Imryne, of House Melrae: Absence

[aithne]

(The Lady Of Pain Dramatis Personae)




Imryne, of House Melrae
Book Two: The Lady Of Pain

Chapter Four: Absence



When she was safely back in Melrae, she walked to the set with Jevan beside her. She was silent, thinking. Tar was in the main room of the set, reading, Maya on a blanket on the floor. When she spied Imryne, the baby reached her arms towards her, making insistent noises.

Imryne picked Maya up, cuddling her. When the baby reached for her face, Imryne stilled and let her. Carefully, Maya put one hand on either side of her face.

Mother?

She gasped as the voice rang in her head. It was male, familiar to her as her own heartbeat even though she had never heard it. She almost sobbed, "Ryld? Is that you?"

There was joy in the silent voice, a fierce happiness. It is, mother. I had to use my sister to get to you.

"The one who guards you can't tell you're doing this?" she asked.

He thinks I am playing with her. Which I am, kind of. She is getting a light show.

"Ah, good. You're why she always wants to be held by me, yes?" she asked.

Amused frustration. Yes, but you kept pushing her hands away.

Imryne cuddled Maya a bit closer, wishing suddenly that it was Ryld in her arms, instead of Maya. "I'm sorry. I had no idea. I miss you, Ryld. I swear I will get you out."

It passes well, mother, they need me and they treat me well. The illithid here is a new wrinkle that I could have done without.

"Is it a pet of Greyanna's? How on earth does she control it?"

A bit of bafflement in the voice. It is Greyanna's and she has no mental hold on it. She must have something physical over it. It does hate her.

"Would it attack her, given the chance?"

If there were no repercussions, I am sure it would, Ryld said.

"And did Greyanna make you send that message to Quarra?" Imryne asked.

Yes, but not the one you got. A little bit of slyness, like an inside joke had been played. Imryne was surprised at the maturity she was feeling from Ryld, at the mind that was locked in his useless body. She was supposed to tell bring you to Vrinn under the pretense of me being on the surface. Where you would have been met by Thalra. Who would have captured Tar and proven that you were doing something not in the lines of Lloth's ways. At that point it didn't matter, just being on the surface was reason enough to have killed Melrae.

She drew in a long breath. "Instead, Thalra died."

Yes, because the message I gave was to protect you.

House Melrae was alive, and House Telenna was dead. "It worked, very well. Thank you."

Welcome, Ryld said, and pride glowed in his voice.

"Does Greyanna have anyone she counts as a true friend?" she asked.

Greyanna only talks to her daughters, he said in disdain. Baltana and Haelra mostly. She just argues with Talabrina.

"Talabrina doesn't agree with her mother's actions?" she asked.

I don't think so. They argue and fight more than any one person ever has with Greyanna and lived to tell about it.

"Very interesting," she said, and shifted her grip on Maya. "I think that was all I really wanted to know for the moment. I'm just very glad to hear from you."

I have more, Mother, he said, and there was hunger in his silent voice. I haven't been able to contact you for a long time and I like to hear your voice. Words came tumbling into her head now, one after the other. Arabani's losses are greater than being reported. They are losing people not only in capturing slaves, but on the roads up to the surface. They have maybe a third to half a cycle left. Unless Vandree does most of the taking of Vrinn, Arabani will not have enough people left to defend themselves from an internal attack. Arabani suspects Vandree, but it's Xalyth doing the raiding. They were trying to move Telenna up. A pause, as if for thought, and the words continued. Imrae's daughters run houses Drezz'Lynur the thirty-third, Phaundal the sixteenth, and Oblodra the twenty-fifth. Oblodra broke from Vandree a century ago.

There was another pause. Greyanna fears an all out war with Abburth, considering her heavy losses to their spies. If war breaks out she is ready to ask the council for a cessation of House fighting in Fanaedar until the enemy is conquered. Greyanna disappeared for about nine days a skein and a half ago. Despana's daughter gift to Greyanna died four years ago. They have been silent in council for that long. The alliance still stands officially. Xalyth expects Despana to be up to something but they don't know what, and it's driving Xalyth mad.

Imryne's head was beginning to hurt, because along with the words came images, jumbled-up impressions gathered from countless minds. Four drow poison makers have closed up shop recently, not to be seen again. Argith and Devir are being heavily courted by Kilsek to bring up a block of allied houses on their side because they are noticing Melrae's power increasing, with their block of three houses. Greyanna knows of your Ellistraee worship, it's been speculated at for decades, she lacks the proof to move on it. She suspected you to be on the surface, which is why she wanted to see if you could be tempted out. She has been attempting to insert a spy into House Melrae. No luck that I know of.

The flow of words was beginning to dwindle. Thirza of Claddeth was seen holding a private meeting with Phyrra of Noquar. Kiaran of Arabani met with Tlintarn House in a meeting that ended with the Tlintarns leaving with grave faces. Another pause. I think that's it.

She was silent for a moment, absorbing and committing to memory all that her son had told her. "Very interesting, all of it. Imrae's unlikely to absorb Phaundal, because that would solidify our block, but that may be something I can influence. Any speculation on why the poison makers closed up shop, and how long ago was the meeting between Thirza and Phyrra?"

I have heard nothing on why the poison makers are gone other than that they are. And the meeting from what I could learn was 2 skeins ago, give or take a day.

Imryne turned over what her son was telling her in her mind. "Did she seem upset after Rauva died?"

She was very upset. Her one spy in the house was gone to her. And that is why she seeks another, or to buy one on the inside already. Greyanna tries to stay away from me. She knows I can read her thoughts but I get glimpses anyway.

She sat back a bit, then cuddle Maya closer. "I'm glad you got through to Sorn so he could tell me to let Maya touch my face."

He was stubborn and I didn't think he would tell you. But he did. Ryld sounded pleased. He kept passing them off as just dreams. He has known about them for many skeins now, since Maya was born, but he kept ignoring them.

"Ah, and he finally managed to mention it. Sorn is like that a lot of the time," she said.

Ryld sounded sad. He is. He will turn, mother, sooner or later. He is breaking.

It was not news, but it still managed to send a pang of pain into her heart. "I had thought as much. Greyanna has had too much time with him, and she's inventive in her tortures."

He will soon be hers and then she will try to use him to pass you disinformation. Ryld's sadness was almost tangible, a weight in his voice. You can't scream that much and not want the pain to stop.

"I know. And if he dies, she will just demand another," she said.

She will. Maya is getting tired, Mother. I need to go. I love you.

"I love you, too," she said, meaning it with all her heart. "Maybe next time, you can talk to your father. I'm sure he'd love to hear your voice."

