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le； forming a square； all of them touching。 Then set the four black ones at the corners。〃
Conall obeyed； then looked up at Tiercel with a 〃what…next？〃 expression。
〃Now； lower your shields and open your mind to me； to follow what I do；〃 Tiercel said。 〃Setting wards doesn't require a great deal of power； but well…focused concentration is essential。 That's what's hardest for children…and it's the reason I had you practice centering all winter。 Pay attention now。〃
Setting his right forefinger on the first white cube。 Tiercel breathed in deeply and spoke the cube's nomen： 〃Prime。〃 Light flared in the cube as the energy was set and bound； then spread to the other three as Tiercel proceeded to name them as well：
〃Seconde。
〃Tierce。
〃Quarte。〃
Conall had grasped the procedure by the second repetition and glanced eagerly at Tiercel when the first four were plete。
〃I can do that；〃 he said confidently。
〃Very well； then； you name the black ones；〃 Tiercel said； sitting back with fists braced on hips in good…natured challenge。 〃Just keep to the same order； starting with Quinte。〃
〃All right。〃
Narrowing all his concentration to the cube set diagonal to the white Prime； Conall touched it with a tentative forefinger and spoke its name：
〃Quinte。〃
The light that flared in the cube was an inky green…black rather than white like the first four； but Conall hardly even blinked as he shifted his attention to the black cube next to Seconde。
〃Sixte。〃
The second black cube lit to match Quinte's。
〃Septime 。。。 Octave；〃 Conall continued； activating the remaining two black cubes in rapid succession。 〃Is that all there is to it？〃
〃Hardly；〃 Tiercel replied； though he was grinning ear…to…ear and shaking his head slightly as if in disbelief。 〃They want balancing next。 Watch how I bine the elements…first； Prime to Quinte； with the intent to bring the pairs of opposites into harmony。〃
He closed his eyes for just an instant； re…collecting his focus； then picked up the white Prime and brought it down on its black counterpart； speaking the word of power as the two touched with a faint flash and bonded。
〃Primus！〃
When he withdrew his hand； an oblong； silvery rectoid stood where two cubes had been。 Conall gaped。
〃No questions yet；〃 Tiercel said； reaching for Seconde。 〃Just pay attention。 Some magical systems equate the ward ponents with the Elemental Lords and their Watchtowers； or the Archangels of the Quarters。 Some prefer the symbolism of the pillars。 All are valid conventions。 Watch again； now； while I do