"Some of them are bound to have ransom value, you see, Maia," explained Shend-Lador. "And anyway they've

all got hostage and exchange value against our men who got collared and taken into Suba. The Lord General will sort it out as soon as he's finished off Erketlis."

"But Anda-No-I mean, Bayub-Otal's a son of the High Baron of Urtah. Haven't the Urtans said anything about him?" she asked.

Shend-Lador laughed. "Not much they can say, is there? He was taken red-handed fighting for Karnat against the empire. Oh, no, Maia, you needn't worry: his number's up if anyone's is-public execution in the Caravan Market, I should think. Soon as there's time to spare for it, that is."

He knew the names of no other prisoners, and neither did Sarget or Nennaunir. Durakkon, of course, she had not presumed to question. Nor, lacking Occula, had she disclosed to anyone the true nature of her interest.

During these days of her convalescence, her principal source of information was Ogma, who talked to hawkers at the door and brought back gossip with her shopping from the lower city. One day she returned so eager to talk that she came straight into the parlor and, clumping her way across the room with her basket still on her arm, came to a stop beside the couch on which Maia had been resting in the sunshine.

"Oh, miss, I was buying some vegetables-only we're right out of brillions as well as beans, and they had some nice fruit, all sorts, so I thought well, as you'd given me the money and we're not short nowadays, are we? any more than we were at the High Counselor's, I might as well get some while they were there. And while I was buying them there was this woman come in as I know to talk to-I've met her two or three times in the shops, see- and she's married to a Tonildan, a man from east of Thet-tit, only they've been living here for quite a few years now, and she began telling me-"

Maia got up and half-lowered the slatted blind against the mid-day sun. An air of inattention, she had found, often worked in bringing Ogma to the point.

"Well, this man has friends down Thettit way, miss, and they sometimes come up here on business-buying glass, only that's what he makes and there's none at Thettit, you see-and these men said this woman, that's to say my friend in the shop as I was talking to, they asked her did

she know why Lord Erketlis had declared against Bekla and started fighting?"

"Why, has there been any fighting?" asked Maia. "I thought Lord Erketlis was lying low in Chalcon. He hasn't got all that many men, has he?"

"Oh, well, that's right, miss-at least, I think so-but I mean the real reason why he's started making trouble and declaring against the Leopards an' that."

Maia waited.

"It only shows, miss, doesn't it, as there's justice above?" pronounced Ogma sententiously. "I mean, there's some as brings down judgement on their own heads. That wicked man-of course I know you and Miss Occula had to do what you did; you hadn't got no choice-well, we none of us had, had we? And Miss Dyphna-"

"Ogma," said Maia, "what are you trying to tell me?"

Ogma leant forward, round-eyed. "Miss Milvushina!"

"Milvushina? What about her?"

"Well, we all knew, didn't we, miss, why the High Counselor was at the trouble of getting Miss Milvushina for himself? Because she was what she was-a lady-that's why. And he persuaded the Lord General-it's my belief he did-to send those soldiers to kill her father and mother just so he could have her for-well, for his horrible ways and that. Only I was there in the house all that night when you and Miss Occula was at Lord Elvair-ka-Virrion's party- the night when the soldiers first brought Miss Milvushina; and even the tryzatt, he was that disgusted by what he'd been made to do, like, and Terebinthia told me I wasn't to say a word outside and if I did she'd have me whipped and sold-"

"Ogma, what is it you want to tell me?"

"That was his own death, miss," whispered Ogma, stabbing with her fore-finger, "what he done then, the High Counselor. This friend of mine in the market had it all from her husband's friends down in Thettit. Miss Milvushina, see, she was promised in marriage to Lord Santil-ke-Erketlis-"

"Great Cran!" said Maia, startled at last into full attention. "Ogma, are you sure? She never said a word about it to me or Occula."

"Well, no, miss, likely not," said Ogma. "I mean, Miss Milvushina wasn't never one for telling a great deal at all, was she, if you know what I mean? But now it seems as

Lord Santil's made a proclamation down in Chalcon and Tonilda, telling everyone what he's doing and why, and all such things as that: and the chief of it is, he says that it was all arranged between him and Lord Enka-Mordet that he was to marry his daughter, and it was going to be a public thing as soon as the rains ended, only for what happened to poor Lord Enka-Mordet. And he says-that's to say, in the proclamation he says-that he was the one as had the High Counselor murdered, and that he'll never rest until he's revenged Lord Enka-Mordet and the dishonor that's been done to himself by Miss Milvushina being taken away."

Maia, sitting in the sun-dappled window-seat, considered this in silent wonder.

"It only shows, miss, doesn't it," resumed Ogma, "as the gods above-"

"Where is Milvushina?" interrupted Maia. "I remember now-that's to say I heard-that after the murder Lord Elvair-ka-Virrion took her into his own household, although by law she ought to have gone to the temple. The Sacred Queen was very angry about it."

"She's still with Lord Elvair-ka-Virrion," said Ogma. "He's said as he won't give her up. But that's not all, miss, either." She paused for effect.

"Well?" asked Maia.

"They say-that's to say, there's them as are saying, miss-that the Sacred Queen was for sending her back to Chalcon," said Ogma. "The rumor is that the Sacred Queen told General Kembri that Bekla had enough troubles as it was and to send the girl back and good riddance, But it seems Miss Milvushina said as she didn't want to go, and when the queen said she-was temple property and to be disposed of as such, Lord Elvair-ka-Virrion said no, because she shouldn't never have been enslaved in the first place, so by rights she wasn't a slave at all. So then Queen Fornis got very angry, but when she told General Kembri to see to it, he said he was too busy and anyway it wouldn't make any difference, because Lord Santil wouldn't want her back now she's been-you know. So that's it, you see, miss, and it only goes to show, doesn't it-"

"Then you mean Milvushina's living with Lord Elvair-ka-Virrion now?"

"Oh, yes, miss," said Ogma, "and what's more, they say he's going to command a special band of soldiers they're

raising, to go to Chalcon and put down Lord Erketlis; that's as soon as they're ready. And Miss Milvushina, she's said all along that he's been that good to her in her trouble that she means to stay with him here in Bekla."

And what did all this matter to herself? thought Maia, dismissing Ogma to go and set about cooking dinner. Once, there had been a time when she would have been wild with jealousy and full of resentment against Elvair-ka-Vir-rion. "You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen." "Thank you for my pleasure. It was much the best I've ever had." This was not disillusion on her part, however: it was sheer lack of interest. With her new understanding, her opened eyes, she knew that Elvair-ka-Virrion was no man for her. He had once bedded her; she had enjoyed it; it had been a step up. He was the son and heir of the Lord General, while she was now the most celebrated, acclaimed woman in the empire. And that was all-that was the size of it. What could she and Elvair-ka-Virrion possibly create together, apart from mere physical pleasure? Milvushina was welcome to him. She did not want him. She wanted her Zenka.