I waited until his sprinting horse was out of sight before I turned to my brother. “You’re my heir. If the king finds out I’ve sheltered an enemy, he’s likely to declare me a traitor. I’d like you to ride to our uncle and explain to him what’s happened.”

He gave me a small half-smile. “You don’t have the right to protect me anymore, Ward. I’m older than you were when you took on Kariarn of Vorsag. You can quit giving me that look—Stala does it better. If it comes down to making sure Hurog stays in Hurog hands, I’ll run. But it’s highly unlikely that Tisala would have led them here, and there’s no reason for the king to think she’d come. I’ve not seen her above a dozen times in the last four years. The way you stay away from court, I doubt you’ve seen her at all.”

Only in my dreams,I thought. I might not believe I’d made much of an impression upon her, but the reverse was certainly not true. “I would feel better with you in Iftahar with Duraugh.”

“Too bad for you,” he muttered. I don’t think I was supposed to hear. He cleared his throat. “I always liked Tisala—Mother spoiled me for delicate women.”

ILAIDTISALA FACEDOWN ON THE TOP OF THE TABLE INthe library because it was one of the few finished rooms in the keep that had a window to let in the light. Tosten had mumbled something about being useful elsewhere, turned on his heel, and left. He seldom stayed in the room while Oreg worked magic.

I cut her clothing and pulled it out from under her until she lay bare. Her back had whip marks laid out so evenly that there wasn’t more than a thumb’s worth of skin left on her whole back. Some of them were almost healed, but in many places the scabs were broken and wept clear fluid.

I heard an indrawn breath behind me. I turned my head and saw Oreg stare down at her back. Then he began to pace rapidly and rub his hands together, not usually a good sign.

I sat down on a bench hoping that my own restfulness would allow him to calm.

“Oreg,” I said to catch his attention. Sometimes he had relivings that could be harrowing to all concerned. Soldiers had them, flashes of past battles that seem, for a moment, more real than the present—but Oreg could make the visions real. I’d never seen anyone but Oreg be harmed by them, but they were frightening all the same. “Tisala needs you.”

He stared at me, breathing hard, looked away for a moment, and then gave me a tired smile. “Right.”