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The thing about Harris is that he is slippery and tricky to read. He is so quiet and watchful, and I have never really trusted him completely. He is not from any of the big families and I’ve never been able to establish where his link with Vlas stems from.

When we get into his office, the door closes behind me and I am confronted by a stark, clinical room dominated by a large view of the garden. It is unexpectedly green and luscious, the window is framed by roses and creeping ivy, reminding me of the gardens of long ago. Unexpectedly, I feel a tug of nostalgia for times gone by and I realize that Harris and I may have more in common than I think.

“Let’s hear it,” he says, a guarded look in his eye.

I decide to play open cards with him and tell him I’m worried about the king after a conversation with Prince Dano.

“I wanted to know your take on his health. Does he seem fine to you?”

“As fine as can be expected under the circumstances. We are at war and we are losing.”

Even though he may be right, I don’t like hearing him say it.

“And that is the only reason?”

“I don’t see what you are getting at, Lord D’Essay,” he says, stiffly.

I look outside the window again. I notice the fountain and the statues. It is such a peaceful view and I feast my eyes upon it.

“I was hoping we could speak freely,” I said.

“Have we not always been frank with each other?” he asked lightly.

“No,” I turned to look him in the eye. “I don’t think we have.”

“And we should change this, now?”

“I guess it depends on whether you think our survival depends on it or not.”

I can see him trying to come up with a response.

“I am loyal to Vlas,” I say. “I always have been. Do you doubt it?”

“I do not,” he says, with conviction, “but…”

“You think he is fine?”

Harris does not respond right away. He walks over to where I am standing at the window and points at one of the roses.

“Beautiful, right?”

I nod.

“The thorns are poisonous though. They come from Ferraro. A gift from the family. I had the gardeners plant it here to remind me that beauty can be treacherous and deceitful, to never trust what I want or like.”

I wasn’t entirely sure what he was talking about. I had a feeling that he was trying to tell me that even though he loved the king, he thought he was no longer leading us the way we should. I wasn’t sure he was backing the son, however, or anyone else. He was keeping things from me, that much I was sure of.

“You have been a loyal servant,” he finally said. “I think you should continue being that,” he turned away and it seemed this was his final word.

“If not, you’ll get rid of me as you did with Matteo?”

It was a shot in the dark and I saw his shoulders stiffen. He had not expected that.

“I don’t know what you mean,” he said with a little smile around his bloodless lips.

I nodded and turn to leave.

“As long as you fight for us, you will be fine,” he said as I neared the door.