'Diera?'

'Safe so far. She is the wife of Sol and the Protectors will not harm her or her son. It is the mages that concern me. Work fast, Hirad. Xetesk must be weakened and its attention drawn elsewhere. I must have my home and I can bring help. The One must survive to build a stronger world but I fear bloodshed.'

Sha-Kaan left Hirad's mind abruptly, leaving the barbarian momentarily confused. He sat up gingerly and looked around the dilapidated barn to which Darrick had brought them. Its roof, such that remained, clung to damaged timbers and only one wall was anything more than glorified splinters. Still, it represented shelter and that was some comfort.

The Raven were circled around a small fire. Erienne was asleep in Denser's arms, no doubt in contact with the Al-Drechar. Darrick too was sleeping, though his was an emotional tiredness. The Unknown was awake, lost in his thoughts and staring at the blaze. Thraun was outside. He would guard them while he prowled the overgrown fields and sniffed out scent-marked territories. Still so much the wolf. Still so much lost inside himself. Hirad doubted the Thraun he remembered would ever fully reappear.

'How's my family?' asked The Unknown, seeing his eyes open.

'Unharmed,' said Hirad evenly. 'I don't think you're going to like this much.'

'He calls it administrative guidance,' explained Hirad to Darrick.

It was an hour before dawn and The Unknown had urged them to be on their way, his face severe in the light of Hirad's report from Herendeneth. He had said little as he pushed them to clear the camp, saddle up and go but there was no doubting the fire within and his renewed desire to get inside Xetesk. And quickly.

The city was two days' ride at best and their situation was far from ideal. Lysternan and Dordovan supply chains were everywhere on the principal routes, their security augmented by college horsemen and mercenaries not willing to fight for the besieged Xetesk despite the higher wages.

Not so long ago, The Raven would have contracted themselves to Lystern or Dordover too. Their desire for balance in the colleges would have stopped them joining Denser's home college. That and Ilkar's determination never to work for Xetesk. How different it all was now. Once feted, The Raven were now effectively outlawed and hunted by all but Julatsa. And yet they were still Balaia's best chance of lasting peace if they lived long enough to make good on all their promises.

'It's an interesting use of language,' said Darrick.

'He used it first when threatening Styliann, would you believe. Funny how Xeteskians always seem to be on the receiving end.'

'And who do you think will be getting the benefit of his advice this time?' asked Darrick.

Hirad shrugged. 'Could be Dystran, though I don't think that particular Lord of the Mount will be available to us. Put it this way, anyone who can affect the safety of Diera and Jonas is in the target area.'

'Got to get in first, though,' said Darrick.

'The TaiGethen will help,' said Hirad. 'Should be fun.'

Darrick eyed him oddly then and Hirad knew all over again why he would miss Ilkar so much. The Julatsan elf would have lost no time commenting on how only Hirad would describe invading the Dark College as 'fun'. Something to make him laugh and make him believe even more that they would succeed.

No one could do that now. Denser tried but he had a lot to learn. Ilkar was irreplaceable. But at least Darrick could read Hirad's mood and thoughts right now.

'That's why we're doing all this,' he said. 'To make Ilkar's sacrifice meaningful.'

'Yeah,' said Hirad, voice gruff. 'Can we talk about something else?'

The agreement to a daily Communion had seemed a small price to pay and a sensible measure in Lystern and Dordover's latest military alliance against Xetesk but there had been times when Heryst rued sense. Today was one of those days. He'd had no sleep since The Raven's audacious liberation of Darrick and he'd known that Vul-daroq, High Arch Mage of Dordover, would have questions, if not outright accusations. It didn't help that it was his, Heryst's, turn to seek Communion, so depleting his mana reserves further in a contact he had no wish to make.

'At least you do me the honour of contact at the appointed time,' said Vuldaroq, his tone cold, saying everything about his assumed knowledge.

'There is no reason why I would not,' said Heryst carefully, sensing already so many echoes of their past conversations.

'Really? I had thought you might be engrossed in the search for a common enemy.'

‘Ihave people I can trust to conduct necessary investigations.'

'Are they as good as your jailers?'

'Vuldaroq, you will not tax me about events wholly within the legal compass of my college,' said Heryst. 'We have more pressing matters to discuss. Particularly the situation at Xetesk's east gate.'

It was a deflection Heryst had assumed would fail but he had to try it anyway.

'That situation, while unfortunate, is static and no more of our forces are currently at risk from further failures in the Julatsan magic system. What is surely a risk to us all, however, is the use of the One magic within your college borders last night and the escape of the likely practitioner. An escape you did little to oppose.'

'And this view was given to you by men watching from windows how far away… a hundred yards? Perhaps a little less if I'm generous.' Heryst felt ready for a fight. Dordover deserved nothing less.

'Are you disputing The Raven escaped from your college around midnight last night?' asked Vuldaroq.

'No.'

'And Erienne was with them.*

'She was one of The Raven last time I checked,' said Heryst.

'Don't get clever, Heryst, it does not become you when you are on the defensive.' Vuldaroq's voice in his head was full of righteous indignation. ‘Iknow the One magic was cast in your college grounds around the time The Raven escaped. My analysts have pinpointed the area closely enough. Gods burning, man, it wasn't very difficult. I also know that The Raven were in your college and that Erienne is the only likely suspect as someone able to perform such a casting.'

'And how do you work that out, Vuldaroq?' Heryst clamped down hard on his irritation. 'Recent history has informed us that the reason Erienne and Denser conceived the child was precisely because Erienne, in particular, had no way of casting such magic but wanted to produce an offspring that could. Perhaps you'd like to enlighten me as to how you know different. Is there something pertinent to our alliance that you have accidentally omitted to tell me?'

Silence in Dordover. Vuldaroq considered his response. Had Heryst not seen Erienne's casting with his own eyes he would not have believed it possible she could harbour any knowledge of the One. But she did. The question was, given Vuldaroq had already guessed her to be the practitioner, as Heryst had thought he would, how would he back up his claim? What exactly did Dordover know that he was prepared to share?

'It is the only logical explanation,' said Vuldaroq carefully. ‘Iwas on Herendeneth when the Nightchild died. Erienne was with her as were the Al-Drechar. Something must have been passed to her or else she has somehow been able to use some knowledge of the Al-Drechar's teachings. Heryst, I am not an expert. No one is. We have to work together.'

'We are working together,' said Heryst.

'Damn you, we are not!' snapped Vuldaroq. 'You know something and you are not telling me. What did you see?'

‘Iwas too busy attempting to stay alive. Hirad Coldheart had a knife to my throat.'

'That they could escape with Darrick from under your nose.' Vuldaroq chuckled, returning to his preferred line of provocation.

'Well, you'd know all about defeat at the hands of The Raven,' said Heryst. 'Remind me how many men you committed to the offensive on Herendeneth?'