‘And you thought it was Girim who had summoned you here.’

Fiammis was smiling at her reflection, a strange smile, as if she was amused by something of which he was not yet aware.

‘Have you forgotten so soon? You owe me a favour, Acir.’

‘I owe you nothing.’

‘Amaru Khassian?’

‘Khassian? Who is even now in prison?’

‘Ah, but the favour was in exchange for his life.’ She set down her comb with a sudden movement that made him jump. ‘Not his liberty.’

Her smile appalled him; it was as if she were playing some bizarre game with him in which only she knew the rules.

‘What favour then?’ he said tensely.

‘Nel Macy believes you are on official Commanderie business. You are not due back on duty till dawn.’ She rose and moved across to him. ‘Who will ever know? Who would even care?’

Only now did he realise what she was proposing. He felt a slow flame rising through his body until his face burned. How stupid she must think him. To be so unworldly, so unimaginative, not to have understood.

She had moved closer still, one hand sliding along his collar, lifting his hair to stroke the nape of his neck.

He caught her wrist and held her at arm’s length.

‘Don’t,’ he said harshly. ‘Don’t do this, Fia.’

To his astonishment she began to cry. ‘I had hoped you would understand.’

‘What is there to understand?

‘Oh, you don’t have to say it aloud. I see it in your eyes. Killer. Cold, calculating killer. But I was driven to it, Acir, I had to do it – or sell myself to live.’

Still he did not believe her.

‘You married the Conte. You were rich.’

‘The Conte? Old and impotent.’ The words came out between sobs – ugly, wrenching sobs that were not, he now saw, in the least feigned. ‘When he died, his family moved in to evict me, the vultures, before he was even cold. No heir – so no estate, no money. The title I could keep.’

‘I didn’t know.’

Thunder rumbled closer, a long, ominous drum-roll. The storm was blowing towards Bel’Esstar.

‘How could you have known? You were half a world away, fighting to preserve some ancient shrine.’ She looked up at him, the perfection of her creamy skin blotched, blue eyes red with weeping. ‘I was alone. And friendless. There were men who thought they could take advantage of me.’ Her voice hardened. ‘I proved them wrong. That was how I came to the attention of the Prince’s secret service. It was pointed out to me that I could use my talents “for the good of the state”. They would train me, give me authority. But if I ever chose to leave… then I would be fully answerable for all my crimes. A neat little piece of blackmail, yes?’

Acir listened in numbed silence.

‘But killing?’ He cleared his throat. ‘In cold blood?’