The Royal Wizard

Momsdarksecret

Chapter 1: The Bonds of Friendship "Kieran!" Tanaka Trasker, called Tank by his friends, burst through Kieran's door without knocking. "Guess what?" Kieran, seated at his small desk, swiveled around in his chair. "Um You've learned to open doors without touching them?" "No! Anyone can do that." Tank paused and his eyes narrowed. "Are you teasing me?" Kieran suppressed a grin and regarded Tank with a blank expression. "You are!" Tank accused. He burst out laughing and flopped down on Kieran's bed, wrinkling the carefully smoothed coverlet. "Everyone thinks you're so serious, but you're always making jokes. Anyway, what I came to tell you is that I invented a new spell!" "You're always inventing new spells," Kieran replied. "The last time I was in your lab you had about a dozen under development." Tank waved it away. "Yeah, but most of them are worthless. But my new one is great. It's a locator spell. It can find anyone or anything." Kieran blinked thoughtfully. "That does sound useful. Far-seers take forever to locate things sometimes." "That's right!" Tank agreed, nodding vigorously. "There's only one drawback. I haven't figured out how to make the spell signal back when it's found the target. Right now, it just disappears in a puff of blue smoke as soon as it comes in contact. That's fine if what you're looking for is nearby, but no good if it's far away. I'm still working on that part, but I have an idea that may work."

He slid off the bed and, at Kieran's pained look, turned around to smooth the coverlet. "I'm planning to use this spell for my final exam. If Professor Nakayama approves it, I'll get my robes. I already passed the oral test." Tank turned back to Kieran, his face shining. "My family will be so proud of me. I'll be the first Trasker ever to make royal wizard." "But probably not the last," Kieran said. "Your children will undoubtedly end up in the Wizards Hall one day." "Thanks!" Tank beamed at him. "Anyway, I just wanted to tell someone. I'll quit bugging you now." He bounded out of the room. Kieran turned back to his desk, shaking his head. Tank's enthusiasm for wizardry was refreshing. So many wizards were dour and serious all the time, but Tank found the process of discovery and invention endlessly exciting. Kieran was glad Tank had applied to become an instructor. His infectious passion for magic would likely turn out some of the best wizards the Hall had ever seen. Most of the students in Kieran's class had already passed the oral exam and were working on their practical demonstration to receive their robes, just like Tank. Any student who passed the oral exam automatically became a wizard, but only those who demonstrated exceptional skill during the practical exam became royal wizards. Only Tank knew that Kieran had already taken his practical exam. He had used a refinement of his suppression spell as his final demonstration. Kieran had first created the spell when he was just a third year student with only a few months of formal training in the Wizards Hall. Back then, the spell indiscriminately suppressed the powers of every wizard within a certain radius. Kieran had since refined the spell so he could target specific wizards and apply the spell over greater distances.

After the demonstration, when the testing wizards had congratulated him and said that he would be awarded his robes, they had then informed him that his suppression spell had been declared a restricted spell and he was told he could only use it with the express permission of the king. Kieran had not been surprised. Although Lord Gavilan had been adamant about keeping him in the Wizards Hall, Kieran had never quite escaped his reputation as a potential rogue wizard, so he had always been very circumspect about demonstrating the full range of his powers. A gust of wind swirled through the open window and turned the pages of the book Kieran had been reading. It was a beautiful day. Sunlight sparkled on the water and dozens of boats could be seen splashing through the waves. Kieran closed his eyes and focused on the bond connecting him to King Edouard through the spell that protected the king from magic. That spell was just as strong now as it had been when Kieran cast it six years ago; a fact that had many in the Wizards Hall whispering again. It was normal for a spell to fade over time, even a very powerful one. But no one had been able to detect even the slightest change in Kieran's spell. While some people speculated that this was just another sign that Kieran was a rogue, Kieran wondered what they would say if they knew the real truth. Which would bother people more: the idea that his spells did not fade or the knowledge that he had been holding the spell in place, waking and sleeping, for six years? The old herbalist and possible rogue wizard who had first instructed him in magic, Ma Bricker, had once told Kieran, "All spells fade, it's just a fact of life. The magic leaches away. If you want a spell to be permanent you have to hold on to the end of it when you cast it. If you do that, the spell will last until you let it go or die."

"How many spells can a wizard hold that way?" Kieran had asked. "Don't know!" Ma Bricker had grinned at him. "I've never had a reason to hold a spell before." "Is that the only way to make a spell permanent?" "It is if you cast it on an object or a normal person. It's different if your target is a wizard, though." "Why?" "Because you can attach the spell to the wizard's own power. The spell can drain away the wizard's power maintaining itself." Then Ma Bricker leaned toward him with a serious expression. "That's the very darkest magic!" she had whispered. "You must never do that without very good cause." "Wouldn't the wizard try to stop you?" Kieran had asked, wide-eyed. "He would try if he saw it coming." Kieran remembered that conversation as he stared out the window. At the time, he had had no idea how one might attach a spell to a wizard, but now, after six years of training, he knew exactly how to do it. In a sense, all wizards knew how because the aversion spell cast on failed wizards to make them afraid to use their powers drew on the wizard's own power to maintain itself. But Kieran was not sure how many wizards realized the technique could be applied to any spell. He sighed and a rueful chuckle escaped him. Thinking about such things was probably just another sign that he was a rogue wizard. He returned his attention to his book, but he did not resume reading. He had not visited Edouard in nearly a month because of the oral exams and he missed the young king. With a sigh, he closed the book and stood up, extending his arms over his

head to stretch his back. The graduation ceremony at which the new wizards would receive their robes would not be held for another week to give the remaining students time to take their practical exams. Given that, Kieran wondered if he should visit Edouard for a day or two. Until he received his robes, he was just another wizard trainee, so Lord Moretz would have no reason to be irritated by his presence. "But he'll be irritated anyway if I show up at court," Kieran signed to himself. Edouard had appointed Lord Moretz to the post of Royal Wizard on Lord Colwyn's recommendation after Colwyn himself refused the position. But right from the beginning it had been no secret that Edouard really wanted Kieran in that role. But with years of training still ahead of him at the time, there was no way Edouard could grant Kieran the post. And now Moretz had grown comfortable with the power and prestige that came with being the Royal Wizard. Kieran shook his head and sighed yet again. "Don't think about it," he told himself. "Just go." He left his cloak hanging behind the door. In the middle of summer as it was now, the evenings remained warm enough to make a cloak unnecessary. He walked down to the dock and arrived just as the afternoon ferry was loading. He did not bother to tell anyone he was leaving. One of the privileges of being a student in his final year was the freedom to come and go as he pleased. He boarded the ferry with several dozen other passengers. Visitors from White Shores liked to come to Bright Isle during the summer to swim in the shallow aqua blue waters off the beaches south of town. A third evening ferry sailed from Lands End to White Shores during the summer to accommodate the tourists, but the afternoon ferry was still quite crowded. Kieran chose to remain on deck rather than use one of the small cabins,

because then no one else would use it. Even in his student's garb of plain gray trousers and jacket, he was still recognized as a wizard and therefore something for common citizens to avoid. Kieran leaned on the railing as the ship pulled away from the dock and tacked out into the open water. As the wind billowed the sails, the ferry dipped into the waves, throwing up a spume-filled splash of water. Kieran shook the droplets from his fingers and smiled. He remembered how astonished he had been by the size of the lake when he first saw it. He had thought it was the sea and did not believe Colwyn when the wizard had told him it was just a lake. But he had been all around the lake since then and had developed a deep affection for its brilliant blue waters. When the ferry arrived at White Shores, Kieran elected to walk to the palace rather than hire a carriage. He enjoyed strolling through the city. The route from the docks to the palace passed through three market squares, two of them quite large, and Kieran liked to shop for trinkets. Having grown up a poor servant with no money of his own to spend, it had taken Kieran years to get comfortable with the idea of spending money. At first, the only things he would buy were clothes and books, and then usually only when Tank talked him into it. But the epiphany had come when he had been wandering in a market place with Edouard. A simple necklace of cut and polished crystals had caught his eye and Edouard had urged him to buy it. "But I don't need it!" Kieran had protested at the time with the glittering necklace draped over his palm. "But you want it and you can afford it," Edouard had responded reasonably. "So buy it. There's nothing wrong with buying something every now and then just because it's pretty."

So Kieran had bought the necklace. He touched his fingers briefly to where it lay hidden under his shirt, resting against his skin. Ever since that day, he had continued to occasionally purchase inexpensive trinkets. He had a box of rings and bracelets in his room, some plain gold or silver, others with semi-precious stones mounted in the metal. He stopped at the various jewelry sellers as he passed by, not really intending to buy anything, but at one stall he found a ring made of polished silver with threads of gold running through it like veins, and wherever the network of gold lines crossed, a tiny jewel, either a blood red ruby, a dark blue sapphire or a deep green emerald, was embedded. He picked up the ring to examine it more closely and the proprietor was immediately at his elbow. "Excellent choice, my lord! Excellent choice!" the man exclaimed in a somewhat breathy voice. "That ring is ancient and once belonged to a great noble family." "Indeed?" Kieran lifted an eyebrow. "That would make it very valuable." The proprietor looked around quickly and licked his lips. Then he stepped closer to Kieran and lowered his voice. "In truth, I bought that ring from a trader who told me that story. He seemed anxious to get rid of it and sold it for less than it's worth." "I see." Kieran studied the ring carefully. Now that he was holding it he could detect faint traces of power emanating from it. "This ring probably belonged to a wizard," he said. The proprietor's eyes went round. "It's yours, my lord, for ten gold coins." "Ten?"

"Did I say ten? I meant eight." Kieran smiled and fished eight gold coins out of the pouch in his pocket. The proprietor accepted them with a nervous smile. "Thank you, my lord! Good day to you!" "Good day." Kieran slipped the ring onto the third finger of his right hand, where it fit comfortably. He continued on his way to the palace and arrived just as the guard was changing, which meant he had an hour until dinner. Since Edouard always changed before dinner, Kieran went to his rooms to wait for him. Justus, one of Edouard's two body servants, answered his knock. "Good evening, Kieran," he said with a smile. "I was not told to expect you." "Edouard doesn't know I'm here," Kieran answered as he entered the room. "I just decided to come see him." "Very good. Can I get you anything while you wait?" "No, thank you." Kieran took a seat on the couch and picked up one of the books scattered on the table before it. As usual, it looked as if Edouard was reading about ten books at once. Edouard was a voracious reader, a trait he had retained from his years as an invalid. Kieran began reading and quickly lost track of time. "Kieran!" Edouard's delighted cry tumbled from his lips as soon as he stepped through the door. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I would have skipped my last meeting." He crossed the room quickly to Kieran, who had risen to greet him, and embraced him. "That's why I didn't tell you," Kieran chuckled. "I wasn't in the mood for another one of Landon's

lectures about interfering in the business of the kingdom." "Well, I am canceling my dinner engagements. Justus, please order my dinner to be sent here." "Yes, Sire." Edouard caught Kieran's hand and drew him back down on the couch. "Have you completed your exams yet?" "Yes. I took my practical exam last week." "And you passed, of course." "Of course." Edouard scowled. "So now I need to figure out how to convince Moretz to step aside." "The appointment to Royal Wizard is supposed to be for life," Kieran reminded him gently. "I know!" Edouard chewed his lip. "But I want you at court. And you're the most powerful wizard in the kingdom. You should be the Royal Wizard." "Perhaps. But for now, we'll just have to accept things as they are." Edouard frowned at him. "You say that so easily." Kieran smiled. "It's not easy, Edouard. My only goal is to serve you and I will do that in whatever capacity I am allowed." After a moment Edouard's face relaxed into a smile. "All right. Since you ask it of me, I'll be patient." His eyes fell to Kieran's hands. "You bought a new ring." "Yes." Kieran held up his hand and the ring flashed in the lamplight. "It's pretty, isn't it?"

"Very." Edouard grew thoughtful. "But there's something familiar about it." He tapped a finger to his lips as he studied the ring. "Oh!" he exclaimed suddenly. "I remember where I've seen something like it." He jumped to his feet and hurried to his bookshelf. "Let's see" he murmured. "Ah! Here it is." He pulled a book from the shelf and hurried back to Kieran. "There's something about a ring like that in here." He sat down and thumbed through the pages. "This is it." He showed a page to Kieran containing a neatly rendered color sketch of a ring similar to his. "It's called a Soma Ring." Edouard began to read. "Approximately forty Soma Rings were made by the wizard Geffen during the Wizard Wars, which were used to counter the power of the rogue wizard Atarkan and his allies. Most of the rings were destroyed during the war and only a handful still exist today. Soma Rings were matched to the wearer and only responded to that wizard's power. The knowledge of how to make and use Soma Rings was lost with the wizard Geffen, who guarded the secret until his death eighteen years after the end of the Wizard Wars." Edouard took Kieran's hand and drew it close so he could examine the ring. "This ring has to be over eight hundred years old. Where did you get it?" "At a jewelry seller in the market." "Seriously? How much did you pay?" "Eight gold." "That's all?" Edouard stared. "For the historical value alone, this ring is worth hundreds!" Kieran studied the ring thoughtfully. "I can detect lingering traces of power in it. If it has been eight hundred years since its wearer last used it, the wizard must have died in the act. That's the only

way I can think of that would leave traces of power that would last that long." Edouard pursed his lips. "This ring should probably be in the Royal Museum." "You can have it if you want." Edouard smiled. "No, it's yours. It will be interesting to see if any of your soon-to-be peers recognize it." "You need to stop baiting the Wizards Hall," Kieran said. "Lord Gavilan and Lady Divwall think you still don't trust wizards because of Imbario." "I don't." Edouard met Kieran's eyes. "You're the only wizard I trust, Kieran." "Excuse me, Sire," Justus interrupted. "Dinner has arrived." Over dinner, Edouard asked Kieran about his exams. "Were they very difficult? Are you allowed to talk about it?" "They didn't specifically say I couldn't," Kieran answered with a smile, "but I suspect they would prefer I not go into detail about it, especially with a non-wizard. But the oral exams covered nearly all of the subjects I studied for the past six years. For the practical exam" Kieran shifted uncomfortably, "they require us to perform one spell that we feel demonstrates the ability that makes us eligible to be royal wizards." Edouard studied his face. "What spell did you use?" "The suppression spell." "Ah," Edouard nodded slowly. "And I suppose they told you never to use it again." "Not without your permission. How did you know that?"

"I understand wizards better than they think I do," Edouard replied with a smirk. "Any spell that limits a wizard's power is automatically declared restricted. In fact, in my studies, I have come to the conclusion that the label of rogue wizard is slapped on anyone who uses restricted spells without permission and wizards who attack other wizards are always labeled rogues." "Oh." Kieran frowned. "So that's why so many wizards treat me like a rogue." "Yes." "Well, I shouldn't ever need to use that spell again," Kieran sighed, "especially since my protection spell is still guarding you from magic." "I was wondering about that," Edouard said, suddenly thoughtful. "Shouldn't it have faded by now?" Kieran flushed. "Well uhyes, normally." "So why hasn't it?" Edouard held his eyes, waiting for Kieran's response. "Well" Kieran fumbled for words, wondering how to explain it. "You see, I'm still holding the spell." "Holding the spell?" Edouard's brow wrinkled. "What does that mean?" "It means" Kieran drew a deep breath. "It means I am always supplying power to the spell so it won't fade." Edouard blinked. "Isn't that hard?" Kieran slowly shook his head. "Not especially. And I don't mind doing it because it means I am always in contact with you; I'm always aware of you."

"Always aware of me" Edouard murmured. "But why can't I feel you? Is it because I'm not a wizard?" Kieran nodded. "Probably." "You shouldn't be squandering your power like this, Kieran," Edouard said gravely. "With Imbario bound and imprisoned, I am in no danger. I may not trust wizards, but I don't fear them." "It really doesn't require any effort for me to maintain the spell, Edouard," Kieran said quickly. The thought of losing his bond with Edouard dismayed him. "It would be different if I was living at the palace and we could see each other all the time. But since we spend so much time apart" "I understand," Edouard interrupted him. "I am not asking you to stop." Kieran sighed with relief. "However, I do wonder how many other people know about this." "No one does," Kieran replied. "I've never told anyone before." Edouard fell silent and sat back, his fork resting lightly between his fingers. "It's odd," he said after a moment. "As well as I know you, I still don't think I understand the full extent of your powers." Kieran smiled ruefully. "That's all right. I don't think I do either." "No wonder they fear you." "It's you they should fear," Kieran said softly. "You hold my leash." They gazed at each other in silence for a long time. "How long can you stay?" Edouard finally asked. "For a day or two."

Edouard smiled. "Good. It's too late to cancel my morning meetings, but I'll postpone the afternoon ones. We can go riding. I haven't been on a horse for months." "That sounds like fun." "It's settled, then. Tomorrow afternoon, we'll go riding. What will you do all morning?" "Sleep!" Kieran grinned. "You don't know what a luxury it is for a servant to sleep in. Even at the Wizards Hall they make us get up early." "Ugh!" Edouard made a face. "I never get to sleep in anymore. I didn't think I'd ever miss lying in bed after being an invalid for so many years, but now I understand how nice it can be." He balled up his napkin and tossed it at Kieran. "I think I'll wake you up tomorrow just because!" Kieran laughed wickedly. "But I'll go right back to sleep as soon as you leave!" "Wretch!" Chapter 2: A Wizard's Power Lady Divwall gazed out the window of Lord Gavilan's office. It overlooked a small garden, which was empty for the moment despite the magnificent weather. From here, one could just see the top of the dormitory tower over the roof of the neighboring wing. She gazed at it thoughtfully, wondering if Kieran was up there. The boy spent most of his free time on the island reading, usually in the privacy of his room. Kieran's upbringing as a servant, unusual among the students at the academy, had made him rather reclusive, a natural tendency exacerbated by those wizards who refused to let go of their belief that he was a potential rogue.

"I think we were wrong in our assessment of the effect Kieran's contact with the madrin had on him," Divwall said abruptly. "How so?" Gavilan responded, though he did not raise his head from the paperwork in front of him on his desk. Divwall turned away from the window. "We assumed that since we could detect no unusual traces of power in him that the effect, if any, had faded away. But consider," she tapped a finger into her palm as she ticked off her points. "Kieran is the most powerful wizard in recorded history. He is the only wizard in recorded history to be cured by a living madrin, and that madrin essentially brought him back from the dead. Colwyn said he felt Kieran expend all his power to draw that blizzard we had at the end of winter that year. You remember that blizzard, I trust." Gavilan looked up and pursed his lips, nodding slightly. "The level of power Kieran has exhibited since then is comparable to that; comparable to a wizard's death spell." "That's impossible," Gavilan immediately countered. "Expending power at that level would burn him out. He would die." "But he hasn't," Divwall said. She planted her hands on her hips and leaned forward. "Have you ever tried his suppression spell?" Gavilan shook his head. "I have," Divwall continued. "I could do it easily if only one wizard was in the room, but if there were more than four present, especially if they were royal wizards, I could barely cast the spell. A stronger wizard could probably counter me. But Kieran cast that spell, with almost no training, in the presence of a dozen royal wizards and he held us down." Divwall paused to let her emphasis sink in. "The fact that he thinks of these

spells at all is frightening. The level of power they require to apply is terrifying." Gavilan frowned. "So you think it was a mistake to keep him in the Hall?" "No!" Divwall shook her head impatiently. "We had no other choice. I'm not sure we could have bound his powers even then. We needed to put him under oath to the Hall." "Then what are you saying?" "I'm saying that we need to find out how far his powers extend, because I'm starting to fear what his limits might be, if he even has any." Gavilan sat back and drummed his fingers on his desk. "Have you talked to anyone else about this?" "Of course not." Divwall waved the question away. "But I've been thinking about it quite a lot lately, especially since his practical exam. He used a spell he invented when he was fifteen to get his robes. That was six years ago and we had to put that spell on the restricted list. I have no idea what spells he might have come up with since then. That's what people are afraid of, Gavilan. They know what he's capable of but he hasn't shown us anything out of the ordinary in six years. The only person he really confides in is Edouard and Edouard still mistrusts us. I think we need to come up with an assessment test that can define the level of a wizard's power better than what we have now." "Geffen was the last wizard to really understand how a wizard's power worked," Gavilan said thoughtfully. "And he never wrote anything down for fear that it might help the rogue wizards he was fighting," Divwall added in disgust.

"Still" Gavilan tapped two fingers against his chin. "Petia Owlin has studied Geffen and the Wizard Wars for decades. She may have some insight." Divwall's face grew thoughtful. "That's right. I had forgotten about Petia; she spends so little time in the Hall." "I'll send for her," Gavilan said. "Maybe she'll have something useful for us." "Thank you, my lord." Divwall inclined her head politely to Gavilan and took her leave. She was relieved that Gavilan had taken her concerns seriously. Gavilan had spent so much time defending Kieran and his decision to keep him in the Hall that he often refused to even discuss Kieran or his abilities. To a degree, Kieran had helped him by keeping a low profile for the past six years. And with the influx of new students every year, it had been easy to forget about him and let life settle back to normal. But with Kieran about to take his robes and step out of the confines of the Wizards Hall, Divwall's concerns about him had come back to her. She hobbled slowly back to her office, wishing she had remembered to bring her cane. In the last few years it seemed like her age was really starting to trouble her. Cold weather had settled into her hips during the past winter and she had not been able to shake the stiffness, despite months of warmer weather. She rounded a corner and encountered a crowd of ninth year students. Two young women at the center stood face-to-face, both angry and flushed. "I did not say anything about you failing your practical exam, Estelle!" one girl stated loudly. "Do you think I even care what happens to you?" The girl addressed as Estelle pointed with a stiff finger. "But you are the only one who could have

known! Professor Akitaka is always telling you secrets in bed!" The other girl's face turned beet red and Divwall saw the glint of truth in her eyes. She sighed. There were always rumors of instructors and students sleeping together, even though it was discouraged. She opened her mouth to say something, but a young man's voice stopped her. "That's enough, Estelle!" he snapped, and Tank pushed between the watching students to stand facing the two girls. "It's undignified for someone of noble blood like you to be spreading rumors." Estelle's mouth worked silently as Tank continued. "Besides, everyone knew you failed your exam because the testing schedule is posted and the names of the students who've passed so far were posted this morning. Any fool could figure it out. Isn't that right, Lisette?" The other girl, Lisette, scowled. "I hadn't seen the list yet." She glared at Estelle. "Since I passed my practical last week, I wasn't in a hurry to see it." Estelle lifted her chin, obviously trying to recover some shred of her dignity. "Of course you passed, with your lover sitting on the testing panel." "He recused himself, you jealous bitch!" Lisette shouted. "I said that's enough!" Tank bellowed. Silence fell and several of the watching students took a few steps back. "I happen to know for a fact," he continued in a more reasonable tone, "that Professor Akitaka recused himself from overseeing the testing of all students in class 9A due to a personal conflict, so I doubt there was any bias regarding who did or did not pass. Since you dropped down into 9B, Estelle, you wouldn't have known that." He looked around and his eyes fell on Divwall for the first time. "I'm sure you all have better things to be doing," he said pointedly and the watching students began melting away. Tank

caught Estelle's arm before she could leave. "Estelle, I'm disappointed in you. I know it's upsetting not to pass your practical, but you passed the oral. You're still a wizard." "But I'm not a royal wizard!" Estelle exclaimed and her eyes filled with tears. "How can I face my family?" "You knew this was coming, Estelle," Tank said gently. "You've known all along that your powers just aren't good enough to be a royal wizard." Estelle tugged a handkerchief out of her sleeve and wiped her eyes. "I know," she said, her voice shaking, "but I haven't been able to tell my father that. He'll be ashamed of me if I come home without a royal crest on my shoulder!" "Maybe, but maybe not." Tank squeezed her arm. "Look at how many noblewomen who become royal wizards never marry. Your father may be glad that that option is still open to you." Estelle sniffed. "You think so?" "Yes, I do," Tank nodded firmly. "I know it's disappointing, but it's not the end of the world." Estelle wiped her eyes again and stuffed the handkerchief back into her sleeve. "Thank you, Tank. I wouldn't have expected such thoughtful advice from you. We've never really been friends." "We're about to leave the Hall. Time to start acting like adults." "You're right." Estelle managed a weak smile. "I guess I better start by writing to my father." She trudged slowly away with her head down. "That was very well done, Tank," Divwall said when Estelle was out of earshot.

"Thanks, my lady." Tank grinned. "Although honestly, I blame Akitaka for the whole thing. He started flirting with Estelle during our eighth year, but then he snubbed her when he started sleeping with Lisette. Estelle and Lisette have been sniping at each other ever since." "I see," Divwall said sourly. "I shall have to have a word with him. I will also have a word with Lord Gavilan regarding your application to become an instructor. You've certainly shown that you know how to handle students." Tank's grin widened and he bounced on his toes. "Thank you! I really, really want to become an instructor!" Divwall chuckled. "I will definitely put in a good word for you, then. Now lend me your arm and walk me back to my office. I'm getting old." Tank slipped an arm under her hand and set off at a stately pass. "Have you spoken to Kieran lately?" Divwall asked casually. "I did yesterday," Tank replied. "But I think he went to White Shores. He wasn't at dinner last night." "Does he spend a lot of time in White Shores?" Tank shrugged. "Not a whole lot. He goes there when there's nothing else going on." "What do you think of Kieran, Tank?" "I think he's a great guy and a fantastic wizard." "Do you trust him?" "Absolutely." Tank suddenly squinted at her. "Why all the questions, Lady Divwall? Is Kieran in trouble again?"

"No, no!" Divwall said quickly. She waved a hand. "I just wish I understood his powers better." "Don't we all?" Tank said airily. He stopped outside Divwall's office door. "Can I do anything else for you, my lady?" "No, thank you, Tank." Divwall entered her office, closing the door behind her. She grunted softly as she settled into her cushioned chair. "Let's see what Petia has to say first. Then I'll start to worry." -o-o-o-o-o-o-oEdouard reined his horse to a halt as it crested the hill. Below him, the city of White Shores receded into the distance along the curve of the lake, its long stone docks stretching out into the gleaming blue water. "I like the view from here," Edouard said as Kieran came to a halt beside him. Kieran was still not much of a horseman, although he managed to keep up with Edouard now when they galloped across country. "It's pretty," Kieran agreed simply. Behind them, Edouard's bodyguards sat stoically on their horses. They had accompanied him everywhere he went outside the palace since his inauguration six years ago and Edouard had learned to ignore their presence. Ever since he had snuck out of the palace with Kieran to go look for a madrin to cure him of the lingering illness that had afflicted him since childhood, Captain Soleson had refused to trust him. The dour captain of the palace guard seemed to think that escapade bespoke a predisposition on Edouard's part to wander away unsupervised. In fact, Edouard had no desire to leave White Shores now, but he recognized that it had only partly to do with the unrelenting workload of a ruler. A large part of the reason was that Kieran was forbidden to travel any farther from Bright Isle than White Shores.

"There are a lot of boats on the water today," Edouard remarked. "It's a good day for sailing." Kieran shaded his eyes as he looked across the water. "I should have them prepare the royal yacht," Edouard said. "We can go sailing to celebrate your graduation." Kieran smiled. "I'd like that." Edouard smiled back. They both loved the lake, but for different reasons. Kieran enjoyed it because he had grown up far inland and had never expected to see it. Edouard loved it simply because he had never thought he would live to sail on its deep blue waters. "We should head back," he said after a while. "Postponing my afternoon meetings doesn't mean skipping them entirely." He nudged his horse to a walk and led the way back down to the coast road. When they arrived back at the palace, Kieran immediately excused himself. "I'll wait for you in your room, Edouard," he said. "You may have to eat dinner without me," Edouard replied, wrinkling his nose. "Since I postponed my council meeting, we'll probably have to make it a dinner meeting." "That's fine. I'll eat with the servants." "You're not a servant, Kieran," Edouard admonished him. "You'll make them nervous." Kieran sighed. "But I don't like eating with the nobility and I don't want to make Justus wait on me." Edouard squeezed his shoulder. "You're about to become a royal wizard, Kieran, which makes you nobility. You better start getting used to it. Eat in

the dining room with the other nobles. I'll tell them to serve grilled tomatoes." Kieran grinned. "Very well, Sire." They separated and Edouard went to his office. There were more people than he expected waiting outside and none of them looked happy. It always caused talk when he postponed meetings to spend time with Kieran but Edouard refused to care. He did not get to see Kieran for more than a few days once or twice a month, so it only seemed reasonable that he should get a little time for himself every now and then. Inside his office, his secretary wore his usual unflappable expression. "Good afternoon, Sire." "Good afternoon, Graelin. Have they been very annoying?" "No more than usual, under the circumstances. I took care of the ones who did not seem to require your attention." "There are an awful lot of them still out there." Graelin lifted an eyebrow. "I think they purposely develop concerns when they know you are visiting with Lord Kieran." "He's not a lord yet, Graelin." Graelin shrugged. "Word arrived today of the students who passed the practical exam. His name was on the list." "Ah." "Anyway, I informed those without confirmed appointments that you would probably not have time for them today." "I understand." Edouard ran his fingers through his hair. "Please reschedule my council meeting as

a dinner meeting and I'll meet with as many of them as I can." "Very good, Sire." Graelin stepped outside to summon his first appointment and Edouard mentally girded himself for a long day. He was exhausted and starving by the time he arrived for his council meeting at dinner that night, but Edouard was proud of himself. He had managed to get through all of the people who wanted to see him and resolve their issues. Of course, there would be more tomorrow since Kieran was still here. Graelin was right. People tended to clamor for his attention more when Kieran was around. All of the councilors were already present when he entered the chamber and the smell of food wafted from the covered dishes waiting on the sideboard. He waved a hand at the food. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Please get your dinner and then we'll get started." Edouard was pleased to find one of the covered dishes contained grilled tomatoes with cheese. He had not had time to order it, but the kitchen had obviously heard Kieran was at court. He took a generous helping, knowing full well none of the others would touch it. "Now then, what's on the agenda for tonight?" he said as he took his seat. "We need to discuss your edict regarding the madrin, Sire," Lord Mederlane, the royal wizard Lady Asita's father, immediately spoke up. "There has been another attack on one of my tenant farms." "Was anyone hurt?" "No, but two horses were lost! They were slaughtered by a madrin. Three people witnessed the attack. It's as if the beasts know they can no longer be hunted! They are sighted more and

more on my eastern estates. If this continues, it is only a matter of time before someone is killed!" Edouard frowned. "I issued that edict six years ago, Lord Mederlane, and there have been no problems in all that time. I am aware that madrin are appearing more frequently in populated areas, but madrin are not dumb beasts. They do not indiscriminately attack people. As long as people give them a wide berth, I'm sure no one will come to harm." "But Sire!" another councilor, Lady Alcasin, objected. "The number of horses that have been lost to madrin is becoming significant. One of my tenants lost his draft horse to a madrin. Without it, he cannot till his fields or feed his family." "Or pay his taxes," Lord Mederlane interjected darkly. "It's a lord's duty to care for his tenants. Under your father, I would have hunted down this madrin to protect them. What am I to do now?" Edouard stared down at his plate. A madrin had saved his life and protecting them from harm seemed a fair reward for that service. But he had not intended for anyone to suffer hardship as a result. Yet the madrin's taste for horseflesh was leading to exactly that. "Very well. Since the crown is protecting the madrin, the crown will pay for the slaughtered horses. I will issue a new edict stating that anyone who loses a horse to a madrin need only show the remains to a sheriff or royal wizard to receive compensation. They can ask for money or another horse." "But Sire!" Mederlane objected. "That is my decision!" Edouard snapped. Mederlane fell silent with an angry scowl. Edouard glared at him for a moment before letting his gaze slide around the table. "What is the next matter on the agenda?"

When he returned to his room later, Edouard felt drained. Mederlane had brought the matter of the madrin up again after the meeting and argued about it until Edouard simply dismissed him. From the beginning, Mederlane had objected to Edouard's edict protecting the madrin because he had made money killing the beasts and selling madrin bone powder, which Edouard had also outlawed. "You look tired," Kieran said when he entered his sitting room. "I am," Edouard sank down on the couch next to him. "You should go to bed." "In a minute." Edouard leaned back and closed his eyes. "No, now." Kieran pulled him to his feet and led him into his bedroom. Edouard stripped out of his outer clothes and crawled into bed in his undershirt and underpants. Kieran sprawled across the foot of his bed. "How did the meetings go?" "All right, although I got into another argument with Lord Mederlane about madrin." Kieran frowned. "He's already a rich man. Why does he need to sell madrin bone powder?" "I don't know." Edouard scrunched down under the bedclothes. "But I'm not rescinding that edict." "Good." Landon, Edouard's other body servant, entered the bedroom and frowned at the sight of Edouard's clothes piled in a heap on the floor. He scooped the pile up in his arms and shifted his frown to Kieran. "I've prepared a guest room for you, Lord Kieran."

Kieran blinked at the honorific. Edouard scowled. "Kieran can sleep here, just like he always does." "I do not think that is appropriate, Sire." "He's staying." Landon frowned at him. "Your Majesty, you may choose to ignore the talk, but it will only continue if you are not more discreet." "There's nothing to be discreet about," Edouard replied. He glared at Landon. "How are Kieran and I supposed to talk if he's not in the same room?" "If we had something to hide we'd lock the door," Kieran added diffidently. Landon glared from one young man to the other. "How many times must I say that appearance matters more than fact? If you are seen together in the same bed, people will make assumptions." "Let them!" Edouard snapped. "I don't want to talk about it anymore." "Very well, Sire." Landon bowed and left the room, but his stiff back made it clear that he did not consider the conversation ended. "Maybe he has a point," Kieran said quietly. He sat up and faced Edouard. "I fall asleep in your bed every time I come to see you." "But we don't do anything but sleep!" Edouard exclaimed. "There was that one time," Kieran reminded him. Edouard went still. "That was different," he whispered. "I" He rubbed a hand across his eyes. Thinking about his father still brought him close to tears. "The first anniversary of my father's death was very painful. Your companionship that night

was the only thing that made it bearable." He met Kieran's eyes. "I know who I am, Kieran. I know what my responsibilities are. I will not do something that will bring strife to this kingdom. But I need your friendship. I will not let anyone take that from me." "You will never lose my friendship, Edouard." Chapter 3: Graduation Edouard woke up early. Difficulty sleeping as an invalid had made him a very light sleeper, so he tended to awaken as soon as his room began to grow light. He lay in silence for a moment, staring up at the ceiling, and then rolled his head to the side. Next to him, Kieran was still asleep. His face radiated an almost saintly innocence when he slept. Looking at him, one would never imagine that he harbored the greatest and most dangerous power in the kingdom. Edouard recognized that power, but he refused to believe that Kieran would ever harm anyone. To him, Kieran's gentleness was innate; purposely hurting someone was utterly foreign to his thinking. Edouard sat up and Kieran stirred. "I'm sorry," Edouard said softly. "I didn't mean to wake you. You don't have to get up." Kieran opened his eyes with a smile. "But I should. I should be getting back to Bright Isle. If they posted the list of graduating students, they must be done with the testing." He sat up and ran his fingers through his hair, but the dark waves remained mostly tangled. "I should be able to come back after graduation, though." Edouard nodded and slipped out of bed. "I'm starving!" he announced. He stood in the middle of the room with his hands on his hips. "I wonder if anyone else is up yet." Kieran rolled off the bed. "You're always the first one up. I've heard servants complaining about not

being able to get up early enough to be ready for you." "Really?" Edouard chuckled. "I suppose I could try to stay in bed longer, but I hate wasting the time. There's so much I could be getting done." "Still making up for lost time?" Kieran asked gently. "You know me too well," Edouard replied with a sigh. "Or perhaps I'm just trying not to think too much." Kieran took his hand. "It's gotten better, hasn't it?" "It has," Edouard sighed, "but I still get lonely. You're the only friend I have." "What about Colwyn?" Edouard frowned. "If he was ever at court," he grumbled. "But he spends all his time in the mountains talking to madrin. Last time I saw him, he claimed he was starting to understand how the beasts communicate. I think Lady Asita has given up on him." Kieran blinked in surprise. "She seemed very determined." "She was. But even though Colwyn treats her better, he still doesn't seem interested in marriage. I think Asita is starting to worry she'll be too old to have children by the time he makes up his mind." Kieran grinned suddenly. "You could just order him to marry her. He's a nobleman by birth, which gives you the right." Edouard grinned back. "That might actually be rather amusing. Maybe I'll tell him that next time he's here and see how he reacts." He shook his

head. "But then he might disappear into the woods for good and Asita would never forgive me." The door from the sitting room opened and Justus stepped in. "Good morning, Sire. Sorry to keep you waiting." "It's fine, Justus. I just got up." Kieran dressed himself silently while Justus helped Edouard dress. Edouard did not really need help dressing anymore, like he did when he was ill, but Justus insisted on doing it anyway. So Edouard stood for him and let Justus put on his outer clothes, but he refused to let anyone change his inner clothes. It had been a relief when he finally got to be in charge of his own body after his recovery. Washing himself unassisted was a delicious luxury. Tending to his personal business alone and not having anyone demand to examine the results was liberating. "Good morning, Sire," Landon entered the bedroom showing no trace of his ire from the night before, but Edouard doubted he was done with last night's argument. "Good morning, Lord Kieran." "Good morning, Landon," Kieran replied in a faint voice. "Is breakfast ready?" Edouard said. "I'm starving." "The servants are bringing it in now, Sire," Landon replied. "Lord Moretz is waiting to see you." Edouard saw Kieran flinch and inwardly cringed himself. "Very well. Please tell him we'll be right out." "Yes, Sire." "Does Moretz often join you for breakfast?" Kieran asked.

"He does when he wants to talk to me about something. He doesn't attend the council meetings unless I ask him to be there, so if he hears about something he wants to discuss, he usually drops by to talk about it privately over breakfast." "Oh." "But since you're leaving today," Edouard continued, "I want you to have breakfast with us." "As you command, Sire." Edouard frowned at Kieran, but said nothing. Kieran tended to fall back on formality when he was unsure of himself, and he always seemed that way around Moretz. Moretz was a powerful wizard with a generally friendly manner and people got along with him well enough. In his favor, he did not give the impression that he thought he was better than everyone else, which made him a huge improvement over Imbario, in Edouard's opinion, but Edouard still could not bring himself to fully trust him. There was also no question that Moretz believed he should retain his position as the Royal Wizard and his adamancy was another source of tension between him and Edouard. Subsequently, Moretz was never happy when Kieran came to court because it only served to remind him that Edouard wanted him to step aside in Kieran's favor. When they entered, Moretz immediately rose from where he was sitting at Edouard's small dining table. "Good morning, Sire," Moretz said with a brief bow. "Good morning, Moretz," Edouard replied. "I hope you don't mind if Kieran joins us. He's going back to Bright Isle today and I want to spend a little more time with him."

"Of course not." Moretz inclined his head to Kieran. "Congratulations on receiving your robes and crest, Lord Kieran. You must be very proud." "Thank you, my lord," Kieran answered, dipping his head in a quick bow. "This is a very exciting time for many students on Bright Isle." Moretz smiled. "Yes, I remember it." Edouard sat down and Moretz resumed his seat. "I was planning to attend the graduation this year," he continued. "I see," Kieran said. He sat down next to Edouard. When Kieran said nothing else, Moretz addressed himself to Edouard again. "Sire, I wanted to speak to you about your edicts regarding the madrin." "I suppose Mederlane's been importuning you," Edouard said. Moretz lifted an eyebrow. "Yes, he has. We spoke at length about it last night. He believes your edicts are harming the populace and should be lifted." "No one has been killed by a madrin since I became king, Moretz." "That's true, Sire, but with them appearing more and more in settled areas, it only seems to be a matter of time. I think perhaps it is at least worth considering." Edouard did not answer while he spread butter on a piece of toast. He was annoyed, but he did not want his annoyance to show in his voice. "Moretz," he said after a moment, "the madrin saved my life. Perhaps it was only repayment for Kieran saving the life of one of their young, but think about the implication. Whatever the reason, the madrin are intelligent enough to understand what was asked of them and to respond favorably." He met Moretz's eyes. "They are not dumb beasts

acting on instinct. They are thinking creatures. I will not condone their murder. This is the last time I will discuss this subject. The edicts will remain in force. It is illegal to kill a madrin. It is illegal to possess madrin bone powder. That is my final decision." Moretz blinked once and then bowed his head. "I understand, Sire. I will reiterate your position to Lord Mederlane and make sure he understands that he is not to bring the matter up again under any circumstances." "Thank you. Is there anything else you wanted to discuss?" Moretz glanced quickly at Kieran. "No, Sire." "Very well. There are a few matters that came up during the council meeting yesterday that you should be aware of." Edouard plunged into the discussion without any further preamble. As usual, Moretz had some useful insights and Edouard once again felt guilty for excluding him from the council meetings. As Royal Wizard, he really should attend, but by excluding him, Edouard had hoped to keep him from becoming too comfortable in the position. Unfortunately, despite his rather circumscribed situation, Moretz had nevertheless assumed the role in more than just name; exactly what Edouard had hoped would not happen. At the conclusion of breakfast, Moretz stood up and bowed. "Thank you for meeting with me this morning, Sire." He inclined his head to Kieran again. "Good day, Lord Kieran. I'll see you at graduation." "Good day, Lord Moretz." When Moretz was gone, Kieran turned to Edouard. "You should have him attend the council meetings. You're wasting his talents and that serves the kingdom ill." Edouard frowned. "Don't you want to be my Royal Wizard?"

"Yes," Kieran said seriously, "but not at the expense of the kingdom. I don't want to replace Moretz if it's going to cause trouble. I'll stay on Bright Isle or live at court, whichever you prefer, but I think you should let Moretz serve you properly until he chooses to retire." Edouard looked down. Sometimes Kieran's insight surprised him. Replacing Moretz against his will would very likely cause trouble among the nobility, which in turn would cause trouble for the common people. "Does it bother you that everyone thinks you're my lover?" he asked abruptly. "If it bothered me I wouldn't sleep with you." Edouard looked up and Kieran met his eyes. The young wizard's face was very serious. "I have no home to go to, Edouard," he said simply. "I won't leave you; no matter what happens; no matter what role I play in your life. All I have wanted from the moment we met is to serve you, and I will do so however you command." They regarded each other in silence for several moments. Finally, Edouard sighed. "Very well, Kieran, I will do as you recommend. I will tell Moretz to start attending the council meetings." Kieran smiled but his eyes were sad. "Good. Now I'd better get going or I'll miss the morning ferry." "Take one of my carriages," Edouard said, "and come back as soon as you can." "I will." -o-o-o-o-o-o-oWizards from all over arrived on Bright Isle to attend the graduation. Kieran was surprised by how many there were. It seemed like even more than in previous years. Self-consciously, he wondered if it had to do with him. He knew he was being talked about because of the way some

conversations would abruptly cut off when he appeared and then resume quietly behind his back after he passed by. And of the conversations he did overhear, he heard himself being referred to as everything from "that rogue" to "the king's lover". It was all rather dismaying and he stayed in his room as much as possible. But there was a pre-graduation reception which all graduating students were required to attend, and Kieran reluctantly joined the flow of students heading into the lavishly decorated dining hall as the sun sank into the lake the day before graduation. In addition to visiting wizards, a number of nobles and prominent citizens, mainly family members of graduating students, were also present, and the hall was crowded. Kieran quickly found an out-of-the-way spot against a wall and tried to look inconspicuous. He was left alone for the most part until Tank finally joined him with a disgusted expression on his face. "Idiots!" Tank grumbled. He leaned against the wall beside Kieran and crossed his arms. "What's the matter?" It was unusual to see Tank in a foul mood. Tank waved a hand, gesturing vaguely at the room. "I was hoping to have technical discussions with some of these wizards," he said irritably, "but once they find out I'm your friend, they just want to hear stories about you. It's ridiculous!" "About me?" Kieran blinked unhappily. Tank scowled. "You're not really sleeping with the king, are you?" Kieran stared. "That's what everyone's asking. They want to know if you're really his lover." Tank glared at nothing in particular. "As if it's any of their business," he added in an angry undertone.

"You're graduating at the top of our class. They should be talking about that." Kieran looked around the room in dismay. He knew there was speculation about his relationship with Edouard, but he had not realized how pervasive it was. "I've been nave, Tank," he said quietly. "Edouard and I are not intimate, but I do sleep with him when I go to White Shores." He met Tank's eyes anxiously, hoping Tank would understand. "We don't get to see each other very often, so when we do, it's hard to say good night. We just keep talking until we fall asleep." "And you're in his bed," Tank stated flatly. "Yes." "And no one else is there." "Yes," Kieran answered with a sinking heart. Tank sighed deeply. "That makes it kind of hard for you to deny the rumors if servants find you like that in the morning. You have been nave." Kieran looked down and Tank touched his arm. "I know how fond you are of him, Kieran, but that's part of the problem. Everyone knows. You've never made a secret of how important he is to you. People see that and they hear about you sleeping in the same bed and it's no great leap to arrive at the conclusion that you're lovers. Did you think because you were being so open about it that people would assume nothing was going on?" "I didn't really think about it at all," Kieran admitted miserably. "Because as a servant, you're accustomed to being ignored," Tank concluded for him. Kieran nodded. "Well, it's out of your control now," Tank said, "so maybe it's just as well Moretz is the Royal Wizard.

If Edouard appointed you to the post, you would never be able to convince anyone that you're not lovers, even if you never shared a bed with him again." Kieran bit his lip. "I should have paid more attention to Landon's warnings, but Edouard always made it sound like it wasn't important." "Because he wanted to spend time with you," Tank said. "Well, now that I understand what's going on, I'll see if I can't dispel some of the rumors for you." "Thank you, Tank." Tank clasped his shoulder and shook him gently. "But you need to stop sleeping in his bed. Move to the palace after graduation and get your own room. Then you can see him every day." Kieran managed a weak smile. "That sounds like good advice." Tank nodded. "So I guess I'd better circulate and" he began and then frowned. "It looks like Divwall is heading this way with someone. Watch yourself." Tank moved away and Kieran waited as Divwall made her way toward him. She was accompanied by a dainty older woman in the robes of a royal wizard, with fluffy white hair framing a small, friendly face. Divwall leaned on her cane with a tired sigh when she reached him. "Kieran, I'd like you to meet Petia Owlin. She's one of our best researchers." "How do you do, honored madam?" Kieran said. Petia had large gray eyes and a very warm smile. She held out a small hand for Kieran to shake. "I'm fine, thank you, Kieran. Please call me Petia."

