“The griffins’ Wall,” Mienthe suggested, and lifted her hands in a little shrug when they looked at her. “Well, I mean, suppose Linularinum learned about the Wall cracking even before we did, maybe, and Mariddeier Kohorrian thought if Iaor and Bertaud were distracted enough in the north, maybe he could try to interfere down here in the Delta? And maybe he’s just decided to use Tan as an excuse? Is that possible?”
Tan honestly did not think it could be. “Kohorrian is a little too clever to try anything quite so blatant, I think. Not when he must know how little the Delta would welcome any attempt to forcibly change its allegiance.”
“I don’t know,” said Mienthe, and then to Geroen, “I wonder if you might be able to send a man of yours across to the Linularinan force? With a wand, I mean.” She meant a white courier’s wand, which in this context would show a request for parley. “He could ask what it is they want. He could try to find out whether the man behind this is that enemy of Tan’s, Istierinan, I mean, or whether it’s someone else, or whether Mariddeier Kohorrian himself is provoking us, and why. Or, at least, why he says he’s doing it. I’ll write a letter for a man to take across.”
“Yes, good,” Geroen agreed. He rubbed his face with a big hand, blinking wearily. “I should have thought of it myself. At the very least it may set those Linularinan bastards back a bit by their heels. Begging your pardon—”
“Good. Good. All right. Send me someone, then, and Tan, would you see if there’s paper in that desk? Or, no, I don’t suppose you’d better touch any legist’s things—”
“No,” agreed Tan, startled at the sharp anger he felt at that casual statement. I don’t suppose you’d better touch any legist’s things. He hid the anger, put it down: how stupid, how unreasoning a reaction. The sort of emotional reaction that could get a man killed, if he wasn’t able to set it aside. He was indeed sensibly afraid to use his gift; Mienthe was quite right. It wasn’t her fault anyway, but Istierinan’s. He closed his eyes for an instant and took a breath, then clambered to his feet and came to lean over the young woman’s shoulder. “Perhaps I will be able to suggest some phrasing you might use.”
“Yes, please. Geroen, find someone to act as courier, please, and find a white wand for him. I’m sure my cousin has some in his study. And do send word at once if anything happens, will you? And send someone else to tell the queen’s captain I want to see him.”
The captain braced his shoulders back. “Yes, my lady.”
But they never had a chance to send the letter, nor even to speak to the captain of the royal guardsmen. Mienthe’s idea to write a letter had been a good one, and there ought by rights to have been time to write out a dozen fair copies if she’d been so inclined.
But Istierinan, or someone, had evidently sent men upriver and across the Sierhanan by boat long before he’d begun making threatening gestures toward the bridge. Linularinan soldiers must have crossed into Feierabiand, along some quiet, dark stretch of river where no one was watching—maybe the Linularinan commanders had sent a small force across first to establish a bridgehead and stop any warning being sent south, because it was from the north and east that Linularinan soldiers first made their way into Tiefenauer.
“This night has been past imagining! How I wish Bertaud was here!” Mienthe said passionately when they had this last news. She stared in despair at Tan.
Tan shrugged helplessly, not pointing out that the night was far from over even yet. But he said, “Though it might be as well if your lord cousin was here, Lady Mienthe, you’re doing well enough on your own.”
Mienthe stared at him, but Geroen himself flung open the door and strode in before she could say anything, if she meant to.
Her Majesty, Geroen informed them, had agreed that she and her daughters should withdraw at once, north toward Sihannas. Niethe wanted Tan and Mienthe to come with her. Tan agreed that the queen’s withdrawing was a fine idea, but he said at once, “But not with me in her party. No.”
Mienthe met his eyes, and he knew she agreed with him: He must not accompany the queen’s party, in case they were all wrong and the Linularinan force was in fact moving solely because of Tan.
Tan said, “You, however, should certainly go with the queen.”
“Oh,” said Mienthe, appearing very much surprised by this idea. “No, I can’t possibly. No, I’ll stay here. It’s only right—”
“It’s only foolish,” growled Geroen. He glowered at Mienthe.