The knock repeated, politely, and Maya shook off her lassitude and hastily rolled out of bed. She pulled a dressing gown over her shift and hurried to the door, which opened to reveal a liveried footman with her breakfast on a silver platter.

“Thanks,” Maya said, a little confused. Yesterday they’d left the food without waking her.

“Agathios Tanax instructed me to say that he needs to speak with you at once,” the footman said, bowing again.

“Ah.” Maya glanced longingly at the tray, where steam was rising from a thick slab of bread drizzled with butter and chocolate, beside eggs and vulpi fry. She swallowed and put on a brave face. “I’ll be with him as soon as I’m dressed.”

“Of course.” The servant bowed and withdrew.

Maya swore and pulled on her rumpled uniform, pausing only to jam a strip of vulpi into her mouth. She chewed hurriedly as she crossed the corridor to knock on Tanax’s door.

“Come in,” Tanax said.

To her annoyance, he was sitting at a table, working his way through his own breakfast. She tried not to stare.

“Good morning,” he said. “I hope you slept well.”

“Not particularly,” Maya said. “I need to tell you something.”

“You and Beq left the palace last night,” Tanax said mildly, cutting a slice of butter-drowned toast.

“I …” Maya stared at him. “You knew?”

“I suspected. You just confirmed it.”

Maya swore silently and took a deep breath. “We were never told we were confined to the grounds.”

“Some things shouldn’t need to be spelled out,” Tanax said, and shrugged. “But I understand. Neither of you have been exposed to the temptations of the city. It’s only to be expected.”

“The—what?”

“You’d hardly be the first agathios to sneak out to a tavern or a brothel. I’ll have to include it in my report, but I’ll certainly encourage the Council to be understanding.”

“A brothel?” Maya’s hand went to the Thing, a hard lump in her chest. It helped suppress her rising anger. “What exactly do you think we were doing?”

“There’s no need to be offended,” Tanax said, cutting another piece of toast. “You’re at the age—”

“You are one year older than me,” Maya said.

“The point is that I know how to avoid offending our host. This is an important lesson for the two of you.”

“That is what I need to talk to you about. Our host.” Maya paused for a moment, doing her best to regain her calm. “I have reason to believe Dux Raskos is abusing his office and smuggling dhak.”

There was a long moment of silence.

“That’s … not possible,” Tanax said.