Author's Note: Just wanted to apologize for the incredibly late update. I would say university kept me busy (which it did), but it was mostly the worst writer's block I've had in years. Since summer's started I think I've worked it out and hopefully will get a move on in writing :)

~¤ CHAPTER EIGHTEEN ¤~

Behind the common room the stairwell was dim; placing each step took caution. I sighed, a thin and resigned sound in the darkness of the narrow staircase. It was probably a good thing the others couldn’t hear me, or my thoughts.

It was easy to say I wanted to speak to Sadie and Kamon. But that looked more and more like an excuse to leave the room. How many times would I have to convince Sadie of my innocence? How could I apologize to Kamon for suspecting him as a traitor? Or say all of that with both in the room, when I was now the suspect.

Passing Yasa’s old room, I wavered. Since he had gone missing Kamon had taken his bed to recuperate from his fight with Gamal. I could hear Sadie’s footsteps as she moved about busily caring for her patient. Heart pounding, my hand defied my paralysis and reached up to knock.

Kamon’s voice halted my fist, inches from the wood.

“When can I get out of bed?” His impatience was badly suppressed.

“If you want to pop all your stitches and bleed to death,” replied Sadie wryly. “Don’t be so impatient.” I was surprised to hear a hint of amusement in her tired voice. “Unless we find a true mage healer, you need to rest for a week at least.”

“But what about Yasa? What about searching for him?”

“We’re getting nowhere.” Sadie sighed. “The watchmen are looking, but they’re stretched so thin. How can we stay put until the Order responds to our letters?”

I tried to leave, not wanting to eavesdrop, but Kamon spoke up. “Aren’t you confused?” I froze. “Gamal said they took Yasa to see a healer. He was attacked, and they warned us about more to come.”

A shiver crawled across my skin. He went on, “I don’t understand: if they aren’t the mage-hunters, why aren’t they returning Yasa to us?”

There was a long pause. Then Sadie replied quietly, “I guess that makes them another enemy to worry about.”

I stepped away from the door, ashamed of my eavesdropping. When I heard Sadie mention my name, I hastily left. Stumbling down the stairwell, I stopped short of entering the common room and ducked into a parlour. Checking around, I found the lumpy dais and warped looking glass through which I had scried for the Order in Phyllis, just days ago.

Kamon’s words sent thoughts racing through my head. He too realized something was wrong—not even Sadie saw it yet. If Gamal and his men were not out to kill state mages, why would they intervene to save us but not return Yasa to us? Why hadn’t they even contacted us or the Order—?

I stopped pacing. Gaiza had said we wouldn’t be able to track them again. And we hadn’t; perhaps our spells weren’t flawed after all. Someone was disrupting them…and that person could only be a state mage.

But…it couldn’t be! Surely a fellow mage would’ve contacted us. Perhaps they feared being uncovered by the mage-killers? Or…?

Already too many willingly abuse the Order’s laws…

That would explain why they hadn’t tried. It certainly made sense that if a mage was up to no good they’d avoid being caught—

I glanced up at the looking glass. My hair was almost wholly blonde now.

A chill ran down my spine.

Lunging for the looking glass, I almost took it off the wall in my alarm. How had I never thought to try—!

Squeezing my eyes shut, I began to scry for Soah.

Her presence leapt out to me instantaneously. My eyes flew open, and images rippled into life on the tarnished silver looking glass. I was no hand at one-way scrying but perhaps she wouldn’t notice me—

The frame filled with a black blur, and like I’d stumbled back a few steps her olive face came into view, a muted war cry on her lips; she hurled something into the air with the ferocity of a wildcat, and a man’s head snapped back. Another clutching Lidauv lost his grip around the young man’s neck and fell to the ground, something protruding from his eye. Lidauv doubled over: to his wide eyes he raised a bloodied hand from the knife in his abdomen.

The looking glass slipped from numb fingers. It struck the ground with a resounding crash, and the images disappeared like wisps of smoke from the shards of glass and a dented silver frame.

