“We’ve had men search his office, his rooms, others following him,” Florian took up the thread. “They’ve found nothing. They’ve seen nothing.”

As True and Bram had just received birds from True’s mother, pressing him to return home, the men were reporting on efforts with Carrington, about which they received daily dispatches from the capital.

“He cannot possibly be acting in his own interests,” True noted. “He’s subverting my father’s reign. With this new tax, now he’s targeting Farah and me. It seems his intent is to weaken the power structure of the realm. He can’t be doing this just for jollies.”

“We’ve had a man loyal to you intercept all his missives and read them before sending them on. We’ve had men following him wherever he goes. He says nothing of concern, he meets with no one suspect,” Wallace said.

“You are sure they’ve not been noticed in these endeavors,” True inquired.

Wallace shook his head. “Not a chance. They’re skilled, True. You know that.”

He did. It would be a great surprise if the men chosen for these tasks were noted in carrying them out.

“And Carrington’s secretary?” True queried.

Wallace shook his head. “The same.”

True turned his attention to Luther. “His history?”

But it wasn’t Luther who answered, it was Alfie.

“He studied at the university in Go’Doan, True.”

True locked eyes with his captain.

“They were behind the attack in Fire City,” Alfie reminded him. “And our men in the Thicket report G’Seph disappeared somewhere along the journey from Firenze. This cannot be a coincidence.”

No, it could not.

And on the scale of where someone stood regarding the Go’Doan, Alfie had always been firmly planted in the zone where he did not trust them.

Not in the least.

“And he studied there,” Alfie repeated. “There’s nothing of concern in his background, except that. He has a mistress who he rarely visits who is paid well for services she doesn’t often render. She lives in apartments even more palatial than most accommodation at Birchlire. But this only shares your father pays him too much. As you know, we have a man on her as well, and she enjoys shopping and lunching with friends, evenings at the theater to show off the gowns she’s able to purchase. Nothing in her communications, activities or acquaintances causes alarm. Other than that, the man spends his time with his nose up your father’s arse and treating his secretary like a dog.”

Alfie leaned toward True and finished.

“He is being circumspect now, after the attack in Firenze. This is why we’re finding nothing. But whatever his agenda, it stems from his link to Go’Doan, True. I’d stake my life on it.”

These words, from Alfie, carried a lot of weight.