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tub perched on clawed feet. “Come in, come in.”
    Murdoch grasped my arm, and I snapped at him, “You can’t believe I would hurt her.”
    “You would do whatever necessary to escape being part of Hishima’s welcome party.”
    He had me there. “I’m in no condition to run, and I have no weapons left.” Thanks to him.
    “While I’m relatively certain of the former, I don’t buy the latter for a minute.” He looked to Mana. “One of us has to search Kaidi. She’s clever with her weapons, and she can’t be alone with you until I know she’s unarmed.”
    Mana was already shooing him. “I’ll handle it.”
    “I won’t leave until it’s done, Maven.” His grip on me tightened.
    As if realizing all her precious steam was escaping, she dragged Murdoch into the room and me along with him. She pointed toward a stool tucked in the far corner. “You, go sit. Back facing the tub.” He followed orders without complaint. “Now, Kaidi, let’s get you out of those clothes.”
    Though I had shared a bathing room with Mana before, it was only now occurring to me that she ought to have a servant for such hard labor. Even with the lack of females, Mana was maven.
    Doubt trickled in, and I wondered if our cozy privacy wasn’t meant to foster sharing secrets.
    But I was so sore and stiff, my clothes so filthy, I appreciated her helping hands. I doubted I could have lifted my arms over my head and removed my shirt or bent to tug my pants down my legs or yanked the muddy boots from my swollen feet myself. Without the weight of those bleak clothes, I almost felt…normal. For a moment, I pretended I was the old Kaidi, visiting my friend.
    Except the old Kaidi would never have ventured inside Cathis. She had better sense.
    “Here.” Mana took my elbow. “Let me help you.”
    “Thanks.” Leaning against her, I was able to crawl into the tub and sink beneath the water. I surfaced with a moan. “I forgot how fresh a bath makes you feel, sparkling from the inside out.”
    When Mana didn’t reply right away, I twisted around to see what held her attention.
    Pinched between her finger and thumb, Mana studied the broken clasp on my silken chain. Without comment, she dropped it in a leather pouch she wore on her hip. Though I was tempted to cry foul, Murdoch waited in the corner, and the last thing I wanted was to draw his attention. I gritted my teeth and slumped under the bubbles.
    “She’s unarmed,” Mana announced. “You can leave now, Murdoch.”
    Wood scraped as he pushed back his seat. “Are you sure you want to be alone with her?”
    “Would you rather explain to Paladin Hishima that you shared a bath with his future bride?”
    Seconds passed while I imagined Mana giving him the imperial stare he had credited to me.
    “I’ll be outside.” A chill draft swept past and raised gooseflesh on my arms.
    “Thank you.” Mana’s boots clicked over the stone floor. She must have escorted Murdoch to his post because the door closed softer than I imagined Murdoch knew how to. A bucket hit my lap with a splash. “It’s going to take work, but I think we can untangle your hair before dinner if we get started now.” She had scooped and dumped water over my head before I could splutter at her insult. While I sat choking, she began lathering my hair. “While we have time on our hands, I want you to explain how you went from being a crystalier’s apprentice to decapitating corpses.”
    She made it sound as if I had chosen this new occupation when it had chosen me.
    “Did the paladin put you up to this?” Feed me, bathe me and pry secrets past my lips.
    “You met my husband.” Her fingernails felt divine on my scalp. I almost purred as I craned my neck. “Do you really think he believes the way to earn cooperation is through kindness?”
    Since she sounded mildly perturbed and not outright insulted, I told her the truth. “I think he will do whatever is necessary to get what he wants. If it means a hot meal and