The Star Scroll Part 9

Chapter Seven.

Lady Andrade stood at the closed gray library windows with her back to Urival and Andry, unwilling for them to see her chafing her hands together. Pride forbade her to huddle by the hearth as her chilled flesh begged her to do, and especially did she reject the plea put forth by her aged bones for the warm softness of her bed. She glared resentfully at the rain-wrapped tower across the inner court of G.o.ddess Keep. Had the winter cold and spring rains been worse this year, or was she only feeling her age? This last New Year Holiday had been the seventieth of her life; compared to Prince Lleyn, she was a mere child.

"Whatever possessed them to leave Dorval for this dismal place?" she muttered.

Urival came to stand by her shoulder, soundless as an expert huntsman seeking skittish prey. "This will be the last storm of the season. But you're right-clouds are a Sunrunner's natural enemy. Why did did they choose to build here?" they choose to build here?"

She put her hands in the pockets of her gown to hide their trembling, then turned to her young kinsman. "Well? You've had a while to puzzle out the scrolls."

"Not very long, my Lady," Andry reminded her. "But I think I may have a few clues. It's maddening, though-some words are very like the ones we use now, but they've changed over the years in context. I've had to be more careful with them than the ones that made no sense at all in the beginning. But I think I've found something interesting." He ran a finger over the section of scroll they had been examining all morning. "A little mark like a bent twig appears over and over. The first few times I thought they were just blots on the page, mistakes-but now I think they're quite deliberate."

"And they mean?" she asked impatiently.

Andry hesitated, then shrugged and plunged in. "I think they mean that the word above them is to be taken as its exact opposite. You know how strange it's been, reading one thing and then later finding it contradicted. But the mark appears with suspicious regularity on the places that seem to be the opposite of what went before or after."

"What a delightful confusion!" Andrade snorted. "Are you saying they deliberately wrote untruths, trusting their little twigs to signal the lies?"

"I think so." Andry began to speak with more enthusiasm for his theory, even in the face of her obvious mockery. "For instance, there's one place that says Lady Merisel stayed on Dorval for the whole of a certain year, but later on it says she stayed with a powerful lord in what's now Syr that same summer. Later still there's mention of an alliance between the Sunrunners and this man that was formed that summer-and in that very first pa.s.sage I told you about, that little twig sign appears."

"You need a better case than one instance that's probably a mistake," Urival frowned.

"But it's the only thing that makes sense! Otherwise it all comes out as a series of statements that constantly negate each other until we don't know what's right or what's wrong-which is probably what Lady Merisel intended when she had this written, as a matter of fact." He unrolled the parchment to another section. "In all the parts I've studied, where one place says one thing and somewhere else it says the opposite, the mark always appears at the key word. Listen to this." He found the place he wanted and read aloud, 'The twin sons who were Lady Merisel's by Lord Gerik were treated by Lord Rosseyn as his own.' And the mark shows up below Lord Gerik's name."

"And what does this mean?" Andrade put acid into her voice to disguise her growing excitement.

"I think it means that-that the boys weren't really Lord Gerik's sons at all! They might even have been Lord Rosseyn's! Please, just listen to me. If I read it as the mark indicates-'The twin sons who were Lady Merisel's but not not by Lord Gerik were treated by Lord Rosseyn as his own.' Couldn't that mean that by Lord Gerik were treated by Lord Rosseyn as his own.' Couldn't that mean that he he was the father?" was the father?"

"Evidence," Urival demanded. "Give us proof, not conjecture."

"Here it says they fought over a few measures of land near Radzyn-but I know that area. Why would they contend over a worthless plot of Desert? The mark confirms it, for it indicates that the land was not not the reason why they fought the battle. And in this section later on it says Lord Gerik was pleased that Lord Rosseyn used his powers in battle. But only a page before it states that he and Lady Merisel had the reason why they fought the battle. And in this section later on it says Lord Gerik was pleased that Lord Rosseyn used his powers in battle. But only a page before it states that he and Lady Merisel had outlawed outlawed the use of the gifts to kill-and there's the sign, right below the word for 'pleasure' in reference to what Rosseyn did." He raked the hair out of his eyes and looked at Andrade. "It's the only possible way to explain all this, my Lady." the use of the gifts to kill-and there's the sign, right below the word for 'pleasure' in reference to what Rosseyn did." He raked the hair out of his eyes and looked at Andrade. "It's the only possible way to explain all this, my Lady."

