“There have been anxious moments,” I smiled, fighting a crazy, joyous urge to hug him. I thought how good it was to look straight in his face. He was so fine, so fair. He had changed since I last saw him. The plains and angles of his face had a slightly harder edge to them, as if he had endured much in the past year. He looked more athletic, more compelling and forceful than ever. He would be a good commander, I thought. The soldier’s uniform suited him well, clothed his quiet passion with austere discipline, his gracefulness with strength. He looked less prosperous now, wearing no jewellery except the stones in the hilt of his sword. His brown cloak was thick wool, rough-woven, and fell to the heels of his high black boots. His tunic and trousers were of thick weatherproof material, plain and practical. Yet he still had that gracious, kingly way with him, that gentle humour. There were tiny lines around his eyes when he smiled, and his eyes were still that singular, unsettling blue.

“I cannot tell you what it means to me to have you here,” I said.

“It means much to me as well,” he said softly, fervour colouring his face. He took my hands in his. “I have thought of you every day, Elsha, since last I saw you in the kitchens of Jinnah.”

I blushed, and withdrew my hands. “I’ve thought of you often too,” I said. “Especially these last weeks. You are so late arriving, I thought that the battle was already Zune’s.”

Amasai looked bewildered. “Who is Zune?”

“Have you not heard? Oh, Amasai, then it is only by the grace of God that you are here on time. Zune claims that the Firelord chose him for future diviner. He has challenged me to a battle the day after tomorrow – a hundred of his men against a hundred of mine. The victor becomes Firelord.”

Amasai turned slightly away from me, but not before I saw his face. I was suddenly afraid.

“You will fight for me in this?” I asked.

Still he would not look at me. “I cannot say, Elsha. If the Firelord chose Zune, then let Zune be the new diviner. I see no reason for conflict. If I did fight for you, and you were made Firewoman, you would not be happy. I thought you were compelled to be future Firelord, because of your power to divine. I thought you needed me to protect you, to prevent disorder. But there is no need. Surely you cannot want this life – to be exploited for your ability, but still hated and despised. The Firelord’s life is lonely anyway, but yours would be intolerable. Now that Zune is here, why not leave the work to him?”