Neither the crook nor the assassin was all that pleased when a servant rapped on the door at what they both considered a thoroughly unacceptable hour of the day, telling them that their presence was requested in the library in a candlemark. However, that was mitigated somewhat by the simultaneous delivery of a tray full of breakfast, and if breakfast in bed meant that they were running a little late for the library later, well—at least they'd bathed last night.

Sort of.

They walked into the library together, a tiny detail that went unremarked on, except for the nonverbal acknowledgement of an eyeroll (and a smile) from Joe West, who was at attention at the door. Sara smiled back at him, then glanced around the room, noting the king at the far end, speaking to Gideon, with Kendra and Carter trying to look unobtrusive nearby.

"Wait a minute," she heard Leonard mutter from next to her—and then Raymond and Martin were right there on top of her, both talking madly, and Harrison Wells was sighing dramatically at them, and Sara couldn't help but laugh at the look on Len's face.

"Lockdown?" he asked pointedly, looking back at West, who shrugged.

"We lifted it already," he said. "Well, sort of. Not officially. We actually snuck these characters in..." He jerked his thumb at the other Guild heads. "As they're already involved and might have useful information. And we snuck the Council members who were here out, while telling them we were breaking the lockdown just for them."

Len started at him a moment. Then: "You think the Council's connected," he said intently. "To this mess. To the attacks. To Savage."

"We think someone on the Council's connected," Kendra corrected him. "But until we know who, best if we keep it quiet."

Len opened his mouth again, and Sara could just about see all the questions warring in his eyes. But the king put up a hand, then, and he stopped, looking annoyed.

"Before this degenerates into a free-for-all," the monarch said drily, "let's all have a seat. Shall we?"

He sat, then, signifying that they were all free to do so as well. Leonard plopped into a seat with more or less good grace, if no ceremony. Sara took a chair besides him, looking curiously around.

"Where's the prince?" she asked Kendra quietly. It seemed odd that he'd be elsewhere-with the three Guard captains, some of the deadliest Guild heads, and a suspiciously lethal seneschal here, it was likely the safest place in the palace.

"The king sent him to the queen's family this morning," the captain told her. "Wanted him well out of this."

Sara frowned at that…but then Hunter, raising his voice in a businesslike manner, addressed them.

"You are all here," he said, the Londinium accent of his youth still coloring his voice, "because we believe you have something valuable to add to this puzzle. And because we trust you." He smirked a little as a number of heads turned collectively toward Leonard, who leaned back in his chair and smirked back. "Yes, even our Master Thief. Especially our Master Thief, which perhaps says something about these days we live in."

Len started to retort, but Hunter (showing some kingly wisdom, Sara thought) cut him off adroitly.

"I was finally able to speak with the person who scattered Savage's ashes-supposed ashes," he said, motioning to the side. "Which is, you see, Captain Kendra here."

Kendra smiled at them all serenely. "Well, I dropped them unceremoniously into a swamp," she said with great satisfaction, folding her hands on the top of the table. "I suppose that counts." Her smile faded. "But before that, I picked them up at the funeral complex just outside the city limits. I did check the urn. They were ashes from some sort of body, probably human. I…I've seen enough of them."

Sara wondered about that, but Martin leaned forward intently.

"Go back a little," the older man said. "Savage was executed. Who witnessed that?"

Carter laughed a little ruefully. "Darhk," he said, looking at Kendra. "So I'm told. Joseph?"

Joe West nodded with a sigh. "Savage was allowed to choose poison as the manner of his death," he said, shrugging. "And Darhk, as head of the Assassins Guild, was the one to prepare and deliver that, and witness its effects."

Sara wrinkled her nose. "That's not a usual duty of the Guild head, is it?" she asked with resignation. "Because I'm not fond of poison, myself."

Hunter smiled at her ruefully. "No. It was a matter of…aptitude and, I fear, inclination. We don't have many skilled in such things here, and if he was willing to do it…ah, well, no one argued with him."

"And he didn't have nearly as many compunctions about ethics," Leonard muttered, but Joe had continued.

"Darhk witnessed the death, but then he was required to call in the head of the Healers Guild," he said. "Master Healer Lindsay affirmed it." He shook his head. "She's since left the city to head up the Hedera guild, but she was trustworthy. I'd stake my life on it."

"As would I," Martin said with a nod. "Well, Darhk must have done…whatever it is he did to capture Darhk's soul after he gave him the poison. And what happened to the body?"

"It was taken to the funeral complex, according to the records," Gideon told them. "There were guards, because of the, ah, cult connection. All three from the Kings Guard."

All eyes turned to Carter, who looked down at the table and sighed, then looked at Kendra, who gave him a rueful smile. Then he glanced around.

"Bear in mind that I was recovering from being rather, ah, dead—dead-ish—during this time," he said. "I didn't pick the guards, although they were guards, and in good standing. Chosen by a member of the Council, although none of the records say who that was. That's not unusual, and none of the current guards recall." He sighed again. "But…the three guards listed in the records, they all either resigned or died in the past three years. And the one who resigned…he was found among the cult members who tried to attack the prince." He gave them all a thin-lipped smile. "Well. His body was."

