Talon didn't flinch. "I wouldn't do that if I were you." His voice was deadly.

The merchant's face darkened. "Don't interfere, Outlander." He yanked on the end of the whip to free it from Talon's arm. "These girls need a lesson in respect..."

Talon pressed his sword to the man's throat in one smooth movement. His black eyes glittered dangerously. "You lay a hand on either of them and I'm going to teach you a lesson of my own."

Shasta was slightly taken aback by the cool ferocity in her guardian's tone. He sounds just like Captain Vaughn when he gets angry. If she hadn't been so outraged she would have giggled.

"It's no concern of yours what I do with my property," the merchant insisted, his eyes jumping between Talon and the Princess.

"Property?" Shasta repeated incredulously over her guardian's shoulder. "She's a person, not a farm animal."

"It was a perfectly legal business transaction. Her father borrowed money that he couldn't repay, so he signed her over to me for a term of four winters to work off the debt." He shifted uneasily beneath Talon's dark gaze. "She still has another two to go, and as long as she is in my service I'm entitled to administer whatever discipline I see fit. She just cost me more than a quarter-moon's wages." He indicated the ruined lettuce in the road.

"I don't care if she burned your entire crop to the ground, you sadistic brute. Goddess save me, she's pregnant!" Shasta knelt beside the woman, who was not moving, though a soft moan showed she was still breathing. A pool of blood had formed beneath the servant's skirts, staining her legs. It was far too much blood to be caused merely by her wounds, and Shasta had a terrible feeling that something was very wrong.

"I will give ten pieces of gold to the first person who brings me a healer," she shouted at the gathered onlookers, several of whom immediately took off in hopes of earning such a large sum of money, more than most men made in a moon. She gently touched the young woman's face. "Shh, don't try to move. Help is coming."

Chancellor Kumire came puffing up the hill, Lyris and Bria in tow, and Shasta addressed him furiously. "Chancellor, can people really sell their children into servitude to pay off a debt?"

Kumire nodded. "Well, yes. It's actually quite a common occurrence among the lower classes, Your H-" He broke off at Talon's warning glare. "That is, labor has always been considered a fair trade for monetary debts. Sometimes the debtor himself will serve out the indenture, or else he might sign over his wife or children. Occasionally the debt is so great that his entire family must work together to pay it off. It happens all the time."

Shasta shook her head in disbelief. "It's...barbaric." She looked up at the man with the whip, who was still frozen at the point of Talon's sword. "Just how much did her father borrow from you?" she demanded.

He rolled his eyes with irritation. "One thousand gold pieces."

I have dresses in my wardrobe that cost more, Shasta thought bitterly. She rose to her feet, marched over to Kumire, and took his hand, removing the enormous emerald and diamond ring that glittered on his middle finger. "I'll see that you receive a replacement," she said and held up the huge jewel so the merchant could see it. "This is worth at least a thousand." She seized his hand with distaste and pressed the ring into his palm. "Consider her debt paid."

The merchant stared at the jewel, then back at Shasta. The crowd of onlookers seemed as confused as he was to see a servant girl giving orders to her master. A flick of Talon's sword was all the encouragement the merchant needed, and after a moment of thought, he apparently decided to pretend Shasta wasn't even there.

"Thank you, my lord." He bowed to Kumire. "I accept your generous offer. You have purchased her debt in full." He shuffled through the inner pocket of his coat and withdrew some folded pieces of parchment, which he handed to the chancellor. With a tip of his hat he picked up the basket still lying on the side of the road and strode over the top of the hill, leaving the ruined lettuce to rot in the afternoon sun.

Kumire unfolded the document and looked it over. "Her indentureship papers," he said.

Shasta reached out and took them, and knelt again beside the injured woman. "It's going to be all right," she said, putting the papers in her hand with a little smile. "These belong to you now. You're free." But the woman was very still. Too still.

"The healer's coming! Miss, I've brought the healer, like you asked." A young man came running toward them, followed by an older woman in white robes who was puffing along behind.

"Pay him," Shasta ordered the chancellor, who reluctantly counted out some coins. She turned to the healer. "Please, this woman needs help, I think she's badly hurt."

