The Scarlet Spy Read Online Free

patina of age. The faint outlines of an initial were unreadable, the engraving crisscrossed with nicks and scratches. She liked to think it was an
S
carved into the precious metal. But whatever the letter, the locket had served as a personal talisman in times of trouble.
A lucky charm.
It had kept her safe in the savage streets; it had seen her through the difficult adjustments to Academy life.
    Drawing it out from her shirt, Sofia opened the worn case and peeked at the tiny portrait. The pigment had faded over the years, blurring the features, the smile, the curling strands of raven hair that framed the fine-boned face. But the image was indelibly etched in her memory. She knew every nuance by heart. When she was a child, she had fancied a resemblance between the young lady and herself.
And now?
    Her own sea-green gaze looked away from the painted eyes. It was not wise to dwell on childish dreams. The Academy lessons all stressed that one had to be practical and pragmatic.
Dispassionate.
Emotion had no place in the line of duty. It didn’t matter who she was; it only mattered what she had become.
    Strange, but her roommates had never given much thought to their heritage. It had not bothered them to know nothing of their past, their parents. Afraid of appearing too sentimental, Sofia had feigned the same devil-may-care attitude. But in private, the picture had seemed to whisper a tantalizing question.
    Who am I?
    “Sofia. Mrs. Merlin will see you now.”
    Quickly, tucking the locket back inside the folds of linen, she stood and squared her shoulders. She would not show any sign of weakness. She was born to be a Merlin.
    “Reporting for duty.” Sofia snapped off a salute as she came to a halt in front of the oak desk.
    “At ease.” The headmistress regarded the martial stance and muddied boots for a long moment before setting aside her pen. The wrinkles on her brow appeared to deepen slightly. “I did not mean for you to march straight here from the stables, my dear.” Sofia saw her slant a quick glance at Lord Lynsley, who was standing half hidden by the marble hearth. “Why don’t you go back to your quarters and change—to the indigo blue silks, if you please. The marquess and I are in no rush.”
    Sofia felt her throat constrict. She turned on her heel, then hesitated.
To hell with behaving like a lady.
If she was to be drummed out of the Merlins, she would not go meekly.
    “I would rather stay dressed as I am.” Her chin took on a mutinous tilt. “With all due respect, I feel it unfair that my mastery of manners appears to have counted as a black mark against me. I may not wield a saber or stiletto quite as well as Siena or Shannon, but I’m a better shot and more skilled when it comes to stealth. It’s unfair to demote me to the ranks of a mere observer without giving me a chance to prove myself in a mission.”
    “You think we are judging you unfit for active duty?” Mrs. Merlin set aside a plate of strawberry tarts and brushed a bit of sugar from her fingertips.
    Sofia’s martial tone turned more tentative. “Why else would you wish for me to dress in satins and lace? I … I assumed you were going to assign me to some menial work, like serving as a lady’s maid to some foreign diplomat’s wife.”
    “All of our students go on to do important work, whether as a tavernkeeper or a tweenie,” replied the headmistress with a hint of reproach.
    Sofia colored. “I meant no disrespect to my fellow students. It’s just that I … I feared that …” She let her voice trail off, unsure of how to explain her misgivings.
    “You feared that in comparison to your former roommates, you would be seen as somehow lacking?” It was Lord Lynsley who broke the awkward silence.
    She nodded, not daring to meet his eye.
    “As I said earlier, each Merlin is meant to have different skills. That is the strength of this school.” His lips twitched. “If all our students possessed Shannon’s explosive temper, the