After leaving Leo, I went straight up to my room to get changed into something fancier for the poker session. When I arrived, I was surprised to find that Clara was already in there, standing at my bedside.

She was obviously surprised, too, for she jumped and shoved something into her apron. Then she placed a new book on my bedside table and left quickly, refusing to meet my eyes. She shut the door behind her.

I frowned. What had that been about? Perhaps she suspected that I hadn't burned her note and she'd been looking for it. As for what she'd just taken...well, the book I'd been reading the previous night had gone.

I went to my trunk and searched through the variety of clothes at my disposal, eventually settling on a short dress of black lace with long, flared sleeves, matching stockings, and my boots. It was smart and pretty, but not too fancy. I hoped that it would make me fit in.

Kaon's room was the first in the guest hallway, made obvious by the four members of the Royal Guard gathered outside it. I knocked on the door.

Kaon opened it and scowled. "Mura warned me that she'd invited you. When you didn't show up for a while, I was pleased that you weren't coming. We were just about to start."

"Let her in, Kaon!" Emiko called.

Kaon stepped back, giving me an inch of space to walk past her. "I will slaughter you."

I hoped she was talking about the poker game.

I entered a room that was identical to my own down to the finest detail. Mura, Jin, and Emiko were sitting in a tight circle on the floor. Kaon sat down between Mura and Jin, and to my amazement, she put her hand on Jin's thigh. Right. That was one mystery solved.

Mura shuffled up, so that I had to sit between her and Emiko. She and Emiko greeted me, while Jin brooded and Kaon dealt our cards. An atmosphere of serious competition fell over us.

Once we all had five cards and our poker chips, the game began. We went around clockwise starting with Mura, deciding whether we would bet or not. Mura did not, but Jin did. Emiko matched the bet. I matched the bet. Kaon raised it. And so on we went.

I found it easy to spot the tells of Mura and Emiko after training with them. Mura sometimes fiddled with her cards, which I quickly realised meant they were strong. Emiko blinked a lot when she thought her hand was weak. It took me longer to see Kaon's, but eventually I realised that she flared her nostrils when she thought her own hand was weak. Jin, however, didn't seem to have any tells.

Despite the fact that he and Emiko had not been indulging in the same amount of practise as Kaon and Mura, he won the first game. Both Kaon and Emiko demanded a rematch. Kaon looked furious as we played, and Emiko's face was taut with determination. Mura caught my eye and winked, laughing at them. She offered me a hip flask, which I sniffed the contents of before declining, though all I had been able to detect was wine -- presumably the remains of what she'd stolen before Leo had given her a warning. Or so I hoped.

Kaon won the second game, and Emiko persuaded us that we had time for one more. It was getting late, but we all agreed. Her preference for an early night seemed to be out-shined by her desperation to beat us all. I hadn't realised she had a flair for poker.

But when those of us who had not folded showed our hands, I found that the winner was me -- I had a royal flush.

Kaon growled and swept all the cards and poker chips together in an angry pile.

Emiko sighed in defeat. "Congratulations, Captain Grace."

Jin, who had been silent for the entirety of my visit, got up and left. Mura and Emiko exchanged a glance, then shrugged.

"I was so certain I would win that one," Emiko said. "By the way, did you look for tells?"

"Of course," I said. "I may have only started using them in combat today, but I've been using them in poker for a long time. I was taught by one of the best in Macarath...although I've never played against anyone aside from him before."

Kaon stood up. "We must have provided you with a lovely new experience, then. Goodbye, now, Captain Grace." She put her hands near my back and herded me towards the door.

"Kaon!" Mura exclaimed. "Wait!"

But her cry only seemed to make Kaon angrier. "I can't believe you two have cosied up to this Nohrian! First Emiko invites her everywhere, and then Mura cuddles up to her! Get out, all of you."

I heard Mura and Emiko rising behind me. Kaon gestured at the door impatiently, so I opened it.

Leo was standing outside, among the ninjas' Royal Guards. His eyes were dark and furious.

I stepped out, my heart racing. "Leo? What are you doing here?"

"Making sure you're safe," he growled, "as you chose to ignore me."

"You've been standing here for the entire game?"

"Yes. And from what I heard, your visit was a complete waste of time." He turned away. "I'll walk you to your room."

He stalked up the corridor, and I hastened to fall into step with him. "I don't understand. You're the Crown Prince of Nohr. Why didn't you just come in and make me leave?"

"I thought you wouldn't be best pleased if I did, and for the sake of the investigation, we need to get along."

I smiled. "What, that's it? You don't also want us to get along because we're friends now?"

He blushed. "Fine, yes."

We came to my door and stopped beside it. He looked away, and I watched him with a funny feeling. It had been a long time since anyone had cared for my wellbeing as much as Leo did. Even Rory had been less protective.

I stepped forwards and flung my arms around Leo's tense frame before I could change my mind. The hug was so brief that he didn't get the opportunity to return it. I didn't want him to. I didn't want to know if he would.

When I stepped back, his blush had spread down his neck. He raised his eyes to mine, and we watched each other awkwardly for a moment.

"Goodnight, Leo. Thank you for keeping me safe." I stepped inside my room and turned around.

"Grace, wait!" He put his hand out, jamming the door. "I didn't tell you -- you look nice in that dress."

Then he took himself off as if the murderer was chasing him.

I stood alone for a moment, certain that I was blushing all over. Gulping, I shut the door and quickly undressed. From Leo's behaviour to my time spent with the ninjas, this day had given me a lot to think about. I was exhausted, and despite my persistent nightmares, I wanted to do nothing more than sleep.

I left Clara's book untouched and lay down in bed. With Leo's concern playing on my mind, I slipped my hand under my pillow to touch my dagger.

My fingers slid across the mattress and felt nothing else.

I shot upright and lifted my pillow, my heart racing again.

The dagger had gone.

I got up and went to my door, but no one was conveniently making off down the hallway at that moment with my weapon. So I picked up my other dagger and made a thorough search of the room for intruders waiting to murder me. None could be found.

Eventually, I got back into bed, feeling sick with unease. Why would someone come into my room to take my dagger? Had it been the killer, looking for a different murder weapon? And when had it been? I hadn't looked under my pillow since the morning. The dagger could have been stolen at any time during the day.

Yet...what about Clara's guilty behaviour when I'd walked in this evening? Perhaps she had been taking my dagger. Or perhaps she had simply been taking back the book she had lent me the previous night.

More confused than ever, I put my other dagger under the pillow and lay down to sleep. The gods were gracious, and for once, I had no dreams.

But I must have only been resting for an hour when a knock came on my door.

I sat up slowly, rubbing my eyes. "Who is it?"

"Leo. I have bad news."

I threw off my blankets and grabbed my leather coat, pulling it over my chemise. Then I ran to the door and opened it.

Leo was fully-dressed in a clean set of clothes, ready to begin his day. Either the circles under his eyes had darkened further, or he'd lost all the blood in his face. Maybe both.

My heart sank. "What is it?"

"Silas was guarding Kass tonight. He's been poisoned."