Page 7 of Daughter of the Ninth Line: Part Two

Was she related to the Third Line? Did she have latent Third Line magic that I was reacting to? I needed more information.Slipping inside, I walked to the shelf where the admission ledgers were kept. I didn’t need to turn on a light—the ability to see well at night was one of the boons of my Line.

Flipping it open on the table, I wondered if Svenna would know I’d been here. I wouldn’t be surprised. She’d been both wily and fierce when she was in the Dawn Army, and if she hadn’t lost her arm in a skirmish, then I had no doubt she’d have been high up the ranks.

Flipping open the ledger, I slid my finger down until I found the right entry.Avalon Halhed.Youngest child of the Baron Halhed of the Ninth Line, so nobility. Who sent their daughter to be a conscript when they had so many sons? Not that I didn’t think women could be amazing warriors; Svenna and my mother were both proof of that. But I’d seen Avalon in training, and it was very obvious the only sharp instrument she’d ever held was probably an embroidery needle. Who sent a barely trained girl to be their Line’s conscript, especially the daughter of the Baron? Was it because she was a spinster at the ripe old age of twenty-three?

I stalled on a brief line about her being present at her mother’s death as a toddler, but I couldn’t imagine why that would warrant an entry under physical fitness.

Closing the book, I sat back in Svenna’s chair. That really hadn’t shed any light on the mystery of Avalon Halhed, other than filling in a few small gaps. It didn’t explain why I was so drawn to her. It didn’t explain why she was tormenting me in my dreams.

With a sigh, I hefted the tome back onto its place on the shelf and slipped out of the office. Walking toward the stairs that led to the Upper Six dorms, I paused on the landing, seeing Svenna there, leaning against the wall.

“Find anything interesting?” she asked lightly.

Braxus weaved in front of my legs, but unlike most people, Svenna didn’t seem perturbed by his presence. It could be because she had at least six daggers on her body, despite only having one arm.

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, pasting my usual charming grin on my face. It was the one my mother said could disarm even a burly warrior on the battlefield.

Svenna snorted. “Keep your charm for someone who gives a shit, Taeme. You were in my office, and I want to know why.”

Glancing down at Braxus, I sent him up the stairs to make sure no one was eavesdropping on our conversation. When he let out a short, subdued yip from the top of the stairs, I knew it was safe to talk.

“Nothing wild, Svenna. I just like to know who the new conscripts are.”

“Horseshit.” She stepped closer. “What were you looking for, Taeme?” There was something fervent in her gaze, the intensity making goosebumps spread across my skin. I didn’t know if I should tell her or not.

Hell, maybe she’d know more. I had a reputation, and hopefully, she’d just assume I wanted information because I wanted to screw Avalon Halhed.

So, clearing my throat, I gave her my best bashfulaw gosh, you caught meexpression. “I was looking into the new girl from the Ninth Line. She won’t give me the time of day, and I wondered if she was already married, or you know, didn’t like men?”

Svenna continued to eye me, her hand on her hip. “You think those are the only reasons a girl wouldn’t want to climb into bed with you—if she was gay or married? You have quite the opinion of yourself.”

I smirked. “The theory hasn’t been disproven yet.”

Her eyes searched my face, but I’d been playing spy for a long time. I could hold my own under an appraising gaze. Finally, she straightened. “Well, I hope she holds out as long as possible, just to give you a taste of humility.” She stepped back and lifted her chin. “Back to your dorm before curfew.” She walked down several more steps before looking back up at me. “And Taeme, for future reference? If you want information about people, there is a thing called a library. Stay out of my damn office.”

I watched her go, then walked the rest of the way up the stairs. There was silence on the landing outside the Third Line dorm, but that wasn’t a surprise. Walking into the place was a madhouse. Animals and people littered every surface, and it had been so noisy in years gone by that someone had eventually forged a soundproof barrier around our dorm.

It was loud, but it felt like home. Lucio was having an arm wrestle with Oleg, and someone was cooking in the small kitchen, judging by the smell of it. We couldn’t be sustained by the three meals served in the dining hall. We needed twice as much food as every other Line, because our inner beast just burned through energy way too fast. It meant that someone was always cooking something, and we usually managed to snag extra rations from the kitchen.

I came to stand near Lucio, turning over the problem that was Avalon Halhed in my head. Honestly, I probably would have written it off completely, but something about her put my animals offside too. Not because they disliked her; quite the opposite. They’d all instantly liked the girl, and that was unusual. They didn’t like anyone but me most of the time.

Maybe she did have some Third Line blood in her somewhere. Maybe Svenna’s quip about heading to the library was actually helpful. I’d check it out tomorrow.

Vox Vylan was watching the girl with nearly as much intensity as I was, which made the beast inside me bristle. The First Line was filled to the brim with the worst type of people in Ebrus: power-hungry and corrupt. The Baron of the First Line held control of Ebrus with immense power and more than a little ruthlessness—a trait passed down to his Heirs.

My interactions with Vox had been few and far between this year, which I appreciated, but perhaps it was time to ensure he knew that I was here, ready to be a thorn in his damn side.

Instructor Perot was also giving the girl a death glare, and I didn’t understand that either. I really needed to know more about her. I put up a call, and a mouse ran up my pants leg. “Follow her.”

Mice had small minds, mostly preoccupied with finding food, warmth and a warm female mouse to reproduce with before they were eaten either by Lucio’s war cat or the castle cats. But they responded well enough to requests for information, and unlike Braxus and Alucis—who could almost analyse what they were seeing and decide what was relevant—a mouse just sent me snapshot after snapshot of what it saw. It wasn’t efficient, and sometimes it could be exhausting, but mice went places larger animals couldn’t.

Like the Ninth Floor dorm.

The mouse scurried down the stairs, until it froze, lifting in the air like a balloon. I climbed to my feet and glared at Vox, the only person who could use their elemental magic with that amount of precision. “Put him down.”

Vox raised an eyebrow. “No.”

My hounds came to my side as I stepped forward. “Now, Vylan, or else.”

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