A heartbeat later, a maid rushed in. “What have you done?” she cried, waving her hands. “Who’s going to pay for this?”

I didn’t hear her. Shaking all over, my feet backed me into the wall and I nearly fell over.

“Answer me!” The maid shook my shoulder angrily.

I shook her off and headed for the door.

“You can’t leave! Where—”

Rian got to his feet when I appeared in the common room. They were still talking, waiting for Adweth and Lidauv to return from the midwife. “What’s wrong—?” he began to say. I broke into a sprint past him.

“Alenta!” yelled Gem, getting to his feet, but Olane grabbed his arm.

It can’t be…

Adweth hadn’t been in sight. Was she alive…? Lidauv—

I skidded to a halt in front of the midwife’s shoppe. Doubling back and forth to glance down the alleys lining the building, I spotted a lone silhouette at least three hundred metres from me that bent over to pick a fallen body. I raced forward.

Her face turned to me, her eyes widening in amazement. Suddenly a hawk dove into my face, bird’s claws aimed for my eyes. With a yell I barely dodged in time. As wings beat at my head, sharp talons dug into my forearms. Its beak closed on a strand of hair and began to pull until tears sprang to my eyes.

“Stop! I’m not here to fight!”

“How did you find me?” Her voice, hoarse after the fight, shook.

“Call your bird off!”

“Hassan,” she said impatiently. The hawk released me and flew back to her shoulder. Her mouth was pressed into a grim line, and although she hadn’t recovered from her surprise, she raised her knives. “Have you come to try your luck with me?”

I glanced at the four fallen bodies, whom she’d kicked to the sides of the alley. I swallowed hard; two had their throats torn out, one had a broken neck, and the fourth had a knife in his eye.

Breathing heavily, I glanced around: Lidauv was slumped against a wall, chest barely rising. Looking up, I saw Soah adjust an unconscious Adweth slung across her shoulders, a bloody bruise on her temple and cuts all along her hands. She carried her dead weight as if it were a feather, and still kept a knife aimed my way.

“How—” I swallowed to wet my mouth. “How did this happen?”

Soah looked irritated. “What’re you doing here?”

I opened my mouth, but my mouth was too dry. I tried again. “I—I came to negotiate.”

Her brows rose. “We have nothing to negotiate.”

“I know why you’re here in Teransi! If you hand over my friends, I won’t tell the Order.”

Her narrowed coal-black eyes scrutinized me. “You don’t really know,” she snapped.

“I do.” It was so hard to keep my thoughts straight. “You stole my tazen. No doubt there is more. I know you consort with Gamal, an infamous smuggler of illegal magical goods.” I gestured behind me, to the open street. “You could lose your magehood if you’re found out.”

Her brows furrowed. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Then return Yasa, Lidauv and Adweth to me,” I retorted.

She looked down at Adweth, and suddenly, she slipped the young woman off her shoulders. Instead, she picked up Lidauv.

“He needs to see a healer immediately, or he will die,” she said. “He will have to come with me, if you want him to live.” When I opened my mouth to protest, she raised a hand. “When Yasa recovers, we will also return him.”

I struggled to reconsider, and finally nodded.

Her lips curled into a small smile. “Promise me one more thing, magelet,” she said slyly. “Promise me you will no longer pursue us for your tazen.”

I gaped at her. “Promise…?”

Behind me, I could already hear the sounds of the watchmen fast approaching. If Gem and the others had followed me, they would arrive soon.

“I promise.”

She adjusted her grip on Lidauv’s limp body. “Perfect.” Nodding to me, she took several steps backward and rapped on a door. It opened, and she slipped through and disappeared.

I quickly knelt to check on Adweth. She was still breathing. The bruise and cuts looked to be the worst she’d received, but Sadie’d have to check. Checking her forearms, I found blood on my palm. Turning over her right hand, I gasped and dropped it. Her little finger had been cut off. The magelet’s ring was gone.

