Alec peered around the corner of the corridor. The bluecoats came thundering up the stairs to confront Micum.

“Stand aside, you,” the officer in charge barked, taking in Micum’s disreputable-looking clothing.

“What’s this about?” Micum demanded, not moving.

“Vicegerent’s orders. All those struck down with the sleeping death must be quarantined.”

“Dumped in the Ring to die, more like it. That woman heard you were coming. She took the girl and scarpered.”

“We’ll see about that,” the bluecoat muttered, shouldering past him. “Spread out, men, search the place from attic to cellar.” Then, to Micum, “Who are you and what are you doing here?”

“I work for the innkeeper. He left me here to guard the place after everyone else cleared out. See that you don’t break anything or I’ll report you.”

Alec retreated hastily to the secret staircase and closed the panel. An instant later he heard someone enter the room outside. There was the sound of the boxes and trunks stored there being shoved about, then a man’s voice: “No one here. Let’s move on.”

He crept upstairs and found Seregil on guard beside the outer door, sword drawn. “Get your bow, Alec.”

Alec tiptoed across the empty room and into their rooms beyond. Glancing through the bedroom doorway, he saw Illia lying on their big, velvet-hung bed with Kari and her sister beside her. Both Elsbet and Kari had knives.

Alec grabbed his bow and took up his position at the top of the stairs, arrow nocked on the string, ready to shoot the first man who came into view. He strained his ears for any sound of approach, but all he could hear were the muffled thumps and shouts from the floors below.

“Sounds like they’re making a thorough job of it. How’s Micum?”

“Fine, last I saw.”

The sounds of the search went on for quite some time, but at last things went quiet again. Presently a sliver of light appeared at the base of the stairs as someone opened the secret panel. Alec raised his bow.

A hoarse whisper floated up to him. “Luck in the shadows!”

Seregil brought Micum up, then went to the window overlooking the courtyard. “They’re gone.”

Micum stood in the middle of the room, fists clenched. “I can’t just stay here, doing nothing!”

“There’s nothing to do, until morning,” Seregil told him gently. “The ravens don’t come out at night. No little children to cozen. All we can do is get some rest and start fresh in the morning. You take the couch. Alec and I can make do with the armchairs.”

Micum grudgingly lay down, but none of them rested well that night.

Chapter 39 - News from the North