Beclan answered in terms of the fraction of a gold crown, Gwenno in terms of how much bread a silver would buy in the market. Daryan answered last. “It’s supposed to have a certain amount of silver—weigh a certain amount, but I don’t know how much.”

“You’re all correct,” Dorrin said. “And you’re all incomplete. I’m supposed to meet with the king again this evening; I don’t have time to explain now. But as you’ll all be part of Tsaia’s rulers someday, you must learn about both true and counterfeit money.” Dorrin finished her supper quickly.

As she pushed back from the table, Daryan said, “Which of us do you want as escort tonight?”

“The king’s sending an escort,” Dorrin said. “I suspect he’d rather not have you roaming about the palace waiting for me.”

“Could we go for a walk in the city?” Daryan asked.

“No,” Dorrin said. “A night here will do you no harm, and Beclan’s had to be on guard these days you and Gwenno were home with your families. It’s Beclan’s choice whether he wants to sleep early or stay up and talk with you. Daryan, you’re on until the turn of night, and Gwenno, you’ll have the late watch. And before you ask, I don’t yet know what day we’re leaving. It depends on the king’s wishes.”

They nodded. Beclan, who had been up the previous night, yawned and said he’d like to sleep.

How urgent do you think the danger is?” the king asked Dorrin. “This man has the necklace, and he’s undermining the Guild League agreements. And there’s this secret passage to the north. Count Arcolin thinks he may have captured one city—” He glanced at the scroll. “—Lûn, already, by spreading fever.”

“Lûn and Immervale have outbreaks of fever every year,” Dorrin said, remembering that part of Aarenis all too well. “Low, sometimes marshy land. But to hear that Sobanai Company’s disbanded—that’s serious. They were allies in Siniava’s War; if they were Lûn’s troops, then Lûn will certainly fall. If Vaskronin spread fever—or another disease—and it killed enough, he could take Lûn and Immervale both. This seems what Arcolin’s suggesting. Do you have maps of Aarenis?”

“Somewhere,” the king said. “I don’t know how accurate they are.”