He shrugged. "I have to do this. It's important. No, listen," he said when she began pulling away again. "I really mean it. It's not that I'm important. But what I was doing before you found me, before they attacked me, was. It was critical to the security and future of Penraven."
She frowned. "What are you talking about? Who are you?"
"Ride with me. I will tell you everything."
Kilt found himself standing before a beautiful building of elegant proportions, currently accommodation for the man known as Vulpan, the emperor's latest weapon against the Vested.
"He doesn't take visitors," the guard repeated.
"You've already said that. I simply have a question for him. Perhaps someone could take it to him and bring me his answer?"
Before the guard could respond, the door was flung open and a tall man appeared, his dark eyes matching the color of his trimmed beard. He looked like a magistrate. "What is this? Your voices are disturbing my work."
"Are you Master Vulpan?" Kilt asked. The man sounded too impressed by his own importance to be anyone else.
"I am. And why does a clergyman need to know?"
"Pastor Jeves, Master Vulpan," Kilt said by way of introduction. "I believe you might have met my sister recently. I'm trying to find her with some urgency. Please forgive my interruption of your work."
"I know of no woman called Jeves."
Kilt hated having to even say the words. "She's married. My apologies. Master and Mrs. Felt. Her name is Lily."
"Lily!" The Vested nodded. "Ah, the beautiful Mrs. Felt. Indeed, I do recall her," he said, licking his lips, making Kilt wince inwardly. "She never mentioned a brother."
Kilt shrugged. "I can't imagine why she would. She hasn't seen me for many anni."
"How did you know she was here, then?"
"I've been tracking her movements. It's taken me an entire moon to get to this point. I sense I'm close; I must have missed her by only a short time."
"So close I can almost still smell her," Vulpan said.
Kilt forced himself to look deeply disappointed. "Ah, pity. But," he said, adding a fresh vigor to his voice, "that means she is within striking distance."
"What's it like to grow up around a Vested?"
"Er, well, Lily kept her skills very much to herself, Master Vulpan."
"Is that so?"
Kilt had assumed far too much, he realized. This man was no easy target and while the disguise gave him a mea sure of protection, Vulpan was already suspicious. But Kilt knew he couldn't flee now. "She didn't care to share it and our parents didn't encourage it," he blustered. "Which brings to me to my reason for being here, Master Vulpan."
"Why don't you come inside? Perhaps we can discuss your - "
"No, no," Kilt said, waving a hand. "You're a busy man, Master Vulpan, I can tell that much. I simply wondered if you had any information on Lily's whereabouts. I have to find her because our mother is gravely ill. I was hoping that they could see each other before she died and - "
"Do come in, Pastor Jeves. Let us discuss this inside."
"I'm actually in a bit of a hurry, sir, if you'll forgive my ungracious behavior."
"Pastor Jeves, I really do insist." Vulpan smiled, not a skerrick of warmth in his expression.
Kilt smiled back. "Well, all right, then. Just quickly." With a sinking heart, he followed the man inside the elegant house.
As Vulpan closed the door behind him, the cold smile still not failing, he added: "Pastor Jeves, are you aware that you have blood smeared across your face?"
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kirin and Lily had traveled all day, pausing only to rest the horses, eating four small sugarloaves between them as they journeyed. By the time they had reached a village called Green Herbery, they were exhausted, but Kirin felt a measure of comfort that they had put so much space between themselves and Vulpan.
He climbed down from his horse and stretched long and leisurely, groaning as he did so. "Lo save us, look over there," he said, pointing at a structure that looked as though it had collapsed.
"Fire," Lily breathed. "Oh, how terrible. It looks as though it was serious. I hope no one was injured."
"I guess we'll know soon enough," Kirin replied. "Let's get these horses stabled for the night," he said, adding, "I'm sorry, Lily, but I'll need to dip into your purse again if you can spare some money. I have only a little