The healer felt for a pulse at the servant's wrist, then checked again at her neck. She leaned forward and put her ear to the still lips, and after a moment shook her head. "I'm sorry, but she's dead. In her condition, the strain and loss of blood was too much for her heart."

"What?" Shasta rose to her feet, her head spinning. "But the baby..."

The healer laid a hand on the servant's swollen belly and eyed the blood soaking her legs and skirt. "It was too soon. The child did not survive."

Kumire coughed politely. "Does this mean I get my ring back?"

Shasta stared at him in disgust, then down at the body lying in the street. She turned and buried her face in her guardian's jacket, feeling like she might be sick. "Take me home, Talon," she begged. "I want to go home now."

Other than a few disgruntled squeaks when they went over a particularly sharp bump, the Princess was unusually quiet on the way back to the palace. On the trip into Ardrenn, Shasta had done nothing but petulantly complain of the rough wooden wagon's discomforts. They could hardly take the royal coach on such a trip, and so Vaughn had arranged for one of the guard transports to be filled with boxes and crates to give the illusion of a merchant wagon, and Kumire drove while the rest of them sat in the back among the cargo.

Talon found herself scanning the passing houses and buildings anxiously as they rode by, expecting someone to jump out at them at any moment. Unconsciously she fingered the hilt of the knife concealed in her vest. Just a little longer, she told herself.

"Are you all right, Your Highness?" Lyris asked gently, and Talon realized that the Princess's face was far paler than usual, her lips pressed together in thought.

Shasta met her companion's eyes gravely. "Lyris, you and your family were once like that poor servant woman, weren't you? I mean, you were working for that performance troupe against your will."

Lyris blinked. "It wasn't exactly against our will, Highness. It's just that there weren't many other choices for three Outlander kids on their own in the world. The performance troupe was better than...well, most of the other alternatives."

"But your showmaster. He could beat you to death like that if he wanted."

Lyris flushed without reply, and Bria answered for her. "Well, yes, he could, though most people don't die from such a beating unless it goes on for a very long time."

"Did he beat you?" the Princess asked.

Bria bit her lip. "Lyris and I were lucky. We were his star attraction, too important to risk."

Shasta paused, then turned to Talon. "What about you? Were you beaten?"

"Sometimes." Talon's tone was more terse than she meant it to be, but the subject made her uncomfortable.

Lyris laid a hand on her sleeve and frowned slightly at Shasta. "I'm sorry, Highness, but we don't like to talk about it much. Those are very unpleasant memories."

"Oh." Shasta dropped her head. "All right."

They lapsed into an awkward silence as the wagon proceeded toward the city gates and Talon pushed the conversation to the back of her mind, scanning the streets for any sign of potential danger. The heightened paranoia was beginning to wear on her after so many hours, and she was feeling slightly sheepish. Maybe she really was being silly. After all, they'd been walking around the markets all day and nothing had happened, certainly nothing that Talon couldn't handle. But she wouldn't feel at ease again until they were safely back within the palace walls.

Qiturah was lost in thought as she moved through the hall of Verdred Temple on her way to officiate the evening prayer rites. A growing sense of danger plagued the edges of her consciousness. Ulrike was stirring. She could feel his presence, faint but sinister, curling like wisps of smoke somewhere in the distance. She was not certain what it meant, but she planned to lead several protective invocations during the prayer service.

"Umph!"

Qiturah was jolted from her deliberation as she collided with one of the young priestesses also walking the hall. She looked up into a pair of remarkably vivid green eyes, and the young woman quickly stepped back and inclined her head respectfully.

"Forgive me, Mother Qiturah."

Qiturah laughed softly. "I am the one to blame, Ostryn Kadrian. I should not allow my troubled thoughts to overwhelm my feet."

Kadrian's head came up quickly. "Then you can feel it as well? The strange evil circling above Ardrenn? Even from provinces away it seems so...malevolent, doesn't it?"

Ardrenn? Qiturah regarded the priestess with curiosity. "Tell me, Ostryn, how is it that you know the threat is in Ardrenn?"

