The Home-coming

With Marie-Celeste bound back to Mertí as its governor, the companions at long last return home to Paix. Sebastien returns under a political cloud; while he maintains that he hewed to the letter of his honor, there is talk that the Musketeer was on the wrong side of the Mertí rebellion. Aleksei, in contrast, returns with a reputation as a statesman, albeit one of a radical disposition, and Julian has managed once again to keep a low profile -- though he carries private scars from the company's adventures outremer.

After-party at the Chambers de Courtanvoux

The heroes return to Paix and proceed to their various homes. Aleksei's is in dissarray - he is being evicted, it seems, and his man Planchet has drunk him out of house and home, and drunk the wine-merhcant beneath his shop nearly into insolvency as well. Apparently, Planchet has engaged in a month-long wake since Aleksei was declared dead, picking up a new lady-friend Gabrielle in the process.

The Prodigal Musketeer Returns

Sebastien, on the other hand, has no apartment at all: at Musketeer headquarters, he learns that his man Andre moved his things into storage when he was presumed dead and that indeed a wake and funeral were held by his brother Musketeers. Much has changed while he has been gone; the problems in Le Cage that were simmering while he was away are now over under the efficient administration of a promoted Ensign Fabian la Fere, though several Musketeers - friends of Sebastian's - died in the initial sweeps to settle the slums.

More directly problematic is his visit to Lady Christine; thinking him dead, she has taken up with Rogier Mornay, and requests some time to sort things out. Angry, he departs, swearing off her.

The Office of Julian la Croix, Scrivener

Julian returns to find his shop still open and being operated by a Vodacce man who directs Julian to the Mademoiselle Vert, where Julian meets Alfé, now "Uncle Alfe," leader of the Le Cage thieves' guild, the "Council of Brothers." After some tension, Julian is let in as a partner with Alfé and his two silent partners, one an authority figure and the other a Vodacce merchant named Cosimo da Dionna.

Sword-fight at the Cathedral / A New Friend

Word is sent to Aleksei - to Le Weasel, really - that Sister Martine needs his help. He decamps to the Cathedral, where she introduces him to a young, ravishingly beautiful courtesan named Zola, a woman that Sister Martine implies Sophia's Daughters have smuggled to Paix. She asks Aleksei to take Zola under his wing, but no sooner does he agree than he sees a face at the Cathedral window.

Pursuing the man - a Vodacce swordsman, it seems - Aleksei commences a swordfight across the Cathedral rooftop and then down along the belltower, finally fighting at the very bottom of the bell-pull. There, the man is revealed as one Cosimo da Dionne, a Vodacce agent of Giovanni Villanova interested in this Zola.

Returning to Sister Martine's office, Aleksei agrees to take Zola under his wing and returns home.

Confrontations and Revelations

Aleksei introduces Zola to his companions, and she rapidly reveals herself as a Fate Witch: Julian has a dark cloud around him, and a bright light surrounds Planchet's new lady-friend Gabrielle. She departs, and Julian is confronted about the new companion in his head. Baron Sange is summoned, a conversation ensues, and finally all the companions head to the party with a newfound level of wariness.

A Homecoming Ball

The ball that evening is quite an affair, but while there the heroes hear difficult news: the Montaigne military is having persistent trouble with leaks at the top, with Montaigne codes being broken and the Castillians in turn harassing military forces in occupied Castille.

The companions notice that "Lady Gwynneth" - in truth Carlotta, the Castillian spy known as "El Chacal" - is still in Paix, attached to Admiral Praisse du Rachetisse. The companions quickly enough determine that she is behind the leak; Aleksei resolves to deal with the matter at a lunch the next day.

Lunch With Lady Gwynneth / An Informant

Aleksei meets with Carlotta the next day, and in no uncertain terms tells her to leave Paix. He gives her a day, no more, before Philip du Paix and the rest of the Montaigne establishment comes looking for her, and suggests that their mutual Avalon friends would not appreciate the scandal.

He returns home, and that evening the companions catch up on the present state of affairs. Julian steps out - going to tell Philip about Lady Gwynneth, in hopes that Carlotta can be caught before she escapes. He tells Aleksei, and Aleksei in turn sends a note warning her to flee immediately.

A Midnight Caller

At midnight, there is a knock on Aleksei's door: it is Luc Duchard, captain of Musketeers, and he has an arrest warrant for Aleksei. The Musketeers raided Carlotta, caught her, and in her possession found Aleksei's note. He, too, is now arrested for treason - for conspiring to help an enemy of the state.

Persons of Note

• Admiral Alazais Valois Praisse du Rachetisse -- High Admiral of the Montaigne Navy and a patron of the companions. He is entangled with Lady Gwynneth, not knowing she is Carlotta.
• Christine du Paix -- Sebastien's former paramour, in fact Christine Rois et Reines, Captain Jean-Marie's sister. She also has a history with Rogier Mornay.
• Carlotta -- A beautiful Castillian spy and opera singer, she posed as Lady Gwynneth ferch Elise, an Avalon diplomat.
• Captain Luc Duchard -- Captain-lieutenant of Musketeers in Paix.
• Philip du Paix -- L'Empereur's spymaster and a patron of the companions.
• Rogier Mornay -- Formerly captain of gendarmes on Mertí, this ex-Musketeer is now a mercenary Swordsman in Paix with many friends at court.