After letting the stillness weigh on the room for a moment, she said, “I do, sir. If Recruit Oduya was compromised, I should have seen that and acted before he was able to commit such a crime. His death is on my hands, and I accept all responsibility.”

“I would expect nothing less of someone in command.” The man’s voice had a low, rumbling timbre to it, and Jess could well imagine how it would echo across a messy battleground, rasping orders and shouting encouragement to his troops. Like Glain, a born leader. Don’t throw her away, Jess thought desperately. She deserves better. “At least you understand your duty, even if you failed to adequately perform it. Recruit Oduya did indeed receive additional payment from an unknown source, no doubt to act as Wolfe’s assassin. He was backed up in his heinous crime by another, as yet unknown individual who was responsible for the shot that killed him. The same individual no doubt substituted full-strength Greek fire for the exercise formulation.”

Despite their training, Jess felt the squad shifting around him, exchanging glances. Glain stayed still and focused. Waiting for the ax to fall.

“After much consideration and debate, it has been determined that this squad was not at fault for the outcome of this exercise, and no punishment shall be assigned to the team as a whole. Recruit Brightwell, you first spotted the danger to the Scholar and protected his life. You also risked your own life to fetch assistance for fallen colleagues. Few of the regular ranks could have done better under the same circumstances. You are to be commended for your actions.”

Jess blinked. This had taken him entirely by surprise. He wasn’t used to open praise.

“Squad Leader Wathen, you commanded your team well under difficult circumstances, but because of your failure to spot this traitor within your team, you are hereby lowered in rank. You will no longer enter the High Garda at the rank of sergeant as was originally contracted, but as a common soldier. Nevertheless, I do not feel your failure warrants dismissal from the High Garda.”

Glain let out a breath, a slow and trembling one. She didn’t relax, but Jess could feel the wave of relief coming from her all the same. She’d have to give it all up if they went after Thomas, but that would be her choice. Failure would have been humiliating.

For the first time, the High Commander smiled. It only made him more daunting. “Your squad kept a Scholar—whether he should have been present or not—alive. That matters. That is everything, except for the protection of original books, which would take precedence even over the life of a Scholar. And for that, I have decided to accept this exercise as your final test.”

Jess didn’t dare speak this time, but after a long pause, he heard Wu say tentatively, “So . . . we passed, sir?”

“You passed,” the High Commander replied. “You will each receive your individual assignment soon via Codex. Squad dismissed.”