Her eyes twinkled as she spoke. "You look like you're uncomfortable." Kieran blinked. "I am, a little. I'm not used to these kinds of social functions." "Divwall told me you were born a servant." "Yes." "And now men of noble birth will be calling you honored sir," she said brightly. At Kieran's dismayed expression, she laughed; a sparkling little trill of sound that brought a reflexive smile to his lips. She leaned toward him. "So tell me; are you really a rogue?" Kieran stared in astonishment. Although he had been accused of being a rogue dozens of times, no one had ever just come right out and asked him if he was one. "No, ma'am, I don't think so." She leaned back. "Well, then, you must not be," she concluded with another bright smile. "Rogues are always very proud of their outlaw status. I should know; I've made a career of studying them." "He is very powerful, though, Petia," Divwall said with a frown, "and we're not really sure how far his powers extend." "I understand, my dear," Petia replied, "but that's what I'm going to find out for you." She leaned forward again and peered closely at Kieran. "Geffen Tokmarrow had the ability to detect another wizard's power even when that wizard was not casting a spell. It was a native gift and so rare that I have found no record of any other wizard possessing it. But after years of study, I have come up with a spell that I think replicates that ability. So we'll try it on you," she said with a grin, "and see what happens." Kieran swallowed. "When?"

"After graduation," Petia said firmly. "I'm looking forward to finding out more about you. Now then" She turned and craned her neck. "Where is the wine? A glass of red would taste very good right now." "Please allow me to fetch it for you," Kieran said immediately. "Sweet boy!" Petia beamed at him. "Thank you!" "Would you like something, Lady Divwall?" "A glass of red wine is fine, Kieran." "I'll be right back." Kieran hurried off to get the wine, wondering if Petia had noticed his ring. If she had spent years studying the wizard Geffen, she must know about the Soma rings. Quickly, Kieran slipped the ring off his finger and put it in his pocket. Edouard had said he could keep the ring, but he wondered what would happen if an object with such historical significance came to the attention of the leading researcher on the subject. -o-o-oGraduation at the Wizards Hall was a simple affair. The ceremony was held outdoors under the open sky to remind the new wizards that they were an integral part of the natural order. The complex of buildings that made up the Wizards Hall surrounded a vast flagstone square where normally one would find students practicing spells. But on graduation day, benches filled much of the square so visitors could watch the ceremony in relative comfort. A stage was erected in front of the benches, with stairs on both sides and a row of chairs along the back for a handful of senior instructors and prominent guests. Petia Owlin was among those receiving seats on the stage. During the ceremony, students were called up onto the stage one at a time by Lady Divwall, where they were draped in their new robes and

then shook hands with Lord Gavilan. The students were called in the reverse order of their class ranking, which meant Kieran would be the last student called to the stage. He hoped desperately that by the time they got to him, everyone would be so bored they would no longer be paying attention. There were sixty-seven students graduating from their class, of which twenty-two had achieved the rank of royal wizard. Initially, only the family and friends of the graduating wizards applauded when they received their robes, but when students who were also receiving royal crests were handed the badge signifying their new rank by Lord Gavilan, nearly everyone applauded. When it was Tank's turn, Kieran could not help applauding as well. Tank beamed with pride as he accepted his royal crest from Lord Gavilan and pumped the gentleman's hand with enthusiasm. Then he waved at his family excitedly. All of the Traskers were on their feet; his father, mother, two brothers and one sister; as well as a dozen or so other people who were probably relatives. For a moment, Kieran felt a little envious. There would be no one to cheer for him like that. As the last few wizards before him were called, Kieran took several deep breaths to slow his racing heart. Once he crossed that stage, he would become a royal wizard, equal in rank to any nobleman in the kingdom. He doubted he would ever learn to see himself as a gentleman. Even though it had been nearly six years since he ceased to be a servant, he had found it impossible to leave that early conditioning behind. He stiffened and involuntarily held his breath when Divwall called his name. "Kieran of Bright Isle." Kieran lifted his chin and stepped up onto the stage with all the confidence he could muster. He stopped in front of Divwall and she took his hand.

"This has been a long road for you, Kieran," she said quietly. "Yes, ma'am," he murmured. "Remember your vows. They are all that separate wizard from rogue." Kieran dipped his head in a quick nod and stretched out his arms. Two instructors stepped forward to slide his new robes up onto his shoulders and settle the garment in place. The robes were heavier than he expected. The dark gray wool was tightly woven, and the voluminous folds concealed several pockets. When the two instructors stepped back, Kieran moved to face Gavilan. Gavilan was holding Kieran's royal crest in his left hand. He held out his right and Kieran clasped it. "Kieran," Gavilan said as he shook Kieran's hand, "I am pleased to give you this badge signifying your new rank in society. Of all the students who have ever passed through these halls, I think you have experienced the greatest change." Kieran nodded without answering. He had no idea what to say. He kept his eyes focused on Gavilan's face, because he could hear people seated on the benches talking and he was reluctant to make eye contact with anyone. Gavilan handed him the crest. "Welcome to the ranks of royal wizards, Lord Kieran." "Thank you, my lord," Kieran answered. He was stunned when loud cheers broke out, and turned to find all of Tank's family again on their feet, applauding wildly. Standing with the other recent graduates, Tank was also applauding, as were his other friends. Shyly, Kieran waved and hurried off the stage. Gavilan, Divwall and the other instructors stepped down after him and the ceremony ended. The spectators left their seats to mingle with the new wizards, and Kieran hurried

to join Tank. "What was that all about?" Kieran said when he reached him. "Well," Tank shrugged, a wide grin on his face, "when I told my mother that you had no family, she didn't want you to feel like no one was proud of your accomplishment." "That's right!" a woman's voice said and Kieran was abruptly pulled into a warm embrace. "Meet me mother," Tank said with a chuckle. Madam Trasker looked a lot like her son, with the same twinkling blue eyes, unruly dark blond hair and perpetual smile. "Tank's told us all about you, Kieran," she said. "Oh, uh, nice to meet you." The rest of Tank's family crowded forward to introduce themselves and Kieran was immediately overwhelmed. "Kieran, do you mind if I interrupt?" Kieran turned at the sound of that cheerful voice and found Petia Owlin smiling brightly behind him. "Of course not, Petia." It felt awkward addressing her by name, but she had asked him to. "Oh, good!" Petia beamed at him. "Let's talk privately." She looped her arm through his and led him away firmly, despite being a full head shorter. When they were clear of the crowd, she smiled up at him. "That young Lord Trasker is a fine boy. I like him very much. He has some excellent ideas. I'm thinking I may stay on Bright Isle for a few months and collaborate with him." "Tank would like that. He loves to learn." Petia nodded cheerfully and led him down an arbor-covered walkway. Thick vines crowded with bright green leaves twined over the trellis, trailing

brilliant white blossoms with deep purple throats. "Why did Divwall call you Kieran of Bright Isle?" Kieran was startled by the question and answered without thinking. "I don't have a last name, and it didn't seem right to say I came from the estate where I grew up. Lord Inchor doesn't like wizards." "I see." Petia stopped and turned to face him. "Hold still for a moment, would you, please?" Kieran stopped and faced her nervously. Petia held up one small hand and closed her eyes, murmuring something under her breath. A slight frown wrinkled her brow and she tipped her head to the side. After a moment she opened her eyes. "Are you casting a spell, Kieran?" Kieran swallowed. No one had ever been able to detect the low level of power it required to hold the spell on Edouard. "Not casting," he said slowly. "Holding. I'm holding a spell." "Really?" Petia studied him curiously. "What kind of spell?" Kieran's heart sank. He could not bring himself to lie to Petia. "It's the spell that protects King Edouard from magic. As long as I hold it in place, it doesn't fade." Petia's eyes widened. "But you cast that spell before Edouard came to the throne!" Kieran nodded. "And he's in White Shores!" Petia added, her voice rising with excitement. "You can hold a spell over that distance?" "I could hold a spell on Edouard anywhere in the world," Kieran admitted. He waited for Petia's shocked, horrified reaction, but instead, her face broke into a wide smile.

"Kieran, that's marvelous! Even the rogue wizard Atarkan couldn't do that. He was known to be able to hold spells on people, but not over great distances. He was able to control nearly the entire city of White Shores, but he couldn't reach Bright Isle. That's the only reason he was defeated. He could not bring the wizards on Bright Isle under his control." She leaned toward him excitedly. "Kieran, you are more powerful than the rogue wizard Atarkan. I can tell. This spell I created to measure a wizard's strength let's me sense the reservoir of power on which the wizard can draw. Every wizard has a native level of power that is his reservoir. Weak wizards have small reservoirs; powerful wizards have large ones. The more power a wizard has at his disposal, the greater the strength of the spells he can cast. So, for comparison, if one of those low-ranked wizards in your class has a reservoir the size of a bucket, your friend Tank would have a reservoir the size of a large pool. Your reservoir is the size of White Lake." Kieran went completely still. Petia's words frightened him. "But why?" he whispered. "Why am I so different?" "Why, indeed?" Petia echoed, rubbing her chin. "Divwall speculated that the madrin changed you when it saved your life. That is entirely possible. The madrin are amazing creatures. I was delighted when King Edouard placed them under royal protection. But the cause is only theoretically interesting. The result is of practical concern. You can do things no other wizard can and that will make you an object of fear." "It already has," Kieran said. "Yes, I know." Petia nodded. "At any rate, that is why I wanted to test you privately. Now I can decide to whom I choose to give the information." Her eyes sparkled. "I imagine you won't tell anyone." When he did not answer, she chuckled

softly. "Except for your beloved king. I suppose you don't keep anything from him." Kieran shifted uncomfortably. "I make no judgments, Kieran. A person without loyalties is the most dangerous kind of person there is. Everyone should be thankful for your obedience to the king." "But all they do is gossip about us!" he complained and then immediately bit his tongue. His cheeks flushed. "I mean, no one seems to care that I have placed myself in his service. They only spread rumors about the nature of our friendship." Petia shrugged and patted his arm. "It's just jealousy, dear. Pay it no mind. Now, then, I'm going to go have a chat with Divwall and Gavilan. You should rejoin your friends. We'll talk again." She turned him back up the path and gave him a gentle shove. Kieran made his way slowly back to the flagstone square. He did not know what to make of Petia. Her casual pronouncement about his power troubled him. Although it was commonly held that he was the most powerful wizard on Bright Isle, no one really considered that to mean he was orders of magnitude more powerful. He never really thought of it that way himself. However, except for healing magic, there was no spell that he had ever been unable to cast, and many of the spells he invented other wizards had difficulty casting. But if Petia was right, what did that make him? If he really was a dangerous aberration, was it right for him to want to spend all his time with Edouard? Chapter 4: Escape "Lord Imbario." The soft voice whispered from the other side of the locked door.

Seated on the edge of the musty cot that had been his bed for six years, Imbario murmured. "I am awake." "Are you prepared?" the soft voice whispered back. Imbario rose to his feet, unconsciously smoothing his hands down the front of his coarse-woven shirt and breeches. "I am." The cell door swung open soundlessly. The figure standing beyond it was all but invisible in the darkness, but Imbario knew who he was: one of his most trusted followers; the man who had kept Imbario from succumbing to the horror and decay of being bound away from his power. "What of the guards?" Imbario asked quietly. "Unconscious. They will remember nothing." The man took a step back. "This way," he murmured and turned, not toward the dungeon's entrance, but toward the path leading deeper into the catacombs. The floor of the corridor felt cold and damp beneath Imbario's bare feet, but it did not bother him. His feet had measured the barren floor of his cell for six long years. The damp of the corridor felt like freedom. At length, his guide came to a halt. "The opening is narrow," he whispered, "Have a care." Imbario listened to the rustle of his guide's robes and his soft grunt as he squeezed through the unseen opening. "All right, come through." Imbario reached out and felt the wall. The edges of the opening were rough and felt melted. He was tall, but six years in prison had thinned his frame. He eased through the opening without difficulty and stepped onto the dry, sandy floor of a cave.

His guide brought a glimmer of witch light to life. "This cave exits above a cove on the west side of the island. There is a boat waiting." They traversed the cave in silence. When they reached the vine-covered cave mouth, the guide extinguished his light. He lifted the vines aside so Imbario could exit and then stepped out beside him. The western side of Bright Isle was covered in dense forests. The mouth of the cave was concealed by a thick growth of trees, underbrush and vines. Imbario smirked. The residents of Lands End cherished the rugged beauty of the island's wilderness. They had successfully fought attempts by a number of nobles to build mansions on the western shores. But their passion now served his purposes, because there was no one to observe them as they made their way down to the cove by the faint glimmer of starlight. The boat waiting in the tiny inlet was a sleek, single-masted sloop, designed for speed. Five sailors tended her rigging. Three wizards stood on the stony shore, a rowboat pulled up onto the beach behind them. All three bowed deeply as Imbario and his guide reached them. "Well met, Lord Imbario," said one wizard when he straightened up. "Well met, indeed, Lord Hothram," Imbario replied with a smile. "It is good to breathe the free air again. How go the preparations?" "Very well, my lord," Hothram said. "The chamber is prepared and I have assembled a number of wizards ready to perform the ceremony. I am concerned, however, about the strength of some of them. There are only nine of us whom I am certain are strong enough to complete the ceremony successfully." "Nevertheless, you have done well."

"Thank you, my lord," Hothram indicated the waiting sloop. "I have more appropriate garments waiting for you on board," he said. "Once we reach your new fortress, you will once again have all the amenities a gentleman of your station deserves." Imbario smiled as he climbed into the rowboat. Once his powers were restored in the ceremony to undo the binding spell on him, he would be free to take his revenge. And then King Edouard and that upstart wizard Kieran would feel the full weight of his wrath. -o-o-o-o-oDivwall was never sure afterward what made her decide to visit the dungeon after the graduation dinner. It was quiet in the lower corridors of the Hall, far from where people continued to celebrate. Divwall did not care much for the sort of antics drunken wizards got up to, so she had decided to retire. But along the way, a sudden thought to stop by the dungeon had struck her, so she made her way slowly there, her cane tapping loudly on the smooth floor. The two guards were standing rigidly at attention on either side of the entrance to the dungeon when she rounded the corner, but something about their stiff demeanor bothered her. Her concern quickly turned to alarm as she neared them. The men were staring straight ahead, their eyes blank and unseeing. Her heart suddenly thudding in her chest, Divwall reached out to their minds. They were unconscious, lost in a cloud of glamour. "Awaken!" Divwall cried, and she thumped each man firmly in the middle of the chest with her balled fist. The two men started and looked around in surprise.

"What..?" one man began uncertainly. "Who has been here?" Divwall demanded. "N No one!" The man stared at her with round, confused eyes. Divwall could feel the traces of the spell he had been under. Both men would have been dreaming of standing guard, unaware of whatever was going on around them. Divwall stepped past them and spoke the spell to open the door. She descended the steps as quickly as her stiff joints would allow and nearly ran along the corridor to Imbario's cell, a ball of witch light darting along ahead of her. The door to the cell stood open, and Divwall knew what she would find long before she slid to a halt in front of it. The cell was empty. Behind her, the two guards were aghast. "My lady!" one gasped, "I did not leave my post! I don't know what happened!" The other guard nodded desperately in concurrence. "I do," Divwall answered, stark anger flaring up to replace the shock of finding the cell empty. "We were betrayed by someone we trusted." She started back toward the entrance. "Do not raise an alarm. Notify Captain Altoris quietly and tell him I want the entire island searched. Start on the western shore. I doubt they will have tried to escape through Lands End." "Yes, milady!" One guard raced away. The other hung back to escort her. Divwall waved a hand at him in irritation. "Don't wait for me!" she snapped. "Get going!" The man took off without a word and Divwall hobbled up the steps in silence. It had been months, almost a year, since she had last visited Imbario in his cell. Initially, she had visited him

regularly to watch for signs of the madness that so commonly afflicted wizards who had been bound. But Imbario had retained his calm, slightly superior manner, once the initial shock of the binding had faded. However, that did not mean she believed he was entirely sane. Only a madman would have conspired to commit the acts Imbario had. And now he was free, undoubtedly aided by wizards whom she had trusted. Divwall growled deep in her throat. Nothing stoked her sense of moral outrage more than betrayal. Someone would pay for this, and pay dearly. But worst of all, she would have to tell the king. They had promised him they would hold Imbario prisoner for the rest of his life, and it was because of that promise that Edouard had not insisted that Imbario be executed. "How will we ever win his trust now?" Divwall grumbled to herself. "I would not trust us." She made her way back to her office and settled heavily into her padded chair. "First things first," she murmured, and closed her eyes. Colwyn's mind always felt neat and orderly when she touched it. She often wondered if that was why it was so easy for her to reach him. His thoughts were so well organized, her intruding thoughts readily stood out. Colwyn, hear me! Imbario has escaped. He was aided by traitorous wizards. Return to Bright Isle at once. She repeated the thought several times and then opened her eyes. Gavilan was much easier to reach because he was close by and she knew his mind well. Gavilan, come to my office at once! She kept repeating the thought until Gavilan appeared, panting, in her doorway. "What in heaven's name is it, Divwall?" he demanded. "What is so important that you cannot simply come talk to me?" "Imbario has escaped," she responded flatly.

Gavilan's cheeks sagged. "What?" "I have no doubt he was aided in his escape by wizards living on Bright Isle." "But how?" Gavilan sank weakly into the nearest chair. "You'll recall that the dungeons and catacombs under the Wizards Hall were built in a series of caves running through the island." "Yes, but they were catacombs were built!" closed off when the

"That's true, but how difficult would it have been to find an old cave entrance and break through into the catacombs?" "We would have felt something" Gavilan began, but Divwall cut him off with an angry gesture. "It's done, Gavilan! He's gone! I have seen his empty cell with my own eyes. I am certain a search of the catacombs will uncover their escape route. But that is irrelevant. If we do not recapture him, we will have to tell King Edouard." Gavilan paled. "He will never forgive us." "And with good cause," Divwall said. "We were complacent and this is the price we pay." She sighed. "I have ordered a search of the western side of the island. I have also sent word to Colwyn. But if we have not located Imbario by morning, we must go see the king." -o-o-o-o-o-o-oEdouard's secretary, Graelin, poked his head into Edouard's office. "Lord Kieran is here to see you, Sire." "He is? Send him in!"

Graelin opened the door wider and Kieran stepped in. "I hope I'm not bothering you," he said. "Not at all. Come in and sit down." Edouard pointed at one of the chairs situated in front of his desk. Then he lifted a stack of papers from the corner of his desk. "These are ready for you, Graelin. I should have the rest done shortly." Graelin came in and took the sheets. "Very good, Sire. You have no other appointments today," he added. "Good." When Graelin was gone, Edouard turned his attention to Kieran. "I didn't expect to see you so soon. How was graduation?" "Interesting." Kieran grimaced as he spoke and Edouard wondered what had happened. "Anyway, I'm a full-fledged royal wizard now and Divwall said I could go wherever I pleased." Edouard sat back with an amused smile. Kieran was dressed in his wizard's robes, the royal crest showing his rank already affixed to his left shoulder. "I can see that you're a royal wizard," he chuckled. "So what are your plans?" He smiled as he asked, since he was fairly certain he already knew the answer. "May I move into the palace?" Edouard's smile widened. "I was hoping you would ask. There are a number of suites close to my rooms that are available. You can take your pick. They're supposed to be for members of the royal family, but as you know, there aren't all that many of us. I did let a few of my less distant relatives move in, but it's still rather empty." Kieran frowned slightly. "I don't need a whole suite. One room would do." "Nonsense. Anything less than a suite would be an insult to your rank."

"But" Kieran's objection trailed off as Edouard started to laugh. "If it really bothers you, take the suite right next to mine. It's the smallest suite in that wing." Edouard grinned at him. "It's appropriate anyway. It was originally built to house the official playmate of one of my ancestors when he was a child." Kieran's cheeks colored. "I'm your servant, not your playmate." Edouard's smile turned affectionate. "You've been a little of both these past years. And you are my friend. So please take the suite." "Very well," Kieran bowed his head. "I'll send Justus to fetch your things. It's just what's in your room at the Wizards Hall, right?" "Yes." Edouard leaned forward again and picked up his pen. "I'm glad you're finally here. I know living at the palace will be an adjustment for you, as well as learning to accept being treated like a gentleman, but I think you'll be happy once you get settled in." "I'll be happy being near you, Edouard." Kieran spoke gravely, as if this simple fact were all that really mattered. "So will I," Edouard responded. Then he pursed his lips and looked down at the papers on his desk. "Unfortunately, I need to finish this before we can do something fun. Do you mind waiting?" "No." "All right." Edouard resumed reading the document he had been reviewing when Kieran arrived. There were so many details involved in

running a kingdom. Although he had a large bureaucracy working at the palace to manage the kingdom's affairs, his father had told him many times that the best way to keep his employees honest was to openly monitor what they were doing. But that meant reading lots of reports and Edouard was very conscientious about it. He worked his way diligently through the pile that Graelin had given him that morning, and sighed with relief when he initialed the last one and set it aside. He sat back and grinned at Kieran. "There! All done! You must be bored out of your mind." Kieran shook his head. "I like watching you work." "You're crazy." Kieran smiled. "So what shall we do now?" "Let's go look at your new rooms." "Um All right." Edouard started to stand up, but paused when there was a knock at the door. "Come in!" As usual, Graelin opened the door, but the people who followed him in were the last ones Edouard had expected to see. He frowned. "Lord Gavilan, Lady Divwall, what brings you to court?" The two exchanged an unhappy glance, but it was Divwall who spoke. "Ill tidings, Sire," she said gravely. "Last night, during the graduation dinner, Imbario Issimaya escaped from the dungeon on Bright Isle. We know that he was aided in his escape by traitors to the Wizards Hall. Some of these we have identified, but not all." "Escaped?" Edouard hissed. Anger so hot that it made his heart pound in his chest flooded him. "I placed my trust in you!" he growled. "His life was spared on your word!"

"I know, Sire," Divwall bowed her head. "We have failed you and we have no excuse." "That is not acceptable!" Edouard snapped. He rounded the desk and stalked right up to the two wizards. "That man murdered my father! Your king! The man to whom you ultimately owed your allegiance died by Imbario's hand! Your failure is not just a betrayal of my trust; it betrays the trust of every person in this kingdom!" Gavilan reddened and straightened his shoulders, giving him a slight height advantage over Edouard. "We understand that, Sire. That is why we have not tried to conceal this breech in our responsibility. We will recapture him. I give you my solemn word that this task is now our only concern. Every wizard in the kingdom will be looking for him." Edouard lifted his chin and met Gavilan's eyes squarely. "Are you sure of that? Divwall just said you don't know who betrayed you." He looked from one to the other. "Anyone you think to trust may be relaying your every decision to Imbario." The pair exchanged a glance and Edouard realized that they had already thought of that. Fury that made his head start to ache tinged the edges of his vision red. "You already know that," he accused, his voice shaking. "You also have no idea when this conspiracy began; or how well-prepared the conspirators were." He turned around and stormed back to his desk. "You have no chance of finding him until he attacks us with an untold number of wizards on his side." For a moment he just stood there, trying to draw breath into a chest that felt like it was being crushed. Then he whirled around and slammed a hand down on the desk. "The Wizards Hall is no longer autonomous! From now on, you answer directly to the crown in all matters!" "Edouard!" Divwall unnecessary!" exclaimed. "That is

"You will address me as Sire!" Edouard screamed. "Your Majesty!" Kieran interrupted. Edouard turned to him, shaking with fury. Kieran was a wizard, too. Was he going to side with the others? "The Royal Wizard should direct the search for Imbario and the renegade wizards. It is his duty to protect the kingdom from magical attack." Kieran spoke in a calm, level voice and the sound of it soothed away some of the pain in Edouard's chest. Edouard made an effort to recover his equilibrium. "Thank you for reminding me, Lord Kieran." He drew a deep breath and turned back to Gavilan and Divwall. "You will take your direction from the Royal Wizard in this matter. Please give him all the details at once and then return to Bright Isle. Do not come back to White Shores unless I or Lord Moretz summons you." Divwall looked like she wanted to protest, but Gavilan put a hand on her arm. He bowed deeply, pulling Divwall into a bow as well. "Yes, Sire. We will comply with your instructions exactly." He did not waste any time getting Divwall out of the room and when the door closed behind them, Edouard threw his head back and screamed his fury into the air. "I should have executed him when I had the chance!" he cried angrily. "I knew it! I knew I shouldn't have trusted them!" "Edouard," Kieran said, "calm down." "How can I? The man who killed my father is walking freely under the sun! The man who tried to kill me!" He stabbed a finger at his chest, but his hand shook. Kieran stepped forward and captured Edouard's hands in his. "I know."

"How can I face my father's memory?" Edouard sobbed. The crushing pain in his chest turned suddenly to tears and Kieran embraced him without a word. Edouard closed his eyes and leaned against Kieran's shoulder, letting the tears fall. He had not wept for his father for a long time and the grief felt as fresh as the day his father had died. Kieran stroked his hair as if he were soothing a small child and Edouard let the gentle petting ease the terrible ache in his heart. When his tears finally stopped, he remained where he was, clasped gently in Kieran's arms. "I meant what I said," he said after a long time. "The Wizards Hall cannot remain independent of the crown." "I don't think that would have changed what happened." "Yes, it would have." Edouard lifted his head and met Kieran's eyes. "Because, at the very least, I would have put Imbario in the Royal Prison. His greater crime was committed against the kingdom, not the Wizards Hall. The Royal Prison is guarded against magic by spells maintained by the Royal Wizard. Imbario would not have escaped. But more to the point, I would have executed him, so this truly could not have come to pass. They must pay a price for their mistake, Kieran. I am adamant." Kieran nodded. "I understand," he said quietly. "I know it is Moretz's responsibility to protect you and the palace, but will you permit me to add spells of my own?" "Of course." Reluctantly, Edouard stepped out of Kieran's embrace. "But please tell Moretz what spells you cast so he is aware of them." "I will." Edouard sighed. "This is not how I wanted to spend your first official day as a palace resident."

"It hasn't gotten off to a very good start, has it?" Edouard shook his head. "Well, let's go see your new suite anyway and send Justus for your things. We can eat dinner together in your room, sort of as a welcome party." Kieran smiled. "I'd like that." Then he frowned. "But we have to sleep separately. If we start spending the night in each other's rooms after it becomes known I've moved here, the rumors will get worse." "Very true." Edouard leaned toward him and lowered his voice. "But you do realize I don't actually care what people think." "But I care what people think of you." "Protecting my reputation, eh? Very well. We'll eat dinner together and sleep in our own beds. At least Landon will stop whining at me." Kieran blinked. "I don't think I've ever heard Landon whine. I'm not sure he can." Edouard laughed out loud. "Kieran, you're priceless! For your sake, I will not demand that any wizards be thrown in prison until Moretz recommends it." -o-o-o-o-o-o-oOn the boat back to Bright Isle, Divwall leaned on the rail and tried to still her stomach. She preferred sailing on the ferry, whose wider keel provided a smoother trip. This smaller boat, which belonged to the Wizards Hall, dipped and rolled through the waves most distressingly. But she and Gavilan had not been ready in time to catch the ferry, which was why they had used this boat. In retrospect, even without considering her nausea, she wished they had caught the ferry. If they had, they would have seen Kieran and could have

recruited his assistance in presenting their case to the king. "We were fortunate that Kieran was there," Gavilan said abruptly, as if reading her thoughts. He stood next to her at the rail, his feet planted firmly against the motion of the ship. "How so?" Divwall asked. "The influence he has over Edouard was helpful." "You think so?" Divwall frowned. "His loyalty to the king is greater than his loyalty to the Hall. If we put him in a position where he is forced to choose, I don't think we would like the result." "Kieran has sworn his oath to the Hall," Gavilan replied. "Do you think that matters?" Divwall gripped the rail more firmly so she could turn to face him. "That boy loves Edouard unequivocally. He will do whatever Edouard tells him. And he is too powerful to be seen openly defying us because there is no way we can curb him." She poked Gavilan in the chest with her free hand to emphasize her words. "I have not yet had the chance to talk to Petia about his power. She was going to test him after graduation. But I have no doubt what she will report. She will tell us that Kieran is too powerful to be subjected to the binding spell. He could probably escape the containment circle." Gavilan stared at her in silence. Finally, he looked across the water toward the nearing island. "Then we have no choice. We must do exactly as Moretz recommends and make sure Edouard has no reason to question anything we do. But I do not like the idea of subjecting wizards to a soothsaying without explanation." Divwall shrugged. "We only need to ask it of wizards we are planning to take into our

confidence. Once they are cleared and we can tell them what's going on, they will understand our caution." "And what of Kieran?" The ship rolled sharply into a swell and Gavilan quickly grabbed the railing to keep his balance. Divwall pursed her lips as she considered the young wizard. Kieran had only modest far-seeing skills, so he would not be of much use as a searcher. His real skill lay in his ability to come up with innovative spells, and in the strength of the spells he cast. "He will want to stay close to Edouard until Imbario is captured, so I say we let him. His first priority will be to protect the king. That will leave Moretz free to focus on Imbario. So let's leave him alone for now. If we need him later, we can send word through Moretz." She sighed with relief as the boat entered the bay and the water smoothed out. "In the meantime, let's speak to Petia. I want to know what she learned about Kieran." "Very well," Gavilan nodded gravely. "You speak to Petia. I am going to make a list of wizards I think can be trusted. We can go over it later." "All right." Divwall watched with faint impatience as their boat inched up to its dock and was tied off. As soon as the ramp was run out, she hurried ashore with Gavilan on her heels. It would only be a matter of time before the news leaked out that Imbario had escaped. Once it did, they would have more than just Edouard questioning the loyalty of wizards. Back at the Hall, she and Gavilan separated. Divwall had to ask three different servants before she located Petia and was surprised to learn that she was in Tank Trasker's laboratory. The young wizard, soon to be appointed an instructor when the new school year began in a few weeks, already had a lab of his own.

Normally, trainee wizards did their experiments under the guidance of an instructor and worked in the instructor's lab, but Tank had a tendency to work on so many experiments simultaneously that they had decided it was simply more expedient to assign him his own space and let his instructors check up on him there. Divwall had never been in Tank's lab and she stopped in surprise in the doorway when she arrived. She could not even guess how many experiments were in progress. The atmosphere was rife with magic. "Good afternoon, Divwall!" Petia said brightly. She waved from the far side of the room, where she and Tank were examining the contents of a large vile in the light from the window. "Do you have a moment, Petia?" "Of course, but come and look at this." She indicated the vial. "This is brilliant." Divwall crossed the room to them with a slight frown. "This is quite important, Petia." "Is it about Imbario?" Petia asked without batting an eye. Divwall stiffened. "How did you know?" Petia shrugged. "Knowledge is my passion, Divwall. So I eavesdrop a lot." She grinned. "Most of the guards know about his escape." "I see," Divwall replied stiffly. Tank's eyes had gone round. "Imbario escaped? When?" Divwall frowned at him. "Last night," she said, "and that information is not to be spread about lightly." Tank nodded slowly. "Does the king know?"

"Yes, we just got back from White Shores." Divwall turned back to Petia. "But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about. You said you would test Kieran after graduation." "I did." "And?" Petia wrinkled her nose and glanced at Tank. "Oh, well, I suppose you won't tell," she murmured. To Divwall, she said, "He could destroy us all if he wanted to." Divwall blinked. "Are you sure?" "Oh, yes. I've never seen anything like it." Petia grinned. "It's a good thing he's bound so tightly to the king. Rogues are rogues because they owe loyalty to no one but themselves. Kieran is not a rogue, but he is the most powerful wizard we are ever likely to see." "Would we be able to bind his power?" Petia shook her head. "I doubt it, but not because of his strength. I suspect he would figure out how to counter it. Tank here told me Kieran can counter any spell once he's seen it cast." Divwall swallowed. "He was present when the binding spell was cast on Imbario." "Oh dear," Petia murmured. She touched her fingers to her lips and stared thoughtfully at Tank's flask, which contained a shimmering, faintly cyan-colored liquid. "Then I think you had better stay on King Edouard's good side." "That could be problematic," Divwall said with a scowl. "He has already stripped us of our autonomy. If we don't recapture Imbario quickly, it can only get worse."

Petia smiled and tapped the flask. "In that case, you should hear about this. It's an extremely clever spell." Tank's face brightened at the praise. "I developed a locator spell for my final exam that can find anything that is within about a five mile radius of where the spell is cast. This spell," he twirled the flask, "is a signaler. It creates a glowing film on the surface of objects it's attached to." "Here's the really clever part!" Petia interrupted gleefully. Tank grinned at her and continued. "The glow is hard to see under normal circumstances, but it's really bright in far-sight; like a bonfire at night. All I need to do is figure out how to attach the signaler spell to the locator spell and trigger it when the locator finds its target. All the far-seers have to do after that is watch for the light and we know exactly where the target is." For a moment, Divwall could only stare at the shimmering flask in Tank's hand with her mouth hanging open. "Tanaka Trasker," she said finally, "you are on your way to becoming one of the greatest practical researchers we've ever had. Please continue with your work and let me know the moment you have succeeded. If you need anything, ask. The entire Hall is at your disposal, if necessary." Tank bounced on his toes. "Thank you, milady. I won't let you down." "Speaking of that," Divwall said. "Since you both already know about Imbario, I must ask you to take a soothsaying to demonstrate your loyalty to King Edouard. We know Imbario was aided in his escape. There are traitors among us, so we must guarantee the loyalty of every person working to recapture him. Will you do this?" "Of course," Petia said at once.

"Whatever you need," Tank said with a quick nod. "Thank you. I will inform Lord Gavilan. He will be making the arrangements." Divwall drew a breath. "One last thing: please tell no one about Kieran. We don't need the distraction right now. Once this issue with Imbario is resolved, we can turn our attention to Kieran." "I really don't think you have anything to worry about," Petia said. "I want to believe that," Divwall replied gravely, "but as long as he remains the king's tool and not ours, we are at risk." Divwall left Tank's lab feeling considerably more encouraged. When Tank's spell was finished, they would be able to find Imbario. And this time, she was of the same mind as Edouard regarding his future. Once Imbario was back in prison, he would be executed. Chapter 5: Wizard and King Colwyn was grateful for Divwall's regular communications about what was going on at court and at the Wizards Hall. He had been deep in madrin country when she first contacted him and he had had a long way to go to get back. Because of the madrin's love for horseflesh, he had made the journey out on foot, and he regretted that fact as he made his way back. Pushing out of the wilderness as quickly as he could, he had made his way to the nearest village where he could buy a horse. From there, he had ridden to the southern lochs of White Lake, where he was able to hire a boat. He made up a lot of time by sailing up the lake and arrived in White Shores just over two weeks after Imbario's escape. He had decided to go to White Shores rather than Bright Isle because of what he had learned from Divwall. He needed to find out firsthand what was happening with Edouard.

When he landed in White Shores, he hired a carriage to take him to the palace and asked for Kieran when he got there. He was surprised when he was taken to a suite immediately adjacent to the king's. Kieran answered his knock himself and Colwyn smirked. "Still not accustomed to your new rank, Kieran?" Kieran grinned. "Colwyn! You're Edouard was starting to worry." finally here!

"Really?" Colwyn entered the room without waiting for Kieran to invite him. "I had the impression he's none too happy with wizards right now." Kieran closed the door. "A little bit, but there are still a few of us he trusts." "And I count in that group? I'm flattered." Colwyn plopped down on Kieran's small couch. "These are pretty comfortable accommodations." Kieran flushed. "Edouard wanted me close by." "I gathered that. The rumors about you two don't seem to have abated any. I've barely been back an hour and I've already heard some talk." Kieran's flush deepened. "We were hoping it would quiet down. We've stopped sleeping together." "About time!" Colwyn gestured in annoyance. "Landon should have put a stop to that when you were children." "We've never been lovers," Kieran said quickly, but he sounded guilty as he said it. "That's irrelevant!" Colwyn snapped. "And not entirely true." Kieran opened his mouth to protest and Colwyn cut him off. "Just because you've never been physically intimate doesn't mean you're not lovers. The emotional bond between you is practically the same thing. You can't stand

to spend any time apart and that's why you always ended up in bed together. Don't deny it." Kieran hung his head. "I'm not angry with you, Kieran. I just want you to be honest with yourself." Colwyn sat back and sighed. "Sit down. I want to know what's been going on. How's Edouard?" "He's unhappy, as you might expect." Kieran sat down in a chair facing the couch across a small table. "He blames the Wizards Hall for Imbario's escape." "I can't argue with that. It is their fault. Divwall told me that Edouard put Moretz in charge." "That's right. He's been directing the search and telling the other wizards what to do." "Does he tell you what to do, too?" "Not really. We don't talk much. He told me to guard Edouard, which I was already doing." Colwyn frowned. "Where's Edouard now?" "He's in his council meeting." "Why aren't you attending him?" "I don't need to. Moretz is in the meeting, too, and there are royal guards on duty inside and outside the chamber." "Moretz is attending the council meeting? How long has that been going on?" "Less than a month. I told Edouard he should include him shortly before Imbario escaped." Colwyn stared. "You told him?"

Kieran shrugged. "Moretz is a good wizard and very dedicated to the kingdom. It seemed wrong to exclude him." "Does Edouard do everything you tell him?" Colwyn asked suspiciously. "Hardly," Kieran answered with a smile. "But then I almost never tell him to do anything. I am his servant, remember." "Sometimes I wonder about that." Colwyn rubbed his chin. "So Edouard finally allowed Moretz to completely assume the role of Royal Wizard?" "Yes." "And you're comfortable with that?" Kieran sighed. "All I want is to be by Edouard's side. For the moment, serving as his bodyguard fulfills that purpose." "But for how long? When this issue with Imbario is resolved, Edouard is going to have to make a decision about you and Moretz." "But as you say, Imbario must be recaptured first," Kieran replied. He spoke a little diffidently and Colwyn wondered how he really felt. Kieran shifted in his seat. "The council meeting has ended. You'll be able to speak to Edouard now. Moretz is escorting him here." "How do you know that?" Kieran drew a deep breath. "Because I always know where Edouard is." He stood up. "And I cast a spell on him that allows me to be aware of whoever is in his company." Colwyn goggled. "You did what? How can you do that without a farseeing?" "I'm not very good at farseeing, so I needed a different way of keeping an eye on him." Kieran

ducked his head. "Just knowing where he is wasn't enough. I wanted to make sure that either Moretz or his guards were with him if I was not." "So you just invented a spell that tells you who is around Edouard?" Colwyn stood up and put his hands on his hips. "It wasn't that hard," Kieran said quickly. "It's almost the same as farseeing, just without the sight." Colwyn shook his head. "I do not understand rogue powers. It wouldn't even occur to me to try something like that." Kieran smiled slightly. "Petia tells me it is more a question of motivation than innovation." "Petia? Petia Owlin?" "Yes. They summoned her to Bright Isle to test me." "And what did she find?" "That I'm not a rogue." Kieran said it with a hint of relief in his voice, as if he did not quite believe it himself. "What did she say about your powers?" Colwyn watched Kieran's face carefully as he asked the question. He had his own ideas about the source of Kieran's incredible powers. "She said" Kieran hesitated briefly. "She said that I was more powerful than any wizard in existence, and that it probably was because of my contact with the madrin." "Interesting. I'll have to make sure I talk to her privately. But that can wait. Right now, I need to talk Edouard out of his edict regarding the Hall's autonomy."

"I think you should wait," Kieran said. "He's still very angry. You shouldn't antagonize him." Colwyn folded his arms across his chest. "Why? Do you think I will lose my status as one of his trusted wizards?" "You might," Kieran responded. "You've been away a long time." He stepped to the door and opened it without waiting for a knock. "Just once I'd like to catch you by surprise," Edouard said as he walked through the open door. Then his eyebrows shot up. "Colwyn! When did you get back?" "Just now, Sire." Colwyn dipped his head in a brief bow. Stepping through the door behind Edouard, Moretz nodded in greeting. "Lord Colwyn, it's good to have you back. We could use your talents." "That's why I'm here. Do we know yet who helped him escape?" "Lord Hothram and some of his cronies disappeared at the same time, so we assume he was involved." Colwyn scowled. "Hothram always was in my father's hip pocket. But Divwall implied you are still looking for traitors." Moretz nodded. "Under the circumstances, it's hard to know whom to trust." Colwyn blew his breath out angrily. "I want to look for him." "Do you have some idea where he might be?" "No. But I can't far-see worth a damn and I want to be doing something. You know he left the island, so they had to have put ashore somewhere around the lake."

"The perimeter of the lake is vast, Colwyn," Edouard said. "Searching it at random is a waste of time." He glanced at Moretz. "At least physically," he added. He returned his eyes to Colwyn. "I would like you to go through your father's papers. Perhaps you will find something that gives us a clue of where he might have gone." "I can do that," Colwyn said with a scowl, "but I can tell you right now that my father did not own any property other than our manor house in northern White Shores." "That you know of," Edouard said calmly. "But Imbario was very good at keeping secrets, and you were estranged from him for many years." "That's true" Colwyn's scowl turned to an irritated frown. "Very well, I'll look through his papers at the manor." "Thank you." Edouard turned to Kieran. "I cancelled my dinner meeting because Lady Alcasin is ill and I don't want to have the meeting without her. Shall we have dinner together?" "Yes, Sire." Edouard smiled. "Good. We'll eat in my room. Lord Colwyn." Colwyn straightened slightly at the sound of his name. "I would like you to join me for breakfast. I want to discuss the madrin with you." Colwyn inclined his head. "As you wish." Edouard put his hands on his hips. "Well, I should get back to my office. I have a few things I'd like to get finished before dinner. You don't need to accompany me, Kieran. My guards will escort me." "Sire," Moretz said, "I would like to accompany Lord Colwyn to his manor."

"That's fine. You can have breakfast with us tomorrow and we can discuss whatever you find, in addition to the madrin." "Very well, Sire." Moretz bowed. "I will wait for you outside, Lord Colwyn." He stepped back through the door. "I'll see you at dinner," Edouard said to Kieran and he left as well. Colwyn glanced at Kieran. "You and I are going to have a very frank talk very soon, young man. There is more to your relationship with Edouard than you're telling me and I want to know what it is." The same look of guilt that had skittered across Kieran's face when he claimed he and Edouard were not lovers flickered briefly across his countenance again. "I'm just his servant, Colwyn," he said softly. "So you say," Colwyn muttered, and he stalked out through the open door. -o-o-o-o-o-o-oImbario watched without expression as the ten wizards took a second step away from him. Torchlight flickered across the faces of the wizards, but he could not feel any warmth from the flames. Cold seeping from the damp stones beneath his bare feet chilled him. He could not yet feel any effect of the unwinding of the spell and he had to suppress a surge of impatience. One of the wizards, a young man with pale skin, wispy blond hair and watery blue eyes, was already showing signs of strain. Sweat dotted his brow and his upraised hand, the palm facing toward Imbario, wavered slightly. His voice faltered briefly when it became his turn to intone the spell, but he got through it without a mistake. But when the group took their third step back and to the left, the young man's arm began to tremble and the sweat

began trickling down his face. When it was time for him to recite the spell again, his voice shook and he abruptly collapsed to his knees without completing it. "Forgive me, Lord Imbario!" he cried. "I am not strong enough! I cannot hold the spell!" The recoil of the spell being dropped staggered the remaining wizards and an older woman slumped to the ground in a faint. Hothram glared at the young wizard. "I was afraid of this, my lord. I feared Corby would not be able to cast the spell." He stepped forward and grasped Imbario's arm, escorting him out of the containment circle. "You must find another wizard," Imbario said. "One with greater strength. You should replace that woman as well." He nodded toward the woman who had fainted. "She probably cannot make it to the end either." Hothram nodded. "You're probably right." They left the chamber without waiting to see if the woman was all right and proceeded into the dimly lit hallway beyond. "It is difficult recruiting wizards to our cause, my lord. I must be careful whom I choose to approach. Until we have restored your powers, we cannot risk discovery." "I know." Imbario frowned. "Nevertheless, I would have expected more wizards to step forward in my defense. We wizards cannot allow ourselves to be subjected to the will of anyone, not even the king. We are superior and should stand above all citizens in the kingdom." "I share that sentiment," Hothram said. "That is why I have worked in your behalf from the beginning. Your imprisonment was unjust, and subjecting you to the spell of binding is a violation of every wizard's rights."

"What about our friend in White Shores?" "I don't want to risk exposing him. He's providing valuable information about the search." Hothram spat angrily. "But they are requiring any wizard who joins them to undergo a soothsaying! The very idea offends me!" Imbario chuckled. "But can you blame them? They know they were betrayed." "It is not betrayal to correct a wrong!" Hothram declared hotly. He raised his hand to create a ball of pale yellow witch light to light the staircase at the end of the short hallway. He tossed the ball up the stairs and gestured for Imbario to precede him. Imbario forced his face to remain impassive as he followed the floating ball of light up the stairs. It was supremely irritating that he had to rely on the magic of others for something as simple and inconsequential as lighting his path in a dark place. Magic at that level was instinctive and it infuriated him to be reduced to the same level as the lowest commoner. At the top of the stairs, another hallway gave access to several rooms. The room Imbario used was large and lavishly appointed, but like the rest of the fortress, it contained no windows. The light of several oil lamps filled it with a soft, golden glow, and ordinarily, Imbario would have found it quite pleasing. But in his present situation, it was hard not to see it as just another prison. He slipped his chilled feet into a pair of warm slippers and settled into a comfortable, stuffed chair. "I would like a meal," he said calmly. "Of course, Lord Imbario. I'll send for your attendants immediately." Hothram backed out the door, closing it softly behind him. Imbario wanted a glass of wine as well, but he refused to pour it himself. The fortress was not large, so he did not have to wait long before his two attendants arrived. The two men were quiet,

well-mannered servants who knew how to attend a gentleman like Imbario. They anticipated his needs and made sure he was never inconvenienced, even in this rustic environment. Imbario really could not fault Hothram's preparations. The fortress was deep in the wilderness beyond the western shores of White Lake. Its simple, windowless design made it difficult to distinguish from the trees and rock outcroppings typical of the area. They would be able to hide here for as long as necessary to restore his powers, and then it would be an effective base from which to launch his revenge. He would simply have to be patient. But once they had located two more wizards of sufficient strength, he would not have to wait anymore. -o-o-o-o-o-o-oThe spying spell Kieran had put on Edouard made odd reflections of himself in his mind when he was in Edouard's presence, and Kieran made a mental note to figure out how to get the spell to ignore him. "You're quiet, Kieran," Edouard remarked. They were eating a tasty beef stew and Edouard was contentedly sopping up the gravy with a piece of bread. Kieran smiled. "I was just remembering the baby madrin. The night I found it, we had stew for dinner. I crumbled my bread into it and split it with the creature. It had teeth like ours and I realized that meant it ate plants and animals, just like us." Edouard's gaze turned inward. "I don't think I saw the teeth of the madrin that cured me." "It didn't open its mouth." Edouard nodded slowly. "It makes sense, though. A creature that large would need a vast grazing area if it ate only plants."

