I pulled myself upright. My head hurt; I wanted to throw up. “I don’t believe I’ll thank you.”

Suless grinned and the hyenas next to her did as well, tongues lolling.

“No, I wouldn’t expect you to thank me at all. I’m not doing this to help you, but you already know that. I just want to see the look on Kaen’s face when you kill his dragon and grab hold of every prize he thinks should be his. When you—oh yes—betray him. Oh, what joy.”

“Fine. That part I’ll be happy to oblige.”

She waved her arms, and I woke back in my room.

48: REVELATIONS

Jorat Dominion, Quuros Empire. Three days since a witch-hunter with the ridiculous name of Piety didn’t return to the Capital City

Everyone stared at Janel.

She sat back and drank her coffee, looking embarrassed.

“Oh, foal, you—” Dorna gave her a look of deep concern. “You didn’t really cut out one of your eyes, did you?”

Star nodded slowly in approval. “Not bad.”

Janel cleared her throat and looked away.

Qown’s Turn. The Ice Demesne, Yor, Quur.

Sir Baramon ended up giving the whole scheme away.

Brother Qown knew Sir Baramon hadn’t meant to, but someone was bound to slip up. Over time, Qown had figured out the times and places where he could count on people to be indiscreet, to gossip, to whisper. He lurked invisible in rooms where people knew beyond all doubt they were alone, and people who knew they were alone sometimes let down their guard.

And in Sir Baramon’s case? Well, Sir Baramon liked his pillow talk.

One evening, Brother Qown checked in with the knight to find Sir Baramon energetically enjoying Dango’s company, much to Qown’s embarrassment. Qown left for long enough to check on his normal targets and returned later to find the two men finished with the sex, but not with the intimacy. While the two men cuddled together under blankets next to a burning fire, they talked.

That part, he stayed to watch.

“Tomorrow’s going to be rough,” Sir Baramon said as he rested his head against the other man’s shoulder.

Dango smiled and grazed his hand against the knight’s arm. “Ah, now don’t be like that, love. Tomorrow’s going to be dangerous, but no more so than the dozen times we’ve done this before.”

Baramon sat up, letting Dango’s hand slip away. “I liked it better when we didn’t have to split up. And when one of us could ride in pretending to be the Black Knight without anyone making a fuss. I can’t even do it anymore. And it used to be my real job! All you have to do to make a noble faint these days is mention the Black Knight.”

“That’s their doing, not ours.”