AN: Ok, I have now completely and totally given up on trying to persuade this stupid site to give me section breaks (although I guess they mostly appeared ok in the last chapter in the end, since no one told me that they were missing). But anyway, I've now taken to indicating them with the words 'SECTION BREAK' in bold text, and I hope it isn't too jarring. I will try and sort this out for the next chapter!

Thirteenth day after Sun's Height, 30016 DC

'Thank you. I knew that you were capable and discrete.' The High Priest looked Tynan in the eye, and Ensa thought suddenly how similar the two of them were. The High Priest with his shaggy grey hair was like an old wolf; and Tynan too seemed tense and watchful.

She shook her head. Getting fanciful, she scolded herself.

The priest looked round all of them, his stiffly embroidered clerical robes rustling in a stately manner as he moved. 'I thank all of you. Few people could have managed as you did. Port Suthard will be a better city without Varturan in it.'

To Ensa's surprise, Emlyn cleared his throat a little hesitantly, and said, 'Sir, what will happen to him? To them?'

The older man's steady amber eyes caught the young fighter's. 'For the men, a short sentence of imprisonment and a fine. For Varturan – a longer sentence. As long as we can make it; perhaps lifelong.'

Ensa frowned. 'Not execution, sir?'

'He's being sentenced under Church law, not King's,' the High Priest explained, 'and we have no power to order anything above a term in prison. And even if we could, we would not exercise it, not even in this case. All life is sacred.'

Star shifted on her shoulder, bored, and Ensa reached up to stroke her. 'Hush.' She looked back at the High Priest. 'But what about smuggling animals like that fleet dog? Isn't that illegal under King's law?'

'Not in Wayrin,' the priest told her, solemnly. 'The Imaran line has always backed Church law with the power of the Crown; even now it's the King's magistrate that will judge Varturan, although we sentence him; so here it has never been necessary to make some things illegal under King's law.'

'That sounds appalling,' said Ensa, frankly. 'I could invent a better system than that before I was ten years old. What happens when King's and Church law disagree?'

'They don't,' the High Priest told her. 'That is why it always works out.'

'But –' Ensa began, and then bit her tongue. The High Priest was not a stupid man, and if he chose not to see her point, then it was useless to argue.

'Speaking of that fleet dog,' Tynan put in, 'how is he? And the other animals from that shop?'

The High Priest smiled, and some of his lofty solemnity relaxed. 'Recovering well. Would you like to see them?'

Tynan shrugged. 'Why not? Unless anyone has an objection?' He looked around his friends. They'd dropped Varturan and their other prisoners off at the temple of Koron, the Just Lord, as they returned to the city the previous day, but they had eaten a proper meal and got a night's sleep before coming back to the temple of Arcaren to report to the High Priest – he had known already about their success by then, although he had diplomatically failed to ask them how it had been achieved. Nearly everyone was stiff and bruised, but no one was nursing any more serious injury. One by one they all nodded or shrugged, according to their own natures. Nobody minded Tynan wanting to check on the health of the animals that they had rescued.

The High Priest opened the door and ushered them out into the vaulted corridor that ran through the temple, then led them deeper inwards, into areas that they had not yet seen.

Ensa looked around her with interest as they passed through the working areas of the temple. They had long since left behind the public areas – the brightly lit entrance hall and the main chamber of the temple, with its statues and altar – and the doors leading off the corridor they followed opened behind bustling priests and healers to show glimpses of offices, storerooms and other corridors and stairways. Ensa approved of the sense of order and purpose she could feel all around her and the way acolytes and priests stepped back as they passed, bowing reverentially to the High Priest. She glanced around the dignified old building with a smile. She couldn't see how Ali could be bored enough to drop to the back of the group and follow them up the hallway in a series of slow, droopy cartwheels, ignoring the scandalised glances of the clergy they passed.

The wizard was even more surprised when they came out through a sturdy wooden door into a green and shady garden at the centre of the temple complex. She'd thought of Port Suthard as only dusty and dirty, crowded with buildings in every direction. She hadn't realised that spaces like this one could exist, locked away from the streets. A series of slender trees were planted around the garden, their delicate leaves and branches rustling slightly in the faint breeze, and Ensa could smell the large-flowered roses that grew on dark, glossy-leaved bushes scattered through the area.

A number of green-robed clergy, mostly with the white band woven into their robes that indicated a healer, were clustered around the far end of the grassy courtyard, and Ensa could see a number of cages and hutches against the wall, in the shade of the trees. Most were open and she could see that the healers were occupied with the animals who must live in the cages the rest of the time. She hurried to catch up with Tynan and the High Priest.

