Attendants rearranged several of the large alchemical lanterns to cast bright beams on Jean-Claude, and Travers’s bloodshadow lanced his shadow like a needle into a boil. Even though he was prepared for it, the pain made Jean-Claude whimper and whine. Travers peeled his shadow into several layers and found within them threadlike veins or nerves that spread through his whole body. Several of these had been cut and looped into knots that would have impressed a sailor. Travers ripped the knots loose—it was like having his fingernails ripped out over and over again—and tied them into new positions. The only reason Jean-Claude did not pass out was that the bloodshadow would not give him leave.

Yet for all the agony, Jean-Claude might have sung with joy, for the black snake in his mind recoiled deeper and deeper until it finally yielded its grip on his tongue.

“Yes.” The word slipped past his lips. He could speak, bless the Savior. Now he must make his words count.

Travers’s bloodshadow twitched out of him with all the gentleness of a leviathaner yanking a harpoon from his prey.

Travers leaned forward. “Well, clayborn, what do you have to say?”

Though dizzy and weak, Jean-Claude shrugged off the attendants and stood.

He bowed slightly to the assembled group, tested some words on his tongue and felt no impediment to moving them forward. “Solo Aria sends her greetings. She has entrusted me to negotiate on her behalf for the safe and unharmed return of her husband.”

Travers said, “In that case, she should do as directed and return the stolen reliquary to me before nightfall.”

Jean-Claude bobbed his head in Travers’s direction. “She will be happy to do so if we meet on neutral ground.”

“We will meet here,” Travers said. “That is nonnegotiable.”

Jean-Claude said, “If your infirmity makes it difficult for you to travel, perhaps one of your compatriots would be open to the idea. Surely it doesn’t matter which one of you makes the transfer and receives the reliquary.”

Hasdrubal said, “How would you guarantee my safety if I were to accompany you?”

Jean-Claude made a gesture of nonchalance. “Bring as many men as you like. Follow me in the form of a hawk so high up that I can’t see you. Once we’re at the meeting place, you can leave Dok in a place where you can watch him. Once Aria is satisfied she will not be ambushed, she will take her husband and leave the reliquary in his place. I will note that she has every reason to uphold her end of the bargain. The reliquary is of no use to her, and once Hasdrubal has it, he gains nothing and risks much by pursuing her.”

“I forbid this,” Travers said. “Dok is my prisoner.”

“You forget who captured him,” Hasdrubal said. “And who obtained the reliquary.”

Eulalie said, “Neither of which could you have done without me.”