyes belonged to someone who had decided to stop thinking, having made a decision they would rather die for than give up on.
"I'll talk to my father and Oscar. Addi'll come with me. We can convince them to toss Marianne out of this place for good." Dean said, doing his best to calm Maria.
Dean found himself doubting the conclusion that it had been Marianne. It was simply too obvious a plot for her to have had a part in it. One didn't become the most powerful noble in the empire by taking part in such easily discovered schemes. Unless she was so confident in her power here that she had forgone all semblance of subtlety.
Maria's face contorted at his words.
"That's all you ever do, Dean. Run around pretending to save the day. You want to toss her out? What good would that do? You never do manage to accomplish anything meaningful. I'll just kill-"
At that moment, Maria was interrupted by a new arrival. Matin rushed into the infirmary, and catching sight of their group, approached in a hurry. His distraught face looked down at Nicolas, and he completely missed the scathing look Maria gave him.
"Here's the son of that whore now," Maria scoffed.
"Maria, don't you dare!" Addi said, getting to her feet.
"Oh I will dare." Maria responded. "Don't even think about interrupting me."
Matin, who had only just arrived, looked at both of them in confusion.
"What's going on?" he asked, his voice trembling weakly.
"Don't play dumb. Your bitch of a mother is responsible for this, and you know it. Where is she? Sell me where she is so I can wring her dainty little neck!" Maria bellowed at the top of her lungs as she jumped to her feet.
"Maria, calm down!" Dean said as he rushed to restrain her. It looked like she was going to pounce on Matin at any moment.
For his part, Matin could only look away in silence. The fact that he didn't outright deny it bothered Dean, but Maria was his primary concern right now.
"Maria, Nick is resting. You gotta calm down. You're making it difficult for him too, you know," Dean said, desperately trying to calm her down.
"Dean's right." Addi echoed. "If you keep this up, his chances of survival are only going to get slimmer."
Thankfully, those words seemed to get through to Maria, who collapsed back down into her seat.
"If he dies, then I'll kill Marianne myself," Maria said, her tone flat.
Taking a deep breath, Dean turned back towards Matin.
"You don't know anything about this, right, Matin?" he asked quietly.
Matin, who had continued looking away, snapped his attention back towards Dean. His mouth was hanging open, but words seemed to fail him for a while.
"I…I don't."
After another brief pause, he continued speaking.
"I have to go!" he said, as he jumped from his chair and quickly made his way out of the infirmary.
"He knows something." Maria said, laughing softly to herself. "He couldn't have acted more guilty if he tried."
Addi looked at Maria with deep concern before biting her lip. She then whispered something to herself that Dean couldn't catch. He heard a single word.
"-Pointless-"
Dean wanted to ask what she meant, but he was too busy watching the doorway Matin had just left from. He didn't want to think Matin and Marianne had anything to do with this, but Matin's actions had him worried. Just what was his friend up to?
"Sorry, Addi. Can I leave Maria to you for a moment?"
Addi nodded.
"Yeah, go see Matin. I'll deal with Maria. Just don't let him be alone, no matter what," she said, her voice as cold as the snow and ice outside.
Dean rushed from the infirmary, doing his best to avoid the students lying on the floor. He caught up to Matin as he was struggling through the snow just outside the cathedral.
"Matin, hey Matin. Wait!"
Luckily, Matin heard him and stopped. He stood, panting in the snow as he turned to face Dean.
"Do you think your mother did this?" Dean said, not wasting a moment of time. "If you know something, please tell me."
Matin grimaced and looked down at his feet. It looked more and more likely that he knew something.
"We have to stop her. She's gone too far, Matin. Nick, he-"
"I know!" Matin yelled. "Just…just don't do anything yet. I'll speak with mother. Just give me some time, please."
It was rare to hear Matin shout, which only demonstrated the kind of state his mind was in. Matin was smiling again, that reassuring smile that tried to tell others that everything would be alright. It utterly failed this time, as his eyes betrayed the desperation he felt within. It was clear Matin could not do this alone, and Dean knew he had to do something. Marianne was Matin's mother after all. It was natural that he couldn't raise a hand against her.
"Alright," he lied. "I'll hold back for now. You go do what you need to do."
For a brief moment there was relief in Matin's eyes, and Dean felt a stab of regret for lying to him. However, when all was said and done, Matin would be better off without his mother's interference. Of that, Dean was certain.
*
Matin rushed along the corridors of the dorms, ignoring shouts of protest from students stepping out of his way.
Images of his mother's meeting with Mitch repeated over and over again in his mind. They must have been planning this incident. Nicolas was in a coma, and many other students were falling ill. Maria was right. It was his mother's doing. On top of that, she had failed to keep Nicolas' poor constitution in mind which was probably going to lead to his death.
"Why didn't I stop her?" He moaned to himself.
Because you wanted this too. With the competition out of the way, you will surely be the top scorer this year, and your dream will finally be in reach.
Those words came unbidden to his mind as he rushed into the girl's dorms, uncaring of the rules that would normally prevent him from doing so.
No, he hadn't wanted this. What kind of sane man would make others ill, even threaten their lives, in order to score highest on an exam?
You would. This means everything to you.
Matin grit his teeth. He wanted to be the best, yes. He wanted to be a man his mother and late father could be proud of. Someone who could, despite his cowardly nature and meek appearance, make millions of lives better. That was what he had wanted. Not this.
If your competition isn't dealt with, this dream will be forever out of your reach.
It felt as if his own thoughts were being spoken to him. Who was speaking to him and from where? Was he going mad?
Matin finally reached his destination: the door to Sophia's room. Perhaps his mother hadn't gotten to her yet. That was a fool's hope. Sophia would have been his mother's first target as the only other student to score higher than him. Matin placed his hand on the door.
"If I leave it closed, I can keep on believing that she's fine," he whispered before laughing at himself.
It was a hollow laugh, devoid of any mirth. He knew he couldn't indulge in such and delusion and so, without knocking, he opened the door.
"Ah, as I thought." He said to himself, voice cracking.
The room was sparse compared to his own, with a single bed, desk and chair, and not much else outside of daily necessities. A wreath of twigs, often used as a good luck charm by the peasantry, was hung above the desk and was the only form of decoration.
Sophia had collapsed just in front of her bed. Her knees were on the ground, but her torso and arms were sprawled on the sheets. She was lying face down, her face pressed against her pillow. A glass had fallen onto the floor, tea spilling out onto the floorboards. He was too late.
Something was off, however. Most students simply became ill when they ingested the poison. That's what his mother had said. As a result, most students had been able to get to the infirmary by themselves. Why was Sophia here?
"Why is she here?" Matin said repeatedly as he slowly approached her.
Perhaps she had an underlying medical condition, just like Nicolas had. He rushed over to her and pulled her up.
Wide, unseeing eyes stared up at him as he turned her around. Matin screamed and let her go. She fell limply onto the floor, eyes staring up at the ceiling, her body completely still.
Matin's legs gave out, and his lips trembled. He tried to scream, but nothing came out. Then, an unimaginable pain bubbled up from deep inside him, and something within him finally broke.
*
That evening, the deaths of two more students were announced. Nicolas, the emperor's bastard son, succumbed to his illness and died in the infirmary. Sophia, the daughter of a nameless peasant family, was found dead in her room, having died from a combination of food poisoning and a weakened constitution. Her heart hadn't been strong enough to withstand the weakness, or so it was said. Neither case was investigated due to the orders of Marianne Evelyn, acting headmaster of the academy at the time. As such, the true nature of their deaths remained a mystery, never to be uncovered.