Xiao slipped into Tatum's residence. He had found the old bastard asleep so he entered without trepidation. Silently, he moved to the writing desk by the bay window. He was accustomed to searching and hiding important information through working with Ning and Garrison for a short while after getting off Mount Huai. Thus, he found some documents without too much trouble in a secret compartment of the desk. Under the dim moonlight, he squinted at them. They were letters addressed to Tatum and a half written reply. Grinning, he left the place, wishing he could have killed Tatum.

Cole was waiting outside, keeping watch. Seeing him coming out, he nodded once and started running back. Xiao smirked. Before they came, they had an argument about who would keep watch. Cole had been adamant about going in, but Xiao had argued that he knew more about searching for swag and the like. Currently, Cole was evidently avoiding the words "I told you so" accompanied with a provoking smirk. Granting him the decency of being teased in their own room, Xiao followed behind, silent.

They went straight to George, who had not slept to wait for their return. When he saw them walk in, a triumphant grin on Xiao's face and a mixture of happiness and embarrassment, he knew everything was well. He stood up to greet them. 

"Please look through all this, Prefect Michaels," Xiao said, handing what he found over with a pretentious politeness likened to those sycophants.

George smiled, amused, and took the documents and spread them out onto the desk. Xiao and Cole gathered around George's desk and read. 

"Dear Sir Tatum, I hope this finds you well. We got the forest fires and storms under control in the south and we trained another herd of Humas. The King is happy about the news on the maidens and Lady Davidson's recovery, though he isn't too happy about the recent developments. He hopes you could get rid of some diligent officials in the court." The sign off was Ras Green, chancellor of Liestus, the Kingdom of Ravens.

The reply to the letter was as follows. "Dear Chancellor Green, I am ecstatic the news of the Humas. With any luck, we could overtake Xenon in a few years. I have sent provisions to Priest Thomas, so he could work in his new space. As for the officials, we have recently captured a monk who had killed one of our own a few months back. An official called Huiyong Guo was nearly killed for trying to speak up for the monk. I will get him and several others out of the picture soon. The King is enjoying his time here - "

It wasn't finished but the general idea was there. The three looked at each other, eyes wide. The letters confirmed that there were spies in Xenon and that the concubine was a Raven too.

"There must be something similar in the concubine's room," Cole said. "Let's go check it out."

Xiao nodded and was going to get up, but George stopped them. "Wait. Let's not alarm them yet," he said. "We need to secure a trial first. Then all investigation can go on."

Xiao grinned. "Then you have to let us go to the palace again."

Queen Josie was sleeping on the bed that was covered with the softest materials, her face tilted to the side, mouth slightly parted. The moonlight fell across the bed illuminating the room. Even in her slumber she looked so graceful and elegant. Xiao almost felt bad.

He came up to her and pressed the cold blade of his dagger to her neck. The cold steel glistened in the moonlight. 

"Queen Josie," Xiao called. "Queen Josie."

Her eyes opened and it grew round with fear as she saw a man in black standing over her. Her mouth opened but Xiao's hand was fast. He covered her mouth just as he had done to Weiyu. "Don't make a sound Queen Josie, I don't want to make any trouble. Nor do I want to harm you in anyway if it can be helped."

The queen nodded shakily. "I will remove my hand and the dagger," he said. "But if you do call in anyone, the dagger will go in white and come out red."

The queen nodded again. Seeing that, Xiao moved away and kowtowed. "I'm sorry, my queen, for alarming you so. I could only think of this way to talk to you. Please forgive me."

The queen sat up. "Who are you?"

Xiao sat back on his heels and smiled, ignoring the question. "My queen, what concerns us tonight is the incarceration of Grandmaster Maguire. He was evilly framed and wrongfully charged. You must know this. You must also know that the concubine was the culprit and she has been the culprit of many things. You know she and Tatum has been ruining the kingdom, putting corrupt officials in charge. You want to get rid of them more than I or anyone else does, I'm sure." He paused and looked at the Queen seriously, trying to discern her viewpoint. 

Queen Josie sighed. "I don't have enough power to get rid of her," she said.

"But you can get rid of her," Xiao said quickly. "We have found evidence of Tatum's association with the Raven chancellor. If you could put in a word with the king, we could bring so many things to light and justice. Queen Josie, please."

The queen looked at him with wide eyes. "You have found?"