The watchmen arrived. Rushing forward two at a time in the narrow alley, they stopped behind me. The tip of a blade pricked the nape of my neck.

“On your feet,” ordered the watchman.

I took a deep breath and obeyed.

--

Adweth was taken to the watchmen’s private infirmary, as was Kamon. Sadie and Olane were helping in shifts, so while one worked, the other took a respite. Sadie went in first. The rest of us waited in the station courtyard, gathered around a bench in silence. I had my head in my hands when there was a commotion by the gate. I looked up: Dajala and the other battle mages burst into the courtyard.

Dajala saw me. “Bitch!” she shrieked. Kithe tried to grab her arm, but she fought him off and storming up, slapped me. “Where is my cousin? What have you done to him?”

None of my friends rose to their feet, but Rian braced me as I pressed a hand against my stinging cheek. Some watchmen hurried forward to restrain the young woman, but Kithe had already reached her.

“Miss, please control yourself…”

“We are doing our best to find your cousin. Let us to offer you protection; should you wish to stay in our barracks, we…”

I was trembling as Kithe and his friends pulled Dajala away, following the watchmen as she wept. Licking my lips, I tasted blood. I’d bitten my tongue when she slapped me.

Gem’s dismay filled his dark eyes. “Why didn’t you stop Lidauv from being taken?”

I stared at the ground.

“Come on, Alenta,” he begged. “You have to talk to us. What happened?”

My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth. “I told you. I scried for Adweth and Lidauv, and that’s how I knew they’d been attacked.”

“But you didn’t try to warn us?” demanded Olane. “How do we know you aren’t turning on us, like Sadie says?”

“I’m not,” I insisted, but my protest was feeble.

Gem scanned my face. Beside him, Rian pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes. “Alenta,” said Gem slowly. His face was dark with anguish as he struggled to word himself. “I can tell you’re lying.”

I’d given my word, and Yasa and Lidauv depended on it. Tears threatened to spill and I shook my head. “I can’t.”

Gem sighed and turned away, biting a nail. Olane got to her feet abruptly.

I knew it,” she said curtly, and left for the infirmary. A moment later, Gem followed her. Rian made to do the same, but he stopped by my chair.

“This isn’t like you,” he said. His voice cracked.

My heart broke. But I couldn’t find the words to reply.

Nearby, a bell tower tolled midnight. I’d thought it would never come—the evening had stretched on forever. At dinner, we’d been told that Adweth would be all right. Gem could stop pacing, but he couldn’t stomach the meal. The watchmen gave us a small barracks to ourselves, and at least the others could rest. Dajala and her friends were gone, and as much as I pretended to not care, I did.

There was a back door in the barracks leading to a narrow deserted corridor between its walls and the station fortifications. The neighbourhood was eerily quiet; perhaps the presence of the watchmen’s base warded against a racket. I leaned against the back door, watching the full moon crest the stone wall, a cruel, pallid face against the blackness.

No word had come from Soah. Had she went against her word? Perhaps all along she’d wanted Lidauv so she tricked me into letting her take him away. Perhaps…

I tried to clamp down on my imagination. It did me no good; the Order surely was warned, and mages from the Order should arrive soon. But Yasa and Daout were still missing, and Chezra and Jaspreet were long gone.

Shuffling echoed down the corridor. I started, glancing into the shadows, but could discern nothing; probably a watchman wandering around, also unable to sleep. Exhaustion must’ve addled my senses, for I didn’t hear footsteps until the person was almost upon me.

“You’re doing well, little mouse.”

I nearly jumped out of my skin. The delicate purr, the accented Rejean: I turned and found Gaiza standing beside me.

“How did you get in?” I demanded, trying to keep my voice hushed.

“I am a priestess,” she said, a stony smile twitching at her lips. “I bear word about your friend.”

I held my breath. “Where is he?”

She shook her head. “Not good. The wound is not responding well to our healer. That is often the way of belly cuts, haia.”

