The Rithmatist

inside, miniature arms popping up and down like the keys of a typewriter, driving the functions of its complicated clockwork brain.
    “Now, who is this pretty young lady?” Harding asked. His tone was civil, but Joel could sense the hesitation.
    Pretty? She annoyed him so often, he forgot how cute she could be when she smiled. Like she was doing right now. “She’s a student of Professor Fitch’s,” Joel said.
    “Miss…?”
    “Muns,” she said.
    Wait, Joel thought. Muns. I’ve heard that name somewhere recently. For someone other than Melody.…
    “Miss Muns,” Harding said, tipping his blue helmet. Then he turned to Joel. “Thank you for the tip about the parents, Joel. We need to secure this campus; I’ve ordered that from this point forward, no students are to be allowed out for the evenings or weekends. I’ve asked for reinforcements, making this our base of operations and front line of defense!”
    Joel nodded. “I thought it would be a bad idea for the parents to start running off with their children. Anywhere they go, the … person could follow.”
    “Agreed,” Harding said.
    Melody glanced at Joel, her eyes narrowing.
    “By the way, soldier,” Harding said to Joel, “have you seen a blonde woman, five foot seven, hair in a bun, about thirty-five years old, wearing a blue dress? She has sharp features and a narrow face.”
    “I saw her,” Joel said. “She’s a parent of one of the Rithmatist students.”
    Harding snorted. “Hardly. That’s Elizabeth Warner—reporter.”
    “A woman reporter?” Joel asked.
    “What’s wrong with that?” Melody said with a huff.
    “Nothing,” Joel said quickly. “Just … never heard of it before.”
    “Times are changing,” Harding said. “Women Rithmatists fight on the battlefield, and I’ll bet there comes a day when even ordinary women join the ranks of soldiers. Regardless, women or not, press are the enemy . If they have their way, this entire island will go into a panic! Where did you see her, son?”
    “She was heading toward Professor Fitch’s office.”
    “Blast it all,” Harding said, turning his mount. Joel could hear clicks and springworks moving inside. “Watch my retreat!” Harding called.
    He took off in a gallop toward the Rithmatic campus.
    “And what exactly was that all about?” Melody asked.
    “Uh … nothing.”
    She rolled her eyes with an exaggerated expression. “I’m sure.”
    “I can’t tell you,” he said.
    “You’re going to relegate me to continued ignorance!”
    “Uh, no,” Joel said, shuffling. “Look, I really don’t know anything.”
    “Is that a lie?”
    Joel hesitated. “Yeah.”
    She sniffed in annoyance. “And I thought we were starting to get along so well.” She grabbed her notebook and stalked away. “My life,” she snapped, holding her hand aloft, “is a tragedy ! Even my friends lie to me!”
    Joel sighed. He picked up the book she’d checked out for him, then rushed after her toward Fitch’s office.



CHAPTER

    “Well, yes, I did talk to that woman,” Professor Fitch said, looking confused. “She was uncertain about letting her son stay at Armedius. She wanted to know that we were making honest efforts to protect the children.”
    “And so you told her,” Inspector Harding said.
    “Of course. She was on the edge of tears. Um, my, I can never handle women on the edge of hysterics, Inspector. I didn’t say much. Just that we were sure a Rithmatist was behind it, but that we hoped the children might still be alive, and that we were working on some strange chalk drawings left at the crime scenes.”
    “Professor,” Harding said, rubbing his forehead, “this is a terrible breach of security. If you were a soldier under my command, I’m afraid I’d have to discipline you for this.”
    “Oh dear,” Fitch said. “Well, I guess there’s a reason I’m a professor, rather than a soldier.”
    Joel raised an eyebrow, trying not to feel too smug about the fact that both Harding and Fitch had insisted Melody wait outside, but hadn’t forbidden Joel.
    “Unfortunately,” Harding said, pacing up the hallway of Fitch’s office, hands clasped behind his back, “it can’t be helped now. Our fortifications have been breached, and a spy escaped with our battle plan. We must bear it and hope for the best. I strongly suggest, Professor, that you avoid speaking of these matters with anyone else.”
    “I understand, Inspector,” Fitch said.
    “Good,” Harding