"The same clan that'll now ignore her if she falls prisoner to the guard!" Ganth quietly growled. "Do something, Kaz! I'm bereft of any ideas. What's got into that girl?"

"Evidently she's one of yours after all, Father."

Fliara moved to join them, keeping her eyes on the patriarch. Dastrun looked around as if to see if anyone else was going to defect. When he saw that was not the case, he peered down at the trio. "By will of the clan, I commend you and send you on your way. Your path diverges from ours now, but your duty to honor remains strong. Oaths have been sworn and must be upheld."

"Don't put him in a terrible bind with the emperor is what he's saying," whispered Ganth. He snorted. "And he talks of honor and duty."

Dastrun raised a hand, pointing at the door. "Go now. May Sargas and the spirit of Orilg guide you. I deem this audience at an end."

That was it. The assembled elders rose and began to depart. Clan Orilg had always been known for its efficiency and order.

"Come with me," Fliara said. Ganth hesitated, still glaring at the patriarch, but Kaz shook his head and steered his father toward the entrance.

Kaz, while not happy, was at least relieved. The clan would leave him alone for now. Its intervention would have been more hindrance than help, especially with Dastrun in command.

"Why'd you do it, lass?" Ganth was asking Fliara. "You needn't have concerned yourself with our folly. It's not been your way, ever."

Kaz's sister looked from father to brother, then shifted her gaze ahead again. "No, it's not. You didn't recognize me at all, did you, Kaz?"

The question caught him by surprise. He looked at his younger sister. Up close, he could see some family resemblance, but, it was true, she was virtually a stranger to him.

"No, I didn't recognize you. It's been years, though."

"But you didn't know me."

"I just said that."

Fliara looked at both of them. "That's my reason."

She would say no more. Kaz looked to his father for clarification, but Ganth merely shrugged. He understood no better than his son.

They came to the chamber where Hecar waited. Helati's brother was pleased to see them. He had been expecting the worst. "They wouldn't let me move from this chamber," Hecar told them. "There were guards at the door."

"Dastrun's thorough, I'll give him that," Ganth noted.

"What happened in there, Kaz? Are we to be returned to the circus for the emperor's amusement?"

"No, Hecar, we're being allowed to go on our way. In return, we won't involve the clan in our doings and it'll pretend it knew nothing of our whereabouts."

"Very kind. Hmmph. Better than I'd have expected of old Dastrun. Who's this? Someone to see us out into the street?"

"I'm coming with you, Hecariverani."

Hecar peered at her. "Hey, I know you."

"It's my daughter, Fliara. You saw her a couple of times when Kyri brought her around."

"That little-" He ceased when he saw her bristle. Fliara was every inch a warrior, sleek and muscled. There was nothing diminutive about her now. "She's turned into a fine fighter, I can see now, a credit to you and your mate, Ganth."

Ganth chuckled. "Well and quickly spoken, Hecar. She's every bit as headstrong as the rest, which is why she's one of us now. The foolish female just abandoned the clan to help us."

"Better to follow you than the clan these days," Hecar returned. "I learned that a long time ago." He thrust out a hand to Fliara. "You're welcome to join, only you might change your mind. Your brother and father have a habit of getting into the worst of situations."

"And whose fault was it this time?" Kaz pointed out.

"What is it with Jopfer?" Ganth asked his daughter, wisely changing the subject. "Why did he choose to go from the service of the circle to the state priesthood… and how was he selected to replace the former high priest? I've never heard of someone other than a cleric rising to that position."

"It was abrupt," Fliara answered. "The old cleric was still going strong, but then one day he suddenly announced he was searching for a successor." Her eyes narrowed. Kaz and Hecar were listening intently. "The priesthood had been adamant about supporting the warlords, and their position was weaker after the war because of it. I think the old high priest decided to quit. The circle was different. There were a lot of new members. Jopfer was one of the new generation, one with vitality, and he didn't have any connection to the Dark Queen's minions. That was important to gain people's trust. He grew very, popular very quickly."

"I'm beginning to smell a deal between interested parties," Ganth grumbled.

Kaz agreed. "Looks like either the circle offered Jopfer as a replacement or the high priest preferred him as a way of keeping the sons of Sargas from falling further from grace in the eyes of the people." He shook his head. "Nothing sounds quite right. We must be missing something. Even if the clerics had lost their standing, why accept a minion of the circle as their master?"

"Jopfer's no minion of the circle," Kaz's sister offered. "In fact, they seem afraid of him now. He took to the role of high priest as if born to it. He's not only brought the state priesthood to the forefront again, but eclipsed his predecessor."

"Things make even less sense, then."

They were interrupted by the sounds of armed warriors behind them. Some of the group who had accompanied Fliara at the circus waited just beyond the chamber. One of them stepped forward and curtly pointed.

"I think, my children, that we're being asked to leave this place."

The warrior in the lead responded, "The patriarch has found a house where you'll be safe until tonight. He feels you should go there as soon as possible. We've been sent to escort you."

"What then?" asked Hecar.

"I'm going after Delbin. He freed us in the circus. It's because of me he's here in the first place, and I owe it to the kender to get him out."

"Get him out of where? Who's got him? The guard?"

"No, I'd say the high priest." When he saw Fliara start, Kaz reassured her, "You owe no obligation to us. I'd even make Father stay behind if I thought I could convince him to do so."

She gave him a look that was reminiscent of one Kaz himself had been known to give people in certain situations. "And you think I could do any less?"

Ganth sighed. "What sort of children did I raise?"

"The high priest," Hecar mumbled. "We'll be assaulting the temple itself…"

"Probably. I can't think of anywhere else they would keep him. There are supposed to be cells below the main building."

"The temple…" Helati's brother grunted. "All right, then. How do you expect to gain entrance to that place? We can't just walk in, can we?"

Kaz lowered his voice, making certain that the warriors impatiently waiting by the door could not hear him. "No but there is someone else who can."

"And who's this? A cleric?"

Kaz turned away from him without answering, and said to the guards, "We expect our weapons back before we go."

Honor's Face and the other weapons were brought forth. The leader said, "We'll give them back to you at the safe house."

"That'll do." Kaz looked at the others. Hecar was still waiting for an answer. Kaz smiled grimly. "You haven't figured out who has the key to the temple? I'll give you a guess. He's not a cleric."

"Lad, you're not talking about-"

Kaz nodded to them. "Yes, Captain Scurn. He is no doubt looking for us even now. I think we should help him find us."