“Bullshit. You’ve never been helpless in your life.” She got to her feet and bent down to brush her lips against Alisa’s cheek. “By all means, get your thinking straight. It’s Masenak who took her away. It’s Korgan who’s going to get her back, along with help from us and any friends he pulls into the mix. If you don’t want to trail behind him, jump ahead.” She was heading for the door. “I suppose you wouldn’t pay any attention if I told you to rest. Do what you like. If you feel like bathing and dressing, I think you’ll find a complete wardrobe that Korgan ordered for you in that closet. He had some expert flown in from a Paris department store asking me about preferences. I should really get back to Jeanne. Though she scarcely misses me if Juno is around. I’ll see you later.”

As usual, Margaret was moving, planning, trying to keep ahead of any problem as she’d just told Alisa to do. Evidently Korgan had been also doing that during these last few days. She was the only one who’d been lying here, wounded, weak, and doing nothing to address the danger to Sasha but worry and complain.

That had to change immediately. Think. Analyze. Take the situation apart and put it back together in the way she wanted to go. When Korgan came through that door, she needed to be ready for him…

*  *  *

3:35 P.M.

Alisa was standing at the window, fully dressed, and gazing out at the Alps in the distance when Korgan came into her room. She glanced at him over her shoulder. “It’s a beautiful, serene view.” She made a face. “But looking at it didn’t make me feel serene. It reminded me of those mountains where Jubaldar Castle is supposed to be located.”

“The Atlas Mountains are reputed to be beautiful, too,” Korgan said. “But I don’t think either of us is going to find them serene.” He was scanning her expression. “And when I left here, serenity was the last thing you were after. You were in fighting mode. Something’s changed.”

“I’m still in fighting mode.” She turned to face him. “I’m just trying to control it until I find the right person to strike out at. Margaret said I wasn’t being reasonable or fair.”

“And you always pay attention to Margaret,” he said mockingly.

“So do you. You listened to her about Jeanne and then you reached out and tried to solve the problem. And you had big doubts about Margaret and Juno in the beginning, but it didn’t stop you learning to respect her in other ways.”