“No one understands the gravity of the situation better than we do, Highness,” Seregil told him. “Laneus’s letter was addressed to Your Highness. That could implicate not only Klia, but Princess Aralain or yourself, as well. We don’t want to place you in the position of having to keep our secrets from the queen any more than you already have. But I swear to you by my life that Alec and I are acting only on Skala’s behalf.”

“That’s not completely true, Highness,” Ymany said.

Korathan gave Seregil a level look, waiting.

“And to save Klia.” It was the truth and the wizard nodded.

“Very well. What new information have you gathered in your mysterious ways?”

“I believe I may have been attacked by some of Sarien’s men last night.” Seregil took out the bronze charm and gave it to him.

“Yes, his soldiers wear these,” Korathan said, staring unhappily down at it. “But soldiers give these things away to children and loved ones, too. Anyone could have one.”

“That’s one explanation,” Seregil allowed. “Or maybe someone wanted to throw suspicion Sarien’s way, although they’d have had no idea that I was going to tear it from the man’s neck.”

“Then what exactly do you suggest I do?”

“Give us a little longer to find proof of Klia’s innocence.”

“And the letter mentioning you?”

“Give out that it was some misunderstanding? You could say the man had a grudge against me. It’s the truth anyway.”

Korathan glanced at his wizard, who nodded. “Did you have a hand in Laneus’s death?”

“No.”

The wizard nodded again.

Korathan thought for a moment, then said, “I can’t look the other way for much longer. I need you to work more quickly.”

Seregil and the others bowed with their fist to their chests again. “Of course.”

Chapter 30 - An Unexpected Turn of Foul Luck

LANEUS’S sudden death so close on the heels of Kylith’s caused a minor stir among the nobility; that of Count Tolin a few days later fueled talk of some mysterious illness at work among the nobility. After all, wasn’t there a plague among the poor? Or, others whispered, perhaps a murderer? The drysians reported no traces of wounds or poison in either case, but perhaps magic?

For all the talk, neither Thero nor Valerius could determine what had killed Tolin, or Laneus; their hearts simply seemed to have stopped beating. Nonetheless, it wasn’t lost on anyone that they were members of rival cabals, one of which most certainly had access to Wyvern Blood.

The heat held, and while Seregil and Alec attended the princess and kept an eye on their collection of conspirators, the denizens of the Lower City stews continued to sicken and die.