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that he might not live, and I repaired to my country house.”
    Guillam was but six cubits from Kharl, and the falsity of his reply shivered through the mage.
    “How is your son? I assume that he recovered, since we have not heard otherwise.”
    “He is on the path to recovery, your lordship.”
    “And you remained at your country house during the entire period of unpleasantness?”
    “Of course, your lordship.”
    That also was false, strongly so.
    “Some have questioned your loyalty and stated that you had favored the would-be usurper. I would not wish to make a judgment on such without hearing from you.”
    “Your lordship, I favored and supported your father. You are his rightful heir, and I have likewise supported you. I will continue to support you, as I have from the beginning.” Guillam bowed again.
    Kharl managed to keep his face absolutely immobile in the face of the chaos and falsity that filled and lay beneath Guillam’s words, words so smoothly delivered.
    “I am most pleased to hear that, chief factor.” Ghrant turned slightly in the chair. “Do you have any questions you might wish to ask the chief factor, ser Kharl?”
    “Yes, your lordship.” Kharl was very glad that he had thought over carefully what Guillam might say.
    Ghrant nodded at Kharl.
    Kharl stepped forward a pace. “Chief factor, you are a man who knows a great deal and a great number of people in Austra. Because you do know so many, you might be most helpful. This morning, there was a poisoned tray offered to a guest at the Great House. Before she could be questioned, the server who offered it was found strangled. Did you have any knowledge of this?”
    “No, ser mage. Why would I have any knowledge of something that sordid?” Contempt oozed from Guillam, along with a sense of chaos, not the chaos of magic, but the sort of chaos that Kharl was coming to associate with evil. While Guillam seemed to be looking at Kharl, his eyes avoided those of the mage. He was also lying.
    “What is your relationship with a man named Fostak?” After a slight pause, Kharl added, “Or what was it?”
    For the slightest moment, Guillam did not move, a moment almost imperceptible. “I have no relationship with anyone called Fostak. I never have.”
    Another lie. Kharl was beginning to feel that he was making the chief factor uncomfortable, but that might have been because of the questions.
    “This morning, three crossbowmen fired quarrels within the Great House. While no one was hurt, this sort of matter could be considered to reflect poorly upon Lord Ghrant, and your knowledge could be most helpful in resolving this. Have you any knowledge of this?”
    “Crossbowmen in the Great House? Hardly.”
    That was also a lie, if not so pronounced as the other two. Kharl could see that there was no way to get Guillam to admit his guilt, and if he could not, Lord Ghrant would not be terribly pleased with Kharl. That didn’t bother Kharl so much as the fact that Guillam was not only a liar, but someone who had ordered two murders and was and would be a traitor.
    “Ser mage?” asked Ghrant, a slight hint of irritation in his voice.
    “One more question, if you please, your lordship.”
    “Go ahead.”
    Kharl forced a hard smile. “Chief Factor, why have you lied in answering every question you have been asked? Have your misdeeds been so great that honest answers would have condemned you to execution for treason and treachery?”
    Kharl could hear the indrawn breaths from some standing below the dais.
    “I have answered most truthfully, ser mage. Surely, you of all people must know that.”
    “I know that you will choke on your treachery, your lies, and that your smooth tongue will not save you from the poison within you. Speak the truth or be suffocated by it.” With his last words, Kharl turned the air around Guillam solid, so solid that the factor stood immobile, unmoving.
    Silence filled the chamber. Kharl could feel Guillam struggling, unmoving