The days after the coronation were some of the most hectic days of Tigris' life. In a way, she appreciated the busyness, it kept her from thinking of her father too often. The sharp blade of grief still bit into her heart, but she was able to push it away with the constant meetings, knightings, court reshufflings, and paperwork.

So. Much. Paperwork.

Tigris wasn't sure she might have done without Roche, Kai, Aodh, and Eris. The former two helped Tigris with all of her paperwork and kept her sane while Eris and Aodh helped her manage the unruly court. It was taking time to diplomatically deal with some of her father's older nobles who didn't want to recognise her as queen. Aodh and Eris' smooth words paired with some sweet talking from Tigris was all that kept the court from imploding. It would take some time before she could have a full court of those who recognised her as queen.

It took a few weeks until Eris broached the painful subject that Tigris had been trying to avoid. They were in her chambers, sorting through sheafs of documents ratifying her transfer to power.

"Niece," Eris said, her voice somber and hesitant in a way that instantly put Tigris on edge, "Have you given any thought to the Ala?"

Across the room, Roche sucked in an audible breath. Tigris pressed her lips together, her heart aching painfully.

"Every goddamn day," Tigris admitted, "But the knights found no sign of her. My position is too precarious to waste more resources on a manhunt."

Eris nodded, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. "I didn't want to upset you," she mused aloud, "But there is a chance that the Ala did not work alone."

Tigris felt confusion stir within her like a shifting mound of sand.

"Eris, my court has been carefully checked. There's no inkblood among them," Tigris found herself saying.

Eris shook her head. "Among the new court, maybe. But the old court has yet to be checked."

"None of them suggested the Ala," Tigris pointed out. Eris' lips thinned, her eyes glowing regretfully.

"And yet, it was one of them who called her here," she pointed out.

The words sucked the air out of the room. Tigris was suddenly very aware of Roche's presence in the corner of her chambers. She saw the maid looking absolutely gobsmacked in the corner of her vision.

Tigris lifted a brow. "You think Verita has turned against us?" she asked, the words feeling false the moment they left her lips. A small chuckle slipped past her lips. "Verita has served my father and I faithfully for years."

Eris still looked distressed. She leaned over the edge of the study, fidgeting with the ends of her chestnut hair in discomfort.

"It brings me no joy to suggest this, Tigris," Eris told her, her face drawn with severity, "But how did Verita even have a way to contact the Ala? Consorting with inkbloods is illegal."

Tigris opened her mouth to defend the librarian, but the words caused a seed of doubt to fall loose in her mind. She hadn't questioned how Verita had been able to contact the Ala so quickly. She blinked in surprise.

"The king asked Verita to keep tabs on all the librarians in the vicinity of the Faultless Kingdom," Roche piped up from the corner of the room, her voice even. The maid glared openly at Eris, "She was told to track the Ala."

Eris cocked her head. "Yes, but keeping tabs on librarians is different from having direct communications with them." she spoke slowly, like Roche was a child. Roche's cheeks flushed red. Tigris sat up straighter, sensing an impudent response forming on the maid's lips.

"That will be all, Eris!" she interjected quickly, "I'll look into the matter. Could you please find Aodh and tell him to sign this?" She handed over a stack of forms. Eris took them, grimacing slightly.

"I know Verita is dear to you both," Eris said, glancing at a fuming Roche quickly, "But perhaps she should be asked these questions to avoid any confusion."

Tigris nodded, doubt swirling through her mind openly. "I'll call her in for a questioning."

Eris relaxed, squeezing her shoulder with approval before retreating out the door. The moment that the noblewoman had left, Roche whirled on Tigris.

"Are you serious?" Roche hissed, her eyes flinty, "Verita isn't a traitor!"

"I know that!" Tigris replied, feeling slightly guilty for her doubt when she saw Roche's fury, "But it'll ease Eris' mind. And mine for that matter. I just want to know how Verita managed to contact the Ala. Maybe she knows how to find her again."

Roche pressed her lips together, her eyes burning. "I see," she said tightly.

