interior courtyard the metal rings of her manica glimmered. Again, she whistled.
It was impossible to see the bird in the dark, but she heard the soft beat of
its pinions, felt the rush of air by her cheek as he took a familiar place on
her wrist. Chenaya slipped a jess from her belt and fitted it over Reyk’s leg.
From another small pocket she extracted a hood to cover his eyes. Only then did
she pass him into Dayrne’s care. “Have one of the men clean his talons
immediately.” She stroked her pet. “He scored one of them. Don’t let the blood
crust. And have someone take care of that poor horse. He’s carried the two of us
a long way.”
Chenaya took her traveling companion by the elbow then and led her across the
court. Dayrne gave quick orders to the other men and fell into step behind. As
they crossed the grounds she noted how well the restoration of the old estate
was progressing. Land’s End, the locals called the place, though she was damned
if she knew why.
Light streamed through an open doorway. She stepped inside a grand entrance hall
and gazed up the wide staircase that curved along the east wall. Lowan Vigeles
stood at the top. His face was full of relief at the sight of her, but he
couldn’t hide his anger.
Two of her gladiators, the former thieves Dismas and Gestus, flanked him
according to standing instructions. Lowan was not to be left unguarded during a
disturbance. But there was someone else at the top of the stair who she could
barely see. The woman seemed to hang back.
Lowan descended the stairs and stopped halfway down. “You’ve been gone far