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Chapter 47
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Marc bowed to Danetha, and Alvuen took him by the arm again, leading him out into the hallway. He could feel her nervousness in growing waves, making him wonder why. It was more than a general lack of fondness for him.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he said finally.
Alvuen didn’t answer at first and a door was opened in front of them. “I think you did, but my Queen chooses, for now, to take you at your word. She’ll discover, as I have, the dangers inherent in believing an adept.”
She all but pushed him out into the guest wing hall, and the door closed behind him. “Thank you so much, my Lady, for your kindness,” he muttered under his breath. He reached back for the wall and met someone’s chest. “Sorry.”
“Quite all right, my Lord. May I assist you?”
“Yes. To the stairs please. I can make it down from there.” He touched his crest pin and asked that his usual escort meet him in the main hall. He found the stair railing, thanked the guard and sent him back to his post, and started down. He knew the curve of the stair and thought he could manage it.
“May I walk with you, my Lord?” a woman’s voice questioned. He recognized Liselle and was startled when Loren answered for him.
“Of course you can, my Lady. The Lord Chancellor never turns down the request of a beautiful woman.” She took him by one arm while Liselle took his other. “Isn’t that right?”
“Uh...yes.”
“On your way to work?”
“I’ve been at work since before dawn. You seem a lot happier since I last saw you.”
“I am. Lady Liselle and I were just sharing a few stories.”
“Stories? That’s nice. I think. I’m sure Dynan will be happy to hear it.”
“Why shouldn’t he be?”
“Loren,” Liselle whispered.
“I’ll set him straight later. Maybe at dinner tonight.”
“At dinner? No, you don’t have to—”
“Of course I do. Otherwise I’d be disobeying a Royal Command, and we can’t have that now, can we?”
“Normally no, but—”
“You prove the exception to that rule though, don’t you?”
“Me? When have I disobeyed a Royal Command? Lately?”
“A key phrase, lately. Never mind. Here’s your escort, my Lord Chancellor. A few more steps and you’ll be safe inside the inner sanctum. Have a nice day, Marc.” She let him go. “Liselle, are you still set on hiding in your rooms? There’s plenty to do for the coronation and I could use your help. I’m sure Dynan would appreciate it too. What are you standing there for, Marc? His Highness is waiting.”
“Loren, really,” Liselle said, but she was laughing. “I’d be happy to help you any way I can.” Marc retreated quickly, really unsure what Loren was doing. His escort got a hold of him a moment later and helped him to the office door. It was open and he could hear Dynan talking to Morlin. “As soon as you can, Commander.”
“I’ll make it a priority, Your Highness.”
Marc tried to block the doorway but he heard a sudden intake of breath. Across the hall, the door to the Queen’s office closed. “Was that...Please tell me that wasn’t—”
“It was.”
Commander Morlin cleared his throat and left. Dynan turned away, mumbling under his breath as he went back to his office. Marc followed more slowly, fearing his reaction. The office was completely silent except for the sound of a fire burning, and Marc couldn’t tell where Dynan was until he heard him breathe. He was by the fireplace, probably staring at the flames.
“Do you get the feeling I just can’t win at anything?”
“No,” Marc said, finding a chair in front of the desk. “Just with women. Seems to run in your family.”
“What do you suppose she said to her?”
“I have no idea, but I can tell you that I’m really glad that I’m not you right now. Who knows? They seemed to be getting along all right. Maybe they’ll end up being friends.”
“Who’ll end up being friends?” Dain asked from the Throne Room door.
“No one,” Dynan said abruptly. “Never mind. Is it time yet?”
“Yes, it’s time. What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing.”
“Then come on.”
Marc heard a transport setting down outside and knew that it would be taking the Ahrelds with their son to the family estate on Arel. Gaden was the only ranking Palace representative going and to Marc that didn’t seem right, even though he understood all the reasons why no one else could go. It wasn’t safe for Dynan or any of his family to go so far from the Palace even for that short a time. Marc wondered how they were going to manage to keep him safe when he went out on Approachment.
