The guards brought the mercenary back thirty minutes later, still unconscious and bleeding from his side wound. They carried him to a secure room in the estate's lower levels—a space William hadn't known existed until now.
"Interrogation room," his mother explained when she saw his expression. "Every major noble house has them. We don't advertise their existence."
The room was stone-walled and windowless, with a single chair bolted to the floor in the center. The guards secured the mercenary to the chair with heavy chains, then stepped back.
Duchess Arabella gestured for William to follow her to an adjacent viewing room. Through a one-way essence-reinforced glass panel, they could see the interrogation room clearly while remaining hidden.
"The head interrogator will be here shortly," his mother said. "Master Veron specializes in extracting information from reluctant subjects."
"How often does our family need an interrogation specialist?" William asked.