Urival peered down at the scrolls. "They gave us two versions of their history, then? Good G.o.ddess, it will take years to sort through it all!"

"What we have to remember is that they weren't giving anybody anything," Andry said. "They couldn't know who'd find the scrolls, or even if they'd be found at all. This must've been their way of confusing anybody who shouldn't be reading this-the contradictions would drive you crazy. It nearly did me, until I figured out what their twig sign must mean."

"But why confuse the issue so?" Andrade asked. "Who'd care at this late date whether this Rosseyn, whoever he was, sired Merisel's twin sons?"

Andry pulled in a deep breath and stared at his four rings. "I think it's far more subtle than that, my Lady. Why were these scrolls buried along with the one on sorceries? To provide the clue that would help us interpret correctly that one essential, dangerous scroll-and to keep people who weren't as persevering from discovering what that scroll meant."

Andrade returned to her chair and sat, hands clenched into fists inside her pockets. "Show me the Star Scroll," she ordered.

Andry took it reverently from its case and unrolled it atop the other. "The marks are all over it," he explained. "This formula, for instance. It says it can cause loss of memory. All these roots and herbs and directions-but instead of leaving out out an essential ingredient that would cancel its effectiveness, they put an essential ingredient that would cancel its effectiveness, they put in in something that would ruin the recipe just as surely. Here. This flower n.o.body around here has ever heard of, with the little mark beneath it. And look at this one-directions on how to boil a certain ointment that can make a wound fester instead of heal. But the sign indicates that it shouldn't be boiled at all! And here-this recipe for a powerful poison. It's just the same, my Lady-the list of ingredients with the little sign beneath several of them that I'd swear combine to produce the antidote within the poison itself, so it wouldn't be dangerous if anybody happened upon the scroll! In all the ones that could be dangerous, the little twig appears somewhere-telling us something that would ruin the recipe just as surely. Here. This flower n.o.body around here has ever heard of, with the little mark beneath it. And look at this one-directions on how to boil a certain ointment that can make a wound fester instead of heal. But the sign indicates that it shouldn't be boiled at all! And here-this recipe for a powerful poison. It's just the same, my Lady-the list of ingredients with the little sign beneath several of them that I'd swear combine to produce the antidote within the poison itself, so it wouldn't be dangerous if anybody happened upon the scroll! In all the ones that could be dangerous, the little twig appears somewhere-telling us not not to do something that the uninformed reader to do something that the uninformed reader would would do in following the directions." do in following the directions."

"The false step added to make the formula worthless in case it got into the wrong hands." Andrade gave in to wonder and admiration, convinced now. "From what you've told me of Lady Merisel, she was devious enough to have thought this up. Can you imagine her in her old age, writing all this down as the first scroll says she did, laughing herself silly while she made sure no one would make use of this knowledge even if they found it?"

"And the clue is in the histories," Andry agreed. "It really is the only thing that makes any sense."

"Hmm," Urival said, still skeptical. "The only way to prove it would be to pick a recipe and follow it both ways. With your permission, Andrade, I'll do just that-choosing something we know we can cure, of course."

She nodded permission, then turned to Andry again. "Read me a section that doesn't have to do with potions. I want to find out if this holds true."

Andry immediately chose a few lines of cramped script, giving Andrade the correct impression that he had planned the whole conversation to lead up to this point. " 'The herb dranath dranath cannot augment powers,' " he read aloud, then met her startled gaze. "The mark is below the word for 'cannot.' " cannot augment powers,' " he read aloud, then met her startled gaze. "The mark is below the word for 'cannot.' "

She knew for certain that he had deliberately maneuvered her to this. She resented his skill and admired it, but stronger still was her fear. "If it cannot augment, then it must increase. Was that their secret? 'The herb dranath dranath can increase powers'? The d.a.m.nable herb that corrupted my Sunrunner to Roelstra's use?" can increase powers'? The d.a.m.nable herb that corrupted my Sunrunner to Roelstra's use?"

Andry flinched slightly. "My Lady-I'm sorry-"

She stared into the fire. "It enslaves, addicts, kills-but it also healed the Plague. And now you tell me it enhances power."

"It would seem so," he said cautiously.

