Kenntrips had been irritated by Wilfried’s warning, but now he was faced with countless calls for bride-stealing ditter. To make matters worse, the Dunkelfelger Dormitory was being split into opposing factions led by Rasantark and Raufereg.
For as long as Hannelore remained unconscious, Raufereg held the highest status in the dormitory. He was an archduke candidate, which meant archnobles such as Kenntrips and Rasantark could not keep him fully under control. Even as Hannelore’s formal suitors, they could not risk being too defiant without her or their lord around to support them.
It was hard to imagine Dunkelfelger losing a game of bride-stealing ditter to another duchy, but the fracturing of their forces was anything but ideal.
More than ten days had passed since Dregarnuhr’s descent. What was happening to Hannelore? When would she finally wake up? Had the goddess’s power caused tremendous damage to her body? Lady Rozemyne’s head attendant had explained only how to attend to one suffused with divine power, not the consequences or nuances of a mind returning to a body once possessed. So many questions remained unanswered that Kenntrips could not help but worry.
Still, I must do what I can while time remains.
“Kenntrips, where are you going?” Rasantark asked, following him out of the meeting room.
“To my room. I wish to develop new tools for this ditter match.”
“Make something so fearsome that even ditter’s Lord of Evil would tremble. I’ll be at the training grounds.”
Kenntrips nodded at Rasantark, who was clearly in high spirits, and continued on his way to his room. It was only when he approached the stairs that he heard a quiet whisper speak his name. He looked around, cautious, then noticed Cordula waiting in the shadows. She wasn’t hidden, merely out of the way—somewhere she would not be seen unless one looked carefully. Kenntrips approached as subtly as he could.
“Lady Cordula. Could it be that Lady Hannelore has...?”
“Yes, not long ago. Do you have a moment? She wishes to know the details of what happened at the gazebo.”
From those few words, Kenntrips understood the situation: they wished to better grasp the events of that fateful day without announcing that Hannelore was awake. He nodded his assent.
“Follow me, then,” Cordula said.
Kenntrips expected to be taken to a meeting room. Instead, the head attendant led him to a hallway for servants. It seemed they would be going to Hannelore’s room—which he opposed, even in their current circumstances. Suitor or no, boys were forbidden from going to girls’ rooms at the Royal Academy.
“But this would—”
Cordula shook her head. “If we took her to a meeting room, then we might as well inform the entire dormitory that she is awake. Now... do not misuse this hallway.”
“I would never,” Kenntrips insisted on instinct.
Cordula chuckled and said she was well aware. Kenntrips could not claim to appreciate being teased, but it brought him joy to see her more at ease—especially with all they had endured over the past ten or so days.
Thank goodness Lady Hannelore awoke.
Kenntrips followed Cordula down complex, narrow hallways and up creaky stairs, though he could barely hear them over the pounding of his heart.