Three corridors away and two floors up, the Count's study had been reorganized. The assassins had been dismissed — a gesture, a flicker of two fingers, and three shadows had detached from drapes and bookshelves and fireplace stone and filed out through the side door with the silence of practice.
The butler stood before the desk.
The fire had been built up since the girl left. The room warmer now, the map behind the desk catching the new light and making the Count's red-marked territories glow at their edges.
"The week's report," the Count said.
Cedric opened the document he carried.
"The Emperor's third envoy passed through Mareth two days ago. The southern roads are being taxed at the new rate — House Fenrath has filed a formal objection, which the crown's advisors have noted and tabled. House Caldris has completed their purchase of the grain routes through the northern pass. They now control approximately sixty percent of winter supply to the capital."
The Count said nothing. His grey eyes on the middle distance.
"The Fog encroachment at the Vauren estate boundary has been confirmed. A third Remnant reported within two leagues of the walls last week. The guild has sent a team." A pause. "The team has not reported back."
"How long?"
"Four days."
The Count's jaw shifted. Slight.
"Continue."
"The church's third synod of the year has been moved forward to next month. The official reason is administrative. The actual reason — " Cedric adjusted his glasses — "is a disagreement between the senior clergy and the guild's high representatives over jurisdiction of the recently acquired Remnant specimens. The church wants them destroyed. The guild wants to study them."
"And the Emperor?"
"Has opinions which he is choosing not to share publicly."
The Count exhaled through his nose. "What else."
"Two reports from our contact in the inner court. The first concerns the ascendant rankings — three more Unraveling confirmed in the last quarter. The guild is not releasing names officially but our contact was able to acquire two of them." He named them.
The Count's eyes moved.
Filed something. Moved on.
"The second report concerns the Mireth heir's betrothal negotiations, which I can summarize briefly—"
"Later." The Count looked at him. "The girl."
Cedric's posture adjusted. The particular straightening of a man who had a view and had been waiting to deliver it.
"There is a matter of terminology being used in certain circles, my lord," he said. "The staff have been... cautious. But the word is moving."
"What word?"
"They are calling her the Undying, my lord."
Silence.
The fire.
"The guild's lower operatives have been asking questions since the funeral. They want access. For study." He paused. The precision of a man choosing his next words carefully. "There are those who feel the — incident — represents an ill omen. That what has returned is not what left. That the household would be well served to—"
"No."
"My lord—"
"She is my blood," the Count said. Flat. Final. The voice of a man who had made this decision and was not revisiting it. "Whatever she is now, she came from this house. I will not hand her to those dogs to dissect at their tables and stain my name with it." His grey eyes came up. Sharp. "Is that clear."
"Perfectly, my lord."
"She goes to the academy. She is watched. Everything she does, everyone she speaks to — I want reports."
"Of course."
"Including the maid. Vesper."
Cedric nodded.
"If she develops... " the Count paused. Something moving behind those grey eyes. Something that was not entirely without feeling and was not going to acknowledge it. "If she proves more dangerous than we expected."
He stopped.
Cedric waited.
"Kill her on the spot, Cedric. This time around make sure she's dead."
The butler inclined his head. The precise angle of a man who had received instructions of this kind before and had never required additional clarification.
"As you say, my lord."
He left.
The Count sat alone in the study with the fire and the map and the red-marked territories and the silence that filled a room when everyone else had been dismissed from it.
He thought about the difference between the grey eyes he and most of his children shared, and Veyra's child eyes and the crimson which was once brown that had looked across his desk like it was memorizing him.
A monster?
Hethoughtabout the knife-shaped absence in the wardrobe's hidden compartment that Cedric's men had noted in their search of the girl's room.
Hmm.. Interesting. Very interesting.
A small smile tugged at his lips, his body relaxing on his seat.
He thought about the moment at the door.
I will repay you for your kindness.
He picked up his pen.
Set it down.
Looked at the fire and closed his eyes.
It looks like his bleak life will have some color again. He wonders how far Veyra's child would go.