“Aye, me lord, right away,” the warder said and quickly took down a ring of keys from a wall peg, moved to the door and unlocked it. He pushed the heavy door open, stepped back to allow Calibex to enter and once the wizard was inside pulled the door closed, then gave a quiet sigh of relief.

The chamber Calibex found himself in was somewhat larger than the warder’s anteroom and was definitely brighter. Afternoon sunlight slanted in through several windows, although they were quite narrow and set high up in the walls. A fire crackled quietly in a small fireplace in the far wall, next to a low pallet with a thin mattress which was covered with loose furs. A rough hewn table and two chairs were placed near the middle of the chamber and in one of the chairs a woman sat reading a book.

“Lady,” Calibex said, venom dripping from his words. She looked somewhat disheveled from her captivity, but still managed to retain her beauty and poise.

Queen Francis did not look up from her book. “Wizard,” she said, her tone echoing his own. “I might have known it were ye behind this treachery.”

Calibex placed a hand against his breast. “Me lady, yer words cut as painfully as would a dull blade.”

Francis closed her book and looked up at the wizard. Her eyes were cold and filled with hate. “Would that I had such a blade, ye miserable dog,” she said quietly. “I would cut out yer beating heart and throw it onto yonder fire, then happily watch ye die in agony.”

The expression on the wizard’s face became dark and menacing and while Francis could not see the change, she somehow felt a different atmosphere charge the air. Even so, she did not flinch as Calibex moved swiftly toward her, to stop within arms reach.

“Enough banter, little queen,” he hissed, his cowl so close to her face that the faint stench of decomposing flesh assailed her nostrils. “I come seeking information from ye.”

“Ask away, crow. I shall aid ye not at all,” she said, clasping her hands together in her lap and staring fearlessly into the darkened cowl.

Calibex stared back for a moment, gauging her resistance, then chuckled softly and moved to sit in the chair opposite her. “Ye need not answer me questions aloud, lady,” he told her with a sneer, “as I will be able to see said answers within yer lovely eyes.”

Surprised by this cryptic remark, the queen’s eyes widened for an instant, but she quickly regained her composure. “Even so,” the wizard said quietly as he studied her, an unseen smile touching his lips.