Corban waited for them outside. He didn’t say a word as he immediately took Dell’s hand.

Warmth flooded Dell and every ache that had been present since his fight at the Madran games dulled until they no longer existed at all.

Mari nodded. “Now that we have that taken care of, Dell, this is Toren. Edmund has him protecting us.” She gestured to the big man.

He shouldn’t have been surprised Edmund had mercenaries in his employ. “Why do you need protection? Has something happened to you?”

“Edmund is worried we will be sought out should there be a shift in power here in Madra. We are to take a ship to Bela. And you are to join us.”

Dell shook his head. “I can’t leave.”

“Dell, Madra is no longer safe for you. Edmund has learned some concrete things about your family, proving what he suspected to be right.”

Who’d told him? Dell only just heard everything Edmund had wanted to know. He froze. “Who told Edmund I was locked up?”

“I don’t know, but we must be gone from here now.”

“Mari.” Dell grabbed her wrist. “I can’t. You don’t understand. It’s so much worse than Edmund feared. There are barrels of explosive powder down there.” He pointed to the cellar. “Enough to bring down the sector of the city around the palace walls.”

She exchanged an alarmed look with Toren. “Edmund must be told.”

“I have to get to that ball.”

Mari considered him. “If you appear at the ball looking like yourself, your brother will do more than lock you in the cellar. No, we can’t have Dell Tenyson show up at the palace.”

“I don’t have a choice, Mari.”

“I know you don’t. Follow me.” She turned on her heel and put a hand on Corban’s shoulder to lead him across the soggy ground to the barn. A pool of standing water blocked the barn doors, but Mari crashed through it, not caring about soaking her shoes. Toren pulled open the barn door.

The cow mooed as soon as they were all through. Horse-Ian’s stall stood empty, as he’d been used along with another horse to pull the Tenyson’s carriage.

The mules and goats roused themselves, sticking their heads over the metal bars of their pen.

Mari scanned the space, taking in every unimportant detail before rounding on Dell. “First, if you are to be comfortable, you need dry clothes. It doesn’t matter what you put on. We’ll wait.”

Dell, not wanting to argue when she seemed as if she had a plan, walked to his bunk and exchanged his still-damp clothing for dry wool trousers and a linen shirt.

Mari nodded in approval. “You’re not going to feel anything,” she promised.