Aefric’s magical lab was the only room in his ducal apartments that hadn’t been plastered. By design. The stone of the walls, ceiling and floor had all been whitewashed, but nothing more.

  No windows. No hearth. No tapestries. No soft, plush furniture for lounging.

  In one corner, a big, heavy desk with several drawers, but only a simple wooden stool. Six shelves on the walls above it, all of them filled with grimoires. Some found or penned by Aefric, others accumulated over the years by the Soulfists. But most of them had been written by his predecessors to the duchy.

  Those last, he had yet to puzzle through. But today was not the day for those. On the walls near the desk, diagrams and sketches on parchment that had been spell-tacked to the walls. Some of them Aefric’s. Most of them older.

  In the opposite corner, a similar desk, stool, and series of shelves and diagrams, but those were dedicated to alchemy and the skills of potion-making. Aefric knew little of those things, but apparently the Soulfists had known much.

  One more set of books to puzzle through, when he had time.

  On a table beside the alchemy desk were arranged alembics and burners, mortars and pestles and other tools useful in the practice of alchemy and potion-making. Underneath the table, cabinets full of reagents and more tools.

  Aefric frowned at the alchemy setup. Wished he had more time. He’d hardly touched any of the equipment, let alone the reagents, since he first arrived at Water’s End.

  Made him feel a trifle guilty. He used to dream about having such resources available. Back when he had all the time he wanted, for research.

  Now he had the resources, but not the time. Wasn’t that always the way?

  Along the middle of the room, a series of inset magic circles, along with a triangle, hexagram, and heptagram. All of them of red gold, and each serving a different purpose.

  A double-door in the middle of one long wall led into the only closet. Yes, it held braziers and coals, incenses and the like, but it also held those bits of special equipment required by certain kinds of spells and research.

  A robe woven in the light of the full moon, from material Aefric himself had gathered with a silver knife. Soft slippers made from a single, blind giant snake whose skin had never known sunlight or moonlight. And a few other items along similar lines. Things Aefric used to keep in that certain sack in his backpack, but now had a special place to keep them.

  Aefric’s magic laboratory.

  At least he made use of the room itself, and its magic circles, if not yet its alchemy equipment.

  Here, not only were there no unknown or unexpected magical influences to account for, but he could investigate that pendant within the simplest of his magic circles, where even the ebbs and flows of the natural magic of Qorunn would be filtered and controlled.

  It reminded Aefric of listening to music through noise-canceling headphones, in the world where he was known as Keifer. No unexpected distractions.

  Aefric entered the lab and stood his Brightstaff just inside the thick, heavy door. As he closed that door, he didn’t trigger the room’s light spells. Instead he gestured, and a series of large, blocky white candles in sconces along the four walls ignited with small flares.

  Candlelight sometimes reacted to magic in ways that the magic-user might need to know. Not important in day-to-day spellcasting, but sometimes crucial to research.

  The candles weren’t likely to react to what he would do today. But if they did, he wanted to know.

  He sat cross-legged on the floor in the simplest circle and considered the pendant.

  Physically, it did not look all that impressive. Which was interesting. Generally speaking, objects that were to be enchanted were first forged or fashioned to the highest available quality.

  Not just a matter of personal vanity. The effort that went into preparing the vessel for spells would be reflected in how well the vessel then held those spells.

  It wasn’t a matter of only the highest quality raw materials, either. The effort, skill and time that went into the design played a major role.

  The quality of this pendant’s bronze was … passable. But more important, it had been cast, not forged. Which meant that it had received less individual effort and attention than would have gone into forging the same pendant.

  Its shape was that of a sextant, and it hung on a simple leather thong. And because the sextant had not been cast carefully, Aefric could see and feel little areas where more effort should have gone into grinding down excess bronze. Which would have given the sextant a sharper, truer shape.

  The pendant looked cheap. The sort of thing one might buy for a few coppers from a street vendor.

  Which meant that no one was likely to take an interest in this pendant unless they could sense its magic.

  Probably why Gwawl thought he could ask for it back. It had little obvious value, so many captors would simply return it.

  And yet, there was magic to it.

  Though even the magic of it was not all that obvious. Aefric might have missed it, had Gwawl not shown himself to be such a threat in battle.

  Yes, Aefric had stopped the man before he’d had a chance to cast a single spell. Still. Aefric had recognized the spell Gwawl had been casting. Had that spell gone through, it would have burned many of Aefric’s soldiers alive.

  So Aefric had inspected Gwawl carefully, and found the spark of magic in the pendant.

  Not much of a spark. But then, such a cheap pendant wouldn’t likely hold much magic. Not reliably.

  Still. It was a clue.

  So Aefric relaxed and focused himself. Projected part of his consciousness out of his body and into the through flows of magic inherent to Qorunn.

  Within the filtered environment of this permanent magic circle, it was simplicity itself to follow those flows into the pendant, and begin checking into its magic.

  Aefric did not need long to discover that the main purpose of the pendant was to give its wearer access to wind spells, similar to those Aefric had used to speed the Duke’s Hand back from Ajenmoor.

  He dug deeper all the same.

