Aela looked down at Lucullus from the balcony. “The chamber is vacant.” She tied the vines around the railing, and opened the way into the chamber.

Lucullus climbed the vines with incredible speed, and heaved himself over the railing. After orienting himself on the balcony, he briefly marveled at the view, and went inside with Aela.

“I wonder where the Count would keep the sort of evidence Matilda wants us to find,” Aela pondered aloud to herself.

“Perhaps you should start with checking for any secret spots in the walls. I’ll start with his desk.”

She nodded, and closed her eyes; she focused on the energy in the room. After an intense concentration, she shook her head. “No Chaodite spells have been used in here.”

He perused the various papers on the desk. “If he does have any secret places, it would have to be through a natural means.”

“Like what?”

“Try feeling around for loose stones in the wall, or perhaps check his wardrobe. Chloris had a hidden door in hers.”

She started to feel around the room like a blind woman trying to find the door. When she had exhausted the walls, she opened the wardrobe, and continued her search. “Does the Count’s wife ever go through his things? Does she suspect him of infidelity?”

He shrugged. “I’m not sure. I don’t recall Matilda ever specifying if his wife suspected him. I know Matilda suspects him.”

“If he has a habit of affairs, then he may be even more secretive than if he only did it once. He would probably be paranoid of his wife finding out, thus he would hide any evidence in obscure locations.”

Lucullus began opening drawers; and when he exhausted those, he went for the bed. “I’d almost be willing to bet he’s hiding something under the bed.”

Aela almost laughed. “That’s just silly. I’m his wife would think to check there first.”

He grabbed one of the pillows, and it felt strange to him. He never slept on the kind of pillows used by the nobility, but he was certain they didn’t use paper to fill them.

She looked back to see what Lucullus was doing. “I hope you’re not thinking of sleeping in the Count’s bed,” she joked. “We have work to do.”

He held up the pillow. “I would certainly never sleep on a pillow filled with paper,” he proclaimed as he emptied the pillow’s contents onto the bed. “Looks like feathers aren’t the only filler in this pillow.”

“He’s not very bright, is he?”

“It’s far from being the only pillow on his side of the bed.” He opened a few of the letters that now littered the bed. “Looks like the evidence we need.” His eyes widened as he read the one at the top of the stack. “And it seems he’s about to make his last mistake tonight.”

“With who?”

“Given the mention of cleaning, I would say one of the Count’s maidservants is going to pay him a visit. His wife must not be in this room very often.”

“Or perhaps she is busy with something tonight.”

He took the most important letters, and stuffed them in his scrip. “I think I’ll need another scrip at this rate.” He stuffed the rest of the letters back into the pillow, and put it back where he found it. “Let’s make haste to find Matilda before anyone knows we’ve been here.”

The two exited the chamber, and descended back down the way they came in. Once they were back on the lower balcony, Aela cast a weak flame spell with just enough power to destroy the vines; most of the ashes were carried away with the wind.

The morning hours had come to a close, and the afternoon was waning. Matilda spent much of the time chatting with the many guests. She took the opportunity to remind her debtors of what they owe her, as well as to gauge her vassals’ stance on the potential war with Emporikos. The party eventually died down, and she slipped out while the Count and his wife were busy. Her first place to check was the privy chamber, but she saw no one.

She roamed the halls of the castle, and after some searching, she came upon Lucullus and Aela a small distance from the balcony below the Count’s chamber.

“Hello, Duchess Matilda,” Aela said with a quick bow.

“It’s good to see you two didn’t fall in.” She motioned for them to follow.

Lucullus raised a brow.

Aela interjected, “I think fall off is more accurate.” She glanced over to Lucullus.

Matilda looked him. “I can only imagine what sort of wild ideas you came up with. You must not have found the privy chamber.”

Lucullus chuckled, “It was certainly a privy chamber. I’m just lucky I didn’t smell anything as bad as what my eyes saw.”

Matilda enjoyed a quiet chuckle. “What were you able to find?”

He pulled a bunch of letters from his scrip, from which he separated one. “All of these are incriminating,” he held up the letter he singled out, “but this one is the most interesting.” He handed it to Matilda.

She read over it with relish, and smiled with deep satisfaction. “I think you’ve earned yourselves great honor in my court. I will inform my servants to escort you back to my castle, and to accommodate you with the finest rooms for guests.”

“What about you?” Aela asked.

“I shall stay an extra night here. I think Castle Einsam could do with my presence.”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“How will you get back?” Lucullus asked.

“Don’t worry about me. My servants will return once they have returned you safely to my court,” she said answered with a gentle smile.

He nodded. “I guess we should be going, then.”

As Aela walked off with Lucullus she turned back to Matilda, and said, “Remember, in all that you do, the Savra are watching.”

The Count’s wife nearly jumped at the feeling of a hand on her shoulder. She turned around. “Oh, it’s you. Duchess Matilda, you mustn’t sneak up on me like that. I might’ve fainted from such a fright.”

Matilda briefly put her finger to her own lips, and spoke in a whisper, “We should keep quiet, lest the whole castle be stirred by our conversation.” She held up a letter in the torchlight, and continued in a whisper, “I have something that may interest you.”

“What is it?”

“An opportunity for both of us.”

“I’m listening.”

Matilda opened the letter. “He is taking another woman for himself tonight.”

“He’s doing what?”

“One of the maids will enter his chamber tonight in an hour.”

The Count’s wife grumbled to herself. “I knew he was hiding something. That’s why he sent me away for a time. It all makes sense.”

“There was no danger at all. There was nothing threatening you in the old master chamber. The secret new bed chamber was all a ruse to hide his vices.”

She gasped. “You know of it?”

“I can piece together what his filthy letters said.” Matilda pressed the letter in the Count’s wife’s hands. “Alice, I entreat you, use this knowledge to our benefit.”

