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“I may have cursed it once or twice, but I never regretted it. Not in the end.”
    “I won’t either, you know,” he said. “I won’t.”
    “I may remind you of that on occasion.” I leaned over to kiss his brow. “Come on, I’ll show you to the bathing-room so we can get you presentable for court.”
    “Can I wear my chamma and Ras Lijasu’s belt?”
    “Mmm, better not. It’s too cold, and anyway, I’d rather not remind Ysandre-” A pounding at the front door interrupted my words. “Imriel, go into the kitchen with Eugenie. Go!”
    He went, the shadow of fear back in his eyes. Ti-Philippe, Joscelin and Hugues were already in the entryway when I arrived. Ti-Philippe motioned for silence, then opened the small speaking-partition in the door, standing well to the side. “Who calls upon the Comtesse de Montrève?”
    “Queen’s Guard,” came the muffled reply.
    Ti-Philippe put his eye to the partition, then stepped back, nodding grimly. “There’s an entire squadron on your doorstep, my lady.”
    I sighed. “Admit them.”
    There were twenty of them, polished sword-hilts at their sides, boots gleaming, in surcoats of deep blue with the swan of House Courcel worked large in silver embroidery. The lieutenant bowed to me. “Comtesse Phèdre nó Delaunay de Montrève?”
    “Yes,” I said, feeling tired and travel-worn.
    “By order of her majesty Queen Ysandre de la Courcel, you are remanded into my custody,” he announced in formal tones. “I am ordered to bring you, Messire Joscelin Verreuil and your young ... companion ... to the presence of the throne. Immediately.” Something flickered in his expression and he added in a different voice, “I am sorry, my lady.”
    “I understand,” I said. “May we have a few moments to change out of this attire? We’ve ridden hard these last days.”
    The lieutenant paused, then shook his head. “My orders were to bring you immediately.”
    I inclined my head. “I will get the boy.”
    Out of their sight, I hurried to my bedchamber and fetched a couple of other things as well, overturning the trunk Hugues had brought there and turning the neatly preserved order of my quarters into complete disarray. One item, I stowed in the travelling purse that still hung from my girdle; the other, I tucked under one arm. That done, I went to the kitchen to find Imriel.
    He was in Eugenie’s custody, his face closed and wary.
    “The Queen sent an escort,” I said. “She requests our presence.”
    “Do we have to go?”
    I nodded. “Do you remember what to say?”
    “I remember.” Imriel swallowed. “And I’m ... I’m sorry I caused you so much trouble.”
    “Don’t be.” Touching his cheek, I smiled at him. “It was our choice, you know that. And if you hadn’t gone with us ... like as not, I’d still be trying to sweet-talk the women of Tisaar-or at best, pounding on that temple door on Kapporeth, begging the priest to let me in. Remember that?” Too tense to reply, he nodded. “Good,” I said. “Just don’t scream like that today. I don’t think it will have a good effect on Ysandre de la Courcel.”
    It made him laugh, as I had intended, and he looked less apprehensive as we went to meet the Queen’s Guard, at least until they bowed to him.
    “Prince Imriel de la Courcel,” the lieutenant greeted him, straightening. The genuine courtesy he had shown me had vanished at the sight of Imriel. His face was composed in a formal mask, only a slight twitch at the corner of one eye betraying a hint of disturbance. “I bring you glad greetings from your kinswoman, her majesty Queen Ysandre de la Courcel.”
    “Thank you.” Imriel studied the man’s twitch.
    “My lords, my lady, you will come with us, if you please,” the lieutenant said, attempting to ignore Imri’s scrutiny. He put up one hand as Joscelin moved forward. “Forgive me, Messire Verreuil, but you may not bear weapons into the presence of the Queen. Your arms must stay.”
    Joscelin raised his brows. “I have dispensation from her majesty herself.”
    “Not any more.”
    Someone among the Queen’s Guard murmured, watching Joscelin methodically disarm. They knew the legend. He did it without complaint, and Hugues stepped forward to accept his well-worn gear with reverence.
    “May I ask what you carry, my lady?” The lieutenant indicated the coffer under my arm.
    “Rocks and metal,” I said, “wrought in a pleasing form.”
    He made me show him anyway, and when I