‘They... they are very good,’ Isar ventured now, feeling sorry for her. ‘Do you not think so, my lord?’
‘No,’ said Khu-ren, ‘I do not think so. And I do not like lies either.’
Isar put his arm around Deva and she snuggled up to him.
‘My lord!’ He lifted his chin to speak defiantly, but before he could say more Khu-ren held up his hand to silence him.
Isar was silent, not because of the authority of the High Priest’s gesture, for he would have dared anyone to protect Deva, but because he could see the man’s mood had changed again.
‘Never mind,’ Khu-ren said. ‘We may be making too much of this. They are just the idle scratchings of a little girl after all. I am sorry I frightened you,’ he said to Deva and kissed the top of her head. ‘Run along now!’ He waved them away and went off himse
