text: No, he was outnumbered, and the chimney was tall. He might be able to climb it, but he might be caught or pulled down, and that would hardly help his chances when speaking with the king. There was no guarantee that Alfred even suspected him, and he had always heard that the king was a just man.
  
  They walked in silence for a few more minutes. The castle was emptier than it had been before, and Wulf realized when they passed a window that it was nighttime. There were several guards outside the council chamber, and one of them went inside to inform Alfred that they had arrived. "Don't lie to the king," the lead guard said kindly.
  
  Wulf nodded, and a moment later the other guard reappeared. "I'll take him in."
  
  The room was nondescript. In the middle sat a long table lined with chairs, occupied by Bishop Osfrid, Aldric, and an old scribe, his fingers stained dark with ink and a scroll and quill sitting before him. The king sat at the head of the table, and behind him stood Queen Ealhswith. They all stared as Wulf walked uncertainly inside. He bowed, and the guard led him to a chair a few feet from the table. It had manacles, and the man began to bind him.
  
  "There's no need for that," Alfred said. The guard stopped immediately, but the queen touched her husband's shoulder, a worried look now on her face. "Bring in a few more guards," he instructed, "but I do not believe this man will try to harm us or escape."
  
  The other guards stood on either side of Wulf's chair, and the third took his place near the king. No one spoke for a while, and the queen and councilors alternated between gazing at Wulf and at Alfred. Wulf looked at the king, too, and wondered whether the man's reputation for justice and wisdom was well-earned.
  
  Finally, Alfred spoke, though his words were for the scribe. "Be mindful that you transcribe everything precisely." The man nodded, and then the king turned to Wulf. "I have summoned you here to give testimony about the three murders which have been committed in Winchester. You are a stranger to this city and to me but know this- if you are innocent of evil, then no evil will be done to you. But if you are guilty, or if you conceal the guilt of another, then your punishment will be swift and just. Do not lie, do not tell half-truths, do not evade our questions."
  
  He sighed, and Wulf noticed again how old the king looked. "Now, do I have your word that everything you say tonight will be the truth?"
  
  "I swear," Wulf said quietly, and Alfred nodded. He gestured to Aldric, who stood from the table and paced towards Wulf, his fingers stroking the stubble on his young face.
  
  When he spoke, his voice was as cold and courteous as it had been in the dungeon. "You had a conversation with Bishop Osfrid's cook Siggar at the Bull Tavern, is that correct?"
  
  Wulf nodded. "Cynehelm and I were looking for Leofwine's murderer. I had hoped that the cook might know something about the killing, but he passed out drunk before we could speak about more than trifles. That was the night before Grimbold was poisoned, but the cook didn't mention anything about that."
  
  "My lord," Aldric said to the king, "the innkeeper reported seeing this man speaking with the cook that night, though neither he nor anyone else could remember the details of their conversation."
  
  "I just told you, I was trying to learn about Leofwine's murder, but the fat fool fell asleep..."
  
  "Quiet," the young ealdorman interrupted. "You, like all those interrogated in Wessex, will have a chance to speak freely later. Alfred's law gives you that right. For now, just answer my questions." He paused to collect his thoughts. "So you spoke with the bishop's cook the night before Grimbold was poisoned at the bishop's table."
  
  Osfrid swallowed audibly. "My lord, I..."
  
  "You are not under suspicion," Alfred said. "Please, Aldric, continue." He looked sad, his eyes fixed on Wulf as though trying to divine what was in his mind.
  
  "Gladly, my lord. Earlier today, you were found at Ecgbald's side just moments after he must have been stabbed. Is this true?"
  
  "We came upon his corpse, yes, but I did not kill him!" Wulf said, his temper rising. "We had just spoken..."
  
  "In Cynehelm's office. I am aware. Now, you have admitted to me that you used a secret passageway that connects to this castle. Where does it begin and end?"
  
  Wulf grit his teeth. "It connects Father Leofwine's room with a merchant named Merwal's house. I found it while searching Leofwine's room for clues about his murder, and..."
  
  "I have already told you to refrain from offering explanations," Aldric said. Then he turned to the king. "My lord, the prisoner has admitted to connections to each of the murders. He was found beside Ecgbald, talked with Grimbold's killer hours before the poisoning, and knew of the secret tunnel that almost certainly allowed Leofwine's murderer to enter his chambers. The evidence is circumstantial, but it does suggest a pattern."
  
