“I didn’t mean just before coming here,” Ser Beatritz said with an arched eyebrow.

  “It’s just that it seems more likely to me,” Aefric said, “that the assassin was already ensconced in his position. An attaché to a merchant representing a major trading company travels a good deal, carries a lot of information, and can get close to many important potential targets.”

  “Did the rika say anything else?” King Colm asked.

  “Your majesty, there was no room for more information on the message,” the rider said apologetically. “The baroness did not wish to wait for more news to get word to your majesty.”

  “And she had the right of it,” King Colm said. “Good work. Rise, refresh yourself, and when you are ready, carry word to your master that I am grateful for the swift news.”

  The rider was only just leaving the circle when the same thought seemed to show up on several faces at the same time. Though it was the king who gave that thought voice.

  “Maev,” he said. He turned urgently to Aefric. “A rika from Varondam might not reach Armyr for several days.”

  “I’ll find out right now, your majesty,” Aefric said.

  He gathered together his sense of Maev. Quickly assembled a message spell that would not only carry his words to her ears, but her next words back to his.

  “Maev,” he said. “Please tell me you’re safe. Assassins came for your father and brother, but were defeated. Likely one comes for you. Tell me you’re safe.”

  A moment later, he heard Maev’s voice. And true to form, even facing death she sounded sure of herself.

  “I’m safe, dearest Aefric. Sylkanis smelled the attempt before the assassin struck. My love to you, Father and Killian. How much more can I—”

  Aefric sighed with such relief that everyone around him followed suit even before he spoke.

  “She’s fine,” Aefric said. “Her great forest lynx, Sylkanis, detected the assassin before the strike came. She sends her love to your majesties and Prince Killian.”

  All right, technically Maev didn’t send love to the queen. But pointing out the omission seemed petty.

  Although, honestly, from the look on Queen Eppida’s face, she didn’t believe for a moment that she’d been included in Maev’s good wishes.

  Were those two not getting along then?

  “How is she?” King Colm asked. “What else did she say?”

  “The spell only allows for about two dozen words,” Aefric said. “She tried to say more than I told you, but the spell finished before she could.”

  “Really?” Queen Eppida said. “Your grace makes it sound as though he’s never spoken with Maev by spell before.”

  “I haven’t, your majesty,” Aefric said. “Doing so would have felt inappropriate. We communicate through letters.”

  She nodded, looking pensive.

  “I want to speak with her, your grace,” King Colm said. “I want to hear her voice, as you did.”

  “I’m sorry, your majesty,” Aefric said. “I know of no spells I could cast that would allow you to do so. Even those that allow me to are really quite limited.”

  True, Aefric could bind such a spell to an object, such as a ring, that would allow the king to cast the spell. But pointing that out seemed like a bad idea.

  “Could your grace reach my sister Ashling by means of that spell?” Queen Eppida asked.

  “I believe so,” Aefric said. “Although I haven’t tried. I do not use the spell often, because there’s the risk of interrupting someone about an important task. Not to mention that letters provide less margin for error. A misheard or misremembered word could be dangerous.”

  “True,” the king muttered.

  “And yet,” Queen Eppida said, “you both were able to reach my husband by that spell, and did so. Only a few days past, at Forest’s Edge.”

  “I felt that the need merited the risk,” Aefric said. “And in truth, contacting his majesty that way was difficult, given the limited time I had spent in his presence, to that point.”

  “I see,” Queen Eppida said, then quirked a small smile. “What about my sister Zoleen? Has your grace spent enough time in her presence to speak with her by means of his marvelous little spell?”

  Sighild frowned thoughtfully.

  “Enough of that,” King Colm said, anger through his voice, though Aefric didn’t think it was directed at the queen.

  “Bad enough they try to kill me,” King Colm continued. “They also try for my wife and children? This means war.”

  “But we haven’t proven Malimfar is behind the attempts,” Ser Beatritz cautioned.

  “She’s right,” Aefric said, quickly. “Don’t we need proof before going to war?”