"From what I hear, it sounds like they would be happy eating nothing but horses," Kieran chuckled. Edouard groaned. "Don't remind me! My treasurer was complaining just this morning about paying compensation for slaughtered horses. She thinks at least two of the claims were fraudulent." "How can someone lie about something like that?" Kieran scratched his head. "I thought madrin made a mess when they ate a horse." "They do," Edouard said. "But one farmer was caught hacking a crippled horse to pieces after it broke its leg in a fall so he could claim a madrin had killed it. Since then, the sheriffs have been insisting that a madrin has to have been sighted in the area before they'll accept a claim for a lost horse. So now we have persons receiving money who shouldn't be getting compensated and those who should be getting nothing. I'm not sure what to do." "Wouldn't it be better to pay someone who didn't deserve it rather than not pay someone who does?" "Probably, but Lady Hasemill would rather not dole out any money at all. But I suppose that's what makes her a good treasurer." "You should send wizards who are sensitive to the presence of magic to check. A madrin is bound to leave magical traces on the horse's remains." Edouard brightened. "That's a good idea. I'll do that." He helped himself to more stew. "By the way, Lady Hasemill said you haven't been drawing your stipend." "Why do wizards need a stipend?" Kieran asked. He knew he sounded petulant, but he could not stop himself. "They can earn a living just like anyone else."

"Only royal wizards draw a stipend," Edouard pointed out. "That's one reason why trainees try so hard to achieve that status. But what would you expect royal wizards to do? Make love charms? That's for hedge wizards." "But still" "If it really bothers you, think of it as your salary for being my servant. You do expect servants to be paid, don't you?" Edouard spoke lightly, but there was a hint of rebuke in the comment. Kieran flinched. "When I worked for Lord Inchor, I received room and board in exchange for my service. I also received my clothes from the household, so I didn't need money of my own." "But that meant you would never be able to leave." "Where would I go? I had no family and no education. It was better to belong somewhere where I had a bed to sleep in and food in my belly." Edouard set his spoon down with a frown. "Is that how it is for most household servants?" "I think so." "And you didn't mind?" "I knew no other life, Edouard." Kieran met his eyes. "Until Colwyn took me away to Bright Isle, I never expected anything else. I was content." "Then why did you start learning magic from that old woman?" "Curiosity, mostly." Kieran sighed. "The first thing she showed me was how to make light so I wouldn't have to walk through the forest in the dark. I had told her that it frightened me when I was sent on errands that kept me out after dark."

"Ah." "Then she showed me how to purify water, which was very useful. After that, she started teaching me all kinds of things." He smiled slightly. "It seems I had an aptitude for it." Edouard chuckled. "And then you found the baby madrin and your simple life was completely disrupted." "Yes, but for the better, I think." He studied Edouard's face. "I would not choose to go back to that life now." Edouard picked up his spoon. "But if you are going to remain in my service, I expect you to accept your salary, just like everyone else. So please see Lady Hasemill tomorrow." Kieran bowed his head. "As you command." "Honestly, Kieran," Edouard laughed, "you make accepting money sound like an onerous burden! You don't have to spend it, you know. Just stuck it in a drawer somewhere until you need it." "I suppose." Kieran resumed eating his stew, savoring the rich flavor of the gravy. It was silly, he supposed, that receiving money for doing something he wanted to do bothered him, but he could not help feeling that way. Edouard spoke so often about all the things the kingdom spent money on it seemed wasteful to be paying stipends to wizards who could easily be earning their own incomes. But then, technically, all royal wizards were servants of the crown, so if he thought of it as a salary for doing a job, it made more sense. "Oh! I almost forgot!" Kieran smacked his forehead. "Colwyn's arrival completely wiped it out of my mind. I got a note from Tank Trasker this afternoon. He would like me to come to Bright Isle

tomorrow to look at his experiment. He says he needs my advice." "Would you be gone all day?" "Probably." "Very well. Please inform Lord Moretz and Captain Soleson before you leave." "I will." Edouard smiled at him. "I'm sorry, but it seems like the possibility of a threat against my life has constrained your freedom as much as mine." Kieran shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I don't think I'd leave the palace any more frequently under other circumstances." "Well, it's just one more thing I blame Imbario and the wizards for. I was looking forward to more outings on horseback once you moved here and now I can't leave the palace." Edouard scowled. "They'd better catch him soon." Kieran remained silent. Talking about Imbario just made Edouard angry. If he said nothing, he knew Edouard would let it go and change the subject. After a moment, Edouard spoke again. "I found a book you might like to read." Kieran smiled to himself. As he expected, Edouard once again refused to dwell on the topic of Imbario. "Really? What's it about?" "It's a history of the Wizard Wars. I read it once years ago when I was sick, and I thought it might interest you because of that ring you bought." Kieran glanced reflexively at the Soma Ring on his right hand. "Yes, I would like to read about that." "It's in my room. You can get it after dinner."

"Thanks." The Wizard Wars were a dark time in the history of the kingdom. The creation of the post of Royal Wizard stemmed from that time, as did most of the rules and oaths governing wizard behavior. Kieran looked at his ring again. Imbario was a very powerful wizard. He had used madrin bone powder for years to enhance that power. Kieran did not want to think about what might happen if the binding spell holding him in check was broken. In all likelihood, the entire kingdom would suffer. Chapter 6: Magical Research Upon returning to Bright Isle, Kieran was surprised by how many of his classmates were still on the island. He would have expected more of them to have returned home by now. But he saw a dozen or more on the short walk through Lands End. Most of them simply called out his name and waved as he went by. But as he entered the market square that separated the grounds of the Wizards Hall from the town, he ran into Lisette. "Kieran!" Lisette greeted him warmly. "I didn't expect to see you back on Bright Isle so soon." "I'm surprised you're still here," Kieran responded. "Oh, well" Lisette flushed. "I didn't have anything pressing to do at home, so I thought I'd hang around and look for employment opportunities in White Shores. My parents' estate is in kind of a social backwater." Kieran wondered if she was still dating Professor Akitaka, but he did not dare ask. "I came over to see Tank." "Did you? He's got something special going on in his lab, I hear, but hardly anyone's allowed in there."

"You know Tank," Kieran said casually. "He's always got something going on." He smiled disarmingly so it did not sound like he was deliberately avoiding telling her what he might know about Tank's experiments. Divwall had declared Tank's effort to improve his locator spell a secret, and only those wizards who had been vetted by the soothsayer were allowed to know about it. Of course, Kieran had never spoken to Lady Amrisen, the soothsayer, but as Edouard's principle confidante, he had always been on the list of trusted wizards. "Yeah, Tank's always coming up with new spells, just like you," Lisette chuckled. Then her face grew thoughtful. "Say, I was wondering" She looked away. "Do you know any spells that can tell you what someone's feeling?" "You mean a love charm?" Kieran asked in surprise. "No!" Lisette's cheeks turned pink. "I mean whether someone's feeling angry or sad or irritated but hiding it with smiles and cheerful behavior." Kieran studied Lisette's face. She would not meet his eyes. "Or claiming to be in love when he's not?" The flush on Lisette's cheeks deepened. "Am I so obvious?" she whispered miserably. "It's Professor Akitaka, isn't it?" "Yes." She finally met his eyes. "Nothing's really changed, but sometimes I get the feeling that he doesn't really care about me. There's nothing in his manner, or in the way he treats me, it's just" She tapped her chest. "In here, I feel that something's not quite right." "Why don't you leave him?"

Lisette's shoulders drooped. "I really care about him, Kieran." Looking at the misery on her face, Kieran could understand her feelings. "Then give it a little more time. Maybe he's acting distant right now because he's expecting you to leave. If you find a job in White Shores and stay on Bright Isle, maybe it will get better. At any rate, I don't have any spells that allow you to be privy to someone else's feelings." "Oh, well." Lisette straightened her shoulders and her smile returned. "I'll keep working on him. At least Estelle left, so I have no competition." "There you go." Kieran glanced at the sun. "I'd better get going. Tank's expecting me." "Of course. See you." Lisette waved as he walked away and Kieran waved back. In his first years on the island, his status as a servant had kept him from becoming an object of romantic interest to the female students in the Hall. But once his abilities had put him at the head of his class, some of the commonborn girls had started to show an interest in him. But his single-minded devotion to Edouard had kept him oblivious to it until his sixth year, when one particularly determined female had made an all-out effort to win his affection. His stark refusal to succumb to her advances had been one cause of the rumors about his relationship with Edouard. But some of his early friendships, like Lisette, had not changed with his change in status, for which he was grateful. Once inside the Hall, he made his way quickly to Tank's lab. He was not surprised to find the door closed and guarded, given what Lisette had said. But the guard simply opened the door without a word as he approached and Kieran nodded his thanks as he stepped through.

"Kieran! You made it! That's great!" Tank beckoned to him from where he was leaning over a beaker full of a shimmering liquid that was sitting on one of his cluttered workbenches. Petia Owlin stood beside him, and she favored Kieran with an affectionate smile. "It's good to see you again, Kieran." "Good morning, Petia. I heard you were helping Tank with his experiments." "I couldn't pass up the opportunity to work with this young man," Petia said with a grin. She patted Tank's shoulder. "He's brilliant." Tank laughed. "She does wonders for my selfesteem." "So is this your signaler spell?" Kieran studied the shimmering liquid in the beaker. Moretz had told him about the spell. "Yup." "Have you figured out how to attach it to the locator spell yet?" "I think so," Tank said. "But I still have a problem. The signaler spell fades before the locator, so if it takes a long time to find the target, the signaler is gone. It will get worse once I figure out how to increase the range of the locator." Kieran pursed his lips. "What you need is to keep the signaler spell from being cast until after the locator finds the target." "Right." "You should encapsulate it." "How?" Kieran paused. Once again, he was reminded that Ma Bricker had been something of a troublemaker,

in addition to probably being a rogue wizard. He held out his hand with the palm facing up. "Ma Bricker used to call this her booby-trap spell." He invoked the spell into the palm of his hand and a ball of pale light formed. "It looks like witch light, but it's not. Watch this." He picked up the beaker and poured a few drops of the signaler spell into the ball of light. The spell pooled up in the center of the ball, forming a tiny droplet. He activated the trap spell and it shrank down around the signaler spell until it had enclosed it, turning a dull brown color. He caught the spell between his thumb and forefinger. "Cracking the trap spell causes it to trigger the spell inside. Ma Bricker used to fill these with a flash-bang spell and scatter them around her cabin where people might step on them to discourage intruders." Tank stared excitedly. "Do it again!" Kieran invoked the spell again and encapsulated another droplet of the signaler spell. Then he showed Tank how to do it. When Tank successfully created a trap, Petia leaned over the three little spells lined up on the workbench. "I want to see them work." "Me, too!" Tank said. He grabbed a textbook from nearby and dropped it on the spells. There was a nearly imperceptible popping sound. He closed his eyes with a look of concentration wrinkling his brow. "I can see the book in far-sight, bright as a beacon. The signaler is working." He opened his eyes and grinned at Kieran. "Now I just need to get it to last longer." "Two options," Kieran said promptly. "Hold onto the spell after it's cast or, if your target is a wizard, attach it to his power." Tank pursed his lips. "Holding onto the spell isn't practical if there are lots of incarnations or the distance is great."

Petia regarded Kieran with twinkling eyes. "But I think you've already thought of how to attach it to a target wizard's power." Kieran drew a deep breath. "The method is the same, regardless of the spell involved," he said quickly. "And I'd rather you didn't tell anyone that. It sounds too much like something a rogue would say." Petia laughed delightedly. "But having a rogue working on our side gives us a distinct advantage." "I thought you said I wasn't a rogue," Kieran replied with a frown. "It's all in the intent, my dear," Petia answered with a sparkling laugh. "And in this case, your assistance is in direct service to King Edouard, so no one doubts your motivation." She suddenly squinted at him, and with a start Kieran realized she was looking at his hand. "Tell me, dear, is that a Soma Ring you're wearing?" Kieran glanced down at his hand. He had gotten so used to wearing the ring that he had forgotten to remove it before coming to Bright Isle. He sighed. "Yes, I think so. At least Edouard thinks it's one." "May I see it?" Petia asked. She asked the question casually, but her eyes were alight with excitement. "Of course." Kieran took off the ring and handed it to her. Petia held the ring up, studying it closely. "It has to be one!" she exclaimed. "I can feel the traces of power in it. Wherever did you find this?" "In the market. I bought it from a jewelry seller."

"A common jewelry seller?" Petia stared at him in surprise. "Did he say where he got it?" "He claimed he got it from a trader." "Unbelievable!" Petia shook her head. "I've been trying to get my hands on one of these for years and you just find one in the marketplace." She slipped the ring onto a finger. "Geffen left almost no information on how Soma Rings were made. We know that once he made a ring for a wizard, only that wizard could use it and it significantly enhanced his power. But we don't know how it worked." She folded her fingers so only the single finger sporting the ring was extended and turned her hand slowly, examining the ring from all sides. She gave Kieran a hopeful look. "I don't suppose you'd let me keep this for a few days? I'd really like to study it." Kieran could not help smiling. Petia's hopeful, prepared-to-be-disappointed look was simply too charming. "Of course you can. Just please return it when you're finished." Petia hopped up and down, a huge smile spreading across her face. "Thank you, Kieran! You have no idea how much this means to me. After so many years studying Geffen, this is the one thing I've lacked." Tank caught Petia's hand and held it still so he could look at the ring. "Have you figured out how it works, Kieran?" he asked. Petia froze and her eyes went from the ring to Kieran's face. "Do you have a talent for understanding magical objects, Kieran?" "Not objects, specifically," he said. "But I can always figure out how a spell works when I've seen it cast."

"Ah," said Petia. "Tank told me about that. But there is no spell on the ring. It is simply magical in its own right, isn't it?" "No, actually, it's not." Petia stared. "What do you mean?" Kieran scratched his head. "The ring is sort of a container, I think. You can put magic in it. Or at least the wizard it belonged to could. That's why we feel magic when we touch it. It's still holding a little power." "How did you figure that out?" Petia demanded plaintively. "Years ago, when I found where Imbario was hiding his madrin bone powder, it was because I could feel traces of power coming from the container the powder was in. The container holding the powder wasn't magical, nor did it have a spell on it. It was just holding the stuff containing the magic. This ring feels the same way to me. I think it's just a container for holding power." Petia's mouth fell open. "But" she said after a moment, "if that's the case, could you make one?" Kieran shrugged. "Probably. But rather than that, would you like me to tune that ring to your power?" "What?" "When it first occurred to me that the ring was a container, I tried to put power in it, but it wouldn't stay. It felt like it was being damped out. But there was already power in the ring, so I tried using that instead. I was never able to use that power to cast a spell, but I was able to drain it by attaching a spell to it the same way I would attach it to a wizard's power. And once the ring was

empty, so to speak, I could put power in it. What's in there now is mine." "How much power can this ring hold?" Petia asked, her eyes intent on his face. "I don't know. A lot, I think." "So once the ring is full of power, the wizard could draw on it the same way he draws on his internal reservoir of power." "Yes." "Which would strength." "Yes." "No wonder Geffen kept this a secret," Petia whispered. "It is so simple that, had Atarkan learned this, he could probably have replicated it and expanded his own power enormously." She paused. "Could you really make one of these?" Kieran nodded. "I think so, but I won't. From what you tell me, it would be too dangerous." Petia stared at him for a moment, and then she stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "From that statement alone, Kieran, I declare that you are no rogue wizard. You put the safety of the world first. I commend you." She took the ring off her finger and handed it back. "I don't need to keep this now. You've told me everything I hoped to learn." "Are you sure?" Kieran put the ring back on his finger. "Yes." Petia smiled warmly. "I have always wondered why Geffen never documented his greatest invention and now I know. He, too, was putting the safety of the world first. He was an even greater man than I thought." She sighed. "I greatly enhance the wizard's

wish I could have known him." She brushed her fluffy blond hair away from her face. "But might I make a suggestion?" "What is it?" "Would you consider giving that ring to Lord Moretz? As the Royal Wizard, with the safety of the kingdom as his charge, that ring might make a difference." Kieran considered this. Since his own power was essentially limitless, according to Petia's assessment, he did not need the enhancement the ring provided. But Moretz, while powerful, still had limits. The ring would raise them, giving him the ability to cast spells more powerful than any wizard except Kieran. "I will ask Kind Edouard," Kieran finally replied. "If he agrees, I will do so." Petia nodded. "Very good." She turned to Tank. "I'm sorry, Tank. I'm afraid I've completely sidetracked Kieran's visit." "That's all right," Tank grinned. "He's given me plenty to work on for the moment. If you show me the trick for attaching a spell to a wizard's power," he continued to Kieran, "I'll let you go for today. But I may need to ask you back if I run into another stumbling block." "Send for me whenever you need me," Kieran replied. "Catching Imbario is Edouard's highest priority, which means it's also mine, after protecting him." Kieran spent the rest of the morning and most of the afternoon in Tank's lab. By the time he left to catch the late afternoon ferry, Tank had a satisfactory design for the combined locatorsignaler spell and was working on plans to increase the longevity of both spells. As usual, the ferry was crowded with vacationers returning to White Shores, so Kieran stayed on deck. With nothing else to focus his attention, his awareness

naturally gravitated to his bond with Edouard. The king was in his council meeting, which was normal for the time of day. Lady Alcasin was present, but interestingly, Lord Mederlane was not, and Kieran wondered idly where Lady Asita's combative father might be. Mederlane had not been pleasant company since Edouard flatly rejected his demand to be allowed to hunt madrin, and he frequently missed council meetings. Kieran wondered if it annoyed him that Edouard would cancel a council meeting in Lady Alcasin's absence, but not his. Since it was late, he decided to hire a carriage to take him back to the palace rather than walk. When he stopped at the row of carriages waiting at the end of the pier, the first driver in the line gave his wizard's robes a quick glance and immediately jumped down to open the door for him. "Afternoon, milord," the man said affably, touching a curled finger quickly to his forehead in salute. "Going to the palace today, sir?" "Yes, please." Kieran climbed into the carriage and the driver scrambled back up into his seat. Kieran stared out the window as they trotted through the crowded streets. His regular visits to see Edouard over the years had gotten him used to the crowds in White Shores, but every now and then he would be struck by the sheer volume of people living in the city. An outbreak of influenza during his third year had felled thousands, and yet the place was still densely populated. The wide courtyard in front of the palace steps was filled with people, but Kieran had no trouble picking Colwyn out of the crowd. The handsome wizard stood just in front of the steps with a faint scowl on his face, and the common citizens were giving him a wide berth. "You shouldn't wear such an expression in public," Kieran chided him with a laugh as he stepped down from the carriage. "You're frightening people." He handed the driver a couple of coins

and the man saluted again before driving away to park in the line of carriages waiting for passengers at the edge of the courtyard. Colwyn smirked. "Is that so?" He glanced around. "Maybe they should be scared. What did Tank want?" "You knew were I was going?" "Edouard mentioned it at breakfast." "Oh. He wanted my advice on his experiment. You'll understand if I don't discuss it in public." "Of course." Colwyn turned toward the palace and they walked in together. "Did you find anything at your manor?" Kieran asked. "No." Colwyn's frown returned. "Only a handful of servants are living there now; just enough to keep the place from falling down. They hadn't touched anything in my father's rooms. They didn't even dust." He wrinkled his nose. "But it looks like my father kept most of his papers in his office in the palace, and we've already been through those. So we still don't know where he might be hiding." "That's unfortunate." Colwyn nodded. "So, about Edouard" "Yes?" "Exactly how many spells do you have cast on him right now?" Kieran blinked. "Just two." "Really?" "I'm not hiding anything from you, Colwyn," Kieran said flatly. "The rumors are just rumors."

"So why is it that Edouard refuses to discuss marriage?" "I thought your meeting with Edouard was about Imbario." "Don't change the subject!" Colwyn snapped. "Establishing the succession would provide stability. But Edouard won't even talk about it. Why is that?" "He's twenty years old, Colwyn!" Kieran snapped back. "I think he has a little time." He stopped abruptly and snapped his fingers. Dead silence fell around them and the air shimmered faintly. He folded his arms across his chest and fixed Colwyn with a sharp glare. "I would prefer you didn't air your doubts where everyone can hear," he said. Colwyn stared. "Is this a a shield?" "It's a sound barrier," Kieran replied. "No one can hear what we're saying." He put emphasis on the phrase 'no one' so Colwyn would understand that he was including listening by magic. "Do not forget that Edouard lost his only family and became king at the age of fourteen. He never had a childhood. He has very few friends. If you attempt to interfere with our relationship, you will lose not only his favor, but mine. Remember that." Kieran snapped his fingers again and stalked away without waiting for Colwyn's response. He was unaccustomed to feeling angry and the emotion left him faintly nauseous. Edouard had returned to his office, so Kieran went there rather than to his room. "Is his majesty available, Graelin?" Kieran asked, even though he knew Edouard was alone. "Yes, my lord. He has no appointments for the rest of the evening." "Thank you." Kieran knocked on the door and entered at Edouard's call. "I'm back."

"Good." Edouard smiled from behind his desk. "I was starting to think you might not make it in time for dinner." Kieran flopped into a chair and Edouard regarded him with raised eyebrows. "What's the matter? You look upset." "It's nothing, really," Kieran grumbled. "Colwyn was questioning me about you again." "You mean questioning our friendship." "Yes." "I already told him it's none of his business." Kieran ran his fingers through his hair. "I think that's why he keeps asking. He thinks we're hiding something." "He should spend more time at court," Edouard said. "All he hears are the rumors. I'm tempted to do as you said and order him to marry Asita. Maybe then he'd have something else to worry about." Kieran laughed. "I daresay." "Did you learn anything interesting on Bright Isle?" "Yes." Kieran sat forward. "Tank's spell will find Imbario when it's finished. I'm sure of it. I'm just not sure how much longer it will take him to complete it. I'm worried that Imbario's cohorts will be able to break the binding spell on him before we're ready." Edouard went still. "Kieran," he said quietly. "I am planning to order the execution of every wizard who assisted Imbario." "Edouard!" "I have to do this." Edouard met his eyes. "I have to establish once and for all the authority of the king over the Wizards Hall. And all of those

wizards are guilty of betraying both the crown and the Hall. I cannot allow them to get away with it; nor can I rely on the Hall to mete out appropriate punishment. They have already shown that they will not execute their own. Therefore, I must do it." Kieran studied Edouard's face. He could see the determination and resolution in the king's eyes. "Royal wizards are servants of the crown," he said after a moment. "As you explained to me yesterday, they are paid from the royal treasury for their service. That means, in my opinion, that you have ultimate authority over them. If that is your will, I support you." Edouard bowed his head. "Thank you, Kieran." He sighed. "I think I would like to have dinner alone with you tonight. Do you mind?" "When have I ever minded spending time alone with you?" Edouard scrubbed his hands over his face. "It's just going to cause more talk. Gah! That's why Colwyn was asking me about marriage. He thinks that would be the simplest way to stop all the rumors." "He might be right." "Don't say that." Edouard regarded him gravely. "I don't want to think about marriage yet." He twisted his fingers together and bit his lip. "There's something I'm concerned about." The look on his face caught Kieran's attention. "What is it?" "I was sick for a long time," Edouard said in a low voice. "I'm worried about the effect that years of exposure to mushroom poison might have had on me. What if I'm sterile?" "Have you spoken to Doctor Sefrin?"

Edouard shook his head. "This is the first time I've mentioned it to anyone. I've been afraid to bring it up. Rumors about my virility would be worse than rumors about us." Kieran drew a deep breath. He was not sure what to say. "I've hardly seen Doctor Sefrin in the past three years," Edouard continued. "If I suddenly ask him to examine me, it's bound to cause talk." "But wouldn't it be better to know?" Edouard sighed. "Yes, but I still think I'd rather wait. No one expects me to get married for at least another ten years. I can put up with the gossip." "For ten years?" "We've lived with it for six." Edouard pushed to his feet. "Anyway, I'm hungry. Let's go eat." "It's still early," Kieran pointed out. "I know, but I missed lunch. And Justus said they're making lamb chops today. I love those." "Me, too." Kieran stood up. "Maybe you should let Colywn go look for Imbario," he said. "He wants to and it would keep him from nagging us." Edouard grinned. "You know what? I think that's exactly what I'll do." He straightened the papers on his desk and screwed the caps onto his inkwells. "I'll tell him tomorrow." As they walked out the door, he glanced at Kieran's hand. "Did Petia notice your ring?" Kieran chuckled. "Her eyes are as sharp as yours. She did. Actually" Kieran glanced at Edouard. "She asked me if I would give it to Moretz and tell him how to use it." "Do you know how to use it?"

"Yes." "Will it make him more powerful than you?" "No, but it will likely make him more powerful than Imbario." "Then do it," Edouard said immediately. "If Imbario regains his powers before he is taken, we will need every advantage we can get." "As you command, Sire." Edouard grinned at him. "Don't you want to give it to him?" Kieran smiled. "Not for the reason you think," he replied. "I just think it's pretty." Edouard began to laugh. "In that case, I will buy you a new ring to replace it, and let the gossips make of it what they will." Chapter 7: The King's Edict Asita Mederlane felt like she was getting old. At thirty, she was starting to wonder how much longer she could wait for Colwyn to make up his mind before there was no longer any hope of having a family of her own. She could certainly have moved out of her parents' house before now, but she had hoped not to need to move until she moved into the home of her future husband. But she was starting to fear that might never happen. The coach thumped through a pothole, nearly throwing her out of her seat. "Sorry, my lady!" the coachman's voice drifted down to her. Asita settled back into her seat, smoothing her blond curls carefully. She hated traveling to their northern holdings, but she had finally gotten sick of listening to her mother's angry, wounded accusations. She seriously doubted her father was

having an affair, but he had been spending quite a lot of time at their estate in the north and Asita had decided there was nothing for it but to confront him about his behavior. The coach bumped to a stop and it rocked as the coachman climbed down. "We're in Brewers Falls, my lady. You said to stop here." "Yes," Asita said. She clasped the coachman's hand and climbed down. Brewers Falls was a small town on the edge of their estate. The citizens were all tenants of her father's and she was quite certain if anything was going on, she would be able to find out about it here. She had not even finished stepping clear of the couch before the proprietor of the little inn came scurrying out to greet her. "Good afternoon, my lady! It is a pleasure to see you in Brewers Falls again." "Good after, Blaken?" Mister Blaken. How is Mistress

"Quite well, my lady, thank you for asking." Blaken escorted her inside. "Would you like a cup of wine?" "Yes, please." Asita took a seat at one of his small tables, returning the murmured greetings of the handful of people in the common room with small nods. When Blaken returned with her wine, Asita asked casually, "How is the harvest?" "Good so far, my lady. We had a bit of a scare, though." "Oh?" Asita sipped her wine. "Aye, a madrin took a horse not an hour's walk from here!" Blaken blinked nervously as he spoke. "We were afraid to step foot outside our doors!"

"When was that?" Asita asked quickly. "I hadn't heard a madrin was sighted in these parts." "Well, in truth, no one's seen it, my lady," Blaken said. Around them, several people nodded, wideeyed. "But two other horses were slaughtered in the past month off east of here." He lowered his voice confidentially. "When Lord Mederlane came up, he said he'd run it off. We've been so relieved." "Did he?" Asita put the wine cup to her lips but she did not drink. "Well, there've been no more horses lost," Blaken said, "and he's spent a good deal of time up in the foothills, so we think he must have." "He's been staying at his lodge?" "I think so." Asita sipped her wine and set the cup down. "Do you know if he went straight to the lodge? Did he spend any time at the estate?" Blaken pursed his lips. "Well, one of the boys came into town to order a side of beef sent up to the lodge last week, so I suppose he's been there at least that long." Asita blinked once, but otherwise gave no sign of her surprise. "He ordered meat sent to the hunting lodge? Is there a shortage of game?" "Not that I've heard." Asita stood up. "Thank you for the wine, Mister Blaken." She handed him a coin from her small handbag. Blaken saluted with a quick flick of his fingers to his forehead. "Always an honor to serve you, my lady. Please stop by again."

Asita returned to her carriage. "We're going to the hunting lodge," she told the coachman as she climbed in. "That's a rough road by carriage, my lady." "I'll hold on," she replied, keeping her voice light. "Please don't delay on my account." "Yes, my lady." They moved out and Asita braced herself against the side of the carriage. The road to the hunting lodge was extremely rough. Normally one only went there on horseback. Asita seldom went there at all because she had no interest in hunting and the lodge had very few amenities. But a nagging concern pushed her to go. The afternoon sun was hot when the carriage jolted to a stop in front of the lodge. A surprised footman in her family's livery appeared at the main entrance just as her coachman helped her step from the carriage. "Lady Asita!" the footman exclaimed in surprise. "We were not told to expect you." "I had not planned on coming," Asita replied shortly. "Take me to my father." "Oh! Ah he's busy at the moment, my lady." The nervous fear on the servant's face fanned Asita's suspicions. "If you will wait in the parlor, I'll tell him you're here." Moving conspicuously, Asita straightened her wizard's robes, her fingers brushing across the royal crest on her shoulder. "I said take me to my father," she repeated in a flat tone. The nervousness in the servant's manner melted into open fear and he nodded quickly. "This way!" he said and led the way back into the lodge. The lodge did not look as if her father had been living there for weeks. Dust and cobwebs still occupied the corners and few lamps were lit, despite the

fact that the shutters were closed. The footman led her straight through the kitchen and out the back door of the lodge. There was a stable on the left and on the right was a slaughterhouse, where the animals taken during the hunt were prepared. There was smoke rising from the slaughterhouse's chimneys. The servant's steps slowed. "My lady," he said in a shaking voice. "I think it would be better if you waited inside." Asita ignored him and continued to the slaughterhouse. The wide doors stood open and she was struck by the overwhelming stench of blood and burning meat. A butcher's table on her right was heaped with slabs of raw meat. A bloodsoaked man with a pitchfork was levering a piece of the meat into the open door of a furnace. A large animal hide was nailed against the wall beside the door with the underside facing out so two men could scrape away the remnants of meat and fat clinging to it. In the center of the room, an enormous cauldron hung over a fire pit, steam rolling off the boiling water inside. Asita walked slowly forward, knowing what she would find even before she looked into the cauldron. She could feel the power radiating from it. Inside the cauldron, dozens of bones tumbled in the boiling water. "Asita!" The shout from behind her solidified the fury burning in her belly. She turned slowly to face her father. He stood in the doorway with a look of shock on his face. The leather apron he was wearing was stained with fresh blood. "What are you doing here?" "My mother," Asita began slowly, her voice completely expressionless, "thinks you're having an affair with the woman who manages our estate here. I wish that were so." She pointed at the cauldron. "Do not deny what this is; I can feel the

creature's power, even in death. You have killed a madrin." Lord Mederlane's brows lowered and his face darkened. "That creature was terrorizing our tenants. I killed it to protect them." "The madrin do not attack humans unless they are attacked," Asita stated flatly. "And no one has seen a madrin; only the remains of its supposed kills." She folded her arms under her breasts. "But other men have faked madrin attacks." "Are you saying I faked the attacks as an excuse to hunt this creature?" Mederlane shouted angrily. "I am your father!" "And I am a servant of the crown!" Asita shouted back. She drew herself to her full height, seemingly made greater by her flowing wizard's robes. "Lord Mederlane, I charge you with violating the king's edict against the killing of madrin. I place you under arrest. You may make your case to the Royal Prosecutor." "You cannot arrest me!" Mederlane took a threatening step toward her and Asita flung up her hand, the palm facing toward him. Light sparkled along her fingertips. "I am a royal wizard, Lord Mederlane!" she boomed. "You will do as I command, as will every man here!" She looked quickly around the slaughterhouse, making sure to meet everyone's eyes, before returning her gaze to her father's face. For the first time in her life, she saw fear in his eyes. "Asita, you don't understand!" he desperately. "The king's edict is wrong!" said

"That is irrelevant," Asita replied. She lowered her hand. "It is still his edict and I am obligated to enforce it." She turned back to the cauldron and held out her hand again. With a whisper, she

flipped the pot over, dousing the fire and spilling the bones onto the floor. "What are you doing?" "Destroy them," she ordered shortly. "Wait!" Mederlane cried. Asita turned to the two men who had been scraping the hide. "Gather up all the bones and put them in the furnace. And when you're finished, put the hide in, too." "No!" Mederlane shouted. He stormed forward and flung out an arm, blocking the two men from carrying out her orders. "Now that it's dead, what is the point of destroying everything?" "Have you forgotten?" Asita said calmly. She looked up into his angry face without flinching. "It is also illegal to possess madrin bone powder; therefore there is no reason to allow its creation." She looked at the two men. "Proceed." Caught between their master and a royal wizard, the men moved quickly, but with looks of fear on their faces. Mederlane said nothing as the bones were collected and tossed into the furnace. Asita watched in silence until the last bone was thrown in. When the men stuffed in the hide, with the assistance of the man with the pitchfork, she stepped over to the furnace and whispered a spell to enhance the fire inside. The furnace glowed red and heat rolled off in visible waves. Asita wrapped another spell around the furnace to keep the heat from setting the slaughterhouse on fire. "You can burn the rest of the meat later," she instructed the servants. Then she turned back to her father. "There will be no ashes when this fire goes out," she told him. "I have a carriage. We will return to White Shores immediately. I expect your full cooperation. If not, I will compel it. Do you understand?"

Mederlane glowered at her. "You are no daughter of mine." Asita lifted her chin. "That is true. I am a royal wizard." -o-o-o-o-o-o-oKieran was not sure what drew him out to the courtyard, except that he had the same feeling of something important about to happen that he had had the first time he had a vision of Edouard. Standing on the bottom step, there seemed to be nothing unusual going on. Even the nobleman's carriage that rolled into the courtyard as he stood there was not an unexpected sight. But he was caught by surprise when Lady Asita descended from the carriage, followed by a scowling Lord Mederlane. Asita gestured to one of the guards standing at attention not too far from Kieran, and the man hurried over to her. She leaned close and murmured something directly into his ear. A look of shock washed over the man's face, but he quickly hid it behind a mask of professionalism and turned to bow to Lord Mederlane. With a withering look for Asita, Mederlane accompanied the guard into the palace. Asita's shoulders slumped and she approached Kieran slowly. "My father was once proud to see this crest on my shoulder," she said sadly. "What has happened?" "My father killed a madrin," she replied, her voice heavy with hurt and shame. "I caught him in the act of boiling its bones." Kieran gasped, the memory of the baby madrin's wide pink nose bumping against his cheek filling his mind. "But why would he do that? It's forbidden!"

"Yes." Asita nodded, and sighed. "That is why I just turned him over to the king's guard to stand trial for the crime." She met Kieran's eyes, her own eyes moist with unshed tears. "May I speak to you privately about this matter, Lord Kieran? I I need your advice." Kieran straightened unconsciously at the sound of his title. "Of course, my lady. Please come to my room." Asita said nothing until they were alone in his room with the door closed behind them. But once there, she drew a deep breath and faced him squarely. "I am a royal wizard, Kieran, and I know where my allegiance lies. I hope that my actions will prove that to his majesty, but I know that lately he has little trust for wizards. Therefore, I would like to ask you to speak to him in my mother's behalf. I know she had nothing to do with my father's decision. But his majesty would be within his right to strip the family of its holdings." She clasped her hands in front of her. "I don't want my mother to lose her home over this. But I am Lord Mederlane's daughter. I don't know if King Edouard would listen to me." Kieran reached out and enclosed her clasped hands in his. "I will speak to him, Asita. He is not unreasonable, but this blatant disregard for his edict will certainly make him very angry." She nodded. "He has every right to be. I asked my father repeatedly why he did it, but he would say nothing. We do not need the money. It makes no sense to me." Kieran was quiet for a moment. "Is it possible he planned to give the powder to Lord Imbario?" Asita's eyes opened wide. "I" She swallowed. "Do you think Edouard will think that?" "It might occur to him," Kieran said. "If it does, he will be even more enraged." He bit his lip. "He has

already promised to execute every wizard who is caught aiding Imbario. I do not think he will draw the line at nobles." Asita stared at him in silence for a moment. "I understand," she said finally. "I am a servant of the crown. I will accept any decision his majesty chooses to make." "Does your mother know?" "Not yet. I thought it better to turn my father over to Captain Soleson first." Kieran nodded. "You should go home and tell her what's happened. I'll speak to Edouard and send word of his decision." "Thank you." Asita dropped her eyes. "Is Colwyn still at court?" "No. He left two days ago to search for Imbario." She sighed. "I fear this will cost me my last chance to win his heart. I suppose I was a fool to ever hold out hope, but from the moment I met him when I was a girl, he is the only man I've ever wanted." "Don't give up," Kieran said softly. "He may yet come to realize you are the best thing for him." Asita smiled. "Thank you for saying so, Kieran." She pulled her hands free of his grasp and smoothed her hair. "I will return as soon as I can. Hopefully, my mother won't disown me for betraying my father." "Hopefully not." Kieran accompanied her back to the courtyard and her waiting carriage. Once she was gone, he went immediately to Edouard's office, knowing full well that Captain Soleson was already there.

"His majesty is busy, Lord informed him when he arrived.

Kieran,"

Graelin

"I know what the matter is about," Kieran said. "That's why I'm here." "I see." Graelin inclined his head and remained seated at his desk. Kieran knocked once, but entered immediately without waiting for a response. Edouard was standing behind his desk facing Captain Soleson, a look of fury darkening his face. "We're busy!" Edouard snapped when the door opened. Then he saw Kieran and his eyes narrowed. "You know, don't you?" "Yes. Lady Asita told me." "He defied me!" Edouard growled. "He purposely defied me! I will not tolerate this! He will be stripped of his title! All his holdings are forfeit!" "That is certainly within your right," Kieran said. He leaned on Edouard's desk and met the young king's eyes. "But please remember that Lady Asita turned in her own father." "She is a royal wizard!" Edouard snapped. "I would expect no less." "Will you punish the whole family for his crime?" Edouard glowered. "What are you saying?" "Allow Lady Mederlane to keep her manor house and enough holdings to sustain her." "Why should I?" "Because you are magnanimous." Edouard blinked in surprise at the unexpected response. "Did Asita ask you to speak in her mother's behalf?"

"Yes. But I agreed because I think it's fair." Edouard shook his head and laughed softly. "Very well," he said after a moment. "I will allow Lady Mederlane to inherit her husband's estate. But aren't you angry about this, too? You are closer to the madrin than I am." "Of course I'm angry," Kieran said. "But I refuse to react irrationally." "And you won't let me be irrational either," Edouard concluded, and he smiled. Kieran smiled back. Edouard turned to Soleson. "Captain, inform Lord Collici that Lord Mederlane is to be charged with violating a royal edict. He can get a deposition from the royal wizard Lady Asita for the specifics. I would like the trial to be held in three days. I will preside." "Yes, Sire." Captain Soleson bowed and left, a look of faint relief on his face. "Thank you," Kieran said. Edouard sank into his chair with a sigh. "Why did he do it? He couldn't possibly hope to have sold the madrin bone powder. There isn't much of a black market in magical items." He paused, a frown wrinkling his forehead. "Unless he was making it specifically for someone." His eyes went wide and he fixed Kieran with a sharp stare. "Send for Lady Amrisen," he ordered. "I want her present at the trial. Lord Mederlane will be subjected to a soothsaying." -o-o-o-o-o-o-oDivwall tried to ignore the stares and whispers that accompanied them through the palace halls as she and Gavilan escorted Amrisen to the courtroom. Lord Mederlane's arrest had sent shock

waves across Bright Isle. When the summons for Lady Amrisen was received, quite a number of wizards reacted with fear. Rumors that Edouard intended to purge Bright Isle of any wizards he deemed traitorous were getting harder and harder to suppress. Divwall was still not sure it was a good idea for her and Gavilan to be here, but Gavilan had insisted. There were only three wizards who had the gift of soothsaying and Amrisen was the most experienced. He was reluctant to allow her to leave Bright Isle alone. The palace courtroom was quite different from the one in the Wizards Hall. A raised judicial bench opposite the doors had room for only three judges. Two curved tables faced the judges; one for the prosecutor and one for the defendant. On the left was a jury box with twelve chairs. Rows of benches on either side of an aisle leading from the doors to the judges' bench allowed room for spectators. A single chair sat directly in front of the judges' bench, inside the half-circle of the two tables. When they entered the courtroom, Lord Collici, the Royal Prosecutor, was the only one present. Lord Collici had served in the same position for King Heston. He was renowned for his intelligence and strict adherence to the law. Gavilan greeted him with a bow. "Good day, Lord Collici." "Lord Gavilan." Collici returned his bow. "Thank you for coming, Lady Amrisen." Amrisen, a gentle-voiced woman well into her seventies, smiled slightly. "I could hardly ignore a royal summons," she said. "Indeed," Collici agreed. "Will you be seated here, please?" He indicated a chair beside him. "His majesty would like you to verify the honesty of all witnesses who are deposed today."

Amrisen moved to the indicated chair and sat down without a word. Collici regarded Gavilan and Divwall with a slight frown. "His majesty indicated that he did not want spectators present at this trial. He might make an exception in your case, but you should wait outside until he admits you." Gavilan put a hand on her arm as if he expected her to get angry, but Divwall only nodded. "I expected that," she said. Outside the courtroom, she sighed. "You needn't be concerned that I will do something to antagonize Edouard, Gavilan," she said. "I know how fine the line we walk is." They waited silently, pointedly ignoring the dozens of nobles also hovering outside the door of the courtroom, anxiously discussing whether or not they would be permitted to observe the trial. After several minutes, the door opened and Collici looked out. "Lord Gavilan, Lady Divwall, his majesty has given you permission to attend the trial." As they stepped through the door, Collici raised his voice and spoke to the people remaining outside. "This trial is closed to the public. Please disperse." He calmly closed the door on the angry exclamations that followed his statement. Inside, Asita was now seated next to Amrisen at the prosecutor's table. Edouard was the only one seated at the judges' bench. The jury box was empty. Lord Mederlane sat alone at the defendant's table, but two royal guards stood behind him. Captain Soleson stood next to the judges' bench. Divwall was not surprised to see Kieran seated in the front row of benches. She sat next to him. "Do I owe you my thanks for being here?" she murmured. Kieran gave her a faint smile, but he did not answer.

When Gavilan and Divwall were seated, Edouard wrapped his knuckles on the bench. "Let's begin. Lord Collici, please read the charges." Collici picked up a sheet of paper and began to read. "Lord Atorio Mederlane stands accused of violating the edict against the killing of madrin. He is also accused of intending to violate the edict against the possession, sale, purchase or use of madrin bone powder. As proof of the charges, I put forth the sworn deposition of Lady Asita Mederlane, a royal wizard, who witnessed the crime." Collici picked up a second sheet and held it out. Soleson collected the paper and handed it up to Edouard. Edouard read the sheet and then looked at Asita. "Lady Asita, do you assert that your statements in this deposition are the full truth?" "Yes, Sire." He turned to Amrisen. "Lady Amrisen, in your capacity as soothsayer, will you verify that Lady Asita has not entered any false statements in this deposition?" Amrisen took Asita's hand. "My dear," she said gently. "Did you give the deposition that Lord Collici just gave to his majesty?" "Yes." "Are your statements in the deposition based upon events which you personally witnessed?" "Yes." "Did you withhold or embellish any information in that deposition?" "No." "Thank you." Amrisen released Asita's hand and took Collici's. "Lord Collici, did you honestly and

faithfully record the statement Lady Asita made to you in regard to the charges against Lord Mederlane?" "Yes," Collici answered gravely. "Did the deposition you just handed to his majesty contain her full statement as she recounted it to you?" "Yes." Amrisen released his hand and turned to Edouard. "Your majesty, both Lady Asita and Lord Collici speak the truth. The deposition you hold is an accurate account of the events which occurred." "Thank you, my lady." Edouard looked at Mederlane. "Lord Mederlane, based upon the verified testimony of the royal wizard, Lady Asita, I find you guilty of the charges against you. Do you wish to make any mitigating statements at this time?" "No," Mederlane growled. His eyes flicked to Asita, who would not meet his gaze. "Very well," Edouard said. "Lady Amrisen, I have a question for the defendant and I would like you to verify the truth of his response." Amrisen rose and moved to the defendant's table. She took Mederlane's hand and looked expectantly at Edouard. "Lord Mederlane," Edouard said, "why were you making madrin bone powder?" Mederlane flinched. "To sell," he said shortly. "He does not speak the truth," Amrisen stated. "It is the truth!" Mederlane cried. "I was planning to sell it!" "Untrue," Amrisen repeated.

Edouard sat forward. "Mederlane," he said, his voice deadly quiet, "you are facing decades in prison and the loss of your rank for violating a king's edict. Is there some worse fate you seek to avoid by failing to speak the truth?" Mederlane's face went pale. He stared back at Edouard and licked his lips. "I did sell the powder," he whispered. "Before it was even made?" Edouard sat back. "To whom?" "Lord Hothram." Mederlane slumped into his seat. "He promised me a gold bar for every pennyweight of madrin bone powder I provided." Asita gasped. "That is a fortune!" Gavilan breathed. "He speaks the truth," Amrisen said calmly. Edouard regarded Mederlane expressionlessly. "Are you aware that Hothram is among the wizards who disappeared when Imbario escaped, and is believed to be one of his principle cohorts?" Mederlane nodded without looking up. "So in addition to violating my edict, you were willing to provide aid to an escaped murderer." Mederlane went completely still. Edouard was silent for a moment. "When did you last speak to Hothram?" "About a week before Imbario's escape," Mederlane replied tonelessly. "I've not heard from him since then. When I finished the powder, I was supposed to send it by boat to a cove on the western shore of White Lake. I was to receive the gold later." "I should execute you," Edouard said flatly.

