It came back to her, the conversation with Han when she’d asked him to stand for High Wizard. Let’s be clear on this, he’d said. You want me to do whatever it takes to make this happen? Things you might not like?

“Fiona said she only met with you in order to gather more evidence so she could bring it to me,” Raisa said.

Han rolled his eyes. “Believe whatever you want. My read on it was she was dead serious until I brought Dancer and Willo to the council meeting. She confronted me, furious, and I told her to take a walk. Then she came to you.”

“Still…someone was plotting to murder me and you didn’t see fit to tell me?”

Han smiled, his first of the evening. “Your Majesty, there’s an entire lineup of people plotting to kill you. What’s one more?” His smile faded. “But you’re right. I’m sorry. I should have told you. I’m…I’m used to handling things myself.”

“You’ve also been implicated in the wizard murders. You were seen in Ragmarket the night the Gryphons were killed, crouching over their bodies.”

“Mick and Hallie, right?” Han rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. “Bones. I hoped they hadn’t recognized me.”

“Well?”

“I was in Ragmarket that night,” Han admitted. “I told you. I was walking the streets, trying to entice the killer to come after me. I got word there were two more bodies—fresh ones—so I went to check them out, looking for clues. That’s when the bluejackets showed up.” He spread his hands in a plea for understanding. “I ran. I just…Instinct takes over, you know? If you stop to think on the streets, you’re dead.”

“Why didn’t you come to me about any of this?” Raisa said.

“Because I was afraid that you’d think I was guilty,” Han said. “Why wouldn’t you? I have the history, maybe a motive, and there’s a dozen people whispering in your ear, telling you I’m dangerous. That’s why I was so desperate to find out who really did it.”

“They found a talisman under the bodies,” Raisa said. “A clan piper in rowan and oak, inlaid with turquoise.”

“Cat told me,” Han said, his face gone hard and pale.

“Well?”

“It’s mine,” he said.

“I know. I’ve seen you wearing it.”

“I lost it a week or so before the killings. I didn’t know what happened to it, so I asked Dancer to make me another.”

“Do you know where you lost it?” Raisa said.

“No.” He shook his head. “I mainly use it for…for one particular purpose,” he said. “So I didn’t realize it was gone—not right away. I have no idea how it got there.”

Raisa took a breath. “Did Cat tell you about Flinn?”