Yet even as she told herself that Danny was powerless, she found herself obeying an order he was not even here to give. There would be no flames in Graywald tonight. No common folk would die. It was Bexoi who killed to get her way—who killed even when she did not need to. Anonoei had come here to prevent a war that she had once set in motion in order to defeat Bexoi. Now she was Bexoi and needed to stop her own plots. She was a manmage, enhanced by a Great Gate, and now with the added power of moving as swiftly and invisibly as a gatemage herself. Manmage, firemage, gatemage, all in one, all in me; surely I can win Frostinch’s obedience without killing anyone.

He came to his bedchamber alone—of course, for Frostinch’s lack of interest in women was a prime target for speculation within the jarldom of Gray. He did not see Bexoi until the door was closed and half his clothing was off.

“Are you an assassin?” he asked, looking at her in the shadows where she stood. He looked more closely. “Pregnant. An odd choice for such a mission.”

“I’m not here to kill you,” said Anonoei. As she spoke, she kindled the part of her outself that she had left within him, making him feel relief, the beginnings of trust. He could believe this woman, he could feel that.

“Then you won’t mind if I go to my privy,” he said. “I had to flee the dining room to vacate my bowel without offending the company.”

“Don’t fall in,” she said merrily. “Our conversation will profit us both.”

This close to him, she could sense all that he was feeling, everything that he desired. It was true that his bowels were causing him considerable distress. It was also true that he did not feel safe going into his privy. She well remembered how she had first accosted him there.

Why did I come myself? she wondered. Bexoi had the power to raise a clant so real that it could bleed. I haven’t even tried. To send a clant on this mission …

But then she would not have been so close, so easily able to understand him, to influence him. So she waited patiently, wondering if it would weaken her influence over him if she sat on his bed. It was so wearing to stand, and her back hurt.

She stood. She bore the pain. She listened to Frostinch’s noisy evacuation and was glad she wasn’t sharing the room with him.

Then she saw that Wad was standing beside her. “I thought you’d want to know,” he whispered, “that Hermia and Danny’s mother showed off a bit in Ny. They’re trying to provoke a maritime war between Nix and Ny.”

“Birds of a feather, fight together?” asked Anonoei.