Distar was standing in the hall of the children’s house, surrounded by a group of youngsters. A female goblin stood in the door of a room that was filled with small tables and chairs. Her arms were folded and her expression was calm. She wore a black dress that hung off one shoulder, and green tresses fell to the small of her back. Distar’s gaze rested on her for a moment and then settled on the children.

  “I don’t why we gotta learn this stuff,” one of the larger ones was saying. “We don’t need no letters to follow people.”

  “Yeah,” said another, “or lift their purse.”

  Distar nodded thoughtfully. He plucked a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to the first. “Follow this person.”

  The child turned the paper back and forth. The others clustered around to peer at it.

  “Ain’t no picture.”

  “Quite. That is a description of your target. If you cannot read it, I can give the mission to someone else.”

  The group was silent as they pondered.

  “Or you can follow Mistress Shuirt into the classroom.”

  The children turned as one and streamed through the door. I thought I saw Shuirt’s lips twitch as she followed them in and closed it behind her. Distar paused for a few moments and then turned to us.

  “You’re spending a lot of time here,” I observed.

  “It’s paid off handsomely.” He leaned against the wall. “My thanks.”

  “A win-win outcome.”

  I could see his eyebrows rise, and then he mouthed the phrase to himself silently.

  “Distar, what’s a mark? Kohl mentioned it.”

  “To you?” He seemed taken aback.

  “No.” I glanced at Aelyn and then shrugged. “I, ah, bugged his house.”

  “Pardon?”

  “He demanded my attendance. I placed a few spells that capture conversations. They’re like—you know—small insects that remain hidden.”

  His normally stoic features came alight. He leaned forward, practically trembling.

  “Can any Mage do this?”

  Aelyn chuckled.

  “Ah.” Distar’s face fell. “Well, in this context, a mark refers to a debt owed. But there are two specifics: first, the tally is recorded on a tablet, and second, it may be called at any time.”

  “Like a surety?”

  “Not exactly. A surety records an asset. In contrast, the mark identifies the lender and the debtor both.”

  “What are the consequences if the mark is called? Beyond the obvious.”

  “Ah, you see the crux of the matter. Calling a mark is a serious matter. The debt must be honoured. If not, the amount becomes public knowledge, which may severely affect the reputation of the borrower. And if the amount is not paid within a tenday, the legal repercussions are—” he hesitated, “—extreme.”

  I turned my gaze to Aelyn, who shrugged and inclined his head to me. I looked back at Distar.

  And rolled the dice.

  “We are going to listen to a conversation today,” I said. “Around noon. We have reason to believe that the debtor will meet Kohl. Can you attend with us?”

  “Why would you involve me?”

  “Because we need you to identify the borrower.”

  “Aelyn, can you give me a brief lesson in politics?”

  “Specifically?”

  I was trying to make an omelette with green eggs and some type of spicy herb. Cheese was not a thing here.

  “How does the sale of sensal affect the relationship between Sha’Na’Lyona and the Empire?”

  I plated the food for us. Aelyn looked at his portion doubtfully.

  “I never claimed to be a cook.”

  “It’s fine.” He took a cautious bite.

  “I do love you.” It was inedible. “I realize that I am asking a good deal of you.”

  “What I am about to tell you,” he set his plate aside, “is as sensitive as the size of your mana pool.”

  “On my honour.”

  “Our two polities have a long history of collaboration. The ties…fluctuate…as circumstances change and Royals ascend to their thrones, but the bonds are strong.”

  I nodded.

  “The Royal family of the Empire is currently in a precarious position. Certain investments have gone badly. Some by accident, but others…by design.”

  “Their political position is weakened.”

  “Very much so. From the outside, this country appears to be ruled by an absolute monarchy, but—” he paused.

  “The seat of the Empire,” I said, “is akin to a mast on a sailing ship. Robust, but dependent upon the rigging to stay upright. And someone is severing the stays.”

  “You have it. And so, my mother decided to support the Crown by granting the Royals here a monopoly on the sensal trade for this year. This in turn has placed her at jeopardy in our own court.”

  “Is the sensal really so valuable?”

  “Circe,” he shook his head, “the shipment that you salvaged would buy a quarter of Vandoran. Perhaps more.”

  “Goddess. Why do we still guard it?”

  “So the fabric could be cut and fashioned at the Residence. It is to be transferred to the Palace…soon.”

  “And the details of the transfer are known to—?”

  “The Ambassador, myself, and the Royal Family. The first time anyone else will know is on the day of the shipment.”

  “Or not,” I said.

  Distar sat in our front room while I fiddled with the spell setup. He had brought stuffed buns and some sort of flatbread and watched with a bemused expression as Aelyn and I tore into the food.

  “Did you not have lunch?” he asked.

