Nor did her new pret-sense help much. She could tell whether a pret was in one world or the other, so she had known immediately when Hermia brought that North matron to Westil. But it had taken her several hours of moving from one place to another until she finally found them on the streets of Ny, stealing from shopkeepers in order to dress themselves as fine women. She had thought of talking with them, but decided it was better if they thought that nobody knew they were there. She also thought of telling Wad, but she was tired. Being pregnant took the strength out of her when she stood and walked and simply stayed awake too long. She had devoted hours to finding them, and because of that she could tell Wad to look in Ny to find out what, if anything, they were planning. More than that was beyond her power.

I have so much power, and yet so many things remain beyond me. The power of the gods is much overrated. We are still so limited in what we can do. Except Danny North. He seemed to be able to do whatever he thought of.

Someone was coming along the corridor toward her. This was not a good moment to be discovered. So she moved down the corridor—jump, jump, jump—making not a sound, staying out of sight. Until she found an open door and stepped inside.

The people who passed the room she was in were talking, but about nothing important. They said nothing to tell her where Frostinch might be.

Well, she knew how to find his bedchamber and, for that matter, his toilet. If she could not stealthily locate him, she could wait for him to come to her.

Or burn the castle down.

No, no. That isn’t my purpose here.

Besides, stone does not burn.

But the ceilings are of wood, and all the hangings and the carpets are of cloth.

And perhaps when a Lightrider of Bexoi’s power ignites a fire, stone may heat and crack and crumble. A castle might come down, if the fire is hot enough.

She could imagine Wad saying, “What a subtle way to announce your power. So many dead, who did nothing but serve their jarl.”

She could imagine Danny looking at her coldly and then going away. Despite the fact that she had known Wad so long and loved him so much, it was Danny’s disapproval that made her tremble.

Why? What would Danny do to her? There was nothing he could do, especially if he continued to refuse to come to Westil because of the creature he carried inside him.