‘I might as well walk back in there and bolt the door myself, save some time. Fucking hells!’ Rennic went to put down the staff, then froze, his eyes locked on the barn’s open doorway.

‘Company,’ he said, very quietly.

Chel gripped his retrieved mace, fingers tight, wrist loose, and turned with deliberate slowness, coiled to strike.

A figure stood before them, cowled and dripping, flinching as if expecting a blow. One shaking hand reached up, pulling back the shawl that covered her head.

‘Rasha?’

‘I wondered …’ she said, voice unsteady, her fear obvious. Chel slid his mace hand behind his back. ‘I wondered what you’d do. If I should trust you.’

From the corner of his eye, Chel saw Rennic rest his staff against a barrel and slip one hand to his belt. He raised his empty hand, calming, placatory.

‘I know this looks—’

‘What did you do to Hesso? Is he dead?’

She might have been crying, he couldn’t tell. She was soaked through.

Chel shook his head, emphatic, sheer willpower keeping his movements sure, his tone even. ‘He’s fine. He’ll have—’ he shot Rennic a look, ‘—a bad headache tomorrow, but he’ll be fine.’

‘And you. You and your dangerous friend. You’re leaving?’

He took a long breath, closing his eyes. He could hear Rennic shifting behind him, hear the subtle slip of a knife from its sheath, clean over the pounding of blood in his ears.

‘There is a war coming, and we need to stop it. Or, if we can’t stop it, at least fight it well. Because otherwise it’s a massacre. Every day that Laralim holds us here, that war comes a day closer.’

She frowned, upset, uncertain. ‘Truly?’

‘Truly. I’m first sworn to Prince Tarfel of Vistirlar. He’s the only one who can stop his brother.’

‘This war, would it come here?’

‘It’s possible.’

‘So …’ She tilted her head back, working over the thoughts. ‘So if you were to prevent it, you’d be saving people here from harm?’

‘Yes, I suppose so.’

‘And if I helped you, I’d really be helping my own people?’

Chel felt a grin pulling at his mouth, a warm tingle of relief spreading outwards from his core. He tried to keep his face serious. ‘Absolutely. You’d be a hero. Secretly.’

She was smiling now, a sad, nervous smile, bedraggled but proud. ‘I always wanted to do something heroic.’ She pulled the shawl back over her head. ‘You’d better follow me.’

They followed. As they walked, Rennic leaned in to whisper, ‘Who the fuck is this girl?’

Chel only smiled. Somewhere, another bell tolled.

***