“Come with me,” she said. They left Cael sitting on the hall bench and opened the door. The warlords were still arguing. “Apologies won’t stop them!” Thegan said forcefully. “He’s prepared to sacrifice any number of his own people to take his revenge — do you think apologising would make any difference to him?” Sorn coughed politely and he whirled, impatience clear on his face. “My lords, councillors,” Sorn said. “This is Martine, a stonecaster who lived formerly in this city. She has a suggestion.” “Well?” Thegan said, pre-empting Ranny or Garham’s right to speak first. Garham’s face closed in with anger, and somehow that bolstered Martine’s courage. “In Turvite,” she said calmly, “we bespell the doors of stonecasters’ houses, to prevent ghosts from entering.” “Can you bespell the whole city?”
