Katkin hugged the little girl and said firmly, “Don’t cry for your Patre. I will find a way out of this, I promise. He is innocent, Poppy. We just have to prove it.” She turned back to her grandmother. “I want to see him, right now. Where is he being held?”
Neirin wagged a wrinkled finger. “I cannot say. Only his family will be allowed to see him. You said you were not bonded.”
Katkin scowled, rapidly losing patience with her grandmother’s slavish adherence to the laws of her people. “I was lying. I am his woman and Poppy is his daughter. Now take us to him.” Neirin stared at her a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she shrugged.
“Very well. Ander will show you the lock-up.”
Ander led them up to the side of the dell, to a tumble of boulders that hid a narrow but high cleft in the
