He shook his head. “After.” Reaching out, he ran his hands through her hair. His eyes roamed over her face. “You are so beautiful, Emmea. I’m glad Rozea brought you here, even if it does cost me twice as much to have you.”

She smiled and drew him toward the bed. “I’m glad she did, too. It’s a lot more comfortable than a wooden seat in a platten. Here I can take my time…” She began to loosen the ties of her tunic, undoing them with exaggerated slowness.

He chuckled. “Not too much time,” he said as he reached out to help her. “I have yet another meeting to attend.”

Another meeting? Emerahl reined in her curiosity, trying to smother it by concentrating on her work. His comment lingered in her memory. He had visited her nearly every night since she’d arrived at the brothel and each time he had mentioned a meeting. She was growing more and more certain that something important was happening in the city—something that only high-ranking nobles and the whores that attended them knew about. By practicing her mind-reading abilities constantly, on both customers and fellow whores alike, she had regained her ability to pick up emotions. The dominant feelings she had been sensing around the brothel were anxiety and anticipation.

She was sure Panilo knew what was going on and it was time he told her.

Later, when he was relaxing in the bath, she considered how best to nudge the information out of him. He was not one for word games. He preferred honesty to trickery. A direct question might be all he needed.

“So what’s got the city all stirred up?” she asked lightly.

He looked at her in dismay and she began to apologize, but he silenced her with a gesture.

“I’m not offended that you asked, but…” He sighed. “It’s not a pleasant subject. This last week…” He suddenly looked tired.

“I’m sorry,” Emerahl murmured. “I’ve spoiled your night—reminded you of the things that worry you. Here.” She moved behind him and began massaging his shoulders.

“You haven’t spoiled my night,” he told her. “That will come after I leave your company.” He paused, then shrugged. “I suppose you’ll find out eventually. Will you promise to keep this to yourself?”

“Of course—but don’t tell me if you don’t want to,” she said.

“I do want to. I have to tell somebody, and my wife isn’t the sort of woman who listens.”

Wife, eh? “Then I have to warn you about something.”

“What?” he asked sharply.

“I think half the girls here have sworn to keep the same secret.”

He laughed. “I don’t doubt it.” He hummed quietly. “That is good, what you’re doing.” A long pause followed, then she felt the muscles in his shoulders tense.

“The White have asked us to prepare our army for a war,” he told her.