‘Whisp told us you made some unplanned friends in Merenghi. Does this mean you shat the bed when it came to meeting my contacts?’

‘Yeah, we fucked it,’ Rennic said with a sigh. ‘By the time little man busted us out, we had no time to get anywhere but here. And like you said, a day late.’

‘Lucky we had to wait, eh?’

‘Who needs luck when you’ve got the little man along.’

Chel waved a half-hearted arm. ‘Can we not dredge that up, please? Andriz are no luckier than anyone else. Seriously.’

‘So you say, cub, yet here we are. No good news to report, then, Gar?’

Rennic shook his head. ‘We went cross-country, hit the river and followed it east. Could hardly have told you what month it was. Although little man did turn his back on a lifetime of studding the young fillies of Merenghi’s Wards.’

This time there was no disguising the blush. Even Loveless couldn’t keep the incredulous mirth from her face. ‘Come again?’

Rennic’s grin was savage. ‘Did you know the Wards were all Andriz? They wanted to keep him as a sire for their stock, could have seen out the rest of his days doing little more than covering their maidens.’

Chel gritted his teeth, stared at the floor and tried not to think of Rasha. So much for a new perspective.

Rennic’s levity departed without warning. ‘We failed, then. What about you? Do we still have a chance?’

This time Loveless’s smile was bright and genuine. ‘We did well. Maybe we should have left you to one side earlier.’

Rennic didn’t rise to it. ‘How well?’

She reeled off a string of accomplishments, from enlisting the enthusiastic support of a number of minor lords, some with connections to kingdoms abroad, to the exuberant reaction of the tribal emissaries at the news that the free companies that usually kept them in check would be holding fast in their strongholds. Foss sighed heavily at the mention of the lords, and muttered something about parties. ‘Come the thaw in the high places,’ Loveless finished, ‘our tribal friends will likely come rampaging down with greater force than ever. They have particular enmity for the church forces, it seems; it rather sounds like they have a new religion up there.’

From the corner of his eye, Chel saw Foss make the sign of the crook.

Rennic let out a long breath. ‘That’s good. That’s really good. We may have snarled the free cities, but if all else starts to roll our way …’

‘Exactly.’ Loveless finished the thought. ‘They won’t want to be left out, especially if they fear their rivals will be taking advantage.’

‘Then a lot rides on the decisions of the free companies. At the Gracechurch I thought we had the balance, before Corvel arrived and made our point for us. What happened after?’