Page 80 of Courting the Dragon King

“Where did she die and who found her?” Konrad asked her.

“She was in her study in the Dove Healing Academy. One of the monks training to be a healer went to see her. They knocked on her door,” Clara said. “There was no answer. They went in and found her on the ground with a dagger in her back. No healing magic could save her.”

Konrad frowned. “And did she have any enemies? Anyone who would want to hurt her?”

“No!” Clara shook her head vehemently. “No. She was loved by all! No one ever had a bad word to say about her. She was a kind and caring woman, who’d dedicated her life to helping and healing others.”

It was a bit of a walk to the middle monastery, where the healing academy was located. When they reached the grand healer’s study, they found the grand shield and several warrior monks inside.

The grand shield glanced at them. “Your Majesties.” She bowed respectfully, but Konrad didn’t miss the way her eyes narrowed at the sight of them. Clearly, she didn’t want Konrad sticking his nose in here.

Gerard and Senta had told Konrad that the grand shield did not like others getting in her way or trying to do what she saw were her duties. But maybe if less people were being attacked and killed at the White Monastery, they would stop interfering with her job.

Until then, Konrad would stick his nose in wherever he saw fit.

“Have you found anything?” Konrad asked.

The grand shield looked at the grand healer, lying on the floor just in front of her desk, dagger sticking out from the middle of her back. Blood stained her beige robes and pooled on the wooden floor around her. “Just the dead body of one of our most esteemed and beloved brethren,” she said, voice tight.

Konrad had to remind himself that the grand shield might have been close to the grand healer. She might be looking at the body of a dear friend. He should try to be respectful.

Still, his duty was to his people, first and foremost. So if he could learn something here that would help him do his best for his people, then he wouldn’t hold back from finding it out.

“As you can see, there is a dagger in her back, Your Majesty.” Then the grand shield’s gaze fixed on Wraith. “And it is clearly a necromancer’s dagger.”

Chapter

Forty

Wraith’s eyes widened as Konrad turned and looked at him. Wraith’s fingers twitched.

Oh no. Is Konrad going to turn on me?

The white hilt made of bone stuck out from the grand healer’s back. Wraith had known it was a necromancer’s blade the second he saw it. But Wraith had nothing to do with it!

As he gazed at Konrad, Wraith’s muscles tensed. Was Konrad about to start hurling accusations? Again? Opening his mouth, he tried to think of a denial.

But Konrad spoke first. “Do you recognise this kind of dagger or do you have any idea who might use such a weapon?”

That was not an accusation. It was a question. A question because Konrad thought Wraith could help solve this murder. They were husbands. Allies. And Konrad trusted him and thought he could assist!

Swallowing down the joy that took sudden flight in his chest, Wraith turned towards the body. He kept his expression blank and appropriate for the current situation. He took a step forward and leaned closer.

It was as Wraith initially thought. “It’s a ceremonial dagger. It’s a black steel dagger with a bone handle. It’s not for fighting.”

The bone hilt was plain except for the skull at the base of the handle. He couldn’t see the blade, as it was buried in the grand healer’s back, but he knew it would be black steel.

“Are they common?” Konrad asked.

“Very.” Wraith straightened. “Most necromancers will have one. Even I have one amongst my belongings. It looks exactly the same.” He’d used his when he’d created the dread knights. “Many necromancers have them even if they never used them. So you won’t be able to tell who it would have belonged to.”

“So a necromancer did this?” Clara asked.

“It would seem so,” said the grand shield, still staring at Wraith.

Wraith’s skin prickled. Konrad may believe Wraith had nothing to do with it, but it seemed others might not think the same.

“Wraith has been with me for the entire afternoon. From the looks of it, the grand healer died very recently, so that would be when Wraith was with me,” Konrad said, voice firm and unwavering.