The Starfall Knight Read Online Free PDF Page B

Professor Orval waved them over.
    “Ah, Benton and Devan,” Orval said, “our model Verovians.”
    Marshal Jarrell cleared his throat and crossed his arms in mock indignation.
    “Oh,” Orval added, “present company notwithstanding, of course.”  Orval chuckled.  He was spry despite his advancing years evident in his wispy, white hair and wrinkles.  He tapped his colleagues on the shoulders.  “Make way, make way.”
    Devan nodded to Romaine, Jarrell and the Councillor, whom he now recognised as Marwin, a former merchant.  As the professors parted, the body of the knight met Devan’s view.
    Resting face up, the knight’s armour had not been removed.  His meager belongings – the journal, fire-kit and food – lay on a metal tray next to his helmeted head.
    Devan met the eyes of the professors.  He did not know them, only feeling a vague inadequacy with the fact that he hadn’t attended the university.
    “What can you tell us about how you found him?” Orval asked.
    Benton nodded.  “We found the site on Saruwa, as reported.  The body was in a heap.”
    “A heap?”
    “Yes,” Benton said, “as if fallen from a height.”
    “Most interesting,” Orval said.  “The common account is that the body fell as a meteor, a falling star.”
    “If so, we wouldn’t have found much more than a mess of flesh and metal,” Benton said.
    “Perhaps,” another professor said.  She was younger than Orval but still old enough to be Devan’s mother.
    “Ah,” Orval said.  “Professor Amara.  Natural studies.”
    Amara bowed at the neck.  “Previous experiments into fall injuries amongst common animals have provided some fascinating results.  Then, there was that incident of the toddler who fell from the city walls and survived with barely a scratch.  Who’s to say that this knight was just as fortunate, if lucky?”
    “I thought that we did not deal in ‘luck’,” said another professor.
    “Ah, Conrick, when will you learn the difference between formal and colloquial language.”
    “Pfft.  An amusing, if unoriginal jab,” Conrick replied.
    “We can continue this line of conversation another time, professors,” Orval said.
    “Apologies,” Amara said.
    “Indeed,” Conrick added.  “Apologies.”
    Orval turned to Devan.  “Ranger Devan – can you tell us more?  What was the state of the body when you found it?”
    “The body was dried out,” Devan said.  “Why?  Has it changed?”
    Orval tipped back the visor on the knight’s helm and gasped.  “No,” he said with a grin.  “Just being humorous.  The body is still in a state of dessication.  Very much dead.”
    “Did you transport the body under cover?” Conrick asked.
    “No,” Devan said.
    “No?”  Conrick peered at Devan.  “Ranger Devan.  Now I remember you.”
    “I’m sure we haven’t met before.”
    “No, but your reputation precedes you.  Folly of Verovel.  Blind Devan.”
    Devan took a deep breath.  From the corner of his eye, Romaine and Jarrell shuffled but said nothing.
    Benton stepped forward.  “That is quite enough, professor.”
    “Is it?” Conrick said.  “You two brought this specimen in a storm.  Did it not occur to you that it should’ve been covered?”
    “We were in haste,” Benton added.  “I am captain of the squad.  If you have anything to say, direct your comments to me.”
    “Pah.  Who knows how much it has degraded?”
    “What’s done is done,” Orval said.  “With the existing composition of the body, I’d not be worried with a few splashes of water.”
    Conrick tapped his chin and paced around the table.  He leaned over the body.  “What about the site?  We’re trying to piece together what happened but from Captain Benton’s report, the details just seem conflicting.”
    “It’s as it says,” Benton replied.
    “The ground around the hole was hot?  Smoldering?”
    “Yes.”
    Amara asked, “And there was glass?”
    “Yes,” Devan said.
    Amara