:Good,: he said, and meant it. He remained where he was only long enough to see them all emerge from the crypt, see that the Seneschal cut short the line of those wishing to offer condolences, and watch Selenay vanish through the private door at the rear of the chapel that led straight into the Royal Suite with Talamir, Crathach, and the Seneschal in close attendance. Then he made good his own escape. Perhaps he should have stayed to listen to the Court gossip and read what he could out of expressions and what was not said, but—

—but that, frankly, was Talamir’s job.

Then he recalled what Talamir had looked like, and wondered if Talamir was even capable of descending to such mundane and petty depths now. All right. I had better start to learn it. But not tonight.

The air in the chapel had been warm, and now it felt stifling; too hot, too heavy with the mingled scents of candle wax, incense, and lilies. He was only too glad to get out into the night. It was sultry and humid out there, but not as suffocating as the Chapel had been.

And he was unsurprised to be intercepted at the door by Dethor, who must have stationed himself right at the exit. He’d sensed the old Weaponsmaster lurking somewhere about, but he figured that Dethor would wait until he was free before greeting him.

“By your Sunlord, boy, it is good to see you,” was all the old man said, but Alberich felt something inside him warm at the welcome. He seized Alberich’s shoulders in both hands, and stared into his eyes, while the last few mourners filed out of the chapel door behind them. “I wish I could tell you just how good it is.”

“I think that I may know, for as good it is to see you,” he replied quietly, and sighed. “A thousand things, I wish to tell you—”

“And all of them can wait. A good cleanup for you, and then your own bed,” Dethor told him firmly. “That’s why I came here to get you. Falling on your nose won’t honor Sendar or help his daughter, and besides, she’s got all of the Collegium and every Herald that could get here to keep an eye on her tonight.”

He felt compelled to protest weakly. “But—duties I have—”