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broke off the words. "You're right. They just shot at you and ran?"
    "Something like that."
        "I knew things were bad here, but..." Hagen shook his head. "You were right about the food. There was enough vicin in your meal to kill an entire company. I'm not surprised that you are regarded as an enemy, but I was surprised that Guillam knew you were here and moved so quickly."
    "You didn't tell anyone when you left to fetch me?"
        "No one. I did say that I was going out on the Seafox to test the new condensers."
    "Did you talk to the girl who brought the tray?"
        "I couldn't." Hagen's face clouded. "The guards found her body in the outer garden. She was garrotted. The cooks thought the tray was for the armsmaster of the Great House, but he spent the night outside Valmurl, with his brother. They swear that no one had touched it when they gave it to her to deliver."
    A dead serving girl and two attempts on his life-scarcely a promising
     
    beginning to his first day in Lord Ghrant's Great House. "Does the name Fostak mean anything to you?"
    "Where did you hear that?" Hagen's eyebrows furrowed.
        "I overheard it in a conversation, from a young man named Zerlin. I had the feeling I wasn't supposed to hear it."
        "Fostak is the private secretary of Lord Joharak. Joharak is the Hamor-ian envoy to Austra. There have been rumors that Fostak is a duelist, as well as the one who funneled golds to Ilteron to encourage him to take up arms against Ghrant."
    "He is still in Valmurl?"
        "Of course. Would you wish to upset the Emperor of Hamor, with all his iron-hulled warships? Without a shred of proof?" Hagen's tone was gently ironic.
       There hadn't been any real proof against Kharl when he'd been unjustly accused of murdering Jenevra, but that hadn't stopped Egen and Lord West. But then, Kharl reminded himself, there were different standards when rulers and power were involved.
        "The other reason I wanted to talk to you was to brief you on what will happen shortly. As we discussed earlier, Lord Ghrant will be seeing Chief Factor Guillam in a formal audience. That means that no one else can speak unless addressed first by Lord Ghrant. Even if he looks at you, that does not give you permission to speak. He may ask you if you have any questions for Guillam. That means that he expects you to have a question or two, three at the most. When you speak to Guillam, or offer more than a word or two, you step forward slightly. If Lord Ghrant wishes you to continue with questions, he will let you know by saying something like, 'Please continue, ser Kharl.' You should ask several more questions, then look at Lord Ghrant and either suggest that you have a few more questions or say that you have nothing further to ask the chief factor. Oh, and during an audience, Lord Ghrant is addressed as 'your lordship.'"
    Kharl nodded. "Do you know what Lord Ghrant wants to know?"
       Hagen laughed. "He wants proof that Guillam was a traitor and will be loyal."
    "And if he will not be loyal?"
    'Some way to show Guillam's treachery to all present." "He does not wish much."
    Rulers never do. Neither do lords-chancellor." Hagen stood and
     
    straightened the gold-trimmed, black velvet jacket. "We should go. Lord Ghrant expects us to be in the audience chamber a quarter glass before he appears."
        Rather than take the front door, Hagen stepped to the rear door, opening it. Kharl followed the lord-chancellor down the narrow, oak-paneled corridor.
        "This is a private entrance to the audience chamber. When we reach the dais, you stand to my left and about a half pace back, if you would."
    "I can do that."
        At the end of the short passageway was an armsman, wearing the yellow and black of Ghrant's personal guard.
    "Lord-chancellor . .. how should I announce .. . ?"
    "The lord-chancellor and ser Kharl of Cantyl."
        "Ser mage." The guard inclined his head, then turned and opened the door, stepping into