I smuggled Robin in my jacket to the warmth uhe street mp. I held it open just enough that I could see them, but still shielding ‘em from the wind.

  “You doing alright in there?” I asked.

  “Been workin’ out, hero boy?”

  “A little. The king keeps us busy.”

  “Well,” they said, pushing on my pectoral muscle, “you’ve firmed up a bit.”

  “Thanks?” I said. Then remembering to get to the point asked, “what are you up to? And how did you get here?”

  “Fairy wings, son!”

  “Touche. You here to cause trouble?”

  “Nah. Wao see Episode IX. Don’t even gotta buy tickets, I’ll just hover around in the air as mood lighting. People love it.”

  “I bet. You talked to Bernie?”

  “Yep. She’s real worried about you. If you break her heart, I’ll have to curse ya.”

  “Really?” I started walking towards the castle. Warm fairylight spilled between my fingers as I held them o me.

  “Yeah. Be o her, and treat her fancy, and I bet you get in her pants.”

  “Hey!”

  “What?”

  “I don’t like that kind of talk.”

  “Alright alright. Maybe I was testing you.”

  “Mhmm.”

  “She’s a talented warlock, yirl.”

  “She’s not my girl.”

  “Not yet.”

  Not yet. That had a nice ring to it. But I couldn’t hope too mubsp; Had more important things to do, for one.

  “You really think I got a shot?” I asked, after some time.

  “I think as long as you treat her like a flesh and blood person, and not as some kind of destined paramore, I think you’d have to really step in it to screw it up.”

  “Good advice.”

  I wasn’t sure that I wouldn’t ‘step in it.’ But I had to try. Had to find that killer spy first though.

  “Hey. I ain’t always dick jokes, and smoking bod,” the pixie said. “I got wisdom too.”

  I filled Robin in on some of what I learned.

  “That’s weird,” they said.

  “Yeah? Which part?”

  “The thing with Princess Mia. The girl didn’t mention it when I talked to her.”

  “Huh.”

  “Let’s go check the Princess out.”

  “I want to talk to Bernie first.”

  “Nah. You don’t know anythi; you just got a hunbsp; You should follow it.”

  “Well, we are headed to the castle. I’ll see what I do.”

  Robin flew off before I got to the front gate, saying I didn’t heir help. They weren’t so bad once you got used to them, and the ck of fairylight left me a little colder o was gone. Castle guards knew who I was, and they waved me in.

  Princess Mia was on the first floor — thank god — the west wing overlooking the harbor. Now. How, I was going to iigate her, or interrogate her I didn’t know. I had a sleep spell. Maybe I could kidnap her?

  Why?! Oh my god. No nevermind. That is an awful idea. Man, this game could funnel you to awful decisions if you let it. I poured over my spells, trying to find ohat could help me, but not get me thrown into the dungeon.

  At-Will Spells—

  Little Light

  Mend Item

  Tiny Tricks

  First level spells—

  Bubble

  Charm Person

  and

  Curse, Minor

  Heal Light Wounds

  Healing Phrase

  Sleep

  Sed Level Spells—

  Invisible

  Shatter

  “Are you sure you’re supposed to be here?” came a woman’s voice.

  I looked up. She had her arm on a guard’s shoulder, halting him, but looking right at me. I looked behind myself — empty hall.

  Yeah, she was talking to me.

  I put on my most winning smile, and tinued walking.

  “I was just looking for you,” I said. And it was true, but I wasn’t sure what I’d say .

  “You’re a friend of my father?”

  “Yes,” I said.

  “Let him in, should he need,” she said to the guard outside her quarters. “I’m not too busy to eain my father’s friend.”

  Then she ducked into her room, and disappeared.

  I waved at the guard at the door who waved back, and sat on their stool. Caleb must have set up guards outside the doors of his kids after the whole assassination thing.

  The first thing that greeted me as I walked in was the stenbsp; The smell of vinegar hit me first, then some kind of citrus, and under all that sulfur. I was tempted to hold my nose, but I figured that would be rude. Then I saw the metrine of chemist equipment that bubbled, and glowed and burned.

