He shrugged but seemed to enjoy the praise, as his cheek twitched. “There’s more. I think Morwenna was behind the plot to kidnap your father. I’ve often wondered how she became so powerful so quickly. She knows things that a young woman her age . . . shouldn’t possibly know. While she says it comes from reading The Vulgate, I’ve had my doubts. I think she’s allied with the Wizrs of Chandigarl, and the men in the silver masks were coming here at her bidding. I even disguised myself as one to try and ferret out who was behind the plot. That ended disastrously,” he said with a snort, shaking his head with embarrassment. Then he looked at her. “When I heard she was taking you to Chandigarl . . .” He stopped again, sighing. “I cannot tell you how it tortured me. I feared I would never see you again. I had to trust that you’d remember the warning I gave you about Morwenna before, and that you’d be on your guard because of it. Now, there are two more reasons I wanted to bring you up here.” He reached out and took her shoulders, and for a dizzying moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. Instead, he turned her around until she was facing away from him.

“You are too clever by far, Trynne,” he said, lowering his voice but bringing his mouth near her ear. “One of your maidens must have told you about my soldiers. She told you correctly, and I disavowed it because it needs to be a secret still. I have ten thousand men up in the heights with a hundred thousand spears. Probably not that many, but it’s sufficiently vast. They’re awaiting my orders to start hurling them down at Gahalatine’s army after it arrives.”

The pieces fit together in her mind. “That explains why you were so coy about it,” she said, nodding and turning around. “Can they see us?”

He shook his head. “It’s too dark. They are living in snow caves they’ve dug themselves. They can’t stay up there forever, but hopefully long enough to strike hard at Gahalatine and throw him off. The lanterns are to be the signal. They let them shine at the changing of every watch, always from a different place. That way we’ll know they are still there and they are ready.”

“You’re brilliant,” Trynne told him, feeling her heart swell with pride. She turned and hugged him, grateful that he had finally revealed himself to her. Part of her longed to question him about the clothes she’d found in Morwenna’s room, but she could not bear to ruin the moment by mentioning it.