She returned him stare for stare. “If you two are so all-powerful,” she asked contemptuously, “why don’t you read my thoughts?”

His face reddened with anger. “Damn you Heralds and your barriers—” he spat, before Hulda managed to hush him.

Talia stared at him in astonishment. Brightest Lady—he can’t read me—they can’t read me, can’t read Heralds—no wonder we almost caught Hulda before— For one moment, she felt a stirring of excitement, but it faded. The information was priceless—and useless. It only meant they would not be able to pluck truth from her thoughts, and so would never know when and if she lied.

So start now. Tell them a truth they would never believe. According to Elspeth, Hulda had never believed that the Companions were more than very well trained beasts. She had been convinced it was the Heralds who picked the Chosen, not the Companions.

So. “My horse,” she said after a long pause, “My horse escaped to warn them.”

Ancar smiled, and ice rimed her blood. “An imagination, I trow. You should have been a Bard. This will only delay things, you must realize. I have been working toward my goals for years, and I can easily compass a little more delay.” He turned toward Hulda, and brushed his lips along her hair. “Can’t I, my dear nurse?”

“Easily, my Prince. You have been a most apt pupil.”

“And the pupil has exceeded the teacher, no?”

“In some things, my love. Not in all.”

“Perhaps you will be interested to hear that I know of your quarrel with the young Heir, little Herald. It would seem that she is quite crestfallen, and determined to make it up with you, since my informant tells me she is most eager to be meeting with you again. A pity that won’t happen. It would have been amusing to watch the meeting—and you under my dear nurse’s control.”

Talia tried not to show any reaction, but her concentration slipped enough that she bit her lip.

“Do tell her who our informant is, my love,” Hulda murmured in Ancar’s ear.

“None other than the trusted Lord Orthallen. What, you are not surprised? How vexing. Hulda discovered him, you know—found that he had been working at undermining the Heralds and the Monarchs so long and so cleverly that no one even guessed how often he’d played his cards.”

“Some of us guessed.”