Kiem sank down a fraction in his chair. “So we’re even further from the treaty,” he said.

“No,” Rakal said crisply. “I know you were not instated. I know it was because of Taam’s murder. This crime must and will be solved. When we arrest the perpetrator, the Auditor will see Thea and Iskat are in agreement—which they will be, because the suspect is not Thean—and instate the treaty representatives.”

Jainan didn’t immediately understand the implication, but Kiem did, because he sat up. “You’ve cleared Jainan?”

“Count Jainan.” Rakal gave a thin smile. “Yes, Your Grace is no longer our main suspect. But you can help.”

Jainan did not like the way Rakal said help. He laid his hands on his knees, carefully controlling any signs of unease. “I am at your disposal.”

“You still have a professional relationship with Professor Feynam Audel.”

Jainan had not known her personal name. “Yes,” he said. A bitter relief sat on his tongue. “You want me to withdraw from the project.”

“No.” Rakal leaned in. “I want you to get proof that Audel murdered Prince Taam.”

“Wait, what?” Kiem said. “Your suspect is Professor Audel? But we cleared her.”

The room blurred around Jainan. He cut off Kiem’s protestation. “We told you she could prove she had no motive. Please explain.”

“Feynam Audel was behind the attempts at network intrusion,” Rakal said.

“We have spent the last two days tracing the comms involved, and that much is indisputable. She used not only her own account but also those of multiple students, even one owned by a student who passed away two years ago.”

Jainan felt an unpleasant tingle under his skin. Internal Security had no reason to outright lie to them. “If that’s true, she’s technically committed a crime,” he said. “But you can only prove she was trying to get into Kingfisher’s systems.

You have no evidence she murdered Taam.”

“Apart from a clear motive against Taam and against Kingfisher,” Rakal said.

They put up their hand to forestall Kiem’s protest. “Yes—I have seen the resignation letter you copied to us. It is a forgery. The military has no record of receiving it.”

Jainan’s mouth was dry. “I see.”

“The situation is untidy.” Rakal said untidy with an air of picking up a rotting piece of vegetable matter. “The Emperor has entrusted Internal Security with finding an answer before Unification Day; the evidence must be watertight. We know Audel is traveling to Carissi Station to witness the treaty signing. The Kingfisher refinery is in the same habitat cluster as the station. We believe she intends to make another attempt at illegally accessing Kingfisher’s network from there.”

“What’s that got to do with Jainan?” Kiem said.

“We want you to give her an access credential to the refinery,” Rakal said.