“Marc?”
“Right. I’m coming.”
Dynan took his arm. “Why don’t you use someone so you can see?”
“Maybe. Garth is waiting for me. He’ll make sure I don’t fall down the stairs.”
The others were waiting and together they carried the casket that held Allie to the waiting transport. All Marc saw during the long trip down the stairs was Allie putting himself in the way of black coils of death before the demon’s altar, so that Marc could get to Ambrose and get him out. He couldn’t take them both and watched as Allie was dragged to the edge of the abyss and pulled over, down into a writhing mass of endless torture.
Maralt had been right about his inability to get anyone out of the pit. There was only one way for any of the enslaved souls to gain freedom, only one way out, and that was through him. While he consumed six evil entities, they could escape. For that moment in time, when all stood at the brink. Where he would either fail and unleash a demon from its tenuous prison, or succeed in destroying its power by stealing its strength. Somehow, he had to hold onto himself to keep from being taken.
Dynan took the place of his escort then and Dain draped his arm around him. “We’ll get him back.”
“Only the Gods can bring him back,” he said, blinking because he heard the difference in his voice. It suddenly felt like someone else was in his head. “Look to the skies. When the darkness comes, your time of testing will be at hand. Do not be afraid of who you are.”
“Marc?”
“Do not be afraid for I stand by your side through all your days and nights. Do not turn from your chosen path.”
Pain tore through him. He felt himself falling and being caught. One voice was pushed out while another took its place, then another and another in quick succession. He couldn’t hear through a whine of screaming minds, a moaning discord of voices filled with pain and death.
“All he asked for was one day where nothing happened,” Dain said, leaning back against the bedpost where he sat at the foot of the bed, watching Marc while he slept. Except for the steady rise and fall of his chest, he didn’t move. He looked completely at peace, where a few moments before he’d been wracked with pain and gasping for breath in between words that didn’t sound like him at all. “What do you suppose all that meant?”
“You must accept,” Dynan said. “Seems pretty clear to me.”
“How convenient.”
“Not for Marc.”
“So you think all that was directed at me?”
“It could just as easily have been meant for me, or even Marc. The only thing I’m sure of is that it wasn’t Marc talking.”
“Who was it then, and how do we know the difference between the good guys and the bad? I mean, look what it did to him. Not a very pleasant thing to go through. Why do they have to make it so hard? Why don’t they just say what they want, instead of leaving us a hint here and there? What happens if we guess wrong?”
Dynan shook his head. “I have to get back downstairs. Call me when he wakes up. Maybe he’ll have a better idea what happened.”
“If he remembers it at all.”
“Right.”
Dynan left, but Bronwyn came in right after him. Dain smiled up at her and kissed her hand. “How are you doing?”
“I’m all right. How is Marc?”
“All right, I guess. Hard to tell.”
She nodded to that. “I need to talk to you about Garan.”
“Sounds serious. What’s he done now?”
“He was caught playing in the arbor again. Climbing trees this time.”
Dain wanted to laugh, but Bronwyn’s dark frown precluded that. “What do you want me to do?”
“He told the Master Gardener that you said it was all right for him to play down there.”
“I never said that. Well, not exactly anyway. I mean I told him he had to be careful.”
“You told him not to get caught.”
“Yes, all right. That’s exactly what I told him. I happen to think he should be allowed to play there and climb as many trees as he wants.”
“Except he and the other children are destroying the arbor as they go. He’s firmly convinced he can get away with anything because, as he put it, he’s a Prince. The Gardener doesn’t have the right to tell him what to do. He thinks the same thing of me too. He doesn’t listen to me because he knows you’ll let him off.”
“I’ll talk to him.”
“When I told him I was going to tell you about this, he smiled about it.”
“I said I’ll talk to him.”
“When?”
“When I have more than a minute.”
“I’ll stay with Marc. Garan is in the parlor talking to your father.”
Dain looked at her, but saw immediately that she was serious and expected him to do as she wanted right then. He hated the way that arched expression made him feel; like he was Garan’s age himself, but he hated it more that she was right. He was the only one who could do anything to change their son’s behavior. He grumbled under his breath as he stood. “What am I supposed to say to him? I told him he could.”
