also learned somethingthat is unknown outside of the immediate royal circle. There was anattempt on Larals life late last year.Riodansat up straight. On Laral? That is news indeed. But why did theHalvans suppress it?Partlybecause they feared it would encourage other attempts but alsobecause too many questions would be asked, and the answer to whoinstigated it might lead to an open rift with Ylandre if not outrightwar.Whywould it? Riodan sharply drew in his breath. Sweet Veres,they think Ylandre was behind the attempt?Theyrenot sure, Dylen said. The would-be assassins escaped, but oneleft behind evidenceoftheir affiliationa cloak pin bearing the insignia of an Ylandrinfoot soldier.Rathertoo obvious for credibility I should think, Riodan scoffed.Butwith lack of proof to the contrary, the Halvans cant simplyabsolve us, can they? Dylen countered.Isuppose not. Where did you get this information? CaptainTalvas.Riodanfrowned. But if Amir ordered that the attempt be suppressed, whydid he tell you?Likelybecause were kindred spirits, Dylen replied. Talvas is abastard, too. Thats no secret. The son of one of Amirscousins they say.Nay,he was sired on a Shenzen minstrel by Amir himself.Riodanseyebrows rose in surprise. So Talvas is Sivars half-brother?Small wonder hes fanatically loyal to the family. Hes actuallyone of them.Precisely.And therefore he knows just about all there is to know about theHalvans history. Dylen took a long sheet of parchment from thesheaf at his elbow and pushed it toward Riodan. He helped me drawthis up.Riodanscanned the document. This is the Halvan ancestral tree. Helooked at Dylen questioningly. What did you hope to find?Apossible motive for Malkon to do away with Laral. And did youfind it?Ibelieve so. And it might also explain what you observed of Sivarsdemeanor toward Laral, Dylen added thoughtfully. Do you recallthe inheritance law Imcael concealed from Rohyr when he forced him tomarry Tyrde? Riodan nodded, grimacing at the memory of the Ardansunhappy first marriage. Well, that law originated here, in SouthVihandra. But we discovered the Southerners dont abide the law ofprimogeniture only after extensive research. Now, if even Rohyrsscholars and lawyers didnt know that the line of descent aroundhere is through a monarchs brother, it stands to reason theFerrendas werent aware of it either.Riodanfell silent for a space. When he spoke again, his eyes gleamed withexcitement. Then Malkon was betrothed and wed to Sivar on theassumption that Sivar is the heir to the Asmaran throne.Exactly.Imagine his dismay when he discovered it is Laral who is crownprince. Since he married Sivar in fane rites, he cant dissolvetheir union and go after Laral instead. Neither dare he do away withSivar since he would likely be the first suspect, especially if heproceeds to court Laral afterward. Dylen grimly said, Whatthink you might he do to win himself the rule of Asmara?Riodanpursed his lips. But how could Larals death achieve that?Dylenglanced down once more at the sheet of parchment. Laral is an onlychild like Sivar. His heir would have been Arfen Halvan, the rankingmember of the most senior cadet line of the Halvan clan. But Arfendied after a sudden illness. So the next in line to the throne washis nephew, Gavan, who was conveniently killed in a hunting accidenta