Terce, Eighth Day Before Kalends of May

Tea Room, Whitestone Castle (Keys Family Residence), Tarrin, Drum

“You were unsuccessful,” said Councillor Keys as Kate Rinehart entered. He was sitting at a table, drinking ryanim tea.

“Yes,” said Kate and sat down at the chair opposite Keys.

“Stand,” said Keys.

Kate did. Keys looked up at her.

Why were you unsuccessful, said Keys into Kate’s Mind without moving his mouth.

Kate bristled. It was always the most unnerving of experiences to have her Mind Transcended.

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“I met with him,” said Kate, out loud. She did not dare Transcend the Councillor’s Mind in return. “But he stole away.”

“Hm,” said Keys. Then Kate could feel him Sensing her Mind, probing for memories of her misadventures in Estrul. But Kate knew how to stop him. She Transcended her Mind to bring forth the various memories and interlaced them with the memories of the past few days. Yes, there was the memory of Kate on top of Logan outside his sthrul. But this was superseded by the memory of the two jousting a few years ago, where Logan had sent Kate hurtling through a wall with one swing of his arm. This was in Cyrill, under the supervision of the late Cole, former overseer of the Cloakroom. Kate was adept at this kind of deformation of her memories. Her Mind was naturally tumultuous, and all she had to do was to push it a little further.

Kate saw Keys furrow his eyebrows and knew that she was successful.

Kate Rinehart, how will you pay for your failure, said Keys, again into Kate’s Mind.

At this Kate smiled. “Gladly with my life,” she said.

Keys sighed. “You may take leave.”

As Kate was turning away, Keys said, “Rinehart.”

Kate stopped. “Sir?”

“Do you know of anything regarding the Black Cloak,” said Keys.

“No, sir?” said Kate.

Keys could tell without Sensing her Mind that she was telling the truth.