Kellen gave me a wry smile touched with real amusement. “I don’t feel strong,” he said. “But, unlike you, I’m not in the habit of arguing with the gods. So I’ll wash up and see if I feel better in the morning.”

That’s it,I thought.Give yourself time to reinvent yourself. And if that fails, do it again. Just like I had.

Just as I was.

Resolutely I pushed back the sick, formless fear that welled up from my time in the Asylum.

“My lord,” I said. “I’d appreciate it if you would keep my dragon a secret for now. Hurog’s already had one power-mad man attack us hoping to find dragon bones—no telling what they would do to find a real dragon.”

Kellen raised an eyebrow, but nodded. When he had scrubbed as well as he could, he put his head low in the water and began swimming. I kept a watchful eye on him because he was in no condition to do much, but he stopped after one lap when Rosen and Oreg, carrying clothes and toweling, entered the clearing.

I dried quickly and dressed, leaving Kellen with his man. It looked as though they had a lot to talk about. Menogue wasn’t so big that they’d have trouble finding the rest of us when they were ready.

Late as it was, there were few people sleeping at camp. The story of what we were attempting had traveled through our men and sponsored a great deal of discussion, though no dissent. King Jakoven was not much liked among our men since Erdrick had died at his hands. My own capture, it seemed, had cemented the feeling.

When I approached the central fire where Duraugh was holding court, Tisala brought me a cup of tea. She ran her eye over me as if to make sure I wasn’t missing any parts, and then strode back to the fire without saying a word.

Kellen and Rosem came not long after I did. Dressed and clean, Kellen looked better, but my uncle made sure that he had a wooden platter of travel bread and cheese as soon as he sat down.

“So you think Hurog is the best place to store me?” Kellen asked. Obviously Rosem hadn’t wasted any time when I’d left them.

My uncle nodded. “Even if Jakoven knows that we’re the ones who got you out, he’ll expect us to take you to my own Iftahar or to one of the Oranstonian lords who are supporting your uncle.”

“I’ve seen to it that Alizon knows where we take you,” Rosem said. “He’ll probably be there before us.”