Tell him I love him too. Maya will be less insistent until I need to talk to you again. Maya squirmed and put her hands down, and then started fussing, looking around and reaching for Tar, who was watching the two of them with a curious look on her face.

Imryne handed Maya back to Tar, who immediately quieted and closed her eyes, snuggling into her mother's arms. "Well, that was...interesting."

"Very," Tar said. "You and she just stared at each other." She sounded a little frightened.

Imryne sat down next to Tar and put an arm around her. Her heart was beating fast with the aftermath of having her first full conversation with her eldest son. "Ryld was talking to me through her. He had all sorts of interesting things to tell me. Turns out that Maya being so insistent on being held by me was him trying to get through."

"Ryld can do that?" Tar was startled. "Does it hurt her?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. He entertains her with a light show, which keeps the illithid guarding him distracted so he can talk. He stopped because she was getting tired, he said."

Tar petted her daughter's wispy hair. She had fallen soundly asleep with her two middle fingers in her mouth, almost smiling. "Looks like it," Tar said, looking fondly down at her daughter.

"Anything useful?" Jevan asked.

"Yes," Imryne said, and they discussed the information and plans for action. Their conversation wandered, and eventually Imryne decided that she needed to go to House Aleval, an ally of theirs, and speak to them about a possible attack on House Phaundal. If Phaundal were gone, it would not matter which of Imrae's other daughters were called home. Then they would make a quick official visit to House T'sarran, and then she and Jevan would come home. Imryne was feeling the need for some celebration of their victories, however they came by them, and she thought an afternoon and evening of lovemaking would be just the thing.

There was the visit to be made first. She and Jevan walked towards House Aleval, through a part of the city that had seen better days. The streets here were narrow and crawling with people who had also seen better days, mostly drow males who had likely once been of noble houses. Jevan took the lead, moving quickly through the crowd, making a path when he needed to.

A big drow male cut between Imryne and Jevan, moving strangely. Imryne's nerves screamed, and she was ducking down and to the side, trying to get back to Jevan's side and out of the way of a potential blow. The male had a dagger in his hand, and Jevan was a blur, drawing his sword and skewering the male in one motion.

There were suddenly more males headed their way, and Jevan was wobbling on his feet, looking ill. "Are you all right?" Imryne asked, alarmed.

"He cut my hand, and it's tingling." Jevan was breathing hard. "Poison of some kind, it's working much faster because of my speed." He shrugged out of his coat, and without argument Imryne slid into it, heavy with Jevan's warmth. He shoved the hilt of his sword into her hand.

All of the males were close now, pulling weapons, and panic was screaming in Imryne's head. Jevan stumbled and she threw her arms around him, whispered, "I love you," and flew upwards.

He was heavy. She had never tried to carry him before, and as he went limp she found out that she could not support his weight alone for long. She made it to a rooftop, setting him down somewhat ungently and saying a quick spell over him. It was supposed to slow down the poison, but the damage had already been done. She could feel his heartbeat slowing.

She heard the whisper and rustle of levitating drow, and knew she was about to be caught. Gritting her teeth, she made herself whisper, "I love you," once more, and took off towards House Aleval, leaving Jevan lying helpless on the rooftop behind her.

She mustered Aleval's guard, but though they came running and she led them quickly to where she had left Jevan, the space where he had been was empty.

She stood in that space, conscious of the Aleval guard around her, and tried not to scream.



(Imryne, in House Aleval)

"Matron Mother Aleval Tallerene. My mother sends her regards."

Imryne had called for a detachment of guards to be sent here, after doing what investigation she could, which had not been much. Some witnesses had seen males bearing away Jevan's limp body; others said that they had been led by an orc with a limp. No house badges or colors, and the body of the one Jevan had killed had been spirited away as well. Jevan might as well have vanished into thin air for all the lead Imryne had.

Aleval Tallerene peered, a bit near-sightedly, at Imryne. "And I back to her. I heard of some trouble, that you needed help just a few minutes ago." She was small-boned, and looked like she might be a bit pregnant or losing baby fat from having a child. She was perhaps Jaelryn's age, and her House was physically small but rich in people, which meant that it was very crowded.

Imryne grimaced. "It's fine, my mother is just going to be irritated with me, is all. Someone stole my bodyguard. He was expensive, and for good reason."

"Any way that our house can help yours, please feel free to ask," Tallerene said.

"Well, I have a somewhat large favor to ask, but I think that it has benefits to both our houses. House Phaundal is...inconveniently placed. Melrae can't publicly remove it, but with our help, Aleval might."

The matron mother looked a bit dubious. "You need us to destroy them? Phaundal is connected to Vandree. Will you protect us from reprisals?"

"We should be able to, yes. Vandree's power is still strong, but it's fading, and their alliance with Kilsek and Xalyth seems to be on shaky ground," Imryne said.

Tallerene drew her brows together. "We will certainly try. We will need more people and information if you have spies we can use to assess their capabilities. Vandree could have set them up with some impressive wards."

"We can do that in the next few days. We keep a close eye on Phaundal," she said, knowing it to be true. Phaundal barely sneezed without Melrae knowing about it, especially these days.

"Thank you. We will do our best to eliminate the inconveniently placed. How long do you think before we have our city back?" Tallerene asked. "You are House 10 now and two others just behind."

Imryne's shoulders ached. Jevan, what's happened to you? Where are you? She struggled to keep her mind on the conversation. "I'd like to tell you soon, but I think it's more likely to be another century or so. We have to have patience."

"Ah well, I get tired of the game. But we will ready ourselves for an attack on Phaundal." Tallerene smiled, and when she did so Imryne realized she was pretty, and bore more than a passing resemblance to her mother. She remembered that Aleval had been started by Triel's mother's mother's youngest sister, making her and Tallerene coattail relations. "Thank you, House Melrae. I will keep an ear out for your bodyguard and let you know if I hear something on his whereabouts."

"Thank you," Imryne said. "He's rather distinctive--an elf slave."

Tallerene's eyebrows shot up. "An elf. Slave only publically? Forgive me if I pry."

"In public, but he does serve us willingly," she admitted. "It's a long story."

"We worship the same goddess. I understand." The matron mother smiled gently. "I longed for some of those on the surface as well. I will have one as a lover, when Lloth falls."

We do hunger for those who have been raised in the sun, don't we? Imryne mused. "Then you understand that I will get him back, and I'm going to see that those who took them answer to me when I find them." She tried to smile. "Thank you, Tallerene. I believe the guard Zyn sent over should be arriving soon, so I'll go."

Tallerene graciously let her go, and while Imryne had been in talking to the matron mother, Zyn had arrived with a rather unnecessarily large escort of ten warriors and a very worried-looking Ilfryn. Zyn's scarred face was expressionless, but Imryne thought she saw worry in his eyes, as well, especially when he saw that she was wearing Jevan's coat over her dress. Losing Jevan was a blow to Melrae, and to Imryne in particular.

