The shadow returned, wiping the childish enthusiasm from his face. “I hope not.”

But he was not sure. All the security he had known at Cambaron had vanished, and he was again the little boy who had thought a warm blanket a treasure in a cold world. It was not fair. Anger soared through her. “I promise that you’ll be safe now. Have I ever lied to you?”

“No, but sometimes bad things happen that no one can stop. I forgot that.” He straightened his thin shoulders. “But if you try hard, sometimes you can make it better.”

What terrible things had happened to him in these weeks that he had tried to make better? “Alex, are you-”

“Jordan was worried,” he interrupted. “He said you were in no danger, but last night after supper he rode up to the hills. I think he was watching for you.”

“Was he? I don’t see why. He was telling you the truth. I was quite safe, and Gregor and I didn’t have any grand adventures like you did.”

“You wouldn’t tell me if you did,” he said shrewdly. “You’d be afraid I’d be worried.”

Another flash of maturity. “Well, I’m anxious to hear all about yours.”

“When I have time.” He frowned. “Ana needs me now.”

She looked at him in astonishment. “The ravin?”

“Ana,” he corrected. “She helped save my life, you know. Now I have to help her.”

“I’m sure she has many people here to help her.”

His jaw set. “I have to do it.” He looked toward the tent. “There’s Jordan. Here’s the basin, Jordan,” he called out. “Shall I fill it with hot water?”

Jordan.

He was standing in the entrance of the tent looking at her.

“Jordan?” Alex demanded impatiently.

“Oh.” He tore his gaze away from Marianna. “Yes, please.”

“Come on, Marianna.” Alex ran toward a steaming kettle hung over a small fire outside the tent. He stopped and faced his sister. “Why are you just standing there?”

Marianna didn’t realize that’s what she was doing. At the moment she wouldn’t have been aware of fire pouring from the heavens. He was alive and well and staring at her as if…

What? She didn’t know. She didn’t care.

He was alive.

“All went well?” Her voice sounded breathless even to herself.

“No, but we got the boy. That’s what’s important.”

“Yes.” She must stop staring at him. Everything she felt had to be written on her face. “Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me for retrieving what I lost.” He paused. “How are you?”

“Didn’t Gregor tell you? Everything went just as you planned.”

“I didn’t ask how the plan went,” he said roughly. “How are you, dammit?”

Leaf-green eyes that could quickly change expression from cynicism to humor. She had lived for years with the toughness, sensuality, and dry wit that was Jordan Draken, and yet now everything about him seemed new to her.

He stiffened, his eyes narrowing. “Gregor wasn’t telling the truth. Something happened.”

Something of extreme importance to her but not to him. She shook her head. “It wasn’t pleasant seeing Nebrov again, but it wasn’t terrible either.”

“Marianna, help me.” Alex’s demand broke into her awareness. “Hold the basin.”

She hurried over to the fire and did as he asked. She kept her gaze averted from Jordan as Alex carefully ladled hot water from the kettle into the basin.

Jordan was behind her but not touching her. She had not heard him move but felt his presence with unerring instinct.

“Your hands aren’t steady,” he said in a low voice. “You’ll burn yourself.” Both of his arms reached around her, and his hands covered hers. “I’ll help you.”

His touch was warm and strong; the familiar scent of him filled her nostrils. She hadn’t been trembling before, but she was now. He had held her like this during that first moment of surrender at Dalwynd, and memories were flooding back. “I don’t need this.”

“I know.” His words were nearly inaudible. “But I do.”

Alex threw the ladle back in the kettle and took the basin from her. “Is that enough, Jordan?”

“No.” Then he glanced at the bowl. “Yes.” His arms fell to his sides and he took a step back. “Take it into the tent.”

“I’ll go with you,” Marianna said. She couldn’t stay here with him. She was too shaken and vulnerable, too aware of all the things of which she would have been robbed if he had died at Pekbar. “How did she become wounded?”

“The alarm was given as we were climbing down the wall. I told her to stay on the hill but, as usual, she paid no attention. She galloped down to bring us our horses.”

“She saved your life?”

“She is quite sure she did. In truth we had time to reach the hill, and I would have much preferred not to have been forced to worry about her as well as Alex.” He smiled. “But it was quite a splendid effort, and I think you may have to do another window of her. She appeared more Valkyrie than Galahad.”

“Who shot her?”

“One of the guards. I cannot put a name to him. We were in something of a hurry when we departed Pekbar.” His lips thinned. “But I made sure that whatever his name is, it would be immediately engraved on his tombstone.”

