Ceren gratefully accepted a cup of fruit wine from Sitara as she sat with Keisara Fideima in the uppermost room of her tower. The presence of the keisara and her servant, surrounded by finery, soothed Ceren's frayed nerves. In this room, she felt a sense of solid dependability. No matter how bad things got, evil could not penetrate here.

She mentally checked her posture and facial expression, a habit long perfected in her father's court in Agoraeun. Today she needed that skill to ensure she maintained an expression of calm.

When she had returned to her rooms in the Freyarr Palace, she'd allowed herself a few minutes to weep, to shriek, and to throw things around the room. Her memories of events were cloudy, but clear enough for her to know what she had done.

The worst part about it, the thing that terrified her to the very core, was how much she had enjoyed some of it.

"Ceren, I'm so glad you came," Keisara Fideima said. "What can you tell me of events in the city?"

Ceren updated her on efforts to quell the riots and restore order. She also spoke of Tanathos's escape and the lack of success in tracking him down.

Keisara Fideima walked to one of the huge windows that looked out over the city, rubbing at her arms as if chilled. "To think such an evil man is still at large, maybe even still in the city."

"I do have one piece of good news."

"That would please me greatly."

Ceren leaned forward, and the keisara seated herself in an overstuffed chair next to Ceren.

"We captured one of the conspirators."

"Who?"

"I can't say his name, but he was hidden right here in one of the palaces, disguised as a servant to one of the ambassadors."

"No!" Keisara Fideima breathed excitedly. "To think he could."

"Oh, yes. We're convinced the young man played a key role in the conspiracy. The Sentinels are going to interrogate him later today." She leaned closer. "They expect he'll reveal names of other conspirators. This could be the beginning of the end for all of them."

"How did you take him?"

"Kevlin figured it out."

The keisara leaned back in her chair and said thoughtfully, "I must meet this man Kevlin. He sounds like a rare fellow. Do you know him well?"

Ceren felt her cheeks flush. "Yes, Your Majesty. I know him quite well."

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Sitara listened to the conversation with growing panic. It had to be Remiel Lady Ceren was talking about. If he was indeed taken, then her life was forfeit. He would reveal her and Masego, unless their master's curse destroyed him first.

Worse, Lady Ceren appeared totally normal. Despite careful observation, she detected no traces of her efforts to tamper with Ceren's mind. It was as if everything had been wiped clean.

She was tempted to explore Ceren's mind again. Omolara was not in attendance, so there was little danger of being discovered. A foreboding of danger warned her against it. She'd survived this long only by obeying that sometimes-subtle instinct. No, she would not dare Lady Ceren's mind again.

What to do, though? Everything was falling apart. Masego's power enslaved her and prevented her from fleeing or turning against him. What would happen once they broke Remiel's mind?

Harafin would come for her.

That thought terrified her so deeply, she nearly forgot her place and sank into a chair. Only with a focused effort did she maintain her silent place near one of the large windows. The two ladies were so engrossed in their conversation, she might have been able to sit without either of them noticing, but she couldn't take the chance.

She had to act. Her life was in danger, but so too was Remiel's. Their fragile new understanding made her worry for him perhaps more than he deserved. She needed to believe they could escape the life of slavery they'd both fallen into.

Having learned of Bajaran's infidelity had left her feeling shaken and unsure, where before her love for him had been her one sure rock. Who could she trust? Who could she turn to now that the world was turning against her?

If only Ceren's mission had been successful. Winning Kevlin to her side would have been the key to changing everything, but had she even made the attempt? Could Kevlin still be swayed?

Sitara tried to consider the situation from every angle, tried to drain the emotion from her thoughts, with only partial success. No matter how she viewed it, she came to the same conclusion.

She had to free Remiel, or all was lost.

Sitara dismissed immediately the thought of trying to do it herself. From what Lady Ceren was saying, security was incredibly tight. Only a trusted person, a person with absolute authority could command the release of Remiel.

Who had such authority?

The answer was so obvious it took her another minute to figure it out. She turned her attention on the two chatting women. She couldn't touch Lady Ceren's mind. The more she thought of it, the more she was convinced someone had discovered her tampering and broken the spell. Worse, they might have embedded some kind of mind trap against the possibility of her trying again. Masego had warned her that such things were possible.

No, Lady Ceren couldn't help.

Keisara Fideima could.

Sitara breathed slow and deep, calming her mind. She'd gently influenced the keisara in the past through impressions and dreams. That disastrous experiment had nearly resulted in her capture. If she did this now, she'd have to run with Remiel. The truth would be revealed all too soon, and then Harafin would come. She shuddered to think of the dreadful Sentinel chasing her down.

She spent the long minutes while the ladies chatted considering her plan and trying to work out the details. She needed to free Remiel, and she needed to position Kevlin in such a way that he would be forced to help, whether or not he decided to join her revolution.

If she hesitated, death lay at the door. Again, Harafin would appear, even sooner, to take her away.

With her mind made up, Sitara opened herself to the power of darkness. It clawed into her soul eagerly and filled her with its filthy power. She drank it in. The time for hesitation was far past.

She re-filled the ladies' glasses. When Lady Ceren paused to drink, she focused her power as her master had taught her, and struck at the keisara's mind.