“Then bring him back to us!” I exclaimed. “We have two apprentice healers here, and an infirmary—”

“It is not enough,” interrupted Gaiza, eyes flinty black. “You and your friends are not enough.” Seeing the suspicion in my eyes, she insisted, “We have no intention of keeping a live battle mage captive, Alenta. If you do not trust us, you know of our headquarters by the docks—why not visit and see the man and his injuries with your own eyes? If your masters do not arrive soon enough, Lidauv will die.”

“They won’t arrive until at least two days!” I snapped. “Can’t you move faster? We don’t have much time!”

“We—” Gaiza stopped abruptly and lunged past me to grab the door knob. I didn’t hear it snick open, but it swung open with a whining squeal. Through the gap I saw Maurize’s startled face, and before I could react, he scarpered.

“Maurize—!” I whirled to face Gaiza. “How long has he been there?”

“I don’t know.” Her face was troubled. “He is not your friend?”

“No, but…” Realization dawned on me. “He’s going to tell Dajala where you’re keeping Lidauv.”

Her hand shot forward to grip my shoulder tightly. “That cannot happen! The hunters have been converging on us since we first retaliated. They will follow them to our hideout!”

“What do you want me to do?” I protested, struggling to break her hold on my arm. “They’ve never listened to a word I said.”

“Make them,” she insisted. “Or our efforts will have been in vain.” With a sweep of her wide sleeve, she wheeled around and hurried back down the corridor.

Fighting off exhaustion, I pressed the heels of my palms against my forehead and summoning up my courage, I hurried back inside the barracks.

Sadie woke to the sound of me trying to buckle my belt over my jacket. Turning to look over, she blinked blearily, and sat up quickly.

“Where are you going?”

“Trying to stop Dajala from doing something stupid,” I said distractedly. Rummaging for my bronze dagger, I paused to gauge its usefulness before clipping it to my belt. “Go back to sleep, Sadie.”

Perhaps she was too tired, or perhaps she had long given up trying to convince me of anything. But her brows furrowed at my words, before falling back against her pillow and letting her eyes fall closed.

I surveyed the barracks regretfully. Was I forsaking all that I’d worked for?

The others need to be stopped, I told myself, and took a deep breath.

As I guessed, Maurize and the others had returned to the compound for the night, but they did not look ready for sleep. Instead, I found them standing in the courtyard, strapping their weapons and tools to their waists and shoulders. Compared to the watchmen they were a motley crew, but I knew better than to question a quartet of battle mages preparing for vengeance…

Kithe’s head jerked up upon hearing my footsteps, and Dajala face’s grew hostile as I slowed to a trot in the moonlight.

“Your carelessness beseeches you to atone,” she snarled. “You are pathetic to think that like your friends, we would not act once we’ve uncovered your deceit.”

I was taken aback by the viciousness of her attacks. “No—you’re making a mistake!” I protested. I took a step forward, and Bazhary’s hands went to his sword. Raising my hands frantically, I stopped in my tracks. “I’m not lying! You will bring danger upon yourselves tenfold, and threaten our allies.”

Bazhary spat on the ground. “Allies, ha! They are criminals who have kidnapped our friend. That makes them an enemy.”

“You don’t understand—” I insisted, but when they started to leave, I hastened forward. Maurize and Bazhary drew their swords outright, and I fell back a step. Trying to calm my racing heartbeat, I tried again. “Dajala, I’m so sorry about Lidauv. But what you’re about to do is wrong—”

Her coal-black eyes hardened. “I would have you impaled on my sword if I wanted your repentance,” she snapped. “Step away, bastard, before I lose my conscience.”

I did. I scanned the others’ faces desperately. But even Kithe’s pale eyes, stark on a tanned face, were grim. Helplessly, I watched them turn and walk away from me, into the harrowing streets of Teransi.

My fist gripped my dagger until the metal bit into my palm. They could kill me if I followed them. They probably would.

Curse it, I’d have to risk it.

