“No, you don’t understand. I used Worldhearth to search every fire in the palace. She’s not here. I can’t find her.”

Thurvishar stopped smiling.

After a moment, he said, “Is it possible she’s escaped?”

Brother Qown blinked. That thought hadn’t occurred to him. Yes, it was possible. She might have escaped. Janel could leave at any time. She wasn’t gaeshed.

He shook his head. “No. She wouldn’t … she wouldn’t leave me.”

“Are you so sure?”

Brother Qown nodded. “I’m sure. And they wouldn’t have been so smug if that was it. Something bad has happened, and those men were part of it.”

“Let’s find the Hon.”

43: THE FIRE CAVES

Jorat Dominion, Quuros Empire. Three days since Kihrin D’Mon discovered that it’s possible to make talismans for other people … against their will

“Darzin was always so charming, wasn’t he?” Kihrin said, shaking his head.

“Thorra,” Janel said.

“Yes,” he agreed. “Definitely thorra.” He chuckled.

“He sounds like a real winner.” Ninavis yawned as she examined her cup. “I think I’ll boil up another pot of coffee.” She left for the kitchen.

Janel watched her leave, frowning. Kihrin couldn’t tell if she was upset with Ninavis or upset in general.

“Are you all right?” he asked, anyway, squeezing her hand.

“Thurvishar isn’t the wizard we’re waiting on,” Janel said suddenly. “Relos Var is.”

The whole table fell quiet for a stunned second.

Kihrin pulled back his hand.

“Janel!” Brother Qown stood. “We were explaining the context—”

Dorna added, “Now maybe I wouldn’t have—”

“Silence!” Janel snapped. She turned to Kihrin. “We don’t have Khoreval anymore. I possessed it briefly, but Relos Var reclaimed it. So we made a deal: if I convince you to help us kill Morios, he’ll hand over Khoreval. We need both weapons to finish the job.” She added quietly, “That’s what I needed to tell you.”

Kihrin didn’t know what to think, but the expression on Janel’s face left little doubt that she was serious. She had, in fact, been planning to betray him.

Or at least it would have felt like betrayal.

He stood from his chair, not sure what he’d do, only that he had to do something.

“Kihrin, please—”

He whirled back to her and pointed to the ceiling. “If you and Var are working together, why is my angry daughter from another lifetime hovering around outside? Or is that just to keep me from leaving?”

“Var must have realized I would tell Janel about Father Zajhera,” Brother Qown mused. “With the gaeshe broken, nothing prevented me from telling the truth.”

“Which would lead to me confessing the truth as well. But Relos Var doesn’t know Thurvishar is working with us,” Janel explained. “We left him in Atrine as insurance. And the moment Thurvishar sees any sign of Morios, he’ll open a portal back to us.”