“She did that to me in May. It nearly cost me my hand. All it took was her sucking one of her needles and running it down my hand. She didn’t even scratch the flesh; just touched it.”

He looked carefully, but forbore to touch her. Then he nodded and strode forward, to stand by the cantor at the fire. By the time she had all the plate and mail off and was stripping the gambeson, tunic and trews, Stratson had all the men facing outwards.

I feel stupid doing this Lady Godiva with gooseflesh thing. But I was the one grappling with . . . that . . . and splattering its gore all over. If I inhaled her blood, or spit got through the armor and gambeson . . . I might wake up tomorrow loosing my guts or showing pustules or carbuncles. Better get really clean.

The amulet was warm and comforting between her breasts. This is probably a good thing to do.

“My lady.”

Father Lucien bowed before her and kept his eyes firmly over her left shoulder.

“Your page is inside with Father Manuel. They’ve prepared three baths for you. The boy has towels all warmed up and we really can’t have our Grand Constable sick. And I assure you, we are taking extreme care. We will hold the vigil and not let even a spark or scrap get loose.”

He frowned up at the security block. “I’m going to insist, as hard as I can, that the whole building be burned. Burned, exorcised, then let nature cleanse it for generations.”

Tiphaine looked at him. I am finding myself thinking good thoughts about a former Inquisitor. The world is a very strange place.

“You are probably right. I’ll speak to the Lady Regent and strongly recommend that we do so. God knows we’re broke, with the war, and we will be for years to come. But this . . . needs doing.”

COUNTY OF THE EASTERMARK
CHARTERED CITY OF WALLA WALLA
CITY PALACE OF THE COUNTS PALANTINE
PORTLAND PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION
(FORMERLY SOUTHEASTERN WASHINGTON STATE)
HIGH KINGDOM OF MONTIVAL
(FORMERLY WESTERN NORTH AMERICA)
AUGUST 24, CHANGE YEAR 25/2023 AD

Countess Ermentrude looked at her husband. When he nodded confirmation, she pulled the night-robe around her more closely and shivered.

“That was what you fought?” she asked him. “Or something even worse? Merciful mother of God, Felipe!”

Tiphaine held out her glass. “Rigobert, do the honors, would you? That isn’t my favorite memory and I have some . . . doozies.”

He poured from the decanter he’d moved to within arm’s reach. She drank again, ignoring the quiet speech in the background while she let the smooth fire of the brandy relax the knot in her gut.

But Delia was able to help with the nightmares. Reason to love, number seven thousand one hundred forty-two: doesn’t freak out when I wake up sweating and shaking and grinding my teeth.

Felipe set down his own snifter, rose and bowed, the full formal gesture.