The Rithmatist

can’t be that bad,” Joel said.
    She raised an eyebrow at him. “I have two brothers and one sister, all older than me, all Rithmatists. Each one won the Melee at least twice during their careers. William won all four years he was eligible.”
    “Wow,” Joel said.
    “And I can’t even do a straight circle,” Melody said, walking quickly. Joel hurried to catch up to her.
    “They’re not bad people,” she said. “But, well, I think it’s easy for them to have me here. Floridia is far enough away that they don’t have to see me often. I could probably go home on weekends—I did during the early years. Lately, though, with William’s death … well, it’s not really a very happy place at home.”
    “Wait,” Joel said, “death?”
    She shrugged. “Nebrask is dangerous.”
    Death, Joel thought. At Nebrask. And her last name is …
    Muns. Joel stopped short.
    Melody turned.
    “Your brother,” Joel said. “How old was he?”
    “Three years older than me,” Melody said.
    “He died last year?”
    She nodded.
    “Dusts!” Joel said. “I saw his obituary in the lists Professor Fitch gave me.”
    “So?”
    “So,” Joel said, “Professor Nalizar was involved in the death of a Rithmatic student last year. That’s why he was sent away from the battlefront. Maybe it’s connected! Maybe—”
    “Joel,” Melody snapped, drawing his attention.
    He blinked, regarding her, seeing the distress in her eyes, hidden behind anger.
    “Don’t involve William,” she said. “I just … Don’t. If you have to look for conspiracies around Nalizar, do it. But don’t talk about my brother.”
    “I’m sorry,” Joel said. “But … if Nalizar was involved, don’t you want to know?”
    “He was involved,” Melody said. “Nalizar led a team past the Nebrask Circle up to the base of the Tower itself trying to recover my brother. They never even found the body.”
    “Then maybe he killed your brother!” Joel said. “Maybe he just said he couldn’t find him.”
    “Joel,” she said, growing quiet. “I’m only going to discuss this one time, all right? William’s death was his own fault. He ran out past the defensive lines. Half the contingent saw him get swarmed by chalklings.
    “William tried to prove himself a hero, and he put a lot of people in danger. Nalizar did all he could to rescue him. Nalizar risked his life for my brother.”
    Joel hesitated, remembering how she always described Nalizar.
    “I don’t like what he did to Fitch,” Melody said, “but Nalizar is a hero. He left the battlefront because of the failure he felt in not being able to rescue William in time.”
    Something didn’t seem right about that to Joel. However, he didn’t say anything about it to Melody. Instead, he simply nodded. “I’m sorry.”
    She nodded as well, apparently considering the topic closed. They walked the rest of the way to the office in silence.
    Nalizar suddenly decided he couldn’t take failure? Joel thought. He left the battlefront because of one death? If it was his conscience that made him leave the battlefront, then why did he complain about politics to Principal York?
    Something is going on with that man.
    They opened the door to the office, and Joel was pleased to find both Inspector Harding and Professor Fitch there. Harding stood talking to Florence about supplies and housing accommodations for his officers. Fitch sat in one of the waiting chairs.
    “Ah, Joel,” Fitch said, rising.
    “Professor?” Joel said. “You weren’t looking for me, were you?”
    “Hum? What? Ah, no, I have to give a report to the principal about our work. He has me in every couple of days or so. You haven’t discovered anything new, have you?”
    Joel shook his head. “I’m just keeping Melody company on her errands.” He paused, leaning against the wall as Melody walked over to get another stack of notes to deliver. “Though there was one thing.”
    “Hum?”
    “Do you know much about the original discovery of Rithmatics?” Joel asked. “Back when King Gregory was alive?”
    “I know more than most,” Fitch said. “I am, after all, a historian.”
    “Was there some involvement of clocks in the discovery?”
    “Ah,” Fitch said. “You’re talking about the Adam Makings report, are you?”
    “Yes.”
    “Ha! We’ll turn you into a scholar yet, lad. Very nice work, very nice. Yes, there are some strange references to the workings of clocks in the early records, and we haven’t been able