Seregil turned and caught his eye. “What’s wrong, tali?”

Alec just shook his head.

Seregil rinsed the flannel and wrung it out, then gently washed the day’s grime from Alec’s face and neck. “Come on now,” he said, kissing him on the top of the head and draping the wet cloth over Alec’s shoulder.

When they were both reasonably presentable, they set off for the Oreska House.

The stars were out and it was cool enough now that light cloaks and drawn hoods didn’t attract much notice as they made their way through the Harvest Market and on into the Noble Quarter to the Oreska House.

“My lords!” Thero’s man, Wethis, waved to them from one of the mezzanines and hurried down the stairs to greet them as they crossed the atrium. “He’s upstairs.” He halted at a respectful distance and Seregil saw the man’s nostrils quiver just a bit, though he was far too polite to say anything.

Seregil gave him a knowing grin. “The baths first, I think.”

“I’ll inform Master Thero that you are here.” Wethis bowed and returned the way he’d come, knowing Seregil needed no guide.

Bath chamber would be an understatement. The vaulted room was larger than the entire Stag and Otter. A broad octagonal pool lined with red and gold tiles lay at the center of the room, with four gilded marble griffins spitting arching streams of water into it. This was surrounded by individual tubs sunk into the floor, each with its own accoutrements and servant. Nymphs and sea creatures glowed in rich colors on the frescoed walls.

They made use of the individual tubs first, Alec with a flannel cinched modestly around his waist, then went to the griffin pool to swim. Seregil was floating happily on his back, hair spread around his head like a dark halo, when he opened his eyes and found Thero looking down at him with a wry smile. “I half expect to find you taking up residence here.”

“I’m considering it.”

“I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.”

“But I know you’re glad to see us,” Seregil said.

“Especially since we brought you a present,” said Alec, swimming over to join them.

“Really? How nice. Will you join me for supper?”

Seregil grinned. “Have you ever known us to turn down a free meal?”

“When you’re done, then.”

They left the pool reluctantly, and when they were dry and dressed climbed the five flights of stairs to the east tower. Wethis let them in and directed them downstairs, where a light repast of cold sorrel soup, cheese-a rare delicacy these days-and sweet spice bread awaited in the sitting room. With a snap of his fingers, the young wizard summoned a snow-crusted jug of wine from his store on Mount Apos. Some things didn’t change, even with the war.

“First things first,” he told them as they settled down to eat. “I have a letter for you, from Beka Cavish.”

“From Beka!” Alec exclaimed. “Why didn’t you say so?”

Thero raised an eyebrow. “I just did. It came in a letter Klia sent me.”

“She’s sending you reports from the front now?” Alec exchanged a knowing grin with Seregil.

Thero ignored the comment and did not choose to share the contents of his letter with them, except Klia’s news that the war was being hard fought, and that they’d captured a significant gold shipment on the Folcwine. Going to a cabinet across the room, he took out a sealed square of parchment with their names scrawled across the front and gave it to Alec. “There was one for her family, as well. I sent a servant out to Watermead with it.”

Seregil looked over Alec’s shoulder as he unfolded the letter and read in Beka’s slanting script about the battles she’d fought so far this summer, and the raids she and her celebrated Urghazi Turma had made into enemy territory. Her Aurenfaie husband, Nyal, had proven himself among them and served as a scout.

“It’s dated nearly a month ago,” Alec pointed out. “A lot can happen in a month. I don’t suppose you’ve cast a wizard eye for her?”

“You know how unfeasible that is if I don’t have some idea of where she is,” the wizard replied. “But what about you two? Did you have good hunting?”

“Very good,” said Seregil. “Though we were interrupted while we were at it.”

“Interrupted? As in almost caught?” asked Thero.

“A pair of servants snuck in to have a quick go of it,” Alec explained.

“Go of what?”

“Fucking,” Seregil clarified.

“Ah. Well, the duke is probably on his way back to the city now. Duchess Palmani gave birth earlier than expected-a son. So, what did you find?”

Seregil gave him the copies of the letters from Alaya first.

“The princess royal’s dowager lady-in-waiting?” asked Thero, surprised. “Don’t tell me you suspect the archduchess of some kind of disloyalty to Princess Elani?”

“She never struck me as the type for intrigue of that sort,” said Seregil.

“You know her?”

“I met her when I was at court. She pinched my cheek and gave me sweetmeats whenever she saw me, but I doubt she remembers me after all these years.”

Thero perused the letters. “Hmmm. Not anything treasonous, at least.”

“I saved the best for last, though.” Seregil handed him Elani’s letter.

Thero gave him a questioning look, then began to read. His eyes widened when he realized what it was.

“We thought it was a bit odd, the duke having a personal letter between the princess royal and the queen hidden in a compartment under the carpet in his study,” said Alec.

“Indeed,” Thero replied, frowning. “What could he want with it?”

“Hard to tell yet. But what we saw appeared to be a copy,” Seregil told him.

“So it had to come from someone who has access to her inner apartments. Alaya herself would be in the best position to see Elani’s correspondence, and from what you found, it’s clear she’s in touch with the duke.”

Seregil helped himself to another cup of the excellent wine. “But the handwriting appeared to be in the style of a royal scribe. You wouldn’t happen to know who serves Elani?”

“No idea.”

“Too bad. But the question remains: why would a letter like this be of interest to Reltheus?”

“Perhaps because she mentions Danos.”

Seregil blinked. “You know who Danos is?”

“Of course. He’s Duke Reltheus’s eldest son. I think the duke has some hope of the young man taking the princess royal’s heart. They did spend a lot of time together. He’s of marriageable age, and she will be, too, before long.”

“Still, it seems rather underhanded, stealing Elani’s letters,” Alec remarked.

“I would like you two to find out more about that for me. What can you do?”

“As it happens, we have a mutual friend. Young Count Selin,” Seregil replied.

“He’ll be at my party,” said Alec. “There was a letter from him in Reltheus’s correspondence, too. Apparently he and the duke are friends.”

“Which seems a bit odd, given the difference in their ages, wealth, and rank,” Seregil added. “Their friendship appears to have started since Reltheus began frequenting Alaya’s salons. Selin was already a family friend. His mother and the archduchess are close.”

“So you think Reltheus is trying to worm his way back into the inner court?” asked Thero.

“Easier to charm his way into the good graces of an old woman and a girl young enough to be his daughter than those of the formidable queen herself,” Seregil replied with a shrug.

“That’s certainly a possibility. See if you can insert yourselves into Alaya’s circle.”

Alec reached across the table and tapped the letter. “What about Reltheus?”

“He lives on Silvermoon not far from the archduchess. It should be an easy enough job for you to keep an eye on him, and see who he meets with.”

“We will.”

“When are you two planning to reappear in society?”

“Not until the night before the party,” Seregil replied.

“I don’t need a party, you know,” Alec said for what seemed like the hundredth time.