Dahl Haas knocked on the door of the house in Sedlmayr. No one responded. He kept pounding. After a long time the door opened. Haas slipped inside.

“This must be the place,” said the sergeant commanding the squad tracking Haas. He assembled his men. “You three go round back and see if there’s another way out. Two of you cover it if there is. The other one come back and tell me.” He faced the house, studied, waited.

One of his men asked, “Do we really have to do them all?”

“Duke’s orders.”

“But kids. Sarge, I never killed a kid.”

“Knock it off. Just do your damned job.” The sergeant was bitter and curt. He didn’t like his orders either. But orders were orders.

One of the men he’d sent out returned. “There’s a back door.”

“Can two men cover it?”

“No problem.”

“All right, gents. It’s that time. And remember. Nobody out alive. Nobody. Or the Duke might shorten our necks. Let’s go.”

There was one survivor. Dahl Haas fought his way out the back door, leaving the men there with spilled guts. He lost his pursuers in the shadows of Sedlmayr’s alleys.

General Liakopulos and four companions, clad as hunters, entered Vorgreberg unnoticed. The General hurried to his quarters, shifted into military dress, and sent a flurry of messages.

Prataxis arrived first. He had a grey look. “What are you doing here?” he demanded.

“Wait. I’ll go through it for everyone at once. I’ve sent for Trebilcock and Abaca too.”

Abaca arrived only minutes later. Trebilcock showed right behind him. Liakopulos’s mere presence had alarmed them.

“Sit,” Liakopulos said. “I need help making a decision.”

“What’s going on?” Prataxis asked. He was aquiver with nervous energy.

Abaca remained standing. Trebilcock betrayed no emotion at all.

“The King is dead,” Liakopulos said. “Be quiet!” he snapped as all three men babbled questions. “There was a battle. The King was surrounded. Only a fifth of our men escaped, apparently because they ran when they were supposed to attack from the rear. I don’t have the details. We’ll look into it and apply discipline where needed. That’s neither here nor there at the moment. The fact is, most of the army were slain. Including the King, Sir Gjerdrum, and Baron Hardle. The news began filtering in several days ago. I waited till I was sure it wasn’t hysteria. I ordered the garrison commander at Maisak to hold the returnees there. I interrupted the telegraph so word wouldn’t get through. Once I was sure I rode down to consult you all.”

Abaca growled, “Kill her before the word gets out.”

“You want to kill Fulk too?” Michael asked.

“Goes without saying.”

“I don’t kill babies.”

“I’ll do it.”

Liakopulos said, “No you won’t, Credence. That’s no defense of the crown. That’s murder. That’s regicide. Fulk became King the moment Ragnarson died.”

“A sound legal point,” Prataxis said. He still shook. “You’re suggesting treason, Credence. And yet….”