Wait, what? Killing winter royalty? Who the hell did the Ringmaster kill?! Strange gets a momentary deer in the headlights expression as he starts working things out. Syrlya told him that the then-Winter Maiden was now the Winter Queen when he showed Strange that story he found. They had speculated about the changeover, but Strange doubted either of them would think of outright murder. But, then again, there's more than one option for royalty.

"I'm afraid she hasn't told us about murdering any Winter royalty," said in a tightly controlled voice, "though it wouldn't surprise me if she did. Who did she kill?"