Lord Varin was awoken at midnight by the urgent words of a servant.

"Forgive me, my lord," the boy sputtered, "but the captain of the city guard is asking for you. There's been some sort of disturbance."

He'd been expecting to be awoken by someone warning him of Coulta's return, not something foolish like this. Couldn't his guards ever keep the peace without him? Wasn't that what he had them for?

He shoved the boy back as he got out of bed. "I will meet him in the audience chamber."

The boy turned and left the room quickly. Grumbling about the situation, Varin dressed and marched to the audience chamber. As expected, there was the city guard's captain, dressed in his green uniform. The man was younger than Varin would have preferred, likely the reason why he felt the need to bother Varin at this late hour. Inexperienced fool.

"What is it?" Varin demanded.

The man bowed briefly. "There's been a problem at the Gilded Inn."

Varin would have smiled at the name of the place if he'd been in a better mood. Splendid name for a run-down shack.

"Someone poisoned all the men who had come with the king's envoy," the pale-haired captain went on. "Slit the general's throat, too. But the envoy himself is gone, and your man Roane is dead."

Varin cocked an eyebrow at that. What was Roane doing stepping in on Coulta's job? Curious. "I'm not really concerned with the king's men," he stated.

"I thought as much," the younger man went on. "But I thought you should know that two of the horses from Ryal are missing from the stable, and two sets of tack. Someone left with the envoy."

Varin spun around and yelled, "Servant!"

The boy who had woken him stepped out of an alcove and bowed.

"Go find Yerik. Tell him I want Coulta in my chambers immediately. If Coulta can't be found, I want the seamstress."

The boy bowed again and hurried away.

Turning back to the captain, Varin smiled. "Thank you. I trust you can get things back in order. You're excused."

The captain bowed and left, moving just as quickly as the servant had.

Back in his personal chambers, Varin waited for an hour before Yerik arrived. With the seamstress girl.

"Where is Coulta?" Varin demanded.

"Not in his bedchamber," Yerik answered. "I looked everywhere else he would be in the castle, as well, then checked his chamber again. He's missing."

"He's supposed to be killing the prince," the girl said, and she seemed to be glaring.

Varin gave her a curious look. "Strange, I just heard from the city guard. That prince is gone, also. As are two horses and two sets of tack."

"Perhaps he was kidnapped," she suggested with a shrug.

"I doubt that. Not with all the king's soldiers dead and his own rival also dead." He motioned for Yerik to leave, then stepped closer to the girl. Teeya, he remembered her name was. She had been tasked with raising Coulta and he knew they were close. It was fortunate that she hadn't yet been pregnant, or he would have already arranged for Coulta to kill her. He'd have needed another seamstress then. He grudgingly admired their forethought. "Where is Coulta?" he demanded.

"I don't know."

The look she gave him was so challenging that he slapped it off her face. "I'll ask you again. Where is Coulta?"

She glared up at him, practically asking for another slap. "I don't know where he is. I just know that he's finally found a way out of your control."

"Yerik!" The servant stepped back in and Varin shoved the girl to him. "Take her to the dungeon. Tell the guard she's to have no food or water for three days. Then I'll see if she's ready to tell me where my assassin went to and why."

The girl continued to glare at him even as Yerik led her out the door.

No sooner had the door closed than Varin felt a familiar heat under his shirt. He pulled the rune-inscribed bone charm from where it was resting against his chest and closed his hand around it.

Your attempt at war was foiled I see, said the rough voice in his mind.

Unfortunately. What would you like me to do?

Build an army and send your sons to infiltrate every city surrounding Ryal. Cut them off from the rest of the country. Weaken them. Make them chase shadows.

I don't have the resources to do that. There is almost no more gold to take from the people in the city. The plan was to kill him quietly and attack when they sent their men out to find him. I don't have enough men or gold to lead an attack against the full army of Ryal, not after he warns them that I already tried to kill him.

Ah, that is where I will assist you.

Varin almost let go of the charm as a loud thunk sounded from behind him. Turning around he found a large wooden chest.

Open it, the voice commanded.

He stepped up to the chest and tugged at the lid. It lifted easily on a set of hinges and Varin saw the glitter of gold in the candlelight. Shoving the lid all the way back, he used one hand to sift through the gold coins. There had to be several thousand gold coins in the chest, all stamped with the Phelinian seal.

With this, you can build your army and weaken the country with civil war. I will send you weapons, as well, and soon I will teach you how to bind your slaves. I'm sure you will find more assassins to help you. You will be greatly rewarded, just as we agreed.

Varin grinned. I will begin immediately.

Good.