Tedrey lifted his chin and declared, “He is of The Rising. It is a secret faction of the Go’Doan that most priests don’t know about. But it is large. It is strong. Its followers are devout. And they plan to destabilize all realms, utilizing carefully positioned people who hold local power, or troops they have indoctrinated to their cause to take over and force everyone to adhere to their religion.”

Slowly, Lorenz curled up so he was sitting on the side of the divan with his feet to the ground and his wife pressed to his back.

“And I will go back to them,” Tedrey announced.

The air in the room went flat before it electrified.

“This is your lover,” Lorenz said low.

“It was. Now he is just a general in The Rising. An important one. And I have been gone for a long time. I do not know their plans after the attack on the palace was thwarted. But he will trust me. So I can find out. And when I do, I will tell you.”

Lorenz’s chin jerked back.

“That’s not going to bloody happen,” Faunus growled from beside him.

“You are known in that school as having the protection of the captain of the Trusted,” Lorenz pointed out.

“And when he seeks me out, I will share with Fenn that I fled due to the abuse of the leader he has obviously replaced. I have the proof of the extent of that abuse that he can see with his own eyes. And believe me, Fenn will not like it. That is not his way. He will think he knows why I left, for he knows my ways. And he will not be surprised I hurried back the minute I heard he was here. He will also have me back, I know it. Last, he will believe I am back, for I was foolishly infatuated with him.”

Lorenz took his wife’s hand from his shoulder, squeezed it, turned his head to kiss it, all this before removing it.

Then he stood.

“Again, you are known to have the protection of the captain of the Trusted,” he repeated. “You bloody live with me, Tedrey.”

“And thus, I will share with him information you wish me to share, as I glean from him information you will need to bring down The Rising.”

Lorenz’s brows drew up. “A two-way spy?”

“Ostensibly,” Tedrey confirmed. “Though the information from you will be false and eventually lead to a trap.”

At these words, Nyx scurried from the divan, stating, “Absolutely not. I will not allow this madness.”

Tedrey didn’t take his eyes from Lorenz.

Lorenz didn’t take his eyes from Tedrey.

“He is untrained in espionage, my captain,” Faunus put in.

Nyx rushed to her husband’s front and put a beseeching hand to his chest until his eyes dropped to her. “If he is found out, what will they do?”