'I told you that I'd tried to work on the Street of Red Lanterns and that Icouldn't. Don't look at me like that; it's not that unreasonable. Don't I havemy own quarters now, and no one who'd dare to bother me there? A woman who liveswith the garrison is safe from all other men, and a woman who is part of thatgarrison is safe from her cohorts as well.'

'Then you've got more courage than I thought,' he replied, shaking his head, 'oryou're an utter fool. You'd better let Myrtis know when you get there; she'llknow how to turn it to our advantage.'

Cythen grimaced and tried not to think of that evening, or the next evening. Sheleft her sword in Walegrin's care and made her way to the Street. It was nearingdusk by the time she got there and some of the poorer, more worn women, who didnot dwell in any of the major establishments, were already on the prowl, thoughthe Aphrodisia was not yet open for business. One of them jeered at her as sheclimbed the steps to the carved doors: 'They won't take your type there,soldier-girl.'

She stood there uncomfortably, ignoring the comments from the street below andremembering why she always came in the morning. The doorman recognized her,however, and at length the doors swung open to her. The downstairs was beginningto come to life with music and women dressed in brilliant, flower-coloureddresses. Cythen watched them as the doorman guided her to the little room whereMyrtis was getting ready for the evening herself.

'I had not expected to see you again,' Myrtis said softly, rising from herdressing table and discreetly closing the account book, which crowded out thecosmetic bottles. 'Your note said your meeting did not go well. You had notmentioned returning here.'

'The meeting didn't go well.' Cythen eyed Myrtis's smooth, clenched white handsas she spoke. There was a barely perceptible nervousness in the madam's voiceand a barely perceptible rippling to the edge of the table rug beneath theaccount books. Both could have any number of benign explanations, but Cythen hadbrought Bekin here expecting, and paying for, her sister's safety. Myrtis hadnot provided the services she had been paid for and Cythen's vengeance could beexpected in several different ways.

'I've seen the priest, Molin Torchholder, and he's made a plan; a way to snarethe one he suspects. I thought he would have sent you a message by now,'Cythen said quickly.

Myrtis shrugged, but without unclenching her fists. 'Since Bekin there have beenother deaths: gruesome murders, many of them Beysib women. All the reliablecouriers have been kept busy. There isn't time for the death of a Sanctuarygirl. Perhaps you can tell me who Molin Torchholder suspects of using beynitvenom when the Harka Bey denies all knowledge of it?'

'He suspects a man, a Beysib man. He suspects that the death of my sister is notso different from the Beysib deaths.'

'Has he given you a name?'

'Yes, Turghurt Burek.'

'The son of the prime minister?'

'Yes, but the Torch suspects him anyway. He comes here, doesn't he?'

'That man has spies everywhere!' Myrtis grimaced as she relaxed and raised herfist towards the smouldering hearth. Cythen heard a small click; then watched asthe flames leapt high and crimson. 'Once primed, it must be shot,' Myrtisexplained, while Cythen shuddered. 'We called him Voyce here; and he was alwaysa gentleman - for all that he's fish-folk. Bekin was special to him; suchchildlike innocence is not at all common among their women. He grieved over herdeath and hasn't been back since she died.

'But he was also the second person to suggest the Harka Bey to us.' Myrtispaused, and just when Cythen despaired of being believed at all, the starklybeautiful woman continued: 'I like him very much; he reminds me of a love I oncehad. I was blinded. I have hiot been blinded for ... for a long time. The signswere there; my suspicions should have been roused. Does Molin Torchholder havesome notion of how we're to bring the son of the Beysib prime minister tojustice before there is war in the town and we turn to Ranke for help?'

'Molin believes that since Bekin was the only Sanctuary woman who has beenslain, she must have learned something dangerous to him. Molin thinks thatTurghurt will make the same mistake again, now that he's convinced his father tosee everything his way. But I will be less easy to kill than she was, and snarehim instead.'

'You play a dangerous game between the priest and this Beysib, Cythen. Molin isno less ruthless than the fish-folk. And, here Burek is Voyce; none of my womenknows the true names of the men here, and if you value your life you'll rememberthat. The Aphrodisia is a place apart; a man need not be himself here - and theyexpect me to protect them. '

'Now Voyce is clever, strong and cruel, yet it would be a simple matter to berid of him, if that would serve our purposes. The Harka Bey are not the onlywomen who understand killing. But he must be exposed, not slain, and that willbe all the more dangerous.'

'I've come for my vengeance,' Cythen warned.

'He will not expose himself to a garrison soldier, my dear, neither figurativelynor literally.' Myrtis gave Cythen a slightly condescending smile. 'His tastesdo not run towards strong-willed women, such as he was raised with and hisfather serves. You do not have the yielding nature that madness gave yoursister.'

'I'll become whatever I must be to trap him.'

As she spoke, Cythen yanked loose the cord that bound her hair, shaking her headuntil the brown strands rose like an untidy aura around her face.

'Good intentions will not deceive him, either.' Myrtis had become kind-voicedagain. 'Your need for vengeance will not make you a courtesan. There are othershere who can bell our cat.'

'No,' Cythen protested. 'He'll come here again and make his mistake again, andhe might kill another of your courtesans. Isn't it to your advantage to let merisk my life rather than sacrificing one of those who belong to you?'

'Of course it would be to my advantage, child, if I owned anyone. But justbecause I keep account books on love a.nd pleasure, do not think I am completelywithout conscience. If Voyce is all he is suspected of being, I would be asguilty of your death, or anyone's death, as he would be.'

Cythen shook her head and took a step closer to Myrtis, resting her fists on thetable. 'Don't lecture me about death or guilt. For five years since thosebandits swept down and attacked us, I travelled with Bekin, protecting her,bringing her men, and killing them if I had to. It would have been better if shehad died that first night. I'm not sorry she's dead, only sorry that she wasmurdered by a man she trusted, as she trusted all men. I don't blame you, or me,but I can't get her out of my memory until I've avenged her. Do you understandthat? Do you understand that I must close the circle completely, myself, if I'mto have peace, if I'm to be free of her?'

Myrtis met Cythen's rabid stare and, whether she understood the dark emotionsand memories that drove the younger woman or not, she finally nodded. 'Still, ifyou are to have a chance at all, you must abide by what I tell you to do,Cythen. If he does not find you attractive, he will search elsewhere. I willgive you her chambers and her clothes; that will give you an advantage. I willsend Ambutta to bathe you, to help you dress and to arrange your hair.

'When he returns again, if he returns again, he will be yours. You may stay aslong as you please, but he is not to be harmed in this house! Now then, you mustalso seem to belong here, and it will rouse suspicion if you take no otherswhile you wait. I will set aside your portion -'