Jean helped Vero to her feet. Before they could leave, they were approached by Antoinette’s father with red and puffy eyes.

“Thank-you for sponsoring this funeral, my Lord. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

“It was the Dame Veronique who requested it, and I could not in good conscience do otherwise.”

“Yes, thanks to you as well, my Lady. Antoinette spoke of you very highly when she came home. She told us what a close friend you had been to her these past months.”

If Antoinette had not been so close a friend to you, she would still be alive today.

Vero wanted to say something to the mourning father, even if she did not know what to say. But as she tried, she found herself too affected to manage anything sensible.

Another shade left in your wake.

Antoinette’s father seemed to understand regardless. “I won’t trouble you any further, my Lady.” With that, he bowed and returned to his wife.

Killer! Murderess!

Jean took Vero outside, where she sucked in a full breath of fresh air and dried her eyes one last time with his cloak.

“Are you certain you’re alright, Vero?”

“I am. I can’t afford not to be any longer.”

“Let me take you hawking this afternoon.”

“I have work to do.”

“As your employer, I’m inclined to be lenient. And I don’t think-”

“-What is he doing here?” Vero pointed at the Earl of Kaer Longus.

The loathsome creature could not help but notice her draw attention to him, so he began to approach them. Vero’s hands balled into fist involuntarily.

Jean took her hands in his and, feigning a kiss, hastily whispered to her, “When my men arrested the Umbrians, this bastard presented a royal pardon to them. The others are all in the dungeons, but I need to sort this out before I can put him there with them. I didn’t know how to tell you after what happened to poor Antoinette.”

Vero took no bother about whispering. “So, you’re going to do nothing?”

“The King has no rights to gainsay how I deal out justice on my land. Gods’ sake- the scoundrel isn’t even Velian. I wanted to do this quickly to avoid any headaches, but that’s all undone now. I don’t know how he got the pardon; I’ve had all his letters searched since you told me what he did to his sister, and it didn’t come that way. It genuine enough though, however he got it. I need to rally the other major landholders to my cause before I can force his majesty to either defend or withdraw his seal. I’m doing my best to resolve the matter swiftly, but I can’t seize him yet. Please try to understand, my love.”

The scoundrel in question bowed to them. “My condolences on the loss of your servant.”

Vero did not acknowledge the bastard, but pulled Jean’s face towards her again to whisper back very deliberately, “Take him away from me this instant.”

“I don’t want to leave you alone, Vero.”

“I made a promise to you that I would identify this maleficar, and I leave now to go do so. I can only pray that my Lord will see fit to be so faithful in the fulfillment of his promises made to me.” Vero removed her arm from Jean’s grasp and turned away.

Behind her, she heard Jean grab the unwelcome earl none-to-gently and lead him back the way he came. “Take a walk with me, Conrad. We have a great many things to discuss, it seems.”

Vero ignored them and focused on stilling the trembling in her hands.

She returned to where she had stabled Papillon and discovered Mattias silently standing beside her horse. She walked up to the beautiful mare. Jean had given her lots of other presents, but it was Papillon that meant the most to her.

Papillon whispered thoughts of comfort to her. Her nature was so open and affectionate, it was easier to speak with her than any other animal Vero had ever met. She held the horse very dear.

Mattias’ own stallion stood nearby and they both mounted without saying a word.

Half way back to the keep, Vero turned him. “I’m going to speak to the chancellor. Will you accompany me?”

“As you wish, my Lady.”

They returned to the castle and found Ser Renaud in his private office. It was located in a very secluded corner, near to the servant’s quarters. As they approached the door, Vero could still hear the usual noise and disorder of the castle, but only slightly- at a muffled distance.

Mattias knocked on the door.

The voice of the chancellor responded from the other side. “Who is it?”

“It’s me. I have the Lady Veronique with me, she wants to talk to you.”

“Yes, of course. Come in.”

Inside, the walls were covered by maps and bookcases, hemming in the cramped little room even further. Although there was one little window, which held a pleasant view overlooking the Marquise’s pleasure gardens and let in some welcome sunlight.

Taking up almost the entirety of the remaining area was a very fine desk. It looked to Vero to be fashioned of lumber imported from the Whitewood. The chancellor sat behind it, thumbing through his correspondence. There was only one seat for a guest due to the lack of space. Mattias stood, practically in the doorframe, where he watched the hall for anyone who might try and overhear them.