“You’ll have to tell him that you were wrong. You’ll think of something.”
“But—”
“Discipline is part of the job, Dain.”
He frowned at her darkly, but went to find Garan. He found him too soon, playing on the floor of Marc’s parlor with Ambrose. They were building a rather large structure of wooden blocks. Dain was instantly reminded of doing the same thing and wanted to join them. His entire purpose in coming here was driven from his mind until Garan noticed him, and smiled in obvious relief. He’d expected his mother.
The little boy’s happiness faltered when Dain frowned down at him, then vanished completely when he pointed Garan to the couch. Dain expected his father to leave and when he didn’t, caught him smiling slightly as he studiously kept building. “I heard you’ve been to the arbor.”
“Yes, Papa.”
“Climbing trees.”
“Yes, Papa.”
“And tearing up a lot of new plants the Gardener just put in. I don’t remember that being part of the deal we made.”
“No.”
“Did the Gardener tell you to stop playing down there?”
“Yes, but—”
“You didn’t listen to him and you should have.”
“You told me I could as long as I didn’t get caught.”
“Well guess what? You did get caught. I also said you’d have to pay the consequences too, didn’t I?”
“Yes.” Garan glanced at him before hanging his head. “Are you going to send me away now?”
Dain really felt like forgetting the whole thing, but he thought Garan already knew the answer to that question, and was using it as a ploy to get out of being punished. “Yes, Garan, I am, but only to your room. If you keep this up, you’ll be seeing a lot more of that place than you’ll like. You can stay there until you think you can start doing what you’re told. The people who work here will always treat you with respect as long as you show them the same courtesy. You can stay there until you’re ready to apologize to your mother for not doing what she asked you to. I don’t want to hear about you disobeying her or anyone else again. Understand?”
“Yes, Papa.”
“Good. Go on.”
Without a word, Garan got up and walked stiffly from the room. Dain waited until he was out of sight and hearing before he sank down on the couch so rapidly vacated. “You handled that quite well,” Ambrose said, smiling from behind a tower.
“Was he crying?”
“Oh yes.”
Dain groaned, sliding down to stare up at the ceiling. “I feel like such a hypocrite. I mean, why weren’t we allowed to play in the arbor anyway? I never understood that.”
“Neither did I.”
Dain looked at him, propping himself up on an elbow. “What?”
“It was, and obviously still is a rule, propagated against one generation down to the next. I had more than my fair share of the same punishment. Worse, actually, but—”
“Whose rule? It’s the perfect place to play.”
“Your mother was the one who told me to keep you boys out of there, and I’m certain my mother told Dionin the same thing.”
“A feminine conspiracy that has no basis in logic,” Dain said, moving down to the floor where he picked up a block to add to the fortress.
“Sounds like it to me.”
“So, we cave in to that?”
“Seems to me that a compromise is in order. No, listen. I thought about this before, Dain, I just never acted on it. Shalael was just furious the first time you and your brother got loose down there. I never had the courage to counter her. She had a temper, you know. Then after she died, I did things the way she wanted. There’s no reason why an area of the arbor couldn’t be made to withstand the abuses children are prone to inflict.”
“A play ground.”
Ambrose nodded while he added a block. “A play ground.”
Dain smiled and wanted to go tell Dynan right then, but thought better of it. “I’ll just have to charm the future Queen of Cobalt into allowing it.”
Ambrose nodded at him. “You’re very good at that. Too good at it. Makes me wonder just how many women you have charmed and how many other little Garan’s we might have scattered through the system.”
“You’d think they’d have made an appearance by now if there were any more.”
“You’d think.” Ambrose glanced at him in his best disapproving frown, but Dain only smiled in his best innocent manner. “That never worked with me before. Still doesn’t. Are you going to marry her?”
Dain almost dropped the block he held. He hadn’t really thought about marrying Bronwyn, mostly because it didn’t seem so important compared to his brother’s difficulties. “I thought I’d better wait until after the coronation was settled.”
