Kem was waiting in the parlor, leaning on the counter as he chatted with the manager’s daughter, Relia, whenever she could take a moment from her duties to spare a few words. Kem had had a crush on Relia for as long as Elen could remember, but she was a clever, ambitious girl who had her gaze set on becoming an imperial chatelaine, with a chance to work in an administrative wing of the palace and the family connections to make it happen. Kem had barely enough status to be friendly with her. Certainly, he was far out of the running as a romantic prospect. But by the goofy smile on his face as he watched Relia pouring drinks, hope died hard.

Coming up beside him, Elen tapped his arm. “You coming with me to the Residence or want to stay here?”

He glanced toward Relia, but she had turned her back to peruse an accounts book. “I’ll come. I put the provisions into the pack. Everything is sorted. You can thank me by getting back in time for Declaration Day.”

As she shouldered the pack, she almost asked him if he had finally decided, but the tight look about his eyes kept her quiet. They wound their way past empty tables toward the door. Midafternoon, there weren’t many customers unless a caravan was passing through, and caravans usually arrived late in the day, since Halts were located a day’s march apart.

In an undertone, Kem said, “I know nothing can come of it, but I like her, even if you don’t.”

“I never said that.”

“You looked it just now.”

“Did I?”

He smiled sadly. “It wasn’t you. You never do that. It was Mama. She never approved of Relia wanting to go to the heartland and become a chatelaine in the palace. She said people who crave power have rotting hands, even if on the outside they look clean and whole.”

“That sounds like the kind of thing your mother would say.”

As they reached the door, it was flung open from the outside. Relia’s younger brother rushed in, shoving past them.

“They’re here!” the boy cried excitedly. “The lord spoke to me! I’m to bring him a mug of our best ale! Papa! Relia! Did you hear? He looked at me and spoke to me himself, not through his interlocutor! Hurry!”

Elen and Kem stepped outside into the entry courtyard, alive with the noise of arrival. Wagons, animals, and a crowd of people surged into the wide yard.

The old doorman nodded at her. “Look at those banners. These must be the supplies for the imperial engineers the intendant’s been promised for months. Now they can finally get back to work.”