Later that day, the slavers moved Saoirse and her group down to the seedling field to help Rebecca and her team with the care of the precious young plants.

White Cloud was overjoyed to see his wife safe and well but the two didn't get chance to talk for long as they were moved to opposite ends of the field. As always, Saoirse acted as go between.

"Rebecca agrees with me," she told White Cloud when she met up with him again. "She's going to get the word round in her group and then see if we can pass it on to the other fields. She's a wise woman, your wife."

She knew White Cloud felt even more uncomfortable talking to her in the seedling field. There was no cover at all and the slavers could easily see them talking. "We are not making escape plans, Saoirse. I've said no. Now get back to work before I call one of the slavers over myself!"

Reluctantly, she backed off. Rebecca hadn't agreed to help – she had only said that to convince White Cloud. But she wasn't put off, she could still get some of the others to help her and when they escaped she'd come back for White Cloud. Yes, that's what she'd do. Tonight.

#

Helena nearly jumped out of her skin as the door to the kitchen flew open and banged against the wall. Millicent stood framed in the doorway with a murderous-looking smile on her face.

"Get to work, healer. The master wants more of his sleeping potions made up ready for tonight."

Helena indicated several bottles ready on the table and smiled at Millicent wearily. "I thought he might," she said. Millicent strode towards the table and grabbed the bottles. "Is he sleeping better? The mighty Corrinus?"

Millicent gave her a sharp look. "If he wasn't, you'd be the first to find out," she replied.

"No more bad dreams?" Helena asked.

"No of course not!" Millicent snorted. "What's with all the stupid questions? Look, Elani, you seem like an intelligent enough person, make your own deductions from the fact that you're still alive." Millicent smiled suddenly and sat herself opposite Helena at the table. She folded her hands in front of her and tilted her head to one side. "Healer, you can make all sorts of potions and concoctions right?"

Helena frowned, puzzled. "Yes," she replied, deciding to just be honest. "I'm a healer of the Elani, what I know has been taught to me by great healers from generations back."

"I know it must be hard for you," Millicent said, changing the subject smoothly, "all alone in this cold, hard place with no friends or family, always wondering how they're coping without you." She sighed. "I just wish there was something I could do. Maybe, oh I don't know, find out some word of your friends?"

Helena didn't trust Millicent one bit but if she could hear from her friends, just to know they were all right, then, maybe, it wouldn't hurt to listen to the woman.

"What do you want from me, Lamya?" she asked. "You're scheming. Don't think I can't see it."

Millicent sat back in the chair and folded her arms across her chest. She stared at Helena and then briefly at the closed kitchen door. "Wouldn't the world be a greater place if only Corrinus never existed?" she asked.

"You want to get rid of Corrinus?" Helena said, surprised. "How can I help you with that?"

Millicent chuckled and shook one of the bottles of sleeping potions in Helena's face. "Simply make a potion," she said. "Strong. So he never wakes up. Do that for me and I'll see what I can do for you in return."

Helena's eyes widened and she stared at her hands, wondering. "Kill Corrinus? I couldn't! I mean... I'd be found out."

"By who?" Millicent asked, her eyes gleaming. "When he's dead there'll be a new ruler. Me. The aides are all too timid to oppose it."

So that was it. "You want me to rid this place of one evil simply to replace it with another. I see. All Lamya are selfish and greedy. The only way this place will ever be free from evil is when the Elani come back."

Millicent gave an impatient tut. "The Elani are already back," she said. "In the fields, in the towns. Slaves, that's all they'll ever be." She placed the bottles inside her gown and stood up to leave. She turned back to Helena. "I'll leave you here to think it over. You may just have to think of me as the lesser of two evils. After all," she said, "help me and I'll grant you your freedom."

And with that Millicent left the room, slamming the door shut behind her.

Helena held her head in her hands, her mind in a whirl. She couldn't kill. She was a healer! But, freedom...? Maybe that was worth giving Millicent what she wanted. After all, surely no one could be as bad as Corrinus?