Incarceron Part 6

"Suspiciously sudden. Anyway, I found this."

She almost pushed him aside in her eagerness."How did you get it?" He raised an eyebrow."Secrets of the Wise, Claudia. Let's just say a friend in the Academy went searching in the archives."

As he went to the windows she read the text eagerly...

As for the arrangement we spoke of before, it is unfortunate, but great changes often require great sacrifices. G has been kept aloof from others since his father died; the people's grief will be real but short-lived and we can contain it. It barely needs saying that your part will be beyond value to us. When my son is King I can promise you all I...

She hissed in annoyance."Is that it?"

"The Queen has always been very careful. We have at least seventeen people in the Palace, but evidence for anything is rare."

He slid the last window down, closing out the stars."That took a lot of finding."

"But it's so clear!"

Eagerly she read it again."I mean ... grief will be real ... When my son is King ..."

As he came over and lit the lamp she looked up at him and her eyes were bright with excitement.

"Master, it proves she killed him. She murdered the King's Heir, the last of the Havaarna dynasty, so that his half brother, her own son, could have the throne."

For a moment he was still. Then the flame steadied and he looked up at her. Her heart sank."You don't think so."

"I thought I taught you better than that, Claudia. Be rigorous in your argument. All this proves is that she intended her son to be King. Not that she did anything about it."

"But this G-"

"Could be anyone with that initial."

Remorselessly he stared her down."You don't think that! You can't..."

"It's not what I think that matters, Claudia. If you make an accusation like this, you need proof so complete, there can be no question of any doubt."

He eased himself into a chair and winced."The Prince died in a fall from his horse. Doctors certified it. His body lay in state in the Great Hall of the Palace for three days. Thousands filed past it. Your own father ..."

"She must have had him killed. She was jealous of him."

"She never showed any sign of that. And the body was cremated. There's no way of telling now."

He sighed."Don't you see how this will look, Claudia? You'll just be a spoiled girl who doesn't like her arranged marriage and is willing to rake up any sort of scandal to get out of it."

She snapped,"I don't care! What-"

He sat up."Quiet!"

She froze. The fox cub was on its feet, ears p.r.i.c.ked. A whisper of draft gusted under the door.

Instantly they both moved. Claudia was at the window in seconds, darkening the gla.s.s; turning, she saw Jared's fingers on the control panel for the sensors and alarms he had fitted on the stairs. Small red lights danced.

"What?" she whispered."What was it?"

For a moment he didn't answer. Then his voice was low."Something was there. Tiny. Perhaps an eavesdropping device."

Her heart thudded."My father?"

"Who knows? Maybe Lord Evian. Maybe Medlicote."

They stood a long time in the dimness, listening. The night was still. Somewhere a distant dog barked. They could hear the faint baas of the sheep in the meadow beyond the moat, and an owl, hunting.

After a while a rustle in the room told them the cub had curled back up to sleep. The candle guttered and went out.

In the silence she said,"I'm going into the study tomorrow. If I can't find out about Giles, at least I can learn something about Incarceron."

"With him in the house ..."

"It's my last chance."

Jared ran long fingers through his untidy hair."Claudia, you must go. We'll talk about this tomorrow."

Then all at once his face was white, his hands flat on the table. He leaned over and breathed hard.

She came around the telescope quietly."Master?"

"My medication. Please."

She grabbed the candle, shook it back into light and cursed the Era for the hundredth time.

"Where ... I can't find it..."