  Alfred nodded slowly. "The coincidences do require an explanation. I assume you have one to offer?"
  
  "I do, my lord. But first I must ask you- where is Lord Cynehelm?"
  
  The king sighed. "Cynehelm was not in his office or his chambers, and none of my guards or messengers could find him in the castle. I have not seen him since I ordered this man be taken to the dungeon. I would appreciate his counsel in this matter."
  
  "His absence tells as much as his words would, my lord. Cynehelm is missing, and Cynehelm's man has a connection to each murder. My explanation is simple. He ordered the killings, using this stranger as his intermediary. Once he was arrested, Cynehelm fled, hoping to let him take the fall for his crimes. I suppose he hoped to rise in your favor by eliminating his rivals on the council, but now I expect he is defecting to the Danes."
  
  Wulf leapt to his feet. "All lies!" The guard grabbed him at once and forced him back to the chair, where he struggled to rise again. "You ordered Cynehelm to find the traitor, and I worked alongside him!"
  
  "Yes, my lord, you ordered him to find the murderer," Aldric cut in, "but apparently his search was fruitless, and apparently he put his trust in this total stranger, a man who is completely unknown to anyone in Winchester." He stopped and walked back to his seat. "That is all."
  
  Alfred rubbed his forehead, his eyes shut. He opened them when Aldric had finished. "I did task Cynehelm with finding the killer, but he had no success. Your accusations, Aldric, are hard to believe, but I fear that I have been too trusting in the past. I did not believe one of my own councilors could have murdered another, but that was foolishness, and now two more councilors are dead."
  
  "There is great wickedness in the human heart," Queen Ealhswith said, her voice only just audible.
  
  The king nodded. "I cannot discount this explanation, especially as Cynehelm is not here to clear his name. But you," he said, turning to Wulf, "will now have your chance to speak. Tell me the truth, and I promise I will treat you with justice and mercy. Is Aldric right? Did Cynehelm order you to kill Leofwine and Ecgbald and to have the cook kill Grimbold? Or is he innocent? If someone else killed them, I expect you would have found some evidence of the traitor by now."
  
  Every eye in the council chamber fixed on Wulf. He did have an idea of who might have killed the councilors, but it was far from a coherent explanation. Alfred's promise of mercy had begun to sound rather appealing. As grating as a false confession would be in the moment, perhaps it was the best chance to save his life. Surely Cynehelm was the one they really wanted, not his accomplice. He tried to think through the possibilities and weigh what to do, but there was not enough time. He had to speak.
  
  > accuse someone else
  When Wulf finally spoke, he was even quieter than usual. He chose his words carefully, but there was an intensity behind each one that made everyone else in the room listen. "I am innocent of these murders, and Cynehelm is as well. As you have said, I am a stranger to Winchester and your court. Until a few days ago, I knew no one in the city apart from Father Leofwine, who was a friend and mentor to me long ago. I had no rivals here, no enemies, but when I learned Leofwine had been murdered, I swore that I would avenge him. Cynehelm had the same goal, so I offered my services to him, so that we might work together and find the traitor."
  
  The king leaned in closer. "And did you find the traitor?"
  
  "I found many things, most of which you have already heard about, but I would not have made an accusation on the basis of such flimsy evidence. Now, however, I do have a...a guess. A hypothesis. I cannot prove his guilt conclusively, but I can do so with at least as much plausibility as the claims against Cynehelm and me. The traitor, the one who ordered the deaths of your three councilors, is the man so eager to make accusations- Lord Aldric."
  
  The young ealdorman folded his hands, his face unreadable. If Wulf's words surprised or worried him, he did not show it. But Alfred bowed his head, and it was only after a moment that he said, "Explain."
  
  Wulf sat forward, trying not to let his mind outrun his tongue. "First, my lord, I would say that Aldric's haste to accuse us should lead to at least a little suspicion. I notice that the bishop does not make accusations."
  
  Osfrid sat up with a jolt. "I...I accuse none but the guilty!" he said quickly.
  
  "Precisely. Second, Aldric has a clear motive, perhaps even a stronger motive than any other member of your council. He is young, intelligent, and ambitious, and young men who want to rise high have been frustrated by their elders before. Is it so implausible that he would eliminate your other advisors, just as he has accused Cynehelm of doing?"
  
  "My lord, he is ranting," Aldric said, his eyes on Wulf, but the king waved him down and motioned for Wulf to keep speaking.
  
