Serrah did her best to comfort Tanalvah, leaving Kutch to look after the children more or less on his own. None of them felt secure, and Serrah was at a window or door every few minutes to check on the outside world. There was no sign of Disgleirio.
Within the hour, Caldason arrived.
‘Everybody all right?’ he asked as he slipped in, doffing his hood.
‘Yes. Well, physically.’ Serrah nodded towards Tanalvah, hunched in a chair by the hearth, staring into the yellow-blue flames of a log fire. ‘She’s still in shock. I’d leave her be for now.’
He nodded. ‘And Kutch?’
‘Upstairs with the kids. He’s fine.’
‘What about you?’
‘Me?’
‘How do you feel?’
‘I’m all right, Reeth. What did you expect, that I’d run amok or something?’
‘No. From what I’ve heard you dealt with it in exactly the right way. But just lately you have been a bit…’
‘Unpredictable? Apt to fly off the handle? Like you?’
‘Well…’
They exchanged sheepish smiles.
‘It’s funny, but having to take charge back there kind of centred me. Otherwise…well, maybe my reaction would have been different.’
‘It’s not so strange when you think about it.’
‘Perhaps. Anyway, what do you mean by “from what you’ve heard”?’
‘There were other Resistance people at the concert, and they’ve been spreading the word. I figured out where you’d be.’
‘Do you think Kinsel’s arrest was part of a general clampdown?’
‘There doesn’t seem to be any more activity on the streets than usual. I reckon they were targeting just him.’
‘That’s what I thought.’
‘Where’s Quinn?’
‘I was going to ask if you knew. He was trying to find out where they were taking Kinsel. I hope he hasn’t shared his fate.’
‘He can look after himself.’ He glanced at Tanalvah. She hadn’t moved, and seemed unaware of them. ‘I was with Karr earlier. He’s on his way, taking a roundabout route, same as me.’
‘Good. Reeth, that meld you had a run-in with.’
‘What about it? Her…them…’
‘I think “it” will do. Could it be connected in any way? With Kinsel, I mean.’
‘Can’t see how. I don’t know what the hell that was about.’
‘Yes, could have been anything, I suppose. You’ve made a lot of enemies.’
‘That’s a habit we share.’
She was about to answer when Kutch entered the room.
‘Reeth! Am I glad to see you.’
‘How are the children?’ Serrah asked.
‘Sleeping. What’s happening, Reeth? Are they rounding up everybody in the Resistance?’
‘We don’t think so. But it’s as well to take precautions.’
‘Including abandoning places like this,’ Serrah added, ‘though I’m sure Kinsel didn’t know about this particular house. But we’re going to have to make some big changes to how we operate.’
‘Why?’ Kutch said.
‘Oh, come on, Kutch.’
‘What?’
‘Serrah means that we’ll need to be extra careful now Kinsel’s in their hands,’ Caldason explained, ‘because he’ll be made to talk.’
‘He’d never do that.’
They turned. Tanalvah had lifted her head and was glaring at them, eyes red-rimmed.
‘He wouldn’t do it,’ she repeated. ‘Kinsel wouldn’t betray anyone.’
‘Of course he wouldn’t,’ Serrah agreed, ‘not willingly. How are you feeling, Tan?’
She ignored that. ‘He’s strong. I know he isn’t like you. He’s not a fighter. But he has a…
moral
strength.’
‘Nobody doubts he has guts,’ Caldason said. ‘Or that he’ll try to hold out.’
‘He won’t inform. He’s too principled for that.’
‘It’s not a question of choice, Tan. Particularly as I think I know who’s-’
Someone rapped a signal on the door.
Hand on sword hilt, Caldason went to the spy-hole, then drew the bolts.
Karr and Disgleirio came in together. The patrician looked white and exhausted.
‘We ran into each other on the way,’ Disgleirio told them.
‘Was anybody hurt?’ Karr wanted to know, sounding short of breath.
‘No,’ Serrah assured him. ‘Shaken, but otherwise all right.’
Karr moved over to Tanalvah. ‘This must be a terrible time for you, my dear.’ He took her hands. ‘We’re going to keep you safe, you and the children. And we’ll do all we can to help your man.’
‘I told Kinsel it doesn’t matter. I said no cause is worth your life.’ She looked up at Karr. ‘I don’t think he believed that. Any more than you do.’
‘I deserve your blame. I should have-’
‘No. If I blame anybody, it’s myself. I was the one who…talked him into giving the concert.’
‘Doling out guilt won’t help Kinsel,’ Serrah announced. ‘What’s important is, what do we know? And what can we do?’
Karr nodded. ‘You’re right. In that respect, Quinn has something to tell us.’
‘Well, it’s short and not so sweet,’ the Righteous Blade man reported. ‘The carriage they put him in went straight to paladin headquarters.’
‘Could we get him out?’ Kutch asked.
‘Maybe if we attacked with an army,’ Caldason allowed, ‘though I doubt it. And the chances of Kinsel still being alive when we got to him are slim.’
That sent them all into a reflective silence.
Disgleirio cut through it. ‘There’s something else. Guess who rode in the carriage with him? Devlor Bastorran.’
‘The young pretender himself,’ Karr mused, ‘and your greatest admirer, Reeth.’
If Caldason appreciated the joke he didn’t show it. ‘How did he look, Quinn?’
‘I only caught a glimpse of him. There was no sign of bandages or dressings, and his leg was out of plaster. He walked a little stiffly, but looked hale apart from that.’
‘So, the paladins were behind this,’ Karr concluded. ‘Or at least the younger Bastorran.’
‘It might not be that simple,’ Serrah said. ‘I think at least some of the men who arrested Kinsel were CIS agents.’
‘You’re certain?’
‘Not entirely. But I worked with them long enough to be pretty sure.’
‘I don’t understand,’ Kutch admitted. ‘What does it mean?’
‘The Council for Internal Security is one of the most powerful and feared arms of the Gath Tampoorian government,’ Karr clarified. ‘But by tradition and treaty it’s only supposed to operate within Gath Tampoor itself.’
‘You’re naive if you think it’s never meddled in any of the empire’s colonies,’ Disgleirio said. ‘The pretence that it doesn’t was only ever to do with agencies not being seen to step on each other’s toes. It’s just internal politics.’
‘True. But if they’re acting
openly
here in Bhealfa, and working closely with the paladins, we’ve moved to a new level.’
Caldason shrugged. ‘More evidence that the gloves are off. We knew that.’
‘But hardly good timing when we’re so close to the move,’ the patrician reminded him.
‘How does this do Kinsel any good?’ Tanalvah broke in.
None of them had an answer.
They talked on, pooling their knowledge, arguing, considering plans. And doing their best to comfort Tanalvah when tears overcame her.
Eventually night began to fall and the curfew loomed. Karr left for home, promising to send people to keep a discreet
eye on the safe house. Disgleirio went off to check the lookouts stationed near the paladin headquarters, and to increase their number. Kutch, suppressing yawns, was sent upstairs to sleep by the children.
‘I’m going to scout the area before curfew,’ Caldason decided. ‘When I get back I’ll stay the night.’
‘All right,’ Serrah said. ‘Be careful.’
He let himself out and she secured the door behind him.
Tanalvah still sat forlornly by the dying fire, seeing who knew what in the dancing flames. Serrah tossed on another log and sat next to her.