"I don't believe it!" she stated. "Prove the rest of it as you wish, but this I will not believe." Rising, she turned her back on him, needing the fire's warmth to soothe more than the chill of a spring storm. It was a gesture of dismissal, and she listened as the scrolls were gathered up, slid whispering into their leather tubes, replaced in the saddlebags. There was a breath of air around her ankles as the door opened on silent hinges and then closed.

Urival knelt to put new logs on the fire. "You lied to him. You believe."

"He led me by the nose where he wanted me to go!" She backed off a step as the flames rose hotter. "Urival-I didn't even sense it. He deceived me completely with his fine little show."

"He'll make a properly devious Lord of G.o.ddess Keep."

"Yes, he is as we've all made him. Especially me. He's good, is young Lord Andry. Very good. When he's ruling here, from my chambers and my chair-" Sinking into her chair again, she closed her eyes. "G.o.ddess be thanked that I won't be around to watch."

For all the privileges due to his kinship with Lady Andrade, Andry wore only four rings and took no special precedence at G.o.ddess Keep. Officially he was an apprentice, though he hoped that by summer's end he would earn the fifth faradhi faradhi ring, marking him as a fully trained Sunrunner. The sixth would signify his ability to weave moonlight with equal skill; the seventh, that he could conjure without Fire. ring, marking him as a fully trained Sunrunner. The sixth would signify his ability to weave moonlight with equal skill; the seventh, that he could conjure without Fire.

He closed the door of his chamber behind him and sat on the bed, staring at his hands, seeing them empty of the honors he knew one day would be his. But in all honesty he knew he would have to learn much before he was worthy of the rings, including the eighth and ninth he intended to earn. He had botched his ploy for convincing Andrade and Urival about the scrolls. Their belief had been within his grasp, but he had made a mistake. If he ever hoped to wield real influence among faradh'im, faradh'im, he would have to learn subtlety. he would have to learn subtlety.

For the first time he dared to imagine the tenth ring, the gold one on his marriage finger and the thin chains that would lead from it and all the others to bracelets clasping his wrists. Lord of G.o.ddess Keep. Master of this place and all Sunrunners-and of the princes and athr'im athr'im who possessed the gifts. The number was very small now, but would grow. He intended that it should grow, for he believed wholeheartedly in Andrade's long-term scheme. who possessed the gifts. The number was very small now, but would grow. He intended that it should grow, for he believed wholeheartedly in Andrade's long-term scheme.

Andry bit his lip and tried not to see all ten rings on his hands. Yet part of him argued that there was nothing wrong with aspiration to high position. Certainly his siblings were not shy about their abilities. Maarken with his six rings would one day be Lord of Radzyn and military commander of the Desert and Princemarch. Andry's twin brother Sorin was to be knighted this year at the Rialla, Rialla, and had made no secret of the fact that he wanted an important keep of his own, which their uncle the High Prince would undoubtedly give him. But G.o.ddess Keep was the only place Andry wanted, the only honor he coveted, the only life he had ever believed would suit him. He had the gifts in stronger measure than Maarken, and no desires toward Sorin's knightly accomplishments. He wanted ten rings and this castle, the right to govern all and had made no secret of the fact that he wanted an important keep of his own, which their uncle the High Prince would undoubtedly give him. But G.o.ddess Keep was the only place Andry wanted, the only honor he coveted, the only life he had ever believed would suit him. He had the gifts in stronger measure than Maarken, and no desires toward Sorin's knightly accomplishments. He wanted ten rings and this castle, the right to govern all farad-h'im, farad-h'im, and the privilege of guiding the princedoms as Andrade had done for so long. and the privilege of guiding the princedoms as Andrade had done for so long.

He heard footsteps outside in the hallway. It was time to go down for the evening meal, yet he made no move from his seat by the small brazier that barely lit and rarely warmed his chamber. He never felt the cold; the joke at the keep was that he had soaked up so much Desert sun and heat in his childhood that nothing short of a winter at Snowcoves would ever chill him. But he did regret the feebleness of the brazier's light that did not allow him to read until all hours, and looked forward to the fifth ring that would bring with it a larger chamber, one floor below, complete with its own hearth.

"Andry! I know you're in there, I can hear you thinking," a familiar voice called from outside his door. "Hurry or you'll be late."

"I'm not hungry, thank you, Hollis," he replied.