Clutching my dagger tightly, I waited until they would not see me, and took off in a run after them.

They moved swiftly through empty streets. This part of the city was deathly quiet, the streets deserted by its patrons for the livelier flower districts by the water front. Heart thudding so loud I thought they’d hear, I ghosted after them, descending the cliff wall as they strode inexorably toward the docks.

By the water we met the night-revellers. Stopping to catch my breath behind a food stall, I watched them plough down the busy streets. It was as if people knew to avoid them, and they did, regrouping nervously behind them. I hastened forward, not wanting to lose them in the crowd.

Scarcely a few paces ahead, I saw two masked men step out from alleyways and begin to follow the battle mages. Breath coming quick, I tried to conceal my movements. Surely they knew I was tailing them.

The docks came in sight—I breathed a sigh of relief to see that the battle mages hadn’t known which building Gamal was based. Starting at the opposite end of the row on which the hideout was rooted, they paused to listen for occupants. Before me, I spotted their followers picking up their pace to regroup with the others, and ducking into a different alleyway, I broke into a sprint towards the battle mages.

The alleyway brought me a few blocks from the apprentices, right by the docks. Feet pounding on uneven flagstone road, I ran full tilt toward them, but none looked up and saw me coming. Shoving the back door open, they went inside. I was two blocks from them when I saw four men enter the house from the same door, and two more stopping to guard their entrance.

I barely skidded to a halt in time and hid behind the building next door. The door clicked shut after the killers; I couldn’t breathe, for fear of the sound of battle that would soon rattle the night sky.

Stuffing my dagger back into my belt, I conjured two sleeping spells in each hand. Dashing around the corner, I struck the first man in the face with the spell; he dropped like a rock. The second lunged with his knife, but I was a split second faster. His blade quivered by my neck, and then he too collapsed, sound asleep. Breathing hard, I palmed both of their knives and pushed open the door.

The moonlight’s rays spilled in a symmetrical cone onto the ground, illuminating a dirt floor and a thick cloud of freshly disturbed dust. Footsteps thudded on the floor above me; I swung the door wider and spotted the staircase. The men would be there, preparing am ambush.

I drew a deep breath, and summoned more sleep spells. Then I brought one hand to my mouth and let out a piercing whistle.

Silence. Then suddenly, a door swung open and I heard Bazhary shout in alarm, and then the hunters were ambushed, yelling in fury and slashing out with their daggers. A body crashed down the stairs—a Tennan man, his mask torn from his face and still alive, but dazed. I darted forward, mashing my spell into my face until he was unconscious. Grabbing his collar I tried to drag him aside, but he was too heavy. Head snapping up my throat was nearly slit by another man, and I tumbled down the first steps of the staircase. The breath was knocked right out of me, and struggling to sit up hot blood spattered across my face, and I saw my attacker twitch before crumpling to the ground.

Within seconds the mages had killed the rest. They circled me, blades raised.

“You don’t quit,” snarled Dajala. Her weapon—something that resembled a scimitar—trembled with fury. “It was a pretty trick, but you do not faze us.”

She swung her weapon as if to behead me, but Kithe caught her hand. “Think clearly, haia!” he shouted. He gestured at the sleeping man, the only one who had been spared a bloody death. “Do you not see that she came to warn us?”

Dajala did not have time to respond, for the sounds of more attackers echoed from outside into the building.

“There’re more—?” Maurize grabbed my arm and dragged me behind the battle mages. “Why did you not say?”

“I didn’t know—” My words broke off when five men burst through the door brandishing knives and maces, howling like a tortured beast. Chills ran down my spine.

Dajala’s arm lashed out like a snake; blood sprayed into the air as blade bit into flesh, driving deep into veins and cutting chords of muscle. Bazhary slew another man—but the man did not stop—suddenly he was rearing up again, fatal wounds gaping on a chest in grisly display. His knife planted itself in Maurize’s right shoulder.