"Thank you for coming," Imryne said, not pointing out that ten warriors was somewhat overkill. To Ilfryn, she said, "Someone knew I was coming down here."

Ilfryn nodded. "Take me back to the spot. I might be able to learn something." She nodded and led him there, surrounded by Melrae guards, up to the rooftop. Ilfryn ordered everyone but Imryne to stay well back, and then started pacing the rooftop, casting spells and looking hard at the stone. Zyn stood by, watching.

She watched him work, his body almost vibrating with concentration, his long fingers moving. It was strange to see him working so hard. Magic was second nature to Ilfryn, and it had always come to him so easily. It almost seemed as if he was straining now. She gave him useful information between spells, what description she had of the males who had taken him, what direction that had gone.

He nodded and went back to casting, and after a few minutes more straightened, wiping sweat from his brow. "Can I borrow your staff?" he asked Imryne.

"Yes, do you want it put together?" she asked. He nodded and she pulled it out of the bag she carried it in, telling it to assemble.

"You may have to fly me home after this," Ilfryn warned her.

She smiled. "I can manage that, I think. Or Zyn can."

Ilfryn nodded and stood next to the spot that Jevan had been lying on when Imryne had last seen him. He held the staff in both hands, and concentrated.

The image of an unconscious Jevan appeared exactly where he had been lying. A hatch in the roof opened, and two figures came out. One was heavily cloaked, probably female from how it moved. The other was a large orc, the one with the limp as had been described.

Swiftly, the female knelt by Jevan and tipped a vial full of liquid into his mouth. Jevan choked and then seemed to fall into a deeper sleep. And here was the only mistake made. The hand that held the vial had a ring on it, bearing an elaborate crest. It was unmistakably the crest of House Tlintarn, a young, very low house. The only people in a household who would usually wear such a ring were matron mothers.

Ilfryn's eyes rolled back in his head, and the staff dropped from his nerveless hand and clattered to the rooftop. Imryne caught him as he passed out and fell over, and lowered him gently to the roof. "I think I can carry Ilfryn home," she said to Zyn.

Her brother nodded. "I will meet you there."

He watched as she disassembled and stowed the staff and helped her get Ilfryn slung over her shoulder. Fortunately, though Ilfryn was tall, he was relatively light, and Imryne had no problems whispering "I love you" and carrying him home.

By the time they got home Ilfryn was awake, though feeling woozy. She set down in the outer courtyard and helped prop him up as they walked into the inner house. She had asked the door guards to come get her if Zyn hadn't returned by the next bell. "Good work, there," she said to Ilfryn. "But it seemed like the magic was more trouble than usual."

"The magic that I used is normally beyond my ability but by borrowing the staff's power, I was able to overcome that," he said. "Of course it takes a toll."

Imryne nodded. She didn't really know whether Ilfryn needed her under his arm to help hold him up, but she did need the contact. Now that she had slowed down a little bit, worry for Jevan, the yawning absence of him, was eating at her. "It does, I know. Did you tell Tar where you were going when you left?"

"I did, just not the details. She knows Jevan is gone and you were safe."

"She's probably frantic. But we know who took Jevan, if not why right now," she said. "Ryld said that Kiaran of Arabani met with Tlintarn recently, and it ended with them leaving with grave faces. Possibly because they had been given a task they thought was impossible."

Ilfryn raised an eyebrow. "Think that was the mission?"

"I think it may well have been. And I think the disappearing poison merchants may be connected." She was trying not to start shivering. "I originally thought that it might be Kilsek's doing, but Arabani also has reason."

"It might be but Arabani we have a better chance at. Do you want to visit Tlintarn now? Or the poison makers shops?" he asked.

They were passing through the inner doors. "The poison makers' shops. But first, I need to explain to Tar what happened. I need to keep moving, though." Tar met them in the hall, demanding details, explanations.

When Imryne mentioned wanting to leave her behind when they went out, Tar dug in her heels and insisted that she come along. "You are not leaving me here by myself to go insane with worry," she said. "I do too much of that as it is. Maya can stay here."

Imryne was stubborn at first, but Tar melted her resistance, and she gave in. Tar and Ilfryn went to arrange for one of the house childminders to come in and take care of Maya, and to disguise Tar. Imryne went looking for Zyn.

She found him in the outer courtyard, and told him that she was going out and she would like him along as a bodyguard. She also said that she suspected that Jevan's disappearance might be a distraction against something, she didn't know what. "I will prepare as if we are going to be under attack," her brother said. "Which is a possibility."

"I think it is. Whoever did this wants me looking elsewhere, I think."

"What are they trying to do, is the question?" he asked.

She rubbed her forehead. She had a pounding headache starting, and her shoulders were tingling. "Any number of things. Jevan has proven himself to be a threat recently, they could be trying to neutralize him. They may believe Jevan knows much about the inner workings of this house, and want to torture him to get at what he knows. They may want to distract me--if it's Arabani, they may believe that we're about to attack them."

"Which makes sense if Vandree told them something or if Telenna was secretly allied with Arabani," Zyn said. "They could be scared."

Imryne nodded. "They're weak enough now that we could take them if we tried. And I'll bet they know that. They think they took our biggest weapon. Imrae may well have told them."

Zyn chuckled, just a little. "I would nearly bet on it. Do you have any way to see into their house? Spies?"

"Arabani has become paranoid recently," she said. "Unfortunately, my friendship with Drada doesn't go so far as to let me get into her house. Fortunately, the strength of Melrae does not rest on one elf."

"No it doesn't, but if you can offer Drada something more important that her house, if such a thing exists, you can use that against Arabani. Then I can prepare to make Arabani's fears come true." He paused, frowning. The expression looked a little grotesque on his face; the muscles didn't move quite correctly when he frowned. "This may also be a setup for us to destroy Arabani."

"It might be, but we'll have to go on the information we have," she said.

"So, let's look at a few abandoned poison maker shops," Zyn said. He paused, and then slung an arm around Imryne, giving her a brief, hard hug. She smiled and he released her, and then they went to find Tar and Ilfryn.



(Imryne, in Fanaedar)

Fortunately, tongues were still wagging about the poison shops closing, so it was easy to find them. By tradition, all independent poison-makers were male. It was one of the few professions that was easy to break into for an unaligned male of certain talents.

The first shop had held nothing interesting. The second had been more fruitful; there appeared to have been a struggle, the books that were left showed many inquiries by House Kilsek into poisons that would work on elves, especially ones that would knock them out instead of kill them. He had delivered that poison to them about a day before he had gone missing, referencing a text that had been given to him by House Kilsek that was now missing.

