At the same time, one of the bodyguards whispered urgently into the King’s ear. Whatever the man said appeared to have an effect as the King rose to follow, striding straight toward the nearest door, which opened directly into the empty serving room. Every face in the courtyard was turned up to the sky in childish glee. Every single one of them had missed the tiny fact that the King was leaving the party, except for Grasp. The second bodyguard walked behind, turning once to wink at the Councillor. Grasp was reassured. So this was how Fenestra intended to act! He could now sit back and play the appalled witness when the time came.

Ark was already in the serving room, hidden in the shifting shadows. He felt the stillness circle around him like tree rings, remembering the first time he’d hidden with Mucum.

“You talked of the threat to my life and that we had to immediately retreat. But why couldn’t we tell my head of security?” The King suddenly felt uneasy in this gloomy place, out of sight of all the court. His instincts told him that the guard’s actions did not add up. “I demand to know —”

One of the King’s so-called protectors grabbed him from behind in a bear hug, while the other stuffed a cloth napkin into Quercus’s mouth before expertly tying a gag around it, fast.

The men were following their orders to the letter as they dragged him to the back of the room and straight up the stairs to the alcove. There was a lull in the fireworks, giving the Dendrans time to raise their cups in defiance of the coming winter. A few seconds later, the final part of the display began. If anything, the sound was louder than before, each rocket showering the palace in golden sparks, the walls shaking to every boom.

Another door to the serving room silently opened and in stepped two men with sharp stiletto blades drawn and ready.

“Bodyguards first. Then the old man, right?” whispered the big one, with a scar that zigzagged across his scalp as if a drunk had attacked him with a razor.

“I know. You don’t have to keep going on at me.”

“Yes, I do. You’d forget to put yer clothes on in the mornin’ if I didn’t tell yer!”

“Good evening, gentlemen!” Ark stepped out from the shadows, his hands empty of all weapons.

Salix took a second to recognize the former sewage apprentice. It couldn’t be! “Wha —?” His shock turned to a sneer. “All dressed up, are we? Black looks pretty good on you.”

“Thank you.”

The clothes were different but the face was almost the same. “And there’s somefin’ different about you….”

Ark stood his ground. “Yes. Quite a lot, actually. You’ll find out.”

“You’ve got bottle. I’ll give you that, you little runt!” Salix said, almost admiringly.