Page 23 of The Crown’s Temptation

Rathmor Palace, Veynar

He told them in the throne room because the throne room was where you told Veynar things that needed to be true before anyone could argue with them.

The council was already assembled by the time he arrived. Word traveled faster than he did. That told him something.

He stood at the head of the room and looked at them and said it plainly.

"Queen Asharin is dead."

The room fell silent.

"The circumstances are not yet fully known," he said. "What is known is that the Threns were docked the very night she was assaulted. One can draw conclusions from that." He paused. "I am drawing mine."

He let that sit.

“However, deathmages assaulted the palace that night as well. Many of you witnessed it yourselves.”

"King Sevrin is missing. His whereabouts are currently unknown. In his absence I am acting as regent. The heir to Veynar is Fiorakis, daughter of Queen Asharin. That is not a discussion. That is a fact." He looked around the room. "The children and the Queen's body are being transported to Alarna immediately. They will be received there with the full honors owed to them." He paused. "When Veynar is deemed safe again, the children will return."

He dismissed the room.

Arabar was waiting in the corridor.

He fell into step without being asked.

"I have a list," Arabar said quietly.

"Of?"

"Suspects. People in the palace that evening who should not have been. People who were not there who should have been." A pause. "And one other thing."

Colsar looked at him.

"Wyn is dead. Her body was found approximately ten paces from the Great Hall. She had been dead for some time before your queen was poisoned."

Colsar stopped walking.

He stood in the corridor and looked at the wall. Wyn had stood outside doors and carried children and never once asked for anything except to be useful.

He drew a breath.

"General Rorin?" He said.

"Missing. His quarters are empty. His men cannot account for him since the night of the dinner."

"Find him."

"We are looking."

He nodded and kept walking. "The Avanki. Where were they that night?"

"Redirected," Arabar said carefully. "Various postings. None of them from a single order. It looks scattered. Organic."

"Or designed to look organic."

Arabar said nothing.

"Who gave the redirections?"