Page 81 of Courting the Dragon King

Wraith exhaled. Konrad had jumped to his defence and given him an alibi. Wraith struggled to hide a smile.

The grand shield looked between them. “Are you sure, Your Majesty?”

“Very. And we have been away from the White Monastery for the afternoon and into the evening. When we returned, we went straight to the banquet hall. Together. He has not been out of my sight for hours.” Konrad met everyone’s gaze before settling on the grand shield. “So it cannot be him.”

“I see,” said the grand shield. Wraith couldn’t read her expression.

One of the Draconian guards cleared his throat.

“Yes, Moritz.” Konrad said. “Do you have anything to add?”

Moritz stepped forward, shoulders back, chin up. “Your Majesty, I do not think this points to a necromancer. A necromancer would have to be a fool to use a dagger that clearly belonged to a necromancer if they wanted to escape suspicion. It is as likely that it is someone who wants to frame a necromancer.”

Konrad nodded. “Good point.”

The warrior monks moved around, examining the scene. A healer monk looked over the body.

Konrad stepped in close to Wraith. “Is the grand healer’s spirit here?” he whispered.

Wraith shook his head. “I think she is in the corridor. I can sense a presence out there.”

Konrad turned to the grand shield. “Excuse us, Grand Shield. We’ll give you space to work.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” The grand shield didn’t look their way as they left.

More monks stood outside, whispering to one another. A few individuals who did not look like monks also stood around. They must be the students, here to learn healing magic. Some of the monks and students had tears streaming down their cheeks.

“It seems like she really was loved,” Konrad mused.

“Over there.” Wraith pointed down the corridor to a large stained-glass window. It depicted a dove carrying a lavender flower. The grand healer’s spirit paced back and forth in front of the window, muttering to herself.

Thankfully none of the monks or students stood around her, which meant Wraith could talk to her without them overhearing.

Konrad looked to his guards. “Try and keep everyone away from this area.”

The guards took up position, and Wraith grabbed Konrad’s hand and led him over.

“This isn’t right. This isn’t right.” The grand healer reached up and clutched her shaved head in her hands. “This isn’t right.”

Wraith thought they’d been introduced early on at the assembly. But he couldn’t really remember. He’d definitely seen the grand healer around though. He’d never seen her distraught before.

“Hello, Grand Healer Eveline,” Wraith said. “It is good to see you again.”

But she paid him no mind. She just shook her head. “This isn’t right.”

“What isn’t right?”

But if she heard him, she didn’t acknowledge it.

“This isn’t right. What do I do?” Her fingernails dug into her skull.

“She’s agitated,” Wraith said to Konrad. “She keeps saying something isn’t right and she doesn’t know what to do. She doesn’t see or hear me.”

“What do I do?” She lifted her head to the ceiling, as if begging it for answers.

“Grand Healer, can I help you? Maybe if you ask me, I can give you an answer.”

But she just paced back and forth, muttering to herself over and over, the same words.