The door swung open and his elder brother's unofficial Chosen stood there, hands on slim hips, braids like twin rivers of dark sunlight falling down past her waist. She gave him a grimace of good-natured exasperation, and he smiled. He liked Hollis and approved of his brother's choice-the two of them were certain to produce not just handsome, intelligent children but faradhi faradhi-gifted ones as well. But he wondered how his parents were going to take to the idea of Maarken's marrying a woman without family, possessions, wealth, or anything else to recommend her besides her beauty and her Sunrunner's rings. Of course, they were concerned with their sons' happiness above all things-Andry would never have been allowed to choose this path otherwise-but Maarken was their heir. Andry wished Sorin had already met Hollis so they could compare notes and work out some sort of strategy for supporting their elder brother in his aims.

Hollis had not gone out of her way to make Andry's acquaintance or to make him her ally. Indeed, she had avoided him quite devotedly for some time after her return from Kadar Water this winter. Andry had been insulted until it had suddenly dawned on him that she had been sick with nerves, afraid he wouldn't like her and that he would disapprove of her less-than-highborn blood, and hadn't dared approach him for fear he would think her currying his favor. Andry had spared a shake of the head for the incomprehensible ways of women and sought her out. Within a day they had reached a good understanding, helped along by her shock and then her laughter when he had opened with, "So you're the Sunrunner my brother's going to marry." His bluntness had been matched by her honesty in confessing her trepidations, and they had become friends quite apart from their love for his brother.

So it was that she scolded him like an elder sister. "Not hungry? And what do you expect to live on, then? The sheer brilliance of your intellect as you sit here thinking great thoughts? Comb your hair and let's go eat."

He stood up, made her a humble low bow marred by a grin. "G.o.ddess help my brother once you're wed."

"G.o.ddess help the poor girl who weds you, you," Hollis replied tartly, smoothing his hair into place. "Come, you don't want to miss the presentations, do you?"

"Oh! Of course not. I'd forgotten it was tonight. Thanks for coming to get me, Hollis. I love watching them make their first bows to Andrade." As they left his chamber and descended the staircase, he went on, "Even though I'd known Andrade all my life, I was terrified terrified that night! I always try to smile at them so they see at least one friendly face. But I don't know how much good one smile does." that night! I always try to smile at them so they see at least one friendly face. But I don't know how much good one smile does."

"Not much," she admitted. "It was different for me, being born and raised here-although when I made my first bow my knees knocked so hard I had bruises!"

"How many are there tonight?"

"Six. Urival says he's expecting another six or so before summer's over. We hope to get twenty per year, but we're lucky if we get ten."

They turned the landing and took the next flight of stairs. These were carpeted, unlike the bare stone higher up, indicating they had reached the more public areas of the keep. Andry shook his head at Hollis' last remark. "I can't imagine why anyone who even suspects they've got the gifts wouldn't want to get here as soon as possible."

"Your father didn't need you to work the land or inherit his trade," she pointed out. "You've a brother to rule Radzyn, and another to carry on the knightly tradition-and marry some rich, landed girl," she added a bit wistfully.

"Which leaves Maarken free to marry where his heart is," Andry told her firmly. "But I see what you mean. It works the same way for women, doesn't it? They're needed at their keeps or their trades-or to form marriage alliances. It's too bad. All of them should come, no matter what."

"Others have different duties and points of view. Besides, I think Andrade sits there being scary just so the timid ones who aren't aren't sure can be weeded out." sure can be weeded out."

"If they don't want to be here, they shouldn't be. But I still can't imagine anybody who could could be a Sunrunner not fighting for the chance." be a Sunrunner not fighting for the chance."

They were at the bottom of the stairs now, emerging into a long, wide corridor that led in one direction to the refectory and in the other to the archives, library, and schoolrooms. Andry and Hollis were among the last to walk down the high-ceilinged pa.s.sage, and as they went by a window embrasure they saw four boys and two girls huddled together, listening wide-eyed as a Sunrunner instructed them in making their obeisances to Lady Andrade. The girls and one of the boys were no older than thirteen winters; the other three boys were older, fifteen or sixteen. The tallest of these was a handsome, self-possessed youth with glossy night-black hair and deep gray-green eyes. He met Andry's smile with perfect calm, and did not return it. His gaze shifted to Hollis with the appraising, approving expression of a male who knows his own attractions and how to use them. But there was something more about him, a consciousness of rank and worth that surprised Andry. The slight flush on Hollis' cheeks surprised him, too.