Gideon's chin went up at that, but she didn't say anything. Sara, who'd left a rather bloody streak behind herself as well and was equally unwilling to apologize for it, gave her a bit of a nod.

"Did we capture any of the cult members?" she asked.

Hunter nodded. "We did. They are refusing to talk." He glanced around the room. "And at this juncture, I'm not ready to break the code against torture that this kingdom has followed for many years."

"I could do something about that," Harrison Wells pointed out, leaning back in his chair much like Leonard was.

"And subjugation of the will by magic falls under that code, as you well know, Master Mage." Hunter looked resigned. "Kendra? Would you pick up the thread?"

The captain nodded. "As I said," she continued, "I picked up the urn at the complex. From the hands of the complex master himself, who affirmed that he had witnessed the burning and that it was Savage." She shook her head. "He died not long after that. No one thought anything of it, as far as we can tell, because he was quite elderly, but…"

"But someone's cleaned up their tracks," Leonard said, a bit harshly, although Sara didn't think that harshness was directed at Kendra. "Quite well."

"But…why?" Ray asked a bit plaintively, leaning forward. "Why put Savage in power? What do this…Time Master…and his people get out of it?"

Harrison Wells drummed his fingers on the table. "Well, the cult members believe that Savage can give them the gift of eternal life, for some reason. And they like his message of power, of 'making the kingdom great again' and all that garbage." He shrugged. "It's a time-honored way of controlling the weak-minded."

Stein cleared his throat. "I see why you think a member of the Council is involved," he said to the three Guard captains. "But…could this person simply be a closet member of the cult? Or…"

Leonard brought his chair legs back down to the floor with a thud. "They don't want a king, or any monarch," he said abruptly. "They want a warlord. Project Warlord, remember?"

"But why?" Sara asked, looking at Hunter. "The kingdom's at peace. Is there something I don't know about?"

The monarch gave her a wry smile and spread his hands out before him.

"No," he said simply. "However, there has been a faction of the Council that isn't all that fond of the negotiation and give-and-take necessary for that peace. I think they'd rather like to be at war. A people at war tends to fall in line, after all, and there are many economic benefits." He shook his head. "But they've been quiet, actually, for a few years now. Even Lord General Declan. I had believed I'd finally convinced them that my way was best, for the kingdom and by the will of the people. Or at least that I wasn't budging on it."

Sara made a thoughtful noise. "But…with whom? Who do they think we should be fighting?"

"The Thanagarians, for one, at least," Kendra told her. "Oh, not our people…" She tilted her head toward Carter. "At least, not mostly. But the people of the surrounding area. There were rumors, at one point, that that kingdom was readying an attack, a little more than three years ago, but they were just that. Rumors. Someone was rabble-rousing."

"And there are definitely lords who would definitely like the kingdom to expand and obtain some fertile Thanagarian land," Carter added. "But…yes. They've been quiet."

No one spoke for a long moment, but then Len got up from his seat and started to pace. Sara, who was pretty sure protocol dictated that he shouldn't be doing that, glanced at the king, but Hunter just looked amused.

"Let's change tacks," the thief said distractedly. "Time Master. Why 'Time Master'?"

Martin looked at Harrison. "Have there been any mages warned for tinkering with time recently?

Joe West looked at them with horror in his eyes. "Is that a thing?" the Guard captain asked, but the Master Mage put up a hand to avert his concern.

"Not as such," he said in his sardonic fashion. "It's rather…well, theoretical, really. Time isn't like some easily mutable, flighty thing. It's a…a force. A heavy, powerful one. A raging river, not a trickle of water from a spigot." He shrugged. "It would take a lot of power to move it out of its course by any means- other than, oddly enough, normal human actions that all add up. Rather a paradox, of sorts. So, any mage who chooses to study time generally is looking at the theoretical. Lots of notes and muttering."

Hunter tilted his head at the other man, looking curious. "Intriguing," he said. "So, you'd almost say…time wants to happen?"

"Indeed."

Leonard rolled his eyes. "Anyway, is anyone studying it right now?"

"Not that I know of," Harrison told him. "Could be. The notes-and-muttering stage, we pretty much ignore. It's when someone starts trying to actually pull those theoretical strings that we have to do something about it." He considered. "The last time someone actually tried to really control time in a massive, overt fashion was…Jurgens. Rather before my time, no pun intended, but you know how that worked out."

Sara, who didn't, glanced at Len, but he was focused on the mage. "You said…'normal human actions that all add up.'"

Harrison shrugged again. "Same thing that always changes time. In fact, the only thing that ever really does."

"But if our 'Time Master' thinks they're changing those actions, behind the scenes, pulling non-theoretical strings…" Len glanced around the room. "Master of time."

"And that's a good supposition, Master Thief," Hunter broke in, "and could very well be correct. But it still begs the question: Who?"

