"Father!"
"What, what?" said Green, startled out of his reverie and stopping halfway up the steps to the porch. Suddenly something black and small launched itself at him and landed on his shoulder.
"Lady Luck! Why are you shivering so?"
"Better run, Dad!" said Grizquetr. "There's Miran coming out of the door! And soldiers behind him!"
He ended with a wail, "Motherr-r-r-r!"
The sight of Amra, Inzax, and the children being marched out between musketmen was enough for Green. He turned away and spoke softly but savagely.
"Keep your backs to them! Don't look back! We're far enough away in the dark so they might not recognize us. Especially in this crowd!"
A minute later he and the boy and the cat were looking around the corner of a large building. They saw the soldiers commandeer a rickshaw and put the prisoners in it. Then four of them walked behind the vehicle as it was pulled away.
"They—they'll be put in the Tower of the Grass Cat," said the boy, shaking with fury. "Oh, that devil Miran! That fat old devil! He's the one who's accused Mother of witchcraft! I know! I know!"
"He didn't accuse her," said Green, "but me. She's guilty through association with me. Well at least we'll know where they are for a while."