“Nice dodge. You didn’t answer the question.”
“I don’t think she likes it here very much.”
“You won’t have to stay here, especially if you don’t end up taking on the Chancellorship, which I’m guessing you aren’t particularly interested in.”
“Not really, no.”
“What are you going to do when your brother appoints someone else after Marc?”
“I don’t know.”
“Once all the danger is passed, and you’ve recovered from it, all the time you’ll have on your hands will begin to fester. Everyone needs a purpose. Time you figured out what yours will be and if you ask me, it ought to include the mother of your son. She’s a beautiful young lady. She adores you and you’ll not likely find another like her so willing to put up with you.”
“You don’t think I should wait?”
“You don’t have to make an announcement. Seems the operational standard around here. No, I was thinking that for Bronwyn, waiting might seem like hesitancy on your part. She’s feeling the pressure. We had a nice talk last night before dinner. She’s quite an exceptional woman.”
“I know.” He shrugged.
“But you’re not sure you want to marry her?”
“No, that’s not it. Not at all. I remember a little bit about being in love with her before, but we were just children then, or, okay, don’t laugh at that. This time around it all seems to have happened so fast.”
“It’s called love, Dain. Then and now. Trust me, these opportunities don’t happen but so often. Ask her. Hold off on the announcement. You won’t regret it.”
He nodded after a moment’s thought and felt like he’d known it all along, from the moment he found out about Garan. “Is that why you never married again after mother died?”
“Shalael was the only one for me.”
“I wish I could remember her.”
“You have her spirit. The same love of adventure.”
“I don’t think I love it so much any more.”
“No, I don’t guess that you do.”
Bronwyn came in then, saying that Marc was up. “Did you talk to Garan?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he?”
“I sent him to his room.” He capped a particularly tall tower and turned to her.
“Did you tell his guard that’s where he was supposed to go?”
“No.”
She flashed him a look that said he should have, and moved by him. Dain couldn’t believe that Garan wouldn’t have listened, but Bronwyn seemed to expect it. Ambrose bit back a smile. “Maybe you better—”
“—go make sure,” he finished, glancing at his father. “Was I like that?”
“Constantly,” he said, following him out to Marc’s study. “If not worse.”
“I don’t remember not listening to you under these sort of circumstances.”
Ambrose laughed. “You used that as an excuse then too.”
“Well I don’t.”
“You didn’t start really listening until you cared more about being confined to your room, or guilty about getting your brother in trouble, and even then you ‘forgot’ often enough.”
Dain shook his head and hurried after Bronwyn. She was already across the hall. Avry joined him. “Did you see Garan?”
“Yes. He and Mikk are on the main stairs.”
Dain started swearing, stunned that Garan had completely ignored him. He heard the little boy laughing as he slid down the railing to the ballroom and into the waiting arms of his guard. He was spun around, and barely set on his feet before Garan turned to race back up the stairs. He skidded to a halt, staring up at him. For a minute, Dain thought he was going to bolt. He saw Mikk watching in growing confusion.
“Get up here.” He waited until Garan stood abreast of him. “I think you know where you’re supposed to be.”
Garan nodded mutely and started up again. Mikk hesitated. “I think this might be my fault.”
“How? He was supposed to go to his room.”
“There are workmen in his rooms. He went there, but they kept telling him he was in the way. I suggested the stairs.”
Dain rolled his eyes and swore again. “I guess he forgot to tell you he was in trouble.”
“Yes. But you can’t really blame—”
“No. Don’t even start. Save it for his mother.”
Bronwyn, however, was aware of what had happened. Garan was a pile of tears, making Dain feel horrible. He took him from her and after a long list of reassurances, Garan finally calmed down. Dain gave up on the entire idea of punishment and took him back to the parlor. They reached the study, found Ambrose, but then heard a shout and the sound of a great stack of blocks falling down.
“On second thought, maybe we’ll just go find something else to do,” he said, ignoring the look from his father. He heard Marc swearing. “Come on, Garan, let’s go.”
