Antoine? Her oldest brother, more than ten years her senior, the banished heir? Elana’s eyes widened, snapping to the sibling she had only ever known by his name and outdated portrait.
“Rest easy, Your Grace. You’ll find no evidence of my presence here once I leave. I’ve taken great pains to cover my tracks,” Antoine said, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m here on unofficial business as Antoine de Vanquise, not as a representative of the Magic Tower or the Academy.”
The duke’s golden eyes landed on Valkyrie, his features twisting with a combination of emotions that Elana couldn’t quite place. “And you brought that rabid thing with you?”
Valkyrie visibly bristled and she took a lunging step forward, only to be stopped by Antoine's outstretched arm. "Antoine—" she began, annoyed.
He shook his head. "Stand down." His attention shifted back to Gerard. Antoine’s eyes narrowed, his icy expression eerily similar to Marlena’s. “Valkyrie is here as my personal knight, is that a problem?”
“I’m to believe that you brought a footsoldier for a simple home visit?”
“And when was the last time you let me call this place my home?” Antoine smiled humorlessly. “You and I both know that isn’t possible anymore. Valkyrie was forced to spill that poor knight's blood when he tried to bar me from entering," he said, gesturing to the crumpled figure on the floor behind him. "I would rather her not spill yours too, father.”
“Gerard,” Marlena said, intervening by setting her hand on his forearm. “Enough, please.”
The spell swirling in Gerard’s hand finally quieted.
“No one saw you come?” the duke asked, his face still rife with tension. “Are you absolutely certain?”
“I am, Your Grace,” Antoine said. He nodded in Elana’s direction. “You’ll be grateful I’m here. I came to deliver a gift for my baby sister—and to have a word with her. You do remember that I'm an instructor now, at the Academy?”
Gerard stared stonily at his son.
“If they find out she can’t use mana, the other students will come for her head,” Antoine said, stepping forward as he met Gerard’s gaze. “Is that what you want?”
“…”
“I didn’t think so,” Antoine said. “I told you that you would be grateful I came.” He reached into his pocket, withdrawing a velvet-covered jewelry box and holding it up. “I’ve been working on a magic artifact that should prove useful.”
“Then leave it and go,” Gerard said, narrowing his eyes. “I can overlook your intrusion, this once, for your sister’s sake.”
“I’m afraid I’m going to have to give her a little instruction if you want to make sure she doesn’t immediately get herself killed,” Antoine said. His eyes shifted as he scanned the room, sweeping it from corner to corner before he frowned. “And where’s the whelp? I intended to test his readiness as well.”
The whelp? Elana looked between Gerard and Antoine, frowning. “What is he talking about?”
Gerard held his outstretched arm out in front of Elana, putting the conversation on immediate pause. “If your intention is to instruct those under my care, I’ll be the one to assess your qualifications.”
“Gerard, don’t,” Marlena said, grabbing his arm.
“Let’s take this to the training ground,” Gerard continued. “If you can’t prove yourself to me, you’ll leave as soon as you hand over the artifact. Clear?”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Antoine asked, arching an eyebrow. “You’re an old man now, you know?”
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