"I wasn't talking about that." She cut him short. "It's the same in all the academies."
"What?" Linjos jumped out of his chair, he couldn't believe his ears.
"What did you expect? That the other Headmasters would flaunt their problems? Off the record, since the threat of the civil war started, the students spend more time fighting among themselves or following their parents' agenda rather than studying.
The Black Griffon never expelled so many students in a single year, while at the Crystal Griffon academy they have so many injured that they had to hire new medical staff. Your White Griffon is the crown jewel of the academies at the moment."
Sylpha's smile perfectly hid her amusement at Linjos' shocked expression.
"I was talking about the Poltus boys. Three of them, at night near the girls' dorm. It creeps me out just saying it out loud. What were they doing there? Why have they yet to wake up?"
- "Oh, that!"– Linjos thought, inwardly sighing of relief.
"Up to no good, that's the only thing that I'm sure of. They had a Ballot, but they didn't activate it. It means that either they knew their aggressor or that they couldn't afford to record their meeting.
I had them searched. No slave items, but they had several alchemic products on them. Most of them where to… incapacitate the victim."
"Meaning?" Sylpha didn't like the pause at all.
"I can't be sure until the alchemic lab confirms it, but judging from the smell I'd say they were sedatives or roofies. I'm going to interrogate them as soon as they wake up. Depending on their answers and the lab results, I'll decide what to do. Off the record, they are as good as expelled, already.
After breaking their dimensional amulets, we found so many drugs they could open a pharmacy."
"Oh dear." Sylpha silently prayed for Linjos.
The Headmaster was about to ask the Queen why she cared so much for the Poltus family, when the gemstone on his desk blinked red. His personal assistant had something very urgent to tell him.
"This better be important, Balfas." Linjos answered with an annoyed tone, bowing to the Queen as an apology for the interruption.
"Royal constable Jirni Ernas requests your presence, Headmaster." Balfas was a retired veteran, not even dragons soaring the skies could upset him. Yet he was squeaking like a mouse.
"Tell her I'm innocent! I mean busy!" As a royal constable, Lady Ernas had an authority second only to the Royal Court. She was that good at her job that no one, either innocent or guilty, wanted her poking at their personal life.
"She says it's for official business." Balfas' voice rose of another octave.
"What official business could she possibly…" Linjos' eyes suddenly noticed the name of a particular student that lived near the site of the accident.
"Gods, no! I mean, tell her I'll be there immediately."
"Be careful about what you do and say, Linjos." Sylpha said after he closed the communication with his assistant.
"She knows about the Poltus boys, the roofies, everything. I know what you are thinking, it's a minor offense, but don't fool yourself. Do you know what's a royal pardon?"
"Of course I do!" Linjos felt offended by the question. A royal pardon was a get out of jail free card for any crime non punishable by the death penalty. The Crown granted a few of them every year to their most loyal servants for their outstanding results.
All the noble families had one or more black sheep that needed protection from the law. Most of them would do anything to obtain one to not get their name tarnished. The royal pardon was a leash that kept them loyal and efficient.
"Well, she has collected five so far, but never needed one. Yet."
"Does that mean…"
"That she could maim half your staff and as long she kills no one, she will go home in time for dinner."