The Telastrian Song by Duncan M. Hamilton Page A

wife and child. The other reason for coming, to leave Alessandra in the safety of Ranph’s family’s care, was something he wanted to discuss with Ranph first, so Soren needed to wait until she was out of earshot. Explaining it to her would not be a pleasant task.
    Soren had no immediate answer for Ranph. He knew Ranph, and he knew what his response would be when Soren told him that he was going back to Ostenheim for a final reckoning with Amero. He would realise that Soren had come there looking for help and had only changed his mind when he saw Ranph’s son. Soren couldn’t allow that to happen. Not now.
    He needed to know that Alessandra was safe while he was in Ostia, and he would use this to make Ranph think that was all he had come there for. He had never been particularly good at dissembling, especially not to friends, but needs must.
    ‘We had to move on again, and we hadn’t been to Venter yet. Then we heard you were here, so thought we’d call.’
    Ranph gave Soren a sideways look, and glanced over at Alessandra. He obviously realised there was more to it than that, but he also knew Soren well enough not to dig for further detail.
    ‘Well, I’m glad you did. It’s been too long, and it’s such a relief to see you both safe.’
    The door opened again, and a strikingly beautiful young woman walked in. She was tall and slender, with dark curly hair and a faint dimple in her chin. She was wearing riding dress. Soren presumed that she was Ranph’s wife, Sara.
    Ranph stood when she came into the room, and, almost forgetting his manners, Soren followed suit.
    ‘Sara,’ Ranph said. ‘This is an old friend of mine from Ostenheim, Soren.’
    Soren could see that she instantly recognised his name.
    ‘I’m pleased to finally meet you,’ she said. ‘And who’s your lovely companion?’
    ‘This is Alessandra,’ Soren said.
    ‘Oh, you managed to find her. The way Ranph tells the story of breaking you out of a dungeon to chase after her is terribly romantic. I’m not sure if I actually believed it until now.’
    She made her way over to Alessandra, who had also stood up, and embraced her like they were old friends.
    ‘How long will you be staying with us?’ Sara said.
    ‘I hadn’t really thought about it, to be honest,’ Soren said. ‘Not long though.’
    ‘Sara, why don’t you take Alessandra and show her about the house. I suspect she’d like to meet Rikard also,’ Ranph said.
    Alessandra nodded and smiled, and Sara took her by the hand and led her out of the room, the two chatting happily.
    ‘She’s looking well,’ Ranph said, as soon as the door closed behind the women.
    ‘Yes, she always does,’ Soren said. ‘We had a nasty run in with someone in Voorn though, and it’s taken its toll on her; she’s still a little downcast over it, but she seems to be getting better.’
    ‘Really? What happened?’
    ‘I took her to the theatre in Voorn. Thought it would be a nice surprise and that we wouldn’t have the opportunity for anything like that again for a while. We met the Ostian ambassador, dal Lupard. He knew Alessandra. From before…’
    ‘Ah. Dal Lupard’s a nasty piece of work; the Ventish hate him and are looking for any excuse to boot him out of the country. They suspect he’s spying on them, which he probably is. He was an Intelligencier back in Ostenheim before he won Amero’s favour during the pogroms after Amero took control. Got himself a landed title but he fell out of favour along the way, which is why he was sent here. I wouldn’t give him another thought though; the Ostian exiles hate him even more than the Ventish. If they don’t deport him, like as not he’ll be found with his throat cut in an alleyway. No more than he deserves.’
    Soren let out a chuckle, only partly forced. ‘I got that impression. I had words with him; Alessandra did too, and we got an ovation as we left the theatre because of it. Look, before they come back in, there’s something I need to