been interrogated before by Nisibisi … I hid in my rest-place … until Janni
– They killed him to get to me.’
Tempus saw bright tears threatening to spill and changed the subject: ‘Your
rest-place? So your maat returned to you?’
He whispered, ‘After a fashion … I don’t care about that now. Going to need
all my anger … no time for balance anymore.’
Tempus blew out a breath and set down Niko’s cup and looked between his legs at
the packed clay floor. ‘I’m going north, tomorrow. I’ll leave sortie assignments
and schedules with Critias – he’ll be in command here – and a rendezvous for
those who want to join in the settling up. Did you recognize any Ilsigs in her
company? A servant, a menial, anyone at all?’
‘No, they all look alike… Someone found us, got us to the gates. Some trainees
of ours, maybe – they knew my name. The witch said come ahead and die up
country. Each reprisal of ours, they’ll match fourfold.’
‘Are you telling me not to go?’
Niko struggled to sit up, cursed, fell back with blood oozing from between his
teeth. Tempus made no move to help him. They stared at each other until Niko
said, ‘It will seem that you’ve been driven from Sanctuary, that you’ve failed
here …’
‘Let it seem so; it may well be true.’
‘Wait, then, until I can accompany -‘
‘You know better. I will leave instructions for you.’ He got up and left
quickly, before his temper got the best of him where the boy could see.
The Samaritan who had brought their wounded and their dead was waiting outside
Tempus’s quarters. His name was Vis and though he looked Nisibisi he claimed he