“Are you in trouble now, Papa?”
“Me? No. Not at all.”
“Then why are we running away?”
“We’re not running away. I’m tired of being lectured, is all. Aren’t you? Come on, we’re going to talk to Lady Loren about something.”
The Queen’s office was a place he rarely visited. Dain could count on one hand the number of times he’d been inside the door and so the labyrinth of offices and niches were a little bewildering. Neithia Bairing met him halfway down a short corridor and when he asked after Loren, directed him back the way she’d come.
He knocked at the last door, went in, but stopped abruptly when he saw Liselle standing behind Loren and pointing down at a comboard set on the desk. She dropped instantly into a deep curtsy as Loren stood to do the same thing. He’d never expected these two women to ever be together. Dain couldn’t believe Dynan would want it, but then had to question that.
“Is there something I can do for you?” Loren asked, smiling at Garan before she looked at Dain expectantly.
“I can come back later.”
“If you’ll excuse me, Loren. I’ll see that the draper gets these changes.” Liselle smiled easily and took the comboard from her.
“Yes, that would be fine. Thank you, Liselle. I’m glad you caught that. If you find anything else, please let me know.”
“I will.” She moved to the door, stopping when he didn’t immediately get out of her way. She bowed again, keeping her eyes on the floor. “Your Highness.”
He took a step to one side, pulling Garan back with him and let her pass. She glanced up at him once and he saw a hint of defiance in her eyes, daring him to challenge her newly rediscovered status. She knew that he hated her, knew that Dynan had forgiven her, confident that Dain wouldn’t be able to destroy his brother’s renewed faith in her.
He watched her until she turned down the far hall, trying to keep his temper under control. He found it incredible that Loren would have anything to do with Liselle Telaerin.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she said, arching an eyebrow at him.
He shook his head, not really sure he could talk to her calmly. Garan tugged at his hand then. “Aren’t you going to ask her?”
“Why don’t you ask her? You might have better luck than I.” Dain hardly heard his son stammering out their request, then realized he wasn’t being fair to him by allowing Liselle’s presence to so unnerve him. “All we really want is a corner where the gardeners won’t have a fit if a twig gets bent or a petal falls off a flower. I was talking to my, uh...to some people who were around back then, and they seem to think it’s a good idea. I spent way too much time worrying about getting in trouble if I set foot in the arbor and I’d rather that Garan not have to deal with the same atmosphere.”
“I think it’s a fine idea. I’ll have to check with Finance.”
“I’ll pay for it.”
Loren smiled at that. “I imagine that since other children will be playing in this little corner, that the Palace can handle the cost. How fast do you want this to happen?”
“The sooner, the better.”
“Then I’ll have you meet with Master Jamis this afternoon so you can plan.”
“Jamis? He’s still here?”
“Yes, he is and remembers you quite fondly.”
“I doubt that.”
“He’s forgiven you completely. I think you’ll find him receptive to any solution to this particular problem. Speaking of, I wanted to ask you about Garan’s schooling. The other children are recovered enough to start a more regular education. Classes are starting next week.”
Garan started shaking his head. To his dismay, Dain agreed. “What? You’ll like it all right.”
“What’s the point of building a place to play if I never have a chance to use it?”
“Give you good incentive to—” He stopped himself from saying it would give him incentive to learn how to escape his tutors, thinking better of it, and trying to remember he was a parent and not a playmate. “—to finish your work so that you can play. Relax Garan. It’s not as bad as you think. You might even like it.”
“You didn’t.”
“I liked it on most days. I didn’t have a choice. Neither do you.”
Loren gave him a piece of sweet cake to soften the blow and sent them on their way. Dain stopped in the door after Garan had gone on ahead. “Don’t trust her, Loren. She was never anything but trouble for Dynan. I can’t believe that she’s anything but that now. Just don’t turn your back on her. Please?”
“I honestly don’t think there’s anything to worry about, but I’ll be careful.”
