The contact inside the castle. It couldn’t have been anyone except the violet-eyed wizard. There had been magic in Scratch’s capture, a spooled fate ball pulling her away from the feast. No apprentice of Gorn’s could have been responsible. They were too low of rank to have regular contact with Frances. And the most telling bit of intelligence? She liked him.

“How did you know?” Frances demanded. “Does Brella?”

Scratch shook her head. “I figured it out on my own. Don’t worry, he’s safe.”

The princess’s shoulders dropped fractionally.

“How long?” Scratch asked.

“Years.” Frances bit her lip. “He practically raised me. My father was always . . .” She froze. “Why am I telling you this?”

Scratch tried not to appear outwardly smug. “We get along. It’s an asset if you choose to appoint me.”

“So it is.” Frances stood, a clear dismissal. “You’re free to go to Vel and Brella’s chambers.” She paused, smoothing down her starched skirts. “I won’t apologize for the dungeons. As you say, it might have been prudent to keep you in there longer.”

“One more thing, Princess. If you don’t mind.”

Frances flopped back down, a little gracelessly. Scratch took the looseness as a good sign. “It’s about James, isn’t it?”

Once again, Scratch was startled by the princess’s quick mind. “Yes, actually. He’s a good storyteller, and very observant. I’d like him to be your historian.”

She nodded. “Fine. Yes.”

Scratch nearly laughed. “That easy?”

“Truthfully . . .” Frances’s voice dropped low, less conspiratorial than chagrined. “I forgot I needed one.”

Scratch let herself smile. “We’re building a new country, Highness. Certainly that’s worthy of recording.”

“Too right.” Frances tensed, her hands coming together in her lap. The ghost of a wince passed across her face. “I owe you an apology, Scratch.”

“Oh, no—”

“Hush, your princess is speaking,” she interrupted tartly, though with none of the threat those words could have held. “That night, when I found you on the bench. I knew what would happen to you. And I still got you high and told you that you’d never achieve your life’s goals.”

“Highness—”