surrounding them.
When one empire cast out the other, the loser’s buildings were often demolished to make way for new constructs, or adapted to serve the incomers in a cycle that had repeated itself beyond living memory. The aftermath of recent civil strife also left its mark. Arson had proved popular of late, and the effects of glamour weaponry added another layer of visual discord. In places where they suspected nests of rebels, which is to say in poorer quarters, whole neighbourhoods had been razed by the authorities. All this made for a complicated cityscape.
Wealthy or impoverished, every section of the city had one thing in common: magic was used in profusion. And now that night was falling its expression was more obvious, and spectacular. Far more intense than conventional lamps and candles, a myriad pinpoints of light flickered on and off in every direction. There were dazzling flashes, multicoloured flares, twinklings, sparklings and occasional outbursts that looked like earthbound lightning.
But while the quantity of magical discharges was roughly even, its quality was noticeably variable. The nature of a district could be assessed by the strength or weakness of its emissions, and Disgleirio and Tanalvah witnessed a particularly stark example as they crested a rise. Stretched before them for a moment were two abutting sectors, one well-heeled, the other deprived. The former’s magic shimmered with a bright purity; the latter gave off the feeble glow of cheap and counterfeit sorcery. Disgleirio chose the road that ran through the less fortunate area.
They had travelled more or less in silence. That suited Tanalvah. There were subjects she’d rather not dwell upon, and traps she hoped to avoid. Now Disgleirio decided he wanted to talk, though he began innocuously enough.
‘How are you feeling?’ he said.
‘I’m all right.’
‘Not finding the ride too bumpy?’
‘No.’
‘Because if you are-’
‘Quinn, I’m expecting a baby; I’m not ill.’
He grinned. ‘Of course.’
Nothing more was said for a moment, then he asked, ‘What have you been doing with yourself these last few months, Tan?’
It wasn’t a question she relished. ‘Moving from place to place. Trying to keep the children safe.’
‘How did you support yourself?’
‘Any way I could. I worked selling unlicensed glamours for a while. Served in a tavern; pounded herbs for a healer one time; scrubbed floors. Of course that’s become a bit difficult lately.’ She laid a hand on her distended belly. ‘But people helped me now and again.’ Some of it was true.
‘You didn’t try to find us?’
‘How could I? I didn’t dare go to any Resistance places for fear of spies. And you must have cleared out of them anyway.’
‘No, I can see that. But as I said; we’ve been looking for you.’
‘Valdarr’s a big place.’
‘I meant…I just wanted you to know we hadn’t given up on you.’
It was hard getting her words out after that. ‘I…I’ve tried to keep out of sight.’
‘Until tonight.’
‘My luck ran out.’ Perhaps it really has, she thought.
‘Why were they after you? The paladins.’
‘I sometimes wonder if they need a reason.’
‘True.’ His features took on a troubled cast. ‘Tan. About…Kinsel.’
Her insides did a flip. Her knuckles were white from squeezing the seat rail.
‘It’s just…’ he stumbled on, ‘…just that…I don’t know if you heard, but-’
‘I heard.’
He didn’t think to ask her how. ‘I’m so very sorry, Tan.’
‘You don’t have to be. We don’t know that he’s…gone. Not for sure. Officially he’s just missing.’ A cold thought touched her. ‘Unless you know any different?’
‘No. We’ve heard nothing beyond that ourselves. And you’re right; while there’s a chance we have to keep hoping.’
Tanalvah came close to telling him she knew he’d argued for Kinsel’s death, but she was hardly in a position to do so.
The houses they passed were less densely packed together, and the roads were rougher and pot-holed. There were glimpses of vegetation between buildings. The city’s gravitational hold was weaker out here on its farthest edge.
They were heading east. The low mountain range that hugged this side of Valdarr was beginning to loom. In the crisp, moonless night it looked as black as a paladin’s soul.
It was cold, fit to snow. She gathered her cloak more tightly.
Disgleirio glanced her way. ‘We’ve never really recovered, you know. From the betrayal.’ He made it sound like a confidence. ‘It tore the guts out of us, Tan.’
She’d dreaded him bringing up the catastrophe, though she knew it was inevitable he would. A nod was all she could manage.
‘We lost…well, who knows how many,’ he went on. ‘Including quite a few you would have known.’
She was afraid he’d wonder why she hadn’t asked about that herself. ‘I…try not to think about it,’ she replied truthfully.
‘Can’t say I blame you.’
‘What about Serrah and Caldason? And Kutch? Any word on them?’
‘On the Diamond Isle, last we heard. Don’t know how they’re faring, but at least they got away.’
‘That’s good. Oh, and what about Phoenix?’
‘He got away to the Diamond Isle too. Or at least we think he did. The rest of Covenant linked up with us again within a few weeks of the betrayal.’
Tanalvah shouldn’t have asked her next question, but couldn’t help herself. She had to know. ‘Does anybody have an idea who…’
‘Sold us out? There are plenty of theories, but no real evidence. Might not have been just one person, of course. Could have been a disaffected faction in our ranks. Perhaps we’ll never know. But one or a hundred, I could never understand the mentality of a traitor.’
‘Perhaps whoever it was felt…compelled to talk.’
‘Torture, you mean?’
‘Yes.’ It was a kind of torture, she reflected.
‘I don’t want to bring back unpleasant memories, Tan, but Kinsel suffered that and he didn’t break.’ He shot her a sympathetic look. ‘To his great credit. But as I said, I doubt we’ll ever know what happened.’
‘Is that how everybody sees it? That we’ll never know, I mean. Are they getting over it?’ As soon as she said it she realised how idiotic a question it was, born of desperation.
‘It’s not something you get over, Tan.’
‘I know. I’m being stupid. Sorry.’
‘Don’t apologise. We’d all like to forget it if we could. But the prospect of maybe never knowing who betrayed us hasn’t dampened our passion for finding out. There isn’t a member of the Resistance who wouldn’t cheerfully slit the bastard’s throat, given half a chance.’
It was getting too uncomfortable for her. She tried changing the subject. ‘I didn’t ask about Karr. How is he?’
‘Damn near died when this thing first broke out. His heart. He pulled through, but his health suffered badly. Being Karr, of course, he’s made little concession to taking it easier. For once I think he’s right. We’re all working like demons just to stay alive.’
She looked away, her eyes stinging. Guilt’s hot knife twisted in her gut.
