“Is that why the queen wanted the island back?” asked Alec.

“We’ve done without the gold for a long time, but Kouros is the cradle of our whole civilization, and all the Three Lands. To hold Kouros is to hold our roots, our past. Many lives have been given down the centuries for the honor of claiming that lonely rock.”

“When are you leaving?” asked Seregil. “And how would Klia explain why we’re going along?”

“Ships are being provisioned to sail in three days’ time,” Thero replied. “As for you two, the queen is granting you an estate on the island, one of many left empty when the Plenimaran loyalists fled. You should be receiving a royal writ to that effect sometime today. She’s making you barons, I believe.”

Seregil groaned.

“You won’t have to serve at court,” the wizard assured him. “And the estate can certainly be left to a steward. Treat it as another of the various properties Lord Seregil holds and manages from Rhíminee. It’s just for show, after all. And think what a good excuse it will be, when you need to disappear.”

Alec grinned. “Baron Alec í Amasa of Kouros. I like the sound of that. What do you say, Baron Seregil?”

“I don’t care for it,” Seregil grumbled, annoyed at the prospect of having the title thrust upon him.

Thero let out an impatient sigh.

“Thero, tell me more about the situation on the island,” said Alec. “You mentioned Plenimaran loyalists leaving, but are there others who stayed? Is that where the unrest is coming from?”

“In part, but since Plenimar has held the island for several generations, there is a sizable population who were born there and consider it their home and birthright. And of course some married into the families of the Kouros islanders, so their status is even hazier. As I said, those who remained swore fealty to Elani.”

“People will swear to anything to keep what they consider theirs,” Seregil remarked.

“And one among these new ‘citizens’ may have taken it upon themselves to kill the symbol of what they would consider occupation: the governor,” said Alec.

Thero nodded. “That’s certainly one possibility.”

“What do you know about the secretary who sent the report?” asked Seregil.

“I don’t know Lady Zella personally, but I understand from Korathan that she was the governor’s right hand.”

Seregil drummed his fingers on the edge of the table, then nodded. “I must admit, it sounds like an interesting problem.”

“So you’ll come?” asked Thero.

Seregil gave Alec a crooked grin. “What do you say? Shall we brave the spirit world for queen and country?”

Alec grinned back. “Of course.”

Seregil raised his mug. “To ghosts and traitors!”

The rest of the day was spent on preparations for the voyage, and the court visit looming over them.

As Thero had predicted, a royal writ was delivered by a herald that afternoon, summoning them to the Palace in two days’ time to receive their new rank and lands.