When Tahlia reached the soldiers, she ran along their front line, staying far enough away so that she could not be easily grabbed. None of them seemed inclined to stop her though, and instead they merely stood silently, watching her curiously as she ran towards the gate.

"As I have been explaining to you for the previous ten minutes," the Forge-guard was saying as she drew close. "You are not passing this gate until I am getting word from my Chief saying that you are invited to do so."

"But the Workshops must be searched," replied one of the Unit-leaders, his face an angry red. He wore the yellow and red uniform of Dolphus Chapter.

"And they may well be so, and with our every cooperation, but not before word is being received."

The gate to the fort's dark tunnel stood open, and as Tahlia reached it she dodged around the two Unit-leaders, and sprang through between the Forge-guards.

"Hold up there, girl," said the younger of the two guards. "You cannot be coming in here uninvited."

Tahlia balanced on the gate's threshold and spun on one grubbily naked foot to face the guards and the lines of soldiers.

"It is all right," she said to the young Forge-guard. "I come in here all the time."

The two Unit-leaders had also noticed her sudden appearance.

"That's Commander Kralaford's daughter," said one of them, the one wearing the yellow and red. "You're supposed to be confined to your room, young lady."

"That is where I am going."

"You are not through here," said the younger of the two Forge-guard.

"She certainly isn't," said the other Unit-leader, who wore the blue uniform of Asquith. "We have orders to return her to the fortress."

"Your orders are not being my concern," said the senior Forge-guard. "I do not care where this girl is supposed to be; only where she is not supposed to be."

It was then that Grifford arrived, closely followed by Dak, breathing heavily from her race across the grass.

"It is all right, Harev," she panted, her cheeks red, and sweat beading on her forehead. "She is with me."

"Ah, Tomova's daughter," said Harev. "Is she coming at your invitation then?"

"Yes," replied Dak, between gasps. "And her brother, Grifford will also be my guest."

Forge-guard Harev glanced at Grifford.

"And where is it that you are going?" he asked.

"I will be taking them to the upper guild-yard, which they will pass through to the fortress. Then I am going to my home."

"That is sounding to me like a solid idea. Very well. Follow on through."

He nodded at the open gate where Tahlia was still standing. Grifford and Dak stepped past the two Guards.

"Now, wait a minute," said the senior Unit-leader. "They should be given over to us."

"Sir!"

The soldiers who had followed them from the Enclosures had arrived, those dressed in the burgundyof Vikas. 

The Unit-leader acknowledged the Squad-man's salute.

"Have you new orders?"

"No, sir. We were after these children. We were searching the Enclosures when we heard a scream."

"A scream?"

"Yes, sir, from the gardens."

"Sorry, that was me," said Tahlia. "We were on our way here, and I was scared by an archapid."

"It was a very loud scream," said the soldier.

"It was a very large archapid."

The soldier looked at her, his mouth hanging open as though trying to form a reply, then turned back to the Unit-leader.

"When we came from the Enclosures we saw these children running over here." The Unit-leader turned a suspicious frown on Tahlia. "There is also a young boy lying out on the field. I saw this one strike him." He nodded his head at Grifford.

"Boys will be boys," said Tahlia, rolling her eyes.

"It looks to me like these children have some questions to answer," said the Unit-leader. "I demand that you hand them over to me."

"We have orders to take them directly to Sir Galder, said the newly arrived soldier.

"Well," said the younger of the two Forge-guard. "It looks like you are much sought after children. What are we to do, Harev?"

Harev scratched at his greying beard.

Tahlia glanced over the heads of the soldiers to where Gefry now lay in the grass, curled up and clutching his stomach. Tasker, Brefoir and Marcin had reached him, and the three of them stood watching the scene around the gate.

She elbowed Dak in the ribs.

Dak jumped, then followed her gaze to the four boys.

"They are my guests," she said hastily, turning to Harev. "And this is Guild land."

"Tomova's daughter is quite right," said Forge-guard Harev. "And I am sure the Order will be happy to know that Sir Kralaford's children will be safe in the care of the Engineers. They can pass through here to the fortress, where I am sure they will happily hand themselves over to the care of the guard stationed there."

"But we have orders..." began the Unit-leader.

"You do at that," replied Harev. "And I am sure you would like to carry out those orders without being burdened by having to return stray children to the places that they are required to be."

The Unit-leader stood, looking uncertain. Harev bent down to him and shifted the weight of the tall axe in his hand.

"Your jurisdiction is not here," he said. "But do not worry; they will be safe. You have my guarantee."

