“I think a suicide will work best. You will claim the letter was delivered to you by an unknown source. You were appalled when you read its contents and confronted your father. You informed him that you would reveal his secret if he did not come forward. Rather than face the king’s justice or attempt to escape as a pauper, he chose to take his own life,” Rezkin explained.

Ruald stared at the hooded figure in amazement. The man talked of killing another human being as though discussing the planned progression of the evening meal. In fact, his mother had shown a million times more emotion over the evening meal than this man did when discussing killing Ruald’s own father. But, his father was a terrible rapist and murderer of a young girl who had been a guest in his home—a young girl who might have become Ruald’s wife had his father not sent her screaming to an early grave.

Finally, the young lord nodded his acceptance with a heavy heart and a roiling conscience. In so many ways and for so many reasons he hated his father, but the man was still his father. After tonight, Ruald would be Head of his House—a House with a dark secret that simply had to be revealed.

Rezkin departed the Addercroft estate that night with the satisfaction of having accomplished his goal. In the end, the marquis left a hastily scrawled note stating that he would not be condemned and then jumped from the window, breaking his neck in the fall. Defenestration was messy but believable. The captain of the house guard had been standing outside Addercroft’s chambers, so when he rushed in at the sound of the commotion, he knew the marquis had been alone. Ruald would not be suspected of any wrongdoing.

Chapter 9

The next morning, the mood between the three travelers was very different. Frisha and Tam seemed to feel much better now that they realized their erstwhile friend was not as frightening or dangerous as they first believed. The previous night’s conclusions had gone a long way in soothing away their worries. Rezkin was just glad they were packed and ready to go on time. The riverboat was scheduled to depart an hour past dawn, and if they were not aboard, it would leave without them.