It went by in a sort of grey blur, and the words and presences of the others were no more than vague shapes at the corners of my perception. They were all very kind, of course. But it was an effort to speak, an effort to eat, and I longed for night to come and to be left in peace. At last that time came, and I was left alone on my bed by the stove, my eyes wide open against the dark, my mind beginning to flesh out a plan. I could not ask the outcasts for their help. This was their haven; I had no right to ask them to endanger their lives for me. I could not send messages to Emilia or Lucian for help – I had to assume that Belladonna would have spies watching my friends. I had to do this alone, which meant that I’d have to leave here once I had talked to the Prince and seen if he had any information for me and, after that, as soon as I could walk properly. I would make my way to Sarmest – it couldn’t be too far, as Rasmus had been gone no more than four hours that morning, and he’d done a return trip – and from there I would take the coach to the port.