SECTION BREAK

Ensa had instantly found something to be interested in, leaning over a wire-fenced enclosure with one of the healers and asking questions about the voracious velociraptors inside, but Emlyn found himself at something of a loose end. He looked round for Tynan and found the ranger squatting on his heels and scratching the floppy ears of the little puppy, which was wriggling under his hand and beating its tail back and forth enthusiastically. Now it had been cleaned and fed, its colouring stood out sharply. Although its coat was short and sand-coloured, the puppy had plumes of long, wispy, white hair running down the back of its legs and tail. With the sun shining gleamingly through them, they gave the impression of speedy movement even when the animal was standing still, yipping excitedly at Tynan's touch. What had the ranger called it? A fleet dog?

'He remembers you,' said the High Priest.

Tynan grinned as the puppy jumped up, planting its front paws on his knees, to lick at his face. 'He looks a lot better than he did a couple of days ago.'

'Of course, we have to decide what to do with him now,' said the priest. He was looking at Tynan speculatively. 'I could give you a licence, if you wanted…?'

Tynan looked up sharply and shook his head regretfully, getting back to his feet. 'I don't have the kind of lifestyle with room for a pet,' he said. 'Too uncertain, too dangerous and too uncomfortable. We're leaving town tomorrow, and I don't even know where we'll be in ten days time.'

The High Priest raised his eyebrows. 'You're leaving? A shame. I'm sure that a group as talented and competent as yours could find employment here. All kinds of people need things done sometimes.'

'We're leaving shortly,' Tynan repeated, firmly.

Emlyn frowned and opened his mouth, but Shadow – who had ghosted up beside him as if by chance – trod warningly on his foot. The young fighter jerked his leg away, throwing an irritated glance at the elf, but kept obediently silent. Whatever Tynan was up to, inventing plans for them on the spot, Shadow clearly knew what was going on.

'In that case,' said the priest, graciously, but with a hint of regret in his tone, 'there are just one or two things more we need to discuss before I wish you well.'

'Certainly,' said Tynan, courteously.

'The first is the fate of Varturan's amulet. I suppose you realise its potential for good in the right hands…?'

Even Emlyn could hear the hint in the High Priest's mild comment. He looked at Tynan, wondering what his cousin would think of the request for the amulet that had caused them so much danger to obtain.

But Tynan laughed. 'You can have it.' He looked at Shadow, and the elf frowned at him, before reluctantly lifting the leather thong holding the wolf's fang over his head and holding it out to the priest. Emlyn could see two or three strands of the elf's long black hair caught in the knot of the lace.

Ali, who had abandoned her acrobatics to listen to the conversation, was as disapproving as Shadow, but not as restrained. 'You're not giving it to him, Tynan?' the girl exclaimed.

Emlyn blinked and winced. How could she be so disrespectful to the High Priest? Let alone the fact that Tynan was undisputedly the leader and had the right to make decisions as he wished. For a moment he found himself happy about Shadow's haughty silence, and blinked again, this time in astonishment.

Neither Tynan nor the High Priest seemed at all put out by Ali's interruption. 'Why shouldn't I?' the ranger asked. 'I don't want it. I don't like compulsion enchantments.'

'You have more scruples than you have sense,' Ali declared. 'I think we should keep it.'

'Ali, shut up.'

For just a second, Emlyn thought that perhaps he himself had blurted out what was on his mind. Then he realised that it was Shadow who'd spoken. Emlyn glanced at him, surprised that their thoughts had been so much in tune. The elf ignored him, gazing at Ali with his customary lazy, superior look. There was no telling what he was thinking.

The amulet safe in his hand, the High Priest gave Tynan a slight bow. 'That is extraordinarily generous of you, and brings me to the very last thing I have to say. I know that your capture of Varturan cannot have been achieved without a great deal of difficulty and danger, ao I beg you to accept this in reinbursement.' From the wide sleeve of his ornate robe he drew a bulging moneybag and held it out to Tynan, who took it with a nod of thanks.

Again Emlyn frowned. He himself would have worried about taking the High Priest's money – as if they had only fought Varturan for the reward! And it had been an underhand and an unpleasant fight, which it would be better to forget about as soon as possible – but if Tynan thought it was all right, then he was probably right. Anyway, Emlyn comforted himself, they were leaving Port Suthard soon.

SECTION BREAK

The High Priest escorted them back through the temple and gave them Arcaren's blessing as they left. Ali grinned and scampered down the steps into the bustle of the mid-morning crowd, and the others followed her more sedately.

After the ceremonious and dignified atmosphere of the impressive temple buildings, the street was hot and noisy. Ensa drew her hood over her head as they walked down the street. It shielded her eyes from the glare, but it also protected her from some of the shocked and fearful glances.

