“Hmm.” She considered for a beat, then, “I would have thrown me in the dungeons, then fed me very little. I would have kept me in there longer: another day maybe. Not too long, but long enough that I was desperate. Pliable. I wouldn’t give me soft treatment because then the Koravian king might think I’m soft. I don’t know how he operates, or why he’s chosen to side with you.”

“I do.” Frances grinned. It was rakish and sly, and reminded Scratch fiercely of Maisie. “Go on.”

“I would have tested the waters with the king, figured out how he viewed the situation, and then acted accordingly. The most important thing is that alliance.”

“I agree.”

“Good. Then I would have spoken to Brella. If I’m as dangerous as she believes, I could have deceived her, convinced her that I was an ally when I had every intention of spying for your father.”

Frances chuckled mirthlessly. “Brella wasn’t talking to anyone last night. I doubt even I could have gotten information from her.”

“Did you give her any incentive?”

She lifted a delicate shoulder. “I gave her nice quarters.”

“Nice quarters she wasn’t allowed to leave,” Scratch said. “They could have been the royal gardens, and she still would have seen them as a prison.”

“Fair. What incentive?”

Scratch arched an eyebrow. The right one, with the scar. “Me?”

Frances laughed, louder this time. “You’re saying I should have traded my prisoner, my one and only bargaining chip, for an opinion on said asset from my partner’s sister?”

“Of course not. I would have lied.”

“Ah, yes.” The princess appeared pleased by that.

“I would have said ‘if you submit to questioning, we’ll treat Scratch better.’ Or ‘your word could be what frees her.’”

“And if she didn’t believe me?” Frances wrapped her hands around her teacup. “What then?”

Scratch waved her away. “I wouldn’t have pressed. Then, I would have subjected Brella to the wizards. Me as well. Get a truth serum, or some kind of spell. Find out whether I’m lying, or if I figured out  how to bewitch her. Make sure I’m not a spy for your father.” She gripped her teacup. “I’m not, by the way.”

Frances rolled her eyes, a wordless yes, obviously. “And then what would you have done?”

“I would have appointed me my Hand.”

Frances let out a peal of laughter, full-bellied and surprisingly deep. “You are good, I will admit.” She pursed her lips. “I’ll give it some thought.”

“Thank you.”

“Is there anything else we need to discuss?”

“Yes.” Scratch took a deep, bracing breath. “Gorn.”

Frances’s green eyes widened, then narrowed. “What of him?”

“How long have you been planning this with him?”