"Very well," replied the Unit-leader, looking up at the huge guard. "But if anything happens to them, it will not be me who stands before Sir Kralaford to explain the details to him."

Harev merely shrugged.

"That is good for you," he said. "Pass on through, children."

He motioned through the gate with his thumb.

"But, Sir! Sir Galder's orders..." began the newly arrived Squad-man.

"Quiet!" snapped the Unit-leader. "Send word back to Sir Galder. At least he will know where they are."

The soldier saluted, but the look he gave the Unit-leader was far from respectful. Tahlia smiled. It would not be him who would have to face Sir Galder.

With a final glance over at Tasker and his cohorts, who were still standing impotently out in the grasslands, Tahlia turned and hurried away up the slope of the dark tunnel, followed by Grifford and Dak.

"What are you going to be doing now?" asked Dak, once they were out of hearing. "More soldiers are certain to be waiting for you once you have passed through the upper guild-yard."

"It is all right," replied Tahlia. "We will not be going through the upper guild-yard."

"But how are you going to be getting into Klinberg?"

"I know another way."

"Where?"

"I will show you, but we have to get to your house."

"What are you talking about now!" said Grifford

"You will see," replied Tahlia.

"And what are you to do about Tasker?" said Dak. "He will still be looking for you."

"Let him look."

As they walked through the strips of brightness cast by the tunnel's glow-lights, Tahlia saw Grifford's empty hands clench and unclench.

It seemed that Dak had noticed her brother's discomfort as well.

"There are swords in my father's forge," she said. "You may take one of those if you think that you will be meeting Tasker again."

"There you go!" said Tahlia brightly. "That is settled then. Come on, we need to hurry."

* * *

By the time they had climbed through the fort's winding tunnels and entered the wide expanse of the lower guild-yard, Dak was surprised to see that the sky was the clear blue of morning. The yard itself was still shrouded by shadows, and she peered into its darkened corners, expecting hidden dangers. The place lay in near silence, broken only by the gentle ticking of the Engineer's clock at its centre. The rings on it indicated that it was almost five hours after the day's start, which meant that it was just after six o'clock by fortress time. As they passed beneath the clock there was a smooth whir, then a deeper clunk, and the steam whistles clustered above the gear-ratio globe sounded their notification trill.

Dak started at the sudden noise, though she had heard it countless times before.

"You are jumpy," said Tahlia as she stopped beside the steps of the clock and looked back at her.

"It is being threatened with death that can be doing that to a person," replied Dak, looking up at the clock, her hand clasped over her heart as the whistles blew their five resonant hour notes.

"Oh, Tasker is all bluster."

"I am not so sure this time," said Grifford. "I have not seen him that angry before. Even after he lost the riding-contests."

"Do not worry. He will get what he deserves."

"We still have no proof against him."

"He tried to kill us. Is that not proof enough?"

"Do not be reminding me," said Dak, her heart still hammering.

"We had better move quickly," said Tahlia. "Show us the way."

Dak looked around the empty yard.

"Are you not knowing the way?"

"I know the sneakiest way," replied Tahlia. "But not the quickest."

"There is the most direct route," said Dak, pointing to a narrow stair between two of the tall office buildings of the Guild-headquarters, which stood as silent as the rest of the yard, its tall windows firmly shuttered.

Tahlia ran up the stairsm, and Dak followed. Grifford walked by her side.

"I must be thanking you," she said, and she felt heat rise in her face.

Grifford looked up at her with a scowl.

"Why?"

"Because you were coming back for me."

"I had no choice." Grifford increased his stride and set off up the stair after his sister. "Don't fall behind again."

Dak felt her cheeks redden still further.

The stair led to a series of linked courtyards and terraces, where fountains stood and water trickled and splashed over cunningly crafted sculptures, which moved and tipped with its passing. The place was deserted, and the splashing of the fountains was the only sound. As they left the last courtyard and climbed further up the hill, they found the rest of the Workshops in equal quiet. Like the Headquarters building, windows were shuttered and doors locked.

"Why is it so quiet?" asked Grifford as they climbed from an alleyway and onto the neatly paved road that wound up the hill. "Do they not care what is happening?"

"They doubtlessly have not been told," said Dak, making every effort to keep pace with him. "It is not Guild business. That will be why the soldiers were having difficulties below."

"But the Workshops will be searched," said Grifford confidently.

"I do not know," replied Dak. "This is Guild land. The Order has no authority here."

"That is outrageous!" snarled Grifford. "What if our brother is here?"

Dak felt completely bewildered.