“But the ravin will recover?”

“Ana,” Alex corrected her as he moved toward the tent.

Jordan’s brows raised. “For some reason he resents the use of that title.”

“Why?”

“I have no idea.” She started to follow Alex, and Jordan fell into step with her. He was so close, his thigh brushed against hers as they walked. “You’ll have to ask him.”

“He may not answer me,” she said, troubled. “He’s changed.”

“Yes.”

“What happened to him?”

“I have no idea. He won’t talk about it.” He glanced at her. “And I wouldn’t ask him, if I were you. He’ll tell you when he’s ready to do so.”

“But perhaps it’s only… it may only be temporary.”

Jordan was silent.

“You don’t think so?”

“No.”

“You don’t appear concerned. They hurt him.”

“I’m concerned that they hurt him but not about the change. I know you regret it, but he’s stronger now and better able to defend himself.” He suddenly chuckled. “And to attack in turn.”

“Attack?”

“You’ll see.” He stepped aside and gestured for her to precede him into the tent. “Probably in the immediate future.”

She frowned in puzzlement as she entered the tent.

Gregor was kneeling beside a sheepskin pallet on which lay the ravin. Alex was moving brusquely about the tent, putting down the basin, gathering clean cloths from the table.

Gregor looked up and smiled at Marianna. “She is not badly hurt.”

“I’m very badly hurt,” the ravin corrected sourly. “I’m in great pain, and I’m having to put up with the most supreme indignities.”

“She is always bad-tempered when she is ill.” Gregor’s big hand gently brushed back a lock of hair from her forehead. “With a tongue as foul as a swamp bog.”

“How disgusting. And untrue.” She glowered at Marianna. “Why are you staring at me? Does it please you to see me weak and helpless?”

She did appear a trifle drawn, but her innate forcefulness and fire still burned brightly. “I will tell you when you display either of those qualities,” Marianna said. “At the moment I recognize only bad temper.” She glanced at Gregor. “And a tongue as foul as a swamp-”

“Enough. I’m surrounded by enemies.” She glared at Alex as the little boy dropped to his knees beside her. “No! Go away.”

He paid no attention as he dipped a cloth into the hot water.

“Jordan, why did I bother to save your life if I am only to be tormented by this fiend?”

“Bad judgment?” Jordan suggested.

Alex untied the bandage on the ravin’s shoulder to reveal a puckered, swollen wound.

“You will not touch me,” she said forcefully.

Alex carefully dabbed at the edge of the wound.

Ana went pale, her teeth biting into her lower lip.

“Gently,” Gregor said quickly.

“He does not know the meaning of the word,” Ana said. “Every four hours he descends on me and puts me through this torture.”

Alex’s jaw set. “Jordan says it has to be kept clean.”

“I’ve had enough of it.” She glared at him. “Get out of my tent!”

He continued to dab at the wound.

“Gregor, pick him up and carry him out of here.”

Marianna took a protective step forward.

“No.” Jordan placed his hand on her arm, stopping her.

“He appears to be doing no damage,” Gregor said. “Someone must do it, and I do not believe you would strike a child.”

“He is not a child. He’s a demon.” She gasped as the hot water touched the torn flesh. “And he will not stop.”

Alex paused a moment in his ministrations and then turned to Jordan. “I think you all should leave. She’s trying not to weep and will be ashamed if you see her weakness.”

Marianna stared at him in astonishment.

“You’re the one who is going to leave,” Ana said.

Alex turned back to her, glaring fiercely into her eyes. “I stay. They go. It has to be clean.”

The ravin’s eyes widened in shock.

“Ana?” Gregor asked.

“Oh, very well,” she said grudgingly. “You might as well leave. He obviously will show me no mercy.” She glanced at Gregor. “You stay. I must have someone to protect me.”

“I am not sure I am in a mood to protect you. Before Alex told me you had been shot, I was ready to do you violence myself. I did not like you going behind my back and putting a price on Costain’s head.”

“They killed him?” she asked eagerly. “Who?”

“Niko.”

She smiled with satisfaction. “Good.”

“Not good. You will not interfere again in my concerns.”

“It was my concern also. You are my subject, and therefore it was my duty to protect you.”

“Ana.”

“Oh very well. What does it matter? He is dead now anyway.” Her glance shifted warily to Alex. “You should take heed, boy. If you hurt me, I may put a price on your head too.”