  "But this is all speculative. That is, I believe we can all agree that Aldric might havekilled them. He had the motive, and he certainly has the ability, but these are surely not enough to show his guilt." Wulf stopped for a second, his heart beating fast. "I have only one bit of evidence to truly suggest he is guilty. When Aldric came to interrogate me in the dungeon, he mentioned that, between Osfrid's cook and Cynehelm's clerk, the quality of servants in Winchester had gone down considerably."
  
  Aldric had not moved a muscle, and that gave Wulf a little hope. He continued. "The cook, of course, is the prime suspect in Grimbold's murder, but I knew of nothing wrong with Cynehelm's clerk. Aldric told me he stole from his master, but it seemed a strange time to mention this. So, my question is simple: is the clerk known as a thief, or was Aldric thinking of something else when he mentioned the man?"
  
  No one spoke for a moment, and then Bishop Osfrid coughed. "I have heard nothing of his theft," he said.
  
  Alfred nodded. "Nor have I, though I do not keep up with court gossip. Our guards may know." He looked at each of them in turn, but they only shrugged or shook their heads. "My lady?" Queen Ealhswith shook her head too, and Wulf could see the tears beginning to form at the corners of her eyes. He remembered she had been close to Father Leofwine. Discussing his murder could hardly be pleasant for her.
  
  Aldric spoke, his voice even colder than usual. "The man steals, my lord. I did not realize a slip of the tongue to a prisoner was enough to accuse an ealdorman of treason and murder."
  
  The king sighed. "It is not, Aldric, but even prisoners must have their chance to speak. Go on, though I fear I know where your explanation is leading."
  
  Wulf nodded. "It is simple. Aldric is clever, too clever really. I think he got tangled in his own lies. He forgot that we all suspected the cook and knew nothing of the clerk. He thought, if only for a second, that I knew nothing of what the clerk had done. What he ordered the clerk to do." They all waited, and then he said it. "He killed Ecgbald, I am almost sure of it. I do not remember passing him when we left Cynehelm's office, and he would be one of the few who could have followed Ecgbald and killed him before we came upon the corpse."
  
  "So, he paid my cook and Cynehelm's clerk, thinking to throw suspicion of us!" Bishop Osfrid thundered, but the king waved him down.
  
  "There is no proof of that," Alfred said slowly, "but perhaps we can find some. Guards, find out where this clerk lives and bring him here." One of the men-at-arms left the chamber, and the king continued. "If he stabbed Ecgbald, then presumably he has fled like the cook. If not, we will hear what he has to say."
  
  The minutes passed in silence. Wulf wanted to speak, wanted to say something that would strengthen his case, but he could not think of anything. Aldric betrayed no emotion. Finally, he spoke. "The man may be at an inn, or anywhere else besides his bed."
  
  "Cynehelm's absence was proof enough of his guilt," Wulf said, and then the silence resumed.
  
  Eventually, the guard returned. "The clerk's house is dark and empty, my lord. We asked the neighbors, but they had not seen him enter or leave this evening."
  
  Aldric stood. "It means nothing. The man is a thief, half of Winchester could tell you that. My lord, you cannot seriously be considering this accusation. I am an ealdorman, your loyal servant. This prisoner is a total stranger. He has admitted to skulking around the castle. Even in his wildest speculations, he has said nothing that ties me to Leofwine's murder! Perhaps...perhaps my accusations against him and Cynehelm were premature, but my haste came from concern to prevent any more murders and to let us all focus on the heathen army on our doorstep."
  
  "It is not enough evidence to find you guilty, Aldric, not by a long shot," the king assured him. "But your case against Cynehelm is at least as flimsy, and you did not advocate for caution then. Unless anyone has any more information, I fear we are no closer to catching the real traitor and murderer than we were before this night began."
  
  > Then...
  The door burst open, and everyone spun to see who it was. "Lord Cynehelm is here," a guard said uncertainly, and the king waved him in.
  
  The little ealdorman entered, his face nervous, and bowed to Alfred. "I did not know, my lord, that you had called a meeting of your council." Then he noticed Wulf. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He stood like that, gaping, his eyes roving between the king and the man in black, until at last he sputtered "Is he on trial?"
  
  Alfred shook his head. "We were simply hearing his testimony about the murders. Why were you not in your chambers?"
  
  "I was investigating the killings, my lord, but I fear I still have little idea who is behind them."
  
  "Thank goodness," Alfred said, "or we would have three suspects. Aldric has accused you, and your man has accused him back. Neither one of them has provided much solid evidence."
  
