There were no writing materials in the room, so Alec had no choice but to replace the documents in the box and lock it away. When the tumblers fell back into place the needles retracted, but the tiny wax plugs had been lost. Hot and dusty, Alec slipped out from behind the tapestry and pinched a dab of still-warm wax from one of the candles placed on stands around the room and used it to seal the needle holes again.
Once the lock plate was buffed clean with his shirtsleeve, there was no sign that it had been disturbed.
The cabinet across the room was fitted with the same sort of trap. In addition to the scroll, there were some leather cases containing various pieces of expensive jewelry and household documents of no interest. The scroll he’d seen Kyrin put away was nothing more than a love poem. He scanned it briefly, then put it back.
He returned the rest of the contents, locked the cabinet, and replaced the wax, as he had with the hidden cupboard, then went to the inner door and put his ear to it. There were still people talking and moving about somewhere close by. Going to the balcony door, he stepped out and quickly scanned the garden for watchmen or guests. For the moment it was empty.
The marquise’s salon was dark now, but the window next to it showed light. Moving silently, he glanced in around the casement and saw that it was a bedchamber, fortunately empty at the moment. He hurried past and crouched by the drainpipe just as the watchman came out with his lantern and took a turn around the garden, then went back inside.
Alec shinnied down the drainpipe and kept to the shadows until he was in reach of the large gate.
The lock on the chain that secured the gate was too large for any of the picks he’d brought with him, but the wooden crossbars were thick enough to give him a toehold. He quickly climbed over it and headed for the Stag and Otter.
He was halfway up the secret stair when the door opened and he saw Seregil standing there with a lamp.
“Bilairy’s Balls, Alec, where have you been?” he demanded as he stepped aside to let Alec into the box room. “I went to Reltheus’s house but there was no sign of you. I was beginning to think you’d been taken up.”
“Sorry.” Alec gave him a quick kiss, then took off his head cloth and pulled the night’s implements from his braid. “I had a bit of luck following him to Marquis Kyrin’s house.”
“Kyrin? He’s Korathan’s secretary-” Seregil paused and gave him a pained look. “You’ve been in the sewers.”
“I left my shoes outside. I didn’t think I’d been down there long enough to pick up the smell.”
Seregil followed him into the bedroom and sat on the bed while Alec washed himself from head to toe with tepid water in the basin and told him of the night’s events, making light of his near capture by the bluecoats. Seregil let it pass, but Alec had the distinct impression that his lover had been more worried than he let on.
“From the sound of things, they are ill-wishing both Klia and Phoria,” said Seregil, frowning.
He grew more serious when Alec got to the mention of the potential spy, Danos, and the contents of the box from behind the tapestry and the cabinet. Seregil had him write down all he could remember of the list of names.
Alec tapped his chin with the goose-feather quill, picturing the list in his mind, then began to write.
Princess Klia
Duke Malthus
Duchess Nerian
Marquis Areus
Lord Thero
Lord Seregil the Aurenfaie
Lord Alec of Ivywell
Marquise Yrin
Prince Korathan?
“Good,” said Seregil. “And the scroll?”
“The scroll was just a love poem.”
“Didn’t it strike you as strange that Kyrin would be showing his friends a love poem in the midst of that other conversation?”
“Uh-not at the time.”
Seregil sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “That may have been the most important thing there. If only you’d held it up to a lamp.”
Alec smacked his forehead. “Bilairy’s Balls! It didn’t even occur to me.” Some hidden messages were done in pinpricks over the letters of a seemingly innocent document. All one
had to do was hold it in front of the light and copy down the letters to reveal the message.
Seregil made a noncommittal noise as he turned his attention to the list. “Korathan. Our friend Duke Malthus, one of the queen’s exchequers. Marquis Areus, Duchess Nerian. Thero. Us. What do all of these have in common?”
“Except for us and Thero, they’re all high-ranking nobles.” Alec frowned down at the list. “And at least some of them are friends of Klia.”
“Very good. But you missed one important correlation. With the exception of us and Thero, they all hold high positions in the Palace. You had a good start on the night’s work.”
“We’re going back?” Alec reached for a clean pair of breeches.
“Yes, but not until the household settles down.” Seregil grinned and snatched the breeches away. “In the meantime, I think you deserve a reward to pass the time.”
Alec let Seregil pull him down onto the bed. “Don’t I still stink?”
Seregil nuzzled Alec’s neck and one armpit, sending a dizzying tingle down that entire side of his body, then rumbled “Not in a bad way” against one bare nipple.
Alec gasped at the sensation. Ruetha tried to butt in between them, but Seregil nudged the cat aside and pressed Alec back on the bed, pulling the tie from the end of the disheveled braid and combing Alec’s long hair out over his shoulder.
Alec shivered at the light tickle of fingertips over his scalp, but still had the presence of mind to ask, “Shouldn’t we tell Thero?”
Seregil slid his hand in slow, determined circles down Alec’s flat belly. “At this hour? Hardly civilized. And there may be more to tell after our second visit.”
Alec groaned softly and arched his back, surrendering-mostly. “At least we know that there’s-some-there’s some-connection. Thero-”
Seregil leaned in very close, warm breath tickling Alec’s ear, and whispered, “We’ll see him tomorrow, tali.”
Alec was surprised to feel a flash of need and worry cut
through his own haze of arousal along the invisible connection of their talimenios bond. Only then did it occur to him that this was the first time he’d done a job on his own since they’d returned to the city. He caught Seregil’s roaming hand. “You do know I can take care of myself?”
Seregil regarded him seriously. “Would you have been worried about me if I’d disappeared for hours on a job?”
“You used to do that all the time! You still do.”
“And you worry.”
Alec sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed. “And you do what you need to and come home safe.”
Seregil was quiet for a moment, then Alec felt the mattress shift as Seregil knelt behind him and put his arms around Alec’s shoulders. “I know. I’m not questioning your skills, Alec. I swear to you that’s the truth and you know I don’t lie to you. But after what happened to you in Plenimar?” His arms tightened. “I suppose I’m still trying to get over that. If you…”
Alec covered Seregil’s hands with his own. “Are we going to quit the nightrunning business, then?”
Seregil laughed softly. “No. Just… Give me time.”
“I’ll try. But sometimes I wonder if maybe I have more faith in your skills than you do in mine, even after all this time.”
“Oh, Alec! I know that you can take care of yourself. I do, really. Now…” Seregil gently cradled the back of Alec’s head and kissed him. “Are we going to make love or have a fight? Personally, I don’t want to fight.”
Alec’s lips quirked in a half smile as he turned in Seregil’s arms and kissed him back. “Then that only leaves one other choice.”