She made the candles light again just as he plunged a dagger into her pregnant belly. Into the baby.

She jumped at once, and both her body and the baby’s were healed completely, in the instant. “Frostinch,” she said. “Did you think it would be that easy?”

He held the dagger in front of himself, pointing at her. “You aren’t even bleeding. I know that it went in.”

“Went in what?” she asked.

“There, where the cloth is torn. Into your belly.”

“Frostinch, let me explain this to you. The manmage who came to you before could not control me. You can’t kill me. Any ship you send against Iceway will burn to the waterline. Send an army overland, and every icy peak will release its snow at once. Those who don’t die in the avalanches will die in the floods. You’re really quite helpless here.”

She filled him with fear and despair.

“Unnecessary for us to fight each other. I want you to keep your jarldom—after all, you traded your father for it, you should get something out of the bargain.”

“How can I believe you speak for King Prayard? You’re only a woman, he’s the king.”

“Now you’re thinking like the clever boy you used to be. If I’m going to save your life and your jarldom, we need to convince my husband that you can be trusted.”

“I can be trusted,” said Frostinch. And at this moment, terrified at the power she had over his body, he meant it.

“I don’t think that your holding a dagger toward me, claiming that you stabbed me in my womb, will help Prayard to trust you more.”

Frostinch tossed the dagger onto the bed.

“So here you are,” said Anonoei. “Wearing only a tunic, completely weaponless. That’s a start. But of course, here in Graywald, my husband can’t see how harmless you are. I think we must go to Kamesham.”

“No,” said Frostinch. “My life wouldn’t be worth a rusty nail there.”

“You have a point,” said Anonoei. “But by a happy coincidence, I do believe that my waters are about to break. In fact, I think my baby is going to start coming right now.”

Anonoei sat on the bed, lay back, and then raised her knees up high and began to groan. “Oh, nephew Frostinch, I think you need to be found helping me give birth.”

“I don’t know how to—”

“Just stand there at the foot of the bed, between my legs, exactly, that’s very good. Now grip my legs just below the knee, both of them. Just like that. And when King Prayard finds you, let me do the talking.”

“But you can’t—”

“Hold my legs, my darling nephew, and stop blathering.”