Forest Kingdom Trilogy 2 - Blood and Honor

Dominic's own people were ever allowed inside, and none of them would talk about it. They couldn't. Dominic had put a geas on them.
    Lewis started as the door swung silently open. He quickly regained his composure and stepped forward into the antechamber, carefully keeping both his face and his posture very calm and assured. In dealing
    with Dominic, it was important to appear confident at all times. He looked round to see who had opened the door for him, but there was no one there. The Monk entered the chamber, and the door slammed shut behind him. Lewis sniffed. More of Dominic's playing at sorcery. Let him keep his little tricks if they amused him; they didn't impress Lewis. He'd seen the Monk do things that would have scared Dominic out of what was left of his mind. Lewis looked casually about him, and frowned. Dominic's antechamber was bare and austere, the only furniture three straight-backed chairs set out on the bare stone floor. The bleak whitewashed walls were spotlessly clean, and subtly depressing. This wasn't a room where people lived, it was just a room where people waited, while Dominic decided whether or not to see them. Lewis moved over to the nearest chair, flicked imaginary dust off the seat with his handkerchief, and sat down.
    The Monk took up a watchful stance beside him.
    Lewis looked round sharply as Dominic and Elizabeth came in through a door he would have sworn wasn't there a moment
    ago. They stood alone by the door, and Lewis stiffened slightly as he realised that Dominic hadn't brought any troops to guard him. Either he didn't see his brother as much of a threat, or he was confident in his own sorcery to protect him. Dominic bowed briefly to Lewis, and he nodded curtly in return. He didn't get up from his chair, but they didn't seem to notice. They sat down on the two remaining chairs, and took their time making themselves comfortable.
    'Well,' said Lewis finally, 'this is very pleasant, isn't it? Must be all of four years since you and I last sat down to talk together, Dominic.'
    'That's right,' said Dominic. 'Dear Viktor had just been banished from Court, and you and I were discussing how best to turn that to our advantage. You proposed a partnership, as I recall, but nothing came of it. We didn't trust each other. We knew each other too well, perhaps. Do you feel things have changed since then, Lewis?'
    'Probably not. But we do have things to discuss. The Regent has just made a difficult situation suddenly even more difficult with the Rite of Transference. Interfering bastard. I should have had him killed a long time ago. He's always been too honest for our good. We've got to find the crown and seal quickly, Dominic. Since I don't have them, and my spies assure me that you don't have them, it seems to me the odds are very much in favour of Viktor having them. There must be some good reason why he hasn't used them yet, but now that the situation has changed so drastically, he could try for the Stone at any time. We'll have to take the crown and seal from him, and neither of us is strong enough to do that on our own. DeGrange's guards are all over the place, and Viktor's fire magic is as strong as ever. You saw what he did at Court.'
    'Yes,' said Dominic. 'It was most impressive. But what makes you so sure Viktor has the crown and seal?'
    'Process of elimination,' said Lewis smugly. 'Outside of the three of us, who is there? A few nobodies who fancy themselves as Kings, or Kingmakers. My spies have kept a close watch on all of them. On the other hand, something is definitely happening
    with Viktor and his people. I haven't been able to find out what, they're too well shielded. But whatever it is, it's important. So important they've killed all of my people who even looked as though they might be getting near the truth.'
    'You're quite right,' said Elizabeth. 'There is something going on. But they don't have the crown or the seal. They're as baffled as we are.'
    Lewis looked at her thoughtfully. She was smiling too much, the cold calculating smile of someone who knows something you don't. On the other hand, that wasn't exactly unusual where Elizabeth was concerned.
    'Just how sure are you of your information?' he said finally. 'Last I heard, your people had been having the same problems as mine. Or have you and Viktor been getting acquainted again, now that he's back?'
    'Hardly,' said Elizabeth sweetly. 'No, my dear Lewis, it's much simpler than that. We have a spy in their inner circle.