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out. I’m honestly not sure whether to admire your sheer courage or be astounded at your complete stupidity.”
    Kendril took a step forward. His face was hard. “Where’s the Soulbinder, Bronwyn?”
    The witch shook her head. “You still don’t get it, Kendril.” She paused, a fiendish smile on her face. “You and your friends won’t be leaving this house alive.”
     
    Kara grunted as she pulled Dutraad up onto the bed. She pushed his legs up onto the mattress, then took a step back, panting from the effort.
    The man was still unconscious, snoring softly through his nose. His arms and legs were tied with drape cords, his mouth gagged with his own belt.
    Kara turned to the four-poster bed and pulled the curtains shut on all sides. She glanced warily at the door behind her.
    It was closed. No sounds came from outside.
    The Soulbinder wasn’t on Dutraad. Kara knew that for certain. He had mentioned that this was his private room. She suspected that she wasn’t the first young maiden he had escorted up here.
    She also suspected that if Dutraad was going to keep the Soulbinder anywhere, it would be somewhere in here.
    The desk. It was a logical enough place to begin.
    Kara pulled on the drawer. It didn’t budge.
    Locked.
    Kara frowned. She reached for the lockpicking tools she had hidden in the sleeve of her dress.
    She had a lot of ground to cover, and not a lot of time to do it in.
     
    Maklavir could feel his heart thumping in his chest. He hurried down one of the halls of the house, his cape fluttered behind him.
    Everything was happening right now . Kara was searching for the Soulbinder. Kendril and Joseph were probably dragging an unconscious Bronwyn out through the falling snow towards the stable.
    Everyone was doing something.
    Everyone except him .
    He turned a corner in the hall. He wasn’t even sure where to go. Back to the main hall? Try to re-join the festivities like nothing had happened? What if, Eru forbid, he ran into Bronwyn again? Or Dutraad? But somehow Maklavir couldn’t bring himself to plod out to the stables, either. Something told him that the business with Bronwyn would get much uglier before the night was done.
    He was feeling guilty enough for lying to the woman. Truth be told, he had no stomach to watch her be… questioned .
    So he continued to walk at a brisk pace, not knowing where he was going.
    As he turned another corner, an armed guard stepped out in front of him.
    “Excuse me, sir,” the man said in a not-too friendly tone of voice. “Do you need some assistance?”
     
    “How did you know?”
    Bronwyn gave a small, mocking little laugh. “Please, Kendril. I knew there was a Ghostwalker involved. Then I recognized your friend Maklavir in the main hall. Ashes, he was even using his real name. How stupid do you think I am?”
    “Stupid enough to walk into a room with me and think you’d walk out,” Kendril snarled. There was a gleam of steel as he flicked his knife out into his hand.
    “Not a dagger ,” cried Bronwyn. She splayed one hand against her supple bosom. “Whatever will I do now?”
    Joseph gave Kendril a warning glance. “Kendril—”
    “Not now,” the Ghostwalker snapped. He took another step forward. “Bronwyn, I swear by everything that is holy—”
    “Swear what?” Bronwyn pushed herself back against a bookshelf by the door. “That you’ll kill me?” She held up her hands. “I’m unarmed, with no way to defend myself. Just a poor, innocent maiden.”
    Kendril lifted the knife. “I won’t ask again, Bronwyn.” He stepped forward, his eyes simmering with cold fire. “ Where is the Soulbinder ?”
    She flickered her eyes at him. “Oh, you have such a one-track mind, Kendril. No imagination at all. And certainly no manners. Didn’t your mother ever teach your not to point your weapon at a lady? The Soulbinder is in a safe place.” She gave a conciliatory smile, and pointed with one delicate white finger towards the ceiling.