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Elroth regarded his captain for a long moment. “I trusted you.”

“But you never thought to make me more than what I was,” Teegar replied so quietly that Izetta barely made out the words. There was an ache in his voice that spoke of enduring disappointment.

“I can only grant my subjects what they earn.”

“I deserved more. You are the king. You could have changed everything.”

Elroth heaved a weary sigh, as if he’d heard this argument countless times before. “Not even I can make you something you are not prepared to make yourself.”

Teegar looked confused.

“You see, the problem, sire,” Izetta said. “This is the Magician’s body, all right, but I can’t believe this blank canvas represents the Magician’s brain. That’s why I wasn’t about to let my friends play chew toy with him just yet. He’s not your final answer.”

The wolves whined. The king looked from them, to Izetta, and finally at Teegar. “Then who is your partner?”

The color drained from Teegar’s face. There was no way out of the hole he’d dug for himself, whether or not he answered the king.

Izetta enjoyed the moment until one of the fae—Galeeta’s husband—struggled to his feet. Her gut twisted in sympathy. It took a lot to weaken a fae, but time in the cells had done it. His strength was clearly spent.

She couldn’t help glancing at the female fae—Lila—who stood to the side with King Elroth’s retinue. The young fae was disheveled and dirty, but what Izetta noticed was the way she looked at her father. That much shock and grief left a mark.

“May I speak, Your Majesty?” Lila’s father asked in a cracked voice. “I believe I may shed some light on this matter.”

“Lord Gareth, is that you?” Elroth said with obvious shock.

“Indeed, sire. I have been reflecting on my choices in the privacy of a cell.”

The king beckoned him forward. “Please come and share what you know.”

At Elroth’s signal, Lila hurried to her father’s side to help him approach. A fae warrior in silver armor followed. Together, they bore Lord Gareth’s weight as he slowly made his way toward the king. He stumbled once, nearly taking Lila with him, but as soon as they drew close, Gareth waved her off and approached the king, bowing low.

“As always, I am at your disposal, Your Majesty.”

“As always, old friend,” the king said gently. “Please rest assured that you were not apprehended on my authority. It grieves me to see you in distress.”

“Your concern does me honor, sire.” Gareth pulled himself upright and cast a hard look at Teegar. “As does your interest in what I have to say.”

“Please share what you know.”

“I was arrested by Captain Teegar for the possession of a trunk containing, so I am told, wealth gained by illegal means.”

As he spoke, his voice shook with fatigue. Izetta took a step closer, reluctant to miss a single word.

“What illegal means?” Elroth asked. “Stolen goods? The sale of bacchante?”

Gareth shrugged. “I do not know the particulars of my criminal career. In fact, I do not remember it at all.”

A ripple passed through the crowd, more horror than amusement at the jest.

“However,” Gareth continued, “it was Lord Farras who stored the trunk—along with other household goods—at my residence while his own house was being redecorated. I postulate that he is the captain’s partner in crime. It would take someone that unprincipled to bring bacchante to our streets.”

If the fae had been shocked when Teegar was accused, this time the crowd responded with a din. A handful of bystanders chose that moment to slip out the door and into the night.

“That would make sense, sire,” Izetta said, looking at the fae king, “if your would-be assassin was the brains of the operation and the one who supplied the product. But then why was Teegar in the cells? And why was this man arrested?”

Gareth shook his head, his smile crooked. “Madam, I was unwittingly in possession of all the lovely gold. That made me theoretically guilty, and that gave Lord Farras leverage over my family. As for Captain Teegar, I would suggest our two culprits had a partnership that soured, and he wasn’t clever enough to make himself scarce.”

“Partnership?” Teegar exploded, loud enough that several people jumped. “Farras is a spider. Once his fangs are in, he sucks you dry. When I finally came here to settle things, I woke up in a cell.”

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