‘The civil war is upon us – must I strike you about the head to stir your brain to life? You make me doubt your training, not to mention my bold elevation of your rank. Is this all too much for you, Cryl Durav? Be truthful.’

‘No sir. But I am not convinced. Urusander’s Legion would not slaughter innocents – not even lowly Deniers.’

‘There were fears that the Deniers were … enlivened. The river god lives again – that much is certain. Do you truly imagine the Legion cannot justify this war? They do so in the name of the cult of Mother Dark. They raise high banners of faith.’

‘But House Enes has nothing to do with—’

‘I harbour the heretics on my land, Cryl. And I am hardly alone in that – most of the Houses and all the Holds tolerate the Deniers, if only out of pity. But every face has changed. The old masks are discarded.’

‘Sir, we entertained Captain Scara Bandaris and his officers in your very dining hall – and now you would condemn them as murderers. This is beyond countenance.’

‘Bandaris? He’s a man with his own mind, and not one to heel to Hunn Raal. I cannot say for Scara Bandaris, but then, what other troop of armed soldiers has passed down this road of late?’

‘Sir, that enemy could have come from anywhere, even from deeper in the forest. I will accept that there may now be renegade units of the Legion. But Lord Urusander is an honourable man.’

‘He is, if we accept woeful ignorance on his part, Cryl. But if he is not, if he shutters his own eyes to what his lapdog is up to in his name, I will know the truth of him the moment I stand before him and can look him in the eye. For now, renegade units or not, there is malice at loose in the realm.’

Cryl shook his head. ‘Yet you pronounce a conspiracy. Lord, if you are right and the timing of all of this is deliberate, then would not the true target be the wedding itself?’

‘They dare not,’ Jaen said. ‘Not yet – not while they still kill in Mother Dark’s name. The marriage of Andarist? Not even Hunn Raal would risk the personal ire of Anomander and Silchas.’

Not yet? Shaken, Cryl drew a deep breath. ‘I will lead your twelve back to the keep, sir, and prepare for siege.’

‘Tell me it is not preferable to watching her take his hands in wedlock.’

Cryl frowned and then straightened. ‘Sir, it is not.’

Jaen’s nod was sharp. ‘Just so. I knew your courage, Cryl Durav. Go, then.’

‘Very well, Lord. I would a word with your daughter—’

‘No. Leave her. We must move on.’