The owner had been old, according to the neighbors, and the strangest thing about his shop was that he had a framed portrait of Xalyth Jhalass hanging in the back room that had served as his living quarters.

The third place looked as though it had been looted by thieves; papers and such were scattered around the floor, torn and soiled and mostly ruined. After a while of putting together papers, they discovered that the owner had been working on a shape-changing potion that would keep the change even in death. The potion had been paid for by House Kilsek, again.

There was a sick, empty place in Imryne's belly as she considered the evidence. The money led right to House Kilsek, but House Xalyth often funneled purchases that they did not want traced back to them through Kilsek.

They were standing, now, in the shop of the fourth poison maker, holding up small lights that would reflect magic back at them. The owner had been a male named Minolin, and though at first it appeared as though his shop had also been gone through by thieves, the place has a more long-term air of messiness about it, as if the space was used to looking as though someone had come though and shredding every paper in sight. Scraps of paper covered the walls, all with cryptic notes on them, and the only clear spaces on the floor were right in front of the long workbench and a path that led to the bed in the back.

Minolin had had no books, it appeared, just these papers pinned to the walls. "Mind control," Ilfryn said as he surveyed the walls. "He definitely specialized in mind control."

"I think I found the last thing he was working on," Tar said, holding up a piece of paper. "Something about transferring souls temporarily, I think. Hard to tell with the jargon he uses. Look, though, I have a receipt." She held it out to Imryne.

She scanned the paper, noting that the handwriting was different. Ten potions of temporary soul transfer, five hundred gethmil paid to Minolin. Gr--- The signature was a scrawl after the initial character, but it was possible that it was Greyanna's. The hand that had moved the pen on the paper was slanted distinctively. Imryne had seen Greyanna's handwriting before, on messages sent to the house, and this might well be a match.

Puzzled, she held out the paper to Ilfryn and Zyn. "Whose soul--"

But a pressure on her skull made her stop in the middle of her sentence, a message arriving. Her mother's voice echoed in her head. Daughter, return home now.

Startled, Imryne said, "Mother just told me to come home." It went without saying that Triel would only call Imryne home if there was an emergency that required their attention. Sweet goddess, what now? Are we under attack? But that couldn't be it, surely her mother would have said if she needed to expect armed resistance on the way home?

Worried, they closed up the shop and walked quickly towards House Melrae. When they turned the corner to see the house, Imryne's heart contracted painfully. There were warriors arrayed along the walls at intervals, wearing a badge with a stylized beetle on it. "House Despana," Zyn muttered. "This isn't an attack, though. Not yet, at least."

The warriors, though they watched, did not attempt to interfere with Imryne and the rest returning home. They rushed inside and to the set, and with dismay Imryne realized that there was activity outside both their set and the room that Phaere was kept in.

Guard posted outside their door blocked their way. "Please, we are under orders not to let you in until you talk to your mother. Matron Mother Triel is in the third reception room and wants me to bring you to her, Representative Imryne," the young warrior said, because very careful to enunciate the titles.

The third reception room was in the outer house, and if Triel were there instead of in her apartments, something was very wrong. The yawning emptiness inside of her threatened to tip her over, and Tar looked as though she was having a hard time not being ill. Ilfryn had both of his hands on her shoulders. Even Zyn looked worried.

The third reception room was divided into two parts, each with its own door. There were Despana guards posted outside the first door, and as Imryne passed it she saw the familiar figure of Despana Aunrae sitting within it, her hands folded in her lap. Triel was in the second half, and as they came in it was obvious that her mother had been crying.

Triel bade all of them sit in a shaking voice. When Zyn remained standing, she told him to sit down, as well. "What's happening, Mother?" Imryne asked.

She took a long breath. "Phaere went wild some time ago. Her guard was found dead. He is at least three hours dead. She left the compound somehow, and made her way to Despana, where she made it into their compound and killed Briza their mother."

Imryne gasped. "What? Why on earth would she have done that? Even crazy, there's no reason."

Triel shook her head. "We don't know. Despana tracked her back here, hence the guards, which is the first we knew of it. We went looking, and we found her in your rooms. I am sorry, Tar, Imryne, Ilfryn. She killed Maya's childminder, and Maya."

There was a moment of silence, of shock, the news exploding in Imryne's head with a burst of blinding light. Triel bent her head and started crying, and Imryne turned to Tar and gathered her wife into her arms.

Between them, Ilfryn and Imryne held Tar, whose sobs rose into screaming, her small body shaking with the force of shock and grief. All of them were crying, and Zyn had gotten up to kneel by Triel's chair, holding her as best he could as she cried.

When the first shock subsided, Imryne raised her head. "Was Phaere found? And the other children, are they all right?"

"We found Phaere in your rooms, holding Maya," Triel said. "They are fine as can be for the tragedy."

Imryne stroked Tar's back. She had calmed a little, though sobs were still shaking her. "And I suppose Aunrae wants Phaere, as well as vengeance on the rest of us."

Her mother took a shaking breath. "She wants to know why we attacked her house and how. I actually give her credit for remarkable restraint in not just opening up on us for this."

"I have no idea what the answer to either question is," Imryne said. There was pressure on her shoulders, the day's misfortune pressing her downwards, towards dark water. "I suppose Phaere hasn't been helpfully answering questions."

"Just like she was, passive but crazy."

She took a breath, trying to get the pressure on her shoulders to life. It refused to budge, and Imryne felt with fear the thoughts that swirled in her head, flopping like broken-winged bats. I have to keep moving. "Do you want me to talk to Aunrae?" she asked.

"You have had a loss, daughter," Triel said. "If you are up to it, you can. Otherwise, I will handle it from here."

Imryne felt the hard part of her come down, the grieving part of her shut away. "Two losses today, though I hope the one's not permanent. I think I can hold it together long enough to talk to Aunrae."

"I will talk to Phaere and hopefully get her out of your room with no more loss of life," Triel said, and rose. She hugged all of them and left, moving without her usual grace.

Imryne stood, painfully. "Zyn, come with me, if you would. Tar and Ilfryn--you can come if you like." Ilfryn shook his head, having shifted so that Tar was enclosed in the circle of his arms. Tar herself seemed too much in shock to answer, and started sobbing once more.

She hated to leave them, but if she stayed she would very quickly be in no shape to do anything. She motioned to Zyn and they stepped out and into the other half of the reception room, where Aunrae waited with a Despana guard standing behind her chair.

