Sreil grinned. “No,” he said. “She doesn’t mind people suspecting she had a hand in this, but she doesn’t want anyone knowing for sure. Performing the ritual would make it obvious that she planned it. Once we get Drilli away I’ll fetch one of the other Speakers. The head of the Temple Mountain tribe is still here. I bet he doesn’t know what’s going on.”

“What if he refuses to do it?”

“He can’t. He has to do it. It’s law.”

Tryss took a deep breath. “So when?”

Sreil grimaced. “That depends on Drilli’s father. We’ll have to wait until he and her mother leave her alone in the bower.”

“Can’t we arrange something? Give them some reason to leave?”

Sreil smiled. “Of course. Yes, that’s what we’ll do.” He rubbed his hands together gleefully. “This is going to be so much fun.”

“For you, maybe,” Tryss retorted. “I’m going to be dying of nerves.” Then he grinned. “I’m glad you’re enjoying helping us, Sreil.”

The other boy shrugged. “I’d better go and start plotting. I think your students have found something worth hunting.”

Tryss searched the sky until he saw the Green Lake warriors. The men were flying in circles, and as he watched, one dived down into the trees.

“I had better make sure they’re being careful.” He nodded at Sreil, then leapt off the cliff and flew toward his latest group of trainee warriors.

30

Danjin’s new clothes—the uniform of an adviser—were stiff and tight. Until now he hadn’t thought it possible that anything could be less comfortable than the fancy garb a nobleman was expected to wear in public. The thick leather vest of the uniform, designed to emulate armor, fitted too closely over a white tunic that looked like a frugal attempt to mimic a priest’s circ. Clearly, whoever had made the uniforms could not decide whether advisers were military or priestly, so they’d mingled elements of both styles of clothing.

The door to his bedroom opened. He turned to find Silava staring at him.

“Appalling, isn’t it?”

She nodded. “If you have an opportunity, lose the vest rather than the tunic. I suspect you’ll look fine in just the tunic, but you haven’t got the body for wearing only the vest.”

He patted his chest and stomach. “What do you mean? Aren’t I manly enough?”

She smirked. “I’m not answering that. If you do rid yourself of both the vest and the tunic, be sure to time it well. Your adversary will probably be blinded by all the white skin. Or laugh so much he drops his sword. Either way, it might give you a chance to run away.”

Danjin huffed with indignation. “Me? Run away?”

He expected a quip about his fitness, but instead her expression became serious.