We remained silent a good while after they had gone.
“Well, on the whole I think that went rather well.”
Kerral laughed at my shabby attempt at humor, a couple of the others snorted laughs but couldn't make them stick.
“Hettar! Are you all right?” Larner called out to his fellow battle mage.
“Not good.”
“What do you make of it?”
Hettar reappeared at his door, pushing his head through the hole and turning to look down the corridor at us. The old man's nose was broken and blood covered his face. “He's crazy, one way or another.”
“Is he acting do you think?”
Hettar shook his head after a moment's consideration. “No. He's been broken some way. Broken and remade.”
“Does anyone know the name Kukran Epthel?”
Lots of shaking heads sticking through doors. I tried not to laugh, wondering if my humor was a hysterical reaction. This wasn't going to go anywhere good for any of us. “I guess the chances of ransom are minimal.”
Another laugh from Kerral. “Well, we still have our health.”
That got them. “And our sanity,” Sheo chipped in, his laughter sounding slightly mad.
The laughter didn't last long. It couldn't.
“I assume we are all agreed not to tell them anything?” Larner was looking at me.
“I was trying to calm him,” I snapped. “Sorry. Look, Meran became a friend. I don't know how that happened exactly but I treated him shabbily for years and he did a good job anyway, looked after me, was always ahead of my needs so I never had to ask for anything. Hell, I liked him and I wanted to do something for him just in case… Well, this happened.” I fell silent and no one commented. It hadn't done him much good, I reflected. No freemen sons or daughters to follow him. “Do you think they killed everyone?”
“I wish they had,” Hettar spat.
I nodded agreement. It would be better. My sister would continue the family name; father could still have other sons. Better if I were dead. If I were I wouldn't have to live through what was doubtless to come.
“I'm going to sleep,” I said and pulled my head back into my cell.
“Good luck with that.” It was Sheo, but I was done laughing for now.