Asita dropped her eyes, her hands clasped in front of her, but she made no sound. "But as you were not successful due to the intervention of Lady Asita, I will withhold that sentence." Edouard straightened in his seat. "Atorio Mederlane, I hereby strip you of your title and all of your holdings in the northern provinces. I sentence you to twenty years in prison." He shifted his gaze to Asita. "Your wife will retain ownership of your remaining holdings. I will not require her to divorce you. That is her choice." He stood up. "Court is adjourned." "So he won't die," Divwall said quietly to Kieran. "Is that your doing?" "Perhaps." Kieran stood up. "But now he is more likely to tell us where that cove is. You can direct the far-seers to start searching inland from there." "True." Divwall nodded slowly. "But this will put other nobles under suspicion, just as we wizards have been. Edouard will have even fewer people he can trust." Kieran tipped his head to the side. "He will always have me, Lady Divwall. I will never betray him." There was a faintly challenging tone in his voice. "Edouard is leaving now. Please excuse me." Divwall watched him go with a frown. "I am starting to wonder if I should be worrying about how much influence he has over Edouard," she murmured to Gavilan. Gavilan pursed his lips thoughtfully. honestly, I am starting to wonder, too." Chapter 8: Betrayal "Lord Imbario, I have unfortunate news." Imbario looked up from his desk. Hothram's brow was creased with annoyance. "What is it?" "Quite

"Lord Mederlane was arrested for killing a madrin. He was caught before he could make the madrin bone powder. My sources tell me that the animal's remains were destroyed." Imbario frowned. "That is unfortunate. After being so long cut off from my powers, I would have liked the enhancement the powder gives me." "I understand," Hothram replied. "Unfortunately, Mederlane was the only man I could find willing to risk the king's wrath. And now that he has failed, I doubt I have any chance of persuading another." "Probably not," Imbario agreed. "Well, then, we cannot afford any more delays. You must send for our accomplice on Bright Isle. We will need his strength to free me. And tell him he must bring another wizard of sufficient strength to work the unbinding spell." Hothram scowled. "I do not like the idea of bringing in an outsider." "It doesn't matter," Imbario said. "No one will leave this fortress until we are ready to make our move against White Shores." "Yes," Hothram nodded. "I will send word at once." -o-o-o-o-o-o-o"I am glad you agreed to join me on this little vacation, Lisette," Akitaka said. His voice was smooth and deep, and Lisette loved listening to him speak. "I was concerned that we were drifting apart. But this time alone will allow us the opportunity to renew our bonds." Lisette leaned against Akitaka's arm, unmindful of the reins in his hand. The horse really did not need any guidance on the narrow trail. It plodded steadily along the track with its head down, only

the flicking of its ears and tail to ward off flies showing that it was even awake. "How could I say no?" Lisette purred happily. "I am so glad you asked. I was afraid you were growing tired of me." "Tired of you?" Akitaka chuckled warmly. "Never! You are very dear to me, Lisette." At first, Lisette had thought he intended to take her to a resort on the northwest shore of the lake. It was a spot frequented regularly by nobles and wealthy merchants. But the small boat he hired had put them ashore at a small private dock, where a horse and carriage had been waiting for them. For two days, they had traveled deep into the forests, stopping for the first night at an inn and the second night at a farmhouse. Now, with the light slanting through the trees and sunset approaching, Lisette wondered where they would be stopping this time. "It will be getting dark soon," she said. "We're almost there." "Where?" Lisette looked around. Other than the trail, there were no signs that any people lived in this part of the forest. "It's a private lodge that belongs to an acquaintance of mine. You will find that it is quite comfortable. The isolation makes it perfect for a quiet retreat." "Oh." The horse labored up a short slope. At the top of the rise, a grove of trees was clustered around a large outcropping of rock. Akitaka drove straight toward the rock face between two of the larger trees. "What are you doing?" Lisette exclaimed.

"Just watch," Akitaka said. He raised his hand, and the rock face before them split apart and pulled back, revealing a dark opening. Akitaka drove though the gap into the darkness and stopped. Lisette half turned in alarm as the opening closed behind them, shutting them into complete darkness. She invoked a ball of witch light at the same instant as Akitaka. They were not in a cave. The room had the look of a carriage house, complete with stables, hay, and hooks to hang tack. "Where are we?" Lisette asked in astonishment. "Like I said," Akitaka replied with a smile. "It's a private lodge. Come with me. Servants will attend to our things." He climbed down from the carriage and helped Lisette down. As he set her on her feet, three young men appeared. They were dressed in plain livery, marking them as servants, but without the normal colors or crests to identify their master. Akitaka marched past the servants with barely a nod and led the way further into the hidden lodge. Oil lamps burned at regular intervals along the hallway of neatly joined walnut planks. An arched doorway at the end of the hall gave access to a large room. A single long table with a dozen or so chairs along both sides and one at the end stood in the center of the room. A chandelier hanging from the ceiling illuminated the table and the people sitting there. Lisette stopped in her tracks as soon as she saw the people at the table. The man seated at the far end, facing her, was horrifyingly familiar. "Akitaka," she brought me?" whispered. "Where have you

Akitaka stopped and smiled at her. The smile carried none of his usual warmth, but was smug and triumphant. "You are now in the service of Lord Imbario, Lisette. Everyone here has sworn to

restore him to his power and support his quest to seize the throne from the upstart King Edouard." Lisette put a shaking hand over her mouth. "I never agreed to this," she whispered. "This is not what I want." Akitaka leaned toward her. "But do you want me, Lisette? If we are to be together, you must do this. There is no other way." She dropped her hand numbly to her side. "You tricked me." Akitaka cupped her cheek in his hand. "Don't look at it like that, my dear. You must understand. King Edouard means to destroy us wizards. His pet wizard Kieran is a rogue with the power to wipe out the Wizards Hall. Only we can stop him, under the leadership of the great Imbario. Edouard and Kieran must be destroyed, or no wizard will ever be safe again." "And if I refuse?" "Will you not do it for me?" Akitaka purred. "Imbario wants only to protect the Wizards Hall and restore us wizards to our rightful place as leaders of society. You'll see. What we do here is for the benefit of everyone." Lisette stared into his handsome face, feeling her will power slip away. She knew it was wrong, but she could not deny the passion for Akitaka that swamped her reason. She swallowed. "All right; I'll do as you say. But I won't be a party to any killing. Edouard is the lawful king, and Kieran has never done anything to hurt anyone." "That is enough for now," Akitaka replied. He kissed her gently on the lips. "Come and dine with your new companions," he said, and led her to the table. -o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Unwinding the spell that locked away his powers took just as long as invoking it had. Standing in the containment circle, Imbario kept his expression impassive as he watched the wizards work the spell. Akitaka's lover, a recent graduate, was quite powerful and Imbario was rather pleased with her. She was too young for his tastes as a physical companion, but he would have no qualms about using her power. Her involvement now proved that her attachment to Akitaka would make her easy to manipulate. The wizards took another step away from him, and for the first time, Imbario could feel traces of magic under his skin. That tantalizing tingle filled him with urgency. They could not fail now! Not when he could almost grasp the power that made him the man he was. The wizards intoned the spell in turn and took another step back. Now his awareness of magic was even stronger and they had only two more circles to make. Involuntarily, he clenched his fists. They were so close! Another chant and another step, and now his sense of his power was so strong that he thought he might be able to break the binding on himself on his own. But he remained silent, allowing the wizards to finish the spell. As they completed the last intonation and took the final step back, Imbario cried out. The shock of feeling his full power surging out through his skin ripped the cry from his throat before he could stop it. "Well done, my friends," Hothram said. He stepped forward and led Imbario out of the containment circle. Imbario almost staggered on his first step. For a moment, the weight of his power shocked him. But then he straightened his shoulders and lifted his chin. "I am grateful for your dedication, my friends." He summoned his most paternal smile. "The cruelty of being bereft of one's powers should

not be inflicted on any wizard, nor will it be once I govern this kingdom. Now the real test of our determination begins. We must combat Edouard and his rogue wizard, along with those traitorous wizards in control of the Hall. But we will succeed, because as our cause becomes known, more and more wizards will flock to our call. We will prevail!" The surrounding wizards were too exhausted to do more than politely applaud his speech, but Imbario did not care. His power was freed; that was all that mattered. Soon Edouard would understand the true gravity of the mistake he made by defying him. -o-o-o-o-o-o-oThe weather had turned unseasonably hot, which was good in that it gave the nobility something to openly complain about, instead of whispering to each other about the imprisonment of the former lord Mederlane and what that might mean to other noble families. The fact that Lady Mederlane had been allowed to retain a portion of the family's holdings was attributed to Lady Asita being a royal wizard, rather than Edouard's leniency, and that fact annoyed Kieran considerably. He walked quickly through the halls without making eye contact with anyone. Now that he had been living at the palace for over a month, people had gotten used to him and had started approaching him with issues they wanted brought to Edouard's attention. He was not sure if he should be amused or upset by that. It did make it clear that most people assumed he had influence over Edouard's decisions. But that also meant they thought Edouard could be influenced to go against his better judgment, which was what bothered him. Kieran sighed as he climbed the stairs leading to the palace's rather non-functional battlements. Palace life was proving to be every bit as troublesome as he had expected.

On the battlements, the heat was even more oppressive. The sun burned so brightly in the cloudless sky that it washed out much of the blue. Kieran circled the palace until he found Moretz facing toward the west. The gleaming waters of White Lake looked like glass. No wind stirred the surface and no sails were visible. Moretz stood with his eyes closed. He held one hand out in front of him, the palm facing toward the lake. "This weather is not natural," he said when Kieran reached him. "It's like there is a bowl of hot air sitting over the city and Bright Isle, and the portion of lake between them." He opened his eyes and dropped his hand. "I fear what this portends." "Do you think Imbario is behind it?" Kieran asked quietly. "I fear so, which means the binding spell on him has probably been broken." "Manipulating the weather is dangerous," Kieran said. The storm he had called when he was nearly killed had disrupted weather patterns for two years afterward, although the effects had been fairly subtle. A drought the following summer had been attributed to him, as well as flooding the subsequent winter. Moretz pursed his lips. "I agree, which is why I am reluctant to do anything. But we will have to if this heat gets any worse. It will start to sicken people. And if the wind does not return, the citizens in Lands End will be sorely impacted." Kieran nodded. The ferries had not run for two days because of the calm. "Tell me, Kieran," Moretz said thoughtfully, "if you were going to make a hot calm like this, how would you do it?"

Kieran looked up at the sky and thought about it. "Well," he said finally, "I would probably make a bubble of dense air to divert the wind. Once the air stops moving, the heat builds up naturally." Moretz frowned. "But how would you hold the bubble in place? The wind would naturally try to move it." "I would hold it there. It would take a lot of power for such a large mass of air, but several wizards working together could probably do it. If there are enough wizards to take turns holding it, they could probably keep it in place indefinitely." Moretz looked toward the lake again. "But I would think they would need to be nearby in order to do this." Kieran nodded. "Some of them would probably have to be." "If what you describe is what they are doing, we cannot allow it to continue. The disruption to the wind patterns could become catastrophic." Moretz sighed. "We may have to break this up just to prevent further harm." "The only way I can think of to break this is to call down the wind," Kieran said. "And it will have to be a very strong wind to break up the density of the air mass." Moretz drew tornado." Kieran nodded. "Can you make one?" "Yes." Moretz' gaze turned inward. "This may cause a lot of damage. We should get Edouard's permission first." Moretz started for the stairs. "If he gives it, a deep breath. "You mean a

I think we should make the tornado over the lake. It will draw up moisture, which will help to dispel the heat." They went to Edouard's office and calmly usurped the place of the person next in line to speak with the king. Edouard, seated at his desk, wrinkled his nose when he saw them. "I'm fairly certain you were not on the schedule for this afternoon," he said with a half-smile. "Now I shall have to soothe ruffled feathers in addition to dealing with their petty concerns." "We were not, sire," Moretz acknowledged. "But the matter is grave and called for urgency." Edouard sat back and pressed his fingertips together. "What is it?" "I am certain this heat wave we are experiencing is the result of magic. We believe we can break the spell, but it will require us to create a tornado. There may be damage." "A tornado?" Edouard lifted an eyebrow. "We do not have tornadoes in this part of the kingdom." "Not normally," Moretz agreed. "That is why I fear there will be damage. Once we call up the wind, we will not have a lot of control over where it goes, and White Shores is not built to withstand wind gusts of the magnitude we are likely to see." "There's no other way to disrupt this weather?" Moretz glanced at Kieran. "I don't think so, as long as we cannot directly attack the wizards responsible." "I see," Edouard murmured. His gaze turned inward and the two wizards waited for him to speak again. "Were you planning to use your new ring for this?"

Moretz looked down at the Soma ring glittering on his right hand. "No, I was not. For the moment, I am hoping to keep this enhancement to my power a secret so Imbario cannot make plans to counter me. Kieran can make the tornado. Imbario is already aware of how powerful he is. In all likelihood, one purpose of this spell, in addition to making us uncomfortable, is to test Kieran's power. Let's give him a taste of it." Edouard nodded slowly, his lips pressed together in a thin line. "Very well. I agree with your chosen course of action, but please take steps to minimize injuries. Inform Captain Soleson and use the palace guard to cordon off the areas most likely to be impacted." "Yes, sire." Moretz bowed and Kieran followed suit. Outside the office, Moretz said nothing until they were close to Soleson's office. "How far out over the water do you think you can place the tornado?" Kieran thought for a moment. "Probably quite far out." "Good. We'll have Soleson evacuate the waterfront and the lower-lying areas. I'll launch a flare to warn the wizards on Bright Isle that something is afoot before we start." Moretz did not waste time setting up for the spell. Sensing his urgency, Soleson had the waterfront emptied and his soldiers in place while the sun was still a hand-span above the western horizon. Standing at the end of the stone wharf where the ferry usually tied up, Kieran studied the water thoughtfully. White Lake was extremely deep south of Bright Isle, and a deep channel ran between the island and the shore. But closer to White Shores, a long shelf sloped gradually from the shore to the channel. This area was a thriving fishery for shellfish and crustaceans. Damaging it would impact local fisherman for years. He closed

his eyes and reached out with his senses, feeling for the deep cold water of the channel. There was a sharp temperature change between the upper and lower water layers in the channel because of the hot air resting on the surface. He glanced at Moretz and nodded once. "I'm ready," he said. "Very well." Moretz raised his arm over his head, his palm pointing at the sky. A bright red ball of witch light formed over his hand and shot up into the sky, accompanied by a piercing whistle. "Let us hope they understand that means 'take cover'," he said. "Begin." Kieran raised his arms and drew in his power. As a spell, calling the wind was dismayingly easy. Even the least skilled wizards could invoke a breeze of some kind, if only to knock papers off a desk. But to call wind on the level that Kieran wanted required a vast amount of power. He kept drawing it into himself until he vibrated with it, and then he called the wind. At first nothing appeared to happen, and then a streak of cloud appeared in the sky above them. As he watched, the streak thickened to a dark rope of roiling cloud, moving visibly across the sky. Kieran could feel the raw energy in that wind and he knew he would not be able to contain it once he released it. Without lowering his eyes, he spoke to Moretz. "Brace yourself. This is going to be bad." With a sharp downward swing of his arms, Kieran released all the power he was holding and pulled the wind down into the water. A funnel of black cloud plunged down from the sky, exploding into spray when it hit the water. They watched as that initially slender funnel grew in seconds to a massive waterspout big enough to swallow a dozen ferries. Moments later, a blast of icy air blew them off their feet, followed an instant later by a deluge of water.

Clinging to the stones of the water-slicked wharf, Kieran raised his voice to be heard over the screaming wind. "It's moving toward shore!" "It's following the current!" Moretz shouted back. "We'd better get to cover!" The two of them half-crawled, half-stumbled their way up the wharf and dashed to the nearest building. It was a wooden warehouse built on a stone foundation. "In here!" Moretz cried. They huddled inside the main doorway of the warehouse, its heavy frame and lintel offering them some protection in case the building came down. As the waterspout drew closer, the wind and the downpour got worse. Water blasted nearly sideways in a solid sheet, making it impossible to see and they could no longer track the course of the waterspout. The temperature plunged until it felt like winter. "Hopefully, it will start breaking up soon!" Moretz shouted. "Without the heat to drive it, the wind should die!" Kieran nodded. Already, he could feel the force of the wind weakening. The heat differential between the bubble of air over the city and the upper atmosphere was almost gone. As the wind died, the rain slowed. When it was reduced to a thick drizzle, he and Moretz stepped outside. A steady breeze was blowing ashore from the lake, carrying slightly warmer air. "Oh, dear!" Moretz murmured. "I didn't think about that." Around their feet, and visible in all directions, were flopping, gasping fish, flung ashore by the waterspout along with the water.

"But I don't see any shellfish," Kieran said with relief. "I hope that means the maelstrom did not reach down to the oyster beds." Moretz smiled grimly. "Always concerned for the welfare of others," he murmured to himself. Captain Soleson appeared from up the street, relatively dry. "Thanks for the flare, my lords. It gave my men and me time to get under cover." He looked around at the dying fish. "We'd better get these cleaned up before they start to stink." "Let the citizens collect them, Captain," Moretz said immediately. "I need you and your men for another task." "What's that?" "The recoil of a spell this size breaking will disorient the wizards casting it. I believe these wizards are nearby, somewhere on the outskirts of White Shores. I want you to search for them and capture any that you can." Soleson saluted. "Yes, my lord." Moretz and Kieran left him to carry out his orders and started back for the palace. In addition to the fish, the streets were littered with roof tiles and chimney bricks. Shutters had also been blown off many buildings, but the buildings themselves were still standing. Moretz sighed with relief. "It looks like we did not cause the city too much harm." Kieran nodded. Frightened citizens peeked out at them as they walked by, but no one was venturing outside yet. "But we've given people another reason to fear royal wizards." "How many reasons does one need before it ceases to matter?" Moretz said offhandedly. "It is

our duty to protect them. In some respects, that's easier to do if they're afraid of us." "You don't surprise. care?" Kieran regarded him with

"It bothered me more when I was younger," Moretz said. "But since assuming my current role, I've come to realize that performing my duties effectively is more important than being liked." Kieran laughed. "A servant would say the same thing, except he would be more concerned about being noticed. The woman who ran my old master's household once told me that the best servant is the one who does his job so well his master never has to suffer the inconvenience of noticing him." "Indeed?" Moretz laughed, but then his brow wrinkled as he regarded Kieran. "Aren't you tired?" "Not especially. Why?" "Normally, working a spell of that magnitude is exhausting. But you're not even winded." "Oh." Kieran looked away, wondering how much he could tell Moretz. "I used to have limits," he said quietly. "I remember. Performing spells always came easily to me, but it was tiring. But since that day with the madrin, working magic has been effortless, whether the spell is small or large." He drew a deep breath and met Moretz's eyes. The older wizard was watching him intently. There was no judgment on his face; just sharp curiosity. "I know everyone thinks my encounter with the madrin that saved my life is what changed me, but since talking to Petia Owlin, I've come to believe it was actually a result of my contact with the baby madrin. It's common knowledge that only a wizard can touch a living madrin. Why is that? No one really knows. But I carried the madrin home and can still remember

the way its nose felt when it touched my cheek. I shared my dinner with it and let it sleep beside me in my bed. I was in contact with the creature for hours. I was holding it when I was struck down. Perhaps the baby tried to save my life in that moment, but didn't know how and the change in me is the result." He sighed. "Once I began studying on Bright Isle, I realized how different I was from the other students. So, except for when I defended Edouard from attack six years ago, I have never really demonstrated my full power until now." Moretz pursed his lips. "Perhaps I should step aside for you. Such power should best be at the service of the kingdom." Kieran shook his head. "That isn't necessary. Serving as Edouard's personal bodyguard suits me, and my power is always at his disposal." "At his," Moretz echoed. "But what if his interests do not coincide with what is best for the kingdom?" "Edouard is the kingdom," Kieran replied. "Thinking that it could be otherwise is what led Imbario to betray King Heston." Moretz absorbed this in silence. "Very well," he said after a moment. "Let's make our report to Edouard and hope that Soleson catches at least one of the wizards responsible." He paused in midstride. "One moment, it's Divwall." He frowned in concentration as he listened to Divwall's voice in his mind and then smiled. "She demands to know what's going on. She and Gavilan will be over as soon as they can convince Captain Needa that it's safe to launch the ferry." Kieran chuckled. "That's not surprising." "Indeed not," Moretz agreed. They resumed walking. "This heat wave was only the first salvo in what promises to be an unpleasant war. It

shows that Imbario is not concerned about harming the citizens of White Shores in his quest to unseat Edouard. Protecting the entire city is only going to make our task more difficult." "We have to find him," Kieran said. "I should go to Bright Isle and see how Tank is doing." "Not yet. I want to see what Imbario is going to throw at us next, first." "Alright." The rain had stopped by the time they reached the palace. The wind continued to blow, but it was mild at ground level. High up, thin clouds moved quickly across the sky. The smell of fish was already starting to get strong. A dog trotted by carrying two fish in its mouth as they crossed the palace courtyard. Moretz scowled. "Animals are going to spread fish guts all over the city. It's going to stink until winter." His comment made Kieran look up. "There should be birds," he said abruptly. "I don't see any birds." Moretz stopped and looked up too, shading his eyes with one hand. He turned slowly in a circle, scanning the horizon. "You're right. I don't see a single bird. The wind and rain would have driven them into hiding, but they should be out now. The smell of fish would be a huge draw, especially for the gulls." "I think Imbario may already be starting his next attack," Kieran said gravely. "Without birds, and with rotting fish everywhere, we're going to have a plague of insects." Chapter 9: Another Battleground The forest on the western side of White Lake was sparsely settled. His travels in the eastern forests

had accustomed Colwyn to the silence and loneliness of the wilderness, but there was something about the emptiness of this region that gnawed at him. Perhaps it was because he usually ended up with a madrin companion these days that made the unrelenting quiet more troubling. Yet somehow, he felt he was not alone. Ever since he had started this journey, he felt like he was being watched. The track he was following showed traces of infrequent, but possibly recent, use. The residents at the last farmhouse he passed had mentioned a man and woman passing through in a wagon not that long ago. Colwyn could see what he thought were the tracks of that wagon in the dust of the narrow roadway. He followed them until they turned off the track and disappeared into the underbrush. He stopped there, staring at the point where the tracks vanished with a frown on his face. An outcropping of rock thrust up out of the ground here, surrounded by a grove of mature trees. There was no sign that anyone had camped here, yet the tracks stopped here. Colwyn went partway up the path, but the tracks did not reappear. He returned to the spot where they left the trail, his hands on his hips. "Something's going on here," he said aloud. "How unfortunate that you realized that." Colwyn whipped around just in time to catch a glimpse of a club before it smashed into the side of his head. The world exploded into stars and went black. -o-o-oIt was still dark when Colwyn regained consciousness, but the reeking dampness reminded him of a dungeon. Instinct made him remain still, rather than give away the fact that he was awake, but it did him no good. "I see you're awake," a familiar voice purred in the darkness.

"I doubt you can see anything," Colwyn grumbled in reply. He scrubbed a hand over his face, but the blackness remained. "Or have you put a spell on my sight?" "Hardly." Imbario's smooth voice dripped with confidence. The sound of it confirmed Colwyn's worst fear. "There is no light in this place," Imbario continued. He laughed softly. "It's odd that after so many years in prison on Bright Isle, I find the dark rather comforting. Do you?" Colwyn sat up. powers," he said. "So you've recovered your

"You can tell?" Imbario sneered. "My followers understand what I was trying to do; what I still mean to do. I will become the ruler of this kingdom, Colwyn, despite your young king's best efforts. Secular rule will soon be at an end." "Even if it means destroying everything that makes this kingdom great?" "Magic is what makes this kingdom great!" Imbario snapped. "And Edouard is not a wizard. The post of Royal Wizard is meaningless. Threats to this kingdom should be faced by its ruler, not some puppet who sits at the king's right hand! That is the kingdom I will create and my rule will become the greatest this kingdom has ever known." "You're just fooling yourself," Colwyn growled. "The post of Royal Wizard exists specifically to combat men like you. You're no better than a rogue, trying to impose your vision on the rest of us. You deserved your sentence and I won't rest until I see you back in prison." "Indeed?" Imbario snarled. "I fail to see how you'll accomplish that from in here." There was a swish of robes. "You'll rot in this hole until I have time to bind your powers the way mine were bound. You are no longer my son, Colwyn. I accept that you

turned your back on me. Now I turn mine to you." The door boomed shut, followed by the sound of a deadbolt driving home. After a moment, Colwyn crawled to the door and tried to move the deadbolt using a simple spell, but nothing happened. "If you're trying to open the door, don't bother," a woman's voice said quietly. Colwyn turned his head slightly to pinpoint the direction of her voice. It sounded like she spoke from a neighboring cell. "Is there a spell on it?" "I think so. I tried for three days to open mine and could not." Colwyn slumped down with his back to the door. "Do you know where we are?" "In a hidden fortress. Apparently, it was built specifically for the purpose of hiding Imbario after his escape from Bright Isle." "Who are you?" There was a long silence. When the woman finally spoke, her voice shook slightly. "My name is Lisette. You probably don't remember me, Lord Colwyn. I was a friend of Kieran's." "Was a friend?" Colwyn questioned sharply. She sighed. "I doubt he'll want anything to do with me now. I betrayed King Edouard and that is the one thing I don't think Kieran will ever forgive." "If you betrayed him, why are you in this dungeon?" Lisette laughed bitterly. "Because I remembered my oath, even if it was too late. I helped them, you see. I believed Akitaka when he said he loved me and I helped them to break the binding spell on Imbario. But then he asked me to help them

attack White Shores and I refused. I'm a royal wizard!" she said, her voice shaking with anger and shame. "I betrayed the king, but I will never act against the citizens of White Shores! Never!" "So they threw you in the dungeon." "Yes." Lisette laughed again; the sound filled with pain. "But you needn't fear his threat about binding you. They don't have enough wizards for that. That's why they needed me. I was the tenth wizard. Without me, they can't do it. And I think several of the wizards have left for the attack on White Shores." "I see." "I only wish" A faint sob escaped Lisette. "I only wish I hadn't been so gullible. I really thought he loved me, but it was all an act so that he could use me if he needed me. And I fell for it, and now I've lost everything that was important to me, including Kieran's friendship and trust. I think that hurts the most of all." "Kieran is more understanding than that." Lisette sobbed again. "I would believe that if it was Kieran I betrayed. But I betrayed Edouard. Edouard is Kieran's life. He won't forgive me. I can't forgive myself." Colwyn sat in the darkness and listened to her sobs, but he could think of nothing to say. In truth, she was probably right. Kieran's unwavering devotion to Edouard left little room for forgiveness. He tried again to open the door, but the bolt resisted his efforts to move it. If there was a spell on it, it was a good one. It was at times like this that he wished he could reach out to the minds of others like Divwall could. If he could tell someone where he was, Imbario's plans would be short-lived. But that thought made him suddenly sit up straighter. When he was in madrin country, just thinking about the creatures usually

caused one to turn up. He was far from madrin country now, but the madrin were creatures of magic, and over the past few years, he had become attuned to them. With that in mind, he settled into a cross-legged position and closed his eyes. He cleared his mind and thought about madrin. He imagined the massive creatures' dark fur, golden, dinner-plate eyes and wide pink noses. And he willed for one of them to seek him out. He fell into a semi-trance, his mind filled with nothing but images of madrin. It was a long-shot at best, but he had very few options. -o-o-o-o-o-o-oGraelin set a fresh stack of papers on Edouard's desk and sniffed, his brow wrinkling with distaste. "Shall I close the window, Sire?" "No," Edouard shook his head. "The smell doesn't bother me." "If you say so, Sire, but what about the flies?" Edouard waved a hand absently, shooing away two or three of the ever-present insects. "Closing the window won't keep them out," he said, "and I like the breeze. It's nice that it has finally cooled off." "Very well, Sire." Edouard watched Graelin leave and sighed. In fact, the flies were driving him crazy, but he doubted there was anything he could do about it. The flies were everywhere. Despite a diligent effort on the part of the city's street sweepers to clean up the dead fish, too many building owners and landlords had ignored Sheriff Sekwen's orders to clean the roofs of their buildings, and an explosion in the fly population was the result. At least it was only flies so far. Edouard did not blame Moretz and Kieran for this unfortunate outcome of their effort to break the heat wave. In

Edouard's opinion, the heat wave had been worse. At least the flies were not the biting kind. A familiar knock on the door made Edouard smile. "Come in, Kieran." Kieran stepped in with a smile on his face. "How did you know it was me?" "You always knock the same way." Edouard sat back. "What is it?" "I figured out a way to repel the flies." Kieran tipped his head to the side. "Would you like me to get rid of them?" "Yes!" "I thought you'd say that." Kieran murmured something and pushed his hands out away from his body. Far more flies than Edouard had thought were in the room swarmed up and flew out the window. "That's amazing! How long will it last?" "Until the spell fades," Kieran said. "Two or three days, at least. Unfortunately, I can't get the spell to work in a space much bigger than a single room like this. But I already took the liberty of casting the spell in your rooms." "Thank you." Edouard studied his face. "Don't blame yourself, Kieran. Breaking the heat wave was necessary." "But I should have thought of this!" Kieran said angrily. "Imbario obviously did! He expected us to do something like this and he planned for it by calling away the birds." Edouard scowled. "We must not forget that he's had a lot of time to plan this. What else did he have to do while sitting in his prison cell except plot my downfall?"

"He should have been executed," Kieran said darkly. "I imagine even the Wizards Hall agrees with me on that point now," Edouard replied. "But you are still not to blame." A reluctant smile crossed Kieran's face. "You're biased." Edouard nodded and returned Kieran's smile. "Yes, I am." He held Kieran's eyes for a long time. Sometimes, it seemed like the young wizard's company was the only thing he really needed. "Have dinner with me tonight." "I thought you had a dinner meeting." "I'll cancel it. I'd rather spend time with you right now." Kieran's smile faded and his eyes seemed to grow darker. "It will cause talk." Edouard leaned forward and folded his arms on his desk. "I hope so. It will take their minds off the flies." Kieran blinked. "You will sacrifice reputation just as a distraction?" your own

"How many times must I say I don't care what people think of me? I know myself. If I ever do something of which I am ashamed, then I will start worrying about what other people think." "Don't cancel the meeting," Kieran said softly. "We can have dessert together afterward." "Will you spend the night?" "I promised I wouldn't sleep with you anymore." "I want to talk," Edouard said, "and we never have time these days. I'm always so busy." He lifted an eyebrow at Edouard. "You never let me shirk my

duties. So this is the price you have to pay. I want you to spend the night with me. Don't refuse." "I never refuse anything you ask, Edouard." Kieran's eyes looked even darker. "I'll meet you in your room after the meeting." He pointed at the desk. "But you had better finish that paperwork." Edouard smirked. "See what I mean?" He picked up his pen. "I'll see you tonight." Kieran took this as a dismissal and departed without a word. When he was gone, Edouard put his pen back down and sat back with a sigh. He would get an earful from Landon in the morning. But he missed those quiet nights lying in bed with Kieran and talking about whatever was on his mind. He really had no one else in whom he felt comfortable confiding. The meeting that night was boring. Edouard had scheduled the meeting at dinnertime because he had so many appointments during the day that he often had no time for the council meetings that his senior nobles felt he should be having every week. In truth, a weekly council meeting was probably not necessary, but so many people seemed to feel that his youth meant he needed lots of advice, and Edouard found it easier to just go along with them. Everyone seemed to have forgotten that he had spent nearly his entire life studying. What else did he know except how to run a kingdom? But the meeting was subdued, as most of the council meetings were these days. After Lord Mederlane's trial, his senior nobles had become very tentative around him. It was only after Edouard had lost his temper, and had made it clear that Mederlane's crimes cast no reflection on anyone else, that things had returned to a semblance of normal. But a certain reticence remained, resulting in very little of significance being put forward during the meetings.

So with almost nothing to discuss, Edouard finally let his annoyance take over. "Why are we having this meeting?" he snapped. "I scheduled it because you insist that I be available to receive your advice and input, but I've not heard a single useful suggestion this entire evening." "Your majesty!" Lady Alcasin bridled. "That is unjust." "Is it?" Edouard returned her glare unflinchingly. "Well, I'm tired of the charade. I appreciate your input when it has value, but these meetings take up time that could be better spent elsewhere. From now on, I will only schedule them when I need advice. If you want to speak to me at other times, you can make an appointment with my secretary like everyone else." The explosion of protests hit him like a physical force. Interestingly, only Moretz remained silent and Edouard lifted his eyebrows at him. Moretz shrugged slightly in response. "Enough!" Edouard's voice sliced through the babble and silence fell. He looked around the table. "I appreciate all you have done for me and this kingdom, and I am not dismissing you from your positions as royal councilors. But for the time being, I am canceling these meetings. I want to focus my attention on the current situation with the rogue wizard Imbario. I would appreciate your understanding in this matter." An offended silence greeted his statement. After a moment, Lady Alcasin drew a deep breath and spoke. "Very well, your majesty. If this is what you want, of course we have no choice but to abide by your decision. However, keep in mind that failure to consult regularly with your senior council may foster a lack of confidence in the lesser nobility." Edouard inclined his head. "I understand, my lady." He pushed to his feet. "I think we should

adjourn for the evening. Good night, ladies and gentlemen." Outside the meeting room, he picked up his escort of royal guards. Moretz fell silently into step beside him and Edouard glanced at him. "Go ahead, Moretz. Tell me I was wrong." Moretz chuckled. "I don't think you're wrong. Those meetings are a waste of your time. But perhaps you could have found a more tactful way of saying so." "Perhaps." Edouard ran his fingers through his hair. "I think I'm just tired." "Are you not sleeping well?" Edouard thought for a moment before responding. "No, I'm not, actually. I guess I have a lot on my mind." "I don't remember you having difficulty sleeping when Kieran used to stay with you." Edouard stopped walking. "Are you suggesting I sleep with Kieran?" Moretz pursed his lips. "Actually, I've been thinking that it might be better if he stayed with you. Although it is uncommon, there have been wizards with the ability to affect the dreams of others. If Imbario or one of his followers has this ability, they might try to attack you indirectly, through your dreams. But if Kieran is there, I think he would be able to sense it and disrupt it." Edouard pressed his lips together to keep from smiling. "If you think that's best, Moretz, I will ask Kieran to start sleeping in my room." "Thank you, Sire. That makes me feel better. Good night." Moretz bowed and set off in the direction of his own room, leaving Edouard to continue to his rooms alone.

When he arrived, he found Kieran already there. A covered tray rested on the table and Kieran sat beside it, reading a book. "What dessert did you order?" Edouard said as he sat down at the table. Kieran lifted the cover. "Cherry tarts." "Nice." Edouard put his napkin in his lap and reached for the serving utensil. "May I?" "Please do." Kieran poured him a cup of tea while Edouard served himself. "How was the meeting?" "A complete waste of time. I've canceled them." "What?" "They have nothing to offer me most of the time. I was only having the meetings because it's expected, but I don't have time for that anymore. Moretz agreed with me." Edouard took a bite of his dessert, savoring the tart but sweet flavor of the cherries. "By the way, Moretz wants you to start sleeping in my room." In the act of putting a bite of tart in his mouth, Kieran gaped in surprise. "I beg your pardon?" "I haven't been sleeping well and he is concerned that Imbario or one of his cohorts might be affecting my dreams." Kieran frowned. "Years ago, I saw Imbario in a dream and I think he sensed me. But I was the one dreaming, not him. But if such a thing is at all possible, I agree with Moretz. We can't risk it." He met Edouard's eyes. "But this is mightily convenient for you." "Are you unhappy about it?" "You know I'm not." Kieran put the bite of tart in his mouth and watched Edouard's face as he chewed. He swallowed and tapped his fork against

the plate. "I've missed our late night talks as much as you have. And if Moretz recommends it, perhaps there won't be as much gossip." "I doubt it." But Edouard smiled as he said it. He honestly did not care, as long as Kieran was with him. They finished the dessert in comfortable silence. Justus came in as the dishes were being cleared away. "Shall I turn your bed down now, Sire?" "Yes, thank you. I'd like breakfast in my room tomorrow. Make it for two. Kieran will be joining me." "Of course, Sire." They remained in the sitting room until Justus finished, and then Edouard shooed the rest of the servants out. "I will not need anything else this evening," he said. The last of the servants bowed as he closed the door, not a trace of suspicion on his face. It was quite common for Edouard to dismiss them for the evening while Kieran was still there. Edouard turned to Kieran. "Now then, I want you to tell me honestly: do you think the kingdom would be better off with a wizard as its ruler?" "No," Kieran responded immediately. "Why?" "It's something Moretz said." Kieran's gaze became thoughtful. "I asked him if it bothered him that people were afraid of royal wizards. He said it didn't because that fear made them easier to protect. He didn't come right out and say it, but the implication was that fear makes them easier to control. I know Moretz would never harm anyone, but if that's how he feels, I'm sure other wizards feel that way, too. I don't think someone who thinks that way would make a good ruler."

"You don't think people fear me?" "Everyone loves you, Edouard," Kieran replied, his face serious. "It's not just me." Edouard made a face. "I doubt anyone on my senior council loves me right now." "They might disagree with you, or be exasperated by you, but I suspect they still respect you. You are an excellent ruler, Edouard. Your only flaw is impatience." "My only flaw?" Edouard laughed. "I think I have a few more than that." "Not to me." Kieran's gaze did not waver. "You are the finest man I know." Edouard did not respond to that. He studied Kieran's face in silence, noting the way his dark hair deepened the color of his eyes. "Kieran, do you ever think about your parents?" Kieran blinked in surprise. "No." "You don't wonder what they were like, or whether you have brothers and sisters?" "All I know is that they were poor and they abandoned me on Lord Inchor's estate when I was a baby. I was fortunate that Lord Inchor allowed me to be raised there and taken into his service." "Do you think they knew you were a wizard?" "How could they? Magical ability usually doesn't manifest until after puberty." Kieran frowned. "You think that's why I was abandoned?" "People fear wizards," Edouard reminded him. Kieran looked down and did not answer. "Have you ever thought of looking for them?"

"What would be the point?" Kieran replied quietly. "The crest on my shoulder would leave them too frightened to speak to me. What would you do if you were a poor peasant and discovered the child you abandoned has turned into a royal wizard?" Edouard reached out and took Kieran's hand. "Do you think of me as your family?" "That would be impertinent," Kieran answered without raising his eyes. Edouard squeezed his hand. "I think of you as my family. I have no one else, Kieran. You are the only one who truly understands how I feel." Kieran finally looked up. "You should have more than just me," he whispered. "But I don't. We are both orphans, Kieran. No one can blame us for choosing to depend on each other." Edouard stood up, pulling Kieran to his feet. "Let's get ready for bed. I want you to tell me about the baby madrin again. There are lessons in that story that remind me why I gave those creatures my protection, even more so than for restoring my health." -o-o-o-o-oKieran lay awake long after Edouard fell asleep. The young king lay on his side facing Kieran, the soft hiss of his breath nearly inaudible as he slept. Kieran sat up on one elbow, studying Edouard's face. Asleep, he looked almost exactly as he had when Kieran first met him, although his face was plumper and had more color. But he looked as young as he did then, vulnerable and in need of protection. Kieran would probably never say it aloud, but he did think of Edouard as his family, although the bond went much deeper than simple affection. He understood that his devotion bordered on obsession, but Edouard needed him, and that need filled the void left by growing up without a family.

Edouard stirred and his lips moved, but the sigh of air that escaped him was not strong enough to form words. He rolled abruptly onto his back, his eyes flicking back and forth under his eyelids, and more unrecognizable words tumbled out of him. His limbs jerked and his head rolled toward Kieran, a dozen expressions flowing across his sleeping face. Kieran sat up in alarm. He had watched Edouard dreaming countless times and Edouard had never moved this much nor looked so troubled. He put his hand on Edouard's forehead and found it cold and clammy. "This isn't right," Kieran murmured. He closed his eyes and felt for a spell. He was not sure if he would feel anything because magic based on the power of the mind was often hard to detect, but he tried anyway. He believed entering someone's dream was similar to what Divwall did when she sent her thoughts into the minds of others, and in his idle time, he had thought of a number of ways to block that power. But his spells were intended to keep unwanted intrusions out of one's own mind, not protect the mind of someone else. "I'm a rogue wizard," Kieran muttered to himself. "If anyone can think of a way to do this, it's me." He moved closer and slipped his arm under Edouard's shoulders. Then he placed his other hand on Edouard's forehead, touched his own forehead to Edouard's temple, and closed his eyes. He could not quite see Edouard's dream, but he could feel the stressful effect it was having on him as Edouard's thrashing increased. After a long time, Kieran felt an echo of power reverberating through Edouard and he realized there had been a spell, and that it had just been broken. Edouard went still and after a moment, Kieran released him. He stared at his king, anger making the pulse thud in his temple. It was the same anger he had felt

upon discovering that someone was poisoning Edouard. Whoever had caused Edouard's nightmare had cut off the spell after several minutes. Whether that was done to avoid detection or because that was how long the caster could hold the spell, there was no way to tell. But now that he knew there was a spell, Kieran intended to be ready the next time. He would catch the wizard in the act and break him. Chapter 10: Counter-Attack "You were right." Kieran stood before Moretz's desk with his arms crossed in front of his chest. "Edouard is being attacked in his dreams." Moretz's eyes narrowed. "You felt the spell?" "Only after it was dropped," Kieran replied. "I have to go to Bright Isle. I need to talk to Lady Divwall and Petia Owlin about dream-casting. I don't know that much about it, and if I'm going to protect Edouard, I need to understand how it works." Moretz nodded. "I understand." He stood up. "I will attend King Edouard in your absence, but be sure to return by nightfall. Now that we know what's going on, I want you close to Edouard whenever he sleeps." "I plan to do exactly that." Kieran paused. "But Would you mind speaking to Landon and explaining why I'm sleeping with Edouard? It will sound better if it comes from you." He smiled ruefully. "I'm afraid I have no credibility with Landon when it comes to sharing Edouard's bed." "Landon's only his body servant." "You tell him that. He tends to be quite paternal where Edouard is concerned." Moretz chuckled. "Very well. I will speak to him." Then he frowned. "But I don't think I should tell

anyone else. I don't want word getting back to Imbario that we're aware of what's going on. This may be one of our best chances to catch someone, since we failed to catch anyone after breaking the heat wave." Kieran nodded. "I agree. But when it's over, we will need to explain what's been happening. As fond as I am of Edouard, allowing everyone to believe we're lovers I think will only hurt him in the long run." "True," Moretz agreed. "Did you tell Edouard what's been causing his nightmares?" "No. He doesn't remember them. He's just not rested when he wakes up. But when I figure out how to counter-attack the caster, I'll explain everything to him because, in all likelihood, he will feel it when I grab the spell." Moretz frowned. "Will there be any danger to Edouard?" "I don't think so, but I won't risk him. If I can't do it without hurting him, I won't do it." "Very well. When are you leaving for Bright Isle?" "Right now. Edouard has morning, so it's a good time." appointments all

"Don't wait for the ferry," Moretz advised. "Take one of the royal yachts." Kieran nodded. "Good idea. I'll be back before sunset." The king's household owned four yachts of various sizes. The smallest of these was a light, singlemasted ship that was extremely fast. In fact, Kieran had been on the ship before. It was the one Justus had used to fetch him to see Edouard the night before they snuck out of White Shores on the journey that had ultimately saved

Edouard's life. Now the small boat skipped across the waves, racing to White Shores with its crew of four manning the sails skillfully. They arrived at the dock at Lands End in half the time the ferry would have taken, and Kieran hurried ashore before they had even finished tying up. He went straight to Divwall's office. "Come in!" she called out in answer to his knock. "Good morning, Lady Divwall. I hope I'm not disturbing you." "Kieran!" Divwall swung around in her seat in surprise. "What brings you to Bright Isle?" Her eyes narrowed. "Are you finally going to explain to me how you created that waterspout? We could see it from here, you know." "I told you; it was just a standard wind-calling spell." "At about one hundred times the magnitude any of us could produce," she said pointedly. Kieran smiled. "I have a lot of power." "Apparently." "But that's not why I'm here." Divwall scowled and waved him to a seat. Kieran sat down and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "Moretz and I have determined that Edouard is being assaulted in his dreams. He's been having nightmares and they're affecting his sleep." He half smiled. "I know from personal experience that Edouard is not prone to nightmares, and I detected traces of a spell in his mind last night. I don't know very much about dream-casting, but I think it must be related to your ability to speak into the minds of others. Is that true?"

Divwall's scowl turned to a worried frown. "It is similar, but not quite the same. I cannot make my thoughts heard in the mind of a person who is unconscious or asleep. They must be conscious to hear me." She paused and chewed her lip. "Dream-casting is a rare talent, and more often than not, practitioners never tell anyone they can do it, because there have been cases where a dream-caster was accused of intruding on someone's mind just because that person happened to have a dream about him." "So there is no one presently in the Wizards Hall with this talent?" "No one that I know of," Divwall said, "but that does not mean that no one currently has the ability." "I was afraid of that," Kieran said. He sat back. "I have an idea how I would stop a dream-caster from entering my mind, but I'm not quite sure how to keep him out of someone else's. But I need to protect Edouard." He regarded Divwall gravely. "I have a spell that I think would keep you from being able to enter my mind. With your permission, I'd like to try it." Divwall's brow wrinkled. "You want me to enter your mind just so you can kick me out?" "Precisely." She pressed her lips together and blew out a sharp breath. "I suspect it will hurt." "It might." "I will do this for the king," she said. She straightened in her seat and closed her eyes. A moment later, Kieran heard her thoughts echoing in his head. If you give me a headache, I expect you to cure it! He concentrated on the alien thought and ejected it from his mind with a sharp

thrust of power. "Ah!" Divwall winced. She opened her eyes. "That was quite unpleasant!" "Sorry!" Kieran apologized. "But it worked, and that is what I needed to know." "You believe you can adapt this spell to stop a dream-caster from entering Edouard's mind?" "I think so." She regarded him suspiciously and Kieran ducked his head. "Well, actually, I'm hoping to adapt it so I can attack the dreamcaster while his spell is linking him to Edouard." "A direct attack on someone's mind can be fatal," Divwall pointed out calmly. "I know," Kieran stated flatly. "And this person is attacking Edouard's mind." Divwall studied him for a moment and then her lips pressed into a thin smile. "You're a very dangerous man, Kieran. Sometimes I wonder if we didn't make a mistake by not binding you when you were first brought to us." "I'm only dangerous when someone threatens Edouard," Kieran responded. "You can say that after creating that waterspout?" Divwall leaned forward, her voice taking on a sharp edge. "Half the wizards on Bright Isle were demanding that Gavilan order you bound after that incident. Everyone felt the level of power you put out to call down that windstorm. You could crush this island and everyone on it with a thought. That kind of power inspires fear. People may come to fear you more than Imbario." Kieran drew in a long breath. Did people truly not understand that the only person he would use his full power for was Edouard? Or was that part of the problem?

"Tell me something," Divwall continued after a moment. "Were you using your full power when you created that waterspout?" Kieran regarded her silently for a moment. Divwall watched his face expectantly, her expression showing that she already suspected what his answer would be. "No." She sighed. "I thought so. Do you even know what your limits are?" Kieran kept his eyes on hers. "I do, but you don't want to know." She sat back, a brief flicker of fear crossing her face. "I wish I knew what to ask you to give myself some kind of assurance that you are not a danger to the entire world." "Lady Divwall," Kieran said, "As long as Edouard lives, I will never offer harm to any living being except those who offer harm to Edouard." "And if he died?" Kieran swallowed. "It depends on the manner of his death." Divwall paled and he added quickly, "But I would most likely only be a danger to myself. I have no desire to outlive him." She returned his gaze in silence. After a long time, she sighed. "Kieran, you are a difficult person to understand. I admit I have never made an effort to understand the mentality of persons who are servants by choice, and perhaps that is my mistake. If you are able to discover the name of the person attacking Edouard's dreams, please send word of it to Lord Gavilan." "I will." "Will you be returning to White Shores?"

