Dark Jenny by Alex Bledsoe

a little laugh, “do you remember all those years ago when we put down the new law codes? You were there, I believe. You sat to my left, about two rows back, didn’t you?”
    DeGrandis did not look up. He sounded like a small child. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
    “Does ‘general knowledge’ fall under any of the categories of proof we agreed on? Especially for capital crimes?”
    “No, Your Majesty.”
    “I’ve just arrived, Lord Chauncey. I know what Kay’s told me, and now what you’ve told me. I’ve heard what the man you accuse had to say as well. And I may ask some others to tell me what they saw. Now, this ‘general knowledge’ you mentioned must have started with someone. Whom would you recommend I talk to, to find out more about it?”
    DeGrandis looked up sharply, realizing here was a chance to pass the blame to someone else. “Er … well … Lord Astamore has been the most vocal in his condemnation of that man.”
    The look on Astamore’s face was enough to balance all the crap of the previous day. He looked around, but all the exits were guarded and his former friends moved diplomatically away. I made eye contact with him and smiled, just as he’d done to me the day before. I didn’t normally traffic in revenge, but, hey, when it’s handed to you by a king …
    Drake nodded. “I see. Well, then, I’ll be sure and talk to him.” Then he looked over the other nobles. “Does anyone else have anything to add to what Lord Chauncey has just told me? Anyone?… Very well. I’m going to go upstairs, visit my wife, and wash off some of this trail dust. I’m sure you’ll all understand that I need you to remain here as my guests until we resolve this tragedy. Thank you in advance for your patience, and remember, this is the law, our law, at work. And the law, gentleman, is what puts the grand in Grand Bruan.”
    The room bowed to him and he turned to Kay and me. In a low voice he said, “Gentlemen, let’s get out of this circus, shall we?” Without waiting for an answer he headed for the door, and we followed. No one else did.
    In the stairwell, Drake paused between floors and ran a hand through his hair. Thanks to the sweat and wind from his ride, it stayed in a rather unflattering position. “What a nightmare,” he muttered.
    “Sorry, Marc,” Kay said. “I tried to handle it, but nobody listens to me. They’ll only pay attention to you.”
    “I know you did your best, Bob.”
    Kay turned to me. “Other than running into Agravaine again, did anything else happen while I was gone?”
    “I learned some more things. The poison the killer used was shatternight. That’s important for two reasons: one, it doesn’t grow anywhere in Grand Bruan, and two, it loses its potency soon after it’s picked. That means that whoever used it came straight here from some place where it does grow.”
    Kay and Drake exchanged a glance. Kay said quickly, “That was the first thing I checked. She’s not here. I promise.”
    “Who isn’t?” I asked.
    “My sister Megan,” Drake said. “She’s … well, she has issues with me. And with my kingship. That’s why she left the island.”
    “She’s a lunatic,” Kay said.
    “That’s too harsh, Bob,” Drake corrected. “She has the strength of her delusions, and that makes her dangerous. But she hasn’t been seen on the island in five years. And she was never a good one for being discreet, so if she ever did come back, everyone would know it.” He looked at Kay. “Although you did check, right?”
    “I checked.”
    “What’s she got against you?” I asked Drake.
    “That’s personal,” Kay said gruffly, and crossed his arms.
    “No, that’s all right, I think Mr. LaCrosse deserves to know so he won’t think we’re keeping relevant secrets.” Drake paused a moment to organize his thoughts. “Megan is only my half sister. She believes, and sadly she may be correct, that my father raped our mother to conceive me. Only my former adviser