He received a reply the day after, offering to meet him the following night, a mere three days after his return to Jondar. During that time he found himself a great deal in Chiana's company, whenever she was not required for official duties. At her urging, he told her about the Cotti, describing the city, its people and customs. Each day she sought him out, usually at meal times or in the evenings, sometimes bringing the infant Queen with her.Kerra had grown into a chubby baby who laughed a lot and smiled even when she was asleep. He was glad that Chiana did not try to insist on spending the night with him, although she made it clear that it was still her wish. When she was not around, Jayon was, and Lirek visited to welcome Blade back. He exercised in the afternoon when the Cotti advisors were at prayer, and counted the days until he could leave. The advisors soon learnt of his presence from their spies, but Chiana met their demands to have him arrested with vigorous denials of his continued existence and dismissed the accounts of their spies as rumours or ghostly visions.Her acid mockery of their suspicions deterred further demands, and she feigned great distress at the mere suggestion that her husband was alive.
