‘That’s what I found out. Martel and I travelled to Pelosia, and he showed Ydra to me when she was performing some obscene rite before an image of Azash.’ Tears stood openly in Perraine’s eyes. ‘It was horrible, Sparhawk, horrible.’ He choked back a sob. ‘Martel told me that if I didn’t do exactly as he told me, her corruption would increase until her soul was totally lost. I wasn’t sure if he could really do what he said he would, but I couldn’t take the chance.’

‘He could do it all right, Perraine,’ Sparhawk assured him. ‘I’ve seen it.’

‘I was going to kill her,’ Perraine went on, his voice growing weaker, ‘but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. Martel watched me struggle with myself, and he just laughed at me. If you ever get the opportunity, I hope you kill him.’

‘You have my word on that, Perraine.’

Perraine sighed again, and his face grew even more pale. ‘An excellent poison, this one,’ he noted. ‘Anyway, Martel had his fist around my heart. He told me to go to Arcium and to join Vanion and the other Pandions there. At the first opportunity, I was to make my way back to the chapterhouse in Cimmura. Somehow he knew that you were going to Thalesia and that you’d most likely be returning through Emsat. He gave me money and instructed me to start hiring murderers. I had to do everything he told me to do. Most of the time it was my assassins who made the attempts on you, but once, when we were coming through Demos on our way here, I actually shot a crossbow at you myself. I could try to pretend that I missed on purpose, but that would be a lie. I was really trying to kill you, Sparhawk.’

‘And the poison at Dolmant’s house?’

‘That was me as well. I was getting desperate. You have uncommonly good luck, my friend. I tried everything I could think of, and I just couldn’t kill you.’

‘And the Rendor who tried to stick a poisoned knife in me in the Basilica?’

Perraine looked a bit startled. ‘I had nothing to do with that, Sparhawk. I swear. We’ve both been in Rendor, and we both know how undependable they are. Someone else must have sent him – maybe even Martel himself.’

‘What made you change your mind, Perraine?’ Sparhawk asked sadly.

‘Martel’s lost his hold on me. Ydra’s dead.’

‘I’m sorry.’