and led her to a rock. He unfastened his cloak and handed it to her, telling
himself he’d do the same for any of his men, and not entirely believing it.
“They’ve got Thrusher and Cubert’s dead!” she sobbed.
He took her hands, trying to distract her from the hysteria that made her all
but incoherent. “What about Thrush?”
Cythen buried her face in her hands, sniffed loudly then faced Walegrin without
the tears. “We were Downwind, past Momma Becho’s. We were trailing a Stepson
pair we’d been told passed that way after sundown carrying a body. Thrush was
leading, I was in the rear. I heard a noise. I gave a warning and turned to face
it, but it was a trap and we were outnumbered from the start. I never got my
knife out-they had me from behind. It was a carry-off; they weren’t trying to
kill us. I went down before they hit me hard-but Thrush and Cubert kept
fighting.
“I got my chance once we were back in the City, near the palace. I didn’t
linger, but they only had Thrusher with us-so Cubert’s dead.”
“How long ago was this?”
“I came straight here, and I haven’t been here long.”
“And you’re sure it was the Prince’s palace- not Jubal’s?”
She became indignant. “I’d know Jubal’s if I saw it. I’d have stayed and gotten
Thrush out if it had been Jubal’s. The Stepsons and Tempus haven’t had enough
time to learn what any hawkmask knows about the mansion. But we were attacked by
Stepsons, anyway.”
“You knew that?”
“By the smell.”
Walegrin was too tired to continue sparring. He’d lost Thrusher who’d been with
him longer than anyone, who was more friend and family than lieutenant.