He replaced the letter in the desk and made a quick check of what was in Reltheus’s secret cache today, which turned out to be one coded document. A scan proved it to be another field report from Rider Caem, which must have been sent before he’d been caught. It was long and took several moments to puzzle out, but finally Seregil read Klia joined queen at Vremont. Heard shouting from royal tent. K chafes at her losses. Chided by queen, K vowed loyalty. K called her officers to her tent for secret talk. Repeat loyalty to queen. Battle tomorrow. Forefront again.

The battle of Vremont had been reported by the royal heralds as a victory several weeks ago. He wondered how long it would take Reltheus to notice that no more messages were coming.

Seregil put everything back the way he’d found it, and made a quick search of the rest of the large desk. In the locked drawer he found the beginning of a letter to the queen in which Reltheus expressed some concern about Elani’s evident “infatuation” with Alec. He worried that it was unseemly for her to show feelings toward a young man known to be another nobleman’s lover.

Well, well, you double-dealing old fox, Seregil thought with wry amusement. You think there’s a weasel loose in the henhouse and you’re not about to stand for it. Still, Reltheus must think he or Alec could be useful or he wouldn’t keep them in his circle as he had.

He made himself a bit more disheveled and rejoined the company. Reltheus was playing bakshi with Selin while the others talked. Seregil caught Elani’s name.

“That was a pleasant afternoon with Her Highness, wasn’t it?” Seregil drawled drunkenly, flopping down on the velvet tufted couch beside Stenmir just to annoy the man. “The more I see of that girl, the better I like her. Marvelous wise head on those young shoulders. What a queen she’ll make!”

“There are those who disagree,” Count Tolin sniffed. “I’m surprised you don’t have more to say about Princess Klia being passed over, given your friendship with her.”

Seregil waved a dismissive hand. “She doesn’t aspire to be queen, as far as I know. Loyal as the day is long.”

“The days are getting shorter though, aren’t they?” Stenmir mused, deep in his cups.

Reltheus gave the man a sharp look, then smiled at Seregil. “I’m sure yours is the more valuable observation.”

“Don’t tell me people are worried about her trying to take the throne!” Seregil exclaimed.

“There are those who think she might.”

Seregil pretended to swallow another mouthful of wine and shrugged. “Reckless, foolhardy gossip. Don’t they know that could rip the country apart?”

“I told you he’s the queen’s man,” Reltheus said to the room at large as he pushed his last bakshi stone into place and defeated Selin.