“How can I assist you, my Lady?” Ser Renaud asked, keeping his attention divided between her and his letters.

“I wonder, lord chancellor, if you could lead me through your own previous investigation into the maleficar?”

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If the chancellor was nervous, he hid it very well. “There’s not much to tell, unfortunately. I found the spat of illnesses odd is all. They came to my attention during a routine consultation with the chaplain – pardon me – the former chaplain. Pandemics are random, these illnesses were too precise. And in all of nature, only man fashions his work with straight lines. I ordered Father Ignacio and Magister Aeolus to examine the victims to determine if we were dealing with a poisoner.”

“And they confirmed that it was poison?”

“Yes- well, I asked if they believed it could be the result of a natural contagion. They said it matched no miasma they were familiar with and I informed Jean. From there we had to wait for the first victims to die before we could gather more information. Ironically, the mildness of the poison worked against us in this case. The third son of Hollowstone suffered Hepatitis before his illness and his liver failed quickly. I sent Ignacio and Aeolus back to autopsy the body – damned priest raised hell over that one – but he had already been given to the crows before they arrived. A few days ago, we were able to finally perform an autopsy on a victim to get the final proof. As a precaution, I’ve already checked if any known witches are abroad. There are none.”

“How exactly did you determine there are no witches in the Fer-Mark, may I ask?”

“I have certain contacts at the king’s court. They’re a necessity in my line of work. My family visit this solstice was not a social call. I spoke to my informants there and they, in turn, consulted with the inquisition.”

“I see.”

The chancellor must have sensed Vero’s suspicion, because he immediately followed with an earnest defense. “I trust my contacts completely. They’re a part of my own family, and they would never conspire with any foreign power to undermine Velian security; I would stake my life on that.”

“I do not doubt that, lord chancellor. Thank-you for your time.” Vero stood and curtsied before squeezing her way past the sheriff out into the hall.

A picture of events was now unfolding in her mind, only the motives behind some of the players remained indistinct to her.

Mattias closed the door and followed after her. “And where to now, Lady Veronique?”

“Are you enjoying yourself, Mattias? You may call me Vero if you like.”

He flashed a playful smile. “It is rather fun running around the castle with you and forcing everyone to drop whatever they’re doing and speak to us. But you didn’t answer my question, my- …Vero.”

“I need to speak to the Marquise, but I want to consult with Frederic first.”

“He keeps his quarters in a loft above the coup for messenger birds.”

Mattias led them to the raised loft. It was very open and spacious, as well as much more comfortable than Vero would have expected. Despite the muck from the birds downstairs, all the furniture looked very clean. The room seemed to serve as both an office and bedroom.

Frederic stood beside the spacious window and appeared greatly distracted. He took no notice of them until they began to ascend up the stairs to the loft- and then it was only the extraordinarily loud creaking of the steps which gave them away.

“Hello, my Lady… Mattie. It’s my principle to never send away a beautiful woman, but I’m afraid I don’t feel very well today.” The spymaster’s voice was quiet.

“You’re not ill, are you?” Mattias asked, with some urgency.

“No, not ill. I am- I apologize for not attending the funeral, my Lady.”

“Were you close to Antoinette?” Vero asked.

“In a manner of speaking… My friend takes a new mistress- I don’t want to offend… I wouldn’t be doing my duty if I didn’t keep a discreet eye on you.” Frederic was speaking almost aimlessly.

Vero repressed a desire to shiver.

“I don’t want you to think badly of the girl. All she ever told me was that you loved Jean, that she liked you very much, and that you absolutely were not a witch. I hardly even considered her an agent, although I suppose that is what she was. I think that must have been why this all has hit me so hard. When you send a man into danger you prepare yourself for him not to come back, even before he leaves. I never did that with her, I never saw the need. I hadn’t prepared myself for it- that’s why this is so difficult. Spycraft is a filthy business…”

“You paid her?”

“I gave her gifts, amongst other things. She seemed eager for... companionship, more than anything else.”

Vero suppressed her revulsion to focus on her reason for coming there. “May I presume you have a similar relationship with a girl or girls in the retinue of Jean’s wife?”

