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“Who was she?” Cresia asked, her tone lightly curious

“Who ho?”

“The woo” She fastened the belt to her trews and sat to pull on her boots

Is that her design? he wondered Seeking to garner knowledge through intimacy She’s as much a spy as I am

“How could any man think of another when in your ar up He felt her flinch at his caustic tone and felt a pang of regret I always hurt theirls drawn to the handsome poet with the sad smile, the sweet embraces and the inevitable tears Alornis was the only woman he had never contrived to disappoint, and he had never even kissed her

“If you require intelligence froht be si, to just ask”

She rose and tossed him his shirt “Very well When my brother and sister return And I’ll expect a full account if we’re to help in this escapade of yours”

They ate a sparse meal of dried beef and bread washed doater, since his father hadn’t seen fit to provide ith the extra provisions If Inehla and Rhelkin sensed any tension between theh he fancied there was a faint glint of aave her sister

“How can you be certain the queen’s army will attack on Winterfall Eve?” Rhelkin asked when the meal was done

“I can’t,” Alucius adive is that I sent word for theeon My last, in fact So please don’t ask eons?”

“Because he’s also a spy in service to the Meldenean Ship Lords” Alucius sipped his water, sighing in fond remembrance of his last taste of decent wine as the others stared in silence It had been a bottle from his father’s cellar, one of his oldest, Cumbraelin naturally, a deep and richly flavoured red from the southern vineyards The bottle had been pleasant but not enough to see hiued as he was by the ache left by Alornis’s departure to the Reaches So he had sought out a bottle of brandy fro into bed only to be roused some hours later by a Volarian arh his reminiscence, “are a traitor to this Realm” Alucius noted her hand had moved to the leather pouch on her belt whilst Brother Rhelkin was now turned towards Twenty-Seven, poised no doubt to eift

“I suppose so,” Alucius said He looked at his cup of water and grilare as the silence thickened “Why?” she asked eventually

“That is not your concern,” Alucius stated “Whatthis city is recovered for the Realm with a minimum of bloodshed And, at present, I stand best placed to achieve this outcome”

“A spy deserves no trust”

“Trust? You speak of trust?” Alucius laughed “You who have lived a lifetime of lies What service have you done in the name of the Faith, I wonder? How much blood spilled in the shadows over the years?”

Inehla’s rat scurried along the table, sniffing his hand then baring its teeth with a loud squeak “Does he smell a lie?” Cresia asked her

The plump sister shook her head, her expression dark “No, only this one’s conteistered a scowl of fury before she forced it to a neutral frown, her hand retreating froave a final squeak then ran back to its mistress as Brother Rehlkin turned away from Twenty-Seven

“How is it to be done?” Cresia asked Alucius

“The Volarian reinforcereeted at the docks by Commander Mirvek, Lord Darnel, and my father I doubt any will object, or notice if I’m there I shall require your sister’s skill to create sufficient diversion”

“Diversion froement Without it, Darnel and his allies are doo for a son to kill a father,” Rehlkin observed

“If you doubt my ability to do this,” Alucius replied, “you should killhere until Queen Lyrna arrives” He saw the lare and found hi “I’ll need you and Sister Cresia to secure the Aspects”

“Breaking into the Blackhold is no easy task,” Cresia said