Casket of Souls

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 Aurënfaie 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