  Suddenly Osfrid spoke. "Why don't we turn out our pockets? The traitor may have something incriminating."
  
  "Or maybe the traitor was clever enough to leave the evidence of his crimes at home," Wulf said quietly, but the king had nodded at the suggestion.
  
  There was nothing particularly interesting. Bishop Osfrid had some silver, a few scraps of parchment, a small golden cross, and a dagger, and Aldric had only a handful of coins. Wulf, of course, had nothing, and Cynehelm only some silver, a set of keys, and the Proslogion. The scribe peered at everything, his quill scratching as he wrote.
  
  "Hardly useful," Aldric said, but then Queen Ealhswith gave a great shriek. Her face had gone completely white, and she was trembling terribly, but she managed to raise a finger to point to Merwal's little book.
  
  "Sin lies upon the kingdom," she wailed, "guilt and damnation are everywhere!"
  
  Alfred looked alarmed, and he grabbed his wife's hand. "It is only a book," he said softly, but she kept crying. His gaze turned to Cynehelm, who shook his head in puzzlement. Everyone else was studiously examining the table, the walls- anything but the hysterical queen. She kept shouting about evil and the stain of sin, until, finally, Alfred stood. "Everyone leave," he said, his tone commanding and his eyes hard. "Everyone but Cynehelm."
  
  The ealdorman watched them file out. The clerk went first, clutching at his scroll, and then the bishop. Aldric stared at him as he left, his eyes bright but cold. The guards looked at the king, and he motioned for them to go, too. Wulf followed, and Cynehelm's nervousness grew. He could not explain the queen's behavior, and, though Wulf likely couldn't either, his presence would be some help. Besides, he was the one who had found the book in the first place.
  
  > ask for Wulf to stay
  "My lord, Wulf has some knowledge of this book," Cynehelm said with a swallow.
  
  Alfred shrugged. "Fine, if you trust him." They approached the king, who was helping Ealhswith into a chair. "Now my dear," he said kindly, "what is this book?"
  
  The queen had stopped shrieking, but now she was just swaying slightly, her lips moving in soundless prayer. Alfred turned to them, and Wulf spoke. "My lord, it is a heretical text. I found it in the merchant's home that is connected to the castle by the secret tunnel. I thought it might have some importance, but then I learned it is just a work of theology."
  
  Alfred took the book and flipped through its pages; his eyes narrowed to read. "I recognize it. The Proslogion of Paulinus, an erroneous book indeed but hardly relevant to the murders."
  
  Cynehelm took a deep breath, his hands trembling. "It is relevant. I have just spoken with the merchant who owned it and his wife. They are convinced heretics and...and they accused Father Leofwine of sharing their heresy. They believe it is the reason he was killed."
  
  At the old priest's name, the queen began to weep again, shaking so violently that Alfred had to hold her steady. "Do they have any evidence of his heresy?"
  
  "No, my lord, but they had no reason to lie. It seems he would visit them and the other heretics by travelling through the passageway. He gathered a little flock but, they thought, someone discovered his beliefs and murdered him for them. He is a martyr, to hear them tell of it."
  
  "My dear," Alfred said, leaning close to his wife, "there is no need for these tears. We will find the man who killed Leofwine and bring him to justice, no matter what heresies the man may have believed."
  
  With a strangled yelp, Ealhswith pushed the king away. She rose, her eyes flying between the three men, and then her hand shot to the table to grab Osfrid's crucifix. "Forgive me," she shuddered, "forgive me, forgive me, forgive me..."
  
  Alfred understood first, and he took her hand, prying it from the cross and holding it tightly. "You knew of his heresy?" She nodded, still muttering for forgiveness, and he continued. "And you had him killed?" She nodded again, her eyes shut tight, and then she spoke, her voice barely intelligible through the sobs.
  
  "He showed me that...that wretched book, and he tried to convince me of his heretical doctrines. I trusted Leofwine, my oldest friend and my confessor since I was a girl, and he was a heretic all along!" She opened her eyes and looked up at Alfred, staring into his horrified eyes. "I knew he could not remain your chief councilor, but you are too kind, my dear, and I feared you would not remove him if you knew. I feared he would ensnare all of Wessex in his heresy. So, I paid his guards to cut his throat, and I made them swear they had seen no one enter Leofwine's chamber. It was not a lie!" she said desperately.
  
