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Clewes was an old soldier to have such a low station。 His trim beard was stiff as oat stubble。 It poked out from under the broken strap of his iron pikeman's cap。
〃Aye； Princess；〃 he said； remembering to address Iome properly for the first time since he'd intruded into the garden。 〃Two of the City Guard died in the fight。 Poll the Squire and Sir Beauman。〃
Iome turned to Chemoise。 〃Go to him；〃 she said。
The girl needed no further urging。 She leapt up and ran down the path through the topiaries to the little wooden Bailey Gate； opened it and disappeared round the stone wall。
Iome dared not stay long in the corporal's presence alone； with no one other than the Days； who stood quietly a few paces off。 It would not be proper。 But she had questions to ask him。
Iome stood。
〃You're not going to look at the sergeant； are you； Princess？〃 Clewes asked。 He must have caught the anger in her eye。 〃I meanit's a messy sight。〃
〃I've seen injured men before；〃 she said stoically。 She looked out of the garden； over the city。 The garden； a small patch of grass with trimmed hedges and a few shaped shrubs； sat within the King's Wall； the second of the three walls within the city。 From here； she could see four of the King's Guards on the wall…walk； behind the parapet。 Beyond that； to the east； lay the city market； just within the castle's Outer Wall。 The streets in the market below were a jumbleroofs of slate； some covered with a layer of sand and lead； forming narrow chasms above the rocky streets。 Smoke rose from cooking fires here and there。 Fourteen minor lords had estates within the city walls。
Iome studied the area where Cat's Alley could be found； a narrow market street just off the Butterwalk。 The merchants' wattle houses there were painted in shades of cardinal； canary； and forest green； as if such bright colors could deny the general decrepitude of buildings that had been settling on their crooked foundations for five hundred years。
The city looked no different today than it had yesterday。 She could see Orly rooftops； no sign of murderers。
Yet beyond the castle walls； beyond the farms and haycrofts； in the ruddy hills of the Dunnwood to the south and west； dust rose in small clouds along the roads for miles。 People were traveling to the fair from distant kingdoms。 Already； dozens of colorful silk pavilions had been set out before the castle gates。 In the next few days； the population of the city would soar from ten thousand to four or five times that number。
Iome looked back at the corporal。 Clewes seemed like a cold man to have been sent to carry such ill news。 Blood had been everywhere after the fight。 That much Iome could see。 Crimson smeared the corporal's boots； stained the silver boar embroidered into the black of his livery。 The corporal himself must have carried Sergeant Dreys up to the mon。
〃So the fellow killed two men and wounded a third；〃 Iome said。 〃A heavy loss； for a mere brawl。 Did you dispatch the spice merchant yourself？〃 If he had； she decided； the corporal would get a reward。 Perhaps a jeweled pin。
〃No； milady。 Uh； we busted him up a bit； but he's still alive。 He's from Muyyatin。 A fellow named Hariz al Jwabala。 We didn't dare kill him。 We wanted to question him。〃 The corporal scratched the side of his nose； displeased at having left the trader alive。
Iome began to stroll toward the Bailey Gate； wanting to be with Chemoise。 With a nod； she indicated that the corporal should follow； as did her Days。
〃I see。。。〃 Iome mused； unsettled。 A rich merchant then； from a suspect nation。 e to the city for next week's fair。 〃And what was a spice trader from Muyyatin doing in Cat's Alley before dawn？〃
Corporal Clewes bit his lip； as if unwilling to answer； then said coldly； 〃Spying； if you ask me。〃 His voice choked with rage； and now he took his eyes from the stone gargoyle up on the keep's wall； where he'd been staring； and briefly glanced at Iome； to see her reaction。
〃I do ask you；〃 Iome said。 Clewes fumbled to unlatch the gate； let Iome and her Days through。
〃We've checked the inns；〃 Corporal Clewes said。 〃The merchant didn't drink at any of them last night； or else he'd have been escorted from the merchants' quarter at ten bells。 So he couldn't have gotten drunk in the city walls； and I doubt he was drunk at all。 He's got rum on his breath； but precious little of it。 Besides； there was no reason for him to be creeping through the streets at night； unless he's spying out the castle walls； trying to count the guard！ So when he gets caught； what does he do？ He feigns drunk； and waits for the guards to closethen； out with the knife！〃 Clewes slammed the gate shut。
Just around the rock wall； Iome could see into the bailey。 A dozen of the King's Guard stood there in a knot。 A physic knelt over Sergeant Dreys； and Chemoise stood over them； shoulders hunched； arms crossed tightly across her chest。 An early…morning mist was rising from the green。
〃I see；〃 Iome whispered； heart pounding。 〃Then you are interrogating the man？〃 Now that they were in the public eye； Iome stopped by the wall。
〃I wish we could！〃 Corporal Clewes said。 〃I'd put a coal to his tongue myself！ But right now； all the traders from Muyyatin and Indhopal are in an uproar。 They're calling for Jwabala's release。 Already they're threatening to post a ban on the fair。 And now it's got the Master of the Fair in a fright： Guildmaster Hollicks has gone to the King himself； demanding the merchant's release！ Can you believe it？ A spy！ He wants us to release a murdering spy！〃
Iome took the news in； surprised。 It was extraordinary that Hollicks would seek audience with the King just after dawn； extraordinary that the Southern merchants would threaten a ban。 All of this spoke of large matters spinning wildly out of control。
She glanced over her shoulder。 Her Days； a tiny woman with dark hair and a perpetually clenched jaw； was listening。 Standing quietly just outside the gate； petting a lanky yellow kitten that she held。 Iome could read no reaction on the Days' face。 Perhaps the Days already knew who this spy was； knew who sent him。 Yet the Days always claimed to remain pletely neutral of political affairs。 They would answer no questions。