"Not yet. Since I'm here, I want to see Petia and Tank." "You should also ask Petia about dream-casting. She might have some ideas." "I'd planned to." He stood up and bowed. "Thank you, Lady Divwall." "You're welcome, Kieran. Please give my regards to his majesty." She turned back to her desk as he left, but Kieran caught a glimpse of her rubbing her right temple before he closed the door. He wondered if it was his rejection spell or the discussion about his power that had given her a headache. He pushed the thought from his mind as he made his way upstairs to Tank's lab. The lab door was still flanked by two glowering guards, but like last time, they opened the door for Kieran without a word. He entered just in time to hear Tank explode into a long stream of ear-burning swear words. "That should angrily. have worked!" Tank concluded

"It should have, but it didn't," Petia said, sounding almost as annoyed. "Does swearing at spells get you better results?" Kieran interrupted lightly. "Kieran!" Tank exclaimed. "I didn't hear you come in." "I'm not surprised. My ears still hurt and yours are much closer to your mouth." Tank scowled at him. "It's this stupid concoction!" He gestured angrily at a roiling blue-green liquid in a glass beaker. "What is it?"

"Supposedly," Tank glared at the beaker balefully, "it's my locator spell with the signaling spell encapsulated inside. But every time I try to invoke the locator, it immediately triggers the signaler, even when it's nowhere near the thing it's supposed to locate. Stupid spell!" "And we were feeling so good after we were able to modify the signaler to attach to a wizard's power so it could brighten itself," Petia said. She pursed her lips. "We thought this part would be easier, and it's turned out to be much harder." "Hmm." Kieran leaned over and studied the liquid. He could feel the power bound into the spell, suspended in the liquid. The pellets of encapsulated signaler spell floating in it were spots of brightness in the overall glow of power. "Maybe you need to encapsulate both spells." "What?" Tank stared at him. Kieran continued to study the liquid, not really paying attention to the stunned and almost suspicious looks on the faces of his companions. "Well, when you invoke the locator spell, how far away is the thing it's supposed to find?" "The other side of the lab." Tank hooked a thumb at a cage holding a large rat. Kieran straightened up. "Maybe the range on the spell is such that it's aware of the rat, and that's why it's triggering the signaler. Can you cut the range of the locator? Make it so it has to be in contact with the target before it decides it's found what it's looking for?" Tank's brow furrowed and he rubbed his chin. "Hmm You know," he turned to Petia, "he might be right. When we boosted the power of the locator to increase its longevity, we might have inadvertently increased the range, too."

"That's possible." Petia's thoughtful expression mirrored Tank's. "But if we encapsulate it, that might decrease its sensitivity without reducing its longevity." "But then how would we invoke it? The spell needs to be able to travel." "Attach it to something that moves," Kieran said. Petia and Tank stared at him with their mouths open. Kieran shrugged. "I'd use something that flies to cover more ground." Petia grinned broadly and she patted Kieran's arm. "I love the way your mind works," she said gleefully. "But I imagine you did not come by just to get us through our roadblock." "I didn't. What do you know about dreamcasting?" "Dream-casting?" Petia's eyes opened wide. "That's a nasty business, if you ask me. There's no good reason ever to intrude on someone's dreams, in my opinion. Is this happening to someone?" And then her eyes narrowed sharply. "King Edouard's being victimized!" she guessed. Kieran nodded. "That's right. I felt the tail of the spell last night. I want to catch the person casting it. Is there a way to do that? I have a spell that I've just verified can keep someone with Divwall's ability out of my head." "Indeed?" Petia twisted her fingers into her fluffy blond hair. "You know how to block another wizard from casting a spell, of course, but this is different." She exchanged looks with the two young men. "This is something of a dark spell," she admitted. "Gavilan will have words with me for teaching it to you, but it's hard to do. Not many wizards have the power. Create some witch light, please."

Kieran held out his hand and invoked a ball of golden light. "This may sting a bit," Petia said. She closed her eyes and folded her hands against her chest. "I can only do this with small spells," she said and blew her breath out between her lips. For a moment, nothing happened, and then Kieran's witch light writhed in on itself like a creature in pain and he let out a startled yelp. The witch light winked out and Petia opened her eyes. "That didn't hurt too much, did it?" "No," Kieran said, but he rubbed the palm of his hand where a spot of pain burned. That was the spot through which he had pulled the power for the spell. "Did you see how I did it?" "Yes." Kieran looked up from the lingering tingle of pain in his hand to meet Petia's eyes. "The pain is commensurate to the power of the spell, I suppose." She nodded slowly. "The stronger the spell, the more power you need to yank it out of the wizard's control and crush it. The recoil of the spell's destruction is what causes the pain, I think." Kieran slowly closed his fist around the itch on his palm. "Thank you, Petia. That's exactly what I needed." She regarded him with a serious expression. "If you use this spell on a dream-caster, you might kill him." "He's attacking my king, Petia. His life is already forfeit." Petia regarded him for a moment longer and then nodded gravely. "An acceptable response. You are the king's bodyguard. You cannot worry more

about the life of someone else. If the man dies, I will take responsibility for it since I taught you the spell." Kieran blinked at her. "You don't have to do that." "Yes, I do." She patted his arm and smiled. "I'm on your side, Kieran, and Edouard is my king, too." Kieran inclined his head. "Thank you." "You're welcome." -o-o-o-o-o-o-o"I've received Akitaka's report," Hothram said. He set the papers down on the edge of Imbario's desk. "Your prediction was accurate. They used a windstorm to break the heat wave and inundated the city with dead fish." Imbario smiled smugly. "I know how Moretz thinks," he said. "He was more concerned about bringing the temperature down quickly, as I knew he would be. Are there reports of insects in the city yet?" "Flies, my lord," Hothram chuckled. Imbario chuckled as well. "As I expected." "There is one thing," Hothram continued. "Apparently, it was Kieran and not Moretz who called the wind. It seems the magnitude of the windstorm was unprecedented. The waterspout it created could be seen from Bright Isle." "Really?" Imbario's brow furrowed. He knew the young rogue wizard was powerful, but that indicated the young man might be even stronger than he thought. "I really cannot have someone with that much power existing in my kingdom," he said, lifting his chin. "Do we have any operatives in the royal palace?"

"No wizards, my lord, but there are a few nobles loyal to us." "Contact one of them. I want the rogue wizard Kieran assassinated. He may be the most powerful wizard in the history of Bright Isle, but he's still flesh and blood. A knife in the back will finish him as surely as any spell." Hothram's thin lips lifted into a heartless smile. "Very good, my lord. I'll see to it at once." -o-o-o-o-o-o-o"Why did you go to Bright Isle?" Edouard's demeanor was casual as he asked the question, but Kieran knew him too well not to hear the faint curiosity in his voice. "I wanted to check on Tank Trasker's progress." Since it was mostly true, Kieran felt no qualms about omitting the remainder of the reason for his visit. "How was your day?" "Same as always. Will Tank be able to use his spell to locate Imbario soon?" "I think so, yes." The two of them were having dinner in Edouard's room, with Landon and Justus both in attendance. Justus was wearing his usual inscrutable expression, but Landon simply looked annoyed. He said nothing while Edouard and Kieran ate, but Kieran could tell he was stewing with the need to say something. So after dinner, he made an excuse about getting a book from his room and stepped out. He was not surprised when Landon followed him. "May I have a word with you, Lord Kieran?" "Of course, Landon. Come in." Kieran entered his room and held the door open. Landon stepped in

and Kieran closed the door. "I suppose this is about Edouard." "Yes." Landon folded his arms across his chest. "Lord Moretz explained to me that he has requested that you sleep in Edouard's room to protect him, but that does not necessitate you sleeping in his bed." "Yes, it does," Kieran replied. "I need to able to touch him. Edouard is under attack and I cannot properly feel the spell if I am not in physical contact with him." "That's just an excuse!" Landon snapped. "Have you no idea what people are saying? Edouard's reputation is at stake. I thought you said you put a spell on Edouard that protected him from magic." "I did, but somehow this particular attack can penetrate it. I don't know how and that's why I need to be close to him. Landon, I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't necessary." "I don't believe that. You would sleep with Edouard just because he asked." Kieran looked away and Landon scowled knowingly. "How long will this protection be necessary?" "Hopefully, not long." Kieran stepped over to the table in front of his couch and picked up the book he was currently reading. "I want to stop the attacks tonight if I can." He turned back to Landon. "If I do, I will no longer need to sleep with him and we will also make public the reason why I was doing so in the first place. Edouard's reputation does matter to me, you know." "In that case, I should stay with him, too." "You can't." Landon started to protest and Kieran cut him off. "I want to catch the person responsible, Landon. The attacks might stop if they know we're suspicious. I can sleep with

Edouard without anyone wondering why, since everyone already thinks they know why." Landon's scowl darkened. "Very well. I bow to your judgment in the matter. But I still don't like it." Kieran almost smiled. "Do you think I'm his lover, Landon?" Landon flinched. "No," he said, but his response was just a hair too slow. "I should get back," Kieran said, and he left to return to Edouard's room. When he entered, Edouard was sitting on the couch with an annoyed look on his face. "That took a long time." "Sorry." "Was Landon giving you a hard time?" "A little bit." Kieran sat down beside him. "But you knew he would." "It's none of his business." "You keep saying that, Edouard, but you're the king. It's his job to worry about you." Edouard looked away. "It's still annoying." Kieran laughed. "You sound like a little boy." "Don't tease me." "I'm not." Kieran managed to restore Edouard's good humor by the time they went to bed. But Edouard was tired and Kieran could see the strain in him brought on by poor sleep. He needed to rest properly, but it was not going to happen until Kieran put an end to it. He watched Edouard fall asleep and waited for the signs of a nightmare to begin.

Edouard began talking in his sleep just after midnight, the whispered words unintelligible but still conveying a deep distress. Kieran immediately slipped his arms around Edouard and touched his forehead against Edouard's temple. At first, he could not sense anything. All he could feel was the tumult of Edouard's sleeping emotions. But then he felt a thread of power curling through those emotions, roiling and twisting them into feelings of fear. It was elusive, that hint of a spell, but once he felt it, Kieran was able to focus his attention on it. He let the spell operate while he studied it and learned its nature. He could tell from the feel of it that the spell was still being powered by its caster. Spells that had been cast and released felt different. But that meant that the spell he had learned from Petia could be used and Kieran prepared himself. The nightmare spell increased in strength and Edouard began to thrash, his head rolling from side to side. A grim smile touched Kieran's lips. This was what he had been waiting for. With a mental pounce, he grabbed the spell and crushed it. He felt the recoil as the spell imploded and the echo of a horrified scream filled his mind. For one brief instant, Kieran was in touch with the mind of the wizard casting the spell and he knew his name. With a sudden cry, Edouard jerked awake, his hands flying up to grab Kieran's arm. "Kieran!" "It's all right, Edouard," Kieran murmured in his ear. "I'm here. You're safe." "My head!" Edouard gasped. "It hurts." He placed a shaking hand on his forehead. "I'm sorry. I was hoping you wouldn't feel that." "Ah!" Edouard moaned. He rubbed his forehead, wincing in pain. "Who is Akitaka?"

"Akitaka," Kieran said grimly, "is an instructor at the Wizards Hall. He is also, apparently, one of Imbario's followers. He has been attacking you in your sleep through your dreams." "You did something," Edouard whispered. Kieran nodded slowly. "I struck back." "Is is he dead?" "I don't think so." Kieran put his hand on Edouard's forehead and whispered a healing spell. He was not that good at healing, but headaches were one of the few things he could manage. "Is that better?" "Yes," Edouard sighed. "It won't happen again, will it?" "Dream-casting is very rare. I doubt Imbario has another wizard with that ability at his disposal. And I don't think Akitaka will be able to perform magic for a while. It felt like I hurt him pretty badly." "Good." Edouard rolled onto his side and put his arm around Kieran. "But this means there's no reason for you to sleep with me anymore." Kieran stroked his hair. "There might be lingering effects I should watch for." Edouard smiled. "At least for a few days, anyway." Kieran cradled Edouard's head against his shoulder and listened to him fall asleep again. He had promised Landon, but for the moment, he would use the excuse of protecting Edouard for a little while longer. Chapter 11: Plague Edouard sent for Moretz first thing in the morning so Kieran could tell him what had happened. He listened silently to the two wizards discussing

what Kieran had felt, keeping his anger to himself. He did not really remember the dream from which Kieran's attack had awakened him, but he remembered the feelings of darkness and dread that had permeated it. He expected Kieran to be angry about the assault on him, but he was somewhat surprised to find that Moretz was equally upset. "I would never have suspected Akitaka," Moretz growled angrily. "He always struck me as something of a hedonist. I didn't think he had any ideological leanings." "No doubt that's what made him invaluable as a traitor," Kieran said simply. "I suspect he was the one who freed Imbario from the dungeon on Bright Isle." "Most likely," Moretz agreed. "And he kept his ability to dream-cast a secret all these years. I wonder how many people he's subjected to his power." Kieran frowned suddenly. "Lisette" he murmured. He drew in a sharp breath. "In any case, we've foiled this part of Imbario's plot. Chronic lack of sleep would have made Edouard behave irrationally over time, costing him the trust of his nobles." "A trust which is already at risk because of Lord Mederlane," Moretz added. There was a sharp knock at the door and it opened immediately from the outside. "Forgive the intrusion, Sire." Captain Soleson stepped in with a quick bow. "We've captured a wizard. I don't know if" "Where?" Edouard immediately interrupted him. Soleson blinked. "At an inn not too far from the palace. The innkeeper sent for the Sheriff when he found the wizard unconscious in his bed this

morning. He was afraid of being accused of something, so" "Where is this wizard now?" Moretz demanded. "When I received word from Sekwen, I told him to send the man here," Soleson replied. "He should be in one of the holding cells by now." Edouard jumped to his feet. "Lord Moretz will conduct the interrogation," he said. "Kieran and I will observe." He marched for the door without waiting for a response. "Send word to Bright Isle," he continued as they hurried down the hall. "I want a binding spell performed on this man as soon as possible." "That's not necessary," Kieran said. "I can bind him." "Alone?" Moretz squinted at him. "That spell requires ten wizards to perform, and it needs a containment circle to keep the wizard from trying to escape." Kieran's half-smile held no warmth. "The principle of the spell is fairly simple. There's a more direct way to do it; it's just painful." At Moretz's shocked look, Kieran shrugged. "I've seen the binding spell performed," he said, "and I've had six years to think about it. Also, talking to Petia Owlin about the nature of a wizard's power made me realize that, with enough power, a wizard's ability to feel his power can be amputated. The binding spell insulates the wizard from his power, but a spell like that, as we've seen, can be undone. An amputation cannot be undone." Moretz's look of shock turned to one of horrified disgust. "I think it would grow back over time, but I suspect the wizard would never be as powerful as he was before. Assuming he survived." Moretz swallowed and licked his lips. "No wizard has enough power to do such a thing."

"I do," Kieran stated flatly. Moretz faltered to a stop. "That That is the darkest spell I can even imagine. To have one's power ripped out" "His life is already forfeit, Moretz," Edouard said, turning to face the horrified wizard. "Every person who aids Imbario is subject to capital punishment. If he dies through binding or beheading makes no difference. But I will know everything he can tell us first, and as Royal Wizard, it is your duty to extract whatever information you can, using whatever means are required." Moretz bowed his head. "As you command, Sire." Then he looked up with a stern expression on his face. "I am a servant of the crown, Sire, but I have also sworn an oath to the Wizards Hall. I will have to tell Lord Gavilan about this, and I have no doubt he will declare Kieran's binding a dark spell. He will be forbidden to use it." Edouard lifted his chin. "After today." He turned on his heel and resumed walking. After a moment, Moretz jogged to catch up. "You must understand, your majesty. A wizard's power is as much a part of himself as his arms or legs. The very idea that it can be" he paused uncomfortably, "amputated is sickening. If you allow Kieran to do this thing, you will earn the enmity of every wizard in the kingdom." Edouard did not break stride. "And Kieran will have forever confirmed his reputation as a rogue wizard." "Yes!" "A wizard poisoned me for years and killed my father with magic," Edouard said, "but I am not supposed to harbor any resentment for that. Now this same wizard, who was not executed despite my objection, has attacked the city and attempted

to drive me mad. But I am still supposed to care more about the sensibilities of wizards than the people in my charge." He glared at Moretz. "Do you think a nobleman cares any less about his wealth than you do about your power? Would it hurt a poor farmer less to lose his only milk cow that feeds his children? No one is above punishment for his crimes, Moretz, and the punishment must fit the crime. This Akitaka attacked me with magic. Loss of his magic is a fit punishment. Remember that." They continued to the holding cells without any further conversation. When they arrived, four guards standing on duty outside snapped to attention. Sheriff Sekwen was also there and he bowed deeply to Edouard. "Your majesty," he said. "The innkeeper informed me that this wizard arrived at his inn about the same time that the heat wave started. He recalls that the man fell ill briefly the day of the windstorm, but his present condition is much worse than he was then." Kieran and Moretz exchanged a long look. "Has he regained consciousness?" Moretz asked. "Yes, my lord," Sekwen replied, "but he appears to be disoriented and in some pain." Edouard glanced at Soleson. The captain stepped forward and took the key from one of the guards. Since the holding cells might be used to detain nobles, they were not dark and dank like the dungeons under the Wizards Hall. A tiny barred window at the rear admitted air and light, and also flies. They buzzed around in the bars of light slanting through the window. A few walked on Akitaka's face where he lay on the cell's narrow cot, and he brushed at them weakly. When his eyes fell on Moretz and Kieran, he laughed hoarsely.

"Which of you was it?" he wheezed. "I suppose it was you, eh, rogue?" Kieran said nothing. He stood just inside the door and studied Akitaka almost clinically. One of the guards brought in a stool and set it near the cot. Moretz took a seat and faced Akitaka. "There's no use denying you've been dream-casting nightmares into King Edouard's sleep. Both he and Lord Kieran became aware of you last night when your spell was broken." "So why am I still alive?" Akitaka rasped. "I will tell you nothing. There is no point. You'll execute me anyway." "True," Moretz nodded, "but wouldn't you prefer to go to your death with a clean conscience? And in your condition, an interrogation might prove painful." Akitaka laughed and then began to cough, wincing in pain. "You would subject me to more dark magic?" he wheezed. "Only a rogue would use a spell like the one cast against me last night." "Did you participate in the spell that created the dome of heat over White Shores?" Moretz asked in reply. Akitaka frowned. "That spell did not harm anyone. It was your windstorm that did all the damage." "Where is Imbario hiding?" "I will not tell you that." "You can mitigate your sentence by speaking." "Hah!" Akitaka snorted. "You will spare my life so those spineless dogs on Bright Isle can bind me? I will not live out my days a magic-less worm!" He thrust his arms up into the air and cried, "You can all die!"

"No!" Moretz cried. He started to jump to his feet, but Kieran was faster. From his spot by the door, he leaped to the cot and slammed the flat of his hand down on Akitaka's chest. Akitaka gasped and his face went pasty white. Then he screamed; a terrible, piercing, blood-curdling sound. He grasped Kieran's arm, staring up into the young wizard's face with a look of utter, absolute horror. His shriek died away into hoarse gurgling; a madman's sound. "What happened?" Edouard demanded. "What did he try to do?" Moretz sagged back onto the stool. "He was going to commit suicide," he whispered. "He was going to destroy himself and us along with him. But Kieran stopped him." Moretz looked up at Kieran, the horrified look on his face a faint echo of the madness on Akitaka's. "I severed him," Kieran said. He pulled his arm free of Akitaka's grasp. "I cut him off from his power." He turned to Edouard. "I'm sorry, your majesty, but I'm afraid it has driven him mad. I don't think we will be able to learn anything else from him." Edouard looked at Kieran. His face was resolute, but there was a look of anguish deep in his eyes. "I understand. Captain Soleson, dispatch a detail to return Akitaka to Bright Isle. Under the circumstances, I do not require that he be executed, but if they feel that would be the more humane course, they may do so in my name." Moretz pushed to his feet. "I would like to accompany them, your majesty. I must report this incident to Lord Gavilan." "Of course. Kieran, please come with me." Edouard left the others to follow his orders and started back for his rooms. As they traversed the halls, Edouard noticed the way people looked at him. Nobles watched him nervously and many

would not make eye contact. And then there was the whispering. There was always whispering whenever he and Kieran walked through the halls together. He quickened his pace. Back in his sitting room, he dismissed the servants. When the door was closed behind the last of them, he turned to Kieran. "What you did to Akitaka" he began. Kieran moved to the couch and sank down with his head in his hands. "I'll never do it again," he said, his voice shaking. "It felt like like ripping the heart from someone's chest. It was horrible." He looked up and there were tears in his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Edouard! You'll be blamed for this even though I did it. But I had to protect you! If Akitaka had released all his power into a death spell, more than just the people in that room would have died. He would have destroyed half the palace. I should have just killed him. What I did was far worse. What Moretz said was true. Our magic isn't merely an ability; it's part of us." Edouard sat down next to Kieran and put an arm around him. "You didn't know it would be like that," he said quietly. "It's only natural to assume one would prefer life at any cost. Now we both know better." Kieran leaned on his shoulder. "I will have to go to Bright Isle and atone for this." "In due time," Edouard said. "We're fighting a war, Kieran, and there will be casualties; ugly ones. When this is over, I will accept the punishment for any crimes you committed in my behalf." "Edouard!" Kieran sat up sharply. "You can't do that!" "I am the king, Kieran," Edouard said gently. "I can do whatever I want. -o-o-o-

Fortunately, few people other than wizards understood the terrible thing Kieran had done. Using a wizard to inflict some kind of magical punishment on another wizard seemed appropriate to non-wizards. But nevertheless, Edouard called a meeting of the senior council to explain everything. The councilors listened closely as he described the spells being used against him and Kieran's defense. When he was finished, Lady Alcasin cleared her throat. "Sire," she said, "Do you mean to imply that Lord Kieran has been staying in your room in order to protect you?" "Yes. Although he has cast spells to protect me from magic, apparently there are certain types of spells that can still get through. However, he can protect me from those if he is in close proximity." Lord Dobric, a portly gentleman with a full white beard of which he was quite proud, stroked his fingers through his whiskers. "So, by sleeping next to you, Lord Kieran was able to detect and dispel this invasion of your dreams?" Edouard frowned slightly at the phrasing. "Yes." "So then the rumors regarding a more intimate relationship between you" "Lord Dobric!" Edouard interrupted. "I do not see the value of these questions." "But, sire, surely you understand that a more definitive statement on your part in this matter would be beneficial. After all, you are twenty years old; more than old enough to be considering marriage." Edouard sat back with a loud sigh. "I did not call this meeting to discuss marriage." "But"

"I agree with his majesty, Lord Dobric," Lady Alcasin interrupted. "There are other more pressing matters to take up." She turned to Edouard, but before she could speak, there was a sharp knock at the door. Edouard nodded at the guard standing there and the man opened it. Doctor Sefrin stepped in. "Your majesty, I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting, but this is quite important." "What is it, Doctor?" "I have received reports of several illnesses in the city." "Illnesses?" Edouard sat up straight. "What kind?" "Fevers. The victims first develop symptoms of a cold, but it quickly advances to severe chest congestion and a high fever." "Has anyone died?" "Yes. A number of elderly people have died and a handful of infants. But it appears to be spreading rapidly and those struck down are getting sicker." "Is it the flies?" one of the councilors asked fearfully. Sefrin shrugged. "I don't know. No one has come to me about biting flies, which have spread disease before, but" Edouard stood up. "I was afraid of this," he said. "We need to identify all the areas where outbreaks have occurred and isolate them. We need to keep the disease from spreading throughout the city. I will issue an edict restricting travel. No boats are to leave White Shores and no one is to be allowed to dock here until we have this thing under control."

"But there are dozens of ways out of the city!" Lady Alcasin objected. "How can we possibly keep anyone from leaving? If people start crying plague, we'll have a mass exodus!" "The sheriffs, the city watch and the royal guard will all be assigned to control access in and out of the city," Edouard replied. "And no one is to say anything about a plague. At the moment, we have a few cases of influenza, nothing more." He looked around the room. "I'm sorry, but we'll have to adjourn the meeting for now. I need to attend to this matter immediately." Doctor Sefrin came close as the councilors filed out. "It may already be too late, your majesty," he said quietly. "There are reports of cases all over the city." "Do you have a treatment for this illness?" "I have medicines that are effective in reducing the fever and draining the congestion, but if the whole city succumbs, I could not possibly treat everyone. I haven't enough medication." Edouard drew in a breath. "I know you don't believe in mixing medicine and magic, Sefrin, but we have little choice. I want you to consult with Moretz and Kieran. Maybe they can come up with a spell that will extend your medicine." Sefrin chewed his lip and nodded reluctantly. "Very well, sire. That may be our best hope, much as it pains me to say it." Edouard watched Sefrin leave, leaning on the table. His two guards remained at their posts beside the door, but they watched him with round eyes. "Kieran destroyed one man," he whispered to himself, "but Imbario may well kill thousands. Who is the true rogue here?" -o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Moretz had not yet returned from Bright Isle when they retired for the night. Kieran was so sick at heart he thought he would never be able to sleep. He doubted he would ever be able to describe to anyone the revolting sensation that amputating Akitaka from his power had produced. He felt like he had swallowed a gallon of blood. Lying in bed together, Kieran lay with his back to Edouard, his arms and legs pulled up to his chest. "Kieran," Edouard said softly, "try not to think about it." Kieran did not respond. He just hunched in more tightly on himself. Edouard moved closer. He slipped one arm under Kieran's neck and wrapped the other around his body, clasping Kieran's clenched fists in his hands. "Kieran, do you remember the day we met?" "Yes," Kieran whispered. "You offered your life to me." Kieran remained silent. "Do you regret placing yourself in my service?" "No." "Do you regret taking me to see the madrin to save my life?" "No!" "The only thing I regret," Edouard continued in the same soft voice, "is that my father never got to see me well." He pressed his cheek against Kieran's shoulder. "Never forget that we did not choose the path we're on. Everything we do to protect this kingdom and ourselves is being forced on us by Imbario. He is as much to blame for what happened to Akitaka as you are."

Without a word, Kieran rolled over and embraced him. Like a dam breaking inside him, his tears began to fall and he sobbed helplessly. He wept until he fell asleep, still wrapped in Edouard's arms. They were awakened in the morning by Landon, who stood beside the bed with his usual expression of stern disapproval on his face. "Sire, Lady Asita and Lord Moretz are here to see Lord Kieran." Edouard immediately sat up, running his fingers through his hair. "We'll be right out." Landon turned on his heel and marched from the room, and Edouard slid out of bed. Kieran rolled out after him. "Aren't you going to dress?" "Why?" Edouard snorted. "I'd rather they at least see that we were sleeping in our nightclothes." He slipped his arms into the sleeves of his dressing gown, but he did not bother to tie the belt. Kieran just shook his head as he picked up his dressing gown from where it was draped across the foot of the bed and put it on as he followed Edouard into the other room. Moretz and Asita were waiting just inside the hall door. Moretz clearly had not slept all night. There were dark circles under his eyes and the stubble of his beard stood out against his skin. Asita stood with her hands clasped in front of her, a habit that Kieran had come to recognize as a sign of distress. "Lord Kieran," Moretz began, his tone stiff and formal, "you are summoned by Lord Gavilan to face a tribunal of wizards for the crime of using dark magic." "Just like that?" Edouard questioned casually. He folded his arms. "Do I have any say in the matter?"

"It would be best if you did not interfere, your majesty," Moretz said tiredly. "The Wizards Hall is in an uproar." "It's all right, Edouard," Kieran said. He put a hand on Edouard's shoulder. "I said yesterday that I should go. It's better if we do this now." Edouard looked at him and after a long moment, he nodded. "Very well. I yield to your judgment. But don't be long." Moretz frowned at this and Asita twisted her fingers together nervously. Kieran turned to Moretz. "Give me a moment to dress. I'll meet you in the hall." "Lady Asita will accompany you," Edouard said, his voice completely flat. "In the absence of my bodyguard, I require the Royal Wizard to remain in the palace." Moretz looked like he wanted to protest, but he only bowed silently. Kieran hurried back to his room to freshen up and change. Asita was waiting for him in the hall when he stepped out, her expression unhappy. He smiled sadly at her. "Don't worry, Asita. I do not mean to cause more trouble." Her faint smile did not remove the worry from her face. "It's bad, Kieran," she said. "I've never seen people so upset. Especially the ones who saw Akitaka." She would not meet his eyes. "Did you see him?" "Yes." She shuddered. "He felt empty." She glanced at him and quickly looked away. "He was a classmate of mine." "Were you friends?"

"No, but" She swallowed. "How could you do such a thing? Moretz explained that Akitaka was about to cast a death spell, but still" "Edouard was in the room," Kieran replied simply. "His life will always matter more to me than anything else. But I should not have done what I did. I should have killed him instead. That would have been more merciful." "You say that so calmly!" "Akitaka had to be stopped. I made the crueler choice. I won't make that mistake again." Asita regarded him fearfully for a moment. Then she faced forward and began to speak in a formal tone. "When we arrive on Bright Isle, I am to take you straight to the tribunal. I don't know who the three wizards will be, but at least one of them is likely to be Lord Gavilan. You are placed under oath to use no magic during the tribunal, and you are bound to honor whatever decision they make. Do you understand?" "Yes." They returned to Bright Isle on a sloop belonging to the Wizards Hall rather than the ferry. When they arrived, Asita set a brisk pace from the dock to the Wizards Hall. People in Lands End watched them go by with frightened eyes, scarcely daring to whisper. Obviously, the rumors had had time to permeate the town. Once they entered the Wizards Hall, Kieran suspected that fear was the only thing that kept anyone from speaking to him. But countless looks of fear and disgust were directed at him as Asita marched him briskly through the halls to the same courtroom where Imbario's trial had been held. Seated behind the table facing the door were Lord Gavilan, Lady Divwall and Lord Kalin, an elderly wizard Kieran only slightly knew. No one else was present. As soon as Kieran was inside, Asita

bowed and withdrew, closing the door firmly behind her. Kieran faced the three wizards expectantly. "Lord Kieran," Gavilan said, "I have no doubt you know why you're here." "Yes, Lord Gavilan." "This spell you devised," Gavilan's distaste was evident in his voice, "can only be classed as the very darkest magic. Akitaka has been utterly destroyed. Even if his magic could be restored, I do not believe his mind will ever recover from the shock." "I understand." "Normally," Divwall took up the discussion, "when a wizard invents a spell that proves to be harmful, his first use of it is forgiven, since the harmful effects cannot always be anticipated." She leaned forward. "But this spell Moretz said you expected it to be painful. Surely you must have realized the devastating effects of casting it on a wizard." "It was worse than I expected, Lady Divwall," Kieran confessed. "For Akitaka and for myself. I will never use it again, nor will I teach it to anyone." "Do you swear to that on your oath to the Wizards Hall?" Gavilan demanded. "Yes." "It's not enough," Divwall said. She sat back and looked at Gavilan. "Kieran is strong enough to strip another wizard of his power and everyone knows it. I want to believe his oath is enough to protect us, but I still have doubts." "Yet," Lord Kalin spoke for the first time, "if we try to bind him and fail, it will only be worse." He peered curiously at Kieran. "Anyone with strength

enough to do what he did cannot be bound by a mere ten wizards. We would surely fail." "Flog me," Kieran suggested. "What?" Gavilan exclaimed. "Submit me to a public flogging," Kieran elaborated. "It is the punishment of choice for disobedient servants and believe me, it is quite effective." Divwall squinted at him. "Have you been flogged before?" "Once, but it was for a minor infraction, and I was young, so I only received three lashes." Reflexively, he rubbed his shoulder. "But I still remember how much it hurt." He dropped his hand back to his side. "I truly did not expect my spell to hurt Akitaka as badly as it did. Remembering it still nauseates me. I will never harm anyone in that way again, I swear it." Lord Kalin pursed his lips. "Normally, in these cases, that oath would be enough." "True," Divwall said, "but we need to do more. Kieran has always been feared as a potential rogue wizard, and a spell that destroys a wizard's power is the very epitome of rogue magic." Gavilan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But consider it. No wizard has ever been subjected to a public flogging. The sheer audacity of such a sentence might shock people out of their fear." He exchanged looks with Divwall and Kalin. "Because that is really what we are faced with: restoring the confidence of the Wizards Hall. If Kieran submits to excruciating corporal punishment without resistance, it shows that, ultimately, he holds himself bound to his oath. And it is by his oath that he swore never to use this spell again."

Divwall's eyes opened wide and she turned to stare at Kieran. Gavilan straightened in his seat. "Lord Kieran, we accept your sworn oath that you will never again use or allow to be used the spell to sever a wizard from his power. But for the crime of using this spell on Professor Akitaka and rendering him insane, I sentence you to twenty lashes in the central square. The sentence will be carried out at noon today." Kieran bowed low. "I accept the judgment of the tribunal." Chapter 12: Sacrifice and Redemption The sun in the wizards' square was hot. Tank shaded his eyes and looked up into the cloudless sky. The weather had been cool for several days after Kieran's windstorm, but in the past week or so, the temperatures had started to climb again. But it was a natural trend. The wind continued to blow normally. Tank dropped his eyes and watched Kieran remove his vest. He and Kieran stood close together in the center of the square. A short distance away, Gavilan, Divwall, Kalin and Petia were talking quietly. Around them, the square was packed. Every wizard and student on the island was crowded around the perimeter of the square, leaving an empty space in the middle where Tank, Kieran and the senior wizards stood. "Why are you doing this?" Tank whispered. "It's necessary," Kieran replied quietly. He handed Tank his vest. "Edouard's going to be furious!" Kieran smiled slightly. "I know. That's why we're doing it before I go back to White Shores; so he can't interfere." Kieran pulled his shirt off over his head. "I will protect Edouard at any cost, Tank, but Edouard still needs to be able to rule. And for

that he needs the support of the Wizards Hall." He held out his shirt. Tank took it and draped it over his arm with Kieran's vest. He did not reply, however, because Gavilan stepped away from the other wizards and approached them. "Lord Kieran," Gavilan said, his voice raised to carry throughout the square. A hush fell. "You have been charged with the crime of using dark magic. As this was your first offense and you used the spell in defense of King Edouard, your oath that you will not use the spell again has been accepted and that issue is concluded. However, the devastating effect of this spell on Professor Akitaka, regardless of his crimes, cannot be ignored. Therefore, you are sentenced to twenty lashes for the crime of permanently crippling another wizard through the use of dark magic." Kieran bowed his head. Gavilan gestured to Divwall and Tank backed away. He stopped at the edge of the crowd and glanced quickly to either side. Around him, he saw looks of relief and satisfaction, and he realized that Gavilan's words had been more for the watching wizards than for Kieran. Gavilan and Divwall each grasped Kieran by a wrist and backed up, extending Kieran's arms straight out to either side. They then whispered a spell and moved away, leaving Kieran's arms suspended in the air; held in place by magic. Tank wrinkled his nose. It was an extremely simple stasis spell which almost anyone could have broken without much effort, but Kieran just stood there, unresisting. Captain Altoris stepped forward then with the whip in his hand. It was a short lash with three tails, the most common implement used in the kingdom for flogging. But Tank had never witnessed a flogging before, and from the moment the first blow fell, his stomach clenched into a painful knot.

The lash immediately raised welts in Kieran's skin, and subsequent blows split the welts open. Kieran made no effort to hide how much it hurt. He cried out as the lash struck him, tears of pain spilling freely down his cheeks. Tank forced himself to watch until the very end, but he noticed that many people looked away before the flogging was over. There were expressions of nausea on many faces, and quite a few expressions of sympathy. By the time the last blow fell, blood was running freely down Kieran's back and he sagged in the restraints of the stasis spells. As Captain Altoris stepped away, Tank hurried forward. He caught Kieran around the waist just as Divwall and Gavilan released their spells. Kieran collapsed to his knees, pulling Tank to the ground beside him. "I'm really sorry I suggested that," Kieran gasped. "I think" he began and passed out. Petia knelt down beside them. "Let's get him inside," she said. She murmured a spell and Kieran floated up from the ground. She hooked her hand under his arm and began to tow him toward the nearest entrance. "Petia," Gavilan said. "He needs to return to White Shores before nightfall." Petia nodded. "I'll patch him up," she said, frowning. "But what are you planning to tell King Edouard?" "The truth," Gavilan said. "This was a matter for the Wizards Hall and we resolved it. The matter is closed." "Hmph," Petia muttered. She resumed walking. Tank tucked his free hand under Kieran's other arm. "Kieran said this was necessary." "Maybe so," Petia replied, keeping her voice low, "but Edouard is not going to take it well."

"He said he was doing it for Edouard." "Did he?" Petia pursed her lips. "Well, it certainly made an impression here. I don't think anyone actually believed he would submit to it. Let's take him to the lab. I think you've got all the medical supplies we'll need in there." Tank nodded silently. There was also a cot in the lab for those nights when he did not want to leave a concoction unattended. When they arrived, they stripped Kieran out of his blood-soaked pants, and then cleaned and dressed his injuries. Kieran woke up while Petia was levitating him again so Tank could wrap bandages around his torso. "What did you use?" Kieran murmured. "I can barely feel the pain." "Something that will wear off with a vengeance in about six hours," Tank replied, keeping his voice light. "You're an idiot, Kieran. Ten lashes would have been enough." "Perhaps." Petia lowered him to the cot and draped a cloth over him. "Gavilan wants to send you back to White Shores as soon as possible, but I'm not sure you should travel yet." With an effort, Kieran sat up, balancing rather unsteadily on the edge of the cot with the cloth clutched modestly around his midsection and draped over his legs. "I'll manage. I don't want to be away from Edouard overnight." Petia crossed her arms. "You're sleeping with him again." "Just to casting." protect him from Akitaka's dream-

"Excuses," Petia said with a lifted eyebrow.

Kieran smiled. "But it was a good one." "And after this," Tank added, "he's going to want you where he can see you at all times." "Probably." "Well, frankly, I don't care," Tank said. "You can sleep with him; make love with him; it doesn't matter to me." He pointed at his work bench. "The spell's ready. We've got it working to where the locator only triggers the signaler when it comes in contact with the target." "That's fantastic!" "You bet it is," Tank agreed with a firm nod. "And we have the transport medium ready, too." Feeling rather proud of himself, Tank lifted the cover off of a large mesh cage beside the work bench. The cage was filled with moths; hundreds of them. Kieran's eyes opened wide. "Where did you get so many moths? We only talked about this two days ago!" "I captured a dozen or so yesterday and used a cloning spell. It works pretty well on simple creatures like this, although the life expectancy of the clones is only a fraction of that of a normal moth." "I thought cloning spells were illegal." Tank grinned. "I got permission. Anyway, these little beauties can fly over a hundred miles, so even though they'll probably live only four or five days, it should be long enough. The hairs on their legs can carry the encapsulated spells, and Petia's come up with this really clever spell that makes them want to land on people."

Kieran's grin matched Tank's. "I knew I could count on you. When are you planning to release them?" "We can do it today." Tank winked impishly. "I need to mess with the weather, though. I want to have a prevailing wind going toward the western shore when I release them, since that's where we think Imbario is." "I don't think anyone will complain." Kieran pushed to his feet. "Do you need help?" Tank pushed him right back down onto the cot. "Not from you. I've drafted some students to help me prepare the moths with the encapsulated spells. You can watch." Kieran shifted back on the cot and pulled his feet up so he was sitting cross-legged. "I could do the wind from here." "Just watch!" Tank said sternly. He went to the door to tell one of the guards outside to send for his student assistants. Kieran's flogging had disrupted the schedule for the entire day, so he was not surprised when his contingent of students showed up almost at once. They crowded into the lab, staring curiously at Kieran. Tank rapped his knuckles on the work bench. "All right, everyone; time to get started. We'll dust the moths with the spell powder first and then take them up to the roof for release. I want to do this in batches to ensure that all the moths have spell powder on them. So, get those smaller cages over there and start dividing up the moths." Tank supervised his students as they followed his directions. He and Petia had mass-produced encapsulated grains of the spells that were tiny enough to be carried by the moths. But the minute size of the spells had worried him, so he had boosted the power of the signaler by nearly ten times to ensure that it would still be visible in small amounts. The students chattered excitedly

as they moved batches of moths to the smaller cages and dusted them with spell powder. Of course, they covered themselves with powder, too, but since they were not the target of the locator spell, nothing happened. Tank had not actually told them what the spell did. Their theories about what it was for were amusing and wide-ranging. Although most guessed it had something to do with the search for Imbario, and some even knew that Tank had invented a locator spell in the past, no one had hit upon the combination of a locator with a signaler. He accompanied the first group up to the roof with their cages and called the wind himself. It was nothing like Kieran's terrifying waterspout, but he created a fairly stiff breeze that blew across the roof toward the western shore. "All right, let them out." Quickly, the cages were opened and the moths fluttered free. The wind immediately caught them and they were swept away. It took four trips to the roof to release all the moths. When the last of the moths floated away, he nodded with satisfaction. Back in the lab, Kieran was lying on his side looking pale. Tank hurried over to the cot. "Is the painkiller wearing off already?" "No." Kieran smiled weakly. "But I think it just hit me how much blood I lost." "I think somebody should go with you," Tank said anxiously. "If you pass out again" "I'll go," Petia said. "I've wanted to meet Edouard anyway." Tank was a little surprised when Kieran did not argue. He exchanged a quick look with Petia and she nodded slightly. "Your shirt and vest are clean, but I'd better loan you a pair of pants,"

Tank said. "Yours are pretty thoroughly bloodstained." "Thanks." "I'm proud of you, Kieran," Petia said abruptly. "It would be easy to let your power define you. I respect that you refuse to let that happen." "Humble beginnings, Petia," Kieran answered. "I will always be a servant, but my power is not my master." -o-o-o-o-oKieran kept his agony to himself on the trip back to White Shores. Tank's painkiller began to wear off about the time the ship docked, and he was not ashamed to lean on Petia and let her help him into the nearest carriage-for-hire. But he sat hunched forward on the seat because it hurt too much to lean against the backrest. "Are you in pain again, Kieran?" Petia asked anxiously. "It's not too bad yet," he said, wishing the statement was not so sadly true. He knew once the painkiller wore off completely, he would really start to suffer. "That was very brave of you, Kieran. I heard many wizards praising you for living up to the meaning of your oath." "That's why I did it," he replied. He turned slightly to smile at her, and then grunted as the movement sent a wave of fresh pain radiating from his back. "When there is only one's word to rely on, some proof that the oath means something is required." "Very true."

They arrived at the palace with vivid bars of red light from the sinking sun striking the windows facing the courtyard. A waiting footman hurried to open the door and help them step down from the carriage. His eyes narrowed suspiciously when Kieran accepted his offered hand, and they widened in surprise when he saw the stiff way Kieran was moving. Kieran thanked him and took Petia's arm. Together, they moved slowly up the steps into the palace and along the hall in the direction of Kieran's room. Word preceded them at a much faster pace, however, because Edouard appeared before they had gone very far. He broke into a trot when he saw Kieran and closed the distance between them quickly. "Kieran!" Edouard exclaimed. "What happened?" "Would you mind terribly if we discussed it in private, your majesty?" Kieran replied. He smiled to try to ease Edouard's fear, but saw that it did no good. "By the way, may I introduce Petia Owlin? I've spoken of her many times." Edouard smoothed his expression and inclined his head to Petia. "How do you do Lady Owlin? I've looked forward to meeting you." "And I have looked forward to meeting you," Petia replied sweetly. "Please call me Petia, your majesty." "I thought you were helping Tank Trasker with his experiments." "I am. I've come to report on our progress." Petia said nothing else and Edouard fell silent. They continued on toward Kieran's room and arrived at the door just as Moretz caught up with them. Edouard held up a hand to forestall him speaking until they were all inside. Then he planted his hands on his hips and glared at Kieran. "Tell me!" he demanded.

Kieran let go of Petia's arm and settled onto the couch with a groan. "I have been tried and punished for my use of dark magic. My sworn oath not to use the spell again was accepted, but given the nature of the spell, it was decided additional punishment was called for. I received twenty lashes at noon today and the matter is now closed." Edouard stared. "Twenty lashes? They whipped you?" Kieran nodded. "But that's the end of it. The Wizards Hall has demonstrated that they have power over me." He looked at Moretz. "I am not a rogue." Moretz slowly smiled. "Well done, Kieran. Did you suggest it?" "Perhaps foolishly, but I did." "You suggested it?" Edouard exclaimed. "Why?" "For the reason I just stated." He met Edouard's eyes. "They can't bind me, but I let them punish me in another, quite painful, way. I will not be feared anymore, and by the same token, neither will you. I will protect you, Edouard, no matter what." Edouard regarded him in silence for a long time. Then, without turning, he spoke to Petia. "Lady Owlin, you said you had progress to report." "Yes, your majesty. The spell to locate Imbario was invoked this afternoon. The far-seers have been directed to begin searching for him first thing in the morning." Edouard's expression did not change. "Thank you, Lady Owlin. Please inform Lord Trasker that I am exceedingly grateful to you both for your dedication and skill."

Petia bowed. "Thank you, your majesty. I'll pass your thanks along." "Will you both please leave us now?" "Of course, your majesty." Petia and Moretz both bowed, but Edouard did not see it. His eyes never left Kieran's face. When they were alone, Edouard sat down next to Kieran and took his hands. "I'm not sure if I can forgive you for this," he said softly. "You knew you were going to let them do this before you ever left White Shores. Why didn't you tell me?" "Because you would have tried to stop me." "Damn you, Kieran! I said I would take the blame!" "But you couldn't. Not for this." Kieran turned his hands over so he could capture Edouard's in his. "You cannot rule if the Wizards Hall is in opposition to you. My first allegiance is to you, but my second is to the Hall. A public act of contrition was necessary to soothe everyone's fears. And now it's done." Edouard's eyes were bright, but he did not weep. Instead, he smiled. "You've always been the stronger of us, haven't you?" "Physically, maybe." Kieran winced as the throbbing in his back ratcheted up a few notches. "Although not right now, I think." "I'll send for Doctor Sefrin," Edouard said. "He'll take care of you." He touched Kieran's cheek. "And I'm sleeping in your room tonight, to make sure you're all right." "I'm not even going to tell you that you shouldn't," Kieran said affectionately. "I want you here."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-oColwyn jerked awake at the sound of Lisette's horrified scream. "Please calm yourself, my dear." Lord Hothram's oily voice floated through the grill in his door. "Professor Akitaka is not dead, although, sadly, there is apparently little hope for his recovery. You have your dear friend Kieran to blame for it. He destroyed Akitaka with his rogue powers. Had you not turned your back on your lover, you might have been there to help him." "No!" Lisette wailed, heartbroken sobs. and she broke into

"Surely now, knowing what kind of man Kieran is, you are ready to help our cause." "I won't!" Lisette gasped between her sobs. Colwyn jumped to his feet and gripped the tiny grill with both hands. "Leave her alone!" he cried angrily. "Be quiet!" Hothram sneered. "I'm not talking to you. Lisette, without Akitaka, we could use the aid of a strong wizard like you. We need to defeat Kieran and cast down the king who allowed him to use his dark magic against a fellow wizard. Come now, wouldn't you like to leave this cell? Wouldn't you like to have a part in shaping the future of this kingdom?" "I have no future," Lisette moaned. "I can never go back and now I've lost Akitaka, too. I have nothing left." "Don't say that, my dear. If you stand at Imbario's side, your future is assured." "I'm sorry, Colwyn," Lisette whispered, her voice barely audible. "Please tell Kieran I'm sorry."

