“If you’re not idorrá, you’re thudajé,” Brother Qown said.

Senera must have heard him, because she chuckled.

She leaned forward and studied Sir Oreth. “I wonder if you’re sincere. Well, I suppose we’ll find out. Just realize that if you’re not being sincere, I can fashion up such fates for you as would make demons hide their eyes.”

“I believe you.”

“Good.” Senera waved her hand and the sword in Sir Oreth’s hand straightened. The hilt returned to its former shape.

He dropped the weapon to the ground.

“So is there anything I can do to help?” Sir Oreth asked, the embodiment of solicitous care and attention.

“I’m sure Brother Qown would appreciate some tea,” Senera said. “I would too, but I’m going to be a bit too preoccupied.” She gestured toward Janel’s body.

“Gaeshing Count Janel is a horrid idea,” Brother Qown said. “Is there any chance I can talk you out of it?”

She smiled. “No.”

“I thought as much.” He felt sick.

Brother Qown had never seen anyone gaeshed, but he’d heard about it from Father Zajhera. He knew enough to understand the ritual’s blasphemy. For someone like Janel—

It would kill her. He rather doubted she’d play along with gaesh commands, even at the cost of her own life.

As Sir Oreth went to the fire to put a kettle on, the puppy growled at him and seemed disinclined to let him approach.

“Rebel, down,” Senera said. “Go to your pillow.”

The dhole gave Sir Oreth a reproachful look and circled back over to the velvet pillow.

“The dog’s name is Rebel?” Sir Oreth asked.

“Hmm. Shush. This is quiet time,” Senera said, staring at Janel’s body. She frowned.

Brother Qown shifted his position, wincing at the wounds he hadn’t yet fixed. He had a good idea what Senera attempted: healing Janel’s body before the gaeshing ritual. He also had a good idea why it wasn’t working. The same reason it hadn’t worked when he had tried it several weeks before.

If he did nothing—

Janel seemed stable, but Brother Qown didn’t know if that was due to some spell cast by Relos Var or Janel’s own magic. In either case, at some point, the spell would end and Janel would finish dying.

If Senera healed her, she’d suffer a worse fate. Being kidnapped and taken to Yor was bad enough; the dominion didn’t have a sterling reputation for its treatment of women. But if Relos Var and Senera planned to take Janel there under gaesh …