  Cynehelm felt light-headed. "And Grimbold and Ecgbald..."
  
  "No!" Ealhswith said, whirling to face him. "I did not kill them!" She fell into another round of sobs, but when she recovered, she continued. "At least, I did not order their deaths. It is my fault, though, all the killings. When I had Leofwine murdered, it brought the Devil to Winchester. I am sure of it. He tempted me to kill my oldest friend and convinced me that evil was good, and he killed the other two to punish my conscious. I have confessed, and I will go to the gallows a sinner. Have mercy on me!"
  
  Cynehelm and Wulf simply stood, stunned, but Alfred spoke. His voice was flat, and it sounded more tired than they had ever heard. "You will not go to the gallows."
  
  The queen seemed to choke. "It is what I deserve. It is justice, the only thing that can cleanse my soul of the sin I have committed."
  
  Alfred squeezed her hand. "I will not put my wife to death, whatever your crimes. God will judge you on the last day, but I cannot. It is a weakness. I will send you to an abbey, and you will do penance for the murder as long as you live. Jesus is merciful, and you may yet atone for your sin." He walked to the door and knocked. A guard appeared. "Escort my lady to her chambers," he said slowly. "And bring the others back in in a minute."
  
  The guard nodded and led her out. Queen Ealhswith had stopped crying, but she had no words for any of them. Alfred sighed. "I thought when Leofwine turned up dead, it was a dark day for Wessex, but so much evil had occurred since then. It is hard to bear."
  
  Wulf was about to speak when Bishop Osfrid stepped uncertainly inside, followed by the scribe. "Where is Aldric?" the king asked.
  
  "He left, my lord, as soon as you dismissed us."
  
  His words seemed to fill Alfred with new energy, and he leapt towards the door. "Bring me Lord Aldric," he instructed the guards, who immediately took off running in all directions. "I want him found!" When he turned back to his councilors, though, his face had grown sad and exhausted again. "We will not find him, not if Aldric has truly fled. I fear he, not the Devil, was responsible for the second two murders."
  
  "My evidence was not conclusive," Wulf said.
  
  "No, but why else would he flee? Aldric is a clever man. Too clever, you rightly said. He would not stick around if he is guilty. He will go to the Danes, perhaps, or to the Continent, but my guards will not find him tonight." Alfred sighed again. "Ambition is a true evil, and it lurked in Aldric's heart. I was a fool not to suspect him earlier. Now, my lords, I must sleep. The war with the heathens will not wait for my sorrows."
  
  > The next day
  Wulf decided to leave through the castle's main gate. He toyed with the idea of using the secret passageway, but it was too cramped, too uncomfortable, and besides, he was known and respected by nearly everyone he passed. It was a new feeling for him, being whispered about for good and not with suspicion, and Wulf felt entitled to enjoy it a little. News travelled fast, it seemed, and he got respectful nods from the guards that lined the castle corridors and from the important men and women of the court.
  
  Cynehelm caught him right at the gate. "Wulf! Wulf!" he shouted, trotting down the corridor. He was out of breath when he arrived. "Where are you going?"
  
  The man in black looked at the little ealdorman, his hands fidgeting as usual but with a smile on his face in spite of everything that had happened. "To find Aldric," he said simply.
  
  "Surely that can wait a little. Alfred wants you to stay, you know. He has a high regard for your abilities, and you could rise high in Winchester. He will at least reward you with some silver for your role in discovering what happened."
  
  Wulf shook his head. "Every hour that passes means Aldric has gotten farther away. I did not know Grimbold and Ecgbald, but it is not right that two men should be left unavenged, their killer roaming free. Besides," he said, gazing at the town below, "I don't like to be cooped up in one place."
  
  Cynehelm nodded. "You will always have friends at court. Come back to Winchester if you ever need something to do or a place to stay."
  
  "I will," said Wulf, and then he turned and walked out of the gate. The guards on duty chattered excitedly as he walked by, but he paid them no mind, going slowly down the hill and into the city. From there, he would find a horse, and then the search would begin. Cynehelm watched him go. For a moment, he wished he was going along. It grated him that Aldric had managed to escape, but he had little doubt that Wulf would, eventually find him.
  
  But then, as he turned to walk back to his office, he remembered how he much preferred counting taxes and managing the funds of Wessex to searching for murderers and crawling through dark tunnels. No, let the man in the tattered black cloak and rusted mail search for Aldric. It was were Wulf belonged, and Cynehelm would stay where he belonged.