He wanted to tell her that caution wasn’t enough, but he could see that Loren didn’t share his misgivings. He shook his head and left her. He sent Garan back upstairs to have his midday meal with Bronwyn, under strict orders to stay out of trouble and do as he was told. Dain watched him until he and his guard reached the stairs. Mikk looked down at him, then up at the stairs. Garan kept pointing and nodding. The guard relented and Garan took off at a run, charging up the stairs. He was given a brief head start before Mikk started up in pursuit. Dain smiled, thinking that in a few short years the guard wouldn’t find him so easy to catch.
He found Dynan at his desk reading from the Book of Truth, wishing he would put it away and not use it as his sole means of getting the answers he needed. Dain still felt there had to be another option. One that didn’t end with Marc dying.
“I thought you were staying with Marc,” Dynan said, setting the book aside.
“I was. He’s awake. I think he’ll be down in a minute.”
“Is he all right?”
“I think so. I didn’t stay to talk to him.”
“Why not?”
“I didn’t want to.”
Dynan frowned at him, then flipped on his companel screen. “I want to go over this schedule with you. Are you going to be at dinner tonight? If not, that’s fine. You can stay with Father. He’s stuck up in Marc’s rooms by himself. I wish there were an easy way to let everyone know he’s alive, so he doesn’t have to stay locked up like this. I want you to think of a way to get him out of there and outside. I think he’s going to want to go to Taldic’s funeral tomorrow.”
“All right.”
“I’ve got a string of Governors coming in here today. Marella is arriving day after tomorrow and the day after that we’re having a ball to honor them. Two days later, I’m out on the first Approachment. Lorton is arriving the day after and I’m not sure I’ll make it back in time to greet him. I want you and Shalis on hand for that. Trayanna will be in the following morning before I go for my third Approachment and we’ve got another ball for them that night. There are a couple big dinners in there, with Approachment four and five. Six follows with the Guild Ball the same night.”
“And the day after you’re crowned King.”
Dynan nodded, stood and turned to look out the window. “Ralion is leaving tomorrow after the funeral to deal with the Guilds on security. I want you to get with him before he goes. Make sure I’m going to survive this.”
“I’d feel a lot better if you’d let me go with you.”
“I need you here. You and Marc are going to be in charge. With the way he is lately, who knows how often he can be expected to be around. He has to find Maralt and that may take him out of the Palace.”
Dain nodded reluctantly, wishing that he were the one hunting Maralt. He frowned at that, realizing that he could do what had to be done with him as easily as Marc could, or maybe not as easily, but he could do it.
“What?”
“Nothing,” he said, trying to sound convincing.
“Dain.”
“Nothing in particular, Dynan.”
“I’ve seen that look before.”
Dain hesitated, sure that his brother would forbid it, and equally sure he’d ignore him. It was really better to leave it unspoken, but Dynan insisted. “Marc isn’t the only one who can take Maralt any more. Not after what I did to you. Remember that line Carryn was always warning us about? Well, I crossed it, obliterated it in a big way when I nearly killed you.”
Dynan blinked at that a moment, the slightest frown crossing his face. “What does that mean?”
“It means I’m going through the same thing Marc went through, learning how to control this.” Dain didn’t look at him, suddenly afraid of what he would think, even without knowing the particulars. What Dynan remembered of Marc’s experience was bad enough.
“You’re not...you’re not going into that cell, are you?”
“I’m the one who can block remember? I took him to the beach this morning.” He frowned at the memory. “Still pretty disgusting, but Marc didn’t seem to mind.”
“After what he did to you, he doesn’t have any right to mind.”
Dain glanced at him, and shook his head. “Yes, he does.”
“Are you going to be all right?”
Dain smiled at the sudden concern in his brother’s eyes, nodding to reassure him. “I’ll be fine, Dynan. I always am.”
“You keep saying that. You better not mess this up, Dain. I’m not going to lose you the way Carryn lost Maralt. I’m not.”
He moved to stand beside him. “Look at me. Now you tell me; when have I ever done anything the way Maralt did? I’ll manage with this the way I manage with everything else.”
