Wulfsen swore. "Take me to the men now."

"Of course. They're in the kitchen eating breakfast," Xavier said, stepping to the side.

Wulfsen hurried up the stairs to speak to the men.

Sileas watched Wulfsen leave in a hurry, wondering what was wrong.

"Bring me to this girl." Bai said.

Sileas left her rooms, heading for the healing room. She stopped dead and turned. "What name shall I introduce you by?"

"I'm The Flame." Bai said, absently flicking the red lock on the back of his head."

"The...Flame..." Sileas said with some disbelief. No. Difyr wouldn't question that at all. "You don't have...an actual name? I'm Sileas."

"Of course I have an actual name." Bai said. "But people call me the Flame."

"That might be okay when you're you, but for seeing Pinja, you  will need a woman's name that Difyr won't question."

"Fine, Fiammetta." Bai said.

Sileas let out a snort as a scoff. If he ruined his chance to get past Difyr, it was no skin off her nose.

"What, is that name already taken?" Bai asked.

"Not bloody likely. Most people around here have norma names, like Mary, Elizabeth and things like that."

"So names like Difyr, Pinja and Sileas are normal?" Bai asked.

"More normal than Flammetta I suppose." She thought for a moment. "Not that I know anyone else with those names."

"Fiammetta." Bai corrected. "You'll be the one to blow it if you can't get my fake name right."

Sileas blushed. "Fiammetta. Or Fi for short. Yes. That could work."

Bai nodded, then frowned. "I hate this spell."

"I do wish there was another way," Sileas commented, leaving her rooms to head for the healing room.

"Uh, wait." Bai said awkwardly. "I need somewhere more private to, er, change."

"Oh." Having been out to sea most of the time since the raid, Sileas wasn't entirely certain which room was which. "Let's go back to my rooms and you can use the bedroom."

"If you hear any screaming or crying- don't come in." Bai said, walking to Sileas's room.

Sileas made a small o with her mouth. Screaming or crying? Oh my. As she waited, she decided she had better find Oscar on her way through. Maybe Aunt Aislyn could watch him for her while she got everything straightened out. Sileas sighed. It was a shame really, she liked the little set up she had down here.

Bai loosened his collar and undid the top button of his tunic as he went into the bedroom. He was heard anxiously muttering an incantation. Moments later there was the clatter of his staff being dropped on the floor, a light thud of a body, muffled crying.