Xulai assayed a couple of well-spaced clongs. After a time, the door of the house opened, and a man came out. He had bowed legs, a scruffy beard, a napkin tucked into his collar, and an expression of honest annoyance.
Xulai headed off the annoyance in a clear, carrying voice. “Is this the home of Genieve, daughter of Falyrion, Duke of Kamfels?” The man gaped without saying anything. “If so, tell her, please, that a messenger from Justinian, Duke of Wold, is at her gate and begs her hospitality.”
“Let them in, Dobbich,” a deeper voice cried from the open door. “Let them in at once.”
The man shut his mouth and opened the gate wordlessly, letting his jaw sag again as they entered. The woman in the doorway came toward them, looking up at them with amazement. She saw a bearded man, a boy with some kind of animal on his shoulder. Neither of them was Justinian. A messenger, someone had said?
Xulai slid down from Greedy’s back. “You are Genieve? Justinian’s childhood friend? I am Xulai, his . . . messenger. We are . . . traveling alone to avoid being taken by . . . By what, Abasio?”
“By very nasty people,” he said, dismounting. “Madam, we thank you for any kindness you can offer. It has been a long, weary way here.”
“Justinian?” she begged. “Is he . . . Is he well? And his . . . his wife?”
After a moment’s pause and a deeply heaved sigh, Xulai said, “Princess Xu-i-lok is dead. The duke has gone into hiding from the same people who killed her and who have driven us this long way. We have no reason to think he is not safe and well. It was he who sent us here and told us to find you in the Watch House.”
She beckoned them in. “Dobbich, go find Mrs. Bang and tell her we have guests who are hungry and not fussy about food.” She smiled at them, obviously trying to be welcoming while deeply worried. “At this time of night, given your obvious weariness, I presume that’s true.”
“Very true, ma’am,” said Abasio.
“Of course, the livestock are more particular,” said Blue.
The woman turned in astonishment. “Did I just hear . . .”
Abasio glared at Blue. “Yes, ma’am, it’s a very long story. Blue can take himself and his friends to the stables, but they’ll need some help shedding those saddles and packs. If you’ll take my young friend in, I’ll see to the animals and join you shortly.”
“There’s hay there,” she said, “though we’re a little low on oats. We rely on my late husband’s farms to keep us in provisions, and we have not sent a wagon for some weeks.”
“Farms?” asked Xulai.
“Over the ridge, back there in the hills a bit. He owned several farms, yes. Those of us who have hill farms are managing quite well. They’re located in high valleys, and they’ve always fed Merhaven whatever it couldn’t take from the sea itself. We have grain and hay and vegetables, mostly root crops now. We have milk and cheese. Of course, the fishermen bring in full nets. Fish of both shell and fin are plentiful and getting more so.” She pushed the heavy door open and led Xulai inside. The floors were tiled with red clay; the walls were as white inside as out; the rooms were warm. Xulai laid her hand on the floor. That was where the heat was coming from.
“Hollow tiles,” said Genieve. “Justinian and I used to talk about all the ancient technology that we’d lost. He had many old books. This is a very ancient system. Some ancient people—I forget their names—heated their baths this way. There’s a fireplace outside, and it’s arranged so the hot air goes through the floors inside and then up a chimney. Several of the families up here have copied it. Justinian sent me the plans in a letter when I wrote to him saying how chilly it was here in winter when the wind comes in from the sea.”
Xulai smiled. “Abasio heated his wagon in a similar way. He, too, has old books.”
“Is Justinian all right, really?”
“I believe so,” said Xulai honestly. “Truly, Genieve, I believe so. He’s simply gone where he can’t be bullied or used in any way by the evil people Abasio spoke of. We traveled as two brothers and Abasio grew a beard so no one would recognize us. I’m supposed to take that ship down there and sail to Tingawa. It is my father’s wish that I do this, as soon as I can.”
“Your father?”
Xulai stared intently at the woman across from her. Her father trusted this woman; she would also trust her. She laid her hand on Genieve’s, saying softly, “Genieve, I am Justinian’s daughter, Xu-i-lok’s daughter. You must not tell anyone. Not your servants, not your friends. To the rest of the world, I am only his messenger, but he would want me to tell you the truth.”
The woman merely sat for a long moment, mouth open. “Did he tell you that we . . .”
“He told me that you were his dearest friend. He told me that if he had not met my mother, you and he might have married. He could not help himself, Genieve. The match between him and my mother was a thing fated. Truly. And you must not mention to anyone that I am his daughter because everyone related to him is marked for death. Selfishly, I would like to avoid that, but evidently my survival is important to many others as well.”
Genieve sat down, shaking her head. “But no one knew he had . . .”
“No one knew he had a child. Exactly! Genieve, even I did not know I was his child until after my mother died. I didn’t