Colwyn felt the pressure of her released power an instant before the force of her self-immolation spell struck him. The explosion blew him backward along with the door of his cell, the flash of fire scorching his face through the grill and instantly blinding him. He smashed into the far wall of his cell and was crushed into unconsciousness. -o-o-o-o-o"There's no sign of Lord Hothram, my lord," one of his servants said and Imbario scowled. The man had a bloody bandage tied around his head, but otherwise he looked unharmed. Nevertheless, the wizard who had arrived with him patted him on the back and sent him to sit down. "From the look of it, the explosion occurred in the detention cells," the wizard Hambrick said. He was nursing a nasty gash in his right forearm. Hambrick had been one of Imbario's staunchest supporters from the very beginning and Imbario had come to rely on him, despite his low birth. "Hothram told me he was going to try to persuade Akitaka's woman to join us again. If he was there" "It doesn't matter," Imbario said angrily. He gestured sharply. "If we cannot find him, he's dead." But the cells were also where Colwyn had been, which meant he was dead, too. Imbario wondered if it bothered him to lose his only son. Had he had more time, he might have analyzed his feelings on the subject, but at the moment, there were more pressing matters needing his attention. "We must salvage whatever we can and move quickly. If any far-seers happened to be looking in this direction and saw the explosion, we could all be exposed." "Of course, my lord," Hambrick sketched a hasty bow. "Fortunately, the stables were not too damaged by the blast. All of the horses survived

and only one wagon was damaged. We should be able to recover most of the food stores." "Good." Imbario rubbed his thigh. The explosion had thrown him to the ground and he had struck his leg on something. A nasty bruise had already started to form. He looked up. The early afternoon sun filtered down through the trees. The foliage here was thick, but it would not stop a determined far-seer from discovering what was underneath. "I want to be as far from here as we can be by nightfall. Send word to our colleagues in White Shores. We'll head back to the lake. I want a boat to meet us. We'll move to our other location on the north shore." "Very good, my lord." Hambrick hurried off to carry out his orders. Imbario watched in annoyed silence as his remaining wizards and servants prepared to move out. Setbacks upset him and Hothram's loss was particularly irritating. "You have not won, Edouard," he murmured. "When your pet wizard is dead, we'll see then who emerges victorious." -o-o-o-o-oColwyn's first impression was of pressure; unrelenting pressure that made every breath a struggle. His second impression was of utter blackness. For a long time he lay there, trying to remember how he had come to be where he was. Then the memory of Lisette's final act came back to him, and a sob escaped him. "That poor girl!" he whispered. The sound of his voice echoed strangely and he slowly moved a hand, feeling through the darkness. A hard, rough edge of metal met his fingertips. He felt along it carefully until he recognized one of the heavy iron bands that bound the door of his cell. He was lying under the door. Its weight was crushing him, but the angle at which it was wedged had also protected

him. He could feel rubble on both sides. Lisette's death had brought down the walls. Unable to see, he was reluctant to try moving the door for fear that he might bring down more rocks. But he could not stay where he was. So, moving slowly and pausing frequently to listen, he began shifting the rocks on one side and trying to pull himself free. It was hard going, made more so by the discovery that the door had crushed his left leg. Pulling his leg free sent such excruciating pain shooting through the limb that he blacked out twice. But he did finally free it, and then he worked his way slowly out from under the door and over the rubble, pulling himself along with hands that were quickly torn and bloodied, and dragging his useless left leg. A breeze touched the burned and tender skin of his face and he crawled in that direction. He struggled over jumbled stones, praying that he was moving away from the hidden fortress. Several times, he had to stop and rest when the pain from his damaged leg became too much to ignore. But at long last, he felt the softness of grass beneath his hands. He kept moving for as long as he could, but eventually exhaustion and pain won out, and he slipped into unconsciousness. -o-o-oWhen Colwyn awoke again, he could hear breathing. Something large was quite close to him, breathing in a slow steady rhythm. After so many years in their company, Colwyn recognized the sound at once, and he sobbed with relief. "Hello, my friend," he said to the unseen madrin. "I take it you heard me calling." The madrin shifted its weight and a large toe delicately touched the skin of his face.

Colwyn flinched. "I daresay you've seen me look better." The madrin made a chuckling sound that Colwyn recognized as something of a question. "I know it's a lot to ask," he said, "but I'm in quite a lot of pain at the moment. Could you possibly do anything about it?" The madrin shifted its weight again and a moment later, Colwyn felt the swipe of its thick blue tongue. The clinical side of his mind was eager to analyze the warm, moist feel of that contact, but it was overwhelmed in an instant by a shockwave of pain. His body went rigid and he screamed. The agony lasted for untold seconds, but when it faded, the pain in his leg, hands and face was gone. He blinked and realized that the darkness had also changed. It was now just the darkness of night and he could see stars between the branches of the trees overhead. Stunned, he sat up and turned to stare at the madrin. "I don't believe it!" he whispered. "This is what happened to Kieran!" He looked down at his hands. The cuts and scrapes that should have been there were gone. He touched his cheeks and the skin was soft and smooth. He looked back up into the madrin's golden eyes. "Thank you!" The madrin dipped its head in acknowledgement and stood up. Colwyn staggered to his feet. Now that he could see, he was amazed that he was alive. The hidden fortress had been cracked open like a dropped melon. He realized that he had escaped only because his cell had been on the outside wall of the fortress. Lisette's explosion had blasted the wall out. There was no sign of anyone else, but Colwyn suspected it was too much to hope that Imbario had been killed in the blast. "But I daresay Hothram was killed," he muttered grimly to himself. He turned to the madrin. "I need food and water. Can you lead me to it?"

The madrin dipped its head and turned away. Colwyn followed along behind it as it trotted purposefully through the trees. He marveled at how good he felt. His left leg showed no sign that it had been on the verge of needing amputation. "Once I get some supplies," Colwyn told himself, "I'm going straight to Bright Isle. If Imbario survived the blast, he's in the open now, and we know where. The far-seers will be able to find him." Chapter 13: Epidemic Edouard watched while Doctor Sefrin tended Kieran's wounds, but the sight of Kieran's lacerated back sickened him. He could not imagine how much it must hurt, but Kieran sat stoically throughout Sefrin's ministrations. "Whoever provided your initial care did a good job, Lord Kieran," Sefrin said. "I think the scarring shouldn't be too bad." He used a cotton swab to carefully coat each cut with a thick cream. "This cream will speed healing and also reduce the inevitable itching. But you need to minimize your movements for the next few days and allow the cuts to close." "Yes, Doctor." "If you develop a fever, please notify me at once. With injuries this extensive, an infection could be devastating." "I understand." Sefrin covered the cream with clean cotton pads and then bound the pads in place with several lengths of bandage wound around Kieran's torso. As he tied off the last bandage, he turned to Edouard. "Your majesty, there's something you should know." "What is it?"

"You remember I said that I had not had any reports of biting flies." "Yes." "Well, I was failing to ask the right questions. It seems that a number of people in the poorer, more crowded sections of the city have been having problems with fleas." Sefrin scowled. "Fleas are always a problem, especially in the summer, but this is much worse than normal. We thought the flies were the only problem resulting from the dead fish rotting everywhere, but the number of feral dogs and cats within the city skyrocketed as well. I think the animals brought the fleas and the fleas brought the plague." Moving stiffly, Kieran turned around. "But how could a few animals account for such a widespread outbreak? You said the illness has cropped up all over the city." Sefrin began packing up his extra bandages. "I don't know. Maybe the fleas have been hitching rides on the flies" he said offhandedly. "What?" Kieran's startled exclamation made Sefrin pause. The young wizard looked from the doctor to Edouard. "That's exactly what we did! Tank attached his search spell to moths to carry it over a greater distance. And he used a normally illegal replication spell to produce the moths. Imbario is a smart man. He's been planning this attack for years. He created the heat wave knowing we would draw water from the lake to break it, littering the city with dying fish. He had thousands of flies ready to release, but since they didn't bite, we didn't think they were a real problem. But the flies were there to carry the fleas that were brought into the city by the feral dogs and cats, which were bred, infested and released just for that reason. We played right into his hand." Edouard stared, utterly shocked. Everything Kieran said made perfect sense. "But the flies are

everywhere! And the fleas will have infested bedding, clothing, rugs, everything! How do we stop the plague from spreading?" "We have to wipe it all out at once," Kieran said grimly. "We need a spell to destroy the flies and the fleas simultaneously, plus blanket everyone with a cure for the illness." "All at once?" possible!" Sefrin exclaimed. "That's not

"But we'll have to do it if we're to keep it from getting any worse." Kieran turned to Edouard. "You should meet with Moretz right away. He must know spells for destroying an insect infestation. If he's not sure how to combine the spell with Doctor Sefrin's medication, ask Petia. She and Tank came up with some really creative ideas for combining different spells." "You made that spell to repel the flies early on," Edouard said thoughtfully. "There've been very few in the palace since then and no one here has gotten sick." He nodded slowly. "That lends credence to the theory." Kieran nodded as well. "But simply repelling the flies won't be enough. We can't let them carry the fleas outside the city. We have to destroy them along with the fleas." "Right." Edouard drew in a breath. "Very well. Sefrin and I will go meet with Moretz. Please get some rest and I will come back to check on you later." Kieran nodded and slowly stood up. Edouard watched him crawl onto his bed and stretch out on his stomach. Outside the door, he touched Sefrin's arm. "He's going to be all right, isn't he?" Sefrin made a face. "I hate flogging!" he growled. "It's a cruel way to punish someone for a transgression. But it could have been worse. It

appeared that whoever whipped him was trying not to do too much harm. He'll recover." "That's a relief." Sefrin glanced at him and looked away. "May I ask you something, your majesty?" "Of course." "Did your long illness uninterested in women?" leave you ah

Edouard flushed. "I've been ruling this kingdom since I was fourteen, Sefrin. I've had no time to" He stopped and took a breath. "I'm in no hurry to get married." "That's not really what I meant." Sefrin looked around. There was no one particularly nearby, but he lowered his voice anyway. "I don't believe the rumors that Lord Kieran is your lover, but you've never had a lover, to my knowledge, so it makes me wonder. Would you like me to examine you?" Edouard looked down. "In fact, I would like you to," he answered, keeping his voice low. "I was being poisoned, and I've been worried for some time that it might have left me sterile." "Hmm" Sefrin murmured. "Would madrin's cure have corrected that?" not the

"I was barely old enough to father children when that happened," Edouard replied. "Would it have recognized such damage?" "Who knows?" Sefrin shrugged. "It's all uncharted territory." Edouard sighed. "Let's worry about it later. We need to save the city first." They arrived at Moretz's office and Edouard opened the door without knocking. Petia Owlin was seated in front

of Moretz's desk, one leg neatly folded over the other. Moretz stood up from behind his desk. "How is Kieran, your majesty?" "He'll be fine." Petia started to stand up, but Edouard waved her back into her chair. "Please don't get up, Lady Owlin. I'm sorry I was so brief with you before. I was worried about Kieran. Do we have you to thank for his early medical care? Doctor Sefrin said it was very good." Petia inclined her head. "Thank you, Doctor! I did my meager best." Then she shook a finger at Edouard. "But I asked you to call me Petia, your majesty. When you call me Lady Owlin, I feel positively ancient." Edouard smiled. He could see why Kieran liked this petite woman. "I would like to hear the details of your spell, but we have another problem that needs attention. Imbario has infected the city with an epidemic of influenza. It's already spread to all quarters of the city and dozens of new cases are reported every hour. Doctor Sefrin suspects the infection is being spread by fleas, and Kieran speculated that the flies are helping the fleas spread throughout the city. We need to wipe out the flies, the fleas and the infection all at once before it spreads beyond White Shores. Kieran suggested blanketing the city with a single spell that performs all three functions. What do you think?" Petia grinned. "That boy has a most ingenuous way of thinking." Moretz rubbed his chin speculatively. "That's a good idea, but even if we came up with such a spell, Kieran is the only one with enough power to invoke it."

"Then it shouldn't be a problem," Edouard said. "Can you do it? Sefrin has medicine that is effective against the infection." Moretz nodded firmly. "We'll start right away." "Thank you. If you need me, I'll be in Kieran's room. I want to keep an eye on him tonight, just in case." "Of course, sire." Moretz inclined his head, his expression understanding. -o-o-o-oKieran spoke sleepily at the sound of his door opening and closing quietly. "That was quick, Edouard." "I I'm sorry, Lord Kieran, I'm not his majesty." Kieran lifted his head at the sound of the hesitant female voice. He had not bothered to extinguish the lamps that were lighted just before his return at sunset, so he could see the young woman clearly. She was obviously a noblewoman, judging by her dress and demeanor, but her face was unfamiliar. That fact did not surprise Kieran. He knew almost none of the nobles at court. "May I help you?" 'I'm sorry to bother you," she said, advancing quickly toward the bed, "but I heard that you were injured during your visit to Bright Isle. I was concerned, so I" She trailed off as she came to a stop beside his bed. Kieran regarded her with faint surprise. There were few reasons he could think of why anyone of noble birth would be concerned about what happened to him; much less some young woman he did not know at all. "Thank you, but it's nothing. It was wizard business." She flinched and Kieran became even more curious about why she

was there. "I'm sorry," he said, "but I'm afraid I don't know your name." "Oh!" the young woman exclaimed. She clasped the back of her right wrist with her left hand. "I'm no one important! I just wanted a chance to speak to you alone!" As she spoke this last sentence, her voice rising suddenly, she jerked her hands apart, pulling a long-bladed knife from the inside of her left sleeve. She flipped the knife in her hand as she jumped onto the bed, raising her arm so she could plunge the knife into his unprotected back. Without even thinking, Kieran flicked his hand, knocking her off the bed with a blast of air and sending her skidding into his armoire. She cried out as her head smacked into the wood, and the knife flew from her hand. Kieran crawled quickly to the edge of the bed and flicked his fingers again, sending the knife skittering to the far side of the room. Then he wove a stasis spell to hold the young woman where she was, vaguely amused to be using the spell so soon after it had been used to hold him in place for his flogging. "Let me go!" the young woman cried, struggling against the bonds she could not see. "Why did you try to kill me?" Tears sprang into her eyes. "Let me go!" she repeated, her demand becoming more plaintive. The door opened and Edouard stepped in. "You should be asleep" he began and then stopped in mid-sentence, his eyes fixed in surprise on the young woman on the floor. "What is going on?" "I'm trying to find out," Kieran said. He sat up carefully, letting his feet dangle off the side of the bed. "She just tried to stab me in the back with that knife over there." He pointed at the blade glittering against the far wall.

"What?" Edouard advanced on the girl, a glower on his face. "Answer the question!" he ordered. "Why did you attack Lord Kieran?" The young woman began to weep. "Please!" she gasped. "Please, let me go! I'm sorry!" Edouard squatted down in front of her, his gaze unrelenting. "You must think us simple-minded, girl," he said. "It's obvious Imbario put you up to this. Tell me why and maybe you will be the only one in your family to suffer." "Edouard" Kieran interrupted. Edouard held up his hand. "I know who you are, Lady Katherine. Silence will only bring down others with you. Speak." Tears began to stream down Katherine's face. "You don't understand!" she cried. "He said he would make my brother a royal wizard! My brother has been living like a pauper because he didn't become a royal wizard and my father refused to support him. B but a wizard told us that Imbario planned to make any wizard of noble blood a royal wizard. He said we would be rewarded if we killed Lord Kieran, but my brother was afraid to come to the palace. But when I heard Lord Kieran was hurt, I thought" she sobbed loudly, "I thought I could do it while he was asleep." She continued to weep, her shoulders shaking. Edouard stood up and looked at Kieran. "So he's resorting to assassination now. He must be worried about your power." Kieran nodded. "He had to have planned this before I" he hesitated, "before I injured Akitaka." "Most likely it was after he heard about the waterspout. Imbario has never liked admitting there might be wizards more powerful than he is." Edouard chewed his lip. "I'll bet they drafted more

than just this foolish girl and her brother," he said after a moment. "There aren't any wizards other than you and Moretz living in the palace right now, so nobles like this one are the only tools at their disposal. But I can't kick every noble out of the palace, much as I might like to. I've already alienated them enough." "So what are you going to do?" Edouard turned to look down at Katherine and planted his hands on his hips. "Make an example of her to discourage the others." Katherine paled. "Please, your majesty!" "You expect mercy when you attacked the one person most important to me?" he snapped. "You really are a fool." "I'm so sorry!" she wailed. "You don't know how hard it is! Wizards without a crest can't even find work now! What are we supposed to do?" "I would suggest," Edouard said coldly, "not taking money from traitors to start." "Edouard!" Kieran said sharply. "You are acting beneath yourself." Edouard turned to look at him. Beneath the anger on his face, fear hovered in his eyes. "I am not that easy to kill," Kieran continued softly. Edouard bit his lip and stepped forward to rest his hands on Kieran's shoulders. "What else can I do?" he asked unhappily. "How else can I protect you?" Kieran smiled and touched Edouard's cheek. "I can protect myself, Edouard, just as I protect you. He cannot hurt me." He looked past Edouard at Katherine. "I'm not asking that she not be punished. Just please consider that she did not succeed."

Edouard's face softened and he slid his arms around Kieran's neck, hugging him carefully. "You know I'll do anything you ask," he whispered. "I'll imprison her, and give her brother the opportunity to come forward and stand trial in her place." "What will you do if he accepts your offer?" "Send him to the Wizards Hall for punishment." Edouard drew a deep breath and straightened up, his hands still resting on Kieran's shoulders. "I have been reacting like a child to Imbario. No more. I am reinstating the full autonomy of the Wizards Hall. Imbario, however, will remain the one exception because he brought harm to the citizens of White Shores. For that, I reserve the right to dictate his punishment. For any other wizards taken as a result of their involvement with him, the Wizards Hall can pass judgment on them. I will deal with the nobles." Kieran slowly smiled. Edouard looked and sounded every inch the king. "I think that is a wise decision, sire." Edouard returned his smile and stepped to the door. "Guard, there is a woman here who attempted to assassinate Lord Kieran. Take her to the detention cells and inform Captain Soleson. Also inform Lord Collici that I will be providing him with the details of the charges momentarily." His escort, on duty outside Kieran's door because Edouard was inside, came in with frowns on their faces. Kieran released the spell holding her in place and the guards hauled her to her feet. They conferred briefly and one departed with Katherine in tow. The other turned to Edouard. "Should a guard be posted outside Lord Kieran's door, sire?" "Yes, please, although I will be staying here tonight." "Understood, sire." The guard bowed and stepped back outside, closing the door behind him.

Edouard sat down on the bed next to Kieran. "Why is it that one of us has to suffer in order for either of us to grow up?" Kieran chuckled. "I don't know, but I hope we're almost done." "Me, too." Edouard patted Kieran's thigh. "You should go to bed. I'm going to have to go talk to Soleson and Collici. And I should talk to Moretz, too, so he can notify the Wizards Hall about my change of heart. Now that your friend Tank's spell is active, we have a chance of finding and capturing Imbario. But I don't want to wait until then to start mending my fences." He stood up. "So I want you asleep when I come back. I promise not to wake you." "What if I get hungry?" "I'll bring food." Kieran watched Edouard leave and then lay back down on his stomach. His back muscles had stiffened and moving around was decidedly uncomfortable. But he still suspected he would get hungry later. "I hope he brings grilled tomatoes," he mumbled as he dozed off. -o-o-o-o-o-o-oImbario was quite proud of the communication technique he had devised. He had invented the process years before, during his time as Royal Wizard, but he had not chosen to share the invention with the Wizards Hall. He used it exclusively to communicate with the handful of wizards who were in his inner circle. It worked by binding a spell with warm wax and pouring it into a form. When the wax hardened, it was divided in half horizontally. After that, any indentations made in one half of the wax caused a corresponding mound in the other half, no matter how far apart they were. So all anyone had to do was write in the wax with a stick and the person

with the other half would see the message in raised relief. Once the message was read or carefully rubbed onto a piece of paper, the wax was smoothed. This erased the message on the other side and let the writer know the message had been received. There was no way to intercept such messages, and by making separate tablets for each person he wanted to communicate with, he could exchange messages with specific persons. Unfortunately, they had lost some of the tablets in the explosion, but he still had four in his possession. One was for Akitaka, and therefore useless, but the other three were for nobles living in White Shores. He now had these three tablets laid out on the ground in front of him where he was kneeling. Hambrick squatted beside him, studying the raised letters on one of the tablets. "It sounds like the ship should arrive at midnight," Hambrick said. "Yes," Imbario nodded. "That's good." They were crouched under the trees surrounding a tiny bay on the shore of the lake. The deep blue water lapped against the sandy, deserted-looking beach. Taking a page out of Kieran's book, Imbario had woven an elaborate illusion to hide their presence from the far-seers. A moth settled on the back of his hand and he shook it off absently. "I want to know what's happening in the palace, though. We have not heard from any of our agents since we left the fortress." He smoothed the one tablet with lettering and picked up a stylus. Carefully, he wrote the same question onto each tablet. A few moments later, the middle tablet smoothed out and raised words appeared. Assassination attempt failed. The assassin was caught. Imbario swore. Smoothing away the answer, he wrote: Can the assassin implicate anyone?

No. Her brother confessed to save her and is in prison on Bright Isle. Imbario started. Edouard turned the suspect over to the Wizards Hall? Yes. He reinstated their autonomy. "Why would he do that?" Hambrick exclaimed. "I thought he wanted to maintain control over the wizards." "He's clever," Imbario said, scowling. "It will ease tensions between him and the Wizards Hall over his rogue. And he doesn't care what happens to some powerless hedge wizard anyway." He smoothed the tablet. "We'll just have to try again." Bribe another assassin, he wrote on the tablet. At once. Imbario sat back on his heels. "Once we have reached our place on the north shore, we must recruit replacements for those we lost in the explosion. We need strong wizards the most, especially those with no love for the Hall. We should approach wizards who just missed the cut for royal wizard." Hambrick nodded. "I know some people." "Good, but be careful. We can't afford to be infiltrated." Two more moths landed on his hand and Imbario shook them off. A third moth brushed against his face. "There must be a migration," Hambrick said, waving a hand. Several moths fluttered around them, landing repeatedly on the two wizards, even after being shooed away. Imbario caught one of the moths by the wing and studied it. "This species will travel long distances

to lay eggs, but I thought that was in the fall. And they should be going south, not west." Hambrick shrugged. "We've been altering the weather," he said. "That often disrupts migratory patterns." "True," Imbario agreed. He smoothed all three tablets and gathered them up. "If they get to be too much of a nuisance, I know a spell that will get rid of them." He stood up. "We may as well get some rest now. We need to be ready when the ship arrives at midnight." "Yes, my lord." Imbario returned to the wagons to rest. One of the wagons had been fitted with an arched cover and set aside as his personal quarters so he could have privacy. But by the time he reached it, a dozen moths were walking up and down his arms and still more had settled on the top of his head. Irritated, he muttered a spell and the moths fell to the ground, dead. He climbed up into his wagon and put the tablets away, but the air inside was stifling, so he folded the front and rear flaps open to let a breeze blow through, and stretched out on the mattress. But it was impossible to relax. Within moments of closing his eyes, he could feel moths walking all over his exposed face and hands. Infuriated, he sat up and waved his hands, once again invoking the spell to kill the creatures. But the spell had a very short range and more moths fluttered into the wagon, hovering around him and landing anywhere they could. "What is this?" Imbario exclaimed angrily. He exited the wagon and looked around. In every direction, moths filled the sky, landing on people as they worked and resisting attempts to wave them away. His eyes narrowed. "This is some kind of spell," he murmured to himself. Drawing in more power, he altered the spell he had been

using and invoked it again, killing every moth within a half mile radius. The creatures rained from the sky and Imbario nodded with satisfaction. He picked up one of the dead moths and examined it closely, but there did not seem to be anything unusual about it. There was just the faintest hint of magic clinging to the creature, but it faded as he held the dead moth up to his eyes. "My lord!" Hambrick hurried up to him. "Do you think they were somehow using these moths to search for us?" "Possibly." holding. "If might have underneath Imbario dropped the moth he was they were watching the swarm, they noticed them vanish when they came our illusion."

"Should we move?" Hambrick asked worriedly. "No." Imbario shook his head decisively. "Even if they suspect we're here, it would take them at least until morning to get a boat here. We'll be long gone by then. But just in case, have someone watch the lake for approaching boats. If necessary, we'll sink anyone who gets too close." "Very good, my lord." Imbario frowned as Hambrick hurried away. A swarm of moths was not something he had expected. He would have to keep an eye out for other unusual phenomena. He had no doubt he was smarter than anyone in the Wizards Hall, but there was no point in being overconfident. -o-o-o-o-o-o-oKieran stayed in his room for the next few days at Edouard's request, but he did not mind following that order in the least. He felt terrible. He developed a slight fever the morning after his flogging and Sefrin ordered bed rest on top of Edouard's orders. Kieran was more than happy to comply. After growing up in the service of Lord

Inchor, he had acquired, to a somewhat lesser degree, that gentleman's paranoia of fevers. So he stayed in bed and followed Sefrin's instructions carefully, taking his medication without complaint. Edouard checked on him several times a day; tucking in his blankets, making sure he had everything he needed, and in general, fussing over him. Kieran accepted it all with good humor and not a little gratitude. He was very seldom ill, and having someone look after him so diligently while he recovered was quite pleasant. Petia also came to check on him regularly and give him updates on their progress in creating a curative spell for the epidemic. Kieran had trouble getting information about the epidemic from anyone but Petia. Sefrin and Edouard seemed to feel that knowing what was happening outside the palace might impede his recovery. Petia, on the other hand, understood that not knowing made him fret even more. When she visited him that afternoon, he sensed immediately from the troubled look on her face that things were not going well. "What's wrong?" Kieran demanded the moment she stepped into his room. Petia sighed. "The epidemic is spreading and the mortality rate is increasing. Fifty-four people died last night that we know of, and some of the outlying estates are starting to be affected. Lady Asita reported that two of their servants have fallen ill." "Damn!" Kieran frowned. "If it's reached that far, it's bound to make it to the nearer farms. We need to stop it now." "I know!" Petia flopped down in the chair that Edouard left beside his bed for when he was visiting. "I think we're close with the spell. Moretz's insecticide is working, but combining it with Sefrin's medicine is proving problematic. I've

tried encapsulating the two spells separately and then combining them into the same medium, but the medicine just doesn't work right. We're damaging its efficacy somehow and I just don't know what to do." "Does the medicine work if you don't encapsulate it?" "It seems to, but how can we administer it longrange if it's not wrapped in a spell?" "But you can replicate it in volume without decreasing its efficacy?" "Yes, yes!" Petia waved a hand impatiently. "Sefrin used some of the medicine I reproduced for him and he said it worked just fine. But even if I could produce enough in the short time we have, how could it all be administered without magic, if the magic destroys its effectiveness?" Kieran scratched his head. insecticide affect people?" "No." "Even if they ingest the medium transporting it?" Petia stared at him suspiciously. "What are you getting at?" "Rain," Kieran said. He looked out the window. "Maybe the medicine doesn't work when it's delivered by magic because the patients don't ingest it. But if the medicine is in the rain, people could just capture it in cups and drink it." Petia's eyes opened wide. "Kieran!" she breathed, "you are an absolute genius! I never thought of that!" She jumped to her feet. "I have to go run this by Sefrin. If you're right" She paused. "But can you really make it rain over such an extensive area?" "Does Moretz's

Kieran grinned ruefully. "Oh, I can make it rain. The question is: can I make it stop?" Petia laughed. "We'll worry about that when everyone is healthy again." She bounded to the door. "Do you need anything?" "No." Kieran shook his head. "Edouard is joining me for dinner and he said he would bring me more books." Petia grinned at him. "If this works, Kieran, you'll be certified as the greatest wizard this kingdom has ever seen. You already are, in my opinion." "Thank you, Petia." She disappeared out the door and Kieran settled onto his side with a sigh. This spell was going to be the hardest thing he had ever done. It was not just the power he would need to expend to pull it off. Calling the rain, replicating the medicine and getting it into the clouds, along with Moretz's encapsulated insecticide spell, was going to be tricky. "Maybe" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Moretz had the Soma ring. Maybe Moretz could produce his spell while Kieran focused on the rain and the medicine. "I'll have to talk to him. But we'll need to be careful. Trying to cast a spell of this magnitude could burn him out." Of course, if Moretz died, there would be nothing standing between Kieran and the post of Royal Wizard. Kieran frowned at the thought. "I won't let that happen," he whispered. "I will not allow any more wizards to die because of me." Chapter 14: Rogue Magic Petia was extremely glad she had decided to accompany Kieran back to court. She had never worked with Moretz before, and she was delighted by the Royal Wizard's sharp mind. She was also equally delighted to discover that Kieran had

indeed given him the Soma ring and Moretz was using it. He had been storing power into the ring for weeks. Standing beside him on the front steps of the palace, waiting for Kieran and Edouard, she quietly invoked her spell to sense the level of his power. "That ring has made you very strong, Moretz," she remarked. Moretz glanced at the ring on his finger. "Yes, it has, although I think it has reached its capacity. I haven't been able to squeeze anymore power into it for the past few days." "Really? Well, I don't know what your normal power level would be, but you feel enormously powerful to me right now." "But still chuckled. not as strong as Kieran," Moretz

"I don't think anyone will ever be that strong," Petia replied seriously. "The accident of circumstance that gave him that power is unlikely to happen again. But that's probably a good thing. There is no guarantee that another wizard with his strength would also have his gentle and obedient nature." "Quite true." "Sorry to keep you waiting." Edouard spoke from behind them and they both turned. He descended the steps quickly with Kieran and Sefrin beside him, his ever-present bodyguards bringing up the rear. "Sefrin had a few last minute instructions for Kieran." He stopped and looked up at the clear, blue sky. "There are no clouds, Kieran." Kieran smiled. "I'll fix that." Captain Soleson and Sheriff Sekwen approached from across the courtyard.

"Everything is prepared, sire," Sekwen reported. "One thousand temporary deputies have been appointed and are stationed throughout the city with water barrels to collect the rain, along with all permanent deputies and city watchmen. The proclamation regarding the rain has been posted on every street corner and criers are spreading the word by mouth." "Very good." Edouard turned to Kieran. "Time to begin." "One moment," Kieran said. "I would like a quick word with Petia first." He beckoned to her, and Petia followed him curiously as he moved stiffly a short distance away from the others. When they were alone, he gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry to ask you to do this, Petia, because it means attacking another wizard, but I need you to keep a close eye on Moretz." "Why?" "He is too dedicated to his position. I'm afraid he will burn himself out trying to match me and I know he can't. If you see him getting close to his limit, I want you to knock him out." Petia's eyes widened. "You're afraid he might die?" she whispered. Kieran nodded. "I could probably do this without him, but it will be easier if he starts it with me. Once he casts his spell, though, I can pick it up. So please, watch him." "I will," Petia replied gravely. "Thank you." They rejoined the others, and Petia gestured at the courtyard, where cloth-covered tubs were spaced at regular intervals around the open space in a massive grid. "I've filled all of these with

Sefrin's medicine," she said. "You need maintain the ratio of medicine to water."

to

Kieran nodded. "Right." He rubbed his hands together and looked up at the sky. "There won't be any wind. I'm just making rain, but in the beginning, there might be enough static buildup to spark lightning. It should discharge in the clouds, but it would be better if everyone stayed undercover for now." He glanced at Moretz. "When the clouds are at the right density, I'll throw the medicine into the clouds. That's when I need you to cast your spell. Shortly after that, I'll let the rain fall." Moretz nodded. Kieran watched silently as the others retreated back up the steps and into the doorway. Soleson shouted an order to clear the courtyard and the guards spaced around its perimeter retreated into the nearest openings. When the courtyard was clear, Kieran raised his arms. Watching him cast the spell was fascinating. Petia's senses felt compressed under the level of power he drew, until even breathing required effort. She glanced sideways at Edouard. He was watching Kieran intently, but he did not seem aware of the oppressive sense of Kieran's power. She knew the spell Kieran was casting. It was a standard spell taught to all students at the academy. It was quite common for students to create tiny spots of rain and drench each other as a joke. But what Kieran was doing with the spell was unprecedented. Clouds began to build up overhead, the initial wisps of moisture collecting quickly into thick, rolling, gray masses. Within minutes, the warm, dry day turned cool and damp. When the clouds covered the sky as far as they could see, Moretz walked down the steps to join Kieran. The addition of his power to Kieran's made the already oppressive atmosphere stifling, but Petia doubted anyone but a wizard would be aware of it.

Kieran lowered his arms and spoke. "Ready?" "Yes," Moretz replied. Kieran nodded once and stuck his arm straight out. Petia gasped. The sudden surge in Kieran's power froze the heart in her chest. He flung his arm up and the covers flew off the tubs. The medicine inside swirled up into the sky like rain falling up. At the same time, Moretz held his hands out in front of him and invoked his spell. Liquid light flooded from his hands, mixing with the medicine and rising up into the clouds. Petia staggered, sucking breath into her lungs with difficulty. She felt crushed beneath their combined energy output. Nevertheless, she kept her attention focused on Moretz, watching his power level as the spell progressed. He was pouring everything he had into producing his insecticide, and she understood why Kieran had been concerned. There was no sign that he planned to stop, and she could feel him weakening, even though his power output did not drop at all. She touched the hand of the nearest guard. "May I borrow your knife?" "Excuse me?" The guard stared down at her in surprise. "Your knife, please." She held out her hand. Openly puzzled, the guard pulled the knife from his belt and placed the hilt on her palm. "Thank you." Moving a little unsteadily, Petia made her way carefully down the steps. Moretz was on the edge. Close up, she could see how pale he was, sweat pouring down his face. But his eyes were closed and he was holding the spell still. She sensed that the Soma ring was drained and he was drawing on his native power now. "Forgive me," she murmured, and clipped him hard across the back of the head with the heavy iron hilt of the knife. Moretz collapsed in a heap, but almost

instantly, light began flooding from Kieran's outstretched hand. He had picked up Moretz's spell. Edouard dashed down the steps. "What are you doing?" "What Kieran asked me to do." Petia handed the knife back to its owner, who had followed Edouard down the steps. "He feared that Moretz would burn himself out and die trying to hold the spell for too long. So I stopped him before he reached that point." She grinned weakly. "I would have used magic, but this seemed easier, under the circumstances." Sefrin was already kneeling by Moretz, checking his vital signs. "He'll be all right," he reported, "except for a bump and a nasty headache." Edouard looked anxiously at Kieran, who seemed oblivious to their presence. "What about Kieran?" "I don't think he can burn out," Petia said grimly. "But that doesn't mean channeling this much power for so long won't hurt him. But there's nothing we can do about it. We need him to finish the spell." Kieran's eyes were closed and he remained utterly still, but his lips moved silently. "What is he doing now?" Edouard asked, the worry in his voice plain. "He's replicating the medicine throughout the clouds," Petia answered quietly. "Although I made a lot to get him started, he needed to make more to completely saturate the clouds across the whole city and the outlying areas. The same is true for the insecticide." Above them, the gray of the clouds was tinged with green. The bottoms billowed and swirled as if

they were being stirred by a giant paddle, growing darker and darker. "It's done," Kieran whispered. The light faded from his hand and he lifted both arms to the sky. Slowly, he closed his fingers as if he was clutching something, and then he yanked his hands down to his chest. Rain began to pour from the sky, the huge drops instantly soaking them. Kieran promptly slumped to the ground in a dead faint. "Kieran!" Edouard cried. He, Sefrin and Petia all dropped to their knees beside the young wizard. Edouard slipped his arms under Kieran's shoulders and cradled him. He turned frightened eyes on Petia. With the rain slicking down his face, she could not tell if he was crying. "Is he all right?" Petia closed her eyes and felt for Kieran's power. Then she opened her eyes with a shake of her head and a wry smile. "He'll be fine, Edouard." "Are you sure?" "Oh, yes," Petia nodded, "quite sure. He's still holding the spell that protects you." -o-o-o-o-o"Did you have to hit me so hard?" Moretz grumbled. "I have a lump." He rubbed the back of his head with a sour grimace on his face. Rain still poured down outside the windows of Edouard's office, where they had assembled to wait for Sekwen's report. "Sorry!" Petia said lightly. "I was just following orders." From the couch where he was lying, Kieran spoke up. "I didn't want to risk losing you, Lord Moretz. I knew what we were planning to do would exceed

your capacity." He started to sit up. "But I can stop your headache, if you'd like." Sefrin put a hand on Kieran's shoulder. "No more magic," he said sternly. "For either of you," he added pointedly, glaring at Moretz. "You've both strained yourselves to the point of exhaustion. I order a full day of bed rest for you both." "I've been in bed for four days," Kieran protested. "And your fever just broke yesterday," Sefrin retorted. "I will brook no argument here." Moretz, occupying the only other couch in Edouard's office, slumped back against the cushions. "Honestly, you'll get no complaints here. I feel completely wrung out. And I wouldn't say no to a cold compress, either." "I'll have one of my assistants make one up," Sefrin said. "How much longer will it rain, Lord Kieran?" "I don't know." Kieran glanced at the window. "It may never stop." "You're kidding, I hope," Edouard said. He was sitting at his desk rather than on the couch with Kieran. Even though everyone present had at one time or another expressed their belief in the platonic nature of his relationship with Kieran, Edouard suspected it was still better not to be openly close with him in front of them. "We've disrupted the weather so many times this summer, I have no idea how long it will take for the normal patterns to recover," Kieran said. "But I'm hoping the rain will start to taper off in another hour or so." Edouard stood up and went to the window. The rain was so heavy that he could not see far at all. "How will this kill the fleas inside people's houses?" he asked. "No one is going to splash the

water around inside, or drag all their bedding outside." "The humidity will take care of it," Moretz replied tiredly. "The spell is extremely toxic. Only the faintest traces are necessary to kill all the fleas in an enclosed space. When the residents go outside to get the rainwater, the water dripping from their clothes when they re-enter the dwelling should be enough." "Ah." Edouard continued to stare at the rain. It was hypnotic, in a way. "This was extremely clever of you. I truly appreciate the work all of you have done to save my citizens." "You are welcome, your majesty." Sefrin headed for the door. "I'll go get that cold compress," he said. "But please let me know as soon as Sekwen makes his report. It is critical that every person receive a dose of the medicine, whether they are showing signs of illness or not." "I understand, Doctor," Edouard replied. "I'll inform you immediately." Sefrin hurried out, and Edouard looked from Moretz to Kieran. "You two need to go to bed, as the doctor ordered." "I want to hear Sekwen's report," Moretz said. "I'll keep you informed," Edouard responded. "Do as you're told, Lord Moretz." Moretz pushed to his feet with a scowl. "Very well, sire. But please wake me to hear Sekwen's report if I should happen to fall asleep." Edouard smiled. "I will." Petia caught Moretz's arm as he shuffled to the door. "Let me help you, my lord," she said. "Since it's partly my fault you're feeling bad." She winked at Edouard. "I'll see you later."

When they were gone, Edouard stared pointedly at Kieran. "Do you want me to walk you to your room?" "No." Kieran ran his fingers through his hair. "I'll be fine, Edouard. I've just never called up that much power before. It took a lot of effort." He grinned lopsidedly. "I'd rather stay here with you. That will make me feel better." Edouard rolled his eyes. "You passed out." "Only for a few minutes." "And got rained on; one day after recovering from a fever induced by a whipping. Indulge me. Go to bed." Kieran sighed, but he smiled. "If you insist. But you don't have to come with me. You have work to do." Edouard glanced involuntarily at his desk. Several stacks of papers awaited his attention. The epidemic and the assassination attempt had kept him distracted from his duties for the past few days. He made a face. "Yeah," he sighed. "Pretty soon, Graelin's going to lock me in to make sure I finish this." Kieran climbed stiffly to his feet. "Then I'll leave you to it. I promise to go straight to my room and rest. Will you join me for dinner?" "Of course." Kieran favored him with a gentle smile and limped out the door. Two guards fell into step behind him, leaving Edouard's bodyguards alone outside his door. Edouard chewed his lip for a moment. "Graelin!" His secretary stepped through the still open door. "Yes, sire?"

"Tell Doctor Sefrin that I want sufficient doses of his medicine sent to Bright Isle to treat everyone there. Even though we've heard of no cases on the island, there's no point risking another outbreak." "Yes, sire." Graelin's gaze dropped to Edouard's desk. "You've gotten a bit behind, sire." "I know." Edouard scowled at the papers. "I'm going to get started on it right now." "Very good." Graelin backed out the door, closing it with a soft click. Edouard sat down and pulled the largest stack of papers toward him. There was no point in dillydallying. But no matter how closely he focused on the papers, he could not stop his mind from returning to the sight of Kieran lying unconscious on the ground. He knew it was possible for wizards to die by expending all their strength in a spell, but he had never considered that it might happen to Kieran. The thought of losing Kieran made his skin cold. He reminded himself that Kieran had said he would not let himself be killed, but the back of his mind insisted on pointing out that Kieran would see a difference between dying in Edouard's service and being assassinated. For a moment, Edouard wished he had given Kieran permission to stay. But then he shook himself and forced his attention back to the work in front of him. His duties came first, no matter how much he wanted to sit with his arms around Kieran's sleeping form, letting the feel of Kieran's breathing and the warmth of his body remind him that he was still alive and at Edouard's side. -o-o-o-o-o-oThe little lodge on the north shore of the lake had belonged to Imbario's wife. He had never cared for the place because the only way to reach it was by boat. It was also rather run down after years of neglect. He had only been there one time with his

wife shortly after their marriage, and it had already been empty for years at that time. He did not recall ever having mentioned the lodge in Colwyn's presence. Therefore, Imbario was fairly sure no one knew about it. So, although he had never expected to lose Hothram's hidden fortress, they had discussed using the lodge as a backup, just in case. But now that necessity was upon them, Imbario wished they had dared to tend the place before now. Many of the windows were broken and the floors were covered with detritus formed by years' worth of rotting leaves and animal dung. Owls nested in the attics and mice infested every room. Just being in the midst of such filth made his skin itch. In fact, Imbario was convinced it had given him a rash. A scaly sheen had formed on the backs of his hands and wrists, and was spreading rapidly up his arms. His face displayed a similar rash. "You should not scratch, my lord." Corby, the young wizard who had failed Imbario during his first attempt at unbinding, leaned over Imbario's hands. "If it is a rash, scratching may make it spread faster." Imbario frowned. Corby's skills were nearly inconsequential, but he was the only one among them with a talent for healing. "Can you do something about it? It is quite irritating." "I'll make a cream for you, my lord," Corby said. "Something to relive the itch while I determine what kind of rash it is. Once I understand that, I can devise a treatment that will cure it." "Ah." Imbario studied his hands. "It looks like something is causing the skin to flake, but it doesn't fall off." "Yes." Corby nodded, still studying Imbario's hands. "But that can be caused by a number of things: mites infesting the skin; an allergic

reaction; even a change in climate. I'll take a sample to examine through an enlarging glass. That will tell me what's causing it." "Very well." Corby removed a small folding knife from the pocket of his robes and scraped some skin off the back of Imbario's right hand. "Give me just a moment to prepare the cream," he said. He hurried away. "My lord." Imbario's servant appeared at his elbow. "Your chamber is prepared." "Good." There was not much they could do about the broken windows or the holes in the roof, but the rooms whose walls were still mostly sound had been cleaned of mice and debris. Imbario had appropriated the nicest of these for himself, ordering the servants to make the bed and organize a desk and chair for him. "I will be in my chamber until dinner is served." "Yes, my lord." In the privacy of his room, Imbario took out his communication tablets and laid them out on the little table that had been set up as a desk. The trip up the lake had taken nearly two days. With another day spent making the lodge habitable, Imbario had been out of touch for three days. But all three tablets were blank. Frowning, he scribed the word Report into the tablets. He did not expect an immediate response, so he used the time waiting to continue refining his plan for an attack on Bright Isle. Originally, he had not intended to act directly against the Wizards Hall. After all, he would need his colleagues support once Edouard was overthrown. But they continued to actively work against him and this was just too annoying to ignore. But any kind of magical assault on Bright Isle would be tricky. With so many wizards in

residence, and many of them highly skilled, an open attack would be nearly impossible. However, something more subtle, like what he had used in White Shores, might work. Wizards were human and susceptible to the same frailties of body as anyone. A ship full of rats infested with his influenza fleas crashing onto the coast should do the trick. But where was he going to get the rats? A tiny squeak behind him made him look over his shoulder. A single mouse dashed about on the coverlet of his bed, searching for crumbs. Instead of growing angry, Imbario smiled. Mice would work just as well. "Hambrick!" he called out. The wizard appeared almost immediately. "Yes, my lord?" Imbario pointed at the mouse and Hambrick paled. "I'll get rid of it at once!" he exclaimed, but Imbario shook his head. "Don't kill it," Imbario said. "I need hundreds of them in cages." Hambrick blinked in surprise. "My lord?" "We're moving against Bright Isle. I want hundreds of caged mice assembled by morning. I'll infest them with my special fleas. Then we'll send them ashore on Bright Isle." Hambrick swallowed. "Is that wise, my lord? If we alienate the Wizards Hall" "They'll have no idea what's happening," Imbario interrupted him. "There's an epidemic in White Shores. It will come as no surprise when it spreads to Bright Isle." Imbario turned back to his desk. "With any luck, that troublesome Divwall will be the first to succumb. Ah!" He leaned forward. One of the tablets contained writing. A proclamation says the Royal Wizard is curing the influenza epidemic with a spell embodied in rain.

