Barb Hendee - In Shade and Shadow

"You know the duchess?" Wynn asked, taking two steps for Rodian's one.

His position as captain was well respected. But even so, members of the Shyldfälches didn't have dinner with the royal family—certainly not at the invite of the wife of a prince, even a deceased one.

"I assisted her once," he said bluntly, but he stared ahead, focusing on nothing.

Wynn didn't press further. She suddenly realized that she knew part of this story. Even in self-imposed seclusion, rumors reached her. The higher they came from, the more momentum they gathered as they rolled downward through all levels of society.

About two years ago Prince Freädherich of the Âreskynna had died, and his body was never found.

The tale was that he and his wife, Duchess Reine, had gone out in a small sailboat one evening. Not even members of the Weardas had accompanied them. The boat was found adrift late the next morning with only the hysterical Duchess Reine aboard.

As a Faunier, she knew nothing of sailing and had been unable to bring the small boat ashore. It was said that when she was found she was half-mad with grief, and couldn't—or wouldn't—explain what had become of her husband. Strangely, not one of the royal family raised charges against her, but just the same, an inquest was required by law.

A young captain of the Shyldfälches, newly promoted when his predecessor retired, investigated the disappearance. The inquest was held privately in the royal court. No one ever learned what the young captain had uncovered.

Though the duchess was never proven wholly innocent in the eyes of the people, neither was she charged in any way. The king and queen still held her dear, as if she were one of their own children by blood rather than marriage. Prince Freädherich's death was officially cited as accidental. And all because of a report presented by the newly appointed captain of the Shyldfälches.

Wynn glanced up at Rodian.

She'd never cared enough about the rumor to put a face to the city captain who accomplished this feat. No wonder Duchess Reine had invited him to dinner.

"Was anyone hurt during the break-in?" she asked.

"No." He glanced down at her. "It happened after closing."

The captain hesitated, and his brows gathered as he scrutinized her, perhaps judging whether to say more.

"Whoever did it," he finally went on, "got into the shop and then broke out . Would any of your people know how or why?"

Wynn was confused by the captain's brief explanation. So many of Calm Seatt's citizens viewed sages as possessing arcane knowledge rather than just as hardworking scholars.

"I don't think so."

Then she mulled Rodian's words more carefully. The thief managed to gain access, but then had to break out?

"You might ask Domin il'Sänke," she added.

"Why?"

"He is a master of methe'master aology, metaphysics and the like, which includes the scholarly study of magic."

When they reached the courtyard, Rodian's white mare stood waiting near the open inner gate, not even tied to a post. She nickered at the sight of the captain.

"A pretty thing," Wynn said as they approached, and she reached up to stroke the animal's velvet nose. "And so gentle."

"Unless I'm threatened," Rodian said, and then his voice softened as he patted the horse's neck. "Then she is fierce. Her name is Snowbird. I trained her myself."

"Do your people raise horses?"

His expression closed up, as if he'd given away something private. Wynn knew he hadn't asked her out here to discuss Duchess Reine or his horse. She waited quietly.

"What was your real reason for going to Master a'Seatt's scriptorium?" he asked.

Flustered, she wasn't certain how to answer. She'd kept stoutly to her lie of seeking out a grief-stricken Imaret. But the captain had certainly heard too much when he caught up to her.

"To learn what truly happened to Jeremy and Elias," she finally answered.

"So, then you would believe their deaths and the break-in are tied… to this project of your guild?"

"Yes," Wynn answered.

"Then help me," he said. "Even if you don't know what was in those folios, what did you bring back from the Farlands?"

Wynn stared at him, remembering their seemingly casual chat on the ride back to the guild. The first words that came to mind were… you conniving bastard!

She bit her tongue. This was why he'd been so innocently curious about sages and journeyors and assignments. All his polite questions were nothing more than a way to get into her head. She stopped petting Snowbird.

"My first loyalty is to the guild," she replied coldly, "as well as to any agreement of confidence requested of them by the royal family. But I have other information you should know."

"And what is that?" he returned.

"Jeremy was working—without guild knowledge—for a moneylender under investigation by the high advocate."

All the morning's trials and frustration faded from Rodian's face.

He slowly shook his head. Wynn guessed that he might've known of such a case, as head of the city guard. But obviously a link to the deaths hadn't occurred to him—not without the connection she'd just provided.

Rodian patted Snowbird once more. He pointed toward the lone stone bench to the courtyard's left, and Wynn followed to sit with him. She repeated what Nikolas had shared concerning Selwyn Midton and the forged account books. For now she kept Nikolas's involvement to herself. Rodian listened carefully to every word.

"Why didn't you tell me this yesterday?" he asked.

"I just found out last night. But please be discreet. Even you can see how badly this might damage the guild's reputation… and the memory of a dead apprentice."

"Even I?" he returned, but he let the barb pass. "Who told you this?"

Wynn shook her head. "I cannot say."

Rodian's ire began to spread across his face again.

"There's more," she said.

She wasn't certain how to begin, as Duchess Reine had mentioned one of the parties involved.

"Do you know Baron Twynam's son, Jason?"

"Why?" he asked cautiously, which implied «yes» to her question.

"He and Elias were courting the same girl, a merchant's daughter named Elvina. Jason caught Elias one night and threatened to kill him if he didn't stay away from her. I think Elias was going to meet her the night he died."

Rodian's blue eyes widened, and his voice rose. "Where did you hear that?"

She shook her head. "I'm not even certain it'll be helpful," she replied. "What you do next is your own business, but remember discretion… if you expect anything more from me."

Wynn got up and headed across the courtyard, and the captain didn't try to stop her.

Rodian had to investigate all possible leads, but he'd been «royally» warned off of pressing the sages—at least for now.

Wynn fought to remain rational. She had to at least entertain the possibility that Jeremy and Elias had died for some reason other than the folio they'd carried. And the burglary at Master Shilwise's was just a coincidence. But a feeling in the pit of her stomach said otherwise.

Entering the common hall, she found Domin High-Tower and Premin Sykion speaking quietly by the great hearth. Whatever tour they were giving Duchess Reine seemed to have been interrupted, and il'Sänke was nowhere in sight. Wynn willed herself calm as she went to her superiors.

"Thank you for seeing the captain out," Premin Sykion said. "A bit of air has done you good."

Wynn bit down again at this condescension. Treating her like a child was just another way of undermining her. Although she didn't care for High-Tower's cold looks and lectures, at least he was openly hostile.

"Thank you," she answered politely. "I understand that we must keep the translations away from general citizens, like the captain… but you both know someone may be seeking the contents of our folios."