I remember the certainty of Aldrich’s pivot, the way he’d been ready to deploy the new lie about Nick and his father. “Aldrich came here on a publicity mission,” I murmur. “He’d want to use the public funeral and the grief and anger of its attendees to quell both factions with the same misinformation. Honor the Legendborn but cover up why they died.”

William nods, eyes darting back and forth as he processes. “Which means Sel is their distraction. Directing the attention to this investigation story helps wrap the cave ‘tragedy’ up in a tidy bow by linking the entire situation to the actions of a single, volatile Merlin, who collaborated with a single, murderous goruchel. A contained incident rather than the first salvo of war.”

I am stunned at the brutal logic of it all. And the high costs of their lies.

“They don’t want to control the war,” I whisper, “they want to bury it.”

“Indeed. At least for now,” William replies. It is well past noon, and yet I almost see the flicker of green in his irises. “It’s not just about the factions. We should have at the very least expected that they would delay the announcement that Camlann has come as long as they can, in any way that they can, until the Table is ready.”

I plop into the chair across from him, thinking the same exact thing. All of that waiting while they were planning. If nothing else, I feel an even stronger urge to control my powers now, and to gather the Table. Doing so means the Regents can end their smoke and mirrors.

The kettle whistles. William begins to pour our tea.

He eyes me carefully. “We still don’t know if there are goruchel mimics in our midst. If an investigation into Sel’s actions also takes attention away from you, I’m sure even he would say that it is a misdirection that is worthwhile.”

I drop my head in my hands. “Aren’t you worried for him?”

“I don’t need to be. Selwyn is smart, strong, and more than capable of taking care of himself. If he doesn’t want to be found, the Mageguard will not find him. And before you ask about the absence from his Oaths, he’s been checking in with me regularly. Carrying out his Oath of Service to the Legendborn has kept him stable and so has, I believe, acting as surrogate Kingsmage to you.”

“That’s good,” I breathe.

“Your life is in danger every minute, even when you’re surrounded by a dozen Mageguard. Right now, we all need to keep level heads and play the game.”

I shake my head. “Chess, not checkers.”

“Chess, not checkers.” William clucks. “Head up now, drink your tea.”