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“He’s a war mage!”he said, looking up.“You can’t trust them!”

“They say the same thing about you.”

He grinned a little at that.“And they’re right.Except where you’re concerned.”

“Why am I any different?”

He shook his head hard enough that the bones in his necklace, which looked disturbingly human, rattled.“I saw what you did.And felt it when you picked me up and brought me here, yes, and my family!”I guessed he meant the bony minions because they rattled in agreement.“And actions speak louder than any honeyed words, goddess.”

“I’m not a goddess.”

He grinned again, a stretching of withered flesh.“Close enough,” he said and kissed my hand.“And we will be close by,” he added, shooting a poisoned look at Pritkin.

He and the bone squad clattered off into the night, leaving me temporarily alone.But still, Pritkin didn’t come any closer.We just looked at each other for what felt like a long time before I got tired of it.

“Well?”I said.“I’m fine, by the way.”

“I stayed with you until that was certain,” he said, but didn’t approach.

“Is there some kind of problem?”I finally asked, too tired for whatever this was.

“I’m not sure.”He finally came over and sat down on the sandy hill beside me.“Are you all right?”

“You said you already ascertained that,” I answered acerbically, because no, I was not all right!

“I didn’t mean physically,” he said, and took my hand when I didn’t want him to take my hand!But I didn’t pull away because it felt good.It felt more than good, familiar calluses, potion-stained skin, and all.

He needed a manicure, I thought, staring down at our clenched hands.We both did.My poor nails looked like a beaver had chewed on them, and my hands were dirty.

In more ways than one.

I flinched in memory and thought about crying.

His arm went around me, and my head went onto his shoulder automatically.It didn’t mean that I wasn’t still hurting and horrified and resentful.I knew damned well what I’d done, why he was here, what everyone wanted.

And I couldn’t give it to them, even though I didn’t have an alternative to offer.

I didn’t have anything.

“You’re not all right,” he said after a moment, and I burst out laughing.Somehow, it changed to tears when I wasn’t looking and then to hysterical little sobs with slight screechy notes that only became worse when he pulled me close.

I tried to stop; I really did.But every time I made the effort, the screechy noises got worse because stopping meant talking, and I couldn’t talk!I couldn’t do any of this!

“Any of what?”Pritkin asked because I guessed I’d said that last out loud.“You don’t have to do anything, Cassie.Do you understand?No one is going to make you—”

“Aren’t they?”I looked at him wildly.“Isn’t that exactly what they’ve been talking about?Why you’re here?”

“I’m here foryou,” Pritkin said fiercely.“And Madesh had no reason to give you incomplete information.Nothing has been decided—or will be without you.”

“Madesh?”

“The necromancer.I assume he talked.”

“Yes, he talked!He told me what they’re planning, Jonas and Rosier and those dark mages who have suddenly seen the light—”

“That’s debatable,” he said dryly.

“—I know what they want!”