Tigris felt a stir of irritation. "It's a security concern, Roche. Nothing more. Now, my closet could use a good cleaning. And I don't think you've done my laundry in weeks!"

Roche scowled and hurried to oblige. Tigris watched her go, unease stirring in her chest. She knew Roche couldn't keep a secret if her life depended on it, so there was no way that the maid knew of Verita's communication with the Ala. For objectivity's sake, it was probably best to keep Roche away while the questioning took place.

Tigris quietly gathered up her paperwork, and went to clear out one of the spare rooms for the questioning while Roche was busy. Her chest tightened at the deception, but if Eris deemed it necessary then Tigris knew it was best to defer to her wisdom.

-------

The interrogation room was small but cozy and lit with warm candles. Tigris told herself that it hardly looked like an interrogation room. In fact, it looked more like a room she might use to meet with some of the other ladies of the court. There were two high backed armchairs placed in front of a rounded window, a small coffee table tucked just beneath the windowsill with more candles lighting up the space.

A rug muffled the sound of Tigris heels as she stood when the door creaked open, rusty hinges squealing. Verita poked her head in, her face lined with apprehension. Tigris could see Eris standing behind her, face grim.

With an uneasy twist of her stomach, Tigris gestured to the wary librarian.

"Verita! Come in, please. Have a seat," she greeted warmly. Verita smiled back and strode into the room, but her eyes looked pinched with concern. Eris followed her in, gently shutting the door. At the sound of the thudding door, Verita turned, tension seeping into her frame.

"Is everything alright, my lady?" Verita asked, her hawkish eyes boring into Tigris' with surprising intensity.

Tigris waved off the concern. "Everything's fine, Verita. I just had a few questions for you."

The librarian relaxed and sank into the opposite armchair. Tigris sat back down, noticing Eris slowly circling behind Verita.

"I had a few questions about the Ala," Tigris began.

Tigris watched, unease tightening her chest when she noticed Verita stiffen. A quick glance towards Eris confirmed that she hadn't imagined the movement.

Verita, still, did not betray much of her discomfort. The librarian tilted her head, her greying bun bobbing precariously.

"What would you like to know?" Verita replied diplomatically.

Tigris tapped her knee thoughtfully. "Let's start with what the Ala actually is."

"Well," Verita shifted in her seat, picking at the long sleeves of her robes, "The Ala is an inkblood of extreme power and ability. Back when the library held prophecies, many of them foretold her abilities and destiny. She would have the most inkblood bestowed to her, more than any other inkblood on the planet."

Verita said the words casually, but the mere thought of an inkblood so powerful who had killed her father sent shivers down Tigris' spine. She kept her face carefully blank, hoping Verita didn't take her silence as the unease it was.

"The Ala is destined to serve a powerful ruler called the Fyra," Verita continued, tilting her head at Tigris, "The Fyra is a prophesized ruler who will lead over the Faultless Kingdom and bring fated justice to the lands as never seen before. I'm afraid that's where my knowledge ends, my lady. I can look into it more, if you please."

Tigris' mind spun. The Ala had killed her father. She didn't believe in any of this prophecy nonsense, but there were certainly other rulers and individuals who might.

Individuals like Finn.

"And the Ala has set her sights against my reign?" Tigris mused aloud, "So she has aligned herself with another ruler. Maybe even Finn."

Verita's jaw ticked, but the librarian said nothing.

Eris' eyes narrowed slightly, and Tigris realised that the silence was a bit odd. She leaned closer to Verita, intent on getting to the bottom of this.

"How did you contact the Ala that night?" Tigris asked bluntly.

If Verita was surprised, she didn't show it. The librarian went carefully still, her eyes staring at Tigris intently. Tigris suddenly felt young again, like she had misbehaved in the library as was on the receiving end of a disappointed rant from the librarian.

"Your father had me keeping tabs on inkbloods nearby," Verita answered, smoothing down the folds of her robe with withered fingers, "I knew the Ala to be near to the castle. And so I reached out."

"You knew her to be near?" Tigris repeated, a thread of suspicion twining around her mind. Verita stiffened slightly, a movement that Tigris also noted with more unease.

