She shuddered and her daughter started to touch her; desisted.
‘I see Ils Himself hiding His face… a shadow tall as a tree and another, not
nearly so big. A shadow and its pawn? Why it has no head, this smaller shad
oh. It is afraid, that’s it; it has no face left. It is Ha – I will not say even
though he sleeps. Oh Mignue, there is a corpse on the street up in front of the
farmers’ market and – ahhh.’ Her relief was apparent in that great sigh. ‘Hanse
did not kill her. Another did, and Theba hovers over her. Hmm. I see – I s- I
will not say what I s … it fades, goes.’
Again she sighed and sat still, sweating, overflowing her chair on both sides.
Gazing at the sleeping Shadowspawn. ‘He has spoken with the governor who is the
emperor’s kinsman, Mignureal my dear, did you know that? He will again. They are
not enemies, our governor and Shadowspawn.’
‘Oh.’ And Mignureal looked upon him, head to one side. Moonflower saw the look.
‘You will go to bed and tomorrow you will tell me what you were doing abroad so
late, Mignue. You will not come near Hanse again, do you understand?’
‘Oh, mother.’ Mignureal met the level gaze only briefly. ‘Yes, mother. I
understand.’ And she went to bed.
Moonflower did not; she stayed beside Hanse. In the morning he was all right and
she totd him what she had Seen. He would never be the same again, she knew, he
who had met quintessential fear. Lord Terror himself, face to face. But he was
Hanse again, and not afraid, and Moonflower was sure that within a few hours he
would have his gliding swagger back. She did note that he was grim-facedly