'no sir, although i will admit that we seem caught upon a current-'

'and see naught but rocks ahead, yes. we have our orders, warden, and by these we will be guided.'

faror nodded. 'sir, i must see to my kit.'

'do not take too long. i will meet you near the gate.'

finarra stone watched her warden set off, and felt some surprise to see the woman studiously avoiding her cousin. she saw spinnock's gaze following faror's departure from the main hall, and then the young man rose, as if to set out after her. the captain moved forward.

perhaps calat had warned faror away from her cousin. the woman had emerged from her meeting with a ghostly visage and had stood visibly shaken. if there was truth to this supposition, then their imminent journey together would be strained.

'spinnock.'

the young warden turned. 'sir. it seems that my cousin is upset.'

'not upset,' she replied. 'distracted. we are to leave at once and she must get herself ready.'

'ah, of course.'

'are you eager to return to the vitr, warden?'

he shrugged. 'it did not top my list of immediate ambitions, sir. i regret no longer being under your command.'

'we face difficult times, warden. it may be some while before things return to normal and we can resume our routines. you will be in the care of sergeant bered while in the commander's train.'

'yes, sir.'

'you need not worry overmuch. he is a veteran of glimmer fate and the shores of the vitr.'

spinnock nodded, and then sighed. 'i will miss you, captain.'

she felt something deep inside rise in answer to his words, and the sensation left her feeling momentarily weightless. she glanced away. 'let us hope bered is better proof to your charms, warden, than i am.'

spinnock stepped closer. 'forgive me, sir. when i carried you back from the vitr, ill as you were, well, i never tired of the embrace.'

'yet another reason,' she muttered, 'to regret my fever. spinnock, be careful now.'

but he shook his head. 'i know i am young. perhaps too young in your esteem. but we-'

'enough of that, warden. this is not the time.'

'but it is all we have, finarra.'

the figures moving past them seemed but blurs, like a host of wraiths bound to otherworldly tasks. she dared not meet spinnock's eyes, even though she knew that only in them could she right herself and rid her senses of the wheeling vertigo that threatened to take her. 'it shall have to wait,' she said. 'please, step back. there is proper decorum to consider.'

he did so, with a half-smile. 'i do not regret my impulse, sir. at least now you know my feelings.'

and here i thought to seduce faror, and find for spinnock another woman's arms. confusion roiled in her and yet she felt almost drunk. 'be safe, warden, and we shall one day resume this conversation.'

'in private, i hope.'

'that,' she allowed, 'would be best.'

out in the compound, she paused, drawing deep, steadying breaths. she recalled little of that ride through the night, as spinnock bore her back to the fort. had he spoken to her? cajoled her to keep her from slipping away? she had been bound to him, knotted by leather straps. she remembered the heat coming from him, and the sweat between them. he would have felt her against him, her breasts, her belly; even her arms had been drawn round his waist.

warden quill came up to her. 'sir, your mounts are saddled, equipped and waiting.'

'thank you,' she replied. 'warden.'

'sir?'

'you ride in bered's troop, yes? good. i trust you have been informed that young spinnock durav will be with you.'

'indeed, sir.'

'the commander thinks highly of him, quill.'

the man nodded. 'i will keep an eye on him, sir.'

'be not so obvious as to embarrass him.'

'i have already known his company at the games table, sir, and would count him a friend.'

'oh. of course.'

quill smiled. 'i will be guarding his left side, sir, with stennis on his right.'

'very good. thank you.'

she set off for the horses. now, spinnock, i'll have my legs round you yet. as for you, faror hend, you have a husband in waiting, and too many crimes to cross to ever lie with your cousin. even calat sees the temptation in your eyes.

there was no guessing the paths of desire. he is young, but i will have him.