Henric Aldrimar held up a small cryptex between his fingers for his guests to see. It was large enough to fit a small scroll, but small enough to strap to a post’s leg, and it was capped with a seal of the Shield and Hammer of Sestil.


    “I found this on the assassin’s corpse,” said Henric, watching the face of Count Philip and the King’s Eye. “In a pocket of one of its robes. Take a look at what’s inside.”


    Henric placed the thing into Count Philip’s hand. Henric had already read the message enough times to know it rote, and seen King Gundemaro’s signature at its bottom. Loosely translated, it read,


    House Aldrimar cannot be allowed to one day rise up and challenge the king like they did his late cousins. If the father can die, so can the son. The stars agree that his death means end of that troublesome brood. The rest of the Erazi will know that what happened to Aldrimar can happen to them. Do what must be done.


    In the name of Gundemaro, King of Sestil and Erazel in the fifth year of his reign.


    Philip handed the message to the King’s Eye.


    “What did you know of this?” Henric asked. Standing behind him, Zak adjusted his belt and rattled his sword in its sheath, just in case neither of them had caught his meaning.


    The King’s Eye looked up at Henric with appal. “I knew nothing!” he said. “It is clear that this came from the central ministry. You know very well I send messages in, but I never hear back from the central ministry, young lord.”


    “That’s true,” Henric conceded. He had checked with the postmaster himself to confirm it. “However the question was more for my cousin Philip. You spent time in the king’s court this winter, perhaps you heard some rumblings of this?”


    “N.. No!” Philip stuttered. He had taken the message back from the Eye. “If the father can die, so can the son... They mean Gareth. You think I had something to do with it?”


    “For the love you bore my father, why have you not supported my succession?” Henric asked.


    “Because you are a child. With Arnult gone all of you now are untested children, and we need a strong Duke now more than ever. But conspire with the king to murder my cousin and his son?”


    “It has happened before in our family’s history,” Henric said. “When Canron betrayed his uncle, your grandfather the second Henric, to the king?”


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    “How could I forget? I would never do such a thing.”


    “It’s alright,” Henric said. “I believe you Philip. But I think you’ll agree I’ve been tested enough.” Henric shot him a knowing look. “Will you support me?”


    Philip nodded. Henric turned to the Eye.


    “I want you to write your ministry and tell them what this message said. Tell them what I know.”


    ***


    “I don’t understand,” said Niles. “That monster was a dead assassin sent by the king to kill you and your father? And you and your family have fought dead things for generations?”


    Henric laughed. “Almost. The assassin wasn’t dead when the king sent him.”


    “Oh,” Niles said. “That makes sense. So the while rising from the dead thing?”


    “He was Unmarked,” said the woman to by Niles’ side. Kerra shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Beautiful as she was in that dress, and for the dress Uya truly deserved compliment, she looked even more out of place for it.


    “I do apologize for Uya, miss Kerra,” Henric said. “I hope we haven’t offended you. We simply did not want to show you a discourtesy.”


    “No offense was taken my lord,” she said curtly. But it did nothing to change how exposed she felt.


    “Still,” Henric continued. “I would like to thank you. I was lucky that it was you that found me, and chose to build a fire instead taking me as hostage, or worse. I owe you my life, both of you.”


    “What did you mean about Unmarked?” Niles asked.


    Henric nodded. “Yes, I was wondering about that as well.”


    Kerra looked back and forth between them and sighed. “You really don’t know do you? The reason we all wear these marks?”


    They shook their heads. Kerra huffed.


    “Your priests should be ashamed of themselves. The gods made the new Pact because it would prevent the dead things from preying on living souls, starving them of the energy to resist Judgement’s call. But his people aren’t known to wear a mark.”


    Henric grinned. “Good. That’s the same story my father told me when I was a boy. But I hadn’t known that of easterners. My debt to you grows.”


    “Actually,” Niles leaned in. “There is something you might be able to do for us.”


    Henric arched an eyebrow.


    “Well, you see, something was stolen from us while we were visiting the city, and we found ourselves a bit of trouble trying to get it back.”


    "I''ll see what we can do."