Chapter 17: Sunreach

The Prince's pikes were lowered across the bridge, and half the men holding them were coughing.

Shiori saw it from the middle of the span.

It was the wet, grey cough, and she knew it from the hospital in Sendai.

From the little cat-kin girl in the sickroom, and her stomach turned.

Sera stood at her shoulder in a plain brown cloak.

Kaedan was one pace behind with forty Varr riders drawn up at his back, and none of them had drawn a blade.

"Where is the Priest?" Shiori said.

"Gone," said Nerei, from the saddle.

"His litter left the guest house before the cocks crowed. The gate watch let a servant through with a hawk-letter."

"Parley broken, then."

"By his own side."

The old grey wolf, on the king's right, raised his lip.

"It frees us from every promise," he growled.

"Let me through," Shiori called to the soldiers.

A young pikeman wheezed and said, "Orders, ma'am."

"I'm a healer."

"The Prince said you'd say that."

"Then the Prince can say it again, in front of you."

She walked straight up to the first rank and laid her hand against the cheek of the coughing boy.

The pearl light ran out of her, clean and quick.

His chest eased.

His lips went from grey to pink under her palm.

"Next," she said.

The boy stared.

The man beside him, with the same cough, stepped forward without being told.

By the time Aldric came galloping down the line on his white horse, shouting for the pikes.

Half a hundred men had stepped out of formation, and the other half were holding their spears upright and looking at the ground.

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