“Janel Theranon,” I said, rubbing my arms. “And thank you.” I bent down to clean the shallow wound and then tied the scarf around my leg. I needed to dress it properly, but this didn’t seem the time.

“And what are you doing here? I’ll admit I don’t mind having visitors, it’s just never happened from this side of the caverns before. You’re lucky sound echoes through the tunnels.”

“I’m afraid one of the duke’s wi—um.” I coughed.

“One of the duke’s wives. I’m aware he’s married others.” She didn’t look amused about the idea.

“Right. I honestly have no idea why she did this. Because she found out—” I paused, unsure if I might reveal too much.

Xivan raised an eyebrow. “You really must learn to finish sentences. She found out what?”

I stared at her. She was Khorveshan. A dead Khorveshan murdered by Yorans, in fact. I therefore didn’t think she’d feel the same way as Yorans about my “unmarried” status. “She found out that I’m not really married. And then she drugged and dumped me outside to freeze to death. I don’t really understand why.”

“Interesting,” Xivan said, “and who are you not really married to?”

I cleared my throat. “Relos Var.”

She chuckled. “Ah yes. Relos Var. I know him of old. In fact, I owe him for this.” Xivan gestured down at herself.

“I thought the Yorans—”

“Oh no. Var didn’t kill me. He brought me back to life, or close enough. And bought himself a duke in the bargain.” She frowned. “I know why you were left outside.” She stopped walking. “It seems one of my husband’s wives is a devotee of the witch-queen Suless.”

“I don’t understand.”

She leaned in close. “Are you doing that on purpose? You’re very … warm.”

I made a helpless gesture. “I’m not doing anything.”

“Also interesting.” Xivan looked at the lantern light sparkling against the cave wall. “In the old days, before we Quuros arrived, the witch-queen Suless had an understanding with her worshippers. She’d grant any wish her female devotees asked, but only if they sacrificed an unmarried girl to her. Usually a woman would sacrifice a daughter, but technically speaking, the sacrifice didn’t have to be a relative.”

“I don’t feel sacrificed,” I said.

But I also remembered hearing the whooping laughs of the hyenas closing in and wondered. What would have happened if Aeyan’arric hadn’t arrived?