Glokta swallowed. I would almost be enjoying his Eminence's discomfort, were my neck not on the block beside his. 'We are not popular with the Open Council.'

'We are reviled by them. Few more so. Our actions against the Mercers, against the Spicers, against Lord Governor Vurms, and more besides. None of the nobles trust us.'

Then if the king dies… 'How is the king's health?'

'Not. Good.' Sult frowned down at the bloody remains. 'All our work could be undone at this one stroke. Unless we can make friends in the Open Council, Glokta, while the king yet lives. Unless we can curry enough favour to choose his successor, or at least to influence the choice.' He stared at Glokta, blue eyes glittering in the candlelight. 'Votes must be bought, and blackmailed, coaxed and threatened our way. And you can depend upon it that those three old bastards outside are thinking just the same thing. How will I stay in power? With which candidate should I align myself? Whose votes can I control? When we announce the murder, we must assure the Open Council that the killer is already in our hands. Then swift, and brutal, and highly visible justice must be done. If the vote does not go our way, who knows what we could end up with? Brock on the throne, or Isher, or Heugen?' Sult gave a horrified shudder. 'We will be out of our jobs, at best. At worst…' Several bodies found floating by the docks… 'That is why I need you to find me the Prince's murderer. Now.'

Glokta looked down at the body. Or what remains of it. He poked at the gouge out of Raynault's arm with the tip of his cane. We have seen wounds like these before, on that corpse in the park, months ago. An Eater did this, or at least, we are meant to think so. The window tapped gently against its frame on a sudden cold draft. An Eater who climbed in through the window? Unlike one of the Prophets agents to leave such clues behind. Why not simply vanished, like Davoust? A sudden loss of appetite, are we meant to suppose?

'Have you spoken to the guard?'

Sult waved his hand dismissively. 'He says he stood outside the door all night as usual. He heard a noise, entered the room, found the Prince as you see him, still bleeding, the window open. He sent immediately for Hoff. Hoff sent for me, and I for you.'