But it was Klia who answered. There was nothing accusing in her voice or expression as she looked up at them, but Alec heard her deep sorrow. “He was shielding Seregil when it happened. Rhazat—”

“Was going to kill Seregil, and I stopped her,” Thero snapped. “Any of you would have done the same for me. It’s not your fault, Seregil, and I don’t want anyone’s pity!”

Rather than pulling his hand away, however, he turned it to clasp Seregil’s. Blind he might be, but Alec could tell from the twitch in the wizard’s wan cheek that he felt the hot tear that fell from Seregil’s eye to spatter on the back of his hand. Alec felt like crying, too.

“I don’t want your guilt, either, Seregil,” Thero said, giving his hand a sharp shake.

“I owe you my life.”

“I have my own, thank you,” Thero replied crisply. “Who else is here besides you and Alec. Micum?”

“I’m here,” said Micum.

“Good. So we all came through alive?”

“Except for Rhazat,” Mika said. “Seregil and Alec chopped her to pieces and I sealed her head and hands in the boxes you brought. We buried the rest.”

“Well done.”

“Mika left out that he saved my life, Thero,” said Alec. “He single-handedly destroyed a dra’gorgos that was about to kill me.”

“But I had to use the red,” Mika said in a small voice.

Thero let go of Seregil’s hand and placed his own on Mika’s head. “I am very, very proud of you.” Then, in a strained voice, “If the rest of you don’t mind, I’d like to be alone with Klia and Mika now. And Alec? Get Seregil down to the baths. You both reek.”

Kordira placed the cup in Thero’s hand. “Drink as much of this as you can.”

“Thank you, Doctor.”

She patted Thero’s shoulder and followed Alec and the others out into the corridor, where Vhadä was waiting.

“Fetch clean clothes for me and Alec and take them down to the bathhouse, please,” Seregil said to the boy. Vhadä hurried off to their room.

When he was gone, Seregil turned to Kordira and asked softly, “Is the blindness permanent?”

“Yes, I’m afraid it is. And if you are as good a friend to him as I believe you are, you will honor his request and never burden him with any guilt or pity. You might as well feed him poison.”

Seregil nodded, and Alec followed him downstairs, leaving Micum with the doctor.

Seregil said nothing as they went down the covered walkway to the bath chamber. In silence he stripped off his filthy clothes and settled into one of the two steaming tubs that had been drawn for them. Respecting his silence, Alec undressed and sat down in the other, but kept one eye on Seregil as they washed.