‘He wouldn’t do it,’ she repeated. ‘Kinsel wouldn’t betray anyone.’

‘Of course he wouldn’t,’ Serrah agreed, ‘not willingly. How are you feeling, Tan?’

She ignored that. ‘He’s strong. I know he isn’t like you. He’s not a fighter. But he has a…

moral

strength.’

‘Nobody doubts he has guts,’ Caldason said. ‘Or that he’ll try to hold out.’

‘He won’t inform. He’s too principled for that.’

‘It’s not a question of choice, Tan. Particularly as I think I know who’s-’

Someone rapped a signal on the door.

Hand on sword hilt, Caldason went to the spy-hole, then drew the bolts.

Karr and Disgleirio came in together. The patrician looked white and exhausted.

‘We ran into each other on the way,’ Disgleirio told them.

‘Was anybody hurt?’ Karr wanted to know, sounding short of breath.

‘No,’ Serrah assured him. ‘Shaken, but otherwise all right.’

Karr moved over to Tanalvah. ‘This must be a terrible time for you, my dear.’ He took her hands. ‘We’re going to keep you safe, you and the children. And we’ll do all we can to help your man.’

‘I told Kinsel it doesn’t matter. I said no cause is worth your life.’ She looked up at Karr. ‘I don’t think he believed that. Any more than you do.’

‘I deserve your blame. I should have-’

‘No. If I blame anybody, it’s myself. I was the one who…talked him into giving the concert.’

‘Doling out guilt won’t help Kinsel,’ Serrah announced. ‘What’s important is, what do we know? And what can we do?’

Karr nodded. ‘You’re right. In that respect, Quinn has something to tell us.’

‘Well, it’s short and not so sweet,’ the Righteous Blade man reported. ‘The carriage they put him in went straight to paladin headquarters.’

‘Could we get him out?’ Kutch asked.

‘Maybe if we attacked with an army,’ Caldason allowed, ‘though I doubt it. And the chances of Kinsel still being alive when we got to him are slim.’

That sent them all into a reflective silence.

Disgleirio cut through it. ‘There’s something else. Guess who rode in the carriage with him? Devlor Bastorran.’

‘The young pretender himself,’ Karr mused, ‘and your greatest admirer, Reeth.’

If Caldason appreciated the joke he didn’t show it. ‘How did he look, Quinn?’

‘I only caught a glimpse of him. There was no sign of bandages or dressings, and his leg was out of plaster. He walked a little stiffly, but looked hale apart from that.’

‘So, the paladins were behind this,’ Karr concluded. ‘Or at least the younger Bastorran.’

‘It might not be that simple,’ Serrah said. ‘I think at least some of the men who arrested Kinsel were CIS agents.’

‘You’re certain?’

‘Not entirely. But I worked with them long enough to be pretty sure.’

‘I don’t understand,’ Kutch admitted. ‘What does it mean?’

‘The Council for Internal Security is one of the most powerful and feared arms of the Gath Tampoorian government,’ Karr clarified. ‘But by tradition and treaty it’s only supposed to operate within Gath Tampoor itself.’

‘You’re naive if you think it’s never meddled in any of the empire’s colonies,’ Disgleirio said. ‘The pretence that it doesn’t was only ever to do with agencies not being seen to step on each other’s toes. It’s just internal politics.’

‘True. But if they’re acting

openly

here in Bhealfa, and working closely with the paladins, we’ve moved to a new level.’

Caldason shrugged. ‘More evidence that the gloves are off. We knew that.’

‘But hardly good timing when we’re so close to the move,’ the patrician reminded him.

‘How does this do Kinsel any good?’ Tanalvah broke in.

None of them had an answer.

They talked on, pooling their knowledge, arguing, considering plans. And doing their best to comfort Tanalvah when tears overcame her.

Eventually night began to fall and the curfew loomed. Karr left for home, promising to send people to keep a discreet

eye on the safe house. Disgleirio went off to check the lookouts stationed near the paladin headquarters, and to increase their number. Kutch, suppressing yawns, was sent upstairs to sleep by the children.

‘I’m going to scout the area before curfew,’ Caldason decided. ‘When I get back I’ll stay the night.’

‘All right,’ Serrah said. ‘Be careful.’

He let himself out and she secured the door behind him.

Tanalvah still sat forlornly by the dying fire, seeing who knew what in the dancing flames. Serrah tossed on another log and sat next to her.

‘It sounds a stupid question,’ she confessed, ‘but how are you?’

‘I’ve lost him, haven’t I? The only man who ever respected me. The only man I…loved.’

‘Listen to me, Tan. We’re going to do everything we can to get him out of this situation. You heard what Karr and the others said; no effort’s going to be spared to bring Kinsel back to you.’

‘I also heard them say he’s in a fortress, and in the hands of ruthless men. I don’t fool myself, Serrah. It’s over.’

‘It is as long as you have that attitude.’

‘Where there’s life there’s hope, eh?’

‘Well, yes. It sounds trite but it’s true.’

‘I’m finding it hard to keep any hope going right now. I can’t see…I can’t see a way out of-’

‘It’s easy for me to say, Tan, but this isn’t the time to go to pieces. Kinsel needs you, and so do Teg and Lirrin.’

Tears began coursing down Tanalvah’s cheeks. ‘The children…’

‘At least they’re going to be safe.’ She reached over and squeezed her hand. ‘You can rely on that. I swear it.’

‘I know. If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t have had the brief happiness we were lucky enough to have.’

‘You can have it again. We’ll work something out.’

‘I know you’ll all do your best. But-’

‘What?’

‘There’s something you don’t know.’

‘If it’s something that might help Kinsel you must tell me, Tan.’

She gave a short, bitter laugh. ‘It doesn’t help. Far from it.’

Serrah passed her a kerchief. Tanalvah began dabbing her wet cheeks with it.

‘What is it, Tan?’

‘Serrah, I…I’m pregnant.’

Serrah was speechless for a moment, then said, ‘You’re sure?’

Tanalvah nodded.

‘How long?’

‘A couple of months.’

‘Oh gods, Tan.’

‘You know the ironic thing? I prayed for it. I begged the goddess every day to bless us with a child of our own, to make our family complete. The gods work mysteriously. They give with one hand and take away with the other.’

‘What’s happened to Kinsel is the work of men, not gods.’

‘I think the goddess knew what was going to happen to him. She gave me this child as compensation, a way of balancing things.’

‘If it helps you to think of it that way, go ahead. But don’t lose sight of the possibility that you may still have both; Kinsel and the child.’

‘You have more optimism than I do at the moment.’

‘Yes, at the moment. You’ve had a tremendous shock. Things will look different soon.’

‘I hope you’re right. But…don’t tell anybody. About the

baby. Not just yet. I don’t think I could take much more sympathy right now.’

When Caldason got back, Tanalvah was slumbering on the fireside couch.

‘You look tired yourself,’ he told Serrah.

‘It’s been a long day.’

‘Get some sleep. I’ll look out for Tanalvah.’

‘Sure?’

‘Go ahead. If you’re needed, I’ll call.’

She left to rest in another room.

He quietly hefted a chair to the hearth. Placing his swords on the floor beside it, he sat.

All was silent for a while.

‘Reeth?’

‘I thought you were asleep.’

Tanalvah shifted on the couch. ‘The way I feel at the moment I might never sleep again.’

‘I feel that way myself sometimes.’

‘You have demons waiting for you in sleep. I know what that’s like now.’

He said nothing.

‘Tell me, Reeth: what gives you your strength?’

‘What do you mean?’