Selenay was in her outer chamber, dressed for the day, but without her coronet. She was sitting behind her worktable in her “public” room; there was a sealed scroll on the table before her. With her were Lord Orthallen (looking unbearably smug), a very embarrassed Kris, an equally embarrassed Guardsman, and an extremely angry Dirk.

“I don’t give a fat damn how it got there—I didn’t take it!” Dirk was shouting as Talia glanced at the sentry outside and entered. She shut the door behind her quickly. Whatever was going on here, the fewer people there were who knew about it, the better.

“Then why were you trying to hide it?” Orthallen asked smoothly.

“I wasn’t trying to hide it, dammit! I was looking for my headache-powders when this idiot barged in without a by-your-leave!” Dirk did look slightly ill; pale, with a pain-crease between his brows, his sapphire-blue eyes thoroughly bloodshot, his straw-blond hair more than usually tangled.

“We have only your word for that.”

“Since when—” Talia said clearly and coldly “—has a Herald’s word been subject to cross-examination? Your pardon, Majesty, but what in the Havens’ name is going on here?”

“I discovered this morning, that some rather sensitive documents were missing,” Selenay answered, looking outwardly calm, though Talia knew she was anything but untroubled. “Lord Orthallen instigated a search, and he found them in Herald Dirk’s possession.”

“I haven’t been anywhere near the Palace wings for the past week! Besides, what use could I possibly make of the damned things?” Dirk’s mental anguish was so intense that Talia wanted to weep.

“Look, Uncle, you know my quarters are just down the hall from his. I can pledge the fact that he didn’t leave them all last night.”

“Nephew, I know this man is your friend.”

“If I have to be brutally frank, then I will be,” Kris said, flushing an angry and embarrassed red. “Dirk couldn’t have moved anywhere because he wasn’t in any shape to move. He was dead drunk last night, just like he’s been every night for the past couple of weeks.”

Dirk went almost purple, then deathly white.

“So? Since when has inability to move physically hampered anyone with his Gift?”

Now it was Kris’ turn to pale.

“I haven’t heard an answer to a very good question—Orthallen, what on earth would Dirk want with those documents?” Talia asked, trying to buy a little time to think.