and gestured them through into Agent Rakal’s office.

The office was aggressively nondescript, as shabby as the rest of the quarters.

The only splash of color was the gold-framed portrait of the Emperor above the agent waiting behind the desk. They rose as Kiem and Jainan entered. “Your Highness.”

Chief Agent Rakal—that was who it must be—barely came up to Kiem’s shoulder. They were slightly built and trim in Internal Security’s black uniform, and their hair was half-braided and pulled back in a neat clip. Their neck and wrists were bare of any ornament marking gender.

They didn’t come out from behind the desk, which was probably a point of some kind; Kiem ignored it and leaned over to shake hands.

“Kiem,” he said. “You knew that, nice to meet you, this is Count Jainan, you may know him.” Your people definitely do, he nearly said, but for once managed to stop himself. He needed Rakal on their side to sort this all out.

“Your Highness,” Rakal said, short and sharp. “Your Grace. You gave the impression this was an emergency. What is it that needs my attention at two minutes’ notice?”

“Oh, yes, sorry. Thanks for seeing us,” Kiem said, in a disarming tone that notably failed to disarm Rakal. “A couple of things, actually. Can we sit down?”

He nodded to the couple of chairs grouped informally around a low table for guests. It was an automatic move: things always went better if everyone felt more casual.

Rakal stared back at him impassively and said, “If you like.” They didn’t move.

Kiem scrambled for a response. “Right.”

Rakal waited, palms resting on the desk, and raised their eyebrows at the short silence.

Kiem only hit this sort of person occasionally, and it was abysmal luck that Rakal was one of them. Some people, he’d found, just didn’t like him. Most people he met for the first time were either friendly or they were wary and would

warm up to him when they felt they had his measure. Every now and then, though, he came up against someone who looked straight into him and had nothing but contempt for what they saw. He was getting that feeling with Rakal.

Usually Kiem could mark those people down and avoid them. Avoiding this conversation was not an option.

Jainan was still as a statue beside him. Kiem took a deep breath and said, “For a start, you could have told us the Auditor thinks Taam’s death was murder.”

“Who told you that?” Rakal said evenly.

“The Auditor, actually,” Kiem said, “at about the same time as he refused to instate both of us. Was it?”

“The matter is being dealt with,” Rakal said. “We have it in hand and the Emperor has been briefed. There is no current need for you to know the status of the investigation.”

Kiem paused. He had never been allowed near Internal Security before, let alone had the authority to press them for case details. “Fine,” he said. “All right.