The only sign that Aunrae might be grieving was the lines around her moth. Imryne could not remember ever seeing those there before. She had also very rarely spoken to the silent and stolid female; Despana almost always seemed to be in council only as an observer. Now, when she spoke, the roughness in her voice surprised Imryne. "I am sorry for your loss, but we have many questions. As do you, I am sure."

Imryne nodded. "Too many questions, and unfortunately very few answers."

"What is she?" Aunrae asked.

"Until a few minutes ago, I would have told you that she was the child of my sister, afflicted by a madness that's certainly magical in nature but that we can't undo," Imryne said. "We thought she was upsetting but harmless, and were hoping to find ways to allay the madness. Now, I'm not sure. You said she got into your house?"

"Like a ghost with a sword. She knew all the passwords, all the ways in, she killed eight to get to my mother."

Imryne shivered, trying to think of sweet Phaere holding a sword, spattered in blood. "Phaere is young, and she's not trained in anything yet, certainly not in killing people. Rauva had little to do with her upbringing. I have no idea how she accomplished what she did, and why she came back and killed one of her cousins. And I don't know why she would have chosen Despana. We have never had a quarrel with you."

Aunrae inclined her head. "We assumed an attack from Melrae would be more potent or at least less conspicuous. Our suspicions fall on House Xalyth."

She seems to give us credit for what we're good at, at least, Imryne thought to herself with more than a little dark humor. She had never really thought twice about House Despana, but it seemed they had been thinking about Melrae. "House Xalyth. It would make sense. Trying to set the two of us against each other."

"We still are investigating, House Melrae," Aunrae said. "But no attack will come today. We will entomb our dead and then we will have to see. I would like any proof you can find that Xalyth has done this. My house is clamoring for blood, I just want it to be the right blood."

Imryne breathed out. "You are a lot wiser than some of our compatriots on the council. Most would have been perfectly happy to destroy us and call it well done."

Was that just a hint for humor in Aunrae's eyes? "Most would have, but I don't think you have much love for Xalyth either."

She snorted gently. "Very, very little." She spread her hands, set them on her knees. "I am sorry for your loss, by the way."

"Thank you, and yours. I will await your evidence to see how my house turns." Aunrae paused, thinking. "Our house will be run now by my sister and first daughter Narcelia. I warn you, she has a temper."

"I'll remember that," Imryne said. Aunrae stood then, and took her leave. With her departure, the Despana warriors around the house also went, leaving them once more alone. Imryne sat in silence for a moment, with only Zyn in the room, and thought. Everything she knew pointed to Greyanna having taken over Phaere and done this. It made the most sense, and the clumsy attack on Despana was her style. Imryne knew where the potion to knock out elves had been used. Now she knew where the soul transfer potions had been used.

There was one more potion, the shape-changing one. Someone who is supposedly dead isn't really, Imryne thought. The thought lifted her spirits, just a little. She rose, and Zyn fell in beside her as she walked into the inner house and to her set.

Ilfryn and Tar were already there, in the main room, and the smell of blood and death was overwhelming. There was a lot of blood on the floor, and a bedsheet had been put over the body of Shurdriira, the childminder who had watched their children when needful since Challay had been born. There was also another sheet over a small body in the cradle in the corner of the room, and seeing that made Imryne's breath catch in her throat.

Grief threatened to rise up and overwhelm her. It had been just a few hours ago that she had held Maya's small body in her arms and Ryld had spoken through her. She went and put her arms around Ilfryn and Tar. Tar wasn't crying any more, but her eyes were glassy with shock and she was clinging to Ilfryn as if he were the only thing real in the world.

Quietly, Imryne said, "Ilfryn? Can you do me a favor? Could you try dispelling any magic on--the bodies?"

Pain roughened her husband's voice. "Certainly. Do you think that potion was used here?"

"I suspect Xalyth had a hand here," she said. "So it might have been."

Ilfryn breathed out and held Tar a little more tightly. Then he released her. "Everybody out of the room," he said, and Imryne took hold of Tar's shoulders and steered her out of the room. Zyn followed them, and they all turned to watch through the open door as Ilfryn paced the perimeter of the room.

He spoke the words of a spell, and the air took on a slick, electric feel. The air rippled slightly, and the sheets over both bodies moved. Then it was done, and Ilfryn was lifting the sheet over the childminder's body.

"Still Shurdriira," he said quietly. Then he turned and resolutely walked toward the cradle, and pulled back the sheet. He froze, staring, then turned towards them swiftly. "That's not Maya."

Tar shivered in Imryne's arms, and Imryne curved her body a bit as the realization that Maya was not dead hit her. "Maya's still alive. Somewhere."

Tar's voice was shaking. "She stole one of Jevan's children, and now the other."

"Greyanna seems to have a fascination with Jevan's children. She must have noticed that Ryld was paying a lot of attention to his baby sister."

"And wanted it to stop, or she thinks that Maya will develop the same skills. Or maybe something else." Tar was staring at the small, sheet-covered body in the cradle.

Someone's baby died today, Imryne thought. Some mother is sobbing right now, without any idea that her child's body lies in House Melrae. "Maybe," she said aloud. "She knew about Ryld's talent somehow. I don't know what she knows about Maya that we don't."

"She might be betting on something to happen, and just like before, she wants us to think them dead so we don't look."

It was coincidence, and Ryld's intelligence, that had caused them to go looking for the poison makers. Without Ryld, they would have never thought to see if the baby's body was really Maya. Chance had spoiled Greyanna's plan. At least it falls sometimes in our favor. "Likely, I think. Someone stole Jevan today; someone else stole Maya. Not a coincidence."

Tar put her head down on Imryne's shoulder, and Ilfryn came to embrace the two of them, Tar between him and Ilfryn. Tar said, "As much as it breaks my heart to say this--Maya is probably lost to us until we can strike at Greyanna."

"The only good thing is that I think Xalyth will take good care of her, if they want to keep Ryld cooperative," Imryne said. "For the moment, we can concentrate on getting Jevan back."

"We will need him," Tar said, and her voice had dropped low and dangerous.

"For any number of reasons," she said, "We're going to need to be careful going in and out of the house for a little bit. I think Greyanna expects us to retreat into the house, now."

"Or be destroyed by Despana," Ilfryn said.

Imryne nodded. "Yes. Fortunately, Aunrae is reasonable and likes House Xalyth about as much as we do. The attack on her house was much more Greyanna's style than hers. I'd like Greyanna to think her plan is working, at least for the moment."

"Then it's time to think and get my mind off of Greyanna raising my child," Tar said. "Who has Jevan?"

She took a long breath, feeling again the emptiness of Jevan being gone, space that he should be filling awkward and silent without the elf's presence. "I have three major suspects. One is that he is being held by Tlintarn, on behalf of a higher house. One is that he was given to Arabani. And the other is that Kilsek has him and is trying to frame Arabani, so we can do their dirty work for them."

