The priest coughed into his hand. “Oh yes, very much so. It’s a hemorrhagic fever contracted from a desert mouse’s dried urine. Just one reason cats are so popular in Khorvesh.” He added, “It’s never broken out in Jorat. Wrong climate.”

“Very sneaky,” Kihrin said. “But I’m not surprised, considering.”

The other two paused.

“Considering what?” Brother Qown said.

Kihrin waved a hand at Brother Qown’s robes. “You’re a priest of the Mysteries. I knew a devotee once. You lot are tricky.”

“I beg your pardon,” Brother Qown said. “I am not ‘tricky.’ I’m very dedicated to helping others find both physical and spiritual harmony.”

“Perhaps he’s a touch tricky,” Janel said, grinning.

Kihrin continued, “Wasn’t your order illegal?”

Brother Qown cleared his throat. “That was politics. All sorted out now. And our faith has always been accepted in Eamithon.” Then he brightened. “But you know someone who follows the Way? That’s wonderful! There aren’t many of us.”

“Sure. He fenced my spoils.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Brother Qown’s eyes widened.

Janel gave Kihrin a curious look as he chuckled. “You didn’t grow up in a palace, did you?” she remarked.

“And you did,” he pointed out. “Clearly.”

“It wasn’t a palace,” Janel said. “It was a castle.”

“Forgive me. That’s completely different. Still, I notice you’re not using the noble title anymore,” Kihrin said. “Why is that? And why call yourself count and not countess?”

“Isn’t countess a Quuros title for a male ruler’s wife?” Janel shrugged. “If so, I don’t qualify.”

“It’s also used for a female ruler,” Kihrin pointed out.

“What a strange thing to label. We don’t care if our rulers are male or female. We only insist they’re stallions.”

Behind her, a large gray-skinned man splashed with black achieved some victory at the rock-tossing game. He shouted and marched around the room, fists in the air. Cheers, claps, and a few boos heralded this win before the noise settled back down again.

“Did you know the Joratese native language, Karo, doesn’t even acknowledge gender?” Brother Qown said. “Only positions of authority or obligation. And in practice, I’ve found at least three distinct genders in use. Well, two genders and a third catch-all term, but still—”

As Kihrin looked wide-eyed, Janel put aside her bowl. “I’d better take a turn or this will transform into a lecture on Jorat social structures. He’s done it before.”

“Uh, right,” Kihrin said. “That might be for the best.”

Janel nodded. Then sat there.

Just when Kihrin assumed she’d changed her mind, she began speaking.

Janel’s Turn. Mereina Castle, Barsine Banner, Jorat, Quur.

No matter who we are or what our background, thief or noble, priest or witch, we always want to be our story’s hero.

No, that’s not right.

We don’t want to be.