"My sources tell me that so far, there has been a single breach of the Acrise walls," said Liore, standing at ease in front of Kommora's desk. Kommora tapped her chin, frowning.

"And what kind of breach was it?"

"Kristen Harred's anti-climbing runes were overrun. It appears the Hannans beyond the wall have a means against that magic."

"That would be impossible. Unless..." Unless the Hannans had a counter-magic measure. But it would need to be strong enough to overpower Harred's runes, and they were designed specifically for the new border, although Harred died before Acrise was reclaimed.

Kristen Harred had designed the border magic in her role as the strongest rune mage and a king's mage until the day she died. For the fifteen years she had held the post, her runes had been impenetrable. Nobody could even compromise their effects momentarily.

Judging by the silencing of Loren Rummage when she'd poked around in Finberry and the until-now impossible breach of Acrise with magic, this must mean Kristen Harred was involved. Or at least, her magic was. Which would be impossible, as Kommora had seen the dead body for herself at the funeral six years ago. However, Madeleine Harred's existence was also impossible, and yet there she was within that necklace on Seiren Nithercott, according to Rummage, immortal, invulnerable to disease and ageing, all as a result of Kristen Harred's own creation.

It was just as well Kommora had contingency plans.

Also judging by how Seiren Nithercott had gotten herself into an endless amount of trouble since she'd gotten her graduation certificate and had somehow remained relatively unscathed, Kommora's intuition couldn't help but feel there was more than just a guardian angel or dumb luck hovering over that girl.

"And you put in that rune outside their meeting area as I instructed?"

"Of course, Mage Haigh. We stopped as of today like you asked."

"Hmm. Yes. And it'll be around now the tracks freeze over in Acrise and that place becomes ice-locked..."

"Yes. So unfortunately my contact won't be able to supply me with more information until Acrise thaws."

Halen Ashworth had disappeared after the explosion in the Council of Mages that night. The security might be heightened, but the rune perimeters were still under Kommora's care, unfortunately for the king's mages. And Kommora had other plans of her own. If those people were as smart as she expected them to be -- and seeing how they'd managed to extract one of their own right from the king's mages' clutches, she was probably not wrong -- then the wind would soon blow in her favour. Butterworth would get his comeuppance. The king's mages did not suspect her yet of any meddling, and she intended to keep it that way. With their attentions now drawn over to the rebel mages, it was time for her to make her move.

"Can you look into the rune production accounts for me, Liore?" Kommora said at last. "It shouldn't be a problem to look at the registered inlet and outlet in the production line. Compare it with the productivity of the major cities they supplied -- see if there's been a fall in the past few months. Then trail the missing runes -- I have a suspicion you'll find someone in Keycol."

"Of course." As always, Liore asked no further questions than what she was instructed, and left without a word. Kommora already suspected what Liore would find: that the rune productions have remained the same, although the amount received would have fallen a barely noticeable amount spread across the cities. The port north of Keycol remained the only opening into Hanna, although like the treacherous mountains between the two countries, the rocky seas between the port and Hanna meant it was bordering on foolish to attempt to cross. Nevertheless, it made it the ideal route to smuggle across the border.

Acrise would fall, and soon, and it was obvious the king's mages had no plans to support their own country before her demise.

There was another knock on her door. Kommora had sensed him approaching about ten minutes ago. He came alone. The door opened, revealing a tall, broad-shouldered man with closely-shorn black hair and blue-green eyes. He appeared almost uncomfortable in a simple shirt and loose-fitting trousers instead of his usual military uniform.

"Good to see you, Bolliver."

"My father sends his regards, Mage Haigh," said Bolliver Woodbead in a slow, deep voice.

"Thank you. It turns out your father's suspicions about the king's mages were correct."

"They often are."

"They have connections with the Hannan prince, Fautos. Acrise will fall with the aid of runes that overpower Kristen Harred's -- runes I suspect created by the king's mages themselves and supplied to the Hannans behind everyone's backs."

His eyes narrowed. "Then this will mean they have already successfully disposed of King Pollin."

"Their actions certainly seem to suggest that, but King Pollin has been seen recently. There's certainly nothing to suggest his life has been compromised. But he would not want to lose his kingdom so willingly -- something is amiss."

"My father advises to exercise care. It was around now, when he started to become suspicious of the king's mages' true intentions, that his subordinates' missions began to fail and his own soldiers refused to obey."

"I have no leverage pieces, Bolliver. You and Edgard need not worry. The king's mages have taken away the most significant weakness in my arsenal." Kommora's voice hardened. "I only have one aim and that is to take those bastards down."