They separated inside the huge refectory, she to join the other ranking Sunrunners, he to sit with his fellow apprentices. The meal progressed through the usual three courses of soup, meat and salad, biscuits and fruit. Andrade set a plentiful though plain table, and Andry was looking forward to the elaborate meals served at the Rialla. Rialla. He had a sweet-tooth that fresh berries and spice-dusted biscuits did little to satisfy. Steaming pitchers of taze were pa.s.sed around last of all, and as he poured himself a full mug he inhaled deeply of the sharp scent, faintly tinged with citrus. He missed nothing about his life at Radzyn so much as expeditions with his family to collect various leaves, bark, and herbs to be ground up for his mother's own special blend. Taze was her favorite domestic ritual. She would spend several evenings a year in the kitchen creating just the right mix, while her husband chased the servants out and donned an ap.r.o.n to bake fruit tarts that were his contribution to the family ceremony. Andry had wonderful memories of hours filled with laughter and companionship-and flour fights with his brothers-as his father placidly negated his warrior's image by baking and his mother filled huge sacks with another season's grinding of taze. He had a sweet-tooth that fresh berries and spice-dusted biscuits did little to satisfy. Steaming pitchers of taze were pa.s.sed around last of all, and as he poured himself a full mug he inhaled deeply of the sharp scent, faintly tinged with citrus. He missed nothing about his life at Radzyn so much as expeditions with his family to collect various leaves, bark, and herbs to be ground up for his mother's own special blend. Taze was her favorite domestic ritual. She would spend several evenings a year in the kitchen creating just the right mix, while her husband chased the servants out and donned an ap.r.o.n to bake fruit tarts that were his contribution to the family ceremony. Andry had wonderful memories of hours filled with laughter and companionship-and flour fights with his brothers-as his father placidly negated his warrior's image by baking and his mother filled huge sacks with another season's grinding of taze.

Memories slipped away as the six new arrivals were brought into the hall. He tried to see them as Andrade might, as a Lord of G.o.ddess Keep might evaluate newcomers. His attention soon fixed on the black-haired youth. A glance at Hollis told him that she, too, looked only at the boy, who moved with an easy a.s.surance worthy of a lord's son. There was a look of highborn blood in his fine, handsome features, and his hands were well-tended, though his clothes were simple and rather worn. Andry was too far down the hall to catch his name, but he could easily read Andrade's reaction. It took long familiarity with the nuances of her lips and brows and the muscles around her eyes, but Andry knew immediately that she was impressed. As the six returned down between the tables from making their bows, heading for the lowest seats, Andry saw the boy catch and hold Hollis' gaze as long as he could, a smile in his eyes.

As soon as Andrade had dismissed them all and withdrawn to her own chambers for the night, Andry sought out his brother's Chosen and asked, "Who was that, anyway? Did you hear his name?"

"Whose name?"

"You know very well who. The one with the black hair and the strange eyes."

"Did you think they were strange? His name is Seldges or something like that. I didn't hear clearly."

"I wonder where he comes from," Andry mused. "Did you see the way he never once looked down, but stared right into Andrade's face?"

"Any boy who looks the way he does is used to being stared at, himself. I imagine staring right back is a defensive reaction. But one thing's for certain-that one was made a man quite some time ago. The night of his first ring won't be anything new to him at all!"

Andry smiled to hide the embarra.s.sment that could still come to him years after the fact. He himself had been very much the virgin on that night. He had no idea which of the women here had come to him, and he trusted to the G.o.ddess' mercy that he never would would know, for he suspected he had been nothing to marvel at. Maarken, who had still been resident here at the time, had guessed-not that he'd said anything directly, of course. But within a few days he had found the opportunity to make the casual observation that it was d.a.m.ned inconvenient sometimes, being unable to find attractions in any woman but his absent lady, and that it seemed to be a family failing. Andry had correctly interpreted this as a comforting rea.s.surance that he would enjoy things much more with a woman he truly loved. That night was, after all, supposed to demonstrate the difference between physical desire and genuine love, and how infinitely preferable the latter was. Andry trusted that one day he would be as lucky as Maarken and their father and Rohan. Yet even the prettiest girls at G.o.ddess Keep roused no more than pa.s.sing admiration in him. know, for he suspected he had been nothing to marvel at. Maarken, who had still been resident here at the time, had guessed-not that he'd said anything directly, of course. But within a few days he had found the opportunity to make the casual observation that it was d.a.m.ned inconvenient sometimes, being unable to find attractions in any woman but his absent lady, and that it seemed to be a family failing. Andry had correctly interpreted this as a comforting rea.s.surance that he would enjoy things much more with a woman he truly loved. That night was, after all, supposed to demonstrate the difference between physical desire and genuine love, and how infinitely preferable the latter was. Andry trusted that one day he would be as lucky as Maarken and their father and Rohan. Yet even the prettiest girls at G.o.ddess Keep roused no more than pa.s.sing admiration in him.

