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intrigues. Some things, though, made sense—of course he'd secreted her someplace other than the castle. He'd lose a lot of support if it became known he'd tortured Tisala—a woman of high birth. "Correct me if I'm wrong," said Tisala thoughtfully. "But Jakoven's murdered several of the queen's other lovers. And he was trying to kill Beckram and got Beckram's twin instead four years ago. It would be easier for Jakoven to have Beckram killed than to pin
    a charge of treason on him."
    I shrugged and sat on the foot of the bed, leaning against one of the elegantly carved posts. "You're right.
    But when the king killed Erdrick, I don't think he realized just how much power the name Hurog still holds on the heart of Shavig. Politically, it is smarter to have Beckram proved a traitor and executed than
    to have someone kill him. Besides, then the punishment would fit the crime. My uncle forced the king to
    back down for Beckram's sake—a charge of treason would humiliate Beckram equally." I slouched a little, sliding down the bed, and Tisala casually pulled away from me.
    "Though Jakoven failed with you, you are hardly the only person the king could torture a confession out
    of. I need to get word to him. Do you know if Beckram is in Estian now?" I asked. I didn't keep an eye on my cousin's travels. Iftahar was much nearer to Estian than Hurog was, and Beckram went to Estian on a monthly basis.
    "No," she whispered. "I don't know. Do you think Jakoven took others to make them accuse Beckram?"
    I had been thinking about it from the angle of containing the threat toward my cousin, but, prompted by her question, I realized that anyone Jakoven had taken was likely to have been at least an acquaintance and probably a friend of Tisala's.
    I sat forward and Tisala jerked back from me. When she realized what she had done, she flushed with embarrassment—but she didn't relax.
    I'd fought side by side with Tisala. The thought of what it would take to make her flinch from anyone made me want to hit something. I wanted to say something to comfort her—but the closed look on her face told me she wouldn't talk about it.
    "Do you think Jakoven has taken someone else?" she asked again.
    "That depends upon what he really wants," I said finally. "If he's really trying to break Alizon's support, he'll go after the lower born first. Build up cases against the nobles from the confessions he gets from the
    Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html ones he can attack with impunity."
    "What do you mean 'if?" she asked.
    "I told you," I said. "On the run the way he is, Alizon's no threat to the king now. He has no access to his
    wealth or lands—both of which have been padding the king's purse nicely. Alizon might have had a chance four years ago, if Kariarn had been a little more successful in his attempt to take over Oranstone—and if Alizon weren't illegitimate. When Alizon's caught, Jakoven will make a fool of him and
    confine him somewhere convenient—like the asylum next to the king's younger brother, Kellen—
    where
    Alizon will die from choking on his dinner some night after everyone has forgotten about him. Jakoven's
    too smart to make a martyr out of his half brother either by a long trial or by killing him."
    "So what do you think King Jakoven is doing?" asked Tisala after a moment. I thought she sounded bleak—had she really thought Alizon had a chance of oversetting his brother?
    "I think Jakoven's moving against my cousin," I said. "Though he's taken quite a risk in doing it."
    "What do you mean?" Tisala wasn't sitting up quite so straight anymore, and her face had gone from pale
    to gray. She tried to lean back against the headboard of the bed, but desisted as soon as her raw back touched the wood. I could have moved away and allowed her to lie back comfortably, but I didn't want her to feel as though I was making allowances for her fear. I hadn't done anything to her—she just had to
    force