“Our benefit?”

She nodded. “I know you are the one who can bring House Einsam out from the ashes of its shame. Emmett disgraces it with his repulsive behavior. Be subject to me, and I will ensure that House Einsam grows in prestige. I have given you all that you need to take control. Just remember the favor I have done for you.” She smirked. “Wisdom abideth not in the wicked spirit, nor resideth in a body destroyed by sin…”

Alice watched in disbelief as Matilda began to walk away, and muttered to herself, “The spirit of deception shrouds the wicked in a diabolical fog.”

“I think you now understand what I was trying to tell you,” she said as she disappeared in the dark hallway. “Good night, Alice.”

It was early in the evening, when Matilda entered her court for the first time since the Count’s party. As she moved through the common area, she found Lucullus and Aela isolated from the rest of her guests. She kept her usual court manners as she approached them. “It’s good to see you again, Altum, as well as your friend. I trust my servants have treated you well.”

Lucullus nodded. “Did everything go well at the Count’s castle?”

“I couldn’t have asked for a better result, friend. Now, what was it that you required assistance with?”

Lucullus answered, “We’re looking for an important person.” He lowered his voice to a whisper, “Her name is Olivia.”

Aela pulled out a bunch of documents and maps. “This is all of what we found relating to the Chaodites’ trafficking ring. Some of it shows the path she has taken, but we do not know which of their locations within Immergrun hold her. We figure she’s in their main location, but which one that is, we don’t know. That’s what we need your help to find.”

Matilda looked over some of the papers Aela had pulled out. “I know of only one group who would have information about this — at least, in my realm — and that’s the Fahrmanner.”

Aela gasped, “The Fahrmanner?”

“Indeed. The very organization who ferried you to my island will be your ticket to finding this woman.”

Lucullus shrugged. “As long as I can locate her, I don’t care if it comes from the Fahrmanner, or from a local innkeeper.”

“I’d like to hold on to some of this documentation while I find what you need. My must trusted servants shall determine if the Fahrmanner manifests corroborate anything.”

Lucullus nodded. “Do what you need to do.”

“In the meantime, I would like to extend an offer to you. While I investigate the Fahrmanner, I shall allow you to stay in a nice guest room free of charge.”

Lucullus politely bowed. “I accept your generous offer, Duchess.”

“Good.” She laid hold of one of her servants as they passed by. “My servants will see to it that you are properly cared for while you are in my castle. In the mean time, if you have no further business with me or anyone else in my court, you are free to get a head start on relaxing in your chamber.”

Lucullus and Aela bowed as they departed from the Duchess, and returned to their chamber. It was a very pristine chamber, certainly for guest accommodations it was beyond what they would’ve imagined for someone of their status in Immergrun. It was spacious, and the beds were soft like cotton. Lucullus took his boots off, and fell back on the bed; he put his feet up and relaxed.

“I wouldn’t get too comfortable if I were you.”

“Why is that?” he asked as he looked up at her.

“You might call it prejudice, but I call it reasonable suspicion.”

“What are you talking about?”

She sighed. “I don’t trust the Hellhautigs.”

“Why don’t you trust them. Matilda has done more for me than the nobility of my homeland ever did. And she hasn’t even finished with all the things she plans to do.”

“It’s more of a religious matter than a political one. I guess it could be considered political, or so the rumors go.”

“Don’t they believe in the Savra like you do?”

“It’s complicated,” she explained. “They split off from the Savronite hierarchy in Emporikos a long time ago. They call us Aerasites, a name used as an insult; they think we give too much focus on Aeras over other Savra. But the biggest reason for the split is over the title of Kyrios.”

“Kyrios? What is that?”

“The Kyrios is the head of our hierarchy. He leads the faithful, and has the final authority on religious matters.”

“Does he ever get involved in politics?”

She nodded. “Sadly, that is the nature of his position. Noble houses, and even the Queen’s own house, pester him about petty politics all the time. These days it’s as much a part of his job as any religious matter.”

“Do you ever worry that he may lead you astray? That he might be influenced too much by mere political interests?”

She shook her head. “Aeras forbid it! I would never dream of it.”

“You have a lot of confidence in this man.”

“The Savra speak through him, for they chose him through the council of Mystics.”

“So, is he made perfect by the Savra?”

“He is by no means a perfect man; no one is. But the Savra ensure that he does not err in articles of faith, and that he does not preach anything contrary to moral law of the Savra. There was a time where the position of Kyrios was the same as being King of Emporikos.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Well,” she took a deep breath, “Used to, Emporikos was a very theocratic state.”

“Theocratic?” he questioned as he got up from the bed. “I’ve never heard of that word before.”

“What that means is the Kyrios was not only the head of the Savronites, but also the head of state. It was basically two jobs for one man.”

“How could he keep up with all of that? If his religious duties are even half of what Lucium’s Magisters do, then I don’t see him having any time left to run a kingdom.”

“Much of the tedious work, or the things that didn’t require his presence, he would often have legates in his place. They would be his most trusted servants, who would act on his behalf if he could avoid having to be present.”

“You make it sound like he doesn’t want to be there.”

She shrugged. “That really depends on the Kyrios. Some of them were quite zealous with their obligations during that period. Others were not so enthusiastic to have two jobs.”

Lucullus started to take off his armor until he was down to just a tunic and his pants. “I suppose we should pray and get some rest. We’ll need all our strength against whatever we find with those Chaodites.”

Aela stretched her arms. “I agree. Hopefully the Duchess can find the location soon. I do look forward to one day returning to the college with all of my research.”

Lucullus knelt down by the bed. “I also hope for a swift end to this mission. I miss my homeland, too. The sooner I can return home, return to mother, the sooner I can have my peace.”