out.” Ianthe smiled. “Can you write? I thought not. I don’t need to tell you not to learn, now, do I?” She turned to her sister. “Palila’s women will do what they can for her. But one of us must be there when Andrade arrives.”
“Who sent for her? She can’t witness the birth!”
“Of course not. But I sent for her because she’ll be an impeccable witness to what we wish everyone to believe happened. I’ll provide distraction enough, don’t worry. Did you remember to bring the blankets?”
“Over there.” Pandsala nodded to three large squares of folded velvet, gold thread winking on violet. “They’re identical to the one made for Palila’s brat. You do think of everything, Ianthe.”
She smiled as the blonde woman groaned and clutched her belly. “Oh, yes. Everything—and more.”
Andrade recovered from the shock of the Sunrunner’s death because she had to. She was sitting in a chair when Urival returned, and listened to his report impassively. She ordered someone to go out looking for Antoun, the Sunrunner assigned to watch over Sioned tonight, and summoned Camigwen to her tent, all with absolute calm. While they waited for the girl to arrive, Andrade questioned Urival thoroughly on everything Roelstra had said, and then considered it in silence.
Camigwen came in with Ostvel, and Andrade spared a raised brow for their rumpled clothes, obviously donned in some haste, before giving them a brief description of the night’s events.
“I don’t know if you remember Crigo. He was older than you by several years. He was a good man, a decent man. Exactly what Roelstra did to him is unclear right now, but with tomorrow morning’s sunlight I want you to see that all faradh’im are warned. I believe we can keep this quiet and among ourselves, but every one of us must be made aware of this.”
Camigwen exchanged worried glances with her Chosen. “How much of a danger is this drug? Do we know the name?”
“Roelstra didn’t mention it,” Urival replied.
“He’ll tell me,” Andrade said grimly.
“No doubt,” her steward commented. “He said something about being able to control faradh’im with it. I don’t think Sioned was in full possession of her powers, though,” he added musingly.
“And that makes me wonder how Crigo was able to do what he obviously had done for Roelstra for years.”
“But how vulnerable are faradh’im to this drug?” Ostvel asked.
Andrade shrugged. “Once I’ve gotten the information from Roelstra and Sioned tells us how this drug feels, we should be fairly safe.” She glanced up as her name was called from outside, expecting that someone had returned with information about her missing Sunrunner. But instead a man wearing the violet of service to the High Prince came into the tent, breathing hard. He dropped to one knee after a scathing look from Urival.
“My Lady, you must come at once.”
Andrade drew herself upright in her chair, ready to blister the man’s ears with her views of rude interruptions. “Let Roelstra’s own physician stitch him up!” she began, but the man shook his head.
“Not the High Prince, my Lady. I was sent by the Lady Palila’s women to fetch you immediately.”
“Palila? Whatever for?” She stared, then traded a swift glance with Urival. “Oh, Goddess! She’s in labor, isn’t she?”
“Yes, my Lady, evidently so. I’m told it’s early. Her women are frantic, for the High Prince’s physician is unavailable.”
Considering what Urival had told her of Roelstra’s wounds, Andrade could believe it. She got to her feet. “Very well. I’ll come.” To the protests of the others she replied, “Don’t be ridiculous. I’ll be perfectly safe, and Palila will need help. Urival, stay here and question Antoun when he’s brought back—in one piece, I devoutly hope. Cami, you and Ostvel meet with the other Sunrunners and tell them what was said here tonight. They’ll help you tomorrow morning. And no arguments!” She turned to Roelstra’s man. “You, whatever your name is—”
“Gernius, my Lady.”
“Well, Gernius, you will have the honor of carrying my bag of medicines and conducting me to the High Prince’s barge. Let’s get started.”
The instant she set foot on the ship her stomach rebelled. Gritting her teeth against nausea and the fiery throb behind her eyes, she clung to her dignity and followed a maidservant into Palila’s luxurious cabin. She saw at once that the mistress was in a bad way. Snapping out orders to the useless women around her, she was disgusted to find that they, like their lady, were pathetically glad to have someone take charge. She conducted a