Color rose in Kadrian's cheeks. "I..." She seemed to struggle for the words, then shook her head helplessly. "I cannot explain, I only know what I feel. There are shadows gathering over our capital city."

Qiturah nodded thoughtfully. "Did you not come to us from Ardrenn, Kadrian?"

"I was born there, Your Honor."

"The Goddess often uses bonds of love between Her children to project Her power," Qiturah said. "Perhaps ties to the family you left behind allow you to sense more than most." She extended a hand. "Come, Ostryn. You will stand by my side at evening rites. The priestesses of Verdred shall cast their prayers upon you, and perhaps those same ties will help carry Ithyris's power where it is needed most."

Kadrian accepted the offered hand and pressed her lips lightly against Qiturah's knuckles. "May the Goddess heed your voice, Honored Mother," she replied formally.

As Qiturah led the way to the temple sanctuary, she cast a sideways glance at the tall priestess walking a slight but respectful distance behind her. She had the sinking feeling that if Kadrian was right and Ulrike's influence was centering on the capital city, he was likely targeting the royal family once again.

Silently, she invoked the grace of the Goddess. Divine Lady, watch over the house of Rane this night, and lend Your strength and wisdom to those who protect it...

Chancellor Kumire guided the wagon through the western gates and followed the road south along the city walls. To preserve the Princess's disguise, they had taken the long way from the palace to the market and back again. That meant using the southern palace entrance, which opened onto the moors rather than directly into Ardrenn itself. It was a good, cautious plan, but Talon still felt they were far too exposed and vulnerable. After fifteen of the most agonizing minutes of her life, they finally reached the southern gates, and Kumire exchanged a few words with the guards posted above. They recognized the Monderan chancellor immediately and, after checking their daily roster, gave the order to open the gates.

Only when the wagon was back inside the palace walls and the gates had closed with a resounding bang could Talon finally breathe a little easier. Kumire brought them across the grounds and right up to the palace doors before pulling the wagon to a halt.

Captain Vaughn was the first to come running across the courtyard to greet them. "You're back early," he observed as Talon leapt down and extended a hand to help first the Princess, then Lyris and Bria.

Shasta gave the captain a wry smile. "Yes, well, it was a bit more of an adventure than I was counting on."

"Did something happen?"

"Nothing serious, Captain," Talon replied quickly. "Her Highness had an...encounter...with the darker side of Ithyrian commerce."

"I see." Vaughn jumped up the steps and pulled heavily on the palace doors until they swung open. "Well, I look forward to hearing all about it, but right now it seems to me you could use some rest."

Shasta thanked him as she entered, trailed by her companions.

As Talon passed by at the rear of the group, the captain clapped her on the shoulder and said, "Well done, kid."

Talon gave her mentor a nod but knew she didn't deserve the praise. If Vaughn only knew how she'd let the Princess out of her sight while she was caught up in an argument with Bria... Never again, she promised herself firmly as she followed the Princess and her sisters through the corridor.

"Princess Shasta! You're back already!" Erinda bobbed a curtsy as they entered Shasta's chambers. "How was your trip?"

Shasta threw herself into the nearest chair, ignoring Talon's attempt to take her cloak. "Educational." She closed her eyes. "I must have a bath, Erinda."

"I'm ahead of you, Highness." The buxom maid grinned. "They're already heating the water for you in the kitchens. I was hoping to have your tub ready by the time you got back, but you're here early so I'm afraid you'll have a few minutes to wait."

The Princess dragged off her hood and cloak and discarded them on the floor. "Goddess love you, Erinda, you're wonderful."

She picked up Shasta's outer garments. "I'll just go put these away and check on your hot water."

Erinda left the room with her usual bustling energy, and Talon went to her chest by the window. Stripping off her coat and vest and removing her sword belt, she began making a little stack of the blades she'd been carrying all day. Her body felt remarkably light without all the extra metal, but somehow she didn't feel as relieved as she'd expected.

"You still look worried," Shasta said. "We're home. You can relax now."

Talon sank down into the chair beneath the window and rubbed her temples. "I know, Highness. I've just been on edge for so long today."

