Tiphaine winced again at her look; this time it was her professional vanity that twinged. It was rather like a wolf confessing to a rabbit bite on the buttocks.

“With a sewing needle?”

Delia’s callused finger tips stroked the length of the scar. Her strong fingers turned the sword-hand towards the light. Tiphaine nodded grimly.

Great. We could be running around the bed playing The Lustful Knight and the Innocent Country Maid and what are we doing? Discussing wounds and prisoners in Fen House.

“I don’t think it actually scratched the skin, just ran down it . . . but by the time I walked back down the stairs it was a welt and it was hurting. It got badly infected and I wouldn’t let anybody touch it. Mary said, Bad cess to you and yours, and I believe that she meant what she said and knew what would happen. That’s magic, Delia. Real magic!”

Delia didn’t look any calmer, and her grip on Tiphaine’s hand was hurting. “Damned right, that’s magic! Why didn’t you get help! What did you do? Why haven’t you . . .”

“I went to BD. You know, of the Kyklos.”

“Oh.” A hesitation. “I’m . . . well, she is a witch, I know that. I’ve met her, of course. And a good field-competent healer. I just wish . . .”

“I know. If it had been an ordinary wound, I would have come to you.”

Tiphaine gently put a forefinger over Delia’s parted lips. “Sweetheart, listen. This is very hard for me to talk about.”

Delia closed her mouth, let go of her hand and walked over to the crib in the corner. She picked up the sleeping Heuradys and held her close. “I’ll be quiet, but you’d better tell me everything!”

Tiphaine nodded. “Gods do live and walk among us and . . . I don’t believe in the Christian god, His son or His mother.”

“They’re real enough,” Delia observed—not enthusiastically, but readily; her arms cradled the infant and she stroked a cheek.

“Yes, they’re real. Oh, what my mother would have given to hear me say it! But I don’t . . .”

“I understand. Actually it’s probably your mother’s fault you don’t like them, after she tried to force-feed you. That’s just not how your heart inclines. But now you want someone you can believe in, a guardian and pillar. Of course that means They must want you.”

Delia kissed Heuradys and the baby stirred. She frowned as she put her back in the crib and turned to Tiphaine.

“I’m not going to yell . . . but there’s a very big yell in me. Why didn’t you go to Mount Angel or the main hospital in Portland, or Bethany? BD may be a witch, but she’s not a doctor. Good field-grade healer, but not a professional, at that.”