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The room fell silent.

"The circumstances are not yet fully known," he said. "What is known is that the Threns were docked the very night she was assaulted. One can draw conclusions from that." He paused. "I am drawing mine."

He let that sit.

“However, deathmages assaulted the palace that night as well. Many of you witnessed it yourselves.”

"King Sevrin is missing. His whereabouts are currently unknown. In his absence I am acting as regent. The heir to Veynar is Fiorakis, daughter of Queen Asharin. That is not a discussion. That is a fact." He looked around the room. "The children and the Queen's body are being transported to Alarna immediately. They will be received there with the full honors owed to them." He paused. "When Veynar is deemed safe again, the children will return."

He dismissed the room.

Arabar was waiting in the corridor.

He fell into step without being asked.

"I have a list," Arabar said quietly.

"Of?"

"Suspects. People in the palace that evening who should not have been. People who were not there who should have been." A pause. "And one other thing."

Colsar looked at him.

"Wyn is dead. Her body was found approximately ten paces from the Great Hall. She had been dead for some time before your queen was poisoned."

Colsar stopped walking.

He stood in the corridor and looked at the wall. Wyn had stood outside doors and carried children and never once asked for anything except to be useful.

He drew a breath.

"General Rorin?" He said.

"Missing. His quarters are empty. His men cannot account for him since the night of the dinner."

"Find him."

"We are looking."

He nodded and kept walking. "The Avanki. Where were they that night?"

"Redirected," Arabar said carefully. "Various postings. None of them from a single order. It looks scattered. Organic."

"Or designed to look organic."

Arabar said nothing.

"Who gave the redirections?"

"That is what I cannot yet account for cleanly. The orders came through several channels. Not one source."

Colsar looked at him. "Find the source."

He stopped. "My mother and Tamal of Yorali. Where are they?"

"The Queen Dowager is at Filar House. Prince Tamal left Veynar the night of the dinner. His whereabouts are unknown."

"Find Tamal," he said. "Until a killer is named he does not move freely." He paused. "My mother stays at Filar House. She does not return to the eastern court. I want people watching her, quietly, people she will not recognize. And I want Filar House searched for any signs of poison."