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made a bargain with the Warrior.’ Sorne didn’t like lying to Nitzane, who was one of the few True-men he considered a friend. ‘I gather you weren’t at the sacrifice two nights ago?’
    ‘Just got here. Arrived home to find a couple of barons had attacked the Wyrd winery next to one of my estates. Killed everyone and burned the building to the ground.’
    This was news to Sorne, but he wasn’t surprised. Charald would have wanted to test Zabier’s advice.
    Today, he’d heard the king raving; Charald did not trust Nitzane. ‘You need to watch your back, the king–’
    ‘I have Ballendin with me. And I have more men-at-arms than any other baron.’
    ‘All the more reason to be on your guard. Find out which barons you can trust–’
    ‘Why? Is the king going to assassinate me?’ Nitzane leant close. ‘Marantza’s death was no accident.’
    ‘She was attacked?’
    ‘No, the bridge collapsed.’
    ‘And you had someone inspect it for sabotage?’
    ‘What? No, I–’ Nitzane hesitated. ‘Marantza was the king’s heir. Our son is next in line to the throne after Charald’s son. The king had her killed.’
    ‘You could be right. But you’ve no proof.’ Sorne shrugged. ‘Come on.’
    He glanced around the corner of the tent. Luckily their departure hadn’t been noted. Zabier was distributing malachite pendants and giving the Father’s blessing.
    Sorne looked east, across the lake to the Wyrd city. Its white walls, towers, domes and minarets glowed in the light of the setting sun, reflecting in the lake’s still waters. From this distance the city looked pristine. You could not tell that a battle had just taken place here.
    The T’Enatuath were his people. Sorne had been raised to hate them and groomed to destroy them. It had taken him this long to undo Oskane’s lies.
    He hadn’t been able to save the city from the first onslaught, but perhaps he could save his people from King Charald.
     
     
    ‘W E’RE LATE. ’ E GRAYNE was not happy, but when they entered the empowerment dome, they found that everyone else was late, too.
    Good, Imoshen needed time to face her ghosts. To the others this was the dome where Egrayne helped young T’En uncover their gifts, but to Imoshen it would always be the place where she had been forced to execute her father.
    She’d done what she had to, to keep her choice-son and devotee safe, but it had killed something in her and it had been many years before that part of her recovered.
    As for the all-fathers, they had never forgiven her for killing one of them and the gift-warriors who tried to ambush her. She didn’t see how they would ever accept her as causare.
    ‘Good news,’ Egrayne said, taking the seat beside her.
    Imoshen blinked.
    ‘Two all-fathers have nominated themselves for causare. The brotherhood vote will be split.’ Egrayne grinned. ‘With the six all-mother votes, you’ll be elected.’
    Imoshen’s heart sank. ‘In recorded history there’s only been one causare, and she only held the position long enough to negotiate the accord with King Charald the Peace-maker. I’m a bit confused as to what exactly a causare does. If I’m elected, I’ll be authorised to work out terms with King Charald?’
    ‘No. The all-council will tell you what the terms should be. You take those terms to the king. If he refuses and the brotherhoods think you’ve failed, they can say they have no confidence in you as causare and nominate someone else. Then we vote again.’
    Imoshen frowned. ‘But the brotherhood and sisterhood leaders have to obey the causare.’
    ‘Not if they don’t agree. The causare represents us, she doesn’t rule us. We’re not Mieren, to blindly follow a king.’
    ‘You mean I’d have all the responsibility and none of the power?’
    She nodded.
    ‘Why would anyone want to be causare?’
    ‘Because someone has to do it. You’re the best person for the job. You’re a raedan and the brotherhoods fear you.’ She leant closer,