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plot. Since that brat cried out, there’s no way the guard will see us as innocent victims. The glasswrights are certain to be the first suspects. The only reason they’ve delayed so far is to muster troops.”
    Rumble.
    â€œNo, we must accept the cards the gods have dealt us. It was ill luck and blatant disobedience that led that merchant-rat to be in the Cathedral. She’s been a thorn in my side since I took her family’s money - I never should have kept her around. She’s too strong to bend to the good of the guild; she’s stubborn enough to break first, just to show who she thinks is mistress.”
    Rani’s indignation was so sharp that she almost stormed into the Hall. Only the rumble of the unheard speaker stilled her, his rumble and the icy fingers that closed around her heart at Salina’s dismissive tone.
    â€œContract be damned. She may have shown some promise with patterns, but she’s more trouble than she’s worth. Those merchant-brats almost always are. Now, the soldiers are certain to come looking for her - her guild insignia was perfectly clear, even if no one knows her by name. I saw it myself, on the cloak she left hanging on the cathedral’s side door. I instructed Brother Gatekeeper not to let her in - at least we’ll be able to claim that we don’t know where she is.”
    Rani’s skinned knees smarted, and tears stung her eyes. Guildmistress Salina was supposed to act as her mother; the woman had sworn she would love Rani as her own daughter. Even the chronic annoyance in the guildmistress’ voice would hurt less than her current dismissive tone.
    â€œI’ve got all the guild in the refectory for now - they know that Tuvashanoran is dead, and Instructor Parion is leading them in prayers for his soul.” The old woman’s grim laugh crept down Rani’s spine. “We may have planned a different messenger, but our missive has been delivered, all the same. Don’t worry, Nar-”
    Perhaps the guildmistress would have spoken three syllables, labeling her companion as a guildsman, or four, which would mark him as a soldier. Rani would not even have been surprised to hear five syllables spilled across the Hall of Discipline, denoting the conspirator one of the princely caste.
    She was not to learn the man’s identity, though. Before Salina could finish her sentence, a tremendous crash echoed down the Apprentices’ Corridor. The guttering candle flames all but died, and Rani tumbled back onto her heels, ignoring the stinging pain of her embossed knees.
    Steel-shod feet clattered against the stone flags of the discipline chamber, and leather creaked against mail. Rani heard Salina’s cry of outrage, and then a man’s bellow, cut off in a sickening, wet gurgle.
    Rani’s heart pounded in her chest like a chick pecking through its egg, and she clambered to her feet. What was it Salina had said? The guild was assembled in the refectory. Rani ran down the Apprentices’ Corridor, ignoring the fact that the breeze of her passing extinguished some of the dangerously low candles.
    The refectory - there would be companionship there. There would be other apprentices who would understand this most recent injustice. There would be Instructors who could explain to the soldiers, who could make everyone understand that this was all a horrible mistake.
    Rani never made it to the refectory, though. The soldiers moved faster than she had thought possible. She had scarcely reached the door to the Apprentices’ Corridor when a great monster of a man came crashing through from the Hall of Discipline. He bore a sword, and even in the dying candlelight, Rani could make out the sheen of sticky crimson on his blade. Surprising even herself, she screamed, and the soldier swivelled in her direction like a blind beggar.
    His sword swept across Lene’s altar, and Rani cried out as the carefully balanced offerings to the god