‘You destroyed a stone that might have healed thousands for the sake of just a few!’ With some effort she controlled her anger. ‘Do you know of any other such objects?’ she asked him.

‘A few.’ He shrugged. ‘There’s a great spear in the imperial palace in Tamul, several rings in Zemoch, though I doubt that they’d be much good in healing people. It’s rumoured that there’s a jewelled bracelet in Pelosia somewhere, but that might be only a myth. The sword of the King of the Island of Mithrium was reputed to have great power, but Mithrium sank into the sea aeons ago. I’ve also heard that the Styrics have quite a few magic wands.’

‘That’s also a myth,’ she told him. ‘Wood is too fragile for that kind of power. Any others?’

‘The only one I know of is the jewel on the royal crown of Thalesia, but that’s been lost since the time of the Zemoch invasion.’ He frowned. ‘I don’t think this will help very much,’ he added, ‘but Arasham has a talisman that he claims is the most holy and powerful thing in all the world. I’ve never seen it myself, so I can’t say for sure, and Arasham’s wits aren’t so firmly set in his head that he’d be any kind of an authority You’d never be able to get it away from him in any case.’

Sephrenia reattached her veil across the lower part of her face. ‘Thank you for your candour, Doctor Tanjin,’ she said. ‘Be assured that no one will learn of your secret from us.’ She thought a moment. ‘I think you should splint this,’ she said, holding out her arm. ‘That should prove to the curious that we had a legitimate reason for this visit, and it should protect you as well as us.’

‘That’s a very good idea, madame.’ Tanjin fetched a couple of slats and a long strip of white cloth.

‘Would you take a bit of friendly advice, Tanjin?’ Sparhawk asked him as he began to splint Sephrenia’s arm.

‘I’ll listen.’

‘Do that. If it were me, I’d gather up a few things and go to Zand. The king can protect you there. Get out of Dabour while you still can. Fanatics make the jump from suspicion to certainty very easily, and it won’t do you much good if you’re proved innocent after you’ve been burned at the stake.’

‘But everything I own is here.’

‘I’m sure that’ll be a great comfort to you when your toes are on fire.’

‘Do you really think I’m in that much danger?’ Tanjin asked in a weak voice, looking up from his task.

Sparhawk nodded. ‘That much and more. I’d estimate that you’ll be lucky to live out the week if you stay here in Dabour.’