"Aye, that I can. Been watching over Prince Martris since he was a lad. No reason to stop looking out for him now, though kings don't usually need help from the likes of me."
Carroway kissed one of Bian's gnarled hands. "You've mothered both Tris and me for as long as I can remember. Don't stop now. I think our king is going to need all the friends he has to keep Margolan together."
"By the Childe, you may be right. But take my advice. Don't be trustin' everyone in the palace. There's some that take their pay from elsewhere."
"What do you mean?" Helki asked. Bian shook her head.
"That's all I can say about that. Now I've got meat pies to bake for supper." She grinned. "I make them better when I've got music to bake by."
Carroway laughed. "All right, you've made your point. We need to get down to business. Thank you, Bian."
"Mind what I've told you, but don't say I said so." Bian bustled toward the kitchen.
"What do you think she meant by that last comment, about 'taking their pay from elsewhere?'"
Macaria gave Carroway a good-natured swat on the arm. "Spies, m'friend. Every palace has 'em, like rats."
"I thought we'd already figured out who the spies were," Helki said, setting up his music. "We know Lord Dravan reports back to the King Bricen's brother-in-law, King Harrol in Dhasson. And by the time we figure out who the Nargi spies are, they turn up dead-guess they don't bring back enough good information."
"Lady Casset is from King Staden's family in Principality," Carroway mused. "She's always been the conduit for information there. And Count Suphie has so many business dealings with Eastmark that he might as well be their court herald."
"And we figured Dame Nuray and her coterie as the ears for Trevath ages ago," Helki said. "Anyone who wants to feed Trevath information goes straight to her."
"So who's left?" Macaria wondered aloud.
Carroway tipped back in his chair against the fireplace. "Curane, for one," he said. "He's got to have someone feeding him information. It could be Guarov."
"And Isencroft," Helki said. "There's got to be an Isencroft spy somewhere."
Macaria raised an eyebrow. "Do they need one? I mean, after the wedding, King Donelan will be father-in-law to King Martris."
Helki jabbed her in the shoulder. "King or no king, did you ever see a mother who didn't set spies on her daughter?"
"Kiara's mother's been dead for years," Car-roway mused. "But every kingdom has spies. Just part of doing business."
"Maybe Jared eliminated Isencroft's spy and Donelan hasn't put someone else back in."