  Aelyn busied himself arranging the positions of the chairs around the table.

  “We were busy.” I made a final adjustment, and voices streamed into the room.

  “Can they hear us?” Distar was whispering.

  “No. It’s a one-way transmission.” I increased the volume.

  “He is here, sir.” That was Krant.

  “Make him wait for a quarter trek.”

  “Sir.”

  We listened to the sounds of shuffling paper and the scratching of a pen for a while. I finished another bun. We heard a door open and close.

  “Master Kohl, you are a busy man.” The voice was of a younger man.

  Distar stiffened and was still.

  “You have some information for me.”

  “I have reviewed it. I am not at liberty to divulge the particulars.”

  There was silence, and then I heard a regular tapping as though a coin was striking a piece of wood.

  “Do you recognize this?” asked Distar.

  “Now Master Kohl,” the man’s voice was hoarse, “my luck has changed. Why, just last evening I won—”

  “I can call this mark today. And you can find—” there was a rattle of paper, “—the sum of one hundred and thirty thousand, four hundred gold, or—” there was click of metal, “—you may provide the details I requested.”

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  There was dead silence.

  “May I have paper and quill?”

  “Of course.” There was no emotion in Kohl’s voice. I heard scratching.

  Distar had not moved, His face was a mask.

  “Here.”

  “Thank you so much, your Highness.” This time there was no missing the contempt in Kohl’s tone.

  We heard a chair scrape, and the door open. Footsteps retreated.

  “Krant.”

  “Sir?”

  “Tomorrow. Fourth bell at the intersection of Channel and Grendak streets. Have our men accoutred properly. The elves need to believe that this is a routine transfer, you understand?”

  “Sir.”

  We sat in silence for a quarter trek before I shut down the spell. I looked at Distar. He would not meet my gaze.

  “Well?” I said.

  He cleared his throat. “I cannot say who was speaking.”

  “Master Distar,” said Aelyn, “you have never taken us for fools before. Why start now?”

  He shrugged helplessly.

  “Distar.” I held his gaze. “We need to meet with your Duke this evening. We’ll bring a guest.”

  The following day, we rolled out of the Residence gates and turned onto the road to Vandoran. I sat next to Aelyn in the first wagon. Distar was perched behind us on a wooden bench. Elven riders mounted on grendak paced us on either side, and archers rode on the edges of the carts. I rotated my neck, trying to ease the tension. Aelyn began to massage my nape slowly.

  “There is so much that can go wrong.” I was as tense as a board.

  “What will be, will be, my love. We’ve done all we can. Now it’s time to roll the dice.”

  “That is not at all comforting.”

  His hand continued to stroke me. “There is a ball next tenday at the Embassy.”

  “What is the reason?”

  “Does it matter?”

  I looked up to meet his gaze and marvelled at his smile. “Not at all. I would like to wear that gown again.”

  “And I would like to see you in it.”

  “There’s room under the canvas if you need some privacy.” said Distar.

  “Shuirt is pretty cute, isn’t she?” I asked. He lapsed into silence.

  Two treks later we were rolling through Vandoran itself. Ahead, I saw the light poles lining Channel Street. A column of grendaki appeared from directly in front of us. The leader sat tall in the saddle, his height accentuated by a feathered helmet. A pair of leather gloves were tucked in his belt. He held up a hand, and Aelyn drew on the reins.

  The rider saluted. “Well met, Lord Aelyn. I am Lord Kern. I’ve come to take possession of your delivery, at the command of the Crown.”

  “Well met, Lord Kern. Your papers?”

  The man passed over a thick folio. Aelyn paged through them.

  “These seem to be in order. Shall we continue with you?”

  “No, my Lord.” Kern shook his head. “We are instructed to drive on from here alone.”

  “Very well.” We dismounted, and a relief took our place. “Good day, Lord Kern.”

  “And to you.” The riders and carts moved on. Our riders pulled to the side. One pulled up alongside us with two empty mounts.

  “I hate this part.” I eyed my grendak with distrust and put my foot in the stirrup. It started to shuffle sideways. “Damn your eyes.” I managed to swing my leg over just before it moved off. I looked up at a rooftop and saw Frond. He pointed towards Tamar.

  Which was in the opposite direction from the Palace.

  Our scouts directed us onwards and we followed the wagons from a half stad or more. Before long, our destination was obvious.

  “That seems rather brazen,” Aelyn said.

  I looked at the sky. “It will be dusk soon. His mansion is isolated. And it’s secure and well-guarded.”

  “I suppose.” He looked to the side, where another column was approaching from the seaward side. It was led by the Duke, who wheeled in to ride stirrup to stirrup with Aelyn.

  “Success?”

  “They swallowed the bait.”

