Eric does not give in to the temptation to pay Sookie another visit when his interview with Merlotte is over. It's almost two in the morning, and she will undoubtedly be asleep. Instead he sends a text message to Chow, instructing him to have a gift basket delivered to her in the morning. This, he hopes, will put her in a properly receptive frame of mind for his visit the following evening.

He returns to his hotel room, and as soon as he's within sight of the doorway he knows that someone is waiting for him. He pauses in the hallway, arranges his features in an expression of bland reserve, then opens the door.

The Queen of Louisiana is seated in the armchair by the bed, examining her nails. Eric pauses just inside the doorway at a respectful distance and waits to be acknowledged.

"Eric." The Queen does not look up. "Why on earth are you sheltering in this flea-infested human hovel?"

Eric takes a step forward and shuts the door behind him.

"I thought it wise to place myself close at hand for the duration of the trial," he says. "As you know, I have an interest in the outcome."

"You already run the largest area in my kingdom," she says. "But if you find yourself with excess time on your hands, perhaps I can find new ways to occupy you."

"Your Majesty-"

"Why is your progeny questioning vampires across the northeastern kingdoms about Bill Compton's maker, Lorena?"

Eric says nothing. Thoughts run through his mind at high speed. He forces himself to relax. If Pam were in danger, he would know.

"The prosecutor is a very young vampire," he says finally. "He does not fully understand the nature of a vampire's relationship with his maker, or he would have sought Lorena out before now. She should be present at the trial. She may even have useful testimony."

The Queen surveys him magisterially from her chair, and her mouth twists in a smile. "It really twisted your dick when the AVL took over the trial, didn't it?"

"Even though the investigation was taken out of my hands, it is still my duty to assist where I can."

"Is that what you're doing? Assisting Baker?"

"I am attempting to get to the bottom of Bill Compton's murder, which is more than the AVL bothered to do in their rush to initiate this-circus."

"Do you know something the AVL doesn't?" The Queen arches a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

Eric weighs his options. Be truthful with the Queen, or obfuscate? He wishes he'd given more thought to a cover story. He's been dangerously unfocused ever since he met Sookie. He's glad Pam isn't here; he can only imagine what she would have to say about his disorganized approach to the matter.

"I have reason to believe that Bill Compton is not dead," he tells her. "I believe he is with Lorena, though I do not know if she forced a summons upon him or if he went to her willingly."

"He'd better be dead, if Lorena knows what's good for her," says the Queen flatly.

Eric blinks. It takes him a moment to process the implications of her statement.

"She is acting under your orders?" he says.

"She's his maker." The Queen shrugs. "I had to go through her, or I would have had to pay a huge fine for having him killed. I assumed she'd be willing enough to dispose of him once she got wind of that blonde he's been fucking."

Eric stares at the Queen. It takes him a moment to find his voice.

"If Compton was killed or taken on your orders, then what, may I ask, is the purpose of trying the girl?"

"She was a plausible suspect." The Queen resumes inspecting her manicure. "The AVL has been chomping at the bit for months now, looking for a chance to demonstrate what law-abiding citizens vampires can be. And I needed leverage over the girl. That was supposed to be Bill's job; I sent him to Bon Temps to secure her for my court. Only he fucked up. Not only did he lose the girl's affections, but afterwards he started guard-dogging her so closely that none of my other servants could get near her. So I sent Lorena to remove him. I admit that framing the girl for the murder was an impulse on my part, but it made the Authority very happy. They're pulling some strings for me with the IRS." She gives him a bright smile. "Everyone's a winner."

Eric has had a millenia of practice controlling his emotions, but tamping down the anger that swells in his chest is still an effort. He slips a hand into his pocket and makes a fist.

"Sookie Stackhouse is a barmaid," he says slowly. "She has no money, no family, no resources. What could you possibly need with leverage against her?"

"She's a telepath." The Queen spreads her hand and sighs with pleasure. "Imagine the possibilities."

Eric decides that now is a good time to sit down. He sits down.

The Queen frowns at him faintly. "Why the face, Eric?"

He struggles with the words that want to come out, shapes them into something less likely to provoke a fight to the death with his monarch. Not that he doubts he would win; he is the oldest and strongest vampire in Louisiana, which is the only reason the Queen is bothering to explain herself to him in the first place. But if he kills Sophie-Ann, he will have no choice but to take her throne, or be killed himself. And he does not want to be King. Not now, at least.

"I fail to see how Miss Stackhouse's telepathy will be of any use to you if she's in prison," he says.

The Queen waves a hand dismissively. "It won't come to that," she says. "Baker's going to offer her a deal. She'll serve in my court, and he'll drop all charges."

For the first time, Eric feels a surge of anger that has nothing to do with his muddled feelings for Sookie. Sophie-Ann is not stupid, but she is not as farsighted as a monarch should be.

"Her lawyer will expose you," he tells her. "This trial will become a public relations nightmare for our kind."

The Queen rolls her eyes. "Honestly, Eric, who do you think you're talking to? The lawyer won't know anything about it, and if she tells him, we'll glamor him. No one will believe her if she talks."

"She won't take the deal." Eric chooses his words carefully, so as not to betray the depth of the study he has made of Sookie's character. "After everything she's been through with Compton and the trial, the thought of serving another vampire will be repugnant to her. Besides that, she's an idealist. And she may yet be exonerated. "

"Please." The Queen gives a delicate snort. "You've lived in the south for more than a hundred years now. No one's going to believe a word out of a fangbanger's mouth. And the vampires on the jury are under orders to force a mistrial if they have to. In the time it takes for a new trial to convene we'll come up with evidence so damning that she'll beg to serve me."

"I believe she might prefer prison."

The Queen seizes an ashtray from the bedside table and hurls it into the television. Eric watches the resulting explosion of glass impassively.

"Then I'll tear her brother's head off and bring her friends' entrails to her in a basket," the Queen snarls. "Honestly, are you trying to piss me off?"

"I am merely trying to serve you with my counsel."

"Fuck your counsel," says the Queen. "Honestly, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were soft on the human."

Eric blinks. Forces himself to smile.

"Does that seem likely?" he says.

The Queen rolls her eyes. She gets to her feet; Eric rises automatically.

"Tell your progeny to find out if Lorena's keeping Bill alive and get back to me." She shoulders her handbag. "And stay away from the trial from now on, I'm tired of watching you pull faces every time Baker opens his mouth."

Eric stands aside as she stalks from the room. He waits long enough to be certain she's gone, then pulls out his phone. He calls Chow first and orders him to put 24-hour security on Sid Matt Lancaster. Then he calls Pam, whose phone goes straight to voicemail.

"The Queen has eyes on you," he tells her. "Lorena took Bill on her orders. Find out if he's still alive, and call me. And watch your back."