“Of course.” He snorted. “You support the Chalice with all your heart and love the Hussite movement, so out of love you want to spy on Prokop and infiltrate the Tábor. That is, as I see it, a refined level of politics. I know something about politics and know it has two possible aims: one is accord, the other conflict. Accord is reached when one side pretends to believe in the nonsense the other side is peddling. We two, unfortunately, are conflicted. I don’t believe in the nonsense you are peddling, and don’t mean to pretend that I do.”

She fixed him with her eyes.

“I’m not making you believe me. I want collaboration, not belief.”

“I won’t be your informer, and that’s that. Thank you for the help. Thank you for your efforts thus far, my guardian angel.”

“Are you not perhaps forgetting something? What about Jutta?”

“You’ll achieve nothing by blackmail. Farewell. God be with you.”

“Quiet,” she said, smiling, “or the rabbi will hear you. Reynevan, I was only teasing you.”

“Say that again.”

“I was teasing you. I was wondering how you would react. I’m on your side. I don’t want any information from you. I won’t persuade you to give up any secrets. I’ll help you to find Jutta and free her without any additional conditions or obligations. Do you want to recover Jutta?”

“I do.”

“We’ll set off this very day.”

“I have a request.”

“Yes.”

“Don’t tease me again. Not ever again.”

After they had left the town, Reynevan, deep in thought, looked back several times. Fate has brought me here for the third time, he thought, the third time in the last four years. I met Scharley at the Battle of Strzegom, I saw him in action in Strzegom, when he gave those three fops a hiding. The two of us fled from Strzegom, escaping the pursuers who were sent after us. That was in the summer of 1425. I fought at Strzegom a second time four months ago, in February, on Ash Wednesday, when the Orphans’ bombards and onagers hurled balls and burning missiles at the town. The marks of that bombardment are still visible. I left Strzegom to search for Jutta in Wrocław…

“I searched for Jutta in Wrocław,” he said to Rixa, who was riding alongside. “I searched for her in Ziębice, in White Church, in Strzelin, in Niemcza and in Oława. I used magic, but in vain. I tried intimidation and blackmail. What now? Where are we headed? What are our plans?”