Pao-Lin shifted the breakfast tray, cursing under her breath. She'd just heard on her way out of the kitchens that the young duke's confinement had been lifted. That fulfills my promise to Lord Nathan; that prick Barnaby can either find another page or get his own meals from now on. Despite herself, though, she was curious; she had decided to take along this one last meal, a final bottle of blood hidden under her skirts.

"Is he in there?" she asked the guard as the approached. Only one of them now. Not one I know.

"Oh yeah, he's in there." The man looked unreasonably happy about that statement as he opened the door for her with one arm, stifling a yawn with his other gloved hand. She swept past; the door's hinges squealing as it shut behind her. Going to the center of the room, she put the tray on the desk as always, looking about as she moved the platters to the desk. The room was silent; motes of dust hanging in the sunlight that spilled in from the windows.

Is he in his bedroom? Pao-Lin had an itching need to tell the man off one last time, potential consequences be damned. She walked quietly to the bedroom door, which stood slightly ajar, and knocked gently on the heavy wood. No response. She knocked louder; still no reply.

This door didn't squeak as she pushed it open a bit more, just enough to see into the bedroom. It was also brightly lit from the morning sun, and she could see an unmade bed – empty – a rather bulky wardrobe – well, I doubt he's hiding in there – and the vanity – what the hell?

She pushed the door fully open and walked quickly over to the vanity, stepping around the bright shards of the shattered ewer. The white basin and the water in it were pink with blood, and a towel smeared with more of the same lay abandoned next to it. Why would he be bleeding? She leaned over to pick up a bloody cloth from the floor and held it up with both hands. Not much left of this shirt. She turned it delicately to avoid the crusted brown stains, noting the way it was torn. She had grown up with five brothers, none of whom were the most peaceful of lads; she'd seen this before – as the only daughter, she had been assigned more than once to try and salvage the clothes they had ripped to pieces in their fighting. From the state of what remained of the shirt and the amount and wide distribution of dried blood on the shirt, someone had beaten the young duke severely.

Better go find him and make sure he's still breathing. She dropped the shirt back on the floor, mentally encouraging her feelings of annoyance at the trouble, so that they would drown out a niggling sense of worry. He probably deserved what he got.

Pao-Lin peered briefly into the bathroom, which she guessed from the size to have been a small sitting room before Saito had torn the castle half apart to install a gravity-fed running water system. That had been four years ago, a year after she'd arrived here. Nothing in here. There's only the door through the kennels to the garden left; he must have gone to visit his menagerie. She frowned. In the shape he must be in? Well, there's no accounting for the logic of nobles. Pushing the last door open, she shrugged. Perhaps I'll get a glimpse of the –

Vampire. She could see it, just beyond the triangle of light that reached past her through the open door. Her heart beat just a little faster, but she stepped forward, peering into the dimly lit space. The creature was sitting near the back wall of the pen it occupied, eyes reflecting brightly back at her. Pao-Lin moved forward to get a better look, her feet crunching on the dry hay as she entered the room. The vampire started at the noise, raising a clawed index finger to the muzzle that covered the lower portion of its face, the chain attached to its wrist jangling softly. What is it doing? She grew more puzzled as the creature made what had to be shushing motions with its other hand. This is beyond bizarre. Is it mad?

When it dropped the finger from before its face and pointed to the wall of the kennel farthest from her, she looked, her eyes now more accustomed to the dim light from the door behind her – and she let out a sharp yip before clamping a hand over her mouth. Eyes wide, she glanced back at the demon in the pen, who rolled his eyes at her.

Turning back at a groan from the end of the kennel, Pao-Lin found herself rushing to crouch at the young duke's side, and she leaned over to look at him. His back and sides were covered in shallow cuts and dried blood, straw stuck everywhere, and his skin was starting to darken into a mass of bruises. His face looked little better.

She was starting to feel what she worried might be genuine concern when he gripped her arm suddenly to demand in a gravelly voice: "Where is Lord Nathan?"

She pushed his hand away. If he's still that rude, he'll live. "Sent away last morn, before your audience, on an urgent diplomatic trip to the province of Drunhill… by His Excellency the scumsucker Lloyds, he told me. Not in so many words. I came to inform you that I'm quitting. As you've been released from your confinement here, I've finished with the promise I made to Lord Nathan. I wouldn't have returned, but I needed to tell you what an insufferable prick you are. Since you're still alive, there you have it. Would you like me to send for a doctor when I leave?" She got up, brushing the dry hay from where it clung to her skirts, unable to muster the full tirade she had planned so carefully. She shot a disapproving glare at the vampire, who still leaned against the wall of his pen.

"Gods, no. Pao-Lin, wait. Please." She stopped reluctantly.

"What is it you want?"

"Spread word that I have taken ill with a light fever. Bribe the doctor not to come; there is coin in the top right drawer of the desk. Take, also, whatever you require for your services." The lord was trying to push himself up. Sighing, she stepped around to grasp him under the arms – he moaned – and pulled him up until he rested against the cabinet next to where he had lain.

"I didn't come to help you."

"Please."

Frustrated, she kicked at the bars of the nearest pen – not the one that held the vampire – mussing her own short hair with both hands. "Fine! I'll do it, but you'll pay me well."

"Whatever you ask."

"If you insult me one more time, I'm out, and rumors will be scandalizing Stern Bild within the hour."

"When did I ever –"

"Stop! Stop right there." She hitched up her skirt, yanked the stoppered bottle of blood off the strap that held it, and tossed it onto the hay beside him. "What should I bring with your lunch?"

Back in the study, Pao-Lin paused to disorder her skirts to a degree that struck her as rather artistic, then moved to untie the laces of her shirt to a suggestive depth. Her hair was already disordered, but she gave it an extra muss for good measure. She pinched her cheeks several times, hard, and then knocked slowly on the door to the hall.

The guard pushed the door open, wincing at the screech of the hinges. The same man who was here when I came in. Good.

"Why were you in there so long?" He eyed her as she walked slowly past, weaving a little. He laughed, a low chuffing sound.

"I see. Didn't know his Excellency would be up t' it right now. Especially wit' a lil' scrap like you." He reached down and groped her, and it took all of Pao-Lin's self control not to jam her knee into his crotch. Instead, she forced a giggle and batted at his hand ineffectually.

"Ac'tually, th' Excellency's not feelin' too grand. Quite a fever, he has. Says he fell down th' stairs wit' it. Must've…" she paused. This is a ridiculous plan. "Loosn'd up his inh'bitions." She pushed the guard's hand away rather more forcefully and walked away. She could hear the guard laughing to himself. If that dolt believes me, I'll join the theatre.