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with a vigorous tug forced him to slow his pace。
〃The god wouldn't want you to make me run；〃 she murmured。 He opened his mouth and then closed it。 She thought he had nearly laughed but wasn't sure； glancing up in the uncertain light and shadow。
It was then though； unfortunately； hand holding his sleeve； that she remembered that it was Carnival night； Midsummer Eve。 It was said in Tavernel to be bad luck to lie alone tonight。 She felt her mouth go dry。 She swallowed and let go of his sleeve。 He didn't even notice； striding along beside her at a more decent pace； broad…shouldered and petent； with the celebrated； notorious Lucianna Delonghi somewhere in his past。 Unbidden； the image of the entwined couple in the dark laneway came vividly back to her。 Oh； good； the woman had said； in a voice made husky by desire； and their hands had reached out to draw her into a shadowed sanctity。
Lisseut shook her head and swore to herself； breathing deeply of the night air。 This was； of course； all Remy's fault。 Before him such thoughts； such images； would have been alien to her。 Well； mostly alien。
〃Why are you letting him leave？〃 she asked； to change the pattern of her thoughts； to break the silence。 There were more people around them now； mostly couples at this point in the evening she noted； and quickly suppressed that thought。 〃Because he's your friend？〃
Blaise glanced down at her。 She wondered if her voice sounded strained。 He hesitated。 Lisseut had a quick； flaring sense that if she had been a man he wouldn't have。 He did answer； thought。 〃Partly that； obviously。 We have been through 。。。 a great many things together。 But there's more to it。 Rudel Correze is an important man。 He's his father's son； and his father is a very important man。 If he's captured here we would have to decide what to do with him； and that could prove awkward。 If a war es； the cities of Portezza will be important； for money； and possibly more than that。〃
She took another chance。 A large chance。 〃We？〃 she asked。
He was silent for a few strides。 〃You are；〃 he said finally； 〃a clever woman； and obviously a brave one。〃 She thought of sketching a mock bow in the roadway but refrained。 〃I suggest you try hard not to bee too sentimental about this。 I'm a professional coran； at the moment under contract to Duke Bertran； who is not dead though a man I had e to like is。 In my profession one gets used to the deaths of people one likes； or one finds another profession。 I could as easily be in Aulensburg serving Jorg of Gotzland by this autumn； and if he decides to join Gorhaut and if there is a war 。。。 I'll be back here and fighting for him against you。 You must understand that。 For now； I try to serve； as best I can； the needs of the man who pays me。〃
〃Payment is all？ Wouldn't you fight for Gorhaut because it is your country？ Only for that reason； money aside？〃 She found that she was breathing hard again。
He fell silent as they walked； looking over and down at her。 Their eyes met for a moment； then he glanced away。 〃No；〃 he said finally。 〃Once I would have。 Once I did。 Not any more。〃 He drew a slow breath。 〃Not since Iersen Bridge。 I am a professional coran。 Payment is all。〃
〃And you can change sides that easily？ There are no attachments that matter？ No people； no principles？〃
〃You started the evening attacking me；〃 he murmured。 〃Is it being a habit？〃
Lisseut felt herself blushing。
〃If you are fair；〃 he went on； 〃you will acknowledge that there are principles behind what I do。 Attachments are dangerous in my profession。 So is sentiment。〃
〃You've used that word at least four times tonight；〃 she said； more tartly than she'd intended。 〃Is that your only word for human affection？〃
He laughed again； surprising her。 〃If I concede you the point will you leave it？〃 he asked。
He stopped in the street。 They were back among the crowds now。 Someone jostled her going past。 Blaise laid a hand on her shoulder as she turned to look at him。 〃I don't think I'm up to debating with you in the street tonight。 I think I'd lose。〃 He gazed down at her soberly； a professional again； assessing a situation。 〃You asked me earlier what you should do。 I intend to speak to En Bertran in the morning。 He should not be taxed with this tonight； I think that is obvious； quite aside from what I promised Rudel Correze。 I will tell him everything that happened； including my decision to let Rudel have a chance to leave。 I expect he'll agree with that； eventually； if not immediately。 I'll also tell him who paid for that arrow。 I promise you these things。 If you don't trust me to do this； you can be there when we meet in the morning。〃
It was more than she could have expected； rather a great deal more。 She said； however； being what her mother had always said she was； 〃You'll tell him everything？ Including who you are？〃
His expression did not change； he'd been expecting the question； she realized。 He had already begun taking her measure； it was a curious thing to realize。
〃If you insist that I do so； I will。 I cannot stop you from telling； in any event。 I don't go about killing women who learn too much。 I can only ask you to let me be the judge as to when and whether to reveal that； as events unfold。〃 He hesitated again。 〃I mean no harm to anyone you care about。〃
She thought of Remy； with a sword wound in his shoulder。 She said； hardily； trying to sound cool and experienced。 〃Fine。 I can give you that。 But then I had better not be there when you speak to Bertran or he'll summon me after； alone； and ask me what else I heard…and I'm not very good at lying。〃 She was conscious of his hand still on her shoulder。
He smiled。 〃Thank you。 You are generous。〃
Lisseut shrugged。 〃Don't be sentimental；〃 she said。
He laughed aloud； throwing his head back。 An artisan with a noisemaker ran past them just then； producing a terrifying blast of sound。 Blaise winced。
〃Where shall I leave you？〃 he asked。 〃At the tavern？〃
