I felt a stab of guilt. Cyde was going to take the fall for the broken Pillar; it had been her responsibility to protect it. And yet she had let me destroy it. If anything, she had seemed eager for me to tear it down, which made no sense at all.

A loud thump issued from downstairs. I started and cast around for my bag. I still had Verje’s sacraments, lace if I needed it. I snatched my backpack from the chair beside the door and hurried onto the landing. Millie’s muffled voice drifted up from below. She sounded angry.

“… my brother, and you dare ask for favours?”

I slowed. An argument, not a crisis. I walked down the stairs and found Finn standing in the corridor outside Lariel’s room. He looked strained.

“She’s provoking Millie,” he said.

“It seems to be working.”

“Yeah,” he said. “I didn’t want to interfere, but it’s getting out of hand.”

I pushed open the door. The room beyond was tiny, and held reed wash baskets, old crates of papers, and a couple of moth-eaten pillows. There were no windows. Lariel stood leaning against the far wall, and Millie faced her, fists balled.

“Ah, the corpse eater’s back,” said Lariel lazily. “Along with her Haunt lover.”

“Don’t you say a word to either of them,” Millie snarled. “We should have let the Resistance kill you.”

“Right, yes.” Lariel nodded. “I forgot that I’m supposed to be grateful. In your infinite kindness, you’re handing me over to the Order instead. The Sisterhood: known for their gentle and forgiving care of prisoners.”

“You’ll be treated fairly,” I said.

“Sure I will, corpse eater.”

“If you cooperate?” I shrugged. “I’m not saying there won’t be repercussions. But if the Councilwomen pressured you, it might mean prison instead of execution.”

She laughed.

“What’s funny?”

“Pressured me?” She sneered. “What a joke. I killed those women because I wanted to.”

Millie stepped forward, raised her fist, and punched Lariel in the face.

Finn got over his shock fastest; he lunged past me and grabbed his sister by the forearms, lifting her clean off the floor as he pulled her away from Lariel. I hastily stepped out of the way. Lariel clutched her nose and staggered, bracing herself against the wall. Her shoulders shook. Then she started laughing again, the sound wheezing and high and out of control.

“Do whatever you want, Kamillian!” she gasped. Blood trickled over her fingers. “But don’t act like I owe you anything. You’re the one who sold out first.”

Millie was breathing hard. She shook off her brother and stormed out of the room. Finn grimaced and followed her, which meant I was the only one who noticed that Lariel had started to cry.

CHAPTER

THIRTY-SIX

Reverend Cyde returned at midday. From the upstairs bedroom window, I saw her approaching the cottage. She held a wide umbrella over her head, and wore dark grey travelling robes. She came alone.