But what right did she have to keep the truth from Alcie?

Why did she assume that Alcie needed to be protected?

Edeard remembered an image of Alcie, the wound in his thigh.

Alcie closed her eyes and knotted the hand that didn't hold the baby into a small, tight fist.

Chapter 33 Alcie stood atop the wall, staring down at the river of smoke that filled the valley.

"I have to believe you'll survive this," Alcie said.

Alcie asked as he sniffed the kettle and stepped back, his eyes watering.

He knelt beside Alcie and started rummaging through his satchel.

But Alcie's words and her attitude kept interrupting her reverie.

Kait had explained it all to her before, but Alcie couldn't seem to understand it.

Kait and Alcie went down to meet her.

Pain, twinned with blood pumping out from a long gash in Alcie's thigh.

She looked beyond Alcie and saw the little boy holding his baby sister, and her mouth twisted into a cruel smile.

She heard no sound from Alcie.

Alcie thought her uncle was a diplomat-an elder statesman-a respectable man.

When Alcie stepped to the ground, Kait hugged her.

And how could she explain Dughall to Alcie?

This time, Edeard and Alcie will control one each, I will take the third.

Then Canan the carpenter arrived carrying an unconscious Alcie.

She stared into the fire, trying to find words that could make Alcie see why she had chosen as she had.

Alcie had had five children.

Kait and Alcie sprawled in deep chairs in the salon of her family's apartment, facing each other.

When Alcie flinched, she stopped.

She ran to the carriage in which Alcie and her children and Ulwe had ridden together.

Alcie nursed her baby and nibbled fresh greens pulled from one of the untouched herb beds on the grounds.