He had taken his hand from her shoulder。 It was Midsummer Eve； in Tavernel。 She said； 〃You don't have to leave me 。。。 actually。 It is Carnival and the night has some time yet to run。 We could share a bottle of wine； if you like； and 。。。 and； well if you are staying in Arbonne for a while longer you should know some of our customs。〃 She looked away； despite herself； along the crowded street。 〃It is said to be 。。。 unlucky to spend tonight alone in this city。〃
Her mother had always said she would end up disgracing the family。 She could blame her uncle for taking her out into the wide world as a singer。 She could blame Remy of Orreze。 She could blame the holy rites of Rian in Tavernel on Midsummer Eve。
She could wait； biting her lip； for the man with her to say； with devastating politeness； 〃Thank you。 To both things。 But I am not of Arbonne； truly； and if it brings me ill luck or no； a coran I admired has died tonight and my own customs require that I keep vigil for him in a house of the god。〃
〃All night？〃 She looked back up at him。 It took some courage。
He hesitated； reaching for words。 Lisseut said then； knowing it was ill advised； 〃I don't know what happened in Portezza； obviously； but I am not like that。 I mean； I don't normally…〃
He put a hand over her mouth。 She felt his fingers against her lips。 〃Don't say it；〃 he murmured。 〃Leave me that much as my own。〃
He was an uncivilized northerner； she thought。 He had stabbed Remy in the arm。 Until the sun falls and the moons die； her grandfather and her father used to say； Gorhaut and Arbonne shall not lie easily beside each other。 His fingers withdrew； he withdrew back into himself； behind his own mask。 It was only the dangerous associations of Midsummer Eve； she told herself； and the disturbing intimacy of what she'd heard in that garden。 There were other men to be with； men she knew and trusted； men of talent and wit and courtesy。 They would be back at The Liensenne； in the downstairs room or upstairs with Marotte's wine and cheeses and their own harps and lutes and songs； celebrating Rian through the remaining hours of the goddess's most holy night。 It was not likely she would have to lie alone。
Unless； in the end； she wanted to。 With an unexpected sadness within her； Lisseut looked away beyond the man she was standing with； struggling to regain the diamond…bright mood of exhilaration that seemed to have slipped away from her somewhere in this strange night among the crowds and the music and the noisemakers and the one arching arrow and the words she'd heard spoken beside the splashing of a fountain。
And so it was； looking away along the crowded street； that she saw before he did the six men in crimson livery who now came up and surrounded them carrying torches； bearing swords。
Their leader bowed gracefully to Blaise of Gorhaut。 〃It would be a great courtesy；〃 he said； with perfect； grave formality； 〃if you would e with us。〃
Blaise looked quickly around； she could see him trying to take the measure of this new situation。 He looked back at Lisseut； seeking a clue or explanation in her eyes； she had known he was going to do that。 He didn't know the livery； of course。 She did。 She knew it well。 And didn't much feel； just then； like helping him。 How； she thought； surprised by her own swift anger； was a bedraggled joglar from Vezét's olive groves to pete with this sort of thing on a night of Rian？
〃I don't think；〃 she said； 〃that you are going to have your vigil with the god after all。 I wish you joy of the night and the year。〃 And took a shallow； fleeting satisfaction in the inprehension that showed in his eyes before they took him away。
One of the men in crimson escorted her back to The Liensenne。 Of course。 They were flawlessly versed in such niceties。 They had to be； she thought sourly； they were meant to be an example to all the world。
CHAPTER 7
Even when he saw the peacocks in the extravagantly lit inner courtyard of the house where they brought him； Blaise wasn't sure where he had e。 He had no sense of immediate danger from the five men escorting him； but； equally； he was under no illusion that he could have refused their courteously phrased request。
He was surprisingly weary。 He'd been more honest with the singer； the straggle…haired girl named Lisseut； than he would have expected to be； especially after what she'd done。 But if he'd been entirely truthful he would have added； at the end； that his desire for a vigil in a house of the god was at least as much for the cool silence such a solitude would afford as it was to mourn and honour Valery of Talair's passing to Corannos that night。
He had rather a great deal to think about and try to deal with just now； and wine and whatever might follow on a decadent night in Tavernel with a singer…however spirited and clever she might be…was not going to ease his heart or his mind tonight。 Things seemed to have suddenly bee difficult again。
His father had paid a quarter of a million in gold to Rudel Correze to kill the duke of Talair。
A clear message meant for all the world； and another； hidden； for his younger son alone： See what I have to work with； my errant child。 See what I deny you for refusing me。 How I strip away even your friendship。 Learn the cost of your folly。 How could you ever have dreamt of gainsaying me？
Was there any place on the surface of the earth where he might go and not be brought back； face to face as before the polished； merciless； self…revealing surface of a mirror； with Galbert； the High Elder of Corannos in Gorhaut？
And there was more； even more than that tonight。 Lucianna was married again。 Another sort of mirror that； distorting and dark： guttering candles beside a ravaged bed； the god's moon passing from a window； an eastern songbird in an ornate cage singing to break the heart…images so raw the eyes of memory flinched away。
He had e in the stillness of winter through the passes to Arbonne as to a place of haven or refuge； where he had never been before； would probably not be known； might serve in quiet anonymity whatever petty lord in whatever remote mountain fastness might offer him an adequate repense。 Where he might not ever hear her name spoken； whether in admiration or desire or co