“Your commander also made me aware of your work with this informant you identify as Nicolas Camarata.”
Her blood might as well have frozen in her veins.
“I have to agree with Commander Matherson that you were misguided in your decision to trust someone outside of the military so implicitly. Sending this man evidence in an active investigation is enough for you to lose your position.
“However, I have come to the conclusion that you were doing what you believed was best and ultimately helped lead us to the mastermind of the rienevoir murders. Therefore, your punishment as administered by Commander Matherson is the punishment you will receive.”
Jade couldn’t so much as make a sound. Matherson must have brought Jade’s deception to Devereaux’s attention after Marchand’s death. Did Nicolas have something to do with this? He had said he had ways to protect her job. It was the only way Jade could fathom she was hearing these words from Devereaux.
With Jade’s lack of response, Devereaux continued. “It is primarily due to your work that we brought an end to these murders and have brought peace to the conflict.”
Peace. Jade mentally scoffed. Peace came at the cost of ten lives.
“Therefore, your commander has come to me to recommend you for the rank of major.”
Jade stilled. A promotion? The promotion she had believed she could achieve by the end of this conflict? She’d begun to think major was even farther away after everything she’d done, with a demotion more likely. But now, the rank of major was on the horizon, and Matherson, the one who knew her betrayal, had been the one to suggest it. Jade couldn’t help but feel even guiltier to achieve the rank.
A soft smile broke through Devereaux’s strict veneer. “And I have chosen to grant it.”
Conflicting emotions warred within Jade, but she couldn’t let it show here or now. She would discuss it with Matherson privately later. Instead, she inclined her head toward Grand General Devereaux. “Thank you, Grand General,” she said, then angled her head toward Matherson. Nothing in his expression spoke of disagreement or disapproval. “And you as well, Commander.”
“Captain Redman, you’ll also be receiving a promotion to major,” Devereaux continued, turning her attention to Theo.
Jade’s eyes widened as the corners of her lips curled, but she immediately straightened them back out. Theo had been a captain much longer than she had and was entirely deserving of the promotion, and she was thrilled to see him getting the recognition too.
“Thank you, Grand General,” Theo said, a measured amount of surprise in his voice.
Devereaux’s smile lingered, giving her an appearance that was oddly unsettling to Jade. Perhaps she was too used to seeing the woman as stern and matter-of-fact. “You have earned it. Of course, we won’t be able to hold the promotion ceremony until after both the king’s funeral and the coronation, but it will come next. You and a few others who played critical roles in The Claim will receive your promotions as a fitting conclusion to this time of hostility and dissension.”
“I’m honored and grateful, Grand General,” Jade said, unsure of what else to do.
“As am I,” Theo added.
Devereaux nodded once in satisfaction before her demeanor shifted back to business. “Now, there’s also the manner of Lord Grannam’s associate that you encountered on more than one occasion, Captain Ni’ihm. We had troops search through the duke’s files and records pertaining to The Claim and found information about a man Lord Grannam had hired to blackmail Lady Arabella.”
Jade didn’t dare interrupt, though a dozen questions ran through her head. So he really wasn’t the assassin, then? Did they find any records of a hired killer? What was Grannam using to blackmail Arabella?
“The associate was taken into custody and questioned,” Devereaux continued. “Though he refused to detail his business for the Duke of Evenshold, he insisted he was never ordered to kill anyone and was unaware of any assassin. Which would stand to reason, given that we believe Lord Marchand, not Lord Grannam, to be the one behind the murders.”
Jade couldn’t stay silent any longer, respect for rank thrown aside. “But we know there was an assassin. Even if he was working for Marchand, he’s managed to evade us this entire time.”
Devereaux’s eyebrows raised a fraction. “Yes, he has. And I know it’s a sore subject for you, but with his employer gone, we won’t likely see anything from the assassin again. If he was a hired killer, as we believe, his incentive has evaporated with Lord Marchand’s death. He has no reason to continue to kill.”
“Unless he wasn’t working for Lord Marchand at all.” The words flew out too quickly, but Jade caught herself and cleared her throat. “Forgive me, Grand General, but I’ve learned some information about Lord Marchand that might be of significance.”
Devereaux’s shoulders went rigid, all traces of her smile gone. “He’s dead, Captain Ni’ihm.”
“Yes, but I still think it’s important.”
Devereaux sat motionless for a moment, seeming to ponder her next action, before she relaxed back into her chair and waved a hand in the air. “Go ahead then.”
Jade recounted what she had learned in the archives that morning about Marchand: how he had last purchased the plants eleven years ago, how that lined up with the fire that killed the queen and prince, and how he received his title of earl shortly thereafter. Devereaux’s eyes did not stray from Jade as she listened intently. When Jade finished, Devereaux waited a moment before she slowly leaned forward, rested her joined hands on her desk, and spoke.
“I appreciate your investigative skills in this regard, Captain Ni’ihm. You’re truly an intelligence agent through and through. However, I see nothing alarming about these findings. We knew this already, as evidenced by the fact that this information was already in our records.”
Her steely, unwavering gaze pierced Jade. Though the grand general had only minutes prior offered Jade her next promotion, her demeanor toward Jade had changed so drastically that Jade wanted to do nothing but shrink and cower. She sat tall nevertheless, accepting Devereaux’s response with aplomb.
“Just because the Earl of Southbury had last purchased the plants necessary to create rienevoir eleven years ago does not mean he would not still possess either the plants or the components necessary to produce the poison,” Devereaux began, her tone even and strong. “Eleven years ago, when he received his title, he had become close with Prince Reynauld, who brought the question of his earldom to the king on his behalf. It is my understanding that he had done a good service to the crown through the extensive cultivation of his plants, providing remedies for certain ailments directly to the royal family. As for the timing of it all, it is but a mere coincidence. It is possible that the granting of his title was in the works before the unfortunate passing of our queen and prince, and it was therefore delayed when the tragedy occurred.”
