The breath stopped in her throat. She had feared this, expected it even, but to hear it was something else. I deserve this. I do. And yet I feel angry. Cheated. I must not let it show.

‘Deathless,’ Rochant continued, ‘Sky-born, and road-born, all can rise by their action, and all can fall. You will go from my castle and you will enter the Wild. There, you will bring your life to an end. You will make two deep cuts in your flesh, one for each transgression, and then you will walk until the demons take you.

‘In recognition of your service, we will keep this between us. History will know only the good that you have done. Like your son, they will remember what you achieved rather than the mistakes along the way.’

She felt dizzy, the blood rushing through her head, but she found the presence of mind to bow. ‘Thank you.’

He got out of bed and crossed the room, putting his arms around her. It was an unexpected honour. She tried not to shed any tears on his shoulder as he whispered into her ear, ‘I will not forget you, Honoured Mother.’

‘When should I go?’

‘Immediately.’ He rang a small bell by his bed. ‘I will have my guards escort you to the gates.’

She blinked. It was over. After all the years of worrying and hand wringing, of keeping secrets and telling lies, it was over. She bowed again, but he was already turning back to his bed. Her last sight of him as the guards led her away was of him gripping the headboard with both hands, his body softly shaking, and for the life of her, she could not tell if he were trying to suppress sobs or laughter.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Vasin stormed through the castle, his face storm-cloud dark. He’d been in a bad mood anyway, ever since Yadva had humiliated him, and he’d had to pretend to be cowed by her. Again. And he’d been unable to sleep when he’d needed all the sleep he could get. Typical. And that had been before Lady Pari had appeared like some Wild spirit in his room to tell him about Lord Rochant.

Her remembered words floated in his head, mostly drowned out by the internal roar of his anger. As always, she had sounded calm, as if everything were as it should be. As if she was in control. Perhaps that was what had made Vasin lose his temper. On some level he was extremely jealous of Pari’s calm. On another, he began to wonder how much of it was bluff.

She’d told him that Lord Rochant’s rebirth had not been successful. That the man at the feast was not him. She couldn’t explain what had happened, or who knew about it, but if they were going to overcome the High Lord today, he needed to understand.