‘So. The Wit accusation was why you had to leave me there to rot.’ I tried to put acceptance into my words. Part of me understood. Part of me hated him.

He winced at my choice of words, but nodded. ‘I’m sorry, Fits. We had no choice.’

‘I know. And my own actions had brought it upon me.’ I tried to keep bitterness out of my voice and nearly succeeded. I was suddenly horribly tired, but there was more I needed to know. ‘And Civil?’

‘Once I discovered who was dead, I knew I had to question him. I squeezed it all out of him. And what had triggered his action also. His mother killed herself, Fitz. She had sent the lad a message, begging his forgiveness, but saying she could not go on as things were. That she could not live with what he must be doing to buy her safety, even when it was a false sanctuary where men assaulted her at will.’

The ugliness of what he implied sickened me. ‘Then Civil had meant to let them kill him.’

‘His mother was dead. I think he meant to kill them, not caring if he died in the attempt, but he didn’t even know how to begin. He was full of lofty ideals of duels and fair challenges. Laudwine never even gave him a chance to demand his right of combat,’

‘What now for Civil?’

Chade took a breath. ‘It’s complicated. Dutiful insisted on being with him while I questioned him. Civil is Dutiful’s man now, heart and soul. His prince defended him to me. If he must have a Witted one serving him, we have at least pulled that one’s teeth. The Prince is fully convinced, and I almost am, that the Bresingas acted under duress. If the Piebalds ever held any of Civil’s loyalty, his mother’s suicide and their previous treatment of her have purged it from him. He hates them more than we ever could. Lady Bresinga was pressured into presenting the cat to the Prince, under threat that the Piebalds would betray her son and herself as Witted. But once she had done so, she was completely within their power. She was not only Witted; she had committed a treasonous act against the Prince. The Piebalds separated them, mother from son. Civil was sent to Buckkeep. They ordered him to maintain his friendship with Dutiful, to draw him deeper into the Wit, and to spy for them. If he did so, they promised his mother would be safe. His mother’s home, Galekeep, became her prison. The Piebalds swiftly became greedy. First, it was her home, her wine cellar, her wealth. If she did not accommodate them, they threatened her son. Eventually, some of the men evidently availed themselves of the lady herself. She could not live with that. I think they misjudged her strength of will, and that of her son.’

It was an ugly, sobering story. But I did not let my mind dwell on it. I had more immediate concerns. ‘What of Henja? Did the Prince tell you that I saw her?’

His face grew more grave. ‘He did. But… is it possible you were mistaken? For my spies in town have heard not a whisper of her.’

I forced myself to consider the memory of that glimpse. ‘I was hurt and it was dark. But… I do not think I was mistaken. And I believe she was the woman who was there when Thick was. She offered gold to Padget and Laudwine for the Fool and me… I think. It was hard to decide what she was trying to buy from them. Laudwine didn’t like her. She seems to be involved in all of this somehow.’

Chade lifted a hand, palm up. ‘If she is, she has covered her tracks well. There is no sign of her in Buckkeep Town that I can discover.’

That was small comfort. His spies had not found Laudwine either. I kept that complaint to myself.

‘We still have a Piebald spy here in Buckkeep. The man who led Thick to Laudwine.’

Chade’s voice was neutral. ‘Civil’s groom met with a most unfortunate accident. He was found dead in a stud horse’s stall, kicked to death. Why he would have gone into the stall at all is a mystery.’

I nodded. Another thread tied off. ‘And Civil’s mother and his holdings?’

Chade looked away from me. ‘The tragic news reached us the day after you were taken prisoner. Lady Bresinga died of food poisoning. A number of her guests and servants died with her. It was horribly sad, but not the least bit shameful or scandalous. Her body was discovered first, but over the next few days, others sickened and swiftly died. Tainted fish is what I heard. Lady Bresinga’s body was sent to her mother’s home for burial. Civil is attending to that sad duty. Prince Dutiful sent his own honor guard with him as a token of the high esteem he holds him in. Civil understands that when the details have been settled, he will return to Buckkeep, to remain at the castle until he reaches his majority. Galekeep will be shuttered, though our Lady Queen has lent Civil staff and a steward to maintain the place in his absence.’

I nodded slowly. The Prince might call Civil friend, but he would be Chade’s well-kept and pampered prisoner for the next few years. It was an apt solution. He could perceive it as protection or as a cage. All had been neatly managed. I wondered if Lady Rosemary had found a sudden reason to visit her friend at Galekeep, or if the spy that Chade had in place there had done the poisoning. It may would have been difficult for Rosemary to travel, burned as she was. Then I suddenly turned to look at Chade. He met my scrutiny with a puzzled expression. I leaned forward suddenly and before he could draw back, touched his cheek. No paint came off on my fingers. Sound, pink flesh. No trace of healing burns.

‘Oh, Chade,’ I rebuked him, and my voice shook with shock. ‘Have a care, man! You charge in blindly and none of us know the cost. None of us.’

He allowed himself a smile. ‘I care little for the cost, when I know the benefit so well already. My burns are healed. For the first time in years, I walk with no pains in my knees and hips. I sleep free of pain at night. I even see more clearly.’

‘You are not doing this alone.’

He looked at me, refusing to answer, and I knew the answer.

‘You’ve been tapping Thick’s strength,’ I accused him in a low voice.

‘He doesn’t mind.’

‘You don’t know the dangers. He doesn’t understand the risks.’

‘And neither do you!’ he replied sharply. ‘Fitz, there are times to be cautious and times to be bold. The time has come for us to take these risks. We need to discover all the Skill can truly do. When the Prince goes on his quest to slay Icefyre, you will go with him. And you must know the Skill’s powers by then, and must be capable of wielding them. This,’ and he slapped his chest soundly, ‘This is a miracle and a wonder. If we had had this at our disposal when Shrewd was ill, he never would have died. Think what that would have meant!’

‘Yes, think,’ I rejoined. ‘Think of Shrewd, alive still and ruling here. Then ask yourself, why isn’t that so? For he was not trained by Galen. Solicity was his Skillmistress. Can not we assume that he knew far more of the Skill than we do? Perhaps even how to prolong his life? So then, let us ask, why did he not do it? Why did not Solicity herself do it? Did they know that there was a price attached to that, a price too high to pay?’

‘Or did he merely lack a coterie to assist him in his efforts?’ Chade countered.

‘He could have used Galen’s Coterie, if that was the case.’

‘Pah! You don’t know that, and neither do I. Why must you be so pessimistic? Why must you always assume the worst?’

‘Maybe I learned caution from a wise old man. One who is now behaving foolishly.’

Chade’s cheeks flushed pink. Anger lit his eyes. ‘You are not yourself. Or, perhaps it is even worse than that. You are yourself, Listen to me, you whelp. I watched my brother die. I watched King Shrewd dwindle, and I was beside him in the days when he did not know that his mind wandered, and I was beside him in the days when he was cognizant of the weakness of his body and his mind, and shamed to tears by it. I do not know which days were worse to witness. If he had had the Skill to change that, he would have done it, no matter the cost. This is Skill knowledge that was lost to us. I intend to regain it. And to use it.’