Despite what his detractors at the Sunset Court might think, Duke Ryonic took many pleasures in life. He loved the feel of steel in his hand. Loved watching the steam curl from his bare shoulders and mingle with the morning mist as cool air touched hot skin. He loved the feel of aching muscles stretching, and the knowledge that he was up and training while the rest of the world slept in.

  These simple pleasures were soon interrupted by a swirl of purple spirit, and a large raven appeared on the parapet before him. He frowned in surprise before gesturing to one side with his head.

  “Walk with me,” he said to the conjured creature, and began to stroll along the top of the wall, leaving behind three of his personal guard who were leaning against the crenelated wall and recovering their breath after the hard session.

  Osman, Shain and Roland were his most reliable warriors, and could be trusted to keep the rest of the household up to standard given their impressive peak 2nd tier classes. He still took care to only ask the raven to give its report once he was out of earshot though.

  “Mistress brings message” the bird croaked, beady eyes sparkling with intelligence as it watched him. At his nod, it delivered the message, though its croaking voice gave way to the smooth lilt of Varice’s, coloured ever so slightly by the farmer’s drawl that was her grandfather’s inheritance.

  “My Lord. Francis D’Sware has missed his check-in by several days. I have adjusted our timeline in consideration of the more frequent than expected Leviathan raids along the coast between the Sunsets and the Dragon-Spines, but even so, I would have expected word by now.”

  Duke Ryonic rolled his shoulders to loosen the knots trying their best to form after the hard sparring. It was not particularly surprising, and he didn’t see the need for an update. Francis, despite coming from many generations of nobility, was actually a very competent man. If there were delays, that likely just meant he was temporarily waylaid. They still had time before the bigger players within the Sunset Court began to get suspicious. Not much time, mind, but enough to forgive a few days delay.

  “I have just received a report from a mutual contact in Colchet however,” Varice’s voice continued, through the raven, “which brings me great concern. The safehouse in Colchet has been raided. My contact did not arrive early enough to know exactly what was taken, but their preliminary assessment is worrying enough.”

  Duke Ryonic cursed quietly under his breath and the raven cocked its head to one side to examine him, mouth not moving but words spewing forth continuously, nevertheless. It was certainly strange to see a creature of magic speak with the voice of his spymaster, but Varice had been working for him for nigh on a decade now after he had saved her from a life of drudgery; he was used to the conjured phantasmal creature by now.

  “Almost everything appears destroyed, as per protocol, but the Lions had been sharing the safehouse with another mercenary company – The Wielders of Azlan – and their bodies were found within the safehouse, slaughtered to a man. My contact has no idea who might be responsible, but has heard nothing of rival criminal elements within the city moving in on the territory, and the Wielders of Azlan have been promising significant coin to any who can provide information on those responsible for weeks now with little success.

  “The city is a kicked hornet’s nest, what with the issues the Guard are having in the depths of the canyon, and The Council of Brothers has locked things down tightly. There is little to go on, but I do not believe it a coincidence; Francis left and sent word they had found a package to escort, and then the safehouse was hit almost immediately. Francis then missed his check in by a few days, and I am of the opinion that we will hear no more of him. Ever.”

  He took a few moments to absorb the news before sighing. Addressing the raven, he asked, “is your mistress available for comment?”

  Another birdlike flick of its head, and then Varice answered through her familiar. No longer monotonous and lecturing, she said “I am here, my Lord. You received my message, I take it?”

  “Indeed. You suspect Francis D’Sware to have been ambushed during his return?” The duke asked as he turned his back on the raven and gazed out over the empty fields that ringed Ryonic castle.

  “I do, my Lord. It is impossible to say for certain, but I think it likely that the ones who destroyed the safehouse in Colchet caught up to Francis and eliminated him.”

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  He pursued his lips. “D’Sware is – was, perhaps – a powerful fighter and a veteran mercenary. Even now, there are only three in my personal guard that could match him. I think it unlikely that a God-Touched could make themselves useful enough to warrant such powerful allies…you had suspicions about his allegiances before all of this, did you not?”

  There was a moment of hesitation from the raven, though he knew it wasn’t the raven itself that was delaying. “Yes, my Lord, but that was simply conjecture on my part. We know there is something going on – meetings and manoeuvrings, particularly among the younger generation at court. I have no evidence to suggest it is anything more serious and organised than the constant jockeying for position that is normal amongst the scions of the Sunset Court.”

