“And me. Let’s get some sleep.”

“I’m afraid this cot is too narrow for two. Go get some rest. I’ll pull my bed next to his, in case he stirs.”

“All right, then.” Klia kissed him and brushed a stray curl back from his cheek. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Klia?”

“Yes, love?”

“You are still returning to Deep Harbor tomorrow, aren’t you?”

“I’m not so sure I should.”

“Please, Klia. You brought a pack of nightrunners for a reason. This is our sort of work. I don’t like what we’ve found so far and I’ll be happier when you’re back at the governor’s villa, meting out justice in the name of the queen. Please, love?”

She sighed and nodded. “Shall I take Mika back with me?”

Thero felt Mika’s forehead. “He’s a bit feverish. I think he’ll be all right here. I’ll find someone to keep an eye on him.”

“Good night, then. Pleasant dreams.”

Chapter 14: Night Visitors

“I’D like to see the tablet that was removed from the second cave, Lady Zella,” Seregil said when they’d arrived back at the palace.

“Of course, my lord. There’s a treasure room and it’s kept there.”

One of the guards lit a torch for them, and she led the way down a corridor off the receiving hall. Stopping at a nondescript door, she took the heavy ring of keys from her belt and unlocked it. As they stepped inside, figures seemed to leap at them in the torchlight. Momentarily startled, Seregil laughed as he took in the collection of statuary that filled the large room. Some were whole, representations of people or animals. Others were headless or armless. Against the far wall the remains of the stone tablet were propped up on a table. As Seregil had hoped, there was writing on it.

“Can you make out what it says?” asked Zella as they gathered around it.

Seregil ran his fingers over the stark, deeply incised letters of the few words there. “It’s Konic, of course, and says ‘Here resides grief.’ ”

“That makes sense,” said Alec. “The ghost is very sad.”

“So there is a ghost there,” said Zella. “The workmen who went down there were convinced. I didn’t want to say anything to influence your first impression, but there are old, old stories of a man who haunts the oracle caves.”

Seregil exchanged a look with Alec, thinking of the drawing they’d seen in the journal at Mirror Moon.

“Is there anything else from the cave here?” he asked Zella.

“No, the rest are things salvaged from around the city.”