  “Suppose they check the bales?”

  I swallowed and clenched my hands on the reins.

  “They won’t.” Aelyn shook his head. “It would look suspicious, and I doubt Kohl trusts them in any event.”

  “Fair.” We rode on a short distance. “Lady Circe, can we count on you for the gates?”

  “I’ll do my best, Duke Werner, but I cannot promise.”

  “The Goddess provides.” We were nearing the villa, and Werner made a circling motion about his head. The column began to spread out, and the Elven archers nocked arrows.

  As I watched, the first wagon entered the gate and began to pass through.

  “Lord Aelyn,” said the Duke, “I am witnessing the attempted theft of property belonging to your Crown and mine. Do I have your consent to take appropriate action?”

  “You do, your Grace.”

  The second wagon lurched over the cobbles and vanished.

  “Let’s be about it, then.”

  As the third cart passed the archway, I triggered my spell. The blast shredded the metal gates like paper. Bodies cartwheeled over the wall, and I heard a grendak scream in fear. The wagon had disintegrated.

  “Think you used enough dynamite, Butch?” I muttered.

  The Duke’s men charged the ruins of the gate. I followed at a more sedate pace, guarded by Aelyn.

  Inside was chaos. Mounted riders assaulted the guards on the grounds. Archers were picking off soldiers on the rooftops, and striking targets of opportunity. The opposition was melting away like snow in the rain.

  A fireball soared out of the front hall of the mansion and struck one of our riders. He flew burning from the saddle. A second fireball narrowly missed the Duke himself. Katrina stepped from the house, a third spell building in her right hand.

  She wore a collar.

  Her gaze locked onto me. She raised her arm to launch the spell, and I spun up a shield large enough to cover my Blade and me. I began to build my own fireball.

  Hers struck my barrier and vanished. I released my spell and fed mana into it as it tracked towards her. By the time it met its target, it was glowing white. The right side of her chest blew apart, and she was thrown into the face of the building. She fell and did not rise.

  Three collared Blades stormed out of entrance and attacked our forces. I saw one take two spear thrusts to the chest and body; he kept striking out until a third cut removed his head. The other two fell to arrows.

  The grounds were suddenly silent apart from the crackling of flames and the moan of a wounded grendak. One of the Duke’s soldiers approached the closest fallen Blades and reached down.

  “Stop!” I slammed a tiny fireball into the ground next to him, and he recoiled backwards, raising his sword. “All of you—” I swung in a full circle, pointing at the troopers, “—Do. Not. Touch. Those. Collars.”

  I walked over to Katrina’s corpse. Her neck was untouched, and the silver collar shimmered in the light of the flames. I picked up a discarded rapier and slipped the tip under the band. Aelyn stood to one side, bow bent and arrow pointed at her neck.

  The collar writhed when I pricked it. There was a faint hissing sound, and I felt a surge of nausea. I dropped the blade and stepped back. I sent a fireball at each collar.

  They twisted as they burned.

  The halls were full of uniformed men and elves. We found Kohl in his office, flanked by two soldiers. He was speaking to them and broke off when he saw us. Werner motioned them out and took in the scene with a single glance.

  “I wish to speak to my barrister, Master Reyn.” Kohl ignored us entirely and addressed the Duke.

  “He is already under arrest himself. You will need to seek legal representation elsewhere.” Werner might have been discussing the weather.

  “Kindly tell me the meaning of—”

  “Master Kohl. I do not have the time nor patience to engage in banter. You stand accused of robbery, murder, and treason to the Crown.”

  For the first time, Kohl’s mask slipped.

  “I am loyal to—”

  “You suborned the Crown Prince. This was witnessed. You stole goods belonging to the Crown, which were to be used in an affair of state. This is beyond doubt. And you—” he glanced at me.

  “—conspired with an alien entity to destroy the souls of a Mage and Blades and repurpose their bodies to attack soldiers of the Crown. This is the darkest of sorceries.” I looked at him. “Frankly, I am surprised that they did not turn you as well. Though I suppose one must possess a soul to lose it.”

  “I—” he cleared his throat, “know none of this.”

  I propped myself on the edge of his desk. “Kohl. You are now out of options. You will most certainly be executed unless—” I held up a closed fist, “you do the following.”

  “One,” I lifted my index finger, “you will provide the names of all your co-conspirators. Immediately. If even one slips the net because you delay, you will die.”

  “Two,” the next finger, “you will provide all compromising information on all your blackmail victims. No exceptions; same rules.”

  “Three,” the final one, “you will transfer the Prince’s mark to me now. And will instruct me so I may cancel it at any time.”

  He tried to bluff. “And if I refuse?”

  I raised a thin barrier and brought it down. The head of the mounted daktar fell with a thud and rolled along the wall.