  “I will get that proof,” King Colm said darkly. “And when I do, I will crush Malimfar for this.”

  The king’s dark mood did not look to lighten soon. As he moved about in the afternoon heat, giving orders, Aefric saw the man who had led the armies of three kingdoms during the Godswalk Wars.

  His own, of course, along with those of Rethneryl and Caiperas.

  Interesting, when Aefric thought about it, that even the Godswalk Wars had not been enough to see Caiperas fighting alongside Malimfar.

  Soon the company that had been traveling together along the Kingsroad was split in two.

  The vast majority of that company would continue to travel as they had — slowly, and in as much comfort as could be found or provided along the way to Water’s End. Taking another several days, perhaps an aett, to get there.

  But the smallest part of that company would now proceed ahead at speed, bound for Tafarac before full dark.

  That party included the king, the queen, Aefric, Sers Beatritz and Beornric, along with the Knights of the Crown, and the Knights of the Lake, which was how Aefric was coming to think of the knights of his personal guard.

  In truth, Aefric had wanted to bring the soldiers of his personal guard along as well, but the king made quite clear that that was too many.

  And so, shortly after the messenger from Tafarac was sent off to carry word of imminent royal arrival, twenty knights, a king, a queen, and a duke took to the road.

  The king was armed now, carrying the longsword Aefric had seen him wear during the wars. And the queen was armed as well, carrying a rapier that looked as though it had seen its share of fighting, as well.

  Aefric wore his own longsword, as well as the wand Garram, and, of course, the Brightstaff rode in its sling, for easy access.

  Oddly, as they rode in silence through the still air and afternoon heat, Aefric found himself wondering about the blessing of Ulna.

  Was it still in effect? Because the Kingsroad ahead of them was clear that day. What few travelers they passed cleared the way for them without requiring so much as a pause.

  They reached Tafarac, where Baroness Blaewyn met them quietly, as ordered. No big feast. No dancing. The king hardly took food before he rushed to the rookery to begin sending rikas.

  Aefric sent a couple of his own, to make plans for a speedier trip to Water’s End than was originally intended.

  The king ordered them all to bed early that night, to ensure they were all rested and ready for a long day’s ride before dawn the next day.

  Which meant no leaba that night. No visits from noblewomen. Likely just as well. Aefric doubted he would have been good company. He had far too much on his mind.

  Malimfar, of course and the possibility of war. While his duchy — indeed most, if not all of the kingdom — was still recovering from the Godswalk Wars…

  But also matters he’d yet to bring before his majesty.

  The gold in the Dragonscar. The slavers. Nelazzi.

  And then there was the question of the assassins.

  Something about those assassins felt … off. As though blaming Malimfar was too easy. And yet, who else could be behind the attempts? Who else would be?

  Thoughts such as these kept Aefric awake well after he should have been sleeping.

  Nevertheless, as dawn broke the next morning, they were already clear of the town of Tafarac, and riding hard along the Kingsroad.

  The wind was in their faces that day. Cool against the summer sun, but harsh all the same. And traffic was worse. At times, the royal party had to leave the Kingsroad to pass a caravan, or an argument of farmers whose carts managed to block each other.

  Whatever blessing Ulna had given them, it had clearly lapsed by that day. Aefric was sure of that much.

  And yet they rode on, as hard as they dared without risking the horses.

  It was late afternoon, though the sun was not yet setting, as they reached the bridge over the Haven River, at the southern edge of the city of Behal. There the Duke’s Hand dominated the small dock meant for fishing boats, awaiting the royal party’s arrival, per Aefric’s order.

  Captain Sikel saw them fed as they rested while the Duke’s Hand sailed north across Lake Deepwater, bound for Water’s End. They dined on trenchers of mixed roasted red meats, well spiced and dripping with melted cheese, along with a hearty red wine.

  Aefric shared his afterdeck with their majesties, of course, along with Sers Beornric and Beatritz, while the Knights of the Crown and the Knights of the Lake found other accommodations out of the sailors’ way, for their own rest and refreshment.