Recently he had come to the somewhat bemused realization while working on the scrolls that he had fallen a little in love with the remarkable Lady Merisel. Her anonymous scribe had not been immune to her either, though she must have been nearly ninety when she'd dictated the scrolls to him. Otherwise impersonal accounts of her were salted with such phrases as luminous eyes, gracious smile, luminous eyes, gracious smile, and and peerless beauty, peerless beauty, as if the man could not help himself. Even without these hints of her personal charms, her wisdom and the scope of her powers and interests were evident in each line. She had much to say on almost every topic imaginable, and those of her opinions not etched in acid were often very funny-and sometimes were both. His favorite so far in his translation mentioned ancient superst.i.tions about the symbology of numbers, then remarked: as if the man could not help himself. Even without these hints of her personal charms, her wisdom and the scope of her powers and interests were evident in each line. She had much to say on almost every topic imaginable, and those of her opinions not etched in acid were often very funny-and sometimes were both. His favorite so far in his translation mentioned ancient superst.i.tions about the symbology of numbers, then remarked: There are four Elements: Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. Each of these has three aspects, making twelve total. Twelve is the digits one and two together; add them and get three, which is the number of moons. Add the twelve to the Four and you get sixteen, which is one plus six, or seven, which is indivisible. I am told that if one added together all the stars, then added the result to the number of moons plus the sun, then added those digits, a similarly mystic number would result. Which only shows how silly the whole thing is.

Andry imagined her as combining the qualities of his own fiery, fascinating mother, the quietly fierce Sioned, and Lady Andrade in all her pride and power-with enough cunning and intellect to make all three women seem simpletons by comparison. He had always known, with a kind of rueful resignation, that the woman he himself Chose would have far to go to measure up to the major feminine influences in his life. His admiration for Lady Merisel wasn't helping much.

He wanted his lady to appear before him simply and irrevocably, the way Sioned had arrived in Rohan's life. He wanted to be as absolutely certain as his parents had been when they first set eyes on each other. He was as uninterested in the process of finding a wife as he was impatient with the steps that must be taken to earn his rings. He knew himself worthy of the woman and the honors; false modesty was absurd when one was personable in one's own right, royally born, and as gifted in the Sunrunner arts as he.

Knowing he would have to wait for all of it didn't help much, either.

The black-haired boy returned to his bed in the dormitory well-pleased with himself and the evening. The name he had given was not Seldges but Sejast, and his ears had been trained to respond to that name rather than his own. He had pa.s.sed every test he had set himself: facing Lady Andrade, identifying Lord Andry of Radzyn without difficulty, even making tentative choice of the woman who would be his on a man-making night Mireva had rendered totally unnecessary.

Segev smiled in the darkness as he remembered his brothers' astonishment the morning after his night in her house. He turned over to stifle a chuckle in his pillow, but the shifting of sheets against his body reminded his flesh of that night.

Riding up to the house huddled against the hill, he'd told himself that Ruval and Marron had no right to treat him as if he were still a child. He was just as much High Prince Roelstra's grandson as they, and Mireva had agreed that he should be the one to undertake this essential task at G.o.ddess Keep. He entered the dwelling, antic.i.p.ating lessons in how to fool Lady Andrade. But Mireva had not been waiting for him.

The girl was a few winters his senior, and at close to sixteen Segev was more than old enough to appreciate her beauty. Slender through the waist, richly curved above and below, she wore a silk shift three shades lighter than her pale blue eyes. Black hair cascaded in thick, loose waves from beneath a wispy golden veil weighted at its three corners with silver coins. Her face was round of brow, pointed of chin, with lips the color of summer roses and eyelashes that swept demurely down as she murmured, "You're much handsomer than your brothers, my lord."

The next thing he knew for certain was her voice again. They lay on the familiar carpet before the hearth, both of them bathed in the sweat of their labors, and she had said, "More of a man than your brothers, as well." And then she had laughed.

