Casket of Souls

the potential spy, Danos, and the contents of the box from behind the tapestry and the cabinet. Seregil had him write down all he could remember of the list of names.
    Alec tapped his chin with the goose-feather quill, picturing the list in his mind, then began to write.
    Princess Klia
Duke Malthus
Duchess Nerian
Marquis Areus
Lord Thero
Lord Seregil the Aurënfaie
Lord Alec of Ivywell
Marquise Yrin
Prince Korathan?
     
    “Good,” said Seregil. “And the scroll?”
    “The scroll was just a love poem.”
    “Didn’t it strike you as strange that Kyrin would be showing his friends a love poem in the midst of that other conversation?”
    “Uh—not at the time.”
    Seregil sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “That may have been the most important thing there. If only you’d held it up to a lamp.”
    Alec smacked his forehead. “Bilairy’s Balls! It didn’t even occur to me.” Some hidden messages were done in pinpricks over the letters of a seemingly innocent document. All onehad to do was hold it in front of the light and copy down the letters to reveal the message.
    Seregil made a noncommittal noise as he turned his attention to the list. “Korathan. Our friend Duke Malthus, one of the queen’s exchequers. Marquis Areus, Duchess Nerian. Thero. Us. What do all of these have in common?”
    “Except for us and Thero, they’re all high-ranking nobles.” Alec frowned down at the list. “And at least some of them are friends of Klia.”
    “Very good. But you missed one important correlation. With the exception of us and Thero, they all hold high positions in the Palace. You had a good start on the night’s work.”
    “We’re going back?” Alec reached for a clean pair of breeches.
    “Yes, but not until the household settles down.” Seregil grinned and snatched the breeches away. “In the meantime, I think you deserve a reward to pass the time.”
    Alec let Seregil pull him down onto the bed. “Don’t I still stink?”
    Seregil nuzzled Alec’s neck and one armpit, sending a dizzying tingle down that entire side of his body, then rumbled “Not in a bad way” against one bare nipple.
    Alec gasped at the sensation. Ruetha tried to butt in between them, but Seregil nudged the cat aside and pressed Alec back on the bed, pulling the tie from the end of the disheveled braid and combing Alec’s long hair out over his shoulder.
    Alec shivered at the light tickle of fingertips over his scalp, but still had the presence of mind to ask, “Shouldn’t we tell Thero?”
    Seregil slid his hand in slow, determined circles down Alec’s flat belly. “At this hour? Hardly civilized. And there may be more to tell after our second visit.”
    Alec groaned softly and arched his back, surrendering—mostly. “At least we know that there’s—some—there’s some—connection. Thero—”
    Seregil leaned in very close, warm breath tickling Alec’s ear, and whispered, “We’ll see him tomorrow, talí.”
    Alec was surprised to feel a flash of need and worry cutthrough his own haze of arousal along the invisible connection of their
talímenios
bond. Only then did it occur to him that this was the first time he’d done a job on his own since they’d returned to the city. He caught Seregil’s roaming hand. “You
do
know I can take care of myself?”
    Seregil regarded him seriously. “Would you have been worried about me if I’d disappeared for hours on a job?”
    “You used to do that all the time! You still do.”
    “And you worry.”
    Alec sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. “And you do what you need to and come home safe.”
    Seregil was quiet for a moment, then Alec felt the mattress shift as Seregil knelt behind him and put his arms around Alec’s shoulders. “I know. I’m not questioning your skills, Alec. I swear to you that’s the truth and you know I don’t lie to you. But after what happened to you in Plenimar?” His arms tightened. “I suppose I’m still trying to get over that. If you …”
    Alec covered Seregil’s hands with his own. “Are we going to quit the nightrunning business, then?”
    Seregil laughed softly. “No. Just … Give me time.”
    “I’ll try. But sometimes I wonder if maybe I have more faith in your skills than you do in mine, even after all this time.”
    “Oh, Alec! I know that you can take care of yourself. I do, really. Now …” Seregil gently cradled the back of Alec’s head and kissed him. “Are we going to make love or