In the end, of course, she found that Jaquan had been moved. She came across the Chamberlain while on her way back to her room, waited until he had finished his quiet conversation with a minor noble, and asked him for the key to the study, which was being kept locked in the present circumstances. She thought he looked uneasy about granting her access, but he didn't say anything, just gave her the key. When she reached the suite she hesitated, remembering the unpleasant comments made by Lord Cassian, but then realised that once she was inside, she could lock the door and be safe.

The desk was as she had seen it before, just with no body, which was a huge relief. The room was well lit by the tall windows, uncleaned for several days, and dust motes danced in the evening sunlight. It was very quiet, the quiet of a working room, of books and studying, although it was of course deserted. She wondered briefly where Lord Cassian's remaining scribes were working now. The other desks were clear of their stacks of papers, so the scribes must have gone somewhere. The door through to his rooms was locked, she knew, but she tested it, just in case.

Around the further desk, the papers still lay across the floor, some in crumpled piles and some still pristine. The desk, also paper-covered, still bore dark stains where Jaquan's blood had not been cleaned. Alyn walked over, a little gingerly, and started gathering up the papers. She had her quill and pages from the lesson, so once she had made a big pile, she sat down - on the carpet, away from the stool Jaquan had been sitting on when he was killed - and began to write down what there was.

The pile was bigger than she had thought it would be, and some of the papers required so much description to identify them that it was dark before she was halfway through the pile. She stood up to stretch, and noticed with a shock that the view through the windows was of a garden at twilight, all subtle blue shades and dark clouds, with a star twinkling where the sky was clear. She looked at the pile, where most of the papers were still waiting for her to catalogue them, and wondered about taking them to the suite for cataloguing. But the pile was very big, and somehow it felt a bit wrong to carry important legal documents away from the scene of a murder without even asking someone. They'd be safe here, anyway. She gathered up her writing things and let herself out into the brightly-lit hallway, locking the door carefully behind her. She only relaxed when there were two corridors and one flight of stairs between her and Lord Cassian's suite.

When she got back to their suite, it was locked as usual, but nobody answered the door. Annoyed, she bent to peer through the keyhole; it was dark inside, much like Lord Cassian's study had been. Where was Lord Miervaldis? She straightened up and stared around, and from the other end of the corridor, the maid Ythilda came hurrying up.

"I'm sorry," she said hastily. "Milord went out and asked me to keep an eye out for you, but I was attending to Milady..."

"Oh - do you have the key, then?" Miervaldis had gone out? Without her?

"I do," and she produced it from some hidden pocket as if by magic.

"Thank you," said Alyn, and stood while Ythilda hurried away, feeling a bit shocked.

Inside, she lit the lamp and stared round the room. The folded piece of paper on the table caught her eye, as of course it was supposed to. She opened it. In neat, tight characters like those of a professional scribe or scholar, it said:

Alyn,

I apologise for leaving you so abruptly, but the chamberlain told me you were working on Jaquan's papers. I am going to do some further investigation, and will be back too late to dine. If you ask the kitchen staff, they will give you dinner. Please don't wait up for me. I will see you in the morning.

I.M.

She put the letter down, feeling rather abandoned. Whatever he was doing, she wanted to be in on it. But what was he doing? With a sudden shiver, she remembered the words of the dark man who had come to Miervaldis' rooms in Fourth Star Court when she had been packing his clothes. When you go with your patron, please be alert to what he may do. A report will be required in the event of anything.. untoward. Was this untoward? She didn't know. She hadn't thought about that incident since leaving Fourth Star Court, and to remember it now made her feel uneasy.

In any case, it was time and past time for food, so she put her worries and the letter aside and went out to find the kitchen, hoping there would be some food left. In the corridors there were plenty of servants rushing to and fro, carrying trays both laden and empty, which gave her hope. When she reached the kitchen it was in absolute chaos, far worse than the one in Fourth Star Court even when there was a big banquet on. Fifth Star Court was that much bigger, but it still seemed a bit excessive. She was hovering outside the side door, wondering if there would be a chance to ask for dinner, when Bensen emerged from the chaos with a large bag in his arms.

"Hey! Why aren't you with your lord?"

"He's busy and he didn't need me," Alyn replied, terse because she didn't like it herself.

"He's in town alone?"

"What?"

"I saw him," and Bensen put the bag down and leaned against the wall, as though settling in for a long talk.

"Aren't you, um, busy?" Alyn interrupted, not wanting to get him into trouble.

"No, not really. It's always like this but it's just his style. The head cook, I mean," he grinned. "They won't miss me for a bit. I saw your lord, see, on his way to town. I thought it was a bit odd, 'cause he had no escort, but I thought you might be with him and I just missed seeing you. But you're not."

Alyn didn't want to admit she hadn't known Miervaldis was heading into the town. She had assumed he was somewhere in the Court, and he hadn't said anything. It made her feel more grumpy, and, at the back of her mind, a little voice was asking her if this counted as 'untoward'. But Bensen was looking at her expectantly. She racked her brains for something to say.

"Oh, didn't you have something to tell me?" she managed after too long a pause. He raised one eyebrow at the change of subject, then nodded and grinned.

"It's about the murder, see. Look, I can't be too long. Did you come down for dinner?"

"Yes."

"I'll bring it to you, then I can talk to you. They won't mind me bringing food. I'll see you in a bit, all right?"

"Yes... thank you." She watched him toss the bag casually to one side where it slumped against a pile of similar bags and dive back into the smoky chaos, and stood for a moment thinking about Miervaldis' trip to the little township associated with Fifth Star Court. Lord Cassian had been in town the night Jaquan was murdered. Was that what her lord was investigating? That would make perfect sense; feeling relieved, if still miffed at being left out, she hurried back to their suite to wait for Bensen.