"Why would he be here?"

Ahead of them, Tahlia had stopped to look back at them. She was frowning.

"What is wrong with you?" snapped her brother.

"I do not know, said Tahlia, but she was still frowning, and looking at Dak. Then her features cleared. "Never mind. Come on."

She led them upwards, and Dak was breathing heavily as they climbed from a final alleyway, through an archway of decorated metalwork and onto the road opposite her father's workshop. She went to the trough that stood outside its front door, dipped her hands in the clear water, and doused her sweating face and neck.

Tahlia was already listening at the workshop door.

"Will your father be up?" she asked.

"No," replied Dak, wiping her hands on the front of her rough tunic. "That is doubtful."

She went to the door and opened it carefully. The room beyond was quiet and cold, the forge cleaned and silent, her father's tools all sitting straight in their racks, apart from those that had been knocked onto the floor that morning. Dak led Tahlia and Grifford through the strangely quiet room, a finger pressed to her lips, urging them to silence. The finishing-shop, with the stair that led up to the living quarters above, was equally quiet. It was clean and organised, just as she had left it. Rather than lead them up the stairs, she motioned them over to a rack beside the wall. On it were arrayed a selection of weapons, some complete, others rough and unfinished.

"My father is not really a weapon-smith, but he likes to keep his skills in practice; he is helping me with my learning."

Grifford looked critically at the rack of weapons; swords, axes, lance heads and rail-shields.

"These are all too big for me."

"Here," said Dak, pulling something from the bottom of the rack. "You could be taking this."

It was a short curved training sword, simple and unsharpened. Grifford took it, a look of reluctance on his face.

"I made the blade, together with my father, but I did the guard and grip on my own."

Grifford looked closely at the hilt of the sword. He took hold of the grip and gave the weapon an experimental swing.

"It will do," he said.

Dak felt pleased.

"And here," she said, pulling out a simple scabbard and belt.

Grifford took them and pushed the sword back into Dak's hands while he buckled them on.

"Come on!" said Tahlia urgently. "We have to go to your bedroom."

She was already at the stairs.

"All right," said Dak. "But we must be going quietly."

Grifford took the sword back from her and slid it into the scabbard.

As they climbed the stair and entered the workshop's tall living room, they were greeted with a loud rumbling growl from up above. Dak stopped at the top of the stairs, and the other two bumped to a stop behind her.

"What is it?" hissed Grifford in the silence that followed the growl.

Dak pressed her finger to her lips.

The growl came again, but this time it ended in a wheezing snort.

"It is father," she whispered. "We must be quiet!"

They sneaked across the room and up the spiral stairs to the balcony, accompanied by the deep snoring coming from her father's bedroom. The stairs gave barely a squeak, and they made it to her bedroom in near silence, apart from the occasional clunk of one of her heavy boots clipping a stair or falling too heavily on the wooden floorboards.

Dak could feel her face flushing red as she pushed her bedroom door closed behind them.

"What exactly are we doing here?" said Grifford.

"There is a way up to the fortress, but we have to go across the rooftops."

"One of your sneaky ways?"

"Yes."

Tahlia jumped onto Dak's bed and opened the latch that held the window closed.

"Wait," said Dak.

She knelt down by the side of her bed and reached underneath.

"What are you looking for?" asked Tahlia impatiently.

Dak pulled from beneath the bed, a bow with a quiver of arrows, and wrist bracer. She held it out to Tahlia, smiling.

"It is yours," she said. "I brought it back that day that the rains came. You will remember?"

"Of course," said Tahlia, taking the bow. "I had forgotten all about it. I have a new one now."

She looked closely at the bow.

"I dried it out all correctly," said Dak. "And Engineer Potchev fixed a new string."

Tahlia strapped on the bracer.

"This will make that oaf Tasker think twice."

"I hardly think that he will be scared of a hunting bow," said Grifford from where he still stood in the centre of the room.

Tahlia ignored him as she clipped the bow to the quiver strap, which she then slung over her shoulder. Then she turned back to the window, pushed it open and clambered through. Grifford shook his head without further comment and climbed out after her. Dak stood looking after them.

"Come on, Dak," said Tahlia from the rooftop outside.

"Am I to come with you?" asked Dak.

"Of course you are."

Dak looked at her bed, which she had barely slept in the previous night. Even though it was unmade and now covered in mud from Tahlia's feet and Grifford's boots, it still looked invitingly comfortable.

"Come on, Dak!" Tahlia called again. "Don't dawdle."

With a sigh, Dak climbed out of the window, after her friend.