  Duke Ryonic cocked his head to one side, considering. The raven watched him, and he was amused to realise that he was copying its mannerisms, however slight. “You have no evidence, but do you have suspicions?

  There was a long pause then. The duke stared at the unlinking beady eye of the raven as it observed him steadily and waited.

  “I suspect Estan is involved.”

  Varice sounded hesitant, unsure for the first time in many years. The duke sighed and wiped some sweat from his face before answering. “I know you hate the boy, Varice. And I know also that he can be…difficult. Precocious, wilful, lazy and slovenly. Gods know I have failed him many times over since his mother died, and I expect he has failed me as well just as often. But you suspect him of treachery?”

  “I do, my Lord” she replied evenly. “He has been taking meetings with the Sultanate’s son – Yander – and he has recently tried once more to get information from me on our hunt for the Butcher of Sternsbridge.”

  “Has he brought up The Seer since last time?” the duke asked, and the raven shook its head from side to side. He wasn’t sure if that was an imitation of a human gesture, or simply the bird moving in its mimicry of life, and so he waited for an answer.

  “No, which by itself is odd. He likely suspects we have been getting information from somewhere, but I doubt his suspicions are accurate. What I am concerned with is Yander’s involvement. He is everything your son is not, Lord.”

  The duke raised an eyebrow, though of course Varice couldn’t see it. Or perhaps she could see through the eyes of her familiar and simply kept that capability secret. He wasn’t naive, she likely had a few dozen hidden surprises, insurance policies, and escape routes hidden within his castle – she was a spymaster, after all. What mattered is that she lacked the physical might to protect herself from the rest of the Sunsets, and that is what he provided. That is why he could trust her.

  “How do you mean, Varice?” he asked, and her answer was swift and clipped.

  “He is undoubtably loyal to the Sultan’s cause, and shares in many of the same beliefs. He is cautious, careful, and surrounds himself with only the most trusted advisors. He is close-lipped and keeps his council private.”

  “You sound as if you admire the man” the duke said as he turned to look over the brown fields surrounding his home.

  “I do, my Lord. He has done a great deal with comparatively little. Most of what I know about him is not actually information I have collected myself, which in and of itself speaks to his caution and competence. In comparison, a fair amount of my time is spent ensuring the secrets your son spills along with his wine don't make it back to your enemies.”

  He heard the bitterness in her words and grunted a warning. “Careful Varice.”

  Another pause, this one longer than the first. When she next spoke, her voice was composed and calm once more. “I suspect we have lost our God-Touched, and none of the three we have kept below have developed a useful talent for language, rare as that is.”

  He sighed and pushed off the wall to turn and face the raven once more. “If you are correct…we are out of time. The Court is close to demanding answers for my use of the Lions, and given that we do not have The Butcher’s corpse in our possession – as unlikely as that ever was – we must soon conclude our dealings with the Lions for a time. Has the Seer located any other God-Touched in the meantime?”

  “Yes, my Lord. One more. They incarnated in Storm’s Harbour.”

  “Storm’s Harbour? What are the chances of that?” he asked in wonder. “Is Demetrios still based there? Would he be amenable to a pick-up on our behalf?”

  “As far as I’m aware, yes…but there are complications with that, my Lord. The Leviathan Coast is in enough turmoil as it is, and to kidnap a citizen on their soil would likely cause…backlash. The dynasty is still reeling from the actions in Ship’s Rest around 5 years ago, and their tolerance for outside interference has decreased dramatically. God-Touched are likely to cause a stir when they arrive, and the chances of successfully sneaking them away without notice are…slim.”

  “Nevertheless, we are out of options” the duke said. “Ready a team of Lions. They can make it to Storm’s Harbour and escort the God-Touched to us, with the aid of Demetrious if he is amenable, or by themselves if not. Let it be known that I am doubling the reward, and giving them permission to use whatever means necessary. Discretion is preferred, but I want a God-Touched within this castle before Winter’s Zenith.”

  “Understood, my lord. The Sunset Court will know that something is happening – they will send dogs sniffing around” his spymaster said, her tone warning.

  “I understand, but there is little we can do about it now. They will demand answers soon enough anyway, and it is time we take drastic action if we want to crack open this ruin while it still belongs to us. I am on the cusp of greatness, Varice. A month in that ruin and-”

  He cut himself off and pushed away from the wall to face the raven once more. “See it done” he said with finality, and the raven nodded once – a very human gesture this time, slow and measured – before disappearing in a swirl of purple phantasm.