  Sailing across the lake provided a break from the day’s heat. The winds helped, but also the light lake spray that seemed inevitable when the winds were as strong as they were that day.

  Strong enough, in fact, that they made excellent time up the lake.

  The sun was setting on the other side of the Castle at Water’s End as the Duke’s Hand slid smoothly past the harbor traffic, through the reef, and into its reserved spot on the duke’s own pier, which looked to have been fashioned and smoothed out of raw green coral.

  “I always forget just how beautiful your palace is,” Queen Eppida said, wonder in her voice, as she regarded the shimmering, deep lake blue of the castle and its walls. “It truly is a triumph.”

  The king was too distracted for such thoughts. At the queen’s words, he glanced over the castle and walls, but turned his focus back to the pier, where Kentigern and Ser Yrsa waited, along with a formation of knights and soldiers.

  Aefric could tell that Kentigern was practically shaking with nerves, but doubted anyone else besides himself and Ser Beornric could tell.

  The key was the stiff, ramrod straight posture. Kentigern always had good posture, but not that good.

  He was dressed to impress, though. His padded doublet of royal blue, trimmed in silver, with dark mustard hose, and those low, soft leather boots he loved so well, because they had silver thread among their black, turned-down cuffs. His heavy, dark brown beard had been recently trimmed, as had what Aefric could see of his thick hair, under that black velvet cap of his.

  Wait. He was wearing the black velvet cap. Did he have bad news?

  Ser Yrsa looked as calm and confident as ever, though she’d clearly had her full plate polished to meet their majesties. And she’d clearly washed her hair before braiding it, because its blood red highlights seemed almost to glow.

  Aefric could practically feel Queen Eppida studying Ser Yrsa’s major scar. The long one, that came down across her now-red left eye.

  The ship was still settling into dock and being tied off when the king called down, “What news, seneschal?”

  “Your majesty,” Kentigern said in his best, loud, clear voice, “I fear there have been attempts on the lives of both Prince Killian and Princess Maev—”

  “An assassin managed to slash Killian before Killian gutted him,” King Colm said impatiently. “And Maev’s pet stopped her assassin before the attempt was made. Or have there been other attempts?”

  “No others I know of, your majesty,” Kentigern said, and Aefric could tell he was rallying against his surprise that the king already knew his news. “Though I should add that Princess Maev’s assassin yet lives, and the princess is en route here to Water’s End with the assassin.”

  “Has she questioned it?”

  “Your majesty,” Kentigern said, “I do not believe so.”

  “Tell her, your grace,” King Colm ordered in tones so strong Aefric almost flinched. “Tell her now.”

  “Yes, your majesty,” Aefric said, and quickly cast the spell that would carry his next words to her, then her words to him.

  “Maev, do not interrogate the assassin. Doing so may kill him. We are at Water’s End now, awaiting you. You may answer with twenty-five words.”

  “Twenty-five?” Maev said, sounding puzzled, but determined. He could just imagine her shaking off other wasted words. “I allowed no interrogation. Insisted on our justiciar. Negotiations on hold. Attack happened at palace. King Dalius investigating too.” Her tone warmed with her last words. “Can’t wait to see you.”

  “She’s allowed no questioning,” Aefric said. “She insisted on taking the assassin to your majesty’s justiciar. The attack happened at the palace, though, so negotiations are on hold for the moment, and King Dalius has begun his own investigation into the assassination attempt.”

  “On hold?” Queen Eppida said, sounding almost offended. “Surely she doesn’t think we’d blame Varondam for this.”

  “It’s the right move,” King Colm said. “King Dalius just proved he can’t keep Maev safe. Elbar’s Blood, her cat did a better job of protecting her than all his knights and soldiers.”

  “And your duke did a better job of protecting you,” Queen Eppida said archly, “than all your knights and soldiers.”

  “Yes,” King Colm said levelly. “My duke.”

  “And what of Killian?” Queen Eppida said. “An assassin came for him at Armityr, and he had to dispatch that assassin himself.”