He was looking at Leonard, but the thief was simply standing in place, hands on the back of his chair, eyes distant and lost in thought. Sara, who already recognized the signs of that sly mind at work, spoke up instead.

"I'm sorry, your majesty," she said carefully, "but if you and your…your line die out, who picks the next monarch and royal line?"

Hunter studied her. "The Council," he said after a moment. "Based on what they judge best for the kingdom." He smiled wryly. "The last few times that's happened in our history, that's been someone from one of the Council families, coincidentally enough."

"Could…could the Council make Savage the rightful king? In that circumstance? Do they have that power? If he has enough backing?"

Kendra spoke up in protest, then, with Carter chiming in, and it took a minute for that to die down. And by the time it had, Leonard had looked back up again, face set and eyes intent.

"They do, don't they?" he asked Hunter. "In fact, Savage would need them to. Even with the cult at full strength, he didn't have enough people to completely taken over all the Guards and the Guild masters and everyone who'd fairly dramatically object to what he'd done. He'd need that legitimacy."

"Yes," the king responded slowly, as the others started talking again. "But…"

But Leonard was on a tear then. "My father received the honor of a patronym because of 'services to the Council,'" he spat, "although I was never clear on what those were and didn't care to ask. And he sponsored Darhk when Darhk was confirmed as Guild master. Together, those two found Vandal Savage, a warlord, in some hellhole and brought him here—on the orders of this 'Time Master.'"

He started pacing again, agitation in every line. "And Savage started his cult, set up nicely in the Temple District, and it grew, because some people will always believe those who promise them power. Darhk started with his experiments, to give Savage some semblance of the 'eternal life' he liked to rave about." He turned and stared at them all. "And then Savage made his play, and it failed. Why did he make his attempt then? Rip?"

The king ignored the use of his old name, but slowly stood, regarding his friend. "You mean, what was going on in the kingdom?"

Len's eyes were direct, and Sara had the feeling he knew exactly what he was getting at. "And with the Council. I know it all was mostly forgotten, in the chaos of that time, but…"

"They were pressing for war, then." Kendra said, standing too, Carter at her side. "That was the peak of it, but it was after you'd put your foot down, your majesty. And we were advocating against it, too."

"They knew I wasn't going to bend," Hunter murmured, then shook his head roughly. "But the Council…I can't say I've gotten along famously with all of them over the years, but…"

"You've had Council members you were friendlier with," Joe reminded him. "Interesting, isn't it, that they've handed over their seats—or been forced to hand over their seats—to others, over the years?"

"But who…"

"Druce," Leonard's voice was hard and certain. "It's Druce. Maybe not just him, but he's been the leader and the impetus for all this. He's Time Master." He looked at Carter and Kendra, then at the others. "He used Lewis when he was Guild head. He considered Darhk 'useful'-he made sure Darhk was there for Savage's death. He picked the guards who took the body to the funeral complex—and disposed of ones who, perhaps, had second thoughts. He got the master there to lie about the ashes, and then made sure he wasn't an issue in the future."

He took a deep breath. "Sara threw all his plans into disarray when she killed Darhk and took the stone. He sent cult members to get it, but that didn't work—and then when he realized we were putting pieces together, he directed the cult to make another play for the king and the prince. Partly as distraction, I bet, but also to potentially take out more means of obtaining those pieces, and to ready things for Savage's return."

Silence

"You have no proof," Hunter said, but there was no conviction in his tone. "And…I thought we figured that they didn't know how to restore Savage's soul yet."

Len glanced at Sara. "I didn't think of this before. Pardon if it sounds callous, but…if Darhk was tearing through apprentices three at a time for his experiments, you wouldn't have any left at all. He was on to something. And…"

It clicked. "And one of the apprentices lived," Sara breathed. "And is recovering. Darhk had finally figured it out."

"Someone took Druce the news and maybe even the method. Probably the Guild member who left—the one you found with the cult," Gideon said, a cold, controlled anger in her voice. She looked up at Hunter. "I've told you I don't trust him. This all fits, my l…my lord."

The king took a deep breath. And then he nodded.

"Miranda hated him, too" he said faintly, and Sara's heart went out to him. "Druce. He tried to sabotage our marriage contract, because he said better alliances could be made elsewhere. And he didn't like that Miranda had trained as an air mage…thought it was 'unqueenly.' I always thought he didn't like that she had power that wasn't dependent on our marriage." His eyes hardened then. "Carter, Kendra, Joseph. I think it's time…"

"Captain!" Someone hammered on the door to the library. "Captain!"

Joe's eyes widened and he turned, moving to the door and drawing his sword, holding it as he opened the door. Barry just about fell inside, breathing heavily, then righted himself and looked at them all.

"Your son," he told the king. "The guards taking him to the Coburn family…they're all dead, and we have a message from…from…"

"Zaman Druce," Hunter finished, icy anger and a terrible, terrible fear in his voice. Everyone in the room stood, all staring at the younger guard.

Barry swallowed. "Yes," he said. "He has Jonas. And he says…he says you probably know what he wants in return."