Not Entirely Luck

Will's stratagem is a desperate one - for the information he has given has had to be genuine - but things are going badly enough for desperate measures to be called for. His agents are trying to keep an eye on everyone who had been at the meeting, but if whoever is responsible for the leaks should manage to elude them then Aqualaria's goose will be cooked.

There is no way for an agent to follow the Queen into her consultation with Malin. However, as a mage himself Sigin Vulpine knows that there would be no-one better than a mage for getting out information without its being detected. Unlike a radio message, which might be intercepted and arouse suspicion, with magic a message could be sent that would be effectively uninterceptable. Therefore Sigin has set "Jim" to keep an eye on Malin, just in case.

The first part of the consultation is routine. Malin asks Astra some questions about her physical condition, and finds out that all seems to be going smoothly and that she has not had any morning sickness. Then things happen that surprise the ghostly observer. The mage says: "I am your Master and you will obey me!" Astra looks about to protest, but the mage says the words again and a glassy look comes into her eyes. "Now drink your medicine," Malin says, producing a glass containing a dark blue liquid. Without saying anything, Astra complies.

"Now tell me, what was decided at the meeting today?" Malin asks. As Astra begins to tell Malin the plans that have been made, Jim leaves. He has no way of intervening directly. All he can do is go back to Sigin and tell him what has occurred. Then Sigin has to tell Will, who has to act. It is vital that Malin should be apprehended before he has sufficient time after he has finished with Astra to make his report to whoever his orcen contact is.

Malin finishes with Astra, then clicks his fingers and she comes out off her trance, with no conscious memory of the last fifteen minutes or so. She leaves, thanking Malin, though for some reason she can't explain she always feels vaguely uneasy after these meetings.

1. Shortly afterwards, Will, Sigin Vulpine and a number of soldiers burst into Malin's room. But are they in time?

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