“Our sources are good,” was all that Talamir would say. The third man, who was not in Whites and did not identify himself, only grunted. He looked about as friendly as Mirilin—which was to say, not at all. There was no doubt in Alberich’s mind that the third man did not trust him.

And why should he, if even some (if not most) of the Heralds were ambivalent about Alberich?

:But we aren’t,: Kantor said with some force.

The warmth that followed that pronouncement made the cold nausea lift a little, and eased some of the churning of his gut. It certainly made him feel less as if he was standing alone, facing a suspicious mob.

:I know. Thank you.: Knowing that the Companions now accepted him helped a little, but—

He knew what he wanted to say—that he had given up everything, everything, when he was brought here. That he had thrown his lot in with Valdemar, given his word, and that word was not given lightly. Couldn’t they see that? This unknown man, who watched him from under furrowed brows, didn’t he realize that?

And he wanted to say that—if his own people had sunk so low as to hire the Tedrels to do their dirty work, then surely even the Sunlord would abandon them…

But he said none of this, for it would not matter if he did. Instead, he sat stone-faced and silent, and waited for the others to say something.

Even if it was only to “suggest” that he leave.

Finally, Dethor hissed a little between his teeth. “I don’t s’ppose,” he said carefully, “that you’d know anybody likely to—well—be helpful? Inside Karse, that is? We’d like to know more about these rumors from someone with good, hard facts.”

That… was a little better. Even if it sniffed around the edges of that promise they’d made him, the promise never to ask him to work against his own people.

But if those who are supposed to lead my people have already betrayed them? How can knowing if that betrayal is true or false be acting against the people?

“Depend it does,” Alberich replied, just as carefully, “on what it is, by helpful, you mean.”

“Information,” Talamir said. “Nothing more. And nothing that would hurt Karse. Only what will protect us without hurting your people.”

Alberich turned Talamir’s words over and over in his mind, as the other three watched him. Because he did know someone who might—just might—be willing to be “helpful.” Of all the people that Alberich knew, Aksel Tarselein was the most likely to be enraged and offended if this tale of hiring the Tedrels was true, and was, because of his own contacts, the most likely to know if it was truth or rumor spread to discomfit the enemies of Karse.