Tynan led them down the main street at an easy pace, not trying to force his way through the crowd. When they had gone a decent distance from the temple steps, he stepped into a narrower side street and stopped, glancing around him. The occasional person passed them, but nothing like the crowd on the road just a few feet away.

'You heard,' he said. 'I think it's time to go. I don't want to get tied up doing errands for the High Priest. Next time we won't be so lucky. We'll split the gold, and move on. Back to the inn, collect our stuff, settle up. How does that sound?'

Ali shrugged. 'Fine by me.'

'Wait,' said Ensa. 'It's just occurred to me, Tynan, you pay for everything. Ever since I met you you've been paying for lodgings and food. You should keep my share of the gold. I owe you.'

Emlyn jumped. 'She's right! Tynan, how could you let me forget to pay you back?'

Tynan pulled a face. 'I've got the money. What else would I do with it?'

'That's not the point, Tynan! It's not right.'

Ensa nodded. 'We can't live off you. Keep our money.'

Tynan was weighing the purse in his hand speculatively. 'You mean that? You don't want the gold?'

'Yes,' said Emlyn, and the ranger nodded decisively.

'All right, then. Shadow, take this.' He handed the bag of coins to the elf. 'Ali needs a sword. Get her a decent shortsword, something reliable that she can learn to handle quite easily. She can go with you. Take Emlyn too. There must be a decent armourer in this city. Emlyn, I haven't told you yet, but I think you ought to consider switching to full plate mail. It'll offer you better protection, and I might as well train you with it as without.'

'What? Wait a second!' Emlyn was startled and off-balance. 'I mean – yes, Tynan it might be a good idea, but can we leave that for a minute? Tynan, when we said keep the money, we didn't mean for you to spend it on us!'

'In fact precisely the opposite,' Ensa pointed out, dryly. 'The whole point was that you have been spending too much gold on us.'

Tynan looked from one to the other of them. 'If spending money on you means you're around and able to watch my back when I need it, then it's just as good as spending the gold on me,' he said. 'Besides, I don't need it, and Emlyn and Ali do.'

There was a stubborn quality in Tynan's voice that told Emlyn that they weren't going to win this argument. Ensa obviously heard it too. The half-orc's head went up. 'Very well,' she said, in a tight, dignified voice.

'Good. Come on,' said Tynan, and led them back out into the crowd. They followed him in silence. Emlyn's blood was still boiling with the way Tynan dismissed his scruples, and he could feel that there was something unnatural about the stiff, upright way Ensa walked.

They hadn't gone far when they heard barking behind them. Emlyn was jolted out of his injured pride as he turned to watch a wave of disturbance run through the crowd, racing down the street towards them. Then the fleet dog puppy burst out of the crowd and bounced up to Tynan, plumy white tail excitedly waving as it barked, jumping up at the ranger's legs. Emlyn thought that the dog looked extraordinarily pleased with itself.

Tynan looked surprised for a moment, and then frowned, pushing the excited puppy down. 'No,' he said, sternly. 'I'm not taking you with me.'

'Oh, come on, Tynan,' said Ali. She laughed. 'How can you refuse him? He wants to go with you, look at his eyes!' It was true that the puppy, repulsed by the ranger, was sitting back on its haunches, staring up at Tynan with huge, soulful eyes.

'I said no,' Tynan said to it. 'I don't have the time or the energy. Anyway, it'd be way too dangerous to take a puppy into some of the places we've been.'

'He won't always be a puppy,' Emlyn pointed out. He looked at Ensa, for confirmation, but found that she was occupied in soothing Star, who didn't much like the look of the young dog. The rat had fled into Ensa's hood and was peering out from amongst the half-orc's stringy hair, whiskers twitching.

Tynan looked down at the puppy again, and crouched beside it, forcing passers-by to walk around the little animal. Emlyn could see that it still bore the marks of its stay in the squalid menagerie. Its ribs were pressed sharply against its skin, and he could see sores on its feet and belly.

'It's still shaky on its feet,' Ensa pointed out. Emlyn looked round at her and saw that she was looking at Tynan and the puppy even though she was forced to stand back for Star's sake. 'It must have been hard for it to run away and walk this far. Bring it along, Tynan. I think you'll have a hard time leaving it behind.'

'Whay are you all determined I should?' Tynan demanded. 'I am not looking after a half-starved puppy!'

'Why not?' Shadow muttered. 'You do when they've got two legs.'

Emlyn drew himself up furiously, Shadow's comment flicking at his already wounded pride, but Tynan glared at Shadow and stood up, scooping up the puppy in his arms, and starting to march back up the street towards the temple.

'Where are you going?' Ali called after him.

Tynan glanced back over his shoulder, still frowning. 'I'm going to need that licence.'