It is raining now and all citizens are ordered to drink the water. Imbario stared at the tablet, momentarily too shocked either to speak or to smooth the words away. Curing the epidemic? With rain? That was not possible! With a shaking hand, he smoothed the tablet and wrote: Do they know how the illness is spread? The tablet cleared and new words rose out of the wax: The proclamation said nothing, but I have heard it mentioned that fleas are responsible. "No!" Imbario slapped his hand on the table. "How could they know that? They should be focused on the flies!" Hambrick looked over his shoulder at the tablet. "What has happened?" Imbario pushed away from the table, knocking Hambrick aside, and surged to his feet. "They know the epidemic is spread by fleas! Someone must have betrayed us. I did not think Akitaka would confess, but perhaps they got something from him before the rogue destroyed him." Imbario began to pace. "If they know about the fleas, there is no point using them against White Shores. They will already have plans to counter them." He stopped and rounded on Hambrick. "Very well, we'll just have to do this the oldfashioned way. Assemble the wizards. We're going to create a tidal wave and wash Bright Isle clean." -o-o-o-o-o-o-oColwyn stood on the stony beach, gazing across the lake. Bright Isle was not visible from the western shore, but he knew approximately where it was. He had traveled on foot throughout the kingdom for so long he always knew more or less

where he was at any given moment. It was also his talent, though he seldom talked about it. Awareness of his physical location was one reason why he could travel so freely. He could always find his way back, no matter where he was. But now, his only real option was to travel north to the nearest coastal town. He could hire a boat there to take him to Bright Isle, but it would take days. He chafed at the thought. Imbario was sure to have contingency plans. "Dammit!" Colwyn grumbled. "I need to get to Bright Isle." He scratched his head and turned to look up the coast. The little shingle of beach where he was standing disappeared into reeds. He would have to go inland to look for firmer ground to head north. Behind him, the madrin whined. Colwyn looked over his shoulder at the beast. He was surprised it had stayed with him all this time. They were well outside the madrin's normal territory, and he had come to recognize that the creatures disliked being far away from their own kind. The madrin walked down to the water's edge and put its front feet in the water. It blinked at him. Colwyn frowned. "What is it?" The madrin stepped farther into the water and blinked at him again. It tipped its head to the side and regarded him steadily. Colwyn walked over to it, but stopped before entering the water. "Do you want to swim?" The madrin nodded and walked out until all four feet were in the water. Colwyn stared. Did the madrin mean to swim to Bright Isle? Curiously, he walked out into the water and grasped the thick fur behind the madrin's neck. Purposefully, it moved deeper into the water and began to swim. When the water got to deep for him to walk, Colwyn pulled himself partway onto the creature's

back, so only his legs were trailing in the water. The madrin stroked powerfully out into the lake, driving unerringly away from shore. The water was cool, but not uncomfortably so, and Colwyn resigned himself to being wet for the rest of the day and night. He was not sure how long it would take the madrin to swim to Bright Isle, but it was making good speed with the powerful stroke of its legs. He surprised himself by managing to doze for portions of the journey. His sense of direction told him that the madrin was making straight for Bright Isle, so the only thing he had to do was make sure he kept a good grip on the creature's fur. The madrin's fur naturally shed water, which made it rather slick on the surface, so he kept his fingers wound firmly into its dense coat. They saw no boats during the crossing. There were few communities on the western shore and most of these were clustered farther to the north. The madrin swam all day and through the night. Sunrise found them still in the middle of open water, but as the sun climbed a hand span above the horizon, a blotch of darkness appeared. The madrin never changed pace. It stroked steadily through the water, and the blotch of darkness slowly resolved into the tree-covered western slopes of Bright Isle. As it neared the island, it angled toward a small cove with a shallow curve of sandy beach. Colwyn sighed with relief when they neared the shore and he was able to feel ground under his feet again. He released the madrin and stumbled up onto the beach, sinking onto his knees. "Thank you, my friend. I truly appreciate your effort on my behalf." The madrin dipped its head and stretched out on the beach on its side, its big dinner plate eyes already drifting closed.

"I have to report to my superiors," Colwyn said. "Will you forgive me for leaving you here?" The madrin rumbled softly in reply. Colwyn smiled. "I'm sure there must be a horse to spare on the island. I'll have one released near here as soon as possible." He climbed slowly to his feet. From where they had come ashore, he could cross the island to the Wizards Hall in a matter of hours. He had not really slept in two days, but he did not want to delay. There would be time enough for sleep later. Chapter 15: The Final Assault Divwall, Gavilan and a dozen or so other wizards were gathered in the chamber they used as a courtroom. The judicial bench, however, was empty. A single long table stood in the center of the room, and the wizards were seated around that. Since Edouard's change of heart regarding the Wizards Hall, tensions had eased considerably on the island. For the first time since Imbario's escape, Divwall was starting to feel like the Hall was getting back to normal. Although she was glad Edouard had reinstated their autonomy, she had come to respect Kieran even more for his sacrifice. Since his flogging, frightened talk about him turning rogue and destroying everything had all but disappeared. There was still speculation about just how powerful he was, but now that it was accepted that his power was controlled by the Hall, just like any other wizard, he was no longer feared. News of his latest accomplishment had arrived by boat from White Shores, along with several medics and thousands of doses of medication to inoculate the residents of Bright Isle against influenza. Divwall herself had overseen the administration of the medicine to the students. It was too common for wizards to believe that

secular medicine was only for common people, but magic could not cure everything. But the knowledge that Imbario had deliberately started a plague that targeted common people infuriated her. She had insisted that Gavilan call this meeting so that Imbario could be officially declared a rogue wizard. Gavilan had at first been reluctant, but the moment he broached the topic at the beginning of their meeting, Amrisen, in her gentle voice, had immediately seconded the motion. This had emboldened other wizards to speak out in favor of it, to Divwall's complete satisfaction. "As all present are in favor of the motion to name Imbario Issimaya a rogue wizard," Gavilan said gravely when the discussion concluded, "I hold the motion carried. If Imbario is taken alive, his powers will be bound and he will be subsequently executed by beheading." There were nods all around the table, and Gavilan turned to Suram. "Lord Suram, how is the search going?" "Bodie located something interesting this morning while searching west of the lake," Suram replied. "I viewed it myself before coming to the meeting. It appears that there was an explosion of some kind. Bodie said he had looked in the same area before and saw only an outcropping of rock. But now it appears that the outcropping was hollow and there was some kind of building inside. We found traces of rooms and a stable. The explosion most likely occurred within the last week." "A hidden building?" Divwall exclaimed. "That's ingenious! No wonder we could find no trace of them." "That sounds like something Hothram would have planned," Kalin said. "He was always very secretive. But what could have destroyed it?" "More to the point," Divwall interjected, "the loss of their hiding place will have forced them into the

open. Have any of your far-seers spotted groups of people moving through the forests, Suram?" "Not yet, but" Suram was interrupted by a ringing knock on the door. "Sorry to interrupt, but I have important news." Colwyn stood in the doorway, wet, dirty and exhausted. "Lord Colwyn!" Gavilan exclaimed. "Where did you come from?" "The dungeon of Imbario's hidden fortress." "What?" Confused exclamations exploded on every side, punctuated by demands for clarification. "Silence!" Gavilan shouted, overriding the babble. "Lord Colwyn, please explain yourself." Colwyn staggered into the room and collapsed into a free chair. "I found Imbario's hidden fortress a few weeks ago. Through my own stupidity, I was taken prisoner and thrown into the dungeon. I met a young woman named Lisette in the dungeon. She was seduced by Akitaka into helping them unbind Imbario, but she was imprisoned when she refused to do more. Her suicide destroyed the fortress." He sighed. "That is also how I escaped." "Lisette," Divwall murmured. She remembered that young woman; a powerful wizard with great potential. "Unfortunately," Colwyn continued. "I was injured in the explosion and Imbario was gone by the time I regained consciousness." Divwall frowned at him. "You don't look injured," she said. "Just tired."

Colwyn smirked. "Befriending the madrin saved me. I had been trying to summon one to help me escape. It arrived that night and cured me." "It cured you?" Divwall leaned toward excitedly. "Like what happened to Kieran?" him

Colwyn nodded. "I wasn't as close to death as he was, but it was the same, I think." "Do you feel different? More powerful?" Colwyn shook his head. "I am unchanged, except for no longer being injured. But the madrin is also the reason why I have returned so quickly. It towed me across the lake. I would appreciate it if someone would release a horse over on the west side of the island so it can eat. We are all in its debt." "Ah of course," Gavilan said, somewhat uncertainly. "But do you have any idea where Imbario is?" "They had to have gone north," Colwyn replied immediately. "They would need to get back under cover and they would not stay close to the fortress. There's nothing to the west of the lake but forests. They would have to go north to find some kind of shelter." "Because going south to the towns near the southern fjords would take too long," Divwall concluded. "Right." "Suram," Divwall turned to the far-seer, "start searching the northern coasts. Look especially for manors and lodges that are isolated." Her brow wrinkled worriedly. "Tank sent his moths west, but now it seems like that would have been after the explosion. We may have missed our chance to catch him with the locating spell."

"We'll just have to hope for the best," Gavilan said. Suram stood up. "We'll start searching immediately." He inclined his head politely and hurried out. Colwyn groaned. "I need a hot bath and a meal. Please excuse me." He pushed heavily to his feet and stumbled after Suram. "We should send this news to the king at once," Gavilan said. "I'll relay it to Kieran," Divwall said. "In the meantime, we should prepare the boats. If the far-seers find something, I want to be able to set sail immediately." -o-o-o-oKieran sat on a couch in Edouard's office with an open book in his hands, but his eyes were not focused on the pages. Instead, he sat silently with his gaze focused inward while he listened to Divwall's words inside his head. He was getting used to the feathery touch of her thoughts. It was a rather convenient way to communicate and he wished again that he was capable of reaching back to her in the same way. But mind-to-mind communication was not one of his skills. As usually happened with her messages, Divwall repeated herself three times to make sure he received the entire message, and Kieran remained still until the echo of her thoughts faded. "There is encouraging news, Edouard," he said. Edouard looked up from his desk. The piles of paperwork that had accumulated over the past several days were significantly reduced. "What is it?" "I have just heard from Divwall. Lord Colwyn has turned up on Bright Isle to report that Imbario

was forced out of a hidden fortress in the forests west of the lake about a week ago. They are hopeful now that they will be able to locate him." "That is good news," Edouard replied. "Also," Kieran paused briefly, wondering how Edouard would take the news. "They have declared Imbario a rogue wizard. That means he will be executed without trial when he is captured." Edouard went still, his eyes dropping back down to the page in front of him. "I see," he murmured. "Are you angry that he was not declared a rogue for murdering your father?" Kieran watched Edouard's face as he asked the question. Edouard remained silent for a long time. "No," he said finally. "When he killed my father, and tried to kill me, he believed he was acting for the good of the kingdom. Whether he was right or not about the benefits to the average citizen resulting from magical rather than secular rule is not the issue. He believed it, so acting on that belief as Royal Wizard was not the behavior of a rogue. It was treasonous to the Crown, not the Wizards Hall." He lifted his eyes to meet Kieran's gaze. "But attacking the citizens of White Shores and causing the deaths of innocent people is the behavior of a rogue and they are right to declare him so now. It does trump my intention of executing him myself, however," he added with a humorless smile. "You have become very mature, Edouard," Kieran said quietly. "Have I?" Edouard laughed faintly. "I suppose it had to happen sooner or later." Kieran chuckled. "Anyway, Divwall also said that they would be ready to go against Imbario as soon

as he is located, and she will inform both me and Moretz when they set sail." "Good." Edouard looked back down at his paperwork. "I tell you what; I'm going to finish this stack and then I want to go out." "Go out where?" "Into the city. It's been a long time. I just want to see how people are getting on." He glanced at the window. "And I want to stand in the sunshine for awhile." Kieran did not ask if Edouard wanted him to go along. It went without saying that he did. Edouard had kept Kieran at his side almost continuously since his recovery from magic exhaustion, and Kieran did not mind in the least. Edouard resumed working, but Kieran did not resume reading. He closed the book and went to the window. There was a small garden visible from the window and a number of ladies were gathered there, the bright colors of their dresses matching the flowers. "I should go tell Moretz about Divwall's message," he said without turning around, "just in case she did not communicate with him, too." "Yes, please do," Edouard said. "And please tell him also that once Imbario is caught, I plan to go to Bright Isle for his sentencing. As Royal Wizard, he will be in charge while I'm gone." "I will tell him," Kieran replied. He turned to Edouard with a smirk. "Imbario might find it ironic that, because of him, a wizard will be running the kingdom, however briefly." Edouard's scowl was half-amused. "Perhaps I should mention it when we see him." "That would not be mature." "Backsliding is inevitable."

Kieran laughed. "I'll be back shortly. You should keep working until I return." "Slave driver." -o-o-o-oThe nobleman watched Lord Kieran pass, followed by his two ever-present bodyguards. The burly soldiers glared at him suspiciously as they passed, and the nobleman bowed his head respectfully. It rankled him to bow to someone of such low birth, no matter how powerful a wizard he was, but the nobleman did not allow his distaste to show on his face. He watched the young wizard disappear from view and frowned slightly. It did not seem possible now to carry out Lord Imbario's orders to assassinate him. Since that foolish girl's failure, Kieran was always guarded. The nobleman considered his options carefully. Supporting Imbario during his tenure as Royal Wizard had been profitable. Imbario knew the value of a well-placed bribe and rewarded good service. Even after his imprisonment, the cadre of wizards working to free him had paid well. But the nobleman saw no reason to do anything risky. Lord Mederlane had lost everything taking risks. Besides, other people at court would have received the same instructions. It made more sense to let someone else make the attempt. All he had to do was ignore the tablet. No one knew he had it; not even Imbario's other agents. Yes, that was the wisest thing to do. Just wait. The right course of action would make itself clear in time. -o-o-o-o-o-oBodie was only sure of himself when he was farseeing. Skinny and painfully shy, he had never been good at making friends or having a conversation. Discovering that he was a wizard had been a relief only because it meant leaving

the small town where he was born and escaping the constant bullying he suffered at the hands of bigger boys. It had never occurred to him that he could have used magic to make those other boys suffer for mistreating him. But within the confines of the Wizards Hall he had found his true calling. Sitting cross-legged on the floor of his small room, his hands folded neatly in his lap, he stared inward, his mind's eye roaming the northern coast of the lake. He had started at the largest town and was slowly making his way around toward the top of the lake. There were a number of outlying manors and cottages in this area. He continued to search despite the deepening twilight, because it was actually easier to find people then. People hated the dark and would always make some kind of light, even if they were trying not to be seen. As his vision swept past one small inlet, a flash of light caught his eye and he stopped. He focused on the inlet and flew closer, his vision expanding. It should have been too dark to see anything under the trees, but white light glowed up through the branches, outlining the leaves clearly. Bodie pushed down, driving his vision below the leaves. This skill was what made him a better far-seer than most. While all far-seers could narrow their field of view and move closer to viewed objects, most could not see under things. Bodie was able to move his vision through objects and see what was under them. Below the trees stood a run-down lodge that was large enough to have once been owned by a noble family. By day, the lodge might have looked uninhabited, but in the darkness, light glowed through its gaping windows. But it was not the flickering golden light of a fire, or even the steady glow of witch light. This strange unwavering white light was completely unnatural. With a feeling of growing excitement, Bodie moved through the roof of the lodge, letting his vision move from

room to room, searching for the source of that light. Finally, he came into a room so bathed with light that his eyes squeezed more tightly closed even though he was not using them to see. The source of the glow was brilliant and Bodie had difficulty looking directly at it, yet he could just make out that the light was in the shape of a man. He jumped to his feet with a gasp. "I've found him!" -o-o-o-o-o-oThe ship dipped through the waves, bucking a strong headwind. Standing at the rail, Colwyn shielded his eyes from the spray with one hand as he looked down at the water. Bright Isle was several hours behind them, but they were not making the time they should have been. The current was fighting them, pushing them back south. "Is something wrong, Colwyn?" Divwall shouted at his elbow. The wind howling across the sails made speech difficult. "The current!" Colwyn shouted back. "It's flowing south here and it shouldn't be." "Isn't the wind moving it?" "It is, but the wind shouldn't be blowing south here, either. This time of year, the wind should be blowing west to east across the lake." He looked down at the water again. "And the current is too strong, even for this wind." A young wizard, recruited recently from Kieran's class on Tank Trasker's recommendation, swayed across the deck toward them. "Lord Colwyn?" "What is it, Jonas?"

"This wind doesn't feel right," Jonas said, an uncomfortable grimace on his face. "I think there's a spell behind it. And the water feels funny, too. It feels like it's humping up." "Humping up?" Colwyn's eyes widened and he stared at the water again. Then he lifted his eyes to the horizon, scanning in all directions. "He wouldn't dare!" he whispered hoarsely. "Wouldn't dare what?" Divwall demanded. "My father," Colwyn clipped the words off angrily, "once told me about using a spell to bring water onshore to stop a forest fire. It was one of the events that got him appointed to the post of Royal Wizard." "I remember that," Divwall said. "Well," Colwyn continued, "he told me the spell caused a tidal wave and you could make it travel in any direction you wanted. The size of the wave depended on how much water you could push it across before it hit land. This water is flowing south, toward Bright Isle." Divwall's mouth fell open. "We have to warn them!" "Contact Gavilan," Colwyn replied. "Tell him what he's up against. Someone there is bound to know how to counter a tidal wave. In the meantime, we have to get out of this current." Colwyn stomped off down the deck and mounted the stairs to where the captain stood beside the sailor manning the wheel. "Do you see that break line over there, Captain?" Colwyn pointed toward the horizon where a line of whitecaps could be seen. "Steer that way, once we're out of this current, we'll make better time." "Aye, my lord." The captain shouted orders and sailors hurried up into the rigging. He used flags

to signal to their two companion ships and all three vessels tacked over. Colwyn made his way back down to Divwall. "Did you contact Gavilan?" Divwall nodded. "I think so. I never have trouble reaching his mind." She gripped the rail as the ship rolled and Colwyn put an arm around her waist to steady her. "Thank you," Divwall said. "I hope they are able to protect Bright Isle." "We have to rely on them," Colwyn answered. "There's nothing we can do to help them. And we need to end this. We have to catch him, Divwall." "Yes," Divwall said, her eyes fixed on the northern horizon. "Imbario has much to answer for." -o-o-o-oImbario stepped out of his bath and held his arms out behind him so his servants could slip on his dressing gown. Corby had not come up with a remedy for his rash and the glistening scaly crust continued to build up on his skin. The rash had spread everywhere, to the point where it caked up inside his nostrils and on the tops of his eyelids, threatening to seal them closed. With his servants help, Imbario had scrubbed his body hard and managed to scrape away a lot of the crust, leaving his skin red and raw. But the pain from the scrubbing was a welcome relief from the debilitating torment of the rash. Whatever the spell was, it was clearly of the very darkest nature. It sapped his strength and his power. As he pulled the dressing gown up onto his shoulders and tied the belt, he glanced down at his hands. Already, the crust was starting to form again; creeping across his reddened skin. Imbario clenched his fists. This spell had resisted every attempt he had made to break it. He thought he understood the nature of it, but his counter-spells did not stop the spread of the rash.

"My lord." doorway.

Hambrick

spoke

quietly

from

the

"How is it going?" Imbario asked. He purposely clasped his hands behind his back. "It is going well, my lord," Hambrick replied. "The wave is well on its way to Bright Isle. It should arrive there within the hour." "Good. Has there been any word from White Shores?" "No, my lord, nothing. I have been monitoring the tablets, as you directed, but no words have appeared." Imbario pursed his lips thoughtfully. No doubt his agents were finding it difficult to act since the first assassination attempt ended in failure. Or, and he frowned at the thought, they were simply choosing to wait to see who emerged victorious. Corby stumbled into the room, his eyes wide and frightened. "Something's wrong, my lord! The tidal wave has faltered!" "What?" Imbario marched from the room and down the stairs to the large front parlor, where his handful of wizards sat cross-legged in a circle, grouped so close together that their knees were touching. Their faces were stiff with strain as they poured power into the tidal wave spell, but the effort was clearly more than it should have been. "What's happening?" Corby whispered, his voice hoarse with fear. Imbario held out his hand, insinuating his awareness into the spell. He could feel the cold weight of the water they were pushing and the sharp breath of the wind, but both were encountering resistance. Something was pushing back, turning the wind back on itself and forcing the wave into an early crest. "Gah!" Imbario cried

and he yanked his hand back. "They know!" He whirled toward Hambrick. "Get outside. Watch for ships. I have no doubt they are on their way." Hambrick's eyes went wide. "Shouldn't we run for it, my lord? There may be time to escape if we leave right away!" "And go where?" Imbario snarled. "I will not claw my way through the forests like a hunted beast. We will make our stand here." He waved his hand at the other wizards. "Get these fools on their feet and take them with you. As soon as you see boats, sink them!" Imbario turned away and stamped back up the stairs. "My robes!" he shouted as soon as he stepped into his private room. "They will not defeat me!" he growled to himself as he dressed. "This is not the end." -o-o-o-o-oDense fog blanketed the inlet, hiding it from view. Occasional blasts of fire tore holes through the fog, but the thick blanket of cloud stubbornly refused to dissipate. "That's a very good complimented her. spell, Divwall," Colwyn

Divwall smiled grimly. "One of my best," she replied. Another blast of fire shot out of the fog. "It's very thoughtful of them to pinpoint their location for us like that." "Indeed," Colwyn agreed. "I've counted eight separate spells," Jonas said. He leaned on the rail, staring intently at the fog. "Oh! They're trying to call the wind again." "Right." Colwyn stuck his hand up and invoked a counter-spell. It was one of the most powerful spells he knew and it worked specifically against attempts to control the wind.

Jonas nodded. "That broke it." He tipped his head to the side and squeezed his eyes shut. "None of these spells feel very strong. I don't think these wizards are very powerful, except when they combine their magic." "That would explain why they seduced Lisette into joining them," Divwall said. "They must not have had ten wizards with enough strength to perform the unbinding spell." "And Hothram was probably killed in the explosion," Colwyn noted. "But Imbario is very strong. We would feel him if he were involved in this." "Yes," Divwall nodded. "Lord Colwyn," Captain Sheehan approached from the stern. "The boats are ready to go ashore." "Excellent. We'll need more cover, Divwall." "Right." Divwall concentrated briefly and the fog began to spread. Soon it blanketed the coast in both directions, shrouding the entire area in shadow. "I can make a bubble for us to navigate through. Let's go." Boats launched from all three ships and rowed through the fogbank silently. Each boat was manned by eight sailors to pull the oars. Between them sat four wizards, with two more in the stern and bow. Colwyn stared ahead impatiently as the nine small boats, three from each ship, headed toward shore. Inside Divwall's arch of clear air, it did not seem like they were moving, but soon the beach came into view as it slid inside Divwall's bubble. As soon as his boat grounded, Colwyn leaped out, splashing quickly through the shallow water and up onto the beach. The sailors accompanying them hopped out and pulled the boats ashore before any of the other wizards disembarked.

"They know we're coming," Colwyn said as the wizards clustered around him, "so don't take any chances. These wizards are rogues; there's no need to be gentle. You have the permission of the Hall to use whatever defensive magic is necessary to protect yourselves. But I would like to capture some of these people alive, if at all possible. If you see Imbario, do not go up against him alone." Colwyn looked around the group. "You are all royal wizards. Defending the kingdom and enforcing the law are your responsibilities. Today we will all earn our stipend." Determined nods greeted his words. Colwyn smiled grimly and turned to lead the way toward the hidden lodge. They approached it through the woods, following a path identified for them by Bodie before they left. Still some distance away, Colwyn ordered the group to separate into three smaller groups so they could come at the lodge from three directions. The bulk of the enemy wizards were clearly still clustered near the shore, trying to break up the fog so they could attack the ships they undoubtedly knew were out there. Colwyn directed two of their groups to attack the wizards while he led the others against the lodge. Imbario did not appear to be among the wizards on the beach and Colwyn wanted to face his father himself. The lodge was dilapidated and Colwyn could imagine how much his refined father hated living in such conditions. There was no sign that anyone was inside, but at Jonas' slight nod, Colwyn leaned toward Divwall. "Signal the others," he murmured directly into her ear. "We're going in." Divwall closed her eyes silently. When she opened them and nodded, Colwyn signaled to the rest of their group. "Use every entrance," he ordered softly. "Try to disable anyone you see with percussion spells." Silently, he glided toward the lodge. His group spread out, surrounding the building. Colwyn

peeked in a rear window. No one was in sight, so he climbed in, followed by Jonas and another wizard. They crept through the empty room, which appeared to have been a music room, and peeked out into the hall beyond. It was also empty, but they could see past a staircase into the front parlor. A few people could be seen clustered there, looking frightened. Several blasts from the direction of the beach stained the fog brilliant red, followed by screams and shouts. Almost immediately, percussion spells banged into the front parlor and everyone went down. Colwyn started down the hall and an explosion blew out the front wall of the parlor. The force of the blast knocked him over backward, and he let the momentum of his fall roll him over and back onto his feet. As he regained his footing, he saw wizards with their robes on fire desperately shouting dousing spells to put out the flames. Another blast of fire shot down the staircase, causing the wizards in view to dive for cover and igniting the clothes of the people lying unconscious on the floor. With a snarl of fury, Colwyn blasted the staircase, collapsing it. Two men fell into view, tangled in the debris of the shattered staircase. One of them, dressed in his usual finely appointed robes, was Imbario. A sense of relief washed over Colwyn, pushing away the furious anger burning in his chest. He quickly wrapped the unconscious wizard in a containment spell. Divwall stopped at his shoulder. "At last," she exclaimed softly, the relief in her voice mirroring what Colwyn was feeling. "Let's get him back to the containment circle on the ship before he regains consciousness," Colwyn said. As he spoke, he realized it was getting lighter. Divwall had released her fog spell. He turned to survey the damage. Wizards were putting out the smoldering clothing of the lodge's

occupants. "I want everyone brought back to Bright Isle," he said. "Even the dead. We can sort them out on the ship." He put his hand on her shoulder. "Don't send word yet that we've captured him. We need to find out first how he was communicating with his cohorts in White Shores. I want to give Edouard a chance to catch them." "I agree," Divwall responded. "Jonas, signal for the boats to come around to the inlet. Have the sailors help you collect every item in this building and transfer it to our ship. Bring everything, even furniture if it looks like they were using it." "Yes, my lady." Jonas hurried out. Divwall put a hand on her hip and grunted. "I'm going to ache for a month after all this hiking about. But still, I'm glad I came." "I had to be here," Colwyn answered. "I needed to put an end to this stain on my family name. I haven't used it for years, but now I think I'm ready to call myself Colwyn Issimaya again." Chapter 16: Justice The containment circle in the upper hold of the ship, being cast on wood instead of stone, was not as strong as the one in the dungeons of the Wizards Hall. So gold handcuffs embedded with more containment spells were locked around Imbario's ankles and wrists to further immobilize him. Two of the eight wizards captured with Imbario had died expending all their energy fighting back, but the remaining six wizards hunched in containment circles of their own, their expressions ranging from hopeless resignation to outright fear. But since the containment circles only prevented the wizards from leaving, two dozen wizards were seated around the perimeter of the hold, keeping guard. Each of these wizards was skilled in countering attack spells, and they all knew how to cast Kieran's suppression spell.

With Divwall a pace or two behind him and Jonas trailing along in the rear, Colwyn stalked through the hold to face Imbario, stopping in front of him with his hands on his hips. Imbario regarded him with a sneer, and then looked past him to wrinkle his nose at Divwall. "I did not expect you to become Edouard's lapdog as well, Divwall," Imbario said, his voice stiff with contempt. "Still full of bluster, I see," Colwyn snapped in response before Divwall could speak. He pointed his chin at Imbario. "What's the matter with you? The healer who tended your injuries says you're covered with a nasty rash." Imbario's lip curled. "You should know. Someone at the Wizards Hall cast this evil spell." "It's a spell?" Colwyn turned to Jonas, who was hovering nervously behind Divwall. "Can you tell what it is?" Jonas blinked at Imbario. "It's Tank's signaler spell, I think." "What?" Divwall stepped forward and leaned over to stare at the rash covering Imbario's face more closely. "I have seen that spell working and it looked nothing like this." Jonas swallowed. "I can sense dozens of incarnations; but there might be hundreds. The ones I can sense feel like they have echoes." He shifted uncomfortably. "Tank told me that his signaler tries to cover the surface of whatever it's attached to, to make the object brighter." Divwall straightened up and exchanged a startled look with Colwyn. "That many spells acting in concert" "And each of them is drawing on his power," Jonas added, still studying Imbario.

"So they won't stop spreading until he runs out of power or they're broken," Colwyn concluded. He held out his hand and muttered a counter-spell. He felt a faint snap as a spell broke under his command, but nothing changed. He glanced at Jonas and Jonas shrugged. "I can't even tell you did anything," Jonas said. "There are so many layers of the spell." Divwall bit her lip. "This was not really the intended purpose of this spell," she said quietly. "We never considered what would happen if Imbario was encountered by more than a handful of our transportation moths." Imbario jerked. "Moths? The spell was carried by moths?" "I take it you ran into them," Divwall responded. "Yes." Imbario snapped his lips closed and looked away. When he said nothing else, Colwyn drew a breath. "Imbario Issimaya, you have been declared a rogue wizard by the Wizards Hall. Under that designation, you are condemned to death. This sentence cannot be appealed." "I imagine it pleases you to say that to me." Imbario did not look at him as he spoke. Colwyn sighed. "In fact, it does not. I regret what has brought us to this point and wish you had not chosen this path." Imbario looked up at him, his crust-covered eyelids darkening his glare. "It would have been different had you stood by me, as a son should!" "I am a royal wizard first and foremost," Colwyn replied gravely. "I serve the Wizards Hall and the Crown, not an ambitious wizard who has forgotten his oath, regardless of his relationship to me."

Imbario spat at his feet. "I have no further words for you." Colwyn nodded slowly. "Very well." He turned to look at the other wizards. All of them sat dejectedly in their containment circles except for one, who had apparently been watching the exchange with Imbario. He ducked his head as soon as he saw Colwyn looking, his face flushing. Colwyn studied the wizard speculatively. He was middle-aged and of middling skill; the sort of wizard who naturally ended up as the pawn of better, more powerful wizards. He walked over to the wizard and stared down at him. "What is your name?" "Hambrick, my lord," the man whispered. "What role did you serve in this fiasco?" Hambrick licked his lips. "I was just an aid to Lord Imbario, my lord." "Indeed." Colwyn reached out and caught Hambrick by the elbow. "Come with me," he said, and pulled Hambrick out of the containment circle. Hambrick shuffled in his cuffs, the short chain forcing him to take mincing steps. The spells on the cuffs made it possible for him to move only while Colwyn was leading him. Colwyn took him to the wide cabin under the wheel and released him, and Hambrick sank to his knees, his cuffed hands clasping his thighs. Divwall followed him into the cabin. "What do you mean to do, Lord Colwyn?" "Question him," Colwyn replied, "out of Imbario's hearing." He tipped his head to the side as he regarded the kneeling wizard. "Hambrick, answer my questions fully and honestly, and you might mitigate your sentence somewhat. You are only charged with serving a rogue wizard, which does not put you under the automatic death sentence."

"I'll still be bound," Hambrick mumbled. "True. But Imbario survived that for six years with his mind intact." Hambrick looked up. "Um" "I cannot speak for Lord Gavilan," Colwyn continued, "but if you help us capture Imbario's agents in White Shores, it will be looked on with favor." Hambrick licked his lips. "I don't know who they are. Only Lord Imbario knows now. I'm sure he confided in Hothram, but Hothram is dead." Colwyn frowned. "How does he communicate with them?" "Oh!" Hambrick perked up and spoke quickly. "He has these wax tablets. They're magically paired, so that anything written on one appears on its mate, and vice versa." "It's instantaneous?" "I believe so." Colwyn turned to Divwall. "We need to find these tablets. Hopefully, they are in the items we brought from the lodge." "What's your plan?" "Write a message urging the recipient to destroy his tablet immediately by burning it, to avoid being caught." Divwall blinked in confusion. "But destroying a magical object with fire leaves a messy residue. And if these objects are paired, the mate may catch fire as well." Colwyn nodded, a wide smile forming on his face. "That's true, so we'll do this on deck with buckets of water handy. But the residue left by burning a

magic object is more than just messy. It will leave a magic stain so resonant even a hedge wizard could hear it. We'll know exactly where the tablets were destroyed, which should make it fairly obvious who did it." Divwall returned his grin. "That's ingenious! I'll have the lower hold searched at once. As soon as the tablets are located, I'll notify Kieran and Moretz to be on the lookout." She limped out quickly, and Colwyn pulled Hambrick to his feet. "You will not speak of this," he warned, "or, like my father, you will find I have little tolerance for betrayal." Hambrick nodded. "Only three of the tablets were working," he volunteered. "One of them was matched with a tablet held by Akitaka." "I see," Colwyn replied. He made a mental note to have Akitaka's belongings searched. As they returned to the hold, Hambrick threw several sideways glances at Colwyn. Finally, he cleared his throat and spoke. "I heard you say that the spell on Imbario was brought by the moths." "That's right." Colwyn glanced speculatively. "Did you see them, too?" at him

"We all did. Lord Imbario thought the swarm was intended to reveal the illusion we were using to hide our location." "Swarm?" Colwyn frowned. "You saw a swarm of moths? Just how many landed on Imbario?" "I don't know, exactly. But there were hundreds of moths and they were landing on all of us." He looked anxiously at Colwyn. "Will we all come down with the same rash?"

"No. The spell was targeted specifically at Imbario." Colwyn shook his head. "But we did not expect more than a handful of the moths to find him. No wonder he's crusted up." Colwyn stopped at the top of the ladder leading down to the first hold. "But tell me one thing: why did you join him? What did he offer you?" Hambrick hunched his shoulders. "You wouldn't understand." "Try me." Hambrick would not meet his eyes. "It's easy for you high-born wizards. You have rank and income. You don't have to make a living." Colwyn stared. "You're a royal wizard, Hambrick. You have rank and income." "Hah!" Hambrick flushed. "That stipend isn't enough to buy a house or employ servants. Am I supposed to rent a room from some widow?" His shoulders slumped. "But at least as a royal wizard I could stay on Bright Isle." His handcuffs clinked as he wiped his nose with the back of his hand. "Imbario said he would increase the stipend for royal wizards so we could afford to buy a townhouse and maintain a household. And as one of his earliest supporters, I thought I might rise to something more." Listening to Hambrick speak, Colwyn remembered what Divwall had told him about the assassination attempt on Kieran, and the penniless young wizard whose sister had made the aborted attempt. Was life really that difficult for wizards after graduating from the academy? He sighed thoughtfully. Wizards were feared and mistrusted by most people. They generally had few friends who were not wizards. He himself had never really been bothered by the isolation, but he could see where others might be. And without a home or employment, would it have been that hard for Imbario to seduce such wizards into his schemes?

He tightened his grip on Hambrick's elbow and urged him down the ladder. In the hold, he escorted Hambrick back inside his containment circle and released him. "You have raised legitimate concerns about the livelihoods of wizards, Hambrick. I will be sure to bring them to Lord Gavilan's attention." Colwyn glanced at his father. Was he responsible for the dissatisfaction among the lower-ranked wizards or had he simply taken advantage of it? He turned back toward the ladder and saw Divwall beckoning to him from the top of the ladder to the lower hold. He hurried over. "We found them," Divwall whispered. "Very good," Colwyn whispered back. "Bring them up on deck. Kieran and Moretz will need a little time to get ready after you contact them, but it's almost sunset. I don't want to wait until tomorrow." Divwall nodded, her expression grim. "Give me a hand. I shouldn't be going up and down these ladders." Colwyn clasped her hand and helped her up. She studied his expression. "What's wrong?" "It's something Hambrick told me," he replied gravely. "When this is over, you, Gavilan and I need to have a long talk. I have a theory about just what causes some wizards to turn rogue." -o-o-o-oKieran hurried to Moretz's office, his bodyguards thumping along heavily behind him. He still was not used to their presence, but hopefully the need for them would soon be past. He burst in without knocking, assuming the wizard would be expecting him. "Ah, Kieran!" Moretz exclaimed as soon as he appeared. "I take it you got Divwall's message as well."

"Yes." Kieran closed the door, leaving his bodyguards outside. "How do you want to do this? I've never seen a magical object burned before." "I have. It can be quite spectacular. In fact, Colwyn's taking a bit of a risk. Depending on how powerful the spell is, the person burning it might lose control of the fire." "We should notify Captain Soleson and the Sheriff to be on the lookout for unexpected fires, then." Moretz nodded. "Yes," he began, and then went still. At the same time, Kieran heard the echo of Divwall's thoughts in his head. "They've started," Moretz said. "Let's go." They hurried to Captain Soleson's office to tell him what was happening. Soleson immediately issued instructions for all off-duty guards to begin patrolling for fires. He also sent word to Sheriff Sekwen to do the same in the coastal suburbs where the noblemen's houses were. "Let's wait in the courtyard," Moretz said. "I find it easier to listen for magic when there aren't a lot of people around me." They went outside and Moretz looked up at the sky, where the stars were just starting to show against the deepening blue of the eastern sky. "It feels like the weather patterns might be getting back to normal finally." Kieran grimaced. They had experienced unexpected downpours for days after his massive rain spell. Acres of crops had been ruined by the heavier than normal rain and Edouard had decided to pay compensation to dozens of farmers who were faced with destitution otherwise. But Kieran still felt responsible, even though everything he had done was necessary. He sighed and folded his arms as they waited in silence and growing darkness. Listening for spells was something they were taught during their sixth year at the academy. It was not a required skill for royal wizards, which Kieran suspected was mainly

because not everyone could do it. He was fairly good at recognizing spells, but his classmate Jonas was one of the best that the Hall had ever produced at detecting and recognizing even the subtlest spells. But subtlety was not what they were looking for here. According to Moretz, the destruction of a spell by fire was hard to miss. Moretz was right. Kieran yelped as if he had been singed and whirled to stare at the main entrance of the palace. "What the hell is that?" Moretz grinned darkly. "Someone just set fire to his tablet." He set off at a brisk pace, following the painfully resonant waves of magic power crashing over them. As they neared the source, they could hear raised voices, which suddenly exploded into shouts and cries of alarm. The door to a private suite crashed open and a frightened woman dashed out. "Help!" she cried. "Fire!" Moretz exchanged a look with Kieran and they barged into the room through the still open door. Inside was a typical suite assigned to nobles living at the palace. The main room contained tables and chairs for dining and relaxation, but the comfortable grouping of furniture in front of the fireplace was no longer inviting. Flames leaped up from the sofa and raged in the two overstuffed chairs beside it. The fireplace itself and the mantle above were completely engulfed by an inferno of angry orange flames that were spreading rapidly. A gentleman in fine clothes was batting uselessly at the flames with a small rug, but he dropped it as the rug caught fire. "Get back!" Moretz shouted. He flung up his hand and uttered a powerful fire-suppression spell. The fire in the couch and chairs went out, but the fireplace continued to burn. "Help me, Kieran!"

Kieran flung up his hand as well and they chanted the spell in unison. Almost like a living thing, the fire struggled against the effort to put it out. Kieran put more of his power behind the words he was speaking and felt the fire begin to smother. Then, with a few last spurts and crackles, it went out. A faint noise made him turn and he saw the nobleman scurrying for the door. Kieran gestured absently and the nobleman went down with a faint cry, his legs tangled in a stasis spell. Now that the fire was out, the strident magical ringing of the burning tablet faded, and Kieran could feel the resonance of another magical object burning. Moretz waved at him. "You go. I'll deal with him." Kieran nodded and raced out. He arrived at another suite in a different wing of the palace to find the room fully engulfed in flames and a bucket brigade of palace guards desperately trying to put it out. Using all his power, he smothered the fire with the same spell and put it out in an instant. "Thank goodness you arrived, Lord Kieran!" Soleson exclaimed. "I don't think we could have stopped it from spreading." "The fire was fueled by magic," Kieran admitted. "Was anyone hurt?" "Just him." Soleson gestured at slumped against the wall down the arm of his jacket was badly charred was blackened and burned. A guard wrapping it with a piece of cloth. a gentleman hall. The left and his hand was carefully

Kieran walked down the hall and squatted in front of the gentleman. "Lord Dobric," he said quietly, "did you try to burn something in your room?" The bearded gentleman returned his gaze with pain-filled eyes. "The tablet," he whispered hoarsely. "It said I should burn it to escape discovery, but the flames became so hot so

quickly! Sparks ignited the furniture before I could close the screen" his voice failed and a rasp of pain wheezed from his throat. "My hand" "We've sent for Doctor Sefrin," the guard tending Dobric's hand murmured. Kieran nodded and stood up. "Captain Soleson, Lord Dobric is to remain under guard. Everyone who tries to speak to him is to be detained for questioning, as is anyone who shared his suite." "My lord?" The question in Soleson's voice was reflected in the eyes of the men who had overheard his instructions. "Lord Dobric was in league with Imbario. This fire is proof and his statement to me just now confirmed it." Soleson's expression darkened. "I understand, my lord. Your orders will be carried out without fail." "Thank you. Lord Moretz also has a prisoner in custody and we are expecting to find one more person as a result of a suspicious fire. Keep everyone on alert until this third traitor is caught." "Yes, my lord." Soleson sketched a quick bow and began issuing terse orders. Kieran headed for Edouard's office. It was time to tell the king what was happening. -o-o-o-o-oAsita dashed out of her manor and skidded to a halt in the driveway. It was easier to hear outside, and now the resonating sound of something magical burning came plainly to her ears. She turned slowly, trying to pinpoint the direction, but then a column of smoke appeared above the trees, lit from below by an orange glare. "Fire!" she shouted, and ran back into the house. Two servants crossing the entry hall started at her cry.

"Get help!" she ordered. "I think the Woolden manor is on fire. Find buckets and get over there." It was the Woolden manor, but by the time servants from neighboring estates arrived with buckets to help fight the fire, the manor was fully engaged. Coughing and soot-covered servants huddled on the neatly-manicured lawn in front, their eyes wide with fear. Asita grabbed the shoulder of a man she believed to be the butler. "What happened?" she demanded. "I don't know, honored madam," he answered, his voice shaking. "I was taking the mistress her tea when I heard her suddenly start screaming. I ran to her parlor" his voice caught and he wiped a shaking hand across his eyes. "Her dress was in flames; her hair" he broke off with a horrified sob at the memory. "I snatched a rug from the floor to throw over her, but it just started to burn, too, and then the flames were everywhere. I ran" He put his hands over his face and began to sob. Asita patted his shoulder. "It was not your fault," she said. She held out her hands, but the fire was too big for her to suppress by herself. "Was anyone else trapped in the fire?" The man looked around, making a visible effort to control himself. "I don't think so; it looks like all the staff is present. Miss Woolden, the mistress' daughter, went to court earlier this afternoon and we did not expect her back until later." He sobbed again. "Why did it spread so fast? It seemed like the fire was on my very heels as I fled." "It was fueled by magic," Asita said. Saying such a thing sickened her. Starting fires with magic was commonplace. It was not considered a dark magic, yet fire was one of the most destructive forces there was. "Your mistress burned a magical item of some kind, and for some reason it caused

this terrible fire." She turned to one of her own servants, standing with a useless bucket in his hands. "Please take everyone back to our estate and tend to their needs. I must go to court and report this to the Royal Wizard." "Yes, my lady." Asita hurried back to her manor to get the carriage. Hopefully, Moretz would have some idea what was going on. There had to be an explanation for this tragedy. -o-o-o-o-oLong practice allowed Edouard to keep his voice level, even though he wanted to scream in fury. "Lord Dobric was a traitor," he said in a flat voice, facing his senior council without expression. "His betrayal places all of you under suspicion. It is my inclination to place every noble in White Shores under arrest until each one is cleared by a soothsayer." He caught Lady Alcasin's eye. He knew her well enough to realize that she wanted to speak, but was holding her tongue out of fear. He lifted his chin. "You have something to say, Lady Alcasin?" Alcasin swallowed. "I do not blame you for feeling as you do, sire," she said. "But when you say all nobles, do you mean even children?" Edouard almost smiled, despite the anger burning in his chest. Lady Alcasin had three grandchildren, all under five years old, whom she loved dearly. He slowly shook his head. "I say that is my inclination, but that is not what I will do." He looked around the room again, seeing the uncertainty and hope showing on their faces. "Every noble residence will be thoroughly searched by wizards. We know what we are looking for. Those caught will be subject to summary execution and their estates and holdings will be forfeit."

"Execution?" "Forfeit?" "Everything?" The shocked exclamations matched the stunned expressions on their faces. "Sire!" Alcasin whispered. "Treason against the crown is a most heinous crime, but to punish the whole family seems so cruel!" Edouard folded his arms across his chest. "In the event a traitor chooses to come forward and make a full confession voluntarily, the forfeiture will be reduced to a fine equivalent to one half of the family's holdings." "One half?" someone whispered in a choked voice. Silence fell and Edouard let them stew in it for a moment. "Imbario Issimaya has been declared a rogue wizard by the Wizards Hall. Anyone who worked in his behalf is a traitor to this kingdom. Does anyone here believe that traitors deserve less than execution?" "No, sire." Alcasin spoke quietly, her eyes cast down. "I will give any traitor who wishes to surrender until the hour his home is searched. After that, the full judgment will be rendered. You are dismissed." The councilors filed from the room in silence. When the last of them was gone, Moretz leaned back in his chair with a sigh. "You gave them little room for hope." Edouard shrugged. "The guilty never had any and the innocent have nothing to fear. Have you learned anything about the fire at the Woolden estate?"

"Yes." Moretz scowled. "When the tablets were burned here, the ones on the ship also caught fire. Fortunately, they planned for that and were able to put out the fires before any serious damage was done. But it seems Imbario put a firespreading spell on the tablets that would be triggered if the tablets were burned. Divwall speculates that he did it as a means of ridding himself of a conspirator. By setting fire to his tablet, he could destroy the person holding the other one, along with the tablet itself." Edouard sat down with a thump. "And once again we played into his hands by directing the conspirators to burn their tablets." Moretz nodded grimly. "Under normal circumstances, it would have been a good way to locate them. The objects would have left a visible residue along with a magic stain that Kieran and I could detect." "But instead we nearly set fire to the palace and caused one manor to burn to the ground." Edouard ran his fingers through his hair. "That man truly is evil." "I would have to agree with that." Edouard sighed and pushed to his feet. "I'm going to Bright Isle in the morning. I'm taking Kieran with me. I would like you to manage the searches and take any confessions that might be offered in my absence." Moretz inclined his head. "Yes, my lord." Edouard left the council room feeling exhausted. So much had happened, but it was nearly over. He walked slowly to Kieran's room, his two bodyguards, as always, pacing along behind him. He knocked on Kieran's door and waited for the young wizard to answer. When Kieran appeared, he took one look at Edouard's face and pulled him inside.

