Page 216 of The Priory of the Orange Tree

Her breath shook. Loth came to sit beside her, giving her time to take it all in.

“The Nameless One will return.” Margret composed herself. “I suppose all we can do now is prepare for it.”

“And we cannot do that if Inys is divided,” a new voice said.

Loth rose with his sword drawn to see Ead in the doorway. Margret let out a wordless sound of relief and went to her. They embraced like sisters.

“I must be dreaming,” Margret said into her shoulder. “You came back.”

“You told me we would meet again.” Ead held her close. “I did not want to make you a liar.”

“You have a lot of explaining to do. But it can wait.” Margret drew back. “Ead, Sabran is in the Queen Tower.”

Ead bolted the door. “Tell me everything.”

Margret repeated to her exactly what she had told Loth. As she listened, Ead stood like a statue.

“We must reach her,” she eventually said.

“The three of us will not get far,” Loth murmured.

“Where are the Knights of the Body in all this?”

The loyal bodyguards of the Queens of Inys. Loth had not even thought to ask.

“I have not seen Captain Lintley in a week,” Margret owned. “Some of the others are on guard outside the Queen Tower.”

“Is it not their duty to protect Her Majesty?” Ead asked.

“They have no reason to suspect the Duchess of Justice of doing her harm. They think Sab is resting.”

“Then we need to let them know that Sabran is being held against her will. The Knights of the Body are formidable. With even half of them on our side, we could stamp out the insurrection,” Ead said. “We should try to find Lintley. Perhaps they have put him in the guardhouse.”

“We could take the secret route I showed you,” said Margret.

Ead made for the door. “Good.”

“Wait.” Margret held out a hand to Loth. “Lend me a weapon, brother, or I shall be as much use as a fire in an ice house.”

He surrendered his baselard without complaint.

Margret took a candle and led the way down the corridor. She brought them before a portrait of a woman, and when she dragged one side away from the wall, a passage was revealed. Ead climbed into it and gave Margret a hand. Loth pulled the portrait shut behind them.

A draft blew out the candle, leaving them in darkness. All Loth could hear was their breathing. Then Ead snapped her fingers, and a silver-blue flame jumped like a spark from a firestriker. Loth exchanged a glance with his sister as Ead cupped it in her palm.

“Not all fire is to be feared,” Ead said.

Margret appeared to steel herself. “You had better make Crest fear it by dawn.”

They followed a flight of steps until they reached a way out. Ead pushed it open just a crack.

“All clear,” she murmured. “Meg, which door?”

“The closest,” Margret said at once. When Loth raised his eyebrows at her, she stamped on his foot.

Ead stepped into the unlit passageway and tried the door, to no avail. “Captain Lintley?” she said, voice soft. When there was no answer, she knocked. “Sir Tharian.”

A pause, then: “Who goes there?”

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