At first light, three days after the attack, the party gathered in the central courtyard to say farewell. Aldine stood erect between Gani and Lendel, a pale shadow of the romantic young princess who had ridden into Akkod. Irenya, her riding leathers hanging loosely on her frame, locked a hawkish stare with the new ruling prince of Ishter and moved on. There were shadows under Aldine’s brown eyes, and shadows in them. Irenya held out her arms and the princess almost fell into them. All the well-meaning words Irenya had rehearsed evaporated. Her eyes filled. She murmured a farewell to the haunted face. Lendel managed a smile and a genuine embrace. Irenya valued it like gold.
‘I’m glad you’re staying with her,’ she whispered.
They rode under the arch and out on to the road, to the fork that
