‘That boy needs to cope with a bruised ego a fuck-sight better than this if he has any hope of holding a throne someday,’ Loveless snapped.

Whisper signalled urgently. There he is!

‘He’s going into the courtyard!’

‘Of course he is, cub. Shepherd’s tits, he’s probably going to wail to them about his birthday.’

‘Little man, grab him!’

‘You grab him! I’m supposed to be cargo, remember?’

‘Whisp, you—’

Loveless threw up a furious hand. ‘If anyone tries to grab him and drag him back here, he’s going to squeal like a horny piglet. And we are going to attract a lot of unwanted attention.’ She looked up and down the bridge through narrowed eyes, torchlight flickering in the crosswind. ‘We’re already too much of a spectacle.’

Lemon cleared her throat. ‘Folks, no rush but we’re coming up on the turning here. Any danger of a plan?’

Loveless looked very tired. ‘Someone needs to go in after him, and coax him out.’

‘Little man, you’re up.’

‘Thrilled as I am to be upgraded from the status of baggage, how the fuck am I meant to find him in there on my own?’

‘Wee bear makes a good point, to which I’d add, exactly what do the rest of us do in the meantime? Park up the wagon on the bridge-side here? Pretend we’ve bust an axle?’

Whisper signalled again. And if there’s trouble inside?

Rennic let out a long, low growl. ‘Nine eternal goat-fucking hells!’

Loveless gave a sour chuckle. ‘Better steer for the archway, Lem. There are courtyards we can park up inside. Did anyone bring party clothes?’

***

‘Do you see him?’ Chel pointed ahead. ‘Up by the door. Seems to be talking to someone there.’

Loveless strode past. ‘With any luck they’ll delay him long enough for us to catch up.’ She offered Chel a bright, brittle smile. ‘Let’s hope it’s nobody nefarious. Now all of you play along with the next bit, or none of us gets in.’

Burly guards in gleaming breastplates stood at the internal gate, behind them a squat structure with very thick walls. An administrator looked up at their approach.

‘Party of how many?’

Loveless counted. ‘Seven. Plus one already inside.’

‘Weapons?’

‘Plenty.’

‘Together or separately?’

Loveless unstrapped her precious sword, balanced it scabbarded in her hand.

‘Separately, I think.’

‘Very well.’

When Chel’s turn came, he passed the mace through a boxy window in the stonework to a clerk on the far side. The man placed it in a box, then looked up. ‘That all? Any knives, daggers, knuckles, small implements, anything that could be used to do harm?’

Chel surrendered his good knife. It went in the box with the mace.