"You met with the council," Kieran stated. He closed the door and led Edouard by the hand to his small couch. "How did they react?" "As you would expect," Edouard replied tiredly. "But this time, I cannot forgive them without proof. Dobric was privy to all my councils and he had a way of communicating the information directly to Imbario. I cannot let this go until I know they can all be trusted." He slumped back, staring at his hands resting in his lap. "But the truth is I dislike not being able to trust the people around me. I should be able to. This mistrust is all Imbario's doing and I hate him for it." "You shouldn't hate," Kieran replied gently. "Hate poisons the soul." Edouard leaned against Kieran and put his arms around his neck. "But you will redeem me, won't you?" Kieran embraced him, his arms encircling Edouard's waist. "Always, Edouard," he whispered into Edouard's ear. "As long as I live, I will care for you, body and soul." Chapter 17: Closure Edouard stood at the rail, staring down at the water as the ship dipped through the waves. It was a mild day, so the motion of the ship was pleasant. He had never been this far out on the lake before, but now that they were well out onto the water, with the docks at White Shores disappearing behind them, he clutched the rail with a feeling of exhilaration coursing through him. The sense of freedom engendered by being on the open water thrilled him. "I haven't seen you smile like that since we ran away from White Shores as boys," Kieran said beside him.

"It's wonderful!" Edouard replied. "Look at how blue the water is! I don't know why, but I feel more alive out here." "It's the fresh air," Kieran said. "I noticed it the first time I sailed to Bright Isle." He leaned on the rail next to Edouard. "We talked once about sailing down to the southern fjords. When this is all over, I think we should do that. You need a holiday." "A holiday?" Edouard laughed. "A king doesn't get holidays!" "But you never had a chance to be a child," Kieran pointed out. He grinned sideways at Edouard. "So I think we should go. Ma Bricker told me that swimming naked in the fjords by moonlight will bring long life and happiness." "Swim naked?" Edouard stared at him with round eyes. "The lake is too cold for that." "Not in the south. The fjords are supposed to be quite warm." Edouard blushed. "I really don't think I could do something like that." Kieran just smiled. "There's Bright Isle." Edouard looked thought." Then he "It's pointed bigger ahead. than I

ahead.

"You can't see all of it from here, either," Kieran said. "Only this side of the island is settled. The other side is still wild, like the western shore of the lake." They remained at the rail as their ship approached Bright Isle and nosed up to the dock. Dock workers ran out to catch the ropes as sailors threw them over and the ship was made fast. "It looks like everyone has turned out to see you," Kieran said.

The head of the dock was crowded with local dignitaries dressed in their finest clothes, but at the front stood Gavilan himself. He waited until the gangplank was run out before making his way down to greet Edouard. "Welcome to Bright Isle, your majesty," Gavilan said with a bow. "I hope your crossing was pleasant." "Thank you, Lord Gavilan. It was quite pleasant." "I hope you will forgive Lady Divwall for not being here to greet you. Her knees have given out on her from overuse." "I quite understand." "If you will please follow me, I would like to introduce the Mayor of Lands End and the managing Elders." Gavilan led the way back up the dock to the waiting dignitaries. Edouard had met them before, of course, since they had all come to White Shores for his coronation. They were delighted he remembered and grinned widely as he greeted them by name. The walk through Lands End was brief, but it seemed like every citizen was there to wave and call his name excitedly. Edouard waved back, surprised and gratified by the adulation. It was completely unexpected. But a more somber mood greeted him when they entered the grounds of the Wizards Hall. The execution of a wizard, even a rogue, was a solemn occasion, and it was reflected on the faces of the wizards and students that they passed. Colwyn waited for them in the central square, his arms folded in front of him. "Welcome to the Wizards Hall, your majesty," he said as Edouard and Kieran neared him.

"Thank you, Lord Colwyn. I understand you were instrumental in helping to find and then capture Imbario." "I was," Colwyn replied with a nod. "He's in the dungeon now, imprisoned in a containment circle." "I am very grateful for your dedication," Edouard replied. He turned to Gavilan. "I would like to see him right away." "Of course, your majesty, but there's something you should know first." Edouard frowned. "What?" "Tank's spell had an unexpected side-effect. Imbario is covered with a rash caused by the spell. We haven't been able to remove it." Gavilan bit his lip. "The rash is quite debilitating. It's draining Imbario's power, so we have not yet performed the binding on him. It might not be safe for you to confront him." "Edouard cannot be harmed," Kieran said calmly. "It will be fine." Gavilan drew a slow breath. "Very well. Please come this way." He led them into the Wizards Hall, but when they turned into the passage leading to the dungeon, they found Divwall waiting for them. "You should not be on your feet, Divwall," Gavilan exclaimed. Divwall waved a hand, though she was leaning rather heavily on her cane. "I'm fine," she grumbled. She inclined her head to Edouard. "But hopefully your majesty won't expect me to curtsey." "I would not have been offended had you waited to greet me, Lady Divwall," Edouard replied. Divwall waved that away, too. "I will rest when this is over," she said. She turned and limped

down the hall. "Imbario remains defiant, even in his present state," she said to Edouard. "Don't let him provoke you." The door at the end of the hall was flanked by two stone-faced guards. They remained sternly at attention as Divwall opened the door with a whispered spell and started to descend the stairs beyond, grunting as she settled her foot on the first step. "Don't be an idiot, Divwall!" Colwyn snapped. He lifted the tall woman in his arms and carried her down the steps, ignoring her angry protests. "Put me down!" Divwall snapped. "Fool!" But Colwyn carried her to the bottom before setting her back on her feet. She scowled at him. "I'm not a cripple!" Colwyn just smiled back. "After you." She glared at him and then turned to limp down the hall, stopping at the first door. Inside was a large stone room with an elaborate circle painted on the floor. Imbario sat on a chair in the middle of this circle; only at first glance, Edouard did not recognize him. He stepped into the room, staring in faint disgust. "This is a spell?" Edouard exclaimed, shuddering. The crust covering Imbario's skin, visible on his hands and face, oozed wetly. "It looks like a skin disease. Why can't you remove it?" "Well, we can, but it will take time," Divwall replied. "We can break Tank's spell, but there are hundreds of instances and each one must be broken with a counter-spell. And unfortunately, binding his power won't help. The spells are bound into his native power. Just because he cannot access it won't prevent the spells from drawing on it." "I see." Edouard glanced at Kieran. "What if Kieran severed his power? Would that stop it?"

Divwall studied Imbario speculatively. "It might." "I won't do that," Kieran said quietly. "I swore never to use that spell again and I won't break that oath, not even under orders from the Wizards Hall." He looked at Edouard. "Nor from you." Edouard nodded. "I understand." He returned his gaze to Imbario. "I suppose you did not expect to see me again," he said. "The sight gives me no pleasure," Imbario rasped hoarsely. His lips smacked wetly when he spoke and his breath bubbled through his nostrils nauseatingly. "I imagine not," Edouard replied. He straightened slightly and clasped his hands behind his back. "Imbario Issimaya, I condemn you to death for deliberately causing the spread of a deadly plague in White Shores. However, my sentence is superseded by the primacy of the Wizards Hall. I leave your fate in their hands." He started to turn away. "So that's it?" Imbario croaked. "You'll turn away in disgust as if I no longer matter?" "You don't matter anymore," Edouard replied coldly. "Your plot against this kingdom has failed." Imbario laughed hoarsely. "Tell me one thing: who betrayed me? Who told you about my spell on the fleas?" "No one. Doctor Sefrin determined that the fleas were spreading the influenza." "Sefrin?" Imbario's hoarse exclamation disintegrated into a fit of coughing as a look of shocked realization spread across his face. "My greatest enemy was Sefrin?" he continued when he could catch his breath. "It was he who kept you alive after I poisoned you, and now he is the one who thwarted my most ingenious spell?"

"Underestimating the talents of non-wizards was always your greatest failing, Imbario," Edouard said. "Perhaps now you will admit that merely being a wizard does not make one man better than another." "I will never admit such a thing!" Imbario cried, and he began to cough again, doubling over in his seat as great, hacking coughs wracked him. Edouard backed away with a frown. Gavilan touched his arm. "We should go. The same rash that you see on his skin is spreading into his lungs. In truth, killing him would be a mercy. Otherwise, he will die a miserable death from slow suffocation." Kieran started. "The curse!" he whispered. "What curse?" Divwall demanded sharply. "Don't you remember?" Kieran said. "When Edouard learned that Imbario had killed his father, he cursed him to rot in misery for the rest of his days. I spoke a counter-curse then to purify him and I thought it broke the curse, too, but" Edouard blinked at Kieran. "How could I have cursed him? I admit I spoke those words, but I'm not a wizard." Divwall pursed her lips thoughtfully. "A curse is not fueled by magic," she said gravely. "The rage of someone who has been truly wronged is often enough." She limped closer to Edouard and touched her hand to his forehead. She closed her eyes and held her breath. After a moment, she opened her eyes with a sigh. "There is no trace of taint about you. If you did cast a curse, Kieran's counter-curse cleansed you." She glanced at Imbario, who was struggling to sit up as his fit of coughing faded. "But either way, it would be a cruelty to allow the spell to kill him."

Gavilan nodded in agreement. "Imbario has already been declared a rogue wizard, for which the punishment is beheading. The sentence will be carried out at sunset today and his body burned to ashes. The ashes will be mixed with mortar and cast into the sea when solid." Edouard swallowed. "I should not spend the night on Bright Isle." "You do not need to witness the execution," Kieran said. He took Edouard's hand. "Let the wizards mete out their punishment." Edouard met his eyes. Kieran understood him better than anyone. For all his desire to see Imbario punished for the death of his father, he had never seen anyone killed. For some reason, the thought of it sickened him. He glanced once at Imbario and then turned away, walking out the door without looking back. Kieran walked beside him, still holding his hand. "Why does it bother me?" he whispered. "I have longed for that man's death for six years. Why now, when it is only hours away, am I afraid to witness it?" "Because you still have the gentlest heart of anyone I know," Kieran answered quietly. He squeezed Edouard's hand. "Let's go home." -o-o-o-o-oBut they did not leave Bright Isle as Kieran recommended. Since he was unlikely to visit the island again anytime soon, Edouard asked to be taken to Tank Trasker's lab. There were no longer any guards on duty outside the lab and Kieran led the way in without knocking. He was not surprised to find Tank there, hunched over his workbench as usual. "Still hard at work, Tank?" Kieran called out. "What is it this time?"

"I'm trying to figure out what went wrong with my signaler spell so I can come up with a better counter-spell," Tank answered grumpily. "It shouldn't be acting like that." He straightened up with a scowl and his eyes fell on Edouard. He hopped off his stool with a yelp. "Your majesty! Forgive me for not greeting you first! I didn't see you!" "That's quite all right, Lord Trasker," Edouard replied. "You have done an incredible service for this kingdom with all your hard work. I am exceedingly grateful." Tank scratched his head and grinned sheepishly. "Thank you, sire. I just wish I knew what went wrong. They're going to declare my signaler a dark spell if I can't figure it out." "It won't matter after today," Edouard replied. "Imbario is going to be executed, so it isn't necessary to cure him." "I suppose not," Tank said, "but it still bothers me." "Isn't it just because there incarnations?" Kieran asked. are so many

"Well, yes and no." Tank offered the stool he had been using to Edouard, and when Edouard declined, plopped back down on it himself. "The spell is trying to coat his lungs, but it's only supposed to coat the surface of an object. I don't understand why." Kieran almost laughed. "The human body isn't solid, Tank. How is the spell supposed to tell that openings should be ignored?" Tank's mouth fell open. "But I" He smacked his forehead. "I only tested it on solid objects, like books and apples. And I boosted the power to make it grow faster since I didn't expect more than a handful of droplets to get on him." He

shook his head ruefully. "Imbario's so bright right now that none of the far-seers can even look at Bright Isle. He's blinding." "Don't blame yourself," Edouard said. "There was no way to anticipate that this would happen. As you say, if only a few incarnations of your spell had been cast on him, this would not have happened." "Very true," Tank agreed. "Well, I'm still going to try to find a better way to break the spell. If I can, then it can still be used and won't have to be declared a dark power." "I don't believe that's the only thing you're working on," Kieran said pointedly. "Well, actually, there are one or two other spells in the works." "I thought so," Kieran laughed. "Spill it." "I don't want to bore his majesty" Tank began. "I would love to hear about your spells, Tank," Edouard said. "I'm always fascinated when Kieran and Moretz talk shop." "Well, in that case..." Tank hooked a hand around Edouard's arm. "Come have a look at this. This has really great potential." Kieran hung back and let Tank chatter away excitedly at Edouard about his latest inventions. He did not seem any the worse for having cast a spell that would ultimately lead to another wizard's death. But of course, the difference was that he had not been in contact with the wizard in the instant of his destruction, like Kieran had. The reminder made Kieran wonder if he should look in on Akitaka while he was here, but even as he thought it, he knew there was really no point. The man had been reduced to a gibbering imbecile and it would only hurt to see him. So he half-listened

while Tank and Edouard talked; and the time flew by. "Edouard," Kieran finally interrupted quietly, "it's almost sunset." Edouard jumped, his eyes flying toward the window. "Oh!" He licked his lips. "I suppose I should go, since I'm still here." "You don't have to." Edouard drew in a breath. "Yes, I do." Tank's expression turned unhappy. "I should probably go to." "Very well," Kieran said. Executions were not carried out in public. In a small clearing in back of the Wizards Hall, a single wooden block rested in the middle of a flagstone circle. It had been decades since an execution was held here, so the block was brand new, the marks of the planes that had shaped it still visible. The executioner was a professional brought over from White Shores. He stood in his traditional garb of hood and trousers with no shirt, his large axe balanced over one shoulder. But his bare chest and arms were inscribed with various counterspells to protect him from harm. In truth, executing a wizard was no different from executing a normal man, but the spells made the executioner feel safer. Only a handful of wizards were present for the execution, among them Gavilan, Divwall, Kalin, Amrisen and Suram. Gavilan greeted Edouard with a grave nod when he arrived with Kieran and Tank, but no one spoke. Shortly after, Captain Altoris appeared leading Imbario by the arm. Restraint manacles were locked around his wrists and ankles, but he was still flanked by six guards and a dozen wizards. Imbario wheezed wetly as he shuffled along. Just since they had last seen

him earlier that afternoon, the crust on his face had thickened, hooding his eyes and turning his nose to a glistening bulge. Altoris led Imbario to the block and lowered him to his knees. He bent Imbario over the block, turning his head sideways so he faced away from his audience. Once Altoris stepped back, Imbario was unable to move, so he could not turn his head to glare at those waiting to watch him die. "Your rule will fail, Edouard!" Imbario coughed out, each word sounding like a bark. "A wizard will sit on the throne one day! You'll see!" "It's time," Gavilan said. He nodded to the executioner. The big man stepped up, lifting his axe over his head. At the last moment, Edouard looked away. Kieran watched the axe fall and Edouard flinched as it thudded into the block. Kieran clasped his shoulder. "It's done," he breathed. Edouard nodded without answering. Kieran looked at Gavilan. "We will return to White Shores," he said. "We will notify you when we have completed the searches." He led Edouard away with his arm around his waist. Edouard did not say a word until they were back on the ship. "He's dead," he said finally as the sailors cast off and prepared to raise sail. "The man who murdered my father is dead." Kieran took Edouard's hand and led him into the small cabin at the rear of the ship. Once they were alone, he put his arms around him. "So now you can weep for him," he said. Edouard looked at him, his eyes bright with tears. "How do you always know what I'm feeling?" he whispered.

"Because there is a bond between us deeper than friendship," Kieran whispered back. "So grieve, my king. I will always be here when you need me." And Edouard wept, the gentle sound of his sobs muffled against Kieran's shoulder. -o-o-o-o-oIt was past midnight and stars blanketed the sky, but the night was still fairly warm. Nevertheless, Colwyn felt chilled to the bone standing in the middle of the great square in the center of the Wizards Hall, staring up at the glittering spectacle. "How do you feel, Colwyn?" "You shouldn't be on your feet, Divwall," Colwyn replied without lowering his gaze. "Then come sit with me," Divwall said. She limped to one of the dozen or so benches that occupied the great square and sat down, straightening her knees with a grimace. "You didn't answer my question." Colwyn settled down beside her and sighed. "That's because I don't know how I feel. I've been estranged from my father for nearly twenty years. When he was in prison, I almost had myself convinced that I had no father. But today I stood there and watched him lose his head, thinking all the while that this was the man who gave me life." "When I began to exhibit magical ability, I was only eight years old," Divwall answered, somewhat obliquely. "My parents tried to hide it, and would punish me if they caught me performing magic. I was nearly twelve before an itinerant wizard passed through and saw me making dust devils." She chuckled softly. "He threatened my parents with horrible consequences if they did not allow him to take me to the Wizards Hall for training. I haven't seen them since." She patted his knee. "It is more common than not for

wizards to lose contact with their families when they put on robes. In some ways, I think it's better if they do." "It would have been better for me." Colwyn studied Divwall's profile. "But I was nevertheless fortunate. My father never disowned me, so I always had a ready source of funds for my constant travels." Divwall squinted at him. "What do you mean 'fortunate'?" "Consider it: Hambrick complained about the stipend paid to royal wizards being too small to afford a home or servants. That hedge wizard brother of the girl who tried to assassinate Kieran was destitute. I'm starting to think that financial hardship may play a greater role in disaffection among wizards than ideology." "But we trained them to fill one of the greatest roles the kingdom has to offer!" Divwall exclaimed. "Right," Colwyn responded bitterly. "We train them and then abandon them to make their own way in the world. We teach them magic, but very little else. Wizardlings who come to us uneducated may leave having learned little more than how to read. Ask Kieran. He acquired his education mainly because of Edouard. So wizards from poor backgrounds who don't become royal wizards have to find jobs just like anybody else, but they must do so within the constraints of their oaths to the Wizards Hall. But yet we taught them to believe they were better than normal people." "But if what you're saying is true," Divwall protested, "we should be hearing about wizards misusing their powers all the time!" Colwyn snorted. "You need to spend more time talking to Kieran. He once told me that most people believe royal wizards use dark magic

whenever they want. A belief like that could only become commonplace if there is some truth in it. And from a normal person's point of view, any magic used against him is dark magic." "This is very unsettling," Divwall said. Even in the starlight, he could see the frown on her face. "Hambrick said Imbario promised to raise the stipend paid to royal wizards. Kieran's would-be assassin said her brother was told Imbario promised to make any wizard of noble blood a royal wizard, regardless of his class ranking." Divwall licked her lips. "You are implying that Imbario would not have been able to garner the support he did if not for this dissatisfaction you describe." "That's right," Colwyn nodded. "I believe most wizards are decent people eager to use their magic for the good of the kingdom, but faced with fear, distrust and scant opportunities for gainful employment, some are bound to succumb to bitterness and disillusionment. We need to do better for the wizards we turn out. We need to make sure they have work and a place to live when they leave." Divwall tapped the end of her cane on the ground. "When the Wizards Hall was first founded," she said, her voice introspective, "only children of noble families were trained. Common-born children, if caught performing magic, were conditioned instead. Some were even bound. It was only after the Wizard Wars that the Hall began training all children in an effort to curb the development of rogues. It worked to a large degree, but perhaps there is still more that we could do." "There has to be," Colwyn agreed. "Didn't they also only grant the rank of royal wizard to nobleborn wizards in the beginning as well?"

"Yes. That was changed later to being awarded according to skill rather than birth." She turned to Colwyn with a look of understanding in her eyes, "because the inequity was causing strife in the Wizards Hall." She gripped her cane firmly and pushed to her feet. "Let's go talk to Gavilan. You've convinced me that it's time for another change." -o-o-o-o-o-oAfter two days and nights of searches, six more tablets were discovered, including the one held by Akitaka. Three of the holders, two wizards and a nobleman, voluntarily surrendered their tablets and pleaded for mercy. The other two, both nobleman, attempted to hide theirs. When those tablets were ultimately found, the families of both men disavowed any knowledge of the treason and also begged for mercy. Edouard turned the wizards over to Gavilan without even speaking to them. For the three noblemen, along with Lord Dobric and Lord Casterlane, who were caught trying to burn their tablets, he scheduled a public trial five days after Imbario's execution. The morning of the trial, every prominent family in White Shores came to the palace. Edouard had planned the trial for the Grand Ballroom, which was the largest room in the palace, but it was still not large enough to accommodate everyone. The hallways leading to the ballroom were crowded with those who arrived too late to squeeze into the vast space set aside for spectators. Because the ballroom was normally reserved for pompous occasions, there was a raised stage on one side of the ballroom where members of the royal family and important guests would sit so they could be easily viewed by those attending the social event. On this occasion, however, a single high bench had been installed for Edouard to oversee the trial. No other chairs or benches were provided for the defendants. There would be no defense this day.

Edouard entered the stage from a door at the rear with Kieran beside him. Kieran had never been in the Grand Ballroom before and his eyes opened wide when they entered. Enormous chandeliers containing countless crystals hung from the high ceiling, glimmering in the sunlight pouring through dozens of skylights. Fluted columns wound with meticulously painted carvings of climbing roses supported the high ceiling. The floor was polished parquet. "What a beautiful room!" Kieran exclaimed softly. "It is, isn't it?" Edouard agreed equally softly. "There hasn't been a ball here since my mother died. Maybe I'll have one, to celebrate a new beginning." His voice hardened. "After I deal with this." He climbed up into the seat behind the bench and beckoned to Soleson, who was waiting on the stage. "Bring them in." A hush fell as the five defendants were led in. All were in manacles except for Dobric, whose burned hand was heavily bandaged and strapped to his chest in a sling. Edouard looked down at them, his expression unrelenting. "Lord Ketterlin, please step forward." The named gentleman took a step closer to the bench. Of the group, he was the only one to voluntarily surrender his tablet. "Do you wish to make a plea at this time?" Ketterlin swallowed and bowed his head. "Sire, I will make no excuse for myself. When Imbario was Royal Wizard, he used his influence to benefit me in a business arrangement. In exchange, I received the tablet, but I never used it until after he escaped from Bright Isle. My wife and son were not aware of this." He looked up. "My only plea is that you show them mercy." Edouard inclined his head slightly and Ketterlin stepped back. "Lord Casterlane, would you like to make a plea?"

In silence, Casterlane shook his head. "Your wife was present when you burned the tablet," Edouard said. "Was she aware of your dealings with Imbario?" Casterlane shuddered, but he still did not answer. Edouard frowned. "Lord Casterlane, I have received a deposition from a wizard who was with Imbario, who states that Imbario was in regular communication with two people, at least one of whom was in the palace. Are you sure you have nothing to say?" "We'd have nothing if not for Lord Imbario," Casterlane said without looking up. "My wife and I took turns monitoring the tablet. We did whatever we were instructed to do." "Are you aware your wife has fled White Shores and is nowhere to be found?" Casterlane swallowed. "I'm glad," he whispered. Edouard tapped a finger on the bench. "Lord Dobric," he said, his voice rising slightly. "What is your plea?" Dobric lifted his eyes, which were hazed with pain. "Lord Imbario was a gentleman of the first rank," he rasped, "and an unparalleled wizard. A man like him would have led this kingdom to greatness. Perhaps he made missteps, but I support his goals." "I see." Edouard looked at the two remaining gentlemen. "Lord Tunney; Lord Ammon; you tried to hide your involvement with Imbario's conspiracy rather than admit your guilt, even though it meant condemning your families to poverty. I will not hear any pleas from you." The families of both men, standing in the front along with the families of the other defendants,

cried out in protest. Edouard held up a hand, calling for silence. When their cries and pleas had faded away, he spoke. "This incident began years ago, not long after I was born," he said. "When I was still just a toddler, Lord Imbario poisoned me. When I failed to expire, he murdered my father, King Heston. After that, he tried again to kill me and was thwarted by my companion and bodyguard, Lord Kieran. After escaping from prison, he attempted to bring about my downfall by setting loose a plague in White Shores that killed many people. His crimes became so great that his peers declared him a rogue and executed him." He paused and glared at the people in front of him. "Had my father been a tyrant; had I been a tyrant; perhaps the treachery of those supporting Imbario could be understood, but this was not the case. Our kingdom has been at peace since the Wizard Wars. Injustice does not run rampant. Starvation and poverty are not the common lot. For what reason did any of you act if it was not greed?" Silence fell as those in the front rows dropped their eyes. Kieran could see shame on their faces. Edouard looked down at the five men in front of him. "Lord Dobric," he said. "By your own statement, you declared yourself a traitor to the crown. I cannot forgive this. By the law, you are condemned to death." Lady Dobric, a portly woman with snow white hair, fell into a swoon with a faint cry. "For the rest of you," Edouard continued, "I withhold the death sentence. Lords Casterlane, Tunney and Ammon will spend the rest of their lives in prison. Lord Ketterlin will serve a reduced sentence of twenty years for choosing to confess. Because Lady Casterlane is also implicated, the entire Casterlane estate and all associated holdings are forfeit to the crown. The other families will each pay a fine equivalent to one-third of their net worth." Edouard looked

down at Kieran. Kieran could see the softness in his eyes and he knew what was coming. "There will be no other punishment," Edouard concluded, "in honor of my father's memory." Kieran held Edouard's eyes as he listened to the ensuing outcry and wondered how long it would be before they realized that Edouard had allowed them to retain their titles. Chapter 18: Looking Forward Asita looked elegant as always as she faced Edouard in his office with her hands clasped in front of her. "You don't often request an audience with me, Lady Asita," Edouard remarked. "That's true, your majesty, but I wished to speak to you on behalf of Caren Woolden. She's been staying at our manor since her mother's death and the loss of her home. The situation has left her in a state of shock and unable to speak for herself." "I see," Edouard folded his arms on his desk. "And what would you like to say in her behalf?" "Caren is in a difficult situation now. She and her mother always made a show of being well-off, but in fact, their tenant farms, of which I think there are only two, were just enough to sustain their manor and keep them in new clothes. I am convinced she was unaware of her mother's connection to Imbario, so I was hoping I might convince you to allow her to retain her remaining holdings. It will be difficult enough for her to find a husband with the taint of treason hanging over her; it will be even more so if she is penniless on top of it." "You needn't have worried," Edouard said. "I had no intention of fining Miss Woolden. She has already lost her manor, whose value exceeded what I would likely have demanded from her

anyway. Keep in mind, Lady Asita; I do not fine nobles to enrich the crown. I fine them to make them feel the pain of their crimes. I think Miss Woolden has suffered enough for her mother's treachery." Asita bowed. "Thank you, your majesty." Edouard regarded her thoughtfully. "Will Miss Woolden continue to reside at your estate?" "For the time being," Asita replied. "Won't it be awkward to have another young lady living with you?" Asita shifted slightly. "If it becomes inconvenient, I can always move to Bright Isle." "True." Edouard smiled slightly. "But there is also somewhere else you could move." "Your majesty?" "Lord Colwyn inherited the Issimaya estate when his father was first imprisoned. The holdings are quite extensive and could use proper management." Asita flushed. "I doubt Lord Colwyn has any interest in allowing me to manage his estate." "Mere management was not what I had in mind." Asita's flush deepened. "I understand what you're suggesting, but I don't think Colwyn is interested." "I think you should approach him again," Edouard replied. "He seemed quite affected by his father's execution. Perhaps he is finally ready to stop running away from who he is." Asita blinked, her hands washing over each other. "I will consider it, your majesty." Then she smiled slightly. "And if you will take some advice from me, I suggest that you not allow them to bully you

into marrying too soon. There is less urgency for a man to marry than a woman, and you are still quite young." Edouard smiled. "I'll keep that in mind." "Thank you for your time, your majesty." Asita inclined her head briefly before turning to leave. When she was gone, Edouard sat back with a sigh. After the trial, he had instructed Lady Hasemill, the Royal Treasurer, to audit the estates of the convicted nobles and determine the fines to be paid by each family. In the three days since, he had held twelve audiences, most of them with the families of the convicted, who were desperately trying to convince him that Hasemill's audit was too high, even though she had not even finished. But his answer was always the same: Hasemill was an accountant; he was not. He would defer to her expertise and they would all just have to accept it. There was a knock at the door and Edouard sighed. "Come in." Kieran stepped in with a smile. "Graelin said I should tell you there are no more audiences scheduled for today." "That's a relief." Edouard ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm getting tired of repeating myself." "They're still complaining about the fines?" "Of course. They're nobles." Edouard scowled. "They'll send a family member to prison without a word, and then complain endlessly about the loss of a single gold bar. It's irritating." "They're not all like that." "I have my doubts."

Kieran sank into a chair in front of the desk and began playing with a ball of gold light, rolling it back and forth between his hands. When he didn't speak, Edouard frowned at him. "What's the matter?" "I was just thinking that now that Imbario is gone, you don't really need a personal bodyguard anymore." "Ah." Edouard studied Kieran's face. They had been friends for only six years, but he felt like he had known Kieran forever. "Perhaps not, but it still doesn't hurt to have one. And anyway, you promised to take me on a holiday." Kieran blinked at him in surprise. "You want to go?" "Yes." Edouard smiled back. "I think it would do me good to get away for a little while. I'm still carrying too much bitterness." Kieran's answering smile lit up his face. "Alright! I'll warn Moretz that he's going to be left in charge again. How long can we be gone?" "Probably not more than a month. I doubt I could convince Moretz to do paperwork for longer than that." Edouard sat back suddenly. "You know, it just occurred to me. If you were my Royal Wizard, we couldn't do this. We both could not leave White Shores at the same time in that case." He grinned. "Perhaps it's just as well I appointed Moretz. He's worked out pretty well." "He's a good man and a great wizard." Edouard nodded in agreement. Then he looked down at his desk and groaned. "But I still have all this work to get through. Maybe we should sneak out and go horseback-riding instead."

Kieran chuckled. "I am at your service, sire. I'll do whatever you say." Edouard scrubbed his face with both hands. "No, I'll get this done first. Then we'll have dinner together and read that new book Petia gave me." "Petia gave you a book?" "Yes. It's her book, actually, Tokmarrow. His biography." about Geffen

"That sounds interesting." Kieran stood up. "So I'll meet you in your room at dinnertime." Edouard watched him leave and heaved a long sigh. It seemed like the mounds of paperwork on his desk never got any smaller. He probably should just leave it every once in a while and take time for himself. "That's right," he muttered. "Tomorrow, we're definitely going horsebackriding." -o-o-o-o-o"A holiday?" Moretz frowned. "Edouard wants to leave White Shores?" "Just for a few weeks," Kieran replied. "Maybe a month." "A month?" Moretz's brows shut up. "And who is going to manage things for all that time?" "You." "Me?" Moretz's mouth worked silently for several seconds. "I'm the Royal Wizard! I don't think that's really my responsibility." "The kingdom is your responsibility, Moretz." Kieran chuckled. "Who better to look after it in Edouard's absence?"

"I think I should have read more of the fine print in the job description," Moretz grumbled. He slumped down on his desk with a scowl. Doctor Sefrin, seated in front of Moretz's desk with a book in his hands, matched Kieran's amused chuckle. "It seems we must all make adjustments in this new age. Where were you planning to go, Lord Kieran?" "To the southern fjords, I think. It's supposed to be beautiful." "It is," Sefrin's gaze softened. "I went there once in my youth." Then his focus sharpened and he fixed his eyes on Kieran. "But before you depart, there is the matter of his majesty's, ah, condition." He flushed slightly. "I think it might cause less concern during his absence if there was some confidence in the kingdom's ongoing stability." Kieran scratched the back of his head. "Well, Ma Bricker told me once that there's a difference between virility and potency in men." Moretz raised his head. "Just how long were you studying with this Ma Bricker?" he demanded. "I swear she taught you more than I learned in all my years at the Wizards Hall." Kieran laughed. "Just a year! But she was a talkative old woman. Anyway, she taught me a formula that can be used to determine if a virile man is potent or not. She used to sell it to childless couples so they could figure out if the wife or the husband was the cause. It's fairly simple to make. You probably have everything that I need, Doctor." "How does it work?" Sefrin asked curiously. "When a small amount of a man's seed is mixed with the formula, it will turn bright red if his seed is potent."

Moretz leaned forward intently. "But that assumes the subject is, well, capable." "Virility is not Edouard's problem," Kieran said quickly. "His concern is that he might be sterile." Moretz and Sefrin exchanged a look. "How do you know that, Kieran?" Moretz asked carefully. "You said you and Edouard were not intimate." Kieran looked away. "We're not," he said, "but I sleep with him. I've seen things." He swallowed. "I'll make the formula for you, Doctor, but you'll need to test him. I shouldn't be there when he gives you the sample." Sefrin drew a breath. "Very well. When can you have it ready?" "Tonight. I'll need to use your lab." "Of course." Kieran inclined his head. "I'll go now." When he was gone, Moretz sighed. "Sefrin, he and Edouard are too close." "Kieran's devotion kingdom." to Edouard saved this

"I know that!" Moretz ran his fingers through his hair, grimacing in annoyance. "But Edouard is bound so tightly to Kieran I'm not sure it will matter if he's sterile or not. Do you think we will be able to convince him to let anyone else into his life?" "That is not my concern," Sefrin said, a little stiffly. "At least, not at this time. Let us answer the immediate question first. Edouard is still quite young. In the future, I think he will be more receptive to the idea of marriage." "Very well, I'll take your advice for now. But I will nevertheless speak to Kieran about it privately. I

suspect, in the long run, he's the only person who will be able to talk Edouard into it." "Perhaps." Moretz pushed back in his chair and put his feet up on the desk. It was probably not a good idea to allow Kieran and Edouard to be completely alone together. While they both insisted that they were not lovers, and in the strictest sense that was most likely true, Moretz doubted it would continue to remain true now that Kieran was free to spend all his time in Edouard's company, and Edouard had nothing more stressful on his mind than the success of the next harvest. But on the other hand, Edouard needed to relax more. Moretz was not blind to the difficulties Edouard faced as a child king. He might be a man now, but he had grown up bearing that responsibility. The only time Edouard relaxed was in Kieran's company. "Lord Moretz," Sefrin continued quietly. "Although I am primarily a physician of the body, it is also part of our training to study the human mind. I have known Edouard all his life. He was not yet ten years old when he came to terms with dying without ever reaching adulthood. Although his life was saved, I don't know that he's ever really accepted what that means. He was too accustomed to living in the present and never planning for the future. When we talk to him about marriage, I think all he really understands is that it will change his present, and he is not ready for that. It might be better if we simply let his relationship with Kieran run its course. Edouard is a good king. In time, he will come to understand that he needs to produce an heir, but I think it would be a kindness not to force the issue now." Sefrin stood up. "I think I will go watch Kieran make this formula. I've been fascinated for years by the medications and remedies created by herbalists, and after what I have seen recently, I am rather excited by the idea of a hedge wizard's

skills combined with those of a lay apothecary. Please excuse me." Moretz watched Sefrin leave with a frown on his face. Allow Kieran and Edouard to simply fall in love? They were already in love, in his opinion. Letting them act on that passion would undoubtedly cause turmoil among the nobility. On the other hand, most nobles were keeping a low profile these days to avoid getting fined for offending Edouard. Moretz suddenly laughed aloud. "You know, right now might just be the best time for Edouard to indulge himself on a personal level. It would do these fools good to remember he's not just a king, but a human being." A light knock on his door made Moretz think of Petia. "Come in!" When Petia stepped in, he grinned. "I thought it was you," he said fondly. "You're my third visitor today." "Yes, I saw Sefrin leaving. Who else was here?" "Kieran." "Ah." Petia settled into one of the chairs in front of his desk, her hands folded neatly in her lap. "I suppose I should be thinking about returning home. Now that the crisis is past, I'm just another wizard taking up space at the Hall." "You mean much more than that. You're help has been invaluable." "But in fact," Petia said with a chuckle, "Divwall only summoned me to test Kieran's power. I've just been sticking my nose into everyone else's business since then." "Well, I still think you've been more than helpful." "Perhaps." Petia gazed down at her hands. "But I wonder what Kieran will do now. Edouard doesn't

really need anymore."

him

as

personal

bodyguard

"That's not necessarily true," Moretz replied seriously. "There's no proof that we captured all of Imbario's sympathizers. And there is still the oldfashioned political assassination to worry about. I would prefer to have Kieran continue in that role, and so would Edouard." Petia nodded slowly. "You realize, of course, that there's a good chance they will end up as lovers if they spend any more time together." Moretz sighed. "Yes, that does seem pretty likely." "I'll be glad if it happens." "What?" Moretz stared at her in surprise. "Why?" "It would be good for Edouard. And for Kieran, too." Moretz shook his head. "Doctor Sefrin said pretty much the same thing, and I have to confess, I was thinking it myself." "Good!" Petia hopped to her feet. "I'll go tell Kieran." "What? You can't just tell him he has our permission to bed the king!" "Why not? He might not do it, otherwise. Not unless Edouard asks and I'm not sure Edouard would. They have both confused Edouard's purity with his honor. I'll just point out that it's perfectly alright for Edouard to be both his lover and his king." Petia skipped to the door. "It will be your job to make sure everyone understands that they don't get to pass judgment on how Edouard chooses to live his life, as long as he's meeting his obligations to the kingdom."

"Great!" Moretz grumbled. "That sounds like even more fun than doing Edouard's paperwork for a month. One pays a high price for the rank and prestige of being the Royal Wizard." Petia laughed brightly and slipped out the door. -o-o-o-oIn the early evening, Petia found Kieran in the hallway outside Edouard's door, leaning against the wall. "Kieran! I was looking for you." Kieran straightened up. "I was in Doctor Sefrin's lab making a formula for him." "Oh? For what?" Kieran flushed. "To test Edouard's Sefrin's administering it right now." potency.

"And you're waiting outside?" Petia eyed him curiously. The flush on Kieran's face was most enlightening. "Let's go in your room. I'd like to speak to you privately for a moment." She opened the door herself and led the way inside. "Let's sit." She parked herself comfortably on the couch and waited for Kieran to sit too before continuing. "If you made the formula Sefrin is using, doesn't that mean you could have tested Edouard anytime?" she asked casually. Kieran dipped his head. "Yes, but I could never ask Edouard to" he paused and his flush deepened, "provide me with the test sample. It seemed better to have Sefrin do it." "But if you're not intimate with him, why should it matter?" Petia watched his face closely as she asked the question. "I daresay you've already seen him unclothed." Kieran flinched and pulled away slightly. "That's different."

Petia leaned forward. "Kieran, why are you resisting your feelings? It's obvious to everyone who knows you how deeply you love Edouard. Why won't you share that with him? Edouard is the loneliest person I've even met. You have your friends from the Wizard's Hall, but he only has you. You shouldn't hold back from him." Kieran would not meet her eyes. "I won't damage Edouard's reputation." "Why don't you let Edouard decide that?" "Because he'll just say it doesn't matter!" Kieran exclaimed. "Then it doesn't matter," Petia answered. "You've been protecting Edouard from the moment you met him, but he's all grown up now. It's time you let him decide for himself how much protection he needs." Kieran blinked at her in silence. Petia reached out and patted his knee. "Sooner or later, Edouard will have to learn the joys of intimacy. Wouldn't it be better if he discovered it with someone who truly loves him?" Kieran bit his lip. "He's not completely innocent, Petia." He looked away. "And neither am I. A long time ago, on the first anniversary of his father's death, he was so heartbroken I could only think of one way to ease his mind and distract him from the hurt he was feeling. Since then, I haven't kissed him and I have been careful about how I touch him because it would be too easy to want more. So it was a little disingenuous when I said we've never been intimate, but he is still pure." "I see." Petia studied Kieran thoughtfully. His expression was resigned and a little sad. She suspected he had never told anyone about this before. "Then promise me one thing. If Edouard ever indicates that he wants more than just friendship from you that you will give it to him. For his sake."

Kieran met her eyes and, after a slight hesitation, nodded once. "I promise." -o-o-o-o-o-o-oThe ship slipped through the waves with very little noise, dipping into the swells and climbing the crests gracefully. Edouard wondered if it seemed quiet simply because it was dark. Standing close to the bow, he leaned on the rail and stared ahead. The night sky was awash with stars, and the white foam that formed on the wave crests glistened in the starlight. "It's so peaceful," he said. "I feel like we're the only people in the world tonight." Beside him, Kieran leaned on his elbows, his gaze also fixed on the horizon. "I know what you mean. I've sailed on the lake at night before, but close to White Shores, you can never see this many stars." "I never realized how much light the streetlamps made," Edouard replied. "I'm glad we decided to do this." "So am I." The stars were so bright it made it easy to see the shoreline gliding past on their left. The ship's captain had said they would stay within sight of the shore for safety, although no storms were anticipated this time of year. Edouard wondered what it was like to be caught in the middle of the lake during a storm. He had read stories about waves as high as a ship's mast swamping vessels under and the captain's caution made him wonder if it was true. He glanced at Kieran's profile. There were times when Edouard could not read him at all, and tonight Kieran's expression gave nothing away. "Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if you hadn't met the baby madrin that night?" Edouard asked quietly.

"I used to," Kieran responded. "But I haven't for a long time." "Did you ever think before then that you might become a wizard one day?" Kieran slowly shook his head. "When I was growing up, there were a few of us who could perform simple spells, like making witch light or purifying water. Useful magic like that is overlooked by most people, including wizards, if that's all you can do. So I never let anyone see me perform any spells other than that. I was afraid I would be conditioned if anyone found out. But magic fascinated me and Ma Bricker was happy to teach me in exchange for doing chores around her house. I went there nearly every day after my regular chores were done for a little over a year." He turned to face Edouard, leaning on one elbow on the railing. "But right up until that day when I was nearly killed and Colwyn said he was taking me to Bright Isle, I never imagined that I would end up a wizard." "It's funny," Edouard said. "I was destined to become king the day I was born, but until I met you, I never imagined it would actually happen. That baby madrin changed both our lives." "For which I am exceedingly grateful," Kieran murmured, his eyes fixed on Edouard's face. Edouard returned his gaze, captivated by the way Kieran's eyes looked in the starlight. His face had changed little in the past six years, but maturity had given his eyes immeasurable depth. In the faint light, they looked bottomless. "Kieran," Edouard said softly, "why do you stay with me? Is it just to protect me?" Kieran shook his head. "No. Being your servant and bodyguard gives me an excuse to stay by your side." He looked out at the water and the wind pushed his hair across his face. He brushed it back with one hand. "You are the king, Edouard,

and I have always believed that serving you was the only way I could express my affection for you. After all, I am common-born, and a man besides." Edouard went still. Kieran's words reverberated inside him as the implication of his statement sank in. "Do you love me?" he whispered. "Yes." Kieran did not look at him, but he answered without hesitation. Edouard shivered and a feeling of relief swept over him. "Why have you never said anything?" "I told you," Kieran said softly. "You are my king and I am only a servant. I can love you, but it is not my place to ask for anything more." "You're wrong!" Edouard exclaimed. He gripped Kieran's shoulders, turning the young man toward him. "You are my dearest friend! If you cannot speak of your affection for me, no one can!" Edouard slipped his arms around Kieran's shoulders and embraced him. "You kissed me once, but I thought it was only out of kindness for my grief. If it meant more than that, show me now!" He almost sobbed when Kieran's lips touched his. Kieran's arms encircled his waist, holding him close. For an eternity, the wind slipped over them and the ship rocked them back and forth, but still they held each other, aware only of each other and the passionate sweetness of that kiss. When Kieran finally pulled his mouth away, Edouard leaned against his shoulder and wept. "This is what I need, Kieran," he whispered through his tears. "I need you!" Kieran stroked his hair. "I have always said I will do anything you ask. Even in this I cannot deny you. My heart and soul have been yours from the beginning. What is left is yours to take as well."

Edouard almost laughed. "Now I know why Landon was so angry when I told him he could not accompany us on this trip. He must have suspected something would happen." Kieran sighed. "It was inevitable, I suppose." Edouard lifted his head and gazed into Kieran's eyes again. "You don't mind, do you? I won't order you to do something you don't want to do." Kieran laughed softly. "Edouard, there is truly nothing I want more than to share your bed and do more than just sleep. Landon has suspected me of this desire all along, which is why he has tried so hard to keep us apart. But there is nothing between us now." He kissed Edouard very gently. "So you have to decide if this is what you want." Edouard smiled. "There's just one problem." "Oh?" "I am completely inexperienced." "I don't know much more than you," Kieran chuckled. "We'll just have to learn together." He stepped away from Edouard and took his hand. "Of course, there's no way we'll be able to keep this a secret. The sailors have already seen us kissing." He tipped his head slightly, indicating the sailors standing on watch at various locations on the ship. "Ah, well." Edouard heaved a sigh and shrugged his shoulders. "Then there's no point in sneaking to my cabin." He tugged on Kieran's hand and started walking. Kieran fell into step with him. "Edouard?" "Hm?" "Do you love me, too?"

"Of course I do." Edouard squeezed his hand. "And I insist that you stop referring to yourself as my servant from now on. You are my bodyguard and my friend; and after tonight, you'll be my lover as well." "You'll still be my king." "Not right now. I'm on holiday, remember?" "That doesn't laughed. change who you are!" Kieran

"Maybe not," Edouard replied, also laughing. "But we can pretend. Just like we did when we snuck out of the palace all those years ago and I made you call me by name. I felt so free then." He stopped and looked up at the sky. "Just like I do now. Thank you, Kieran." "For what?" "For setting me free." Kieran slipped an arm around his waist and pulled him close. "You're welcome," he whispered, and kissed the side of Edouard's head. Edouard put his arm around Kieran's waist as well and together they entered the main cabin at the rear of the ship. -o-o-o-o"So, is everything all right?" Colwyn demanded. Sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of him, Bodie's eyes were closed as he focused his farsight on the royal yacht sailing far to the south. Suddenly, his face flushed beet-red and his eyes flew open. "They're fine!" he squeaked. "Everything's fine!" He scrambled to his feet. Colwyn eyed him suspiciously. "What did you see?"

"Nothing! They're asleep!" "Together?" Colwyn scowled. "Ah um" Bodie scrubbed his hands over each other. "You could, uh, say that." "You're hiding something." "No!" Bodie scurried to his desk and sat down. "If there's nothing else, Lord Colwyn, I promised to write my mother a letter." He grabbed his pen from its holder and yanked a piece of paper toward him. "Very well," Colwyn grumbled. "Perhaps we can look in on them again in a few days." "Of course. I'd be glad to. In the daytime." Colwyn glared at him for a moment, still convinced Bodie was hiding something, and then it hit him. He smacked his forehead. "I'll strangle him! He lied to me about bedding the king!" "Please, Lord Colwyn!" Bodie exclaimed weakly. "Not so loud!" "Hmph!" Colwyn grumped. He planted his hands on his hips. "I expect you to keep this to yourself, Bodie. There will be rumors enough when they get back." "I would never speak of something private like that!" Bodie declared rather huffily. "Besides," he lowered his head, "they seemed really happy." Colwyn's stance softened and he sighed. "Did they? Well, I suppose it's not my place to judge." He turned to the door. "I guess we don't need to keep an eye on them after all." As he walked back to his own room, Colwyn sighed again. Kieran was a different person from the quiet youth he had brought back to Bright Isle so many years ago. That boy would not have dared to express his

feelings so openly. "But they do seem to need each other," he murmured. "Perhaps it's all right, for a few years, anyway." He continued down the hall, thinking as he went that perhaps it was time he gave up wandering and finally returned home. -o- The End -o-