  He found that there were three such spells within the pendant. All of them incomplete, and requiring the right words and gestures to activate them. Further, the pendant could not power the spells itself. That was up to the magic-user.

  The first spell would call winds. The second would still winds. And the third would shift winds.

  All three of those were spells Aefric had learned from Sirondfar last spring. Though the approach to them used by the enchantments of this pendant was quite different stylistically from the approach Aefric had learned from Sirondfar.

  As different as a jaunty dance tune from a lament.

  There might be something Aefric could learn from the design of the spells. If he could figure out how to complete them. But that would take a good deal of study and experimentation. Possibly a full season.

  Could be an interesting puzzle. When Aefric had time.

  Assuming the spells lasted long enough. Which, given the quality of the pendant, they might not.

  Aefric dug in deeper. Tried to find out more about the magic-user who had enchanted the pendant…

  Too intricate for a sparker, one of those who’d tried to become a magic-user and failed, but made their living on what little they knew.

  Possibly a warlock’s work…

  Yes. A warlock or a wizard. That much was certain.

  Now, to try to dig through until he found a pattern in the incomplete spellwork. Something he might recognize, if he—

  What was that?

  Could there be another spell … underneath the wind spells?

  Something jarred Aefric back to awareness of the world around him. His legs were asleep, and his back felt stiff. From the burn of the candles, he’d been in here … most of the morning, at least.

  No wonder he felt stiff and sore. He’d have to remember to use one of the stools next time.

  But what had pulled him back?

  Someone pounded on his door four times.

  Oh. Probably that then.

  Aefric huffed out an angry breath. Whoever was interrupting him better have a damned good reason.

  While the knocking continued on the door of his magic lab, Aefric tried to calm down through a series of deep breaths.

  Didn’t work. Not with that knocking still going. His muscles were tense, his jaw clamped tight, and his eyes narrowed.

  Fine. Someone wanted his attention? Well, they’d likely be very sorry they got it.

  With a gesture, Aefric sent the bronze pendant winging through the air to his research desk as he crossed the room to the door.

  He ripped open the heavy door.

  “This had better be good,” he said.

  Ser Calder stood before him, fist raised. Sers Vria and Micham immediately grabbed him and pulled him back. Both looking grim, and ready to do more than put hands on Aefric’s castellan.

  They looked ready to throw him down the stairs.

  Off to one side, Ocheda frowned disapproval at all of them.

  “Unhand me!” Ser Calder insisted.

  Aefric briefly considered letting his knights throw Ser Calder down the stairs.

  Aefric clenched and unclenched his fists. Shook his head as though pronouncing doom on his castellan. Flared his nostrils in a deep breath to get hold of his anger.

  He extinguished the candles in his lab with a gesture, took the Brightstaff in hand, and stepped onto the white oak floorboards of the landing, closing the door behind him.

  All three knights started talking at once.

  Aefric snapped his fingers, causing a small clap of thunder.

  “Release him,” Aefric said darkly. “For the moment.”

  Sers Vria and Micham both let go of Ser Calder, but glowered at him, and kept their hands on the hilts of their swords.

  “Ocheda,” Aefric said, while looking at Ser Calder, “what instructions did I give when I entered my lab?”

  “You were not to be disturbed, your grace.”

  Aefric nodded.

  “Ser Vria. Ser Micham. What instructions did I give when I entered my lab?”

  “You were not to be disturbed, your grace,” they said with impressive synchronicity.

  During these questions, Ser Calder was straightening his tunic, and giving dark looks to pretty much everyone. But he’d learned from previous instances of all too similar behavior not to speak until Aefric got to him.

  “Was Ser Calder informed of my instructions?” Aefric asked.

  “Yes, your grace,” the knights and valet answered.

  “Ser Calder,” Aefric said. “I take it by the pose I saw you in when I opened my door that you were the one who disturbed me with your knocking?”

  “Yes, your grace, but—”

  “Ser Calder,” Aefric said. “Is this the first time you have interrupted me against my instructions?”

  “No, your grace, but—”

  “Ser Calder,” Aefric said. “Do you remember what I told you the last time?”

  “Yes, your grace, but—”

  “Ser Calder.” Aefric continued, “Are we actively under attack? By a dragon perhaps?”

  Ser Calder sighed. “No, your grace.”

  “Ocheda,” Aefric said, “from this moment forward, Ser Calder is not permitted beyond the public floor of my apartments for any reason.”

  “Yes, your grace,” Ocheda said with a smile that looked sharp enough to slash Ser Calder’s cheek.

  “Your grace!” Ser Calder objected.

  “You were warned,” Aefric said, keeping his gaze on Ser Calder, but talking to Ocheda as he continued. “In the future, when Ser Calder arrives, he is to be told only that I am indisposed. He will then await me in the public floor sitting room. If his matter is urgent, he may present it to the head valet on duty, who will then decide if the matter is important enough to disturb me. Is that clear?”

  “Yes, your grace,” Ocheda said, sounding happier than Aefric had ever heard her before.

  “If, in my head valet’s judgment, his news is important enough to disturb me, Ser Calder is then to await me in the meeting room. If it is not, he is to leave, and the head valet will inform me of his message when I am available. Is that clear?”

