Together, they worked in the Tower basement, she in a dress shimmering gold and green, he in the shirt and trousers he’d worn the day they’d met.

“Done.” He held up a fiery spark encased in crimson. “We made it. A Ri Core.”

“Finally.” She leaned in close to peer at it, her breath warming his fingers. “It’s so pretty. How does it work?”

“You know how.” He took her hand and placed it over the core in his. “You start with a feeling.”

“Oh?” Her words tickled his ear. “Like how I felt when I kissed you and you ran?”

“My lord?”

Dwayne jolted awake then blinked at the gray sunlight streaming in. He’d overslept, a side effect of spending all night trying to find a cemetery willing to accept Jung’s body.

“Rodion?” Dwayne sat up. “Where were you last night?”

“I had some errands to run. Here.” The steward placed a stack of folded clothing on the bed.

“What errands?” Dwayne changed out of his nightshirt while willfully ignoring the mess he’d made of it and his sheets. “You were gone all night.”

“I apologize.” Rodion was tidying up Dwayne’s room. “I also met up with a friend for drinks and time got away from me.”

“Oh, that’s fine.” Dwayne pulled on an undershirt. “It was just strange, that’s all.”

“It won’t happen again, my lord.”

“Please don’t say that,” Dwayne said through his shirt. “I’m glad you’ve made friends. Anyone I’ve met?”

“No, my lord.” Rodion collected Dwayne’s night clothes then bowed. “I must inform you Lady Pol is here.”

“What?” Dwayne grabbed his trousers. “Why didn’t you say so sooner?”

“Probably,” Lady Pol strode into the room as Dwayne buttoned up his trousers, “because he wanted me to wait until you were decent.”

“My Lady,” said Rodion, “I must insist you wait downstairs.”

“Acknowledged.” Lady Pol sat at Dwayne’s desk. “Odette told me there’s been a murder.”

“Yes, there has. Has Mei told you anything?”

She’d just slipped into into the room.

“She’s told me everything, including that the Chamber is pulling back.” Lady Pol looked over the pamphlet Scrytive Vogt had given Dwayne. “Which, after they made you get involved, is quite the joke.”

“It wasn’t them. Princess Anne-”

“I’ve read the Privy Council minutes from that meeting. The High Judge instigated; Her Highness took advantage.” She waved the pamphlet. “What do you think of this?”

“It’s a highly repetitive text that comes to strong conclusions without any proof.”

Lady Pol glanced at Mei. “Is that Dwayne-speak for ‘complete drivel’?”

Mei tilted her head. “What’s ‘drivel’?”

“Nonsense,” Dwayne sat on the edge of his bed, “and that’s not what I said. It’s just its whole argument is based on-”

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“Tying your arrival in Walton to the disaster there.”

“It’s an irrational argument. If I could convince Vanurian zealots to launch Hounds over the Southern Line, why kill one random Vanurian windsong?”

“Two windsong,” corrected Mei.

“Still.”

“People are not rational by default.” Lady Pol put down the pamphlet. “They feel for truth and that story feels true. Of course, it helps that both murders are connected to you.”

“We haven’t proven that,” said Dwayne. “If Juanelo was carrying Lord Kalan’s messages, that may be a only a coincidence.”

Mei shifted.

Dwayne sighed. “What is it?”

“Too many.”

“Too many what?”

“Coincidences. Juanelo carries your messages and dies. We investigate and Sanford is attacked. We talk to Orlaith and he,” she hesitated, “dies. Too many coincidences.”

If one combined those with the timing of Lord Kalan’s abdication, then there was definitely a pattern.

Dwayne groaned. “Who is doing this?”

“At least, two different people.” Lady Pol picked up Dwayne’s bracer. “One wants to undermine our efforts to gain support by using their connections to spread rumors and disrupt our activities.” She gave Dwayne a look. “You know who.”