"Where do we start?" Tar asked. "And what about Phaere?"

"Tlintarn's the easiest to disprove, I think. And Phaere...goddess. I don't know. We need to do something. I don't want to antagonize Despana any more than we already have."

Tar raised her head. "This should have struck me sooner, but what about the potion from the surface?"

Imryne blinked, and then tightened her arms around Tar. "It can heal mental afflictions. I'm willing to try it. It might not work, but it's worth a try."

"It's worth just a few minutes if she can remember anything." Tar wriggled and freed herself from Imryne and Ilfryn's arms, and went to the cabinet where the potions were stored. She was moving with purpose, her shoulders stiff She retrieved one, and held it up. "Shall we?"

It was little surprise to find Triel sitting at Phaere's bedside, talking quietly. Phaere was thrashing against the cloth that bound her to the bed, moaning and speaking gibberish, tossing her head from side to side. "Mother, we have something to try with Phaere," Imryne said.

Triel looked up, and hope flared in her dark eyes. "Something that will help?"

"It might. One of the potions from the surface."

"Try it," her mother said, and got out of the chair she had been sitting in, moving out of the way.

Imryne sat down in that chair, looking doubtfully at the thrashing girl. It was hard to remember that she was older than Challay. Tar helped her hold Phaere's head still, and Imryne poured the potion slowly into Phaere's mouth. Fortunately, Phaere swallowed rather than breathe in the potion.

Phaere screamed, her back arching, and her legs kicked wildly at her restraints. She shook and shivered and then, abruptly as it started, the fit calmed. She opened her eyes, looking around wildly. "Oh my goddess so much pain, so much she has done--"

She broke down into sobs, and Triel was at her side now, her hand on Phaere's shoulder. "Ssssh, Phaere. So much who has done?" Imryne asked. She reached out and laid a hand on Phaere's head, stroking her hair that curled just like Triel's did.

"Greyanna," Phaere said between sobs.

Imryne smoothed the hair back from the girl's forehead. "Do you remember going to Despana?"

"I remember it all." Phaere's crying was quieting, now.

"Can you tell us what happened?"

Phaere shivered. "I killed the guard, broke his neck, went to your room, killed your nanny. I was displeased that Tar wasn't there. I took Maya. I gave her to Greyanna's sister near house Despana. She had another baby with her. She gave her baby some potion that would change her to look like Maya." Phaere's breathing was labored, and she seemed to be forcing the words out. "I remembered all the passwords to Despana. Greyanna took them from her Despana wife, before she died. I knew the secret tunnels out. I took them in. I killed guards where I needed and then killed their mother and left again. I took the child that looked like Maya and brought her back here. I killed her. And then the madness came again."

"Why did you do these things? Was someone compelling you?" Imryne asked.

"It wasn't me," Phaere said, and closed her streaming eyes. "I was in my body but just riding along. It was Greyanna. You have to believe me. I would never do those things."

"Is she connected with you all the time?"

Phaere tried to raise her hand to wipe her eyes, but her hands were still tied down. Triel produced a cloth and wiped her granddaughter's face. "I can hear her, she takes me at times and I walk this compound at night. She gave me a potion, so many months ago. I can hear her but I can't tell you the things she thinks. Only now, otherwise I scream and no one hears me."

A bit alarmed, Imryne asked, "What do you do when you walk the compound?"

"I look at the ways in, the guards, the people. She is watching for an opening."

"Do you know why she took Maya?"

Phaere nodded shallowly. "She wants to get rid of Ryld if Maya displays the same abilities. Ryld is troublesome. He hides information and omits things. He contacts people he shouldn't."

"I see," Imryne said, though the mention of Greyanna getting rid of Ryld made her breath catch. He was physically so helpless. He would not be able to defend himself. "And her reason for killing Despana Briza?"

"So they would kill you. Or you them, it made no difference to her."

"Do you know any proof we could show of you being under control by Greyanna?" she asked.

"Just the potion she created, or the mage Chakos. She killed the poison maker who brewed it. Or her sister, the one that has Maya," Phaere said.

Imryne was still stroking Phaere's hair, and reached down to untie the restraints on one of her hands. "Can you talk about the madness, at all? What causes it?"

Phaere opened her eyes, and the look in them was one Imryne shuddered to see. "It's Greyanna. She stops me from talking, because she needed me to do what I did. Nothing but sleep gives me a reprieve, and whatever you just did."

"Do you have a connection with her now, or did what we did stop that?" Imryne asked.

She shook her head. "It's gone for now." She raised her free hand to rub her eyes. "I can still feel her. I think she is surprised and angry. But I can't see her thoughts anymore."

"We don't know how long it'll last. Not forever, it seems," Imryne said sadly. "I believe you, Phaere. I believe it wasn't you that took Maya."

"I know you are right but I will take anything I can get away from her." She took a shaking breath. "I am so sorry. All of you. It's horrible, the things she has done to you. I couldn't stop her."

"I know," she said gently. "Does she know that someone took Jevan from us?"

Phaere nodded. "She does, which is why she struck now in the distraction."

"Does she know who has him, and where?"

"If she did, she kept it from me." The girl's eyes were watering again, and she rubbed at them, a little impatiently. "I don't think she knew."

"So it was not her plan, just one she took advantage of," Imryne said. "Do you remember anything else she's planning?"

The girl shook her head. "It's all a bit hazy, but I do know she was planning this for a long time. I will try to remember more in the time I have."

Imryne's hand on Phaere's hair was still. "Thank you, Phaere. I'm so sorry for what's been done to you. We will get Ryld and Maya back."

"I am more sorry for you and Tar," Phaere said quietly. "I know you will. Kill Greyanna for me too."

She smiled, just a little, the thought of vengeance on Greyanna for the pain she had inflicted in them unbearably sweet just now. "I hope to have that very great pleasure some day." She leaned over and kissed Phaere's forehead. "I'll leave you with your grandmother, little one. Have a bath and something to eat, and we'll see what tomorrow brings."

They left Phaere with Triel and a pair of guards, and walked back to their set. Zyn trailed them a bit, taking up guard position. "Informative. Greyanna has a lot to pay for. Now, though, how does her sister feel?" Tar asked.

"Greyanna must have forced her to give up her child somehow," Imryne said. "Or didn't tell her that the baby would be killed."

Tar gave Imryne a sidelong look. "I wonder how that sits with her?"

Imryne thought of Maya, in the hands of a female who had probably been forced to give up her own child for this blue-eyed child of an enemy. "Probably not well. It wouldn't sit well with me. So we may be able to find the sister, and get her to help."