"My queen, you just have to get the trial to happen, and with fair and just officials as judges, George Michaels, Huiyong Guo, and others you know to be good. Leave the rest to me." The queen seemed doubtful so Xiao pressed on. "Do you like Amanda Davidson, my queen? Surely you know that she and Tatum and her father are pests. They could be plotting against you at this very moment. My queen, getting rid of them would be good for you and the civilians."

She nodded. "I will talk to King Joseph. The grandmaster is wronged, I know. If only for that I will do it."

Xiao smiled. He kowtowed once more and left. When he told George what he did later, George was appalled. Cole only laughed and rejoiced. 

The next morning, Weiyu paid another visit to them. "The concubine got sick last night," she reported. "But otherwise, there isn't any new development." Xiao was starting to think that even though Weiyu showed a dislike towards him in Wyatt City, she was in need of a friendly face.

"We've got some news," Xiao told her smugly. "I got the queen to get a trial going as well as finding some evidence."

Weiyu almost jumped up. "What?"

Xiao told her what happened. Cole came out to listen halfway and greeted Weiyu with a nod. Weiyu smiled slightly at him. When Xiao was done, she looked to Xiao with an amused expression. "Was this the boss you were speaking of?"

Xiao's face flushed as he remembered what he had told Weiyu. "Him and Prefect Michaels," he said as he tried to control the red that tinged his face and neck. Cole laughed out loud and Xiao cringed, knowing this was one more thing Cole will tease him about as soon as this whole affair was over. 

Weiyu grinned at him and Xiao felt relaxed around her for the first time as that was the Weiyu he knew. But as he thought about it, he wondered whether he had changed since the last time they spoke too. It was upsetting because there was no one to ask. Jonah didn't know him quite so well after two years and Cole didn't know the real him before Bradley died. Perhaps George knew him the best yet he didn't want to ask. He wanted to speculate about it only.

"But you will need someone to testify," Weiyu said. Since she was a maid in an officer's home, she knew perfectly well how everything worked. "Let me do it."

"Maiden Weiyu," Cole instantly began but Xiao cut across him. "No! What if something happens to you, Weiyu?"

"It's the only way isn't it, Knight Fessler?" Weiyu addressed Cole.

Without looking at Xiao, Cole nodded. Weiyu raised her chin. "Xiao, let me do this. If not for the grandmaster, then for all those maidens."

Xiao wanted to argue that she wouldn't be able to defend herself, but he didn't. Because he knew that she wouldn't take it well. Sighing, he gave his consent - not that he really had any say in the matter.

"Do you know what to say, Weiyu?" Cole asked her. "How are you going to incorporate Tatum's crimes into the trial?"

Weiyu smiled. "I do know what to say, Knight Fessler."

It seemed that good news after good news were coming in. With ease, they had acquired the evidence and George came back from the King's side with the news that a trial will be held for the grandmaster tonight in a private hearing. Xiao and Cole told him about Weiyu's intention to testify against Tatum and the concubine.

"There will be four judges," George told them. "Myself, Huiyong Guo, Peter Lee, and Marot Pearson. Huiyong will be fair. General Lee will be strict on all parties as he is very righteous and has a quick temper. But Marot Pearson is very close to Tatum and the Davidsons, so he will make sure the grandmaster receives an unfair hearing. I cannot favour the grandmaster in anyway, but I can make sure the trial goes as fair as possible."

"George-ge, let me go and listen in," Cole said. "If anything happens, I can step in and say something."

"Let me go too," Xiao instantly offered. "I - "

"No!" Cole and George yelled simultaneously. For two people who were always quiet, that was shocking. Pouting, Xiao slumped against the wall.

"Cole, you can come and stand to the side with Ning and Garrison," George said. "And Xiao, you better remain inside all night. If you so much as show your pinkie in the court hearing - "

"I get it," Xiao said quickly to stem the flow of warnings and threats coming his way. "I'll be a good boy and all that."

George looked away in exasperation and Cole laughed. "Let's get ready, Cole," George said. "We have a grandmaster to save and a spy to get rid of."

When night fell, the two, along with all twenty of George's officers and Antoine, left George's temporary residence. With them gone, the residence was silent and peaceful. A slight wind blew away the lingering heat and brushed aside the clouds that had concealed the moon.

Xiao walked out into the backyard. The place almost resembled Mount Huai with its chipped red brick wall and the soft green grass beneath his feet. Having nothing to do, he drew out his sword and practiced the sequences - the Mount Huai ones, the Wen River ones he learned from watching Cole, the Sunfall Temple ones ... He was quite absorbed in the movements and the gusts of wind his sword brought about until a laugh sounded from above.

"Oh little swordsman, you are a long way off."