“I heard that,” Kordas grumbled.

“You were meant to. All right, my side is short, but all good. We’ve gotten all of the stockpiled grain out of the manor, into the barges, and to the other side without any incident. We’re already getting people across and in temporary settlements; Ivar is shockingly good at organizing them, and his cousin Alberdina is even better. I’ve put them in charge, rather than sending Hakkon as the original Plan suggested. It’s really useful that they are the son and cousin of one of your Counts. People accept their authority without question.”

“Well, the original Plan had me at home,” he said unhappily.

“I would very much welcome any suggestions from the Record Keeper about how to keep scrutiny off us while we’re emptying the countryside,” she said. “And even more would I welcome ideas about how to keep the Emperor from taking out his ire on the ones left behind. I think about ten percent of them are going to stay, based on what I know right now. And we can’t force them to go, Kordas, so don’t suggest that I bespell them or something to make them go. I won’t do it.”

He shrugged helplessly. I don’t know. I just don’t know. And I certainly can’t lie and say I know, because she knows I don’t know.

But Star had that “listening” look about it again. “The Record Keeper suggests that you and Kordas’s cousin Hakkon have an affair.”

Kordas was glad he wasn’t drinking anything, or he would have choked. He had never seen Isla look so surprised in all the time he had known her, not even when he’d put a grass snake down her back. Her eyes popped, her mouth fell open, and it looked as if someone had hit her on the back of the head. It was several long moments before she took a breath.

“What?” she finally replied. “What the hell?”

“The Record Keeper suggests that you and this Hakkon have an affair,” Star said calmly. “A very open one, where you are often seen going into each others’ bedchambers. The moment any Imperial spy discovers this information, they will buzz about the rumor like flies around jam, and will ignore virtually everything else going on. If you string it on, it will pull the spies along with it.”

“I . . . I . . . I . . .” Isla stammered, for once taken entirely at a loss. She was silent for so long that Kordas began to wonder if she was literally stunned. Finally she spoke. “That’s . . . not entirely a bad idea.”

“The Record Keeper believes it will occupy their attention,” said Star, “since salacious information is far more attractive to humans than any other sort.”

Kordas just shrugged again. “I have nothing to add to this suggestion,” he said.

“I will . . . consider it. And consult with Hakkon,” she replied hesitantly.