“Thadden.” The baron Dwayne had initially chosen for Royal Sorcerer had a lot of connections among the merchants and nobility. “So the murders, robberies, and attacks are someone else?”

“Yes.” Lady Pol peered at the bracer’s Qe core. “None of those are Thadden’s style.”

“Could it be Sorgi?” Dwayne asked.

“I doubt it. He’s a fool.” Lady Pol put down the bracer and opened Dwayne’s notes. “I got a letter from him this morning ordering me to order you to stand down. He thinks were the same. Hah!” She frowned. “What is this?”

Dwayne walked over to see what she was looking at: Mei’s rubbing. “We don’t know.”

“It’s familiar.” She shrugged. “No matter. What’s going on between you and young Gallus?”

“What?” Dwayne’s palms flooded with sweat. “Nothing. Nothing’s going on.”

“We dueled yesterday.”

“What?”

“She was poking around the old Duelist’s College and clearly needed the exercise.”

“Did you win?” Mei asked.

“Of course.” Lady Pol smirked. “She’s good, but not that good, not yet.”

Dwayne coughed. “What does that have to do with me?”

“You two should duel. It’ll be good for you.” Lady Pol looked thoughtful. “Properly though, in proper outfits. No suits or pinafores.”

Dwayne turned away. Dueling sounded too much like dancing and look how that ended. “We have more important things to do.”

“You have to learn to fight. You’ve already gotten into a brawl once. Consider that an order.” Lady Pol stood up. “Now, we must figure out how to counter our opponents. What did Nicky from your club say we should do?”

“Nicky?” It took a moment to match nickname to person. “You mean Nicole? And it’s not a club.”

“Considering how much Smith’s granddaughter and that merchant boy fawned over you, yes, it is and yes, her.”

“It’s just a-” But Lady Pol’s eyes were twinkling and Dwayne didn’t have time for her teasing. “Nicole suggested demonstrating the abilities of new core to a larger audience.”

“Excellent idea. Make it so.”

“What? But-”

“I won’t have time to help you, I have a project that needs my full attention. Besides, we both know you’re better at that sort of thing.”

Dwayne’s eyes narrowed. “What personal project?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Lady Pol flashed a smile. “All you need to know is that your feat of magic getting you a passing mark from Professor Corn has made my job a lot easier.” She turned to Mei. “Anything else?”

“I will search Sen Jerome’s,” stated Mei.

Lady Pol’s eyebrows lifted. “The cenobite fortress? Why?”

“It’s the last place to look for my brother.”

“It’s too dangerous,” said Dwayne. “If you get caught-”

“I won’t get caught.”

“Miss Ma, I recommend caution,” said Rodion. “Sen Jerome trains killers.”

“Yes.” Mei shrugged. “But I’ll find help.”

Rodion sighed. “Just because some random laborer helped you, it doesn’t mean he’ll do it again.”

Dwayne blinked. Something was off about what the steward said.

Mei eyed Rodion. “Why not?”

“It’s not how the world works.”

“Mei.” Dwayne tried to sound reasonable. “How will you get in without Scrytive Vogt’s help?”

“I’ll find a way.” Mei’s eyes hadn’t left Rodion’s. “Today after lunch, I plan to go take a look.”

“Miss, even that’s too dangerous,” said Rodion.

“Maybe that laborer we met will help.”

Dwayne shook his head. “I doubt that she’ll help.”

“She?” Rodion stared at Dwayne. “You…” His eyes widened.

Dwayne frowned. “What’s going on?”

“Rodion, I’m hungry.” Mei walked over to the door. “What’s breakfast?”

“Bread, cheese, and sausage.” Rodion hurried after Mei. “I’ll get them ready.”

“What’s up with them?” Dwayne asked as the door closed behind them.

“You know,” Lady Pol started to walk towards the door, “I really never appreciated how exciting things could be at your age. Keep me updated on the demonstration and the breaking and entering. See you soon.”