“Carryn said I’d always have to watch you. I never wanted to believe her.”
“Like Carryn really knew what she was talking about. But you can watch me all you want to.”
“Promise?”
“I swear it.” He kissed his signet ring for emphasis, smiling at the worry and fear he saw in Dynan’s eyes. “I’ll be all right. I promise. We’re different from him. Always have been. I said a long time ago that Maralt was evil from the start. I was right. He never wanted it any other way. He never tried to get around it, as Marc puts it. That’s what makes us different. We don’t want his brand of power.”
“Marc’s different too though. The things he’s done don’t fall in the normal abilities of an adept.”
“That’s true. There’s some other force at work in him. Call it the Gods if you want.”
Dynan shook his head. “You never will believe it, will you?”
“No.”
“I don’t want you going after Maralt.”
Dain grimaced, hoping he’d forgotten the original intent of the discussion. He didn’t know what he would say if Dynan made him swear to that too. Something inside told Dain that’s exactly what he would do. What he was meant to do. He remembered the words Marc had spoken, or the Gods he didn’t want to believe in, telling him not to turn from his chosen path, or be afraid of who he was.
“Marc will likely find him first, so I doubt it’s something we have to worry about.”
His brother looked at him skeptically. “Go find Ralion. See what you think of his security plan. Let me know.”
Dain turned to go do that when Marc came in, following the wall with his hand. Above his left eye, a triangular shaped cut stood out on his forehead. Dain cringed.
“What happened to you?” Dynan asked.
“A pair of over-grown boys left their toys lying around in my living room.” He practically glared at Dain in that white-eyed stare that sometimes sent a shiver down his spine. Marc wasn’t really looking, but the effect was the same.
“Sorry.”
“Toys? What is he talking about?”
“Never mind. I’ll go find Ralion.”
“He’s in his office,” Marc said, still frowning, but it seemed like he was thinking of something else. “I need you to do something first, Dain. When Dynan and I were talking to Alexia, I told her I couldn’t shift any more, except I did it with you this morning. I want you to take me to the same place, or where ever. It doesn’t matter.”
Dain frowned at that. “All right. But why? If you’re not supposed to do it, we probably shouldn’t.”
“It’s an experiment. Go on.”
Dain nodded and concentrated. The beach opened up around them. Marc stood beside him, looking around for a moment. “All right. We can go back now.”
They did and Dain saw by Dynan’s surprised expression that something had happened. “What is it?”
Marc was nodding though. “That’s what I thought.”
“What?”
“He disappeared,” Dynan said, staring a little. “You never moved, but Marc just vanished.”
“Go down to Ralion’s office,” Marc said.
“How is this possible?” Dynan asked, and shook his head.
“Just another neat trick I get to do.” Marc smiled. “Go on, Dain. I want to see if this works the way I think it will.”
Dain found Ralion sitting at his desk looking over security for Gemern Taldic’s funeral. He heard Marc, and the next instant he was there, standing beside him. Ralion jumped, staring at Marc, but he was gone again. “What is going on?”
Dain went back to Dynan’s office without answering, arriving in time to hear the explanation. Ralion followed him in. “I learned from our experience in the dungeons that it isn’t safe for me to shift. So instead of leaving a part of myself behind, all of me goes. It’s a self-protective mechanism I wasn’t aware of until I said something to Alexia. I started to think about it, and realized what was happening.”
“But we weren’t really at the beach manor,” Dain said, tapping his forehead. “Except up here.”
Marc shook his head, mimicking him. “There isn’t any difference for me, Dain, between up here and physical reality. Not any more.”
“You didn’t go anywhere when I...after Maralt had Garan.”
Marc nodded. “Hold on to me.”
Dain took his arm, and he could tell Marc was concentrating, but this time he didn’t move. Dynan shook his head. “You called it traveling. Can you do it without one of us?” Dynan asked.
“I don’t think I better try it that way.”
“Why not?”
“I’d hate to land inside a wall or a piece of furniture is why not.”
“Can you go through a non-telepath?”
