Sasha barely let the door of Masenak’s suite slam behind her before she was running down the stairs, and then across the courtyard to the stable.

Then she was inside. Safety.

She was breathing hard and leaning back against the door, panting.

“Sasha?”

Gilroy. Her gaze flew down the aisle of stalls to see him coming toward her. “Should you be here? Is it safe for you?” She was running toward him. “Reardon is here. Everything is different. Maybe you should—”

“Hush.” He took her shoulders in his hands and gave her a gentle shake. “I was careful. There’s so much fuss and confusion about Reardon’s arrival that it’s safer than it was before. I just had to be certain before I screwed up.” He was gazing at her. “But if I was reading body language right when you came through that door, you’re not finding it safer. Where were you?”

“Masenak’s suite, having dinner with him and Reardon.”

He gave a low whistle. “Not good.”

“No.” She was recovering now. “But it was stupid of me to panic. It was what Reardon wanted me to do. I couldn’t let him see that I—but I hardly made it out that door after dinner before I broke. He kept staring at me all through dinner with those pale eyes like a cat who wants to—” She broke off. “I hated it. Will you wait just a minute? I kept thinking of what he was seeing, and I have to get rid of it.” She pulled her hair back from her face and fastened it into the ponytail she usually wore. “That’s all I can do right now. But I can still feel his fingers in my hair while he was combing it out. It was…creepy.”

“I can imagine,” he said quietly. “Did he do anything else that was ‘creepy’?”

She shook her head. “Just threats.” She moistened her lips. “He likes young girls. When I was sitting across from him at the table, he made me feel…like Jeanne. I could see him treating me like those men treated Jeanne Palsan.”

He swore beneath his breath.