The Dragon Banquet

"I met Olmedo, but I didn't ask him about the attack."

On the way back to the Manor, Annan told Della about his visit to the Mage Tower, wisely skipping over Mentor Yi Irelanze.

Della paid no mind to the other member of her race, either. Her concealment worked much less effectively when she sat somewhere bright. At least Annan no longer forgot whom he was talking to halfway through a conversation, as he had when they first met.

"Why didn't you ask?"

"It wouldn't have helped. Guilty or not, he'd only say he wasn't... And he might already know about all this."

"So?"

"So I think Jeffrey Olmedo really isn't the culprit. If he's as upright as everything I've heard and seen suggests, he'll investigate the attack himself."

For now, their only Clue was "Lady Fine Wine's servant." Francois was trying to find out who that person was.

Annan trusted Francois to uncover something. No one in Breeze City was better suited to the task. His agility as a Ranger let him slip in and follow people unnoticed, while his keen mind caught Clues others missed. His Noble status protected him even if he was discovered, and he was ruthless enough to push through any obstacle.

The Faceless Baron? A Noble who refused to stop until he got what he wanted was far more frightening.

Francois did uncover something.

He spent two days visiting the sites and investigating the groups involved in both attacks on Annan. He even went to the Balle Gang. What he found was shocking: a Winchester Family carriage had passed down that Street when the attack occurred, attackers had worn the Winchester Family crest, and the Balle Gang even received some of its funding from the Winchester Family—

Lady Fine Wine's shadow fell across