"I want the records of the attackers on my desk by tomorrow morning," I told him. "Service history, evaluations, and known associates. Everything."
"Yes, sir."
"And find out who supervised them. I want to know how four converts ended up working in proximity to the Hero of Elucia without anyone noticing warning signs."
Varek hesitated. "Sir, it's the middle of the night. Some of those records might require?—"
"I don't care what time it is. Wake whoever needs to be woken. This takes priority over everything else."
"Yes, sir."
As I returned to the room, the cleanup crew arrived, a team of four with brooms, buckets, and boxes to store Kailin and Alar's personal belongings.
I directed them to start with the glass and blood while preserving anything that might be evidence.
"I'm moving these cadets to new quarters in the officers' wing. After you pack their things, take them up there."
The crew leader raised an eyebrow, but it wasn't his place to question my decisions.
While they worked, I returned to the lounge, where Varek was still on the phone, probably waking up half of the Citadel. I waited until he was done with his call. "I need quarters prepared in the officers' wing. A suite large enough for five, with a common room and individual sleeping areas. Secure location, restricted access."
His eyebrows rose. "For the quintet?"
I nodded. "They stay together from now on. I want them in a location where I can control who comes and goes."
"The corner suite on the third floor is available. It's usually reserved for visiting dignitaries, but we haven't had any in years. In fact, I don't know if it has ever been used for that purpose."
"It hasn't. We don't allow any outsiders in the Citadel. This will be perfect. Once the clean-up crew is done here, direct them to the suite and ask them to prepare it for the quintet."
"Consider it done, sir."
Fury still simmered beneath my professional calm as I made my way to the infirmary, but I wasn't letting it control me. There would be time for anger later, when the immediate crisis was handled.
The corridors were quieter now, though clusters of cadets still lingered in doorways, speaking in hushed, anxious tones. They fell silent as I passed, watching me with a mixture of fear and hope. They wanted reassurance that their commanders had the situation under control, that the Citadel was still safe.
I couldn't give them that. Not honestly. So, I kept my face neutral and my pace steady, projecting a calm I didn't feel.
The infirmary on this level was just a couple of rooms equipped to handle everything from small training injuries to various maladies. I found the quintet gathered in the main room. Kailin sat on a bed with Alar beside her, both of them bandaged. Morek stood guard by the door, while Codric and Shovia occupied chairs nearby.
They all looked up when I entered.
"Commander." Alar rose, wincing as the movement pulled at his wounded shoulder. "Any news?"
"The fourth assailant has been captured. All four are accounted for."
Relief flickered across their faces, but it didn't last long. They were smart enough to know that capturing four attackers didn't mean the danger was over.
I told Kailin that she and the rest of the quintet were moving to a secure location.
"The prophecy," Kailin said softly, and I saw understanding there. Fear, too, but also a kind of weary acceptance. "That's why they want us dead. Someone knows about the prophecy."
I considered the possibility and dismissed it. No one knew about the prophecy, but many knew about the Hero of Elucia and what she'd done to save Podana.
"I doubt it," I said. "They came after you, not the others. They wanted to eliminate the Hero of Elucia. The prophecy is known to a very few people. Saphir, myself, the five of you, Nyxath, and Onyx. This attack was about what you represent publicly, Kailin. Your ability to predict Shedun attacks makes you invaluable to Elucia's defense. Removing you would be a major blow to our defensive capabilities."
Shovia leaned forward. "So, what's the plan?"
"New quarters in the officers' wing. More secure, restricted access. Guards that I trust personally will be posted around theclock." I looked at each of them in turn. "You stay together as much as possible and watch each other's backs."