“I don’t think I should try that either.” He shook his head. “Using non-telepaths to see is different somehow. It’s easier to compartmentalize that whole process. It’s different with you two and, I don’t know, it just doesn’t feel right. I’m afraid I’d hurt someone else. All it means to me right now is that next time Maralt shows up, I might be able to follow him without turning into some animal.”
“You mean we don’t get the cat any more?” Ralion said. “Damn. I liked him.” He rolled his eyes, muttering about shape-shifting dragons and went back to his office.
“Maybe your Gods weren’t talking to either of us,” Dain said. “You didn’t figure this out until their little visitation.”
“That’s true, but I don’t see the connection unless they did it without my knowing it.” He nodded, realizing that it was possible that the Gods did just that. “I had one of those feelings about it when I was talking to Alexia though, and personally if the Gods decided to make their announcement because I wasn’t figuring it out fast enough, I’d rather they refrain. It hurt, and I haven’t got any idea what I said after the bit about don’t turn from your chosen path.”
Dynan glanced at Dain before answering. “You said, you must accept. You have the strength of heart. You must accept. It is given. You are called. You must accept and you repeated that a few times.”
Marc nodded abruptly. “Right. I have some work I want to get done. Do you think there’s someone who can come help me with this stupid comterm?”
“Yes, but I think Gaden set it up so it’ll all go through your receiver.”
“I take it you’re going to steal him back from me.”
“No,” Dynan said. “You can keep him, as long as I can borrow him every now and then.”
Marc nodded, mumbled something under his breath as he left the office for his own. Dain heard him say it’d be permanent soon enough before the door closed. It was around every corner, hidden behind every thought, waiting to catch him at every turn, the constant reminder of what Marc saw as the end of his life.
The comterm chirped, announcing Governor Valsand, so Dain left his brother. He found Marc in Ralion’s office, looking over security again, making Dain wonder what they needed him for. He stayed anyway, until his head swam with guard positions and numbers, and crowd control, special rooftop teams to watch over their every move. Several hours later, Marc was satisfied, announcing his intention to go to his rooms for a rest. “Mind if I use your son for a lift?”
“Can you?”
“Sure.”
“Just don’t scare him, all right.”
“I won’t.”
“Then go ahead.” Dain shook his head after he’d gone. “I wish I could do that.”
“I think one is enough, don’t you?” Ralion rolled his eyes at him.
“I suppose.” He rubbed his side where his ribs still ached. Mostly he thought it was the brace he wore that hurt more than anything. “Where’s Geneal?”
“Medic Center.”
“That’s where I’m going. I’ll be back up in a few to go over all the Approachment business.” He stopped abruptly at the door. “I’m just going to go see if she’ll take this thing off of me yet.”
Ralion bit back a smile and stood. “Why don’t we go see her together? She could probably stand a little cheering up anyway.”
Dain glanced at him, wondering if Ralion was coming along to keep an eye on him or if it meant he’d forgiven him. “What’s wrong with her?”
“She and Dynan got into it and I’m not sure if they’ve spoken to each other since. He threatened to replace her if she didn’t quit trying to make him get some rest. She threatened to rule him unfit.”
“What?”
“It was really stupid of both of them. Right after the Governor’s Ball no one was thinking too coherently. It’s even stupider that they’re still not talking to each other.”
“He is up to his neck with women problems. I mean, this is amazing. You know Loren and Liselle were in the Queen’s office working together.”
Ralion stared at him. “You’re kidding?”
“I wish. He yelled at Bronwyn for snapping at Alvuen. Loren’s mad at him about all this apology business, and now you tell me about Geneal. He keeps this up, he’s going to have every female in the house mad at him.”
“Not a good day to be Dynan. What does that make, four or five women who are annoyed with him?”
“Yes.” Dain shook his head. “I think that’s a record.”
“Has to be.” Ralion smiled, laughing a little over it.
“Before it’s all over, he’ll probably manage to add Marella to that list.” Dain smiled as Ralion fell in step just behind him.
“I wouldn’t doubt it.”
“At least we can tell Geneal that she’s not alone.”
