Lon sat across the table from Thomas in the headmaster’s cluttered office. It had been an exhausting and frustrating couple of days. He returned Jen and her team to The Citadel before returning to report. Lon wasn’t exactly sure how Thomas got put in charge of researching Connor Blackman. Usually the headmaster looked after his students and teachers and nothing else. The archmage must have been too busy with the imperial ships to take care of this as well. Thomas and Lidia were old friends and Lon suspected if she asked him to look into this business for her Thomas wouldn’t hesitate to help.

Thomas looked up from Lon’s report. “Not much here and Kat didn’t know anything. Huh. Quite remarkable, soul force eaters showing up at both locations at the same time as you. It’s enough to make a man think we have a leak in The Tower.”

Lon had similar thoughts, but kept silent, uncomfortable giving voice to them. He couldn’t imagine who might help Connor and they certainly couldn’t just question people for no reason. It would kill morale and make everyone suspicious of everyone else. If that happened they’d never accomplish anything.

“What do you want to do?” Lon asked.

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“If you’re willing I was thinking of setting a trap.”

Lon frowned. “What sort of trap?”

“There’s one last avenue we haven’t explored: the Blackman family itself. I want you to go talk to them. But before you meet, I’ll let the usual people know something’s happening, each with a slight variation, none of it the truth. Different times of the meeting, different locations, that sort of thing. You’ll go to each place at the appointed time. If you’re attacked we’ll have our answer. Once that’s sorted out you can talk to the Blackman clan safely.”

“I’m not crazy about lying to our people, but I agree we don’t have much choice. Who do you trust to act as my backup?”

“That, at least, I have sorted out. Before she left Lidia put three members of her Crimson Legion at my disposal, just in case. If we can’t trust them, we can’t trust anyone.”

Lon feared his old friend was all too correct about that last bit. “How many people will you test?”

“I only told six others about your last mission. Three of the high sorcerers, my assistant, Mistress Ann, and Lenore the librarian. I have my suspicions, but I’ll try them all to be certain. Since Sasha is already in Valcane I won’t inform her of your mission. The other five I’ll give different information about a meeting three days from now in the port. At least one of them will most likely be a trap. Are you certain you’re willing to take the risk, Lon?”

Lon wasn’t at all certain, but they had limited options. They needed to sort this out if they were to have any chance of stopping Connor. “Don’t worry, a trap isn’t as dangerous if you know you’re walking into it.”