Walegrin nodded after both names. "Kama, the only Stepson who might not want youdead is inside the witch's house with bigger problems than you've got. Thenabobs were in trouble anyway; Strat's arrow didn't make their problems but theway it's comin' down you'd think you stole the globe and let Roxane out."

"So what am I supposed to do? Hide the rest of my life? Climb to the highestrooftop and leap to my ignominious death? Maybe I'll just go back to Zip and therest. I can take care of that myself, at least." She began pacing, though therewas barely enough space between the bed and the wall for her to take two stepsbefore turning. "I could get on that boat. Reach Theron, if he's there-"

The garrison regulars exchanged glances. Under no circumstances was anyone whoknew what had been going on in Sanctuary going anywhere near that wharf withoutan arm-long scroll of permissions. Walegrin took a step forward, blocking Kama'spath.

"I've sent word to Molin Torchholder. I told you about him. If there's anyone inthe palace who'll understand the truth of this. it's him."

Kama stared in disbelief. "Molin's coming here?"

"To perform your funerary rites. The diggers went to get him. He'll come. Hemight not be too popular with you Wiz-ardwall veterans but he takes care ofSanctuary. You can trust him-I told you that," Walegrin assured her, misreadingthe shadows that fell across Kama's face.

"How long?"

"I've sent word. He'll come as soon as he can. The Interiors," by whom he meantthe few Rankan soldiers still on detail within the palace, "say there was somesort of big Beysib gathering around sunset-some sort of ritual. I don't know ifhe was involved or not. If he's got to eat with them he may not get here tillmidnight."

Kama strode to the little window overlooking the stables and a corner of theparade ground. She popped the shutters and leaned out into the night air.

"I'd just as soon you kept the windows closed and stayed out of sight," Walegrinrequested, unable to give her a direct order.

An inaudible sigh ran the length of her back. She pulled the boards closed andstared expectantly at him. "I'm your prisoner, then?"

"Damn, woman-it's for your own good. No one's going to think of looking for youhere-but I can't keep them out if they get a notion to look. If you've got anyclose friends you think you'd be safer with you just tell me about them and I'llsee that you spend the night there."

Kama had pushed as hard and far as she dared-more from habit than grand design."Is there any food left below?" she asked in a more civil voice, "or water?"

"Fish stew with fat-back; some wine. I'll send some up."

"And water, please-I'd like to wash before my funeral rites." She flashed thesmile that made men forget she was deadly.

Torchholder, still garbed in the regalia he had worn when the Beysa had healedthe Stormchildren, came to the garrison barracks flanked by the gravediggers.The diggers demanded to view the body but Molin, once he saw Walegrin's anxiety,dismissed them with a wave of his hand.

"Not before the rites," he snarled contemptously. "Until the spirit issanctified and released, the impure may not view the remains."

"Ain't no 'Shankan funeral I've ever heard of," the second of the gravediggerscomplained to his superior.

"The man was an initiate into Vashanka's Brotherhood. Would you risk theStormgod's wrath?"

The gravediggers, like everyone else in Sanctuary, suspected that the Stormgodwas impotent or vanquished but none of the trio was about to say so to a palacenobleman whose power in the simple matters of life and death was not inquestion. They agreed to return to their posts and await the delivery of thebody. Molin watched the door close behind them, then pulled Walegrin back intothe shadows.

"What in seven hells is going on here?"

"There's a bit of a problem," the younger man explained, drawing the priest upthe stairs. "Someone you should talk to."

"Who've you got-?" Molin demanded as Walegrin knocked once, then shoved the dooropen.

Kama had put her time and the water to good use. The soot and grime were gonefrom her leathers and her face; her hair framed her face in a smooth, ebonycurtain. Walegrin saw something he did not immediately understand pass silentlybetween them.

"Kama," Torchholder said softly, refusing for the moment to cross the threshold.Throughout the afternoon and into the evening he had forced any thought of herfrom his mind; had, in effect, abandoned her to fate. He believed she would nothave expected, or appreciated, anything else and saw by her face that he hadbelieved correctly-but correctness did nothing to alleviate the backlash ofself-imposed guilt which swept up around him.

"Shall I leave?" Walegrin asked, piecing the situation together finally.

Molin started; weighed a dozen responses and their probable consequences in hismind, and said: "No, stay here," before anyone could guess he had consideredsome other course of action. "Kama, why are you here, of all places?" he asked,closing the door behind him.

With Walegrin's help, she explained her situation. How the PFLS leader. Zip, hadmisinterpreted her encounter with Stra-ton and Walegrin and how that mistake hadstarted the downward spiral of events which culminated with not merely theattempt on the Stepson's life but the sabotage of all he had tried toaccomplish.

Molin, though he listened attentively, took a few moments to congratulatehimself. Had he dismissed Walegrin, he would have helped Kama because he lovedher-and, in time, she would have rejected him for it. Now, he could help herbecause he had heard and believed her story before witnesses. She might stillreject him-she would always prefer action to intrigue, he suspected-but itwouldn't be through the weakness called love.

"You have two choices, Kama," he explained when both she and Walegrin weresilent. "No one would be surprised if you had died today. I could easily see toit that everyone believed that you had. You could take a horse from the stablesand no one would ever think to come looking for you." He paused. "Or you canclear your name."

"I want my name," she replied without hesitation. "I'll appeal to the Emperor'sjustice...." It was her turn to pause and calculate options. "Brachis-" Shelooked around the room and remembered the Stormchildren, the witches, and their-remedial absence of Vashanka. "I'll get the truth out of Zip," she concluded.

Molin shook his head and turned to Walegrin. "Would you believe anything thatyoung man told you?"

Walegrin shook his head.

"No, Kama, maybe if Strat's still alive in there and he says it wasn't you,you'd be believed, but no one else's word will count for enough. You'll do bestcoming in to face your accusers."

"Under your protection?"

"Under Tempus's protection."

Walegrin broke into the conversation: "He's one of the ones who've ordered herdead!"

"He ordered her captured-the rest is the enthusiasm of his subordinates. He'sgot caught in another skirmish with the demon-and Roxane:-for Niko's soul. Jihanbarely pulled him out and she is, until the next sea storm at any rate, asmortal as you or I. Tempus is in no mood for death right now."

"You're wrong if you think he'd go lightly with me," Kama warned in a low voice."He acknowledges my existence- nothing more than that. It would be easier forhim if I did die."

It cost her to admit that to anyone, stranger or lover. Molin knew better thanto deny it. "I'm not interested in making things easier for that man," he saidin his own low, measured voice. "He will not dare to judge you himself, so hewill be scrupulously honest in seeing that justice is done by someone else."