"That is my thought. Sorn might be able to find out or know what sister has given birth recently."

"I can ask him, next time I see him. If nothing else, we may be able to arrange to see Maya. Depends on her loyalties, but we'll see. Now. We need to find Jevan," she said.

"Tlintarn, definitely," Ilfryn said.

They were passing through one of the upper hallways, one of the galleries dotted with windows. Imryne nodded. "That's what I was going to say. It's the easiest to eliminate."

"It's also on fire," Ilfryn said, and pointed at the window.

They stopped stock still, staring out over the city. Tlintarn, halfway across the city and two levels down, built with two tall, distinctive spires at the center, was indeed burning, orange flame visible even at this distance.

"Well, isn't that interesting," Imryne said.

Tar said, "Where there is fire, there is probably Jevan."

Imryne nodded. "We need to get down there. Zyn, we need an escort."

"We'll meet you at the gates," he said, and turned and pounded away. Imryne convinced Tar to stay behind, not wanting to provoke an attack. They hurried down the stairs and out of the inner house, collected an escort of twenty warriors in the courtyard, and moved out. Imryne realized that she was still wearing Jevan's coat. Tlintarn was indeed burning, and as they drew closer they could see bleeding guards hanging out of windows and over the walls. Bodies occasionally fell to the ground, landing with a cracking crunch on the stone of the courtyard.

The gates of Tlintarn opened, and something that looked like Jevan walked out.

He was stark naked, fair skin covered in blood, his hair unbound and lank with sweat and other body fluids. He carried the head of a female by the hair in one hand, and an unsheathed scimitar in the other. The head, its mouth gaping open, was that of the Tlintarn matron mother.

The look on his blood-covered face was like nothing Imryne had ever seen, somehow savage beyond any of Imryne's experience. She swallowed and stepped forward. "Jevan?"

He cocked his head and bared his teeth, staring at her like he had no idea who she was, the calmly evaluating stare of a predator deciding if the prey before it was worth the chase. Then he blinked, looking confused. "Imryne?" he said, baffled.

"Yes, it's Imryne. It's me," she said, holding out her hand.

Jevan let go of the head and the scimitar, and both fell to the stone of the street. He looked down as if he didn't recognize either object, then his knees seemed to give out. He sat down hard. "Ouch," he said, looking up at Imryne.

Imryne was moving forward before she even thought about it. "Surround me," she said to the guards, and was at Jevan's side, pulling off the coat she was still wearing. She draped it over Jevan's shoulders, looking at him quickly. It didn't look like he was bleeding from anywhere. The blood had to all belong to others.

"Can you walk?" she asked him.

He nodded slowly. "I think so. Just tired."

"Good. Home, then." She took his hand and pulled him to his feet, trying to ignore the sticky blood that touching him left on her hands. Tar fell in on the other side of him, and the group began to move home, surrounded by Melrae guard. "What happened in there?" Imryne asked.

"They made a mistake," Jevan said.

"Which was?"

"They let me wake up." He smiled, the mask of blood on his face making the expression a bit gory and grotesque.

Imryne tried to return his smile, but didn't manage it. There had been too many things that had happened today. At least we have Jevan back, she told herself. At least that. "Are you hurt at all?" she asked.

He shook his head. "Just the original cut on my hand. That's it. The rest is theirs."

"I wondered. We'll get you home and let you wash off. Things...happened, while you were gone." She dreaded telling him about Maya being taken, dreaded telling him that Phaere had been the weapon.

He looked at her, and his brow knotted. "I wouldn't doubt it. I have things to tell you as well. Tlintarn was very talkative before they died."

"When we get home, we can talk," Imryne said.

Jevan let out a long breath, and his shoulders rounded. "I am sorry, love," he said to her. "I should have seen that coming. There is no one left alive in there, just so you know. That house is dead."

Imryne closed her eyes briefly, and fought back tears. "I thought that might be the case. They overreached themselves, when they chose to take you."

"Still love me, or are you scared of me now?" he asked.

She thought about the look on his face when he had walked out of Tlintarn, the empty animal gaze, the mask of blood. She shook her head. "I knew you had the capability before, and I wasn't afraid. Of course I still love you. I'd kiss you, but we're in public. That was probably the lesser of the horrors I've seen today."

That definitely got her a worried look from Jevan, as if he was wondering, what under stone happened? But he only replied, "Good."

Behind them, Ilfryn said, "I am scared of you now, if that helps." Jevan glanced over his shoulder at him, and the two of them exchanged a glance that held volumes in it.

Fortunately, they were almost at the gates of Melrae, and silence reigned until they were inside. Jevan chose to wash off in the baths by the barracks, rather than track blood through the house. Then he and Imryne came inside, Imryne telling him that she wanted him to see what had happened.

Shurdriira's face was still uncovered, and Jevan looked at her and then stiffened as he saw the sheet-covered cradle and Tar's grief-wracked face. "Well, the first thing to tell you is that Maya's alive," Imryne said quickly.

He relaxed a bit. "That's good to hear, but missing I assume?"

Imryne told him what had happened, about Phaere and the bodies and Aunrae's visit, and Xalyth's involvement. Jevan listened intent, and when she was finished, he said, "We need proof to get Despana to believe us. Well, some of this coincides with Tlintarn's matron blathered out at me."

"What did she say?" Imryne asked.

"She said that Briza was wanted dead by Greyanna because that would put Narcelia on the seat, whom Greyanna had more control over. So Greyanna saw an opportunity to blame her death on us and get Maya at the same time."

"That matches up," Imryne said. "Did she say who gave her the idea to take you?"

"Yes, this is interesting and I don't think she lied." He smiled briefly. "Mylyl paid them to take me and offered an alliance and protection from Arabani for doing it. Arabani figured out that they were up to something, and had a meeting with Tlintarn in which Arabani threatened to destroy Tlintarn if they went through with it."

Imryne sat up straight. "That's...odd. did she say why Arabani decided to threaten them? What did Arabani have against Tlintarn?"

"They feared us. If Tlintarn went through with it, we would figure it was Arabani from clues being dropped. You would attack and destroy Arabani, because they are so weak against a bigger house. Tlintarn would be dismissed as no threat. In the meantime, Mylyl wanted our weaknesses from me, and house layout or anything they could torture out of me. After you destroyed Arabani and didn't find me, I was to turn up dead in the underdark or maybe never again."

"Well, we did manage to figure out that Tlintarn had taken you, though I thought they would have handed you off," she said.

Jevan shook his head. "I was too dangerous to take to Mylyl, but Tlintarn was negotiating with Kilsek, Vandree, and Xalyth to see if they would take me."

"Did she mention if any of them were interested?"

