‘What I told you. He promised to look into it.’ Gerutha sighed. ‘I only half-believed him but I could do no more.’

‘When was this?’

‘Five, six days ago.’

‘Oh, Grusha.’ Lilla turned and looked up into her servant’s gold-flecked eyes. ‘I think you should not have done that.’

There was a sudden rap on the door that startled both of them. Erlan’s voice sounded through the panels. Lilla rose from her bath. ‘Go to Alethea, Grusha,’ she said hurriedly as he banged again. ‘See that she’s safe.’

‘Yes.’ Gerutha wrapped a robe around Lilla’s brittle shoulders. ‘Yes, of course.’ Then she threw on a shawl of her own.

She and Erlan crossed the threshold with barely a nod, he was so eager to enter the room. When he saw Lilla he hesitated for a moment, and then he ran to her, throwing his arms around her. She let him crush her against his chest, but even then she felt oddly cold against him.

‘What’s wrong?’ he murmured. ‘Are you hurt?’

‘How did you get me out?’ she asked in a flat voice.

‘Does it matter? You’re free.’

‘Yes, it matters. Tell me.’

Erlan held her away from him and looked down into her eyes. ‘We found the plans that the Jewess had stolen from the lampros. The emperor was satisfied of your innocence.’

‘Plans for what?’ she said, but somehow she already knew.

‘The fire.’

‘You mean, you had them in your possession. . . and you gave them back.’

‘Of course I did! I would do it again – a thousand times over.’

‘You gave back what could have made all of this worthwhile.’ Her voice broke with anger.

‘If it meant your freedom—’

‘Do you know how I’ve suffered?’ Her voice trembled with fury.

‘If I could have spared you a single moment of pain—’

‘Oh, words, words. Spare me words!’ she cried. ‘I have died a hundred deaths since you’ve gone and yet you just gave away what could have justified them all!’

‘You would be dying still more deaths if I had not.’

‘Why? Why?’ she moaned, burying her face in her hands. ‘After all I’ve been through. After all I gave up for you. . .’

He shook his head. ‘I don’t understand this obsession with the fire. What good will come from carrying it back to your land? Evil only multiplies itself. I know that to my cost.’