Iome considered。 Corporal Clewes was probably right。 The merchant was a spy。 Her father had his own spies in the Indhopalese Kingdoms。
But if the killer was a spy； it might be impossible to prove。 Still； he'd killed two of the City Guard； and wounded Dreys； a sergeant of the King's Guardand for that； by all rights； the merchant should die。
But in Muyyatin a man who mitted a crime in a drunken stupor； even the crime of murder； could not be executed。
Which meant that if her father gave the death sentence； the Muyyatinand all their Indhopalese kinsmen would bridle at the injustice of the execution。
So they threatened a ban。
Iome considered the implications of such a ban。 The Southern traders primarily sold spicespepper； mace； and salt for curing meats； curry； saffron； cinnamon； and others for use in foods； medicinal herbs。 But the traders brought much more： alum for use in dyeing and tanning hides； along with indigo and various other dyes needed for Heredon's wool。 And they carried other precious goodsivory； silks； sugar； platinum； blood metal。
If these traders called a ban on the fair； they'd deal a fearsome blow to at least a dozen industries。 Even worse； without the spices to preserve food； Heredon's poor would not fare well through the winter。
This year's Master of the Fair； Guildmaster Hollickswho； as Master the Dyers' Guild； stood to lose a fortune if a ban succeededwas suing for a reconciliation。 Iome didn't like Hollicks。 Too often he'd asked the King to raise the import taxes on foreign cloth； hoping thus to holster his own sales。 But even Hollicks needed the merchandise the Indhopalese brought to trade。
Just as desperately； the merchants here in Heredon needed to sell their own wool and linen and fine steel to the foreigners。 Most of the bourgeois traders had large amounts of money that they both borrowed and loaned。 If a ban were enforced； hundreds of wealthy families would go bankrupt。 And it was the wealthy families of Heredon who paid taxes to support King Sylvarresta's knights。
Indeed； Sylvarresta had his hand in dozens of trading deals himself。 Even he could not afford a ban。
Iome's blood felt as if it would boil。 She tried to resign herself to the inevitable。 Her father would be forced to release the spy； make a reconciliation。 But she would not like it。
For in the long run； Iome knew full well； her family could not afford such reconciliation's： it was only a matter of time before Raj Ahten； the Wolf Lord of Indhopal； made war against the bined kingdoms of Rofehavan。 Though traders from Indhopal crossed the deserts and mountains now； next yearor the year afterthe trading would have to stop。
Why not stop the trading now？ Iome wondered。 Her father could seize the merchandise brought by the foreign caravansstarting the war he'd long hoped to avert。
But she knew he would not do it。 King Jas Laren Sylvarresta would not start a war。 He was too decent a man。
Poor Chemoise！ Her betrothed lay near death； and would not be avenged。
The girl had no one。 Chemoise's mother had died young； her father； a Knight Equitable； had been taken captive six years ago while on a quest to Aven。
〃Thank you for the news；〃 Iome told Corporal Clewes。 〃I will discuss this matter with my father。〃
Iome hurried up now to the knot of soldiers。 Sergeant Dreys lay on a pallet in the green grass。 An ivory…colored sheet lay over Dreys； pulled up almost to his throat。 Blood looked as if it had been poured liberally over the sheet； and it frothed from the corner of Dreys' mouth。 His pale face was covered in sweat。 The slant of the morning sunlight left him in shadows。
Corporal Clewes had been right。 Iome should not have seen this。 All the blood； the smell of punctured guts； the impending deathall nauseated her。
A few children from the castle were up early and had gathered to witness the sight。 They looked up at Iome； shock and pain in their eyes； as if hoping that she could somehow smile and set this whole tragic thing aright。
Iome rushed to one small girl of nine； Jenessee； and put an arm around the girl； then whispered； 〃Please； take the children away from here。〃
Shaking； Jenessee hugged Iome briefly； then did as told。
A physic knelt over Dreys。 Yet the physic seemed in no hurry。 He merely studied the soldier。 When he saw Iome； saw her questioning look； the physic just shook his head。 He could do nothing
〃Where is the herbalist； Binnesman？〃 Iome asked； for the wizard was this physic's superior in every way。
〃He's gone…to the meadows； gathering costmary。 He won't be back until tonight。〃
Iome shook her head in dismay。 It was a terrible time for her master physic to be out hunting for herbs to drive spiders from the castle。 Yet she should have known。 The nights were growing colder； and she herself had plained to Binnesman yesterday about spiders seeking warmth in her rooms。
〃I fear there is nothing I can do；〃 the physic said。 〃I dare not move him more； for he bleeds too badly。 I cannot sew the wounds； but dare not leave them open。〃
〃I could give him an endowment；〃 Chemoise whispered。 〃I could give him my stamina。〃 It was an offer made in pure love。 As such； Iome would have wanted to honor it。
〃And if you did； would he thank you for it？〃 the physic asked。 〃Should you die next time the fever season es around； he'd rue the bargain。〃
It was true。 Chemoise was a sweet girl； but she showed no sign of having more stamina than anyone else。 She got fevers in winter； bruised easily。 If she gave her stamina to Sergeant Dreys； she'd be weak thereafter； more susceptible to plagues and ills。 She'd never be able to bear him a child； carry it full…term。
〃It's only his endowments of stamina that have kept him alive this long；〃 Chemoise mused。 〃A little moreand he might live。〃
The physic shook his head。 〃Taking an endowment； even an endowment of stamina； gives some shock to the system。 I wouldn't dare try。 We can only wait and see if he strengthens。。。〃
Chemoise nodded。 She knelt； cleaned the blood bubbling from the corner of Drey's lips with the corner