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A her breath

"All those ould vote no?" Valerius asked

Hands began to rise, scattered throughout the seated Senators A them furiously

"How many?" Bernard whispered

"They need thirty-six," she replied, still counting Thirty-two Thirty-three Thirty-four

Valerius added his hands to those raised

"Thirty-five," she hissed

"Those ould vote yes?" Valerius asked

Hands began to rise - and truan to howl

A wave of worried whispers washed up around Aan to turn One distant trumpet was joined by another, and another, and another The whispers became a murmur

"What is that?" asked a nal?"

The old gentleman patted her arrave He nized the standard Legion truions outside the southern wall of the city of Riva were sounding a call to arms

"They can't be here," Aave her a half s the sa with brisk, worried efficiency toward the aotten "They see us Let's prepare for the worst and hope for the best"

She took his hand and rose They were just leaving the theater when a young wo jostled roughly several ti, rather serious face and long, cobweb-fine hair of pale gold "Count Calderon!" Lady Veradis called "Count Calderon!"

Bernard caught sight of her waving hand and waded through the crowd, h by dint of purethe minor collisions that would otherwise have rattled her

"Veradis!" Bernard called He took the girl by the shoulders, a supportive, steadying gesture She was clearly shaken, her face pale, her eyes wide "What happened?"

"The First Lady, Count," she sobbed "It's chaos over there, and I can't find the Placidas, and I don't knohom to trust"

Bernard looked around for a er to an alley between two buildings, an eddy in the strea around them Bernard moved them over into the relatively quiet space, and said, "Slon, Veradis Slon What happened?"

The girl gained control of herself with a visible effort, and Aifted watercrafter The e torment to her "Your sister, sir," she said, her voice steady "Your sister's been taken Araris, too"