Bridget ban considered that. “Ye should ne’er hae needed to lay such plans. Ye should nae hae brought her into the Triangles.”
Ravn shrugged. “You would not come to help me rescue Donovan.”
“Donovan!” The Red Hound turned to Méarana. “And where be your father in a’ this?”
The harper turned her chin up. “He went with Gidula to attack the Secret City.”
“And ran out on you again, abandoned you defenseless in the stronghold of our enemy.”
Little Hugh coughed. “Sure, it seems that Méarana has an embarrassment of defenders.”
“Which Donovan could nae hae kenned!”
“Could he not, then?” Little Hugh cocked his head. “He knew Gwillgi was near, and he nodded to me when we passed on the market square.”
“He nodded … Oh, now there’s proof!”
“Mother! An cuid I ken the safest course, so cuid he. He had to take the chance that you were nigh.”
“An cuid he tak a’ the chances he mought—but nae wi’ me bairn’s life!”
“It was my idea,” Méarana said quietly in Standard Gaelactic, “to come here.”
Ravn clapped her hands together and rubbed them. “Excellent. Now family quibbles wrapped away, we discuss your escape. Consider fortress staff. Many loyal to Gidula; many loyal to Padaborn. Many loyal to Gidula because they think him loyal to Padaborn. Everything so crisscross, is hard to plan double cross. Guess which he leaves mostly behind?”
“Padaborn’s partisans,” said Little Hugh.
“Guess wrong.”
Bridget ban’s eyes widened and she stared at Ravn. “It’s an ambush. He took Padaborn’s partisans because he intends that they die in the Secret City.”
“Yayss. He needs rebels to perform triage on the Names; but once he need them no longer, he dispose of them, too. So, attend me. This is our play. Night is fully fallen, no? And your sabotage of the comm. center will not look like sabotage?”
Graceful Bintsaif snorted. “Dead rats lie where they gnawed through the circuits. And no one will know the fliers are inoperable until someone actually tries to start one up.”
“Not for several days, then, for Gidula ordered the stronghold buttoned up. Good. No one saw you enter; let no one see you leave. ‘Philosopher,’ you will present your scheduled lecture. In half a Terran hour, yes? The ‘theatrical troupe’ will retire for the night and leave in the morning as planned.”
“And the two dead bodies?” asked Bridget ban.
“Even those magpies loyal to Gidula do not know the depth of his betrayals. I will call them together and tell them that Khembold Darling, ruled by his lust, had tried to violate Méarana Swiftfingers, despite her status as my vassal and despite Gidula’s assurance of her safety. Magpie Two Gidula, discovering his plans, tried heroically to stop him, but he stabbed her treacherously in the back, and it was only then that I happened on the scene and slew the traitor.” Ravn took in her listeners and smiled. “Those privy to Gidula’s thoughts may think this be Denmark and smell something rotten in it, but all others applaud how clayver I lie.”
Domino Tight nodded slowly. “The best cozening is that which sails close by the truth. They know Khembold’s reputation and Two’s fierce loyalty to her master. And those privy to Gidula’s intentions will take your reappearance to indicate his change of heart.”
Ravn nodded. “Gidula is slave to sentiment.”
Bridget ban folded her arms. “And what would make more sense than that you should then depart with Méarana to catch up with Gidula?”
“Precisely.”
But the Red Hound leaned forward. “Except that will nae happen. Do you think me daft, to entrust my daughter to your care? She will depart with me, and we will heigh directly for the Periphery. One of my costume coffers has been fitted out for just that purpose.” She turned. “Have you heard, Graceful Bintsaif?”
“Aye, Cu.”
“Tell the others, then.”
“Two on Tungshen,” the junior Hound suggested.
“Yes, heard and noted. Go, now.”
When the door had closed once more, Ravn Olafsdottr said quietly, “There was no truce on Tungshen.”
Bridget ban grimaced. “A hazard of the game. Disposition?”
“The one called Matilda of the Night escaped with the body of Cŵn Annwn. No confirmed kill.”
“If Matilda got her into a meshinospidal in time…,” suggested Little Hugh.
“Ah,” said Gwillgi, “but our new friend Domino has access to something even better, do ye not, Domino Tight?” Then, to Bridget ban and Little Hugh, he explained, “I was tagging yon wean as an up-and-comer in the Shadow War. One day I saw him blown to something very much like gelatin. Ah, you never saw a leg bent in more directions than his. And two days later, there he is, hale and feisty enough to turn the tables in a Shadow fight on his very own.” He turned to Domino Tight. “Ever since, I have been bursting to ask you how that was done.”
The Shadow shifted in discomfit. “This was not in our agreement.”
“Sweet Domino!” said Ravn. “Your very appearance so soon after your death spoke more clearly of those Vestiges than any admission you might make.”
“You should not tell them of the Vestiges,” he said, pointing to the Hounds.
“Dominoo! You should noot have toold me!”
“They are secrets guarded by the Technical Name.”
“But we are to overthrow the Names, no?”
“Perhaps … I have begun to wonder…”
“Wonder what, my darling Domino?”
“There is talk of targeting the Committee but not the others. And I began to wonder why.”
“Sure,” said Bridget ban, “and is that not obvious? The whole affair is but a power struggle among the Names.”
Both Shadows looked at her. Ravn ran a hand through her stubbly hair. “To me, that became clear at the Pasdarm on Ashbanal.”
“Yet you continue to fight?”
“It is something to do.”
“What of these Vestiges? There are supposed to be seven,” Bridget ban suggested.
Domino Tight bit his lip, shook his head. “Tina Zhi never said what the others were. Only that her college was tasked with maintaining the secrets. I have to wonder now if she revealed what she did as a calculated act.”
Ravn sucked in her breath. “You spoke her name aloud.”
“Yes,” said Domino Tight. “I did. When Gidula and his allies reach Dao Chetty, they will expect to find me there. If I am missing, they will suspect discovery or treason and fold the play. So I knew when you pulled me from my post I might need to return there quickly, and I made arrangements with Tina Zhi.”
Ravn sprang to her feet. “Quickly, my sweets. We must leave this place.” Méarana had time to say no more than, “Why?” when a pinpoint of light appeared in midair and expanded rapidly into a whole person, dusky complexioned, with a long nose and high cheeks, and garbed in white and silver. Her hair was clipped short and dyed silver to match her jewelry.
She spread her arms and cried, “I have come, my—,” but then she saw others in the room. She glanced at shenmat-clad Ravn Olafsdottr and the body of Number Two. She glanced at Bridget ban, Little Hugh, and Gwillgi and said, “Hounds!” Last, she glanced at Méarana and said, “Ah!”
“Worry not, my beloved,” she said to Domino Tight. “I will rescue you.” And with that she reached out, and with her disappeared Domino Tight.
“Quickly!” cried Ravn. “Out! Out! Out!”
Hounds knew how to retreat as gracefully as attack. Only Bridget ban held back for a moment, scanned the sitting room, and set her mouth in a grim flat line before Ravn Olafsdottr shoved her forcibly from the room. The Shadow slapped the door closed behind them.