Karr indicated the other group. ‘Serrah Ardacris, Tanalvah Lahn.’

Serrah said nothing, and remained perfectly still. Tanalvah smiled and greeted them, adding, ‘And this is Lirrin and Teg.’ The children clutched her hands and studied the floor.

‘Hello, kids,’ Kutch returned. He got a shy peek from the youngest.

‘And Kinsel Rukanis,’ Karr continued. ‘Who you may already be familiar with.’

‘Not me,’ Caldason stated bluntly.

Rukanis took no offence. ‘I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance.’

‘I know about you, Master Rukanis, sir,’ Kutch volunteered. ‘I saw a likeness of you once. I’ve never heard you sing, but people say you’re very good.’

‘Thank you, Kutch. I hope you’ll have the opportunity to hear me some time.’

‘Kinsel is one of the most respected and talented classical singers in the empire,’ Karr explained.

Rukanis tried waving away the compliment, cheeks colouring.

‘Oh, yes,’ Caldason said. ‘The pacifist.’

‘This isn’t exactly luxurious accommodation,’ Karr cut in, ‘but, please, sit down.’

Tanalvah perched on a crate, Teg in her arms, Lirrin beside her, holding Tanalvah’s dress and bashfully sucking a thumb. Kinsel lowered himself onto another crate nearby. Kutch choose a heap of plump sacks. The patrician settled for a barrel. Caldason and Serrah remained standing, eyeing each other.

‘So, how have things been for you?’ Karr asked the newcomers. He added, ‘It goes without saying, by the way, that everyone here is to be trusted, so we can speak freely,’

Serrah Ardacris took him at his word. ‘We’ve been dragged from pillar to post and back again,’ she informed him crisply. ‘How do you think we feel?’

‘Yes, my apologies.’ To Reeth and Kutch he explained, ‘It’s been necessary to keep our friends moving since they sought our help.’

‘It would be good to stop,’ Tanalvah said, glancing at the siblings, ‘for the children’s sake if nothing else.’

‘Of course. We have secure accommodation for you now. You’ll be going there soon and you can rest properly.’ He turned to Rukanis. ‘But your situation’s different, Kinsel, and we need to discuss it as a matter of urgency.’

‘Do they know the circumstances?’ the singer asked, nodding at Reeth and Kutch.

‘Some of it.’

‘I’ve been involved with the Resistance for seven years,’ Rukanis told them. ‘I won’t bore you with my reasons, though they’re simply enough expressed in terms of my beliefs about liberty and freedom. My creed, as you pointed out, Caldason, is one of non-violence. I don’t think that means I’m any the less useful to the cause. My profession involves a lot of travel, and access to certain echelons of authority, and that has been of benefit to the Resistance. Everything went smoothly until…’ He looked to Serrah. ‘I…

all

of us owe a debt of gratitude to this woman. We wouldn’t be here without her.’

‘And we’re profoundly grateful to her for that,’ Karr stated. Serrah showed no recognition of the compliment. ‘But the circumstances in which you all met could have created problems,’ he went on. ‘From what our intelligence tells us we think no suspicions have been aroused about you, Kinsel. After all, you’ve been out of circulation for only a short while. But that doesn’t mean you haven’t been compromised.’

‘Your advice?’

‘It has to be your decision, but I think this may be the time to consider giving up your public persona and letting the underground protect you. You’ve had a good run, let’s not tempt the fates.’

Rukanis sighed heavily. ‘I’ve thought about it, to be honest. The thing is, my day-to-day work. I have responsibilities there, too. People depend on me. I can’t just disappear and leave them in the lurch.’

Karr smiled mischievously. ‘It couldn’t be that you’re loath to give up the glamorous life you lead?’

‘It’s nowhere near as glamorous as it might seem. And important as singing is to me, my work with the Resistance is more so. Anyway, who said anything about giving up singing? I fully intend performing under our new order.’

‘So you’ll think about joining us full time until then?’ Karr persisted.

‘I don’t want to address any of this until after the reception tonight.’

‘Might be best to forget that, Kinsel. Too risky.’

‘More risky than not turning up and snubbing some powerful people? And what about the information you wanted me to be alert for? Isn’t that still important?’

‘We can find other sources. Think of your own safety.’

‘Listen to him, Kinsel,’ Tanalvah cut in. ‘You don’t seem to realise how dangerous this all is.’

The children’s wide-eyed gaze went from her to Rukanis.

‘I’ll be all right, Tan,’ he assured her gently, ‘I can look out for myself. You mustn’t worry.’

‘We’re not going to change your mind on this, are we?’ Karr realised. ‘You always were your own man, Kinsel. Go ahead and attend the damned reception then. I’ll have some of our people reconnoitre the place beforehand, and they’ll stay nearby in case of trouble.’

‘What’s so special about this reception?’ Caldason asked.

‘All gatherings of top state officials interest us for the unguarded comments that tend to be dropped. This one’s particularly important because the commanders of the fleets are going to be there.’

‘Why do they interest you?’

‘We’ve heard rumours about an expedition that’s about to be mounted. It’s supposedly a trade mission, though there seems to be a lot of military involvement. We suspect the Bhealfan flag’s being used to cover some empire adventure. The whisper is that the flotilla’s heading north, so we think it might have something to do with Zerreiss, the warlord.’

‘The man who fell from the sun,’ Tanalvah said.

Karr frowned. ‘What?’

‘I heard him called that, in the ship on the way here. They say his own people gave him that title. I don’t know why.’

‘I knew he had some fancy names, but I’ve never come across that one before.’

‘I’ve heard something similar,’ Serrah added. ‘That came from seamen, too, and they’re usually a good source of information. When they’re sober. And back in Gath Tampoor my unit had a briefing on him.’

‘I’d be keen to hear about that.’

‘Don’t get too excited; it was pretty basic stuff. No more in it than you probably already know.’

‘I think I see where this is going, Karr,’ Caldason said. ‘You’re hoping to make this warlord your ally. An asset to the Resistance, like Founder magic.’

‘It’s crossed our minds. My enemy’s enemy and all that. But equally, we’d be concerned that Zerreiss might make an alliance with Gath Tampoor. An accommodation could suit both sides, and we’d have another force ranged against us.’

‘What’s to stop them doing the same with this Clepsydra thing and what you call the Source? They must have heard of them. Why haven’t they located them and turned Founder magic against the Resistance? Not to mention against Rintarah. Come to that, why hasn’t Rintarah tried finding them?’

‘We have no answer to those questions.’

‘An obvious one would be that these artifacts don’t exist and the empires know it.’

‘Or that they believe they’re just legends and haven’t bothered looking. Or they have searched and they’re just too hard to find. We still think there’s everything to play for, Reeth.’

‘Then the sooner you get me out there the better.’

‘We’ll be working on it, believe me. But you’re forgetting something. We’re putting ourselves out for you, so you could at least meet us halfway. Why not do the same as Serrah here, and Tanalvah, and join the Resistance formally? I know you wanted to think on it, but really, what’s there to think about?’

Caldason looked from one face to another, lingering just a little longer on the impassive Serrah.

‘All right,’ he said.

Taken aback by Reeth’s sudden change of mind, Kutch exclaimed, ‘Don’t forget me!’