I couldn’t move; the stench of death paralyzed me to the spot. Maurize tumbled back, and I barely dropped my knives in time to catch him. Kithe moved quickly to replace the breach, but this fight was different. Mingled in the scent of battle was a new, acrid scent—one that bit the nostrils and stung the throats and tore from us gasps of fear. For a blink the giant man who had struck Maurize paused to adjust his grip on his axe—in the wildly flickering moonlight I saw the mottling of his skin: a livid black tattoo, in the shape of a black widow spider on his left wrist.

“Cut the tattoo!” I shrieked at Kithe. Scrabbling for my knives, I tried dragging Maurize away from the battle, but he fought my attempts and was trying to stand. I couldn’t breathe; terror clung to every limb of my body, for me to stop moving, hide…

I would not fully remember the rescue that took place moments after. Vague moments stuck like burrs to my mind’s eye: it was as if each split second was now a minute in time, and the battle an eternity before the watchmen burst in, shouting for the fighting to cease. They were beaten back, when two men wrestled their way into the fray. I knew both faces, and watched dully as Fane grabbed a man’s face with one hand and threw him five metres into the wall. The second face I almost didn’t recognize because I couldn’t believe it: catching the wrist of that bear of a man Leith’s eyes flashed harshly as his knife dug deep into his flesh and split the tattoo in half.

The battle did not last long. Within seconds the five men were overwhelmed. Two died; one was unconscious, and the man with his tattoo torn was writhing and screaming on the ground, not even able to hold his bleeding arm with his other hand. The watchmen rushed toward us, taking Maurize from me and helping the battle mages wipe their faces clean. Fane appeared before me, grabbing both shoulders roughly and hauling me to my feet.

“Alenta! Are you all right?”

White-faced, I stared blankly at him. He tried to take the knives from my hands, but my fingers did not let go. Giving up, he started leading me out of the building.

Outside waited more watchmen. Two mages hurried forward to take Maurize and Dajala in their arms, while Bazhary and Kithe managed to stumble toward their own masters. The black mage—the one from three years back—was there, and he was bellowing his grief when he realized Lidauv was not with them.

Fane took me aside, but he was soon called away by other mages who converged to examine the battle scene. One watchman set a bottle of water beside me before hurrying off. I sat heavily on the ground, knives still clutched in my hands.

Sometime during the investigation Leith paused before me.

“It’s over,” he said. His voice, cool and reassuring, washed over me from a distance. “Try to let these go.”

I felt his hands grip mine. Slowly, agonizing, I pried my fingers open, and the knives clattered onto the ground. Picking them up, he set them beside the water and hesitating, patted my shoulder before leaving.

Three days passed before the rest of the Order and their soldier-guard caught up with the first team in Teransi. Within a morning the city was transformed from a lawless rat’s warren to a hushed, edgy one that teemed with mages and soldiers patrolling the streets, hunting down the mage killers. Since their assault on the battle magelets, there had not been a sign of them. Nor was there any word of Lidauv, Yasa, or the other two missing magelets. Many despaired they were gone.

The magelets were allowed to leave the watchmen’s base for their rooms at the Quarryman’s House, leaving barracks available for the newly arrived soldiers. By the next day, rooms at the inn were quickly vacated without a word, and one by one mages from the Order flooded in.

As the apprentice of the one of the Seven, I was given a room connected to Fane’s at the Teransi estate. It seemed upon hearing word from me of the magelet’s conference, the count had left for the Kidrith Convention to plead our case. When our letters arrived enough evidence was given to his suspicions and a scouting party sent out. This party, of course, had been our rescuers, composed entirely by the masters of those apprentices involved, as well as two knights and one squire.

Perhaps in appreciation of his help, Kamon was given the room next door to mine, and treated by a proper healer. By that third day, he was up and walking, although on his first day afoot he spent most of it eating and sleeping to recuperate.

I didn’t leave my room once. And perhaps they suspected something, or pitied me for being caught in battles not my own, but they left me alone. A part of me wondered if the other apprentices had vindicated me. All the same I couldn’t bring myself to find out.

