They went into the council chamber, and Sparhawk unfastened the neck of his dripping cloak. As chance had it, the Queen of Elenia had her back to the door when he entered. She and the Earl of Lenda, Platime and Stragen were bent over the large map spread out on the council table. ‘I’ve been through that quarter of the city,’ she was saying insistently, ‘and I don’t really think there’s any help for it. The streets are so bad that patching just won’t do. It’s all going to have to be repaved.’ Her rich, vibrant voice touched Sparhawk’s heart, even when she was discussing so mundane a matter. He smiled and laid his wet cloak across a chair near the door.

‘Of course we can’t start until spring, Your Majesty,’ Lenda pointed out, ‘and even then we’re going to be fearfully short of workers until the army returns from Lamorkand, and –’ The old man broke off, staring at Sparhawk in astonishment.

The Prince Consort touched one finger to his lips as he approached the table to join them. ‘I hate to disagree with Your Majesty,’ he said in a clinical tone, ‘but I think you should give more consideration to the condition of the highways rather than the streets here in Cimmura. Bad streets inconvenience the burghers, but if the farmers can’t get their crops to market, it’s more than just an inconvenience.’

‘I know that, Sparhawk,’ she said, still staring at the map, ‘but –’ She raised her flawless young face, her grey eyes stunned. ‘Sparhawk?’ Her voice was hardly more than a whisper.

‘I really think Your Majesty should concentrate on the highways,’ he continued seriously. ‘The one between here and Demos is in really shocking –’ That was about as far as he got with that particular subject.

‘Gently,’ Mirtai cautioned him as Ehlana hurled herself into his arms. ‘Remember what I told you outside.’

‘When did you get back?’ Ehlana demanded.

‘Just now. The others are a little behind. I rode on ahead – for several reasons.’

She smiled and kissed him again.

‘Well, gentlemen,’ Lenda said to Platime and Stragen, ‘I think perhaps we can continue this discussion later.’ He smiled. ‘Somehow I don’t really think we’ll be able to command Her Majesty’s full attention this evening.’

‘Would you all mind too terribly much?’ Ehlana asked them in a little-girl sort of voice.

‘Of course not, baby sister,’ Platime boomed. He grinned at Sparhawk. ‘It’s good to have you back, my friend. Maybe you can distract Ehlana enough so that she won’t be poking her nose into the details of certain public works projects I have an interest in.’

‘We won, I gather,’ Stragen said.

‘Sort of,’ Sparhawk replied, remembering Kurik. ‘Otha and Azash won’t be bothering us any more at least.’