  “Your choice,” I said, “will there be one daktar head on the floor, or two?” I leaned in. “You have ten tocks to give me an answer.”

  He took six.

  The Palace was cold. All that marble, I supposed. I sat in a small conference room with Aelyn, the Duke, and our Ambassador. We rose as the door opened.

  The two who entered would have been unremarkable were it not for their dress. The Emperor was clad in a rich doublet that glowed a dull purple in the candlelight. A jacket of sensal flowed to his knees. His only jewelry was a large signet on the index finger of his right hand.

  The empress wore a dress that was such a dark blue to be almost black. When she moved, there was a subtle gleam from lighter threads, so that it was as though the moon sparked on an ocean. Around her neck was a simple gold chain bearing a single violet gem.

  The Duke dropped to his knee and bowed his head. Aelyn and the Ambassador bowed low, and I duplicated their salutation. He motioned, and we all sat.

  “Werner,” he said, “your report, please.”

  “It is my sad duty to—”

  “—without the usual nonsense. We’re alone here.”

  “Your son, sire, was blackmailed into revealing the details of the transfer. We became aware of this and substituted a sham shipment. It was directed to Kohl—” the Emperor’s face twisted in disgust, “—and we arrested him and his gang. He has given us the names of his confederates, who are being detained as we speak.”

  “The genuine sensal?”

  “In your vaults.”

  “Why did Kohl cooperate? He is not known for his timidity.”

  “Lady Circe spoke to him. She was very…motivating.”

  The Emperor regarded me. His consort spoke for the first time.

  “And my son? Is he still—” she paused, “—vulnerable?”

  I held out my hand, and Aelyn placed the mark in it. The metal gleamed in the light. I pressed a corner and the rectangle shimmered and then turned a dull black.

  “The debt is erased,” I said.

  She held my gaze for several tocks. “Some,” she said slowly, “would have demanded recompense for that favour.”

  “Some would.”

  “You have but to ask, Lady Circe, and we will grant any boon in Our power.”

  “Your Highnesses,” I inclined my head, “I stand with my people, the Elves. I am not conversant with the politics of your land, since I hail from afar. But I do know that the Empire and Sha’Na’Lyona will only survive as allies. Alone, they will almost surely fall.”

  The Emperor’s gaze fell on Aelyn and Keishara.

  “And is this the official stance of your Kingdom?”

  I felt Aelyn’s arm slip around my waist.

  “We stand with Lady Circe,” said Keishara.

  He looked back at me. “Why do you think we are at risk?”

  “During the assault on Kohl’s villa, we were attacked by the collared. A Mage and three Blades of the Empire who had been turned. Have you been briefed on the collared?”

  “I have.”

  “I can reach only once conclusion, Your Highness. The entire scheme to destroy you and your family financially was designed to fracture the alliance between our two polities. It was directed by the collared. And—” I leaned forward, “—the operator who turned your people is undoubtedly still active in Vandoran.”

  “Werner?”

  “I see no other possible explanation, Sire.”

  “Goddess.” For the first time, the Emperor looked tired. “Ambassador, what say you?”

  “We concur, and in fact, things may be grimmer than you have heard.” Keishara appeared troubled. “One of our most able Mages is the Seer Aenwyn. She was asked to assess the threat of the collared.” Keishara looked at him. “What do you know of prophecy, Your Highness?”

  “That it is unclear.”

  “Most of the time it is. Many futures: entangled and difficult to ascertain. She saw only two, which is unheard of. In one, Nah’Nua itself fell entirely. Down to the last babe. In the other, our forces rallied under a Champion and rolled back the invaders.”

  “Which Champion?”

  Werner spoke. “There is word of a warrior in the south, Sir, who has raised an orcish army.”

  “The orcs are not known for their gentle ways.”

  “Perhaps that is what is needed, Sire.”

  “Well, find out. Treat with him.”

  “Sire.”

  The Emperor came to his feet. “We will not forget your steadfastness and kindness that you have shown today. We stand with Sha’Na’Lyona.”

  His wife rose as well. “A moment alone, Lady Circe?”

  “Your Highness.” We waited until the room was clear.

  “What will become of your son, Your Highness? You may tell me if I am too forward.”

  “You deserve an answer. He will…spend some time in our army. Goddess knows, we will need men at arms soon enough. As to the Crown—” she sighed, “—we have a daughter who takes her responsibility as a heir seriously. And We are not wedded to primogeniture.” Her face fell. “I have not raised him well, I fear.”

  “Your Majesty, one cannot apologize for loving one’s child.”

  “Overindulgence is not love. Now, I must ask again what I may do for you, not just for your people.”

  “Well,” I said, “that’s a lovely dress. Where did you have it made?”