“There is none. I failed, and came back empty-handed.”

“Empty-handed? You found no trace of it?”

“None. We asked everywhere, but no one seemed to know anything about it, except the usual talk about magic, and whether Merlin had –”

“Never mind that! Did you see her? Have speech?”

“No. We were told she’d gone south. So then we went, as you directed us –”

She silenced him with a hasty gesture. “Not here. Leave it. Later. You failed, so what does it matter where you went?” She was silent herself for a few moments, staring unseeingly across the room, the pretty teeth savaging her underlip. Then, as if shrugging away the disaster, whatever it was, she turned back to the kneeling man.

“So, we must try again, it seems. What of the other matter I sent Madoc to pursue? Did your brother Julian go to Bannog Dun to see him?”

“No, madam. That is what I was going to tell you. There was no need. Madoc came to see us in Luguvallium. It seems he’s already in possession, and well dug in. He bade us tell you that all was well, and the business should be settled soon.”

“Well, I suppose that’s something to the good. I’ll talk with Julian later. I take it he came back with you? Where is he?”

“Madam, he’s dead.”

Alexander, hovering near, but for once ignored, glanced at her in surprise as she said, merely: “So? How?”

“By enchantment. Or so I think. As we rode away from Luguvallium he complained of sickness and pain in the side, and that night he fell into a fever, and in three days he was dead.”

Alexander, stung to pity by the weary grief in the man’s face, looked to see the queen signal him to rise from his knees, or at least order one of the servants to pour wine for him, but she did neither. She sat down on the bed’s edge, chin on fist, brows knitted, looking at none of them, deep in thought.

The prince went to the side table, poured a goblet of the wine that stood there, and would have carried it himself to the kneeling man, but at that she roused herself, saying sharply: “No! Not that! Count Ferlas, we must talk further. In the upper chamber, you know it, in half an hour. Go now, all of you except my women, and let me dress. Go!”

The count rose, bowed and went, followed by the pages. Alexander started to speak, but she cut him off with the same curt voice and gesture. “I said all. Did you not hear? All but the women. Leave me now!” Then as he still stood, flushed and beginning to be angry, she seemed to recollect herself. She went up to him and, pulling his head down, kissed him. “There. Forgive me, my love. I must talk with the man. He was my messenger, and has news for me, grave news, I fear. I will tell you about it later.”