Maya nodded vigorously. “Whatever information the Council has must be wrong. Jaedia would never betray the Order; you know that. I suspect she has been deliberately set up.”

“I have never been one to construct conspiracies,” Basel said. “But with Nicomidi’s flight, it does look a bit more plausible. The Council is pursuing its own investigation, of course. I don’t suppose I can convince you to wait?”

“No. Jaedia may need my help.”

“I thought not. As you are a centarch now, and no one is pressing the accusations against you, I have no authority to stop you. And perhaps it is for the best. The Council is … divided.”

“Do we know where Nicomidi went?”

Basel shook his head. “Only that he was in a hurry. He left the arena as soon as your duel ended, visited his office, and then went straight to the Gate chamber before anyone could think to stop him. No one seems to have any idea why, not even his colleagues.”

“If he was the one framing Jaedia—”

“He might have been worried that would come out,” Basel said. “Though the odds of the Council finding evidence to punish a Kyriliarch seem small. But even then, it only pushes the question back a step. Why frame Jaedia at all? What does he have to gain? A minor injury to the Pragmatics and myself doesn’t seem worth the risk.”

“I don’t know,” Maya said. “But I plan to find out. If I see Nicomidi—”

“If you see him, I advise you to stay well away.” Baselanthus leaned forward. “Do not become overconfident, Maya. Nicomidi Thunderclap is most assuredly not Tanax. In due course, the Council will authorize a group of centarchs to hunt him down, if he has truly abandoned us.”

“I’m going to find Jaedia,” Maya said. “Well, and Marn, I suppose. That’s all.”

“I understand. And I wish you the best of luck.” He sighed. “As much as I am bound by the Council and its politics, please don’t think that I love Jaedia any less for it.”

“I don’t.” Maya swallowed. “What you said, about my cognomen …”

“Jaedia requested it for you,” Basel said. “She told me you were going to be the greatest centarch since our founding. Maybe the greatest ever. Bearing the name of our greatest fire-wielder seemed appropriate.” He chuckled. “You can thank Nicomidi, in a way. If not for the state of disarray he put the Dogmatics in, I have no doubt they would have fought to prevent us from giving you such an honor.”

“I …” Maya looked down at her hands. “I will do my best to live up to it.”

“I know you will, my dear.” Basel leaned back in his chair. “Now go and get some rest.”

Maya did, indeed, feel wrung out. She got to her feet, bowed respectfully, and went to the door.