Head spinning, Segev spasmed away from her. It was not the young girl who lay next to him but Mireva, a woman old enough to be his grandmother.

Yet she did not look like a grandmother. Though the guise had been shed, he recognized the knowing touch of her fingers and suddenly craved the taste of her mouth. By dawn they were in her bed, and Mireva was still laughing.

"Your brothers managed thrice each. But you've satisfied me four times!"

"Five," he said, reaching for her again.

"Ah, you may be young and there's new fire in your blood, but I don't relish another scorching so soon. You must not be so eager when the night comes for you at G.o.ddess Keep, nor let the woman find out how much you know."

She had explained then that the faradhi faradhi ritual was a perversion of the old ways, when only the most powerful had initiated virgins-as was their right. Sunrunners were so feeble in their spells that they performed the act in total darkness and total silence, lest their weavings unravel around them. ritual was a perversion of the old ways, when only the most powerful had initiated virgins-as was their right. Sunrunners were so feeble in their spells that they performed the act in total darkness and total silence, lest their weavings unravel around them.

"Any fool of six or more rings may bed the virgin-probably because those who think themselves the most powerful are too old."

"Then it won't be Andrade," he replied with a relieved sigh.

Mireva had pretended insult. "She's only ten winters my senior!"

"Say thirty, and I might believe you."

The answer pleased her so much that it was a fifth time before they resumed their conversation.

Segev turned once more in his dormitory bed, cursing himself for remembering so vividly, and forced himself to think about the tasks ahead of him. The first was to maintain the illusion that he was simply another student of the faradhi faradhi arts. The prospect of cla.s.ses and discipline bored him, but he would see them through to reach his next objective: the beautiful golden-haired Sunrunner he intended for his man-making night. He would have to make sure she won the right to go to his bed, when he would give her wine laced with arts. The prospect of cla.s.ses and discipline bored him, but he would see them through to reach his next objective: the beautiful golden-haired Sunrunner he intended for his man-making night. He would have to make sure she won the right to go to his bed, when he would give her wine laced with dranath dranath as Mireva had instructed. Thereafter he would find other chances to drug her, gently and slowly so that she would not realize her growing addiction. She would be tired sometimes, her bones would ache-and then Segev would be there, all tender solicitude, offering wine or taze as a restorative. If he was clever, she would come to think that it was he and not the drug that caused her unproved health and mood. When time and opportunity came to steal the scrolls, she would be his willing accomplice-not that he would ask anything unusual or impossible. Only a horse made ready at the gate, a few lies to cover the time needed for the theft-and, once he was gone, he would have a pa.s.sionate defender who would sicken and slowly die for lack of as Mireva had instructed. Thereafter he would find other chances to drug her, gently and slowly so that she would not realize her growing addiction. She would be tired sometimes, her bones would ache-and then Segev would be there, all tender solicitude, offering wine or taze as a restorative. If he was clever, she would come to think that it was he and not the drug that caused her unproved health and mood. When time and opportunity came to steal the scrolls, she would be his willing accomplice-not that he would ask anything unusual or impossible. Only a horse made ready at the gate, a few lies to cover the time needed for the theft-and, once he was gone, he would have a pa.s.sionate defender who would sicken and slowly die for lack of dranath. dranath.

There had been another Sunrunner years ago who had died of it. Mireva had told him the details as he'd dressed that morning, and explained the complexities of the night Masul was born. Segev had been unable to share her regret that Ianthe had not won Prince Rohan for her own, pointing out that he could hardly be expected to mourn circ.u.mstances that had led to his own birth.

He remembered very little about his mother. l.u.s.trous dark eyes, a rare and costly fragrance, a rustic of skirts, a soft lap-those were his only memories. His brothers had told him that in the last year of her life she had grown big with child, but he recalled nothing of it. The brother or sister had died with her on that fiery night that was Segev's first clear memory.

Torn from a sound sleep to the smells of smoke and fear, the sounds of screaming death and fire, the sight of a hideous greedy glow outside his chamber. Carried roughly down the blazing staircase in bruisingly strong arms. Unable to breathe through the thickness of smoke and flames. Screaming for his mother, pounding on the guard's chest, half-smothered in the folds of a smelly cloak. More pain as he was slung across a saddle. Looking back at the false eastern dawnlight created by the burning of Feruche.