  “Yes, your grace.”

  Ser Calder looked almost apoplectic, but Ocheda looked thrilled.

  “One more thing,” Aefric said. “Until further notice, Ser Calder is not to come armed into my presence.”

  “I am your sworn knight!” Ser Calder said.

  “Yes, you are,” Aefric said. “Ser Vria, Ser Micham, does Ser Calder demonstrate the respect that a sworn knight owes his liege lord?”

  “No, your grace,” both said, while giving Ser Calder dark looks.

  “Exactly,” Aefric said. “Ser Calder, when your behavior again reflects the respect a sworn knight owes his liege lord, I shall restore to you the right to bear arms in my presence. Not before.”

  Ser Calder met Aefric’s glare for a moment, but yielded with a nod. He unhooked the broadsword from his belt and shoved it at Ser Micham.

  “I understand that you think I’m being too harsh,” Aefric said, a little more gently. “But you have been warned before. And when I’m in my lab, as I was today, interrupting me might be dangerous.”

  Ser Calder blinked as though he’d somehow never considered that. Even though Aefric was sure he’d pointed that little fact out before.

  “Your grace is well?” Ser Calder asked, tentatively.

  “Fortunately,” Aefric said, “in this case, I was only investigating that bronze pendant.”

  “Did your grace learn anything useful?”

  “Doesn’t look like much,” Aefric started, then frowned. “I trust, Ser Calder, that you did not interrupt me to ask about the pendant.”

  “No, your grace,” Ser Calder said quickly, adding in a small bow for good measure. “Excuse me, your grace.”

  “What then,” Aefric asked, “was so important?”

  Voices downstairs. Some kind of disturbance.

  Ocheda immediately swept down the stairs to look into it.

  Ser Calder drew a deep breath, and let it out in a rush.

  “When Princess Astrid left for Malimfar, it turns out she didn’t take all of her retinue along.”

  “I was told she hardly came with any retinue at all.”

  “That’s correct, your grace,” Ser Calder said. “And yet, when she set sail, four of her knights remained behind.”

  “Odd that Kentigern didn’t mention this at the morning meeting,” Aefric said.

  “Likely he didn’t know, your grace,” Ser Calder said. “They’d left the castle with the others. But instead of leaving Water’s End, they’ve taken rooms at the Red Branch Inn.”

  “That’s just outside the castle gates,” Aefric said.

  “Exactly, your grace,” Ser Calder said, then shook his head. “Given Malimfar’s history of espionage here in Deepwater, I thought you would wish to know at once. But I see now that this information could have waited until your grace emerged.”

  “It both could have and should have,” Aefric said.

  “Yes, your grace,” Ser Calder said with a nod. Then, with a frustrated look, added, “So the pendant is nothing after all?”

  “Your grace,” Ocheda said, coming up the stairs with a speed Aefric hadn’t realized she was capable of.

  “Yes?” Aefric asked giving her his attention.

  “There’s been a rika. The king is coming. He and Queen Eppida left Armityr with the dawn this morning.”

  “Then they’ll be here in about an aett,” Aefric said, and blew out a breath. Too many things were happening at once.

  “There’s more, your grace,” Ocheda added. “His majesty bids you take no action regarding Malimfar or its princess until he arrives.”

  Aefric thumped his staff on the floorboards in frustration.

  “Which means I can’t so much as talk to those knights until he gets here,” Aefric said, shaking his head. Then he looked at Ser Calder. “Which may not have been exactly what his majesty meant, but his majesty likely has reasons for his orders that I do not know. Therefore, as a good vassal to my liege lord, I must err on the side of caution.”

  “Yes, your grace,” Ser Calder said, sounding almost chastened this time. Good.

  “I want eyes kept on them, though. They’re here for a reason, and I want to know what.”

  Once more back in the privacy of both his lab and the simplest of his inset magic circles, Aefric returned to his study of the bronze pendant.

  He did not need long to confirm all that he’d learned before. Not just about the low quality of the pendant, but the number, nature and design of the incomplete spells enchanted into the pendant.

  In some ways, using a pendant designed along such lines made sense. It would allow a wizard to cast the spells contained therein, but the wizard would have to know they were there, have learned the second half of those spells, and be capable of powering them.

  In other words, they made for a perfect charm to be carried by a pirate wizard. Useful by the wizard for any ship at sea, but useless in the hands of most captors.

  Not just spite, either, but strategy. If Nelazzi were attacking with not only her own ship, but several — and she was said to often attack with three ships together — and one of those ships were taken, the pendant’s spells could not be used to then help capture the other ships.

  And yet, Aefric felt certain that he’d found something else buried in that pendant. Just before he’d been interrupted, he was sure he’d found something. Perhaps another layer to the spells…

  As he always did with this kind of investigation, Aefric proceeded slowly and carefully. Reconfirmed everything that he knew, first, before pushing beyond to what he did not know yet.

  And in this case, he might’ve been wrong. Because everything looked just as he’d expected. With a handful of small, likely temporary spells invested in a vessel that certainly couldn’t hold anything more.

  Perhaps he’d been distracted by the knock, before, when he’d—