As the man ghosted silently away to the backstreet behind the house, Alec could easily have put an arrow in his back, but they needed him alive to lead them to Illia’s soul. There was no time to go for the others or his horse, so he had to chance an owl’s hoot. The figure was nearly out of sight when Seregil and Micum appeared silently beside him.

“He’s alone,” Alec told them as they set out after Atre.

“I wouldn’t wager on it,” Seregil murmured, looking around.

It wasn’t easy tracking. The faint glow of the false dawn and the echoing empty streets made it difficult to stay close enough to keep him in sight. After a few blocks, Atre began to disappear between houses, walking through yards and jumping over low walls.

“He’s not going toward Basket Street,” Seregil muttered.

“Could be taking the long way,” said Micum, grunting as he heaved himself over a wall. He was a fit man, but even Sebrahn hadn’t been able to completely heal the scars left on the back of his thigh by the dyrmagnos.

Seregil glanced up at the sky. “It will be light soon. Why would he chance moving around in daylight? Something’s wrong. Change of plan. Catch him.”

With that, he took off at a dead run, vaulting the next wall with ease.

“Go on, I’ll track you and catch up,” said Micum.

Alec nodded and went after Seregil.

Abandoning stealth, they soon startled their prey into full flight and gave chase. Atre was fast, but Seregil was faster, and managed to tackle him as he ran through a kitchen garden. The two of them tumbled together across rows of garlic and turnips, Atre struggling like a wildcat. His hood fell back in the scuffle and Alec saw that Seregil had captured Teibo, not Atre.

“Bilairy’s Balls, I knew it!” Seregil snarled, grabbing the boy by the front of his tunic. “Where is Atre?”

“I don’t know!” Teibo cried, throwing up his arm as if he expected Seregil to hit him. “I don’t know what they’re up to, but when Brader said ‘run,’ I ran!”

“Is Atre alone, or is Brader with him?”

“I don’t know, my lord! They were both at the house when I left.”

Seregil released him and stood up. “Should have known he’d use a jilt. Come on!”

Doubling back the way they’d come, they soon found Micum.

“What now?” he panted.

“No sense being subtle. We’ve already been tossed.”

The first hint of true dawn threw the eastern half of the city into black relief against the sky as they pelted south toward Basket Street.