Orden pondered. His Days had called him “milord,” a title he’d never used before. The man wanted to speak, found it hard to remain a bystander. He restrained himself, but wanted to ameliorate any hard feelings in the nasty affair.

Might a Days not counsel him, even if his own life became forfeit in the process? Orden had studied history, knew that in some wars a Days had revealed secrets. But Orden had never learned the fate of such Days.

The chronicles told the deeds of kings and nations. If a Days had ever gone rogue, had become a counselor, the fate of such a Days was never mentioned.

Instead, the chronicles flowed as if a single dispassionate watcher had observed the king, studying his affairs. For a long hour, Orden wondered at this.

When Captain Stroecker returned from Bredsfor Manor, he found Orden lying before a dying fire, petting the hounds.

“Excuse me, milord,” Captain Stroecker said from the doorway.

King Orden turned over, sat up. “What did you find?”

Stroecker smiled grimly. He held a bunch of fresh turnips in his right hand; his eyes shone with what might have been anger. “These, milord. Enough turnips to feed an army.”

Intense terror struck King Orden as he realized the forcibles were gone, had been taken.

Stroecker smiled wickedly. “And these,” he said, reaching behind his back. He pulled a small bundle of forcibles from his belt.

King Orden’s heart leapt in relief, so much so that he forgave the captain’s jest immediately.

He jumped up, grabbed the forcibles, inspected them. The runes in each looked perfect, without dents or abrasions in the blood metal, all in the Kartish style. Orden had no facilitator here to perform the rites, but he needed none. With the wits of twenty men, and gifts of voice from fifteen, Orden could chant the spells as well as the best of them.

A weapon. He had his weapon.

“Captain Stroecker,” Orden said softly. “You and I and Borenson are the only three men who know where this treasure lies. We must keep it that way. I can’t risk that the enemy find these. I can’t risk that you get captured.”

“Agreed,” Stroecker said in such a tone that Orden realized the man thought Orden wanted him to make the ultimate sacrifice. In a moment, Stroecker would disembowel himself.

“Therefore, Captain,” Orden said, “I want you to tell the men that we need guards to take a great treasure back to Mystarria. Choose three men—young family men with children—to accompany you as guards. Choose them carefully, for you may be saving their lives. Then take the men and four fast horses, and fill your saddlebags with stones, and leave here, taking every effort not to get caught.”

“Milord?” Stroecker asked.