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And then； with that spoken； as her own fierce inner momentum seemed to slow； all three of them staring at her； she registered for the first time…he actually saw it happen…who was lying on the bed； and she said； in a voice so pletely different it could almost have made one laugh：
〃Blaise？〃
It was Lucianna who laughed。 〃How touching。 A reunion；〃 she murmured； turning from the fire。 She was still holding her own jewelled blade。 〃The wandering children of Garsenc in the den of the dark lady。 Someone will surely make a ballad of this。〃
〃I think not；〃 said Quzman of Arimonda。 〃Since both of them must now be slain。〃
His smile had gone。 He took another step towards Blaise。 〃Now；〃 said Lucianna Delonghi loudly； very clearly。 The inner doors on either side of the bed burst open。 Through them； swords drawn； rushed half a dozen corans in the countess's colours； followed quickly by Roban； the chancellor or Arbonne； and then more slowly by a black…haired； sumptuously dressed； darkly handsome man。 Last of all； moving with extreme caution； a press held to one side of his head； came Rudel Correze。
The corans surrounded the Arimondan。 One of them seized the dagger from him。 Quzman's gaze； bleak and malevolent； did not move from Lucianna's face now。 Returning a brief； glacially patrician glance； she said； 〃You made an error and you are a crude； unpleasant man。 The one might have been forgivable were the other not also the case。 And both things； I might add； are equally true of the duke of Miraval； whom you serve in this matter。〃
She said that last very clearly as well。 Blaise saw the handsome man who was her father smile thinly as Roban the chancellor winced。 It was being slowly clear to Blaise that he was not； for the moment at least； about to die。 That Lucianna had set this whole thing up as a trap for 。。。 whom？ Quzman？ Urté？ Both？ He looked to his left and saw Rudel leaning against a bedpost for support； gazing down on him with an expression that might have managed to be amused if his face had not been quite so green。
〃If you do not stop standing there uselessly and cut these cords；〃 Blaise snarled through clenched teeth； 〃I will not be responsible for what I do to you later。〃
〃To me？〃 his friend replied with feeling。 〃What can you possibly do beyond what has been done already？ I have just been half killed by corans of Miraval in the interests of a ploy by my cursed cousin Lucianna that had nothing at all to do with me。〃 But he did begin； moving gingerly； to cut Blaise's bonds。
〃You are； you understand； now taken into the custody of the countess of Arbonne；〃 the chancellor was saying to Quzman。 He did not look happy。 Blaise； finally able to sit up； slowly chafing his wrists； had some idea why。 〃In the morning she will decide your fate；〃 Roban finished coldly。
The Arimondan was a brave man。 〃My fate alone？〃 he said。 〃You see how the woman had the northerner trussed up for me like a hog for slaughter？ You know her husband tried to kill him on the road。 Will you let her play this double game and laugh at all of us？〃 Blaise glanced over at Lucianna； she had moved towards the windows； and had put on a heavier robe。 She didn't bother looking back at Quzman； or at any of them。
〃I do not see anyone laughing；〃 said the chancellor。 〃And if her game was doubled； it was only against yourself。 She informed me of your proposal last night； immediately after it was first made。〃
A good attempt at deflecting and controlling the damage； Blaise thought； but it was unlikely to succeed。 Not with the other man who had entered the room standing there； listening attentively。 He knew a fair bit about Massena Delonghi； actually。 He had lived in his palaces two summers ago； sleeping with his daughter。 He and Rudel Correze had killed a prince for him。
But it seemed； the way events were unfolding； that Lucianna had not intended to have Blaise murdered tonight after all； though the manner in which she had had him bound and what she had done and said still needed an answer。 Or； he reflected； perhaps they did not。 I don't like it when men leave me； Blaise。 Did I never tell you that？ Perhaps he had his answer。 Perhaps she had said nothing more or less than truth。 How novel that would be； he thought wryly。
As he had expected； the chancellor's effort at diversion did not succeed。 〃There is another person involved in this； though；〃 said Massena Delonghi； the sleek； suave man who was said to be seeking to dominate Portezza； and to be using his daughter's marriages in steady pursuit of that goal。 〃This Arimondan； I am informed； is employed by the duke of Miraval。 I understand from my dear daughter that it was the corans of Duke Urté who assaulted this young friend of ours； and our well…beloved cousin as well。〃
〃Thank you；〃 Rudel said brightly。 〃I am so pleased someone remembered that。〃
Roban did not look pleased at all。 〃We will； of course； seek to hear what En Urté has to say about all of this in the morning。 For the moment； there is only this man； caught by your daughter's 。。。 devices 。。。 in the act of attempting murder。〃
〃For which he will be branded and hanged； I trust？〃 Lucianna's brows were arched as she finally turned to look at them。 Her voice and manner were a cool； glittering mirror of her father's。 Blaise remembered this side of her too。 She gazed at the chancellor： 〃Precisely as that poor cousin of my dear husband was branded and hanged by the duke of Talair。 Precisely in the same way； I dare suggest。 Or indeed we will have sad cause to question the impartiality of the countess of Arbonne in her justice towards strangers and towards those who serve her own high lords。〃 The celebrated eyebrows remained pointedly high。
〃And；〃 Massena Delonghi now added； in a tone more of sorrow than reproach； 〃there must indeed be the morning's determination of Duke Urté's own responsibility for this most flagrant breach of the truce of the fair。 A lamentable duty for the countess； I am sure； but if Portezzan nobleman are to be executed like mon thieves； she surely cannot turn a blind eye to the transgressions of her own people； however lofty their rank。〃