"I told you there was nothing to worry about, didn't I? We walked around the market all afternoon and it was perfectly safe."

"Just because you didn't get assassinated in the middle of the street doesn't mean you were safe, Princess. We just got lucky."

Shasta pulled a face. "Do you have to be such a pessimist all the time?"

Talon gave a little grin and picked up one of the knives from the table, shuffling through her trunk of belongings until she located her whetstone. Leaning back in her chair, she drew the stone along the knife blade in smooth strokes.

"You almost gave yourself away, giving the chancellor orders in public. I thought for certain someone would recognize you." She looked up. "But it was a good thing you did, trying to give that indentured servant her freedom."

The Princess shook her head sadly. "It didn't help her much, did it?" After a moment her gloomy expression melted into a snicker. "I'm surprised Chancellor Kumire didn't put up more of an argument when I took his emerald ring, I know he really liked that one."

Talon wiggled her eyebrows. "I think he'd give you every jewel in his possession, if you asked."

"He doesn't like me that much."

"Sure he does. He wants to marry you."

Shasta covered her ears and gave an exaggerated wail of horror. "Oh, don't say that."

Talon smirked and returned attention to her blade sharpening, but in the next instant she jumped instinctively to her feet as the chamber door opened. It was just a group of maids bringing buckets of steaming water for the bath, and the girl in the lead gave a little shriek of fear when she caught sight of the Princess's guardian. Talon realized she had the knife drawn back, poised to throw it at the unfortunate chambermaid's head, and she quickly dropped her arm and sat again, heat rising in her cheeks.

Shasta burst out laughing. "Don't pay him any attention, Panna," she reassured the frightened maid. "Talon's just a little more overprotective than usual today."

Panna curtsied and continued to the privy chamber, followed by the other maids, and they set about ferrying hot water between the Princess's chambers and the kitchens until finally the air began to fill with the sweet scent of lilacs and roses, a sure sign that the bath was ready.

Talon set her book on the table and glanced into the chamber, then stepped back beside Erinda and bowed. "Your chamber is clear, Princess. Enjoy your bath."

"I plan on it," came the reply, and Shasta moved past them into the fragrant room.

Talon closed the door and returned to her seat by the window, giving Erinda a little salute as the chambermaid excused herself. Pulling the book back into her lap, she tried to read but found she couldn't concentrate. To her consternation the anxiety tightening her chest had suddenly increased tenfold, until it was difficult to breathe.

This is ridiculous, she thought in a panic. We're safer right now than we have been all day. What in the name of the Goddess is wrong with me? Her eyes strayed to the privy chamber and she got to her feet and crossed the floor, reaching out, almost without thinking, to touch the heavy wood-paneled door. Shasta...

Chapter Seven.

Shasta stood before the small round looking glass over her washbasin. It was already beginning to fog over with the steam from the bathing tub and she quickly unpinned her long braids, releasing the ends and working out the plaits with her fingers. As much as she had enjoyed wearing split skirts for an entire day, the fabric was much coarser than the more delicate materials she was used to, and she was looking forward to the soft, silken touch of her dressing robe.

She removed the robe from a hook on the wall and flung it lightly over her dressing screen in the far corner. Even though she was supposed to have complete privacy in this chamber, somehow she felt better about dressing and undressing behind a partition. After all, the privy door had no lock, and her father had assigned a man to share her rooms. The silk-paneled screen made her feel more secure. She picked up the chamber pot, preferring to relieve herself behind the divider as well. As she rounded the edge of the dressing screen, her heart nearly jumped into her mouth.

A man was crouching behind the partition.

The moment she caught sight of him, he leapt at her. Shasta barely had time to register the gleam of a knife in his hand, and she did the only thing that sprang to mind-she shrieked and flung the chamber pot straight at his head.

With a crash, the china vessel shattered over his skull, momentarily stunning him. Shasta seized the edge of the screen, toppling the heavy wooden frame onto her attacker before bolting for the door. But he was not so easily deterred. His knife ripped through the silken panels, and rising, he followed after her. The privy chamber door burst open with a bang, and Talon barged in. Shasta reached out for her guardian but was yanked backward sharply.