Bolliver allowed the barest hint of a smile. "Father hoped you might say that. Perhaps you may succeed where he could not, after all. He has kept a close eye on the events in Benover in the past few months. The king's mages have endeavoured to keep mum the threat of war and the attacks on the state mages."

"Yes. What are his thoughts on them?"

"He wanted to know if you think a surrender to Hanna is what the king's mages wanted."

She pressed her lips tightly together. The king's mages only had two options, with Fautos Tophalis ascending the throne so imminently. Fautos wanted Karma. The king's mages could either raise an army and topple him before he could recover from annihilating his rivalling siblings or cooperate with Hanna -- and the burst, flash, and rune magics Karma had would appeal to the violent soon-to-be-king.

"Ultimately, I believe they aim to support Hanna. King Mephis is dead and soon Prince Fautos will challenge for the throne. You and I both know the king's mages are not a group united by a common goal. They are too chaotic in their own minds. I believe there's a unifying factor between the four of them, and that factor's ultimate aim is for Hanna to succeed in taking over Karma."

"A unifying factor, huh."

"Loren Rummage was killed for investigating in Finberry. The tracing records showed inconsistencies in the whereabouts of several important mages around the time of Kristen Harred's death. Loren Rummage died by organic magic, and there are only two mages with strong enough flash and rune affiliations to pull this off -- and one is meant to be dead. Both are, or were, king's mages."

"It will not be the first time king's mages sacrifice lives without hesitation to cover a greater secret."

"It does make me wonder if they had any secrets that required the same sacrifice when Kristen Harred was meant to have died six years ago."

"You are also sceptical of her death, then?" Bolliver's face remained impassive throughout the conversation. Kommora's lip twitched.

"I see Edgard Woodbead got to that conclusion before me. That's right. I do not believe Kristen Harred died -- entirely, at least -- and there was never a Hannan attack. There are ways to remain alive in inanimate objects even though it defies the laws of magic -- I have seen it with my own eyes. It's a possibility this happened to her."

"If Kristen Harred's soul is truly on the side of the king's mages, then this will end badly for all of us," said Bolliver gravely.

"Kristen Harred's private research was confiscated from the scene of her death. I can only suspect the papers now lie in the hands of the king's mages. If that were the case, I would not be surprised if they hold her soul in their hands -- and along with it, her magic. And--" Kommora grimaced. "--whoever held that soul and therefore had direct access to Harred's mind, are also the leader of the king's mages. They are the one intent on seeing Karma fall."

"No names currently, then?"

"Not Bonneville, Jarsdel, Gruger or Butterworth, at any rate. Their own agendas are quite easy to see."

"But their weaknesses? If you do not know them, you cannot defeat them, especially if you don't know who their leader is."

"Butterworth's arrogance will be his own demise; that much I'm sure of. He is wary of me, but he will underestimate all his other opponents. Bonneville's quite proficient with organic magic and a dangerous opponent. I have yet to understand why she remained with the king's mages -- I believe she joined out of admiration for Kristen Harred, but they only spent two months together before Harred died. Jarsdel had been vocal about his disdain for Karmans. It came as no surprise to me he is a Hannan sympathiser. Gruger's recruitment I never understood, though. I assumed she was a replacement for Harred after she died as the circle lacked a specialist rune mage, as Bonneville was a mix of flash and rune, but Gruger herself is a mixed burst and rune mage."

"Rinoa Gruger's ascension up the king's mage ladder was via assassination of anyone who opposed her recommendations."

Kommora's face darkened. She'd always wondered if the quietest of the king's mages held the darkest secrets.

"She was recommended through and through by Zor Jarsdel, but every time someone from the military objected to her bloody history, as they felt trusting her was a liability, they would be sent on a dangerous mission and killed in action. Father's accounts noted at least ten notable military persons dead until Gruger became a king's mage."

"Gruger's weakness might be Jarsdel, then, if she relied upon him so much."

"Either that, or Jarsdel is a puppet of Gruger's. She is one not to be underestimated."

"If the time comes where the king's mages demand the loyalty of the current state mages, I suspect many will not dare to disobey King Pollin or face the wrath of his mages, especially the likes of Domic Butterworth. That's where I hope I can trust you and your father. The king controls the military in power, but not in mind. When the soldiers come to realise the true intention of the king, I have no doubt they will become disillusioned."

"My father still has very tight connections with the military even from Cliffe. Rest assured, you will be well-supported when the time comes."

Kommora nodded. "Good."

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