CHAPTER 59: THE BARON’S ARRIVAL

The emergency assembly bell woke me at dawn.

Three sharp tolls echoed across campus, it was signal for mandatory attendance. I’d been at the academy for long and never heard it used.

"Young Master." Damian entered my room already dressed. "Baron Celestius has arrived with a full entourage of royal Court representative and church Bishop, with fifty armed guards."

I threw off my blankets, my gaze sharpened. "How long do we have?"

"Assembly starts in thirty minutes. But..." Damian’s expression was grim. "They’re already setting up in the Grand Hall. This isn’t a visit, I think It’s a kind of occupation."

Shit.

I dressed quickly, mind racing. The Baron coming personally meant Adrian had called in reinforcements after yesterday’s humiliation. The Royal Court rep meant political pressure and the Bishop meant religious authority.

And fifty guards meant intimidation. But what I can’t understand is which one of them are spy for the Council or not. I’ll take the Duke as a spy, at the very least, isn’t he an instrument in racing a hero?

And the church...they’re the one that declared Adrian the hero of the generation in the first place.

"Gather the inner circle," I said, strapping on my sword belt. "Conference room three in five minutes."

"Already done, Young Master."

Of course he had. He’s good like that.

The conference room was cramped with bodies when I arrived. Lucille perched on the windowsill, Ravenna sat at the table looking pale but determined, Marcus was assembling some kind of crystal device.

Isabella arrived right behind me, slightly out of breath. "I came as soon as I heard. My family’s merchant network is already picking up chatter of the Baron brought writs signed by three High Nobles. He’s here to force the academy’s hand."

"On what charges?"

"Does it matter?" Lucille’s voice was flat. "He’ll invent whatever he needs anyway."

"It matters legally," Isabella insisted. "If we know what’s coming, we can prepare a defense."

"The defense is already prepared." I pulled out a communication crystal, channeling mana into it. "Uncle Victor?"

The crystal glowed, projecting my uncle’s face. He was in traveling clothes, with dirt on his cheek.

"Hadeon. I’m three hours out with two hundred men. Can you hold until then?"

"You heard?"

"Got word last night from a merchant contacts." He glanced off-screen. "The Baron’s playing a dangerous game. He’s bringing royal authority against a Ducal house without proper cause. That’s politically explosive."

"Can you stop him?"

"Not legally. He has the writs. But I can muddy the waters enough to buy time." Uncle Victor’s expression hardened. "Don’t let them arrest anyone. Once you’re in chains, even I can’t help quickly enough."

The crystal faded.

"Three hours," Marcus muttered. "We just need to survive three hours."

"Against a Baron, a royal representative, a Bishop, and fifty A-rank guards?" Ravenna laughed bitterly. "Sure, so very simple."

"We’re not fighting them." I looked at each face in turn. "We’re fighting with words. With politics and evidence. This is their arena, but we’re not helpless."

"What’s the play?"

"We split up. Go get Seraphina, she’ll be with me at the assembly. Her family name carries weight, they can’t dismiss her easily, and she’ll help us. Lucille, I need you in the shadows. If they try to arrest anyone, I want eyes on where they’re taken. Isabella, contact every merchant family with students here. Economic pressure if this goes sideways. Marcus, that device you’re building?"

"Communication jammer," he said. "If they try to use the Royal Court’s authority to issue arrest warrants remotely, this will buy us at least twenty minutes before they can reestablish the connection."

"Perfect. Ravenna...."

"I’m coming to the assembly," she said firmly. "This is about me. I’m not hiding."

I wanted to argue. But the look in her eyes stopped me.

"Fine. But stay behind me. If things go wrong, Damian gets you out. No arguments."

She nodded reluctantly.

"Everyone clear on the plan?" Heads nodded. "Then let’s go face a Baron."

_____

The Grand Hall was packed. Every student, every professor, even the maintenance staff had been summoned. The normal seating arrangement had been changed, instead a raised platform dominated the center, with three ornate chairs positioned like thrones.

Baron Celestius sat in the center, looking every inch the nobleman. He’s in his mid-forties, with sharp features and graying temples, he wore expensive robes that screamed old money. To his right, a woman in Royal Court dress in her mid-thirties with calculating eyes, fingers adorned with official rings.

To his left, is the Bishop in full ceremonial vestments, radiating disapproval as he watched everyone with his beady eyes.

The fifty guards lined the walls. All in matching armor, all standing at attention, all radiating menace. The runes on their armor glowing and dulling with time.

This was theater of designed intimidate.

And it was working.

Students huddled together, whispering nervously. Professors stood in small groups, looking worried. Even Headmaster Aldric seated in a lesser chair to the side looked diminished as if he was suddenly faced with a situation he didn’t expect.

Adrian stood near his adopted father, cleaned up and composed. He’d recovered from yesterday’s loss remarkably fast. Of course he had this was his backup plan from the goddamned start.

I led my group to the front section, ignoring the stares. Seraphina’s armor drew attention, as did Ravenna’s presence, most students hadn’t expected to see her free, let alone attending an assembly of this kind.

"All rise for Baron Celestius, representative of His Majesty’s Royal Court, and His Eminence Bishop Aldrew of the Church of Eternal Light," the herald announced.

Everyone stood but the blasted Baron remained seated in subtle power move.

"Be seated," he said, voice carrying easily. "I will be brief. Many of you are wondering why I’ve come. The answer is simple. For justice."

He let the word hang.

"Yesterday, this academy held a trial. A trial that was meant to address serious crimes of forbidden magic, conspiracy and..... attempted murder. Instead, it became a circus. Evidence was dismissed and witnesses were discredited. And a dangerous criminal was set free on technicalities."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"I bring correction," the Baron continued. "Not because I wish to interfere with academy autonomy, but because the Crown demands order. Because the Church demands righteousness. Because innocent lives are at stake."

The Bishop nodded solemnly.

"Therefore, by the authority vested in me by His Majesty King Galth III, and with the blessing of the Church, I am here to right the wrongs of yesterday’s travesty."