Luck in the Shadows

himself for having been blind to a plot of such magnitude. Unfortunately, this was not the time or place to discuss the matter.
    Maintaining a somber demeanor, Seregil politely rebuffed efforts by several curious nobles to draw him into conversation. Instead, he listened with a certain sardonic pleasure to the speculations being bantered about nearby.
    Lords and ladies who'd feasted at the Viceregent's own table within the last fortnight now spoke darkly of suspicious circumstances suddenly recalled, or turns of conversation now construed as suspicious or telling.
    The crowd grew increasingly restless as the dull sky gradually brightened toward noon. In response, blue-uniformed riders of the City Watch began to make their presence more visible.
    Chilled and disgruntled, Seregil shifted in the saddle. "The procession should be in sight by now."
    "He's right. Shall I scry for them, Nysander?" offered Thero.
    "Perhaps we —" The older wizard paused, shading his eyes as he gazed back up the road toward the city. "No, I doubt it will be necessary."
    A lone rider had come into view, galloping hard in their direction. As he came closer, they could see that he wore the colors of a Queen's Herald.
    "Bloody hell, here comes someone to spoil the fun for sure!" someone shouted.
    The assessment seemed a likely one and the crowd parted with a collective grumble to let the rider through.
    Dismounting, the herald climbed onto the gibbet platform, unrolled a scroll, and in a loud, clear voice proclaimed, "By order of Queen Idrilain the Second, the ritual execution of Barien i Zhal is postponed. There will be no dismemberment today. All hail the Queen's mercy!"
    Jeers and catcalls went up from the thrill seekers, but most of the nobles turned their mounts for town with expressions of relief.
    "What's this?" muttered Seregil.
    "I cannot imagine," replied Nysander. "I suspect, however, that a summons from the Queen may await me upon my return."
    Nysander was correct. Hastening to the Palace, he found Idrilain and Phoria waiting for him in the private audience chamber. Idrilain was seated, with Phoria at stiff attention at her left side.
    Both women looked very grim.
    "Sit down, Nysander. There is something I wish you to hear," Idrilain said curtly, motioning him to the only other chair in the small chamber. "Phoria, repeat to Nysander what you have told me."
    "Lord Barien was not a Leran," Phoria began, her voice flat as a sergeant's at daily report. "He died believing that he had unwittingly aided them, however, through commerce he and Lord Teukros had with the forger Alben."
    "Then he recognized Alben, that night at the inquisition?" Nysander asked, recalling Barien's strange expression.
    Phoria shook her head. "No, he'd never met the man or heard his name. The connection was all through Teukros, who'd handled all the dealings with him."
    "It all started three years ago. Lord Teukros was involved in that massive land speculation in the western territories which failed so miserably."
    "I recall the scandal," said Nysander. "I had no idea Teukros had any part in it."
    "He was ruined," Phoria told him. "In the end he owed several millions to the man who'd backed the whole scheme, a Lord Herleus."
    "Herleus?" Nysander searched his memory for a face to go with the name.
    "Killed during a boar hunt later that same year," Idrilain informed him. "After his death, some evidence was found suggesting he'd been a Leran sympathizer, though nothing could be proven at the time."
    "Ah, I begin to see."
    "Teukros was ruined," Phoria continued. "Even Barien hadn't the ready funds to save him, and Herleus would not be reasoned with. Barien told me he'd advised Teukros to accept his shame and flee the country, and at first Teukros agreed. A day later, however, he came back to his uncle with a plan to save the family name."
    "And this plan involved the forging of certain documents which, after the Queen herself, only Barien had access to?"
    Phoria nodded. "Apparently Teukros had gone to plead with Herleus one last time. It was then that Herleus suggested that Barien's position would allow him to divert treasury gold from the Gold Road shipments. Herleus introduced Teukros to Alben, who could forge the necessary papers. The long and the short of it is, poor Barien couldn't bear to see his spineless scoundrel of a nephew disgraced and agreed to it all. They needed my help in rerouting the gold and, for Barien's sake, I agreed. We both regretted it after,