Lucianna's father was enjoying every moment of this； Blaise realized。 It was exactly the sort of multi…faceted intrigue the Delonghi most loved。 Massena would have little or nothing actually vested in Urté's downfall or the countess's embarrassment； but would take pleasure and…Blaise had no doubt…in the end find some gain in being the figure at the heart of both eventualities。 If Arbonne had hoped to keep her internal feuds close to her breast； that hope was almost certainly ended now。 Blaise wondered； cynically； if Massena Delonghi would be writing to Galbert de Garsenc soon in Gorhaut； or sending his factor in Cortil on an informal visit to King Ademar's court； to suggest some quiet transaction by way of pensation to the Delonghi for the disfiture of Arbonne。
Rudel； proving belatedly useful； if not efficiently so； had finally finished with Blaise's ankle bonds。 He'd also found； discarded in a corner of the room； the removed clothing and boots。 Moving as well as his pounding head would allow； Blaise dressed himself。 He saw that Rosala had taken a seat on a low bench by the door； sitting alone at some distance from everyone else。 She was watching his every movement； though； with a curiously strained expression。 It occurred to him； with something of a jolt； that he had also been unclothed the last time they'd seen each other。 So； for that matter； had she。
The door to the room was still open beside her。 Through it now； arresting that particular line of thought； came Lucianna's servant。 Blaise remembered Imera well。 Her knowing features had acpanied him on a great many silent night walks through one palace or another to her mistress's rooms。 Imera stopped in the doorway； took in the scene and allowed herself the briefest smile imaginable as she observed the Arimondan ringed with swords。
It seemed to Blaise； looking at her； as if he were actually being made to journey backwards through the course of this night…first in that inn outside the walls with Rudel and King Daufridi； now here in Lucianna's room…through the layers of his own past。 All that was needed now…
〃The countess of Arbonne has e；〃 said Imera。 Of course； thought Blaise； tenderly probing the blood…encrusted lump on the back of his skull； preparing to kneel。
He was not really surprised； he was even beginning to find the oddest element of humour in all of this。 The small； elegant figure of Signe de Barbentain came briskly into the room； dressed in pale blue trimmed with pearls。 She was followed…and this was a shock…by the bulky； grim…faced figure of Duke Urté de Miraval。
〃My lady！〃 exclaimed Roban as they all sank down and then rose from their obeisances。 〃I thought you to be asleep。 I did not want to…〃
〃Asleep？〃 said the countess of Arbonne。 〃With such beautiful music below and treachery above stairs in our palace？ I have only the duke of Miraval to thank for bringing me here in time to deal with this。 You and I； Roban； will have to have a talk in the morning。〃
〃But countess；〃 began the chancellor； a little too earnestly； 〃it is the duke of Miraval himself who…〃
〃Who was informed by an Arimondan in his employ of a plot by the wife of the banned Borsiard d'Andoria； a second attempt against the life of our dear friend from Gorhaut。〃 Signe's voice and manner were chillingly austere。
〃Quzman； I am sorry to say； has his own grievance against the northerner；〃 Urté added smoothly。 〃So deep a hatred that he was willing to breach the truce of the fair to aid the lady of Andoria in her corrupt designs。 I chose to allow the affair to proceed a certain distance； trusting it could be halted…and thereby exposing the Portezzan evil at its source。 I am pleased to see that this has happened。〃 He was staring coldly at Lucianna。
Blaise looked over at Rudel and saw his friend smiling crookedly back at him； still holding a cloth to the side of his head。 They turned； simultaneously； to the chancellor of Arbonne。 Roban's surprise was just a little too extreme again。 This is a clever man； thought Blaise。 He may get away with it； after all。 Massena Delonghi； he noted； had paled a little beneath the dark tan； but he too was smiling slightly； showing a master's appreciation for the neatness of what was happening。
As if on cue to Blaise's thought； Roban said； 〃But countess； there was no Portezzan plot。 The gracious lady Lucianna Delonghi d'Andoria was acting only to expose this selfsame Arimondan。 She personally informed me of his designs last night。 She only pretended to accede to his scheme to prevent a more summary murder of the Gorhaut coran。 It seems to be her understanding that； ah 。。。 the duke of Miraval was actively involved in his underling's designs。〃
〃Evidently a faulty understanding on my part；〃 Lucianna murmured silkily into the silence that followed this。 〃One for which I must surely make amends to the duke when more private opportunity allows。〃 She smiled at Urté； her most dazzling smile。
〃My dear daughter has such an impulsive nature；〃 Massena Delonghi added； playing out the game； 〃and she was naturally so anxious to make redress for her 。。。 equally impulsive husband's earlier transgression。〃 He shrugged； and spread his hands。 〃It seems we have all been acting in good faith here。〃
〃Except for one man；〃 said Signe de Barbentain icily。 She was looking at the Arimondan。
Blaise had seen it before； and now he registered it again： Quzman of Arimonda was neither a coward nor a fool。 The man was smiling； ringed about with steel and hostile glances。
〃Ever the way of things； is it not？〃 he asked quietly； looking directly at his employer。 Duke Urté； stone…faced； made no reply。 〃I am the sacrifice after all； not the man who murdered my brother。 I do wonder； though；〃 he said； turning with bold eyes and no deference at all to the countess of Arbonne； 〃how I am presumed to have used ten of my lord of Miraval's corans tonight without his knowledge。〃
The weak link； Blaise thought； racing through possibilities。 He's going to take Urté down with him。 But he'd underestimated the Arbonnais again。
〃That is a matter of some grief to me；〃