“I never said I was a demon hunter.”
“Actually, you said you were a natural-born demon hunter.”
Tash looked irritated at that and stuffed more cheese in her mouth.
As the other women prisoners were being led away, Catherine was reminded of Lady Anne being led onto the scaffold. Women in chains, and always men holding the other end . . .
And thinking of Lady Anne reminded her of something else. Here at last was someone who might know something about demon smoke.
She said to Tash, “I’ve never really believed in demons. Can you tell me what they’re like?”
Tash carried on eating, eyes down.
“What do they look like, for example?”
“I don’t want to get myself into more trouble.”
“Well, you’ve already admitted to being a demon hunter. Anyway, if it’s just you and me, two ladies, talking, I don’t see how that can lead to any trouble. And I’m sure I can get you more food and water.”
“Freedom is what I need. For me and Gravell.”
“That’s a little harder, but I could get food and water to Gravell too, if he’s in the cells here.”
Tash looked up quickly. “He is. And they treat us all like sh—I mean, they treat us badly. They’ll send us to the gallows and we don’t do any real harm and Gravell is soft as butter at heart.”
Catherine couldn’t quite imagine a demon hunter being as soft as butter in any respect, but she nodded and said, “I’m sure he is.”
She turned to Ambrose and said, “Can you bring some milk? And bread and honey.” She turned to Tash. “Do you like honey? I love it.”
Tash nodded.
When the milk was delivered, Tash drank a large cup of it, wiped her mouth, and belched. Then she watched Catherine sip her milk and drizzle honey onto a torn piece of bread. Tash copied Catherine and sipped her next cup of milk slowly.
Catherine smiled kindly, but her mind was on how to get Tash to talk. Perhaps she should sound more like a potential customer.
“I’ve heard that you can inhale the smoke from demons. Do you do that too? Do you think I could try it?”
Tash looked alarmed. “You don’t want to do that.”
“Oh, why not?”
“It makes you silly and sleepy, and if you take too much you lose days of your life. Some can’t stop using it once they start.”
“And that’s its only use?”
“It’s warm. And beautiful to look at. All red and purple and orange, never stops swirling around. Like it’s alive. Gravell says it’s the demon’s soul that escapes from their mouths.”
And again Catherine was reminded of the sign Lady Anne had made. She’d done it for a reason. She’d looked at Catherine and made the sign and then looked at the king. Catherine had a sudden feeling that perhaps Lady Anne knew that her father was going to betray her. She felt dizzy at the idea, though somehow it felt right.
“You all right?” Tash asked. “You look a bit sick.”
Catherine nodded and tried to recover the conversation. “So the smoke is red and orange?”
“Yeah. And purple sometimes. It varies. But it’s all beautiful.”
“I’d love to see it.”
“The soldiers took ours.”
“There’s some here? In Rossarb?” She turned to Ambrose. “Can we get it from whoever took it from Tash?”
Ambrose summoned another soldier and spoke with him.
Tash sighed. “I suppose you’re going to throw me back in the cells now I’ve told you everything?”
Catherine smiled. Tash had hardly told her everything and she very much wanted to learn more.
“I can’t stop them taking you back there now, but I’ll do my best to help you get out. You have my word on that.”
* * *
It was late in the evening before Prince Tzsayn returned to the castle. Catherine knew he’d spent all day on the town walls and she had watched for his return from her rooms. As soon as he rode into the courtyard she ran down to intercept him, then slowed, smoothed her dress, and held her head high as she stepped outside.
“Good evening, Your Highness. May I speak with you?”
Tzsayn looked even more tired than he had done the night before, but he said, “Of course. Join me.”
He led her to a small dining room where a table was set and food was brought to them promptly.
“May I ask how the defense of Rossarb is going?”
“The walls are strong, but your father is tightening the siege. His men captured the road to the south today. Some of our reinforcements arrived before then, but not enough, and the rest have had to fall back.”
Catherine felt her chest tighten. “So we’re cut off?”
“I’m afraid so. All I can do now is try to hold out until further reinforcements get here. When Lord Farrow arrives with his men, they’ll cut through the siege lines and relieve the town.”
“How long?” she asked quietly.
Tzsayn puffed out his cheeks and ran his scarred fingers through his hair.
“Three days.”
“Can we do it?”
Tzsayn grimaced. “Aloysius’s men tried to storm the town walls twice today, once from the south, once from the west. We threw them back, killed a hundred men, probably, but lost a dozen of our own. Their army is growing all the time as Aloysius ferries more men over from Brigant. They can afford losses like that. We can’t. I fear we cannot hold the town and will have to retreat into the castle. We can hold that until Farrow gets here, I’m certain, although if Aloysius’s army occupies the town it will be a bloody business to dislodge them.” Tzsayn leaned back in his chair with a sigh. “But enough gloomy news. What have you found to occupy yourself today?”
“Well, that is why I wanted to speak with you.”
“And there I was thinking that you dashed down to meet me for my charming company.”
Catherine smiled. “Of course, that too, Your Highness.”
“Hmm, of course. So what is it you want to discuss?”
“I’ve been thinking about what my father wants. None of us have been able to guess his motive for this invasion. So perhaps it’s something we would have no reason to know about.”
“I’m afraid I’m a little tired for riddles.”
“My father bought some demon smoke last year. I found records of it in his accounts.”
“You think he’s been smoking it?” Tzsayn chuckled bitterly. “That would explain a lot.”
“No. My father never even drinks wine. But nor does he ever spend money without a reason, and this smoke cost him two hundred pounds. There’s something else too. I need to tell you about Ambrose’s sister and a place called Fielding.”
Tzsayn frowned but listened quietly as Catherine told him about Lady Anne’s execution and the signs she’d made and the boys at Fielding.
““Demon smoke’ and “boy’ was the message?” Tzsayn said. “I don’t understand how this could relate to your father’s invasion.”
“No, but if we knew more about the smoke then we might.”
“And how can I help? From my vast knowledge of demons?”
“Well, actually, there are two people in your custody with first-hand knowledge.”
Tzsayn’s face soured. “Demon hunters, you mean.”
“Yes. I met one of them, a young girl, by chance today. She knows about demons. I think she might shed some light on what my father is after.”
“You can have her brought to you. Don’t go to the cells.”
“I’ve spoken to her, but she won’t tell me more unless she’s free.”
“No.” Tzsayn shook his head. “She’s a criminal.”
“She can help. It’s a chance to find out what my father is up to. A small chance, I grant you, but it will cost you nothing to let her go.”
“Apart from the fact that she’s broken the law.”
“She’s a child. A royal pardon would, I’m sure, encourage her to share her knowledge.”
Tzsayn sighed. “And what’s to stop her running away once she’s out of the cells?”
Catherine spread her arms. “Run where? You just said yourself, we’re cut off.”
Tzsayn nodded ruefully. “Fine, she can have her freedom. And you can have her. Learn what you can. Perhaps it will help.”
“Thank you, Your Highness. There is her partner too, a man called Gravell.”
“No.”
“But he may know more.”
“A child I can just about pardon, a grown man I cannot.”