"Four!" Daveen cried.

And Kesley began to understand.


XVI

"You know, now?" van Alen asked.

Kesley smiled wanly. "This isn't the first time we've had this discussion, then."

"No. The last time, though, you had no knife."

"If I had known who you were, I'd never—"

"Certainly," van Alen said. "You're not to be blamed."

"May I go?" Daveen interrupted suddenly.