“Work?” Ser Frederic stepped away from the window and turned towards his shelves of maps and records. “Yes, work would do us some good.” He sifted through his papers. “I cannot comment on your presumptions, except to say that I have many little friends everywhere. What is it you wish to know about the Marquise, exactly?”

“You and she were here the whole time, while Jean, and I, and all the rest of us were on campaign. Isn’t that right?”

“That’s right. She never left, and I saw her at dinner every night. Incidentally, she also has no knowledge of poisons, so far as I am aware. Nor has she had any private meetings with strange men. Those are both some of the keenest things a husband worries about, you understand.”

“Without cause, I’m sure. How are relations between her father and Jean?”

“They have… cordial respect, I suppose. You’re such a charming beautiful young woman, I often forget you’re not noble-born.”

“If not for my provincial accent?”

“You do much better at hiding that now. But I seem to have lost my way, give me a moment.”

Vero was not aware that she had been subduing her accent. She was also not certain how she felt about the revelation.

Ser Frederic put down his correspondence. “I’ll speak plainly and then perhaps things will come out right. There’s no formal alliance between us, but we’re both natural allies against any kind of over step on the part of the king. The Duc de Flan-Goethe is the greatest living general today, he has many vassals and commands tremendous respect. He also keeps a hardened company of veteran knights from the last war around him at all times. And he can call on many more at short notice. You already well know just how rich Jean is. Between them they can easily muster enough support, both military and financial, to keep the king from ever becoming a real tyrant. Most of the smaller landowners come to one or the other of us whenever the king starts to bully them too badly.”

Everything in Vero’s mind became clear. “Very enlightening. Thank-you. I think the plot against Jean comes from the capital. And I believe Ser Renaud’s family betrayed his confidence to reveal information to the conspirators.”

Ser Frederic nodded along with her, and Vero could almost see the calculations happening behind his eyes.

“Grave news. Hence their hasty action against-” The spymaster paused for a moment, then the matter appeared to have been forgotten. “I’ll begin the appropriate countermeasures at once. Will you continue your inquiries?”

“I see no reason to stop. I think I’m nearly finished.”

“You don’t seem to believe that the chancellor was the enemy- only that he was a source of information?”

Vero nodded.

“If that’s the case, then the true assassin could be anyone in the entourage that’s traveled with Jean from Umbria. You know, I wouldn’t be surprised to discover that their initial plan was to blame you for the blight, and claim that you were killed when your own black magic curses turned back on you.”

“Has his majesty ever tried to mend relations with the Duc de Flan-Goethe?”

“Of course. Their falling out was very public. But the fellow is the king’s uncle, as well as his father-in-law, so the path is always open. So far, the old general has refused every entreaty to support his nephew’s views on royal absolutism. However, if he sees the winds blowing against Jean and the other nobles, that may change.”

“Why aren’t you the one hunting the maleficar?”

If the spy master was surprised by Vero’s sudden change in her line of questioning, he did not show it. “I don’t know. I suppose it’s because Jean doesn’t want to trust me with it. A spymaster is trusted with so many things no other aide or companion is told- not even a mistress. But that intimacy also breeds, by its nature, a level of suspicion. Because our connection is already illicit, he can’t help but wonder if I’m truly faithful to him.”

“You don’t sound offended by his suspicions.”

“I’m not, simply because I am innocent of them. I love Jean-” Ser Frederic laughed innocently. “And you as well, Mattie.”

Mattias watched on with exasperation. “I can’t believe the nonsense you say sometimes.”

Ser Frederic shrugged. “I only took up spycraft to help my dear friends. It’s a dirty business as I said. Why should I betray them? I don’t spend all the money Jean pays me now. So how can I be bribed? But for every secret only I know- he has to hold one back from me. It’s a game we play. I can’t complain, it keeps me from growing complacent.”

Vero tried to maneuver herself back towards the stairs.

“You find politics distasteful, my Lady?” She had not thought she gave any sign of discomfort, but the spymaster must have found one.

“I think life has enough trouble in it, without our creating trouble for our neighbors. Which can only ever cause more trouble for us all in the end.”

“At the moment, I find myself in agreement with you. I only wish the world could be so simple as that.”