"Sounded like they had just started to try," he said. "Mylyl did this, supposedly, because they are House 9 and we are House 10, and they figure that you are about to make a move on them to get to their spot. I am sure she thought that was the reason, but I am not so sure."

Imryne bared her teeth briefly, grimacing. "I don't think either Mylyl Sabrae or Mylyl Zilvra are that stupid. We take any house above us, we all move up. We have no opening into Mylyl and no current conflict with them."

Jevan said, "I think something else is going on and she may even have thought it was Mylyl. Could have been someone else."

"It might have been. Phaere said that Greyanna knew it was going to happen, but wasn't responsible. Through Ryld, possibly." Imryne sat down on the chaise, staring at the body of the childminder. She wished that the warriors would arrive soon to take the bodies away. "Greyanna took Maya in hopes that Maya will share Ryld's talent, because Ryld is proving troublesome for her. Omitting information, contacting people he's not supposed to."

"So she hopes to raise Maya as hers," he said. "But Ryld was small too, when he was taken. What made him different?"

"He was five years old, old enough to at least realize that he had been taken somewhere not his home." Her breath caught in her throat. "And maybe Greyanna thinks her pet illithid can...alter her."

He nodded. "I suppose that's possible. So what next?"

Imryne rubbed her eyes. She was so tired, and the weight was still on her shoulders and the dark water was still flowing through her body, dragging her downward. "I don't think we can get Maya out now. I did talk to Aleval about Phaundal, and I need to get them information on Phaundal's defenses and possible openings. And I need to think of a way to find out if Greyanna's sister is unhappy at having her own child taken away and given a stranger's in her place."

"Sorn might be able to help with the last," Jevan suggested.

"I think so. But it's only been a day since I went to see him--I suppose I don't care that Greyanna will know I'm using him to get information. Sorn...is going to start to be a problem. soon."

He was watching her carefully, his eyes worried. "For us or her?"

"Us," she said. "Ryld mentioned that he was on the edge of breaking."

"Break, and he leaks the inner sanctum is not Lloth."

Imryne shrugged sharply. "Greyanna knows that. What she does not have is proof. Sorn may provide her with that proof."

"I have ideas, horrible ideas, but we should discuss options."

She nodded, her head heavy. "I'm not sure if we have much of an option. We can't get him out without offending Greyanna. And he can't talk if he's dead."

Jevan reached out and rested a hand on her knee. He had sat down beside her, close enough to her that she could feel his warmth radiating. "I think that we need an ally besides Sorn inside."

"Well, that involves either getting someone in, or turning someone already in," she said, "Greyanna's daughter, the one she doesn't get along with, is a possibility. Or the sister."

"I think that Greyanna has something on Ryld's keeper and her," Jevan said. They had speculated on this before, Imryne remembered. "If we can find what the illithid wants and help it, it may help us. And if it does, it will probably have Maya. It can bring her out to us, and in the process, Sorn can give his life trying to stop it. I also think we do what is expected of us, to make it look like we can be lead around by the nose."

She tilted her head. "What, attack Arabani?"

"Yes,' he said, and smiled briefly. "We take over the slave trade, Arabani goes under. We all move up. I just don't think that we should do it the way they expect it to fall."

"They would expect us to go in and waste lives beating against their gates" she said. "Arabani may be weak, but there's life in them yet."

Jevan shook his head. "I am thinking not so much Arabani but the rest. Greyanna will expect a good fight. I suggest we pull an Imrae. Back them into a corner."

And deprive Greyanna of entertainment. Imryne almost smiled; the prospect of frustrating Greyanna's love of blood was a pleasant one. "Well, I have something I can hold over Drada, at least. If not convince her that she needs to betray her house. If we could convince them to move away, so far that they will never be back to bother us--there are other cities. Abburth is a little too close for those purposes, but there are others. It's possible to threaten them and push them into that corner."

"Is Tar or your mother good enough to transport them that far?" he asked. "Some of the priestesses on the surface can move people very far indeed. This also depends on what I am thinking. I am not so sure they are Lloth worshippers."

"One or both of them might be able to put together a one-time movement spell like that. And what makes you think they're not Lloth worshipers?"

"They act strangely," Jevan said. "If Vrinn is so close to the underdark opening, why don't we see more humans being taken? Why all the orcs and the criminals in the slave markets?"

"Drada runs the slaving," Imryne said. "I've seen evidence of it, and we know her loyalties."

He nodded. "I realize now Vrinn is gone and they are coming back with the whole town, but only because Vandree helped. Which we could interfere with." Jevan smiled. "Say, if Vandree lost a lot of people and so did Arabani and the town escaped, Arabani looks really bad. Greyanna would be so mad that she would probably give you her blessing to destroy them. Given that and we give them the option of leaving, they will go. And if we are wrong, and they don't come to confess to Ellistraee worship, we still have the option of killing them all. Drada is the key here, if you can make her confess while Zyn and I mess with the caravan."

Imryne thought over that plan for a few heartbeats, looking at it from all angles. Even if the house was Lloth and not Ellistraee, she could make it work. "And the way to do that would be to lead her to believe that I already know. I like it. The timing is going to be important. We may have less than a day to prepare."

"Tomorrow, we can attack the caravan and you can talk to Drada," Jevan said. "From there we find a way into House Xalyth and give her some of her own medicine back. Like we did with Chakos."

"Yes, to both of those." She rubbed her eyes again. "I need to talk to Zyn, and my mother, if she's in any kind of shape to talk to."

"How are you doing?" Jevan asked.

She sagged a bit, and leaned against him. "I'm all right as long as I don't think about it too hard. Concentrate on the next step, and the step after."

"Sorry I scared you with disappearing," he said gently. "We will get them back, both children. And Greyanna will die."

She nodded. Her head was so heavy. "It wasn't your fault, Jevan. I'm just...no. I can't think about it now."

Imryne felt him shift, felt his arm around her shoulders. He set his forehead against the top of her head. "Do you need your potion?" he asked.

"Let's see if I can sleep tonight," she said. She let him hold her, her eyes closed, the dark water running through her heart. Plans, fragmented, drifted through her mind, drowning in that water.

She was crying again, against her will, crying for herself and Jevan and Tar and Ilfryn, for baby Maya in the hands of her parents' most implacable enemy, for Ryld who had been there far too long. For Sorn, and the scars on his skin and in his soul. For her mother, bending over the bed of a granddaughter who she loved far too much. For Phaere, sharing the nightmares of a madwoman.

For House Tlintarn, who had chosen poorly and died for it. For Arabani Drada, who loved the son of a lower house and who might die for that, too. For Despana Aunrae, and the grief and implacable calm in her eyes.

And for an unknown woman, who this ilit was mourning a dead daughter.