It was on Kamon’s second day out of bed that I finally had a full conversation, and it was with him. The morning dawned vague and wet; I was already awake, lying half-insensate on my bed as I watched the sun rise over the treetops through the window. The knocking on my door was quiet. I considered pretending I was asleep, then finally said, “Come in.”

These days, I never left my door locked. Kamon seemed to think it had been, so when the knob turned for him he paused, and then pushed the door completely open to admit him.

“What are you doing?” he asked. “Alenta, what’s the matter with you?”

I raised my head to look at him. My hair was a mess—it was fully blonde now, and when I slept because it was so short it turned into a crimped halo around my face. My nightdress was rumpled and always warm, since I never changed out of it.

“We’ve been rescued.” He held the door slightly ajar, and came to sit at the end of my bed. “The city’s been closed to anyone who might flee, and they are hunting down the missing apprentices like blood hounds. But that’s not the end of it, is it?”

My mind lit upon the fact that Kamon was not in fact part of the Order, and words spilled from me. “I made a promise. I made a god-damned, cursed promise. What am I supposed to do now? What if they break from their word, and I realize too late? What if I do, and they kill Yasa and Lidauv?”

He grabbed my shoulder. “You have a deal with the kidnappers? Are you insane?”

“I thought it was the only way to ensure they’d live!” My voice rose as I pushed myself upright. “I waited and waited, hoping they’d return, but they haven’t! Kamon, I’m not supposed to tell the Order what they’re up to, and I can’t search for my tazen anymore, if I want to see them alive again!”

Kamon gaped at me in astonishment. “You promised that much?”

I rubbed my eyes fretfully. “She knew I’d give it up if she asked. I don’t know. I’m about to lose my mind waiting and wondering if I’ve been swindled.”

“Then don’t,” he insisted. He tried to get to his feet, and grimaced; the stab wound in his leg still hurt him, it seemed. “I’m not a mage. I’ll help you look for them.”

“No. No, you can’t.” I hastily got off the bed and caught his sleeve. “They’re with Gamal. He’ll kill you this time if you go back.”

His face paled, but in a blink his resolution returned, but I’d seen his fear. In another blink my mind was made up.

“I need to see Gaiza,” I said rashly. “I need to see Lidauv and Yasa and have them returned, or I’ll break my word with them. Kamon, turn around. I need to change.”

Scarcely had I grabbed my clothes was there another knock at my door. Leith stuck his head inside.

“Oh, sorry,” he said hastily, seeing me with a chemise in my hand. About to close the door after him, Kamon loped over to the door and stopped him.

“I’m leaving too,” he explained. “Alenta, you’re far too comfortable living with men.” He closed the door behind him.

I wavered, unnerved by Leith’s overly coincidental appearance. Going back to changing, I was proper in minutes and striding to the door, yanked it open to reveal Kamon and Leith standing there, talking in low voices.

“Don’t tell him everything!” I protested. Glaring suspiciously, I demanded, “When did you two start hanging out?”

Leith hid a grin while Kamon laughed aloud and retorted, “Give me a break! His knight master was the one who suggested that I be recompensed for my work.”

“Oh.” I eyed the two of them. They didn’t look like they were having any idle conversation. “Kamon, I’m going out. Don’t follow me.”

“But I’ve found your mule!” protested Kamon. “And you still need to fetch Reenie from Mikal’s shop.”

Leith chewed his lip thoughtfully before adding, “The other apprentices are guarded every second they are outside of the Quarryman’s House. I don’t suppose you are an exception.”

I glared at him. For all my nightmares and doubts of what he might be after running into him in the mountains, it was easy to face down what looked no more than an ordinary young man. “I’ve got Kamon, for heaven’s sake,” I snapped.

Although his face remained serious, he somehow looked amused. “If you don’t mind, I’ll be your second guard,” he offered. The barest of smiles lit his face. “I can keep a secret.”