Chapter 5: Secrets and Strategies
Dawn hadn't yet broken when Ragga made his way to the estate's east garden. Morning mist clung to the hedgerows like ghostly fingers, and his boots left dark prints in the dew-dampened grass. Catherine was already waiting by the marble fountain, a dark cloak wrapped around her shoulders.
"You're late," she said, but without real anger. Their conversation in the library yesterday had changed something between them.
"Actually, I'm right on time." Ragga pulled Marcus's folder from beneath his jacket. "But we need to move. The servants will start their morning routines soon."
Catherine nodded and led the way to a hidden alcove behind a wall of climbing roses. She'd discovered it years ago – a perfect spot for secret meetings, hidden from both the main house and the servants' paths. As they settled onto the stone bench, the sweet scent of roses mixed with the morning air.
"I spent all night studying these," Catherine said, pulling out several carefully written pages of notes. "Marcus's trial preparation was... intense."
"Tell me."
"Look here." She pointed to a diagram. "The Academy trials aren't just about individual performance. They deliberately pair candidates together for certain tests. Marcus mapped out every possible combination and their success rates."
Ragga leaned closer, genuinely interested. This was new information – nothing in the novel had mentioned paired trials. "How did he get this data?"
"That's the brilliant part." Catherine's eyes sparkled with excitement. "He had friends inside the Academy track every trial for three years before he applied. That's why his notes are so detailed."
"And that's why his sponsored candidates failed this year," Ragga realized. "The Academy must have changed their system."
Catherine raised an eyebrow. "How do you know about his failed sponsorships? That news hasn't spread yet."
Ragga silently cursed his slip. "Lucky guess. Marcus wouldn't have given me these notes if his other candidates had succeeded."
His sister didn't look entirely convinced, but she moved on. "There's something else. Look at Mother's signature here." She pointed to a faded mark on one of the pages.
"She helped him prepare?"
"More than that. These aren't just Marcus's notes – they're Mother's original Academy notes that he built upon. See these margin calculations? That's her handwriting. I'd recognize it anywhere."
Ragga studied the elegant script. In his past life, he'd read the novel three times and never caught a hint that their mother had been so deeply involved in Academy preparation. It made him wonder what else he might have missed.
"We need to talk to her," he said.
Catherine shook her head. "Mother never discusses her Academy days. Not since..." She hesitated.
"Since what?"
"Since the accident." Catherine's voice dropped to a whisper. "Ten years ago, when Father's first wife died. Mother was there, but she never talks about what happened."
A chill ran down Ragga's spine. The novel had mentioned the death of Duke Aldrich's first wife only in passing – a tragic accident during an Academy demonstration. But now...
"Catherine," he said carefully, "what exactly does Mother teach at her private sessions?"
Their mother held weekly lessons for selected noble daughters, supposedly teaching them proper etiquette and social graces. Catherine's eyes widened as she caught his meaning.
"You think she's still teaching Academy techniques? In secret?"
"Think about it. She has the knowledge, the experience, and a perfect cover. Who would question a noble lady teaching young girls how to behave in society?"
A twig snapped somewhere in the garden. Both siblings froze, but it was just a bird taking flight from the roses. Still, the sun was rising, and they couldn't risk being discovered.
"Meet me in the library after dinner," Catherine whispered, gathering her notes. "I'll try to learn more about Mother's students."
"Be careful," Ragga warned. "If we're right about this..."
"I know." She squeezed his arm – the first gesture of genuine affection between them. "You be careful too. Marcus never gives anything without expecting something in return."
They separated, taking different paths back to the main house. As Ragga walked, his mind raced with possibilities. Their mother's secret Academy classes could be the key to preparing for the trials. But more than that, they might explain some of the novel's unanswered questions – like why certain noble families held so much influence despite their seemingly minor status.
He reached his room just as the servants began their morning rounds. Changing quickly for breakfast, he couldn't help but smile. In his past life, he'd thought he knew every detail of this world from the novel. But reality was proving far more intricate – and far more interesting.
The real question was: how many other secrets lay hidden beneath the surface of what he thought he knew? And more importantly, how could he use them to change the story's course?
A bell rang in the distance – the first breakfast call. Ragga straightened his collar and headed for the door. Time to face another day of pretending to be just the quiet seventh son, all while pieces of a much larger game moved into place.
After all, the best plots were the ones no one saw coming.
To be continued...