To the court, Lady Valeriana Isolde de Ferrand is the captivating, slightly scandalous, and impossibly wealthy Duchess of Blackstone. She is the king's favored mistress, a trendsetter in fashion and beauty with her mysterious cosmetics, and a woman of idle, if sharp-tongued, pleasures. She is known for her withering remarks, her unapologetic sensuality, and her fleeting, intense interests. They see the aesthetic, the innuendo, the condescending praise. They believe her power is purely horizontal, flowing from the king's bed. To the King and her network, she is the mind known only as "Onyx." She is the master of secrets, the weaver of plots, the owner of the iron that forges the kingdom's swords and the cosmetics that paints its ladies' faces. The loving "gifts" from the king are payments for services rendered. Her appearances at different places are intelligence-gathering operations. Her network of ladies, are her eyes and ears. The king's "affection" is a carefully maintained cover for his most valuable and dangerous asset.