"Based on my reports, yes," Verita supplied quickly. Too quickly. Tigris lifted her gaze up to Eris, who corroborated her skepticism with a quick shake of her head.

"How did you reach out to her?" Tigris pressed.

"I sent out a missive to the last known address," Verita replied, each word smooth and practised. Tigris blinked, drawing her mind back to that awful night. Verita had returned in a few moments with Leinos and Roche in tow.

It should have been impossible to receive a reply so quickly.

Verita shifted ever so slightly in her seat as Tigris pinned her with a knowing gaze.

"She certainly had a quick response," Tigris said conversationally.

Verita went still and nodded, not revealing anything else. Silence stretched between them, awkward and heavy.

Tigris cleared her throat, discomfort pressing down her shoulders like a fresh new weight.

"Verita," Tigris began, her voice serious with implication, "The Ala must face justice for what she did. I must find her. Is it possible to send her another missive to bring her into custody?"

Tigris couldn't help but notice Verita's eyes widening ever so slightly before the librarian shook her head, almost frantically.

"I'm afraid that my reports suggest the Ala has moved on from the last location I contacted her at. Where she is now is difficult to reach. I fear we won't get a response."

It was a smooth lie. Or it would have been if not for the tight set of Verita's shoulders and the way the librarian was keeping perfectly still, like a deer in the sights of a hunter.

Tigris hated this. She hated interrogating a trusted friend of her father. But Verita's responses were all wrong.

"Do you know where the Ala is now?" she asked, almost desperately, searching Verita's warm brown eyes with fervor.

Come on, she thought quietly, Verita, give me something to prove that you aren't hiding secrets from me.

Verita lifted her gaze to Tigris, looking almost sorrowful. Then, the librarian opened her mouth and replied,

"No, my lady. I do not."

Lie.

It was so obviously a lie, from the way Verita avoided her gaze and the subtle fidget of the librarian's hands. Tigris nearly deflated with disappointment.

"That will be all, Verita. Thank you for your time." Tigris told the woman, feeling slightly dazed. Verita rose from her seat, curtsied and hesitated, like there was something more she wished to say. But after a moment, the librarian swept out of the room, leaving everything untouched.

The door shut with a heavy thud that reverberated in Tigris' brain, triggering a headache. She pinched the bridge of her nose, massaging against the ache.

"She was lying, Tigris," Eris said gently, her eyes pitying.

Tigris groaned. "I know. But it's Verita. Would she really..."

Lie to her? Hide things from her? Betray her?

The words sent a shock through Tigris. If anything, Finn had proven that betrayal could come from anyone.

Eris nodded somberly, as if she'd heard the thought. "You must remain impartial, my lady."

Tigris straightened. Eris was right. She was queen now. She had to remain fair in her treatment. She needed to treat Verita like everyone else.

"Right," Tigris cleared her throat, sitting up regally, "The next step would be another questioning. A gentle interrogation."

Eris lifted a brow. "Should I ask the dungeons to prepare their tools?"

Tigris bit back a shudder. She knew some of the torturous instruments that her father had favoured during interrogations. They were all quite brutal and Tigris wouldn't wish for them to be used by anyone.

"No, I don't think that will be necessary. A simple interrogation from the guards shouldn't be painful or cruel. Mental tactics have been useful in the past, we'll stick with those." Tigris replied quickly.

Eris curtsied deeply before retreating towards the door. "You've made a tough decision, Tigris, but a just one. I'll inform the guards," Eris paused in the doorway, her green eyes glinting brightly, "You've done well, niece."

Tigris sat in the armchair, clinging to the words even as a small part of her mind whispered that she was making a terrible mistake.

A/N: Man oh man, Tigris trusts Eris way too much. LISTEN TO ROCHE, TIGRIS!!!! As much as I hated writing that, I'm pretty sure Tigris is just glad to have more family around after losing her father.

Sorry for the late update today, it's midterm season and in two weeks it will be finals season, so things are a bit hectic rn. Expect a few more late updates over the next few weeks, but hopefully I'll have enough chapters ready for daily updates as usual :D

As always, happy reading!