‘Bleda fought,’ Jin said proudly. ‘It was he who realized the Kadoshim’s plan. He fought in the Great Hall, slew many Kadoshim and their Dark-Cloaks and Feral beasts. And he foiled the plot, put an arrow in the black sword.’

Dark-Cloaks and Ferals?

‘Black Sword?’

‘The warrior with the Starstone Blade, who tried to set Asroth free,’ Jin said. ‘My betrothed is the hero of Drassil.’

Riv blinked, looking from Jin’s proud face to Bleda’s embarrassed one, both of them seeming to have lost the ability to maintain a cold-face.

Bleda is a hero!

A rush of pride made her grin.

Betrothed!

She felt something else at hearing that word, but chose to push it away into some dark corner, not even acknowledging it.

‘Your mission?’ Bleda asked her, shifting his feet.

‘A ruse, to lure us far from Drassil and weaken the defences here. Or so we suspect, anyway.’

‘So you have not fought, then?’ Jin said. The words were spoken flat, no intonation, but Riv felt the insult in them.

Please don’t make me angry.

‘No. I did not fight.’

Not the enemy, at least.

‘The bait to lure us from Drassil was a terrible thing,’ Riv said, trying to ignore Jin.

She told Bleda of their discoveries at the town of Oriens, Jin moving closer to hear properly. Riv was still talking when a Ben-Elim alighted close beside them, the only warning a blast of air.

‘The Lord Protector wishes to speak with you,’ the Ben-Elim said to Riv.

Oh dear. Riv gulped. Has he heard of my fighting at Oriens already?

She took a resolute step.

‘And you,’ the Ben-Elim said to Bleda.

‘Not you,’ he said to Jin as she made to walk with Riv and Bleda.

The only thing that made the thought of the dressing-down she was no doubt going to receive from the Lord Protector bearable was the look on Jin’s face as they left her behind.

Riv and Bleda sat in the entrance hall of Israfil’s chambers.

‘You are a hero, then,’ Riv said to Bleda as they sat waiting.

‘No,’ Bleda said, sounding very certain of the fact. After a few moments of staring straight ahead he looked at her, more emotion in his face than she had ever seen. ‘I would like to tell you something,’ he said. ‘I could not tell anyone else.’

‘Not even Jin?’

‘No. Especially not her.’

She felt a warm glow at that.

‘Of course you can, Bleda. You can tell me anything, we are friends.’

‘I was terrified,’ he said, looking down at his clasped hands.

‘What?’

‘During the battle. In the courtyard, a Kadoshim attacked us. Me and Jin. I dropped my arrows, fumbled my bow. I am surprised I did not soil myself. I froze with terror.’

‘You’re alive, though?’

‘Alcyon chopped it to tiny pieces.’