We approached Lieutenant Vex after weapons class. The session had been intense, with close quarters combat drills and live ammunition. Everyone was jumpy after the explosion and the rumors of possible Elusitor converts spreading over the Citadel. Even the instructors seemed on edge.
I wondered if Shovia had anything to do with the rumors. Somehow, no one had mentioned converts in the Citadel before she had, and now everyone was talking about them. Then again,she might have heard the rumors because they were percolating down from the top.
Ravel hadn't said anything to Kailin, but that didn't mean anything. The guy was a vault, and he didn't act as if he were part of our prophesied group. Then again, he was old enough to be our daddy, and he was a commander, while we were cadets. Naturally, he didn't feel obligated to share things with us.
"Lieutenant?" Shovia walked up to Vex with her most winning smile. "Could I ask a favor?"
Vex looked up from the gun she was field stripping. "That depends on the favor."
"Codric and I would like to get permission to visit the library archives this evening. For a project."
"What kind of project?"
I stepped forward. "Comparative analysis of rider longevity across squadrons."
Vex's eyebrows rose. "That sounds morbid. Is this an assignment?"
Shovia assumed a sheepish expression. "It's not. Codric and I made a wager, and the only way I can prove to him that I’m right is to get information about the squadrons from the archives. Can we get a permission slip to go?"
Vex studied us for a long moment, her gaze assessing, and I wondered if she suspected our real purpose, not that she had a reason to suspect it.
Finally, she nodded, pulled out a small notebook, and scribbled something. "You have a pass for one evening. Don't make me regret this."
She tore out the page and handed it to Shovia.
"Thank you, Lieutenant!"
As we walked away, Shovia whispered, "Do you think she knows? The look she gave us was loaded."
"Maybe. But she gave us permission anyway, and either she doesn't care, or she thinks we should investigate."
"Or she's testing us to see if we're smart enough to figure out the pattern."
That was an unsettling thought. Were the instructors aware of the dangerous dragons and deliberately not warning cadets? A trial by fire to weed out the weak or unobservant?
No, that was too cynical. More likely, riders' deaths were considered normal, an occupational hazard that came with being a member of the Dragon Force. The patterns we'd noticed might not be obvious to anyone who wasn't obsessively analyzing the data.
Hadrick's face lit up when we entered the archives. "The young enthusiasts return!"
Shovia handed him the pass. "We have Lieutenant Vex's permission."
"Excellent! You have proper authorization this time." He put the pass on his desk. "What brings you back to my domain?"
"Symbols," I said immediately. "And rider records."
"Well, you know where the riders' journals are, Shovia." He turned to me with interest. "Did you say symbols?"
I pulled out my journal and showed him the sketches I'd made at the temple ruins.
His eyes widened. "The temple inscriptions."
I nodded. "Is there anything in the library about them?"
"Of course! Many scholars have attempted to decipher them over the centuries." He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I believe we have a catalog...yes, come with me."
I smiled at Shovia, who gave me a scathing look, and followed him deeper into the archives, past many rows of shelves, to a section that smelled of old parchment and dust. His fingers traced along spines until he found what he was looking for.
"Here. 'A Comprehensive Analysis of Temple Symbols' by Scholar Nivem Mostel. Written over two hundred years ago." He pulled down a thick volume, its leather binding worn but intact.