  “We don’t know the full story there,” King Colm objected.

  “Nor do we know the full story in Varondam,” Queen Eppida insisted. “And yet, your daughter has just put on hold important negotiations with a key potential ally. At least, if you intend to win this war.”

  King Colm shook his head. “Varondam will be more eager than ever for the alliance, if only to make clear their own innocence. Perhaps even to help protect themselves from Malimfari knives.”

  “But we cannot negotiate that alliance with Maev coming here to Water’s End. She’s costing us critical time.”

  “Those negotiations couldn’t continue until the truth of the assassins is out,” King Colm said. “King Dalius knows this. And that he conducts his own investigation works in our favor. Keeps his appetite whetted for the alliance. Meanwhile, the loss of Maev’s company will work its own kind of magic on him.”

  “Meanwhile,” Queen Eppida said flatly, “Maev comes here.”

  She gave Aefric a look that matched her tone.

  King Colm’s glance flicked to Aefric, then back to the queen.

  “We’ll continue this discussion later,” he said.

  “I concur,” she said, and Aefric had the impression that this was just going to be the latest part of an ongoing conversation, that might just be about himself and Maev.

  Of all the conversations to be left out of…

  Once the Duke’s Hand was settled and tied off, and the gangplank lowered, their majesties, Aefric, and their twenty knights descended to the smooth, green coral of the pier, where Kentigern, Ser Yrsa, and more of Aefric’s knights and soldiers awaited them.

  “General Yrsa,” King Colm said, “what is the status of those Malimfari knights?”

  “Your majesty,” she said with a bow, “they have overpaid when shopping, and hunted without taking down game.”

  “But they remain here? At Water’s End?”

  “Your majesty, they currently remain ensconced in their rooms in the Red Branch Inn, just outside the castle gates.”

  “I want them arrested, in my name. See to it at once.”

  Ser Yrsa’s eyes flicked to Aefric, who grimaced, but nodded. He hated the idea of arresting anyone without a proven crime of some sort. And one of those knights was the brother of the fiancée of one of Aefric’s vassals…

  Ser Yrsa frowned, looking at the golden oak trees etched onto the breastplates of the Knights of the Crown.

  “Your majesty,” she said slowly, “properly speaking—”

  “Properly speaking,” Ser Beatritz picked up, more authoritatively, “as your majesty is present and has his own knights available, anyone to be arrested in your majesty’s name should be arrested by your majesty’s knights. Though the knights of his vassal could, of course, act in support, if needed.”

  “Fine,” King Colm said, and his words had all the calm of a storm about to break. “See to it yourself then, Beatritz. Take as many Knights of the Crown as you see fit.”

  She called over eight, leaving four to guard their majesties for the nonce. As she did this, Ser Yrsa called over a soldier, and ordered him to act as guide for the Crown Knights.

  “Any more signs of Malimfari trouble?” Aefric asked. “Has Karbin found anything?”

  “He reports in each night,” Kentigern said, “but as yet, has found no more evidence of Malimfari trouble here in Water’s End.”

  “There is another matter, though,” Ser Yrsa said.

  “What?” King Colm said, which got Queen Eppida to give him a nudge and a meaningful nod.

  His nostrils flared in a sharp sigh. He turned to Aefric.

  “Excuse me, your grace,” King Colm said. “These are your people to question. Not mine.”

  “Your majesty,” Aefric said with a bow, “Water’s End is yours. If your majesty wishes information, he has only to ask.”

  King Colm snorted, a mere puff of amusement. Gave Aefric a wry look.

  “Your grace sounds very much the duke,” he said. “And here I was starting to think of your grace as an adventurer again.”

  “From what I have come to understand,” Queen Eppida said, “he has filled both roles well so far.” She arched an eyebrow at Aefric. “Though he yet leans a little toward the latter.”

  King Colm bowed and gave Aefric a go-ahead gesture. “I placed these lands in your trust, your grace. I shall leave the questioning to you.”