turned

ir place in the melody and then found it again. He had a long, lined face and pale hair cut close to his skull, and his grey robes were plain, almost s

Elara and bowed, precis

rough, as if it had not been used for a l

you?" Ela

a very long time for

lk as her mother moved, and then her mother's voice, low and sharp

me this ma

hould

liar, Princess. It is one of her finest qualities." He looked past Elara at the queen, and some

. "The girl deserves to

"Caldris. The mountains. My family's name, whi

his voice. "The first kings of Ashkara did not win this city, Princess. It was given to them, on one condition:

lt her wrist burn beneath her sleeve,

she asked.

s, quick and deliberate, and something cool and hard slid in

and then, with a faint smile, "o

voice behind him

a hand on the stranger's shoulder, lightly, the way a host greets an old frien

high terraces too long, and the cold does strange things to a man's memor

ould eat more,"

s. "Then he is wiser than the rest of u

ooked at Elara over Vane's arm. His gaze drifted to her wrist, the place she had been

he wa

es calm and unhurried. "You have been rubbing your wrist since yo

ara said. "From a

e tilted his head. "Yet you do not look li

r seen Caldris wome

nd his iron ring caught the torchlight as he withdrew. "Sle

er palm was damp around

aid a voice at her shoulder. "It

lack riding coat had been replaced by formal clothes, but he had not bothered to wear a crown, an

said. "You seem to b

n at her, and his voice softened

. You know e

as been telling the court that Emberhold is d

ew my

. "Then your mother has been less

honesty, Your Majesty. You have spent the even

a moment she thought he might smile. Inst

he answered before she could weigh it

"Ask them to me. Not to the man in the k

ou have made it perfectly clear

say I wou

er say anything you do not

eply, though she felt his gaze on

wn the bed and lit the lamps. Elara sent her

han it should have been after being in her palm for only a few minutes. Within its smooth surface, a thin silver

eneath her sleeve was burning now, a stea

a childhood accident, a burn from a sparking forge or a scrape from a bell-wa

. The silver line blazed, bright enoug

Isolde stood in the doorway, her face pa

said quietly. "Before th