Page 64

“So you had your binding ceremony, and you have a month before you go back and actually get married,” Annie said.

“What?No.I know that’s how it is for the Trinity Masters, but we don’t have two ceremonies, only the one.”Colum swallowed hard.“I’m… I’m married.I didn’t think I ever would be, but I had to…”

“Had to?”Xavier asked gently.

“Eric…” Colum sighed and looked away.“Maybe I should start at the beginning.”

“Okay.”Xavier reached out to run his hand down Colum’s bare arm.“Do that.”

“The archivist’s situation within the Masters’ Admiralty is different from other members, or…it was.”Colum’s eyes were downcast.

“Different how?”Annie asked.

“While I’m a member of the society, I function autonomously.The archive, Dublin, functionally all of Ireland, is neutral.”Colum glanced up at their faces for the first time and saw their confusion.“I don’t answer to any territory admiralorthe fleet admiral.”

Xavier blew out a slow whistle, clearly shocked by that information.Annie was too green when it came to how Masters’ Admiralty functioned, but she’d learned there were enough differences between the two societies that this didn’t pack the same punch for her as it did for Xavier.As far as she knew, the Trinity Masters didn’t have an archive, and if they did, it was kept a secret the same as Colum’s.

“The archive is neutral,” Colum went on to explain for Xavier’s benefit.“In recent years, the Masters’ Admiralty and Trinity Masters have begun,” he paused, clearly searching for the word, “not exactly working together, but sharing information and the like, when it affected both of us.While the Masters’ Admiralty knew of the Trinity Masters’ existence, your society did not,” he directed toward Annie.

Annie nodded.“Before being assigned to take part in this mission, I didn’t have a clue there was another society.”

Colum rubbed his jaw, and she got the sense he was measuring his words, probably taking care not to let something slip that they weren’t supposed to know.Like the name of the Grand Master.

“Franco sort of serves as the unofficial archivist for the Trinity Masters,” he explained.“The two of us have become friends over the past few years, working together on occasion to share information, discuss possible threats.”

“There have been a lot of threats?”Annie asked, fascinated to discover how much happened behind the scenes of the Trinity Masters she wasn’t aware of.

“There have,” Colum said softly, something that looked too much like grief crossing his face.“It isn’t unusual for the Grand Master or fleet admiral to call upon members to help with investigations like the one we’re conducting.”

Xavier tilted his head.“Colum, what does all of this have to do with you being married?”

Annie leaned toward Xavier, bumping her bare shoulder against his.“Patience, grasshopper.”

Xavier studied her.“Did you just call me a bug?”

“Oh, never mind.The point is, he feels we need more background knowledge,” she countered.

“Ye do,” Colum added.“Otherwise, you won’t understand.As I said, this cooperation between our societies is new.Recently, we formed a joint council with representatives from each society.”

“What representatives?”Xavier asked, frowning.

Colum blinked several times, surprised by the question.

Annie was too, considering Xavier had just impatiently tried to move Colum through this part.

“Er…the Grand Master, the fleet admiral, the Grand Master’s counselors, a few members of the MPF, and?—”

“MPF?”she asked.

“Jaysus,” Colum murmured.“I’m not sure if I’m supposed to…” He sighed and then replied, “Masters Protection Force.That was actually our first foray into working together.It was a joint task force to address the threats I mentioned.I probably shouldn’t say more than that.”

Xavier looked like he wanted more details, but this story was already taking too long, so she reached over and squeezed Xavier’s knee.

Xavier sighed.“Fine.Who else is part of the new council?”

“Some of the admirals,” Colum finished.

“Some?Not all?”Xavier asked.