There may have been none, of course, Scorn may have been bluffing, but China doubted it. In order to build up the Church of the Faceless, Scorn would need a lot more than China’s resources. She had to have benefactors, secret backers and interested parties. She wouldn’t have told them what China had done in her misspent youth, but she would have worked out a way to get that information to them if something bad happened to her. Which meant that China needed to find out who these mysterious benefactors were, and take them all down at the same time.

China slowed, pulling the reins firmly until the tired horse complied. She took the trail down to the river, and the creature splashed in gratefully, the fast-moving water cooling his muscles and rising past China’s boots, but she didn’t mind. She patted his neck, told him how good he was, how he was the best horse to be kept in these stables in twenty years.

When they were done, she guided him up on to the bank, and walked back to the yard. She had a small army there tending to the horses, all unmarried men and women. These were talented people who did their jobs well – she didn’t want them leaving their wives and husbands and families just because they’d fallen in love with her. It was easier to deal with love-struck sorcerers, who at least knew her reputation – but mortals didn’t stand a chance. At her instruction, all workers were to vacate the yard whenever she was in it unless explicitly asked to stay.

That afternoon, the yard was empty. She dismounted, led the horse into the stable. She undid the saddle, swung it up on to the edge of the door. The horse nuzzled her neck and China smiled. She forked in some fresh hay and stepped out, and there was a man behind her. China swung back her elbow, caught him on the jaw. He staggered and she turned, swept his feet from under him. He hit the floor, went to roll away, then stopped, and held up his hands.

“China,” Jaron Gallow said, “I’m not here to fight you.”

China raised an eyebrow. “Good. That will make this so much easier.”

“I’m here to help.”

“Help what?”

“Help you.” He rubbed his jaw, and looked up at her. “I know Eliza is back in town. I know she’s been hanging around with that Prave idiot. I’ve been watching them. I saw you visiting.”

“Everyone’s spying on everyone else,” China said. “It warms my heart, it truly does.”

“Can I stand up?”

“Of course you can. There’s no guarantee I won’t put you back down again, but you can at least try.”