  I must have been visibly reeling, because Princess Mia held a handkerchief out for me. I took it, and pced it over my face.

  “My nostrils have been obliterated by this stuff, so I don’t , but by all means, cover up,” she said.

  This was the first time I’d gotten a proper look at her closer than across the dining table. She was tall, just a couple inches from my height, with a pale blue coat buttoned all the to her . It didn’t do much to ceal that she still had a little bit of weight on from her pregnanbsp; But, you know, that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing to my eyes.

  Despite her buttoned up dress, her beauty remained altogether overwhelming.

  She’d her hair pulled ba a ponytail that exploded in a fan of curls behind her, small wisps of it held in the front by a pair of goggles. I don't want to put too fine a point on it, but her hair was magnifit. I asked Caleb about it ter, and he said it was 3c, whatever that meant.

  Her brilliant green eyes stantly darted here and there as she worked, but always back at me with a kind expression, as if she didn’t wao feel left out. Her skin was brilliant and shining on her face, but her hands peeled from the chemicals. It was striking, and I knew enough mixed kids growing up not to oetic about it, so I'll just say that it was remarkable.

  She robably only a couple years youhan me, but her angur features made her look older.

  “You here for a reason?” she asked, scribbling something down in a notebook.

  “Um,” I stammered, “yes! I was asked by Caleb to see if you were okay, or needed anything. Wasn’t sure what he meant at the time, but I’m betting it was all this,” I said motioning to the sce b thing she had going on.

  “My father hates all this stuff. Wants me back with my kid — like my husband ’t ha.” Here she closed her book and turo me. Her eyes gazed at me with pyful skepticism. “I'm quite familiar with the ring of an ill-sidered lie. Want to try that again? Maybe with a little more truth?”

  “Shit.”

  “Uh huh. What does father like to say? ‘Momma didn’t raise no fool.’”

  “Yeah, I should have knower.”

  I just stood there for a moment, thinking. Well, maybe I try the bo method, aruthful about why I’m here, while downpying my i iails? After a sed, I realized that despite my det charisma score, even that could be beyond my skills.

  Whole truth it is then.

  “I’m trying to figure out what happeo Harmony.”

  “The Duchess?”

  “Yeah. Real tragedy. Has the whole castle spooked.”

  “Not as much as they should be,” she said, going back to her chemistry set, and adjusting a nob. “Someone able to get to my father’s small sel, irl as highly prized as the Duchess, is likely someone high up, not just a servant with a grudge.”

  “How so?”

  “Servants sell each other out,” she said, almost bored. “Whoever did that, has privilege to protect them. By the time those that know flip on them, it’ll be too te. Someoually important will be killed.”

  “Actually important?”

  “Oh, don’t act so surprised. Randy was a drunk, and Harmony rized pony. It’s a damn tragedy, but her are leading armies into battle.”

  “Or cog potions?” I asked.

  “You’re rude,” she said, gng over her shoulder. “I like that. My husband would like that too. It’s a shame we’re both so busy!”

  Her ugh was haughty and loud, but pleasant to hear. Her attention strayed to a strange object held in a rge pair of tongs. It fshed with text. I wasn’t able to make out much of it before she flicked it away.

  Was that a ste? How did she get a ste? I thought Braelyn had the only one in the kingdom. I tried to imagine what I had seen. Was it the name? ‘Nerve’ something? Wait! Nerfherder! It must be a refereo Caleb’s pys. Who would she call Nerfherder?

  Suddenly she was very close to me.

  “Hold out your hand,” she asked.

  I did. She took it, gave me a beautiful smile, then ran a knife along it.

  “Shit!”

  “Oh, hush. Drink this,” she said, pressing a vial to my hand.

  It was warm to the touch, and tained a brilliant pink liquid. Welp. I was in too deep to start saying ‘no’ now. I opehe cork, and tossed it back.

  It was fruity, with a slight floral after-taste, like hops. Went down smooth, and made me want more.

  “How’s your hand?” she asked.

  “What?”

  She arched an eyebrow. I tore my gaze from her brilliant green eyes, and looked at my hand. The cut had closed. I wiped my hand on my pants. My palm was unmarred.

  “Wow. It didn’t even—”

  “No itg?”

  “It didn’t even itbsp; And the taste—”

  “Pomegranate,” she said. “With hops.”

  “I thought I tasted hops!”

  “Mhmm. You liked it?”

  “I haven’t had a lot of healing potions, but that was still probably the best one I’ve ever had.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “Just because something is medie, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be pleasant to drink.”

  I suddenly felt a little dizzy.

  “I think I should lie down,” I said sitting on the couch.

  “Oh drat!” she said, scribbling in her notebook. “Nausea?”

  “I think so.”

  “How much?”

  “More than I’d like, but not enough that I need a bucket.”

  “Hmm,” she said to herself, scribbling faster. “Did you have alcohol?”

  “Yeah. Quite a bit.”

  “Reacts. With. Alcohol.” She muttered to herself as she scribbled some more.

  I decided to y down on the couch fully, and stared up at the ceiling.

  “Were you the oo figure out the poison?” I asked.

  “Yes. An alkaloid. on in the region, so they likely didn’t o smuggle it in, just distill it somewhere. Makes catg who did this a little more difficult.”

  “Damn,” I replied, still staring at the ceiling. Why didn’t Bere, or Rachel tell me about this, the potion brewing thing? Mia didn’t seem to be shy about it.

  Also if whoever poisohe Duchess just o distill the pnt, where would they do it?

  “What would they o distill it?” I asked.

  “Any old cooking pot, and a hose would do,” she said. “As long as you weren’t worried about trace amounts getting in the food.”

  “Did you check the kit?”

  “Of course we did.”

  I thought about this for a bit. Princess Mia seemed incredibly petent. If she couldn’t figure out who the bad guys were, what made me think that I could?

  “What’s that, in the case?” she asked.

  I was feeling a bit better, but I had been drinking a lot, and it was o lie down.

  “Uh, this?” I said, debating on if I should lie. “I guess I’ll just show you.”

  She stuck her hand out without looking, waiting.

  I’d gotten into the habit of taking this thing with me everywhere. Sihe others hadn’t taken their character sheets, I wasn’t sure if anything bad could happen if I lost it, but I didn’t want to find out. I carefully pulled the sheet out of the tube, and ha to her.

  She looked at it for a bit, then ha back.

  “Charisma is good, but your Dexterity is a little low for a bae fighter.”

  “How did you—”

  “Oh my dad lets some things slip every now, and again. I’ve seen his character sheet a couple times.”

  “Huh.”

  “You’re the only oh a physical one. That I know of. Get you an ented quill, and the right set of inks — well — you could possibly alter it.”

  “Really?”

  “Sure! Or not! You may have the only one like it in the world, though. I’d have to rus.”

  “I think I’ll hold onto it.”

  “Suit yourself!” she replied, looking back at me with a smile, and giving me a wink that distinctly reminded me of her father.

  I wasn’t making any progress at all here. But it was o y on the couch.

  “So,” Mia said, after w on her own for a bit. “Now that I’ve cut you,” she desded into a peel of nasal ughter, then quickly regained her posure, “why the lie earlier?”

  “I didn’t trust you.”

  “And now? Do you trust me, Breznik?”

  “I think so.”

  “Good to know. So, what are you waiting for?”

  I could feel that maybe I had been here for too long. I think she was w up to a way to kick me out.

  “I’m trying to figure out what you’re w on,” I said.

  “Ah,” she said, “easy enough. I’m trying to find a cure for Duchess Harmony. Despite finding her a bit of a bore, she didn’t deserve to get hurt. Pirl was only 18. And Pes is too soft. This could break him.”

  I figured that was good enough for me. I stood, thanked her for her time, a myself out.

  My mind spun with possibilities. If this were a movie, that would sure be the bad guy. Woman who abandoned her kid to cook up potions in her boratory? Yeah, that’s our poisoner. But maybe she was just ribsp; Rich people sort of had their own rules. And I kind of liked her?

  I couldn’t be that bad a judge of character, right?

  I spied Robin zoom down the hallway chasing some lowing light. Was it another pixie? I tried to stop them in order to have someoo talk to, but they didn’t seem to notice me.

  Well. Only other lead I had was the kit. I wound my way through the castle, until I arrived just past eleven. It ran at all hours of the day. Nobles couldn’t be bothered to make their own food. There were only two on duty.

  The first man was an orc, short but wide, with a patchy beard. His rge hands picked up a pan automatically, and washed them in a huge basin full of soapy water. The other was a kobold sharpening a set of knives. I put my monocle in. If one was a higher level than I’d expect, then maybe they had something to hide.

  No such luck.

  The first read ‘Orc Dishwasher, LVL 3, 24hp’ and the other read 'Sous Chef, LVL 6, 38hp.’ So, both were fairly high level for castle staff, but by their HP scores, I figured they’d all their experien cooking skills. I waved to the Kobold.

  We chatted for a bit, but he mostly responded in one word answers. I couldn’t figure if it was a nguage thing, or that he didn’t want to talk.

  I o switch things up, so I slid io the dishwasher, and began helping him ans. He opened up right away.

  “D’nush, right?” I asked.

  “You got the pronunciatiht.”

  “Eh, I got a weird oo,” I said. “So I try to put in the effort.”

  “You wao know about the new Duchess?”

  “What’s your read ouation?”

  “She was nibsp; Treated us, the rest of the staff, courteous like. Some of the other dies at the castle find us ‘unpleasant to look at’ whatever the hell that means. The king doesn’t like that talk, but they ght back to it once he’s out of earshot.”

  “I’m sure you got questioned about her poisoning?”

  “Yeah. We all did. I don’t think it was one of us. Like I said, she was nice.”

  “Money ge people’s opinion real quibsp; You think maybe somebody is would overlook how nice she was, to fix a debt.”

  He just gave me a pointed look, then said, “King pays us well. Folk that ’t haheir money, get transferred out the castle. Specifically, so something like that ’t happen.”

  “Huh.”

  I was running out of questions, and I’d already opened with small talk about the opera house premiere. So I pivoted.

  “What do you think of the Princess?”

  “Princess Mia?” He thought for a sed, pausing with a pan half out of the water.

  “Don’t spend much time out of her room, or with her kid.”

  “Is that strange?”

  “Not se,” he said, scrubbing the pot. “Newborns do a lot of sleeping, mostly. Though I’d expect she’ll send someone asking for pastries right about now. Eats nothing but fish aables all day, but then asks for half a dozen pastries at night.”

  The kobold cursed to himself in a nguage I didn’t reize and started pulling ingredients out, bowls of sugar, bowls of flower.

  “We don’t know she’ll want it!” he said, calling back to the kobold.

  He just ignored him, and started making dough.

  “Anyway,” D’nush said, “sorry I don’t got more.”

  “Ah, it’s fine. Wait. One more question.”

  “Yes?”

  “What’s the juiciest piece of gossip you got? Anything. Maybe it’ll spawn a lead.”

  “Well,” he said, looking around before talking at a low rumble. “You ain’t heard it from me, but rumor has it that ser showed up g to be the King’s bastard.”

  “No way?”

  “By the name of the First. Got it from a good source.”

  “Anything else?”

  “Oh, that the elves aren’t as ied in peace as they say. That they’re here for some other reason.”

  “I’ll believe that,” I said.

  Just then, rounding the er into the kit were two men. One was a knight in elven mail, the other was a man in a full suit of pte armor, embellished with enameled flowers.

  “Why, hello,” the man in pte armor said. “I heard that you fine folk make delightful pastries.”

  My monocle caught him right away:

  Aquin -- Knight of Flowers. With only one skull and crossbones after it.

  Good thing to see I was getting stronger. Now what was he doing all the here?