"It makes sense, doesn't it?" I asked, excited. "He's so high ranking that no one would ever suspect him of anything, and he has the means to help with the attempt. What did the letter say, that M would give information?"

Tannix shrugged. "Finn, it's ridiculous. He's been the director for so long now, if he'd wanted to kill the king, he could have done it sooner."

We were back home in the lower city. I paced back and forth across the small room while Tannix leaned against the wall near the door, arms crossed over his chest and eyes watching me. The three girls were there, across the room from us. Kassia was showing the two younger ones how to mend clothing, and they weren't paying attention to us. As soon as we'd walked in, I'd started talking. I couldn't hold in my suspicions any longer.

"But he isn't in charge," I pointed out. "He's just the asso..."

"Associate."

"Right, that."

"Yes," Tannix sighed. "That's what the letter said, but that doesn't mean anything. For instance, he tortured you for information." He noticed me flinch, but kept talking anyway. "Why would he torture you to get information about something he was already involved with?"

The question stumped me. I sat down in the middle of the room to think about it. When it was clear to Tannix that I wasn't going to talk, he pulled out the letter the men had given him. I watched him as he read. His eyes flickered across the page so quickly I couldn't understand how he was taking in anything. He groaned suddenly and refolded the paper.

"What is it?" I asked, distracted from my theory.

"My brother and father are coming to Zianna to watch my ceremony next week, but I was expecting my mother and sister to come as well."

"Why? What ceremony?" I asked. "And why are you disappointed?"

"The ceremony is to name me as a full member of the Order, which means that I'll no longer be in training. I was expecting my whole family to come, that's the tradition, and they should have arrived in a day or two. Now Tairia's not feeling well and my parents are delaying the trip to stay with her longer. Tandrin is still arriving on schedule, and my father will be here in time for the ceremony, but I shouldn't expect Tairia or my mother."

I tried my best to follow what he was saying. "So you're disappointed because she's sick?"

"Yes. That and the fact that I was planning on escorting Tairia to the ceremony. People will expect me to arrive with a lady. Which is nonsense, but with Tairia it would have been fun."

I laughed. "Is that allowed? Shouldn't your betrothed be accompanying you?"

"You would think so, but she isn't coming. So Tairia was my best option," he said. "And to be honest, I would prefer her over Lady Mayah."

"Why?"

"Because I don't know Lady Mayah," he replied. "And when I do finally get the chance to get to know her, I would prefer it to not be so formal."

"Oh, well, you could take Ninavi," I suggested as seriously as I could manage.

"What?" Ninavi looked over at the sound of her name. "What did you just say?"

"That I should escort you to a very important ceremony next week," Tannix told her. "You would fit in quite nicely, I believe."

Ninavi blushed and dropped her gaze. Stria and Kassia laughed at her. "I can't believe you'd suggest that, Finn!" She practically squeaked the words out. "I'm not nearly good enough to go to something like that, sir," she told Tannix. Her eyes darted at me. "But maybe you should make Finn dress up and take him."

I sent her a quick glare, and when I looked up at Tannix, I could tell he was holding back laughter. "Stop it."

He smiled crookedly. "I don't know, Finn. It seems like a perfectly good plan to me." The girls laughed louder, obviously delighted that he would join in on the joke.

"I hate Telts."

"Oh, no you don't," Tannix replied. "At least not all of us."

"No, but I do hate the director." Suddenly something occurred to me. "What if he was torturing me because he was worried that if I knew about the plot, someone else might as well? Maybe he wanted to make sure that I hadn't told anybody about him. He was just going to kill me; wouldn't it make sense that he was doing it to protect himself?"

"I don't know."

"And those men who attacked us!" I continued, as suddenly everything made sense. "The director must have hired them to look out for me in case I came back. They must have seen me that night and followed me, but they didn't expect to attack someone who could fight, so that's why you beat them."

"The director would have told them to not attack anyone else if they were after you," Tannix said. "There are so many important people on the grounds; it would be risky to just let them attack whomever they wanted."

"He's involved in a plot to kill the king. I highly doubt he cares about killing some lords who get in the way," I replied. I could tell I was getting to him.

"I was hardly in the way."

"You were between them and me," I said. "Do you know what happened to them? I mean, what happened to their bodies?"

The look of surprise that flashed across Tannix's face gave me my answer. "No, I... I was immediately caught up with trying to save you. I honestly didn't give them a second thought. I suppose the director must have dealt with them."

"Hidden them, you mean," I said. "Tannix, please, at least consider the possibility. You don't like the director any more than I do."

His gaze dropped to the floor. "I hate him because of what he did to you, but I still respect him. I have to. I don't believe he could be part of this."

"You must agree that it's possible."

"It's possible," he said. "But unlikely." He stood up straight. "I have to go back. Is there anything I should bring next time I come?"

"Yes, money and food," I said, more sharply than I should have. His response to my perfect theory was discouraging.

He crouched in front of me, startling me a little with his closeness. "I'll look into it, all right? If the director does anything even mildly suspicious, I'll make note of it. If we get more information, and if it seems valid, I'll go to the king myself."

I smiled. "And risk having to explain where you got your information?"

"I'll tell him all about you and your role in saving his life, and he'll consider you a hero and knight you, and then you'll be as rich and important as me." Tannix pressed a few coins into my hand. "Until then, you'll have to make do with this." He ran his hand up my left arm and pushed back my sleeve to look at the brand. "It healed well."

"I'm glad you know so much about brands."

"I know about burns," Tannix said. He looked at it a little longer before getting to his feet. "I'll be back as soon as possible." The girls' attention had been drawn to us as soon as the money appeared, and Tannix nodded at them. "Ladies, it was a pleasure to see you again." All three of them giggled. He met Orrun and Leker at the door. With a casual wave he stepped out of the way and gestured them into the room. He nodded at them as well, then walked away, leaving the younger boys staring after him.

The coins were warm in my hand. Thirty siyas. Next to nothing for Tannix. It was hard to imagine simply giving away thirty siyas. I closed my fingers over the coins and looked over at the boys. "How did you do?"

Leker shrugged. "Not too well."

"Speak for yourself." Orrun nudged his brother. "Leker's upset because he almost got caught stealing some fish."

"You didn't have to tell them," Leker said.

"It happens to the best of us," I said. "I got caught."

"You weren't caught stealing." Leker walked across the room to join the girls, and after a slightly puzzled glance and a shrug in my direction, Orrun followed him.

I thought about the coins in my hand. I thought about my family, sitting in a little circle, talking about stealing fish. I thought about Baisan and Castin, about Tannix, about the director.

Kassia sat beside me. For a moment, we looked at each other silently. She examined at my brand, and gently looked at my newly bandaged wrist.

"I think the director is involved." She slid her hand over my wrist, into my hand, and twined our fingers together. "I think your reasons all make perfect sense. I'm sure Lord Tandrix will believe you once he's had time to think about it. I guess I just mean..." She paused. "For what it's worth, I believe you."

"Thank you," I replied. I dropped my gaze to the coins in my hand and wondered what kind of evidence Tannix would find, if any.