I can't keep my mouth shut at this. "Your better judgment? You would have killed an honorable Knight for doing the right thing and defending me against your corrupt and cruel Inquisition Officers. You have no judgment, only bitterness."
The other Grandmasters are shocked into silence. Even my grandfather raises an appraising eyebrow. But King Varian surprises me with a bemused chuckle. "Miss Night is right. It was a fool's decision to make a public spectacle of his execution, and it cost you quite a bit, didn't it?"
I slump back into my chair, relieved. But Ragathon continues to glare at me as King Varian watches Jax.
It's a tough battle, but in the end, Jax wins. The crowd erupts in cheers, and I clap the loudest.
The wait staff bring in more refreshments and desserts as Jax is paraded around to the calls of his fans.
King Varian eats a strawberry and leans back in his chair. "I'll be taking over Combat Class and Tactics," he announces. "I'm not impressed with what I've seen today." He leans forward, watching Jax. "Except for him. He impressed me. I'll take him as my Second." He looks at Grandmaster Gabriella. "Those are your classes, correct? You don't mind, do you?"
Grandmaster Gabriella looks like she just swallowed a rat, but she shakes her head. "Of course not, Your Majesty."
"Chancellor Forrester, I assume you have no objections."
My grandfather is watching me with a curious expression as he raises his hands open palmed. "We are at your disposal, Your Majesty."
The King smiles. "Please, call me Master Varian. Here, I'm not King, just a teacher and a Knight."
The Chancellor nods. "Very well, Master Varian. We are pleased to have you part of the Initiate training. They will learn a great deal from you." My grandfather rubs his beard. "However, I understand your primary reason for being here is to apprehend Nightfall. Might I ask what you have planned?"
Master Varian looks back out into the Arena, but his gaze is distant, lost in thought. "It's her move. Let's see what she's made of."
***
It's my move. Fantastic.
"Scarlett," Evie says, as I walk with Corinne and Wytt to dinner, "it would be unwise to underestimate King Varian. He does not appear to be as impetuous as his brother."
"Yeah, I know. I know."
Wytt looks up. "You know what?"
I tap my eGlass off. "Nothing, just talking to my eGlass."
He looks at me oddly, then shrugs. "Cool."
As we head to dinner, I notice a lot more people than before. "It got crowded when I wasn't looking."
Corinne nods. "With classes starting tomorrow, a lot of last-minute students are showing up. Tonight's the Welcome Ceremony, so everyone's required to attend."
I'd almost forgotten classes start tomorrow. A nervous butterfly flutters in my gut. Mostly at the thought of getting up before dawn.
Once everyone is settled with their dinner, Chancellor Forrester walks to the podium. "Welcome to Castle Vianney for a new year of training and learning. To our returning students who have been chosen by their Orders, you are about to embark on a new path with even greater trials. To our new Initiates, prepare yourself for the greatest challenge of your lives."
That doesn't sound ominous at all. I look around and notice most everyone has stopped eating to listen, which is good. It means I don't have to fake eat anymore.
"You will learn more from your individual classes, but for now, allow me to introduce you to our curriculum. You are about to begin your Fall Quarter training here at Castle Vianney. You will have two classes from each Order; however, each quarter does have a different focus, which dictates the nature of the Trial. The Fall focus is the Teutonic Order and the Trial at the end of the quarter will test your Teutonic skills."
Wytt leans forward from across the table to whisper at us. "One of the Initiates died last year in the Teutonic Trial."
I look at him in surprise. "What? Seriously?"
He nods. "Seriously."
"That's crazy. How can they allow it?"
Wytt shrugs. "To become a Knight in the old days, you had to fight in battle. Many died. In lieu of battles, they must provide dangerous challenges to weed out the weak."
The Chancellor is still talking. "As some of you know, these Trials are not for the faint of heart. They are graded as pass or fail. You pass if you succeed at the mission in the time allotted. You fail if you take too long, or surrender. Or die."
Wytt raises an eyebrow. "See?"
The Chancellor continues. "Many of you might have heard that these Trials are dangerous. If you are not willing to take those risks, then the Knighthood is not for you."
He looks sternly at everyone before continuing. "You must pass all four Trials to be considered for Knighthood. You must also work hard at your classes. You will be graded on a scale of one to ten for each class, and your Masters will determine who amongst you is exceptional. For those they deem worthy, they will give you Boons to take with you in your Trial. These Boons could mean the difference between success and failure. Do not underestimate the importance of attending all of your classes and doing well."
There goes my plan for ditching PT and sleeping in.
"Furthermore, your Masters will be evaluating you throughout the year. They will be the ones to determine who amongst you is chosen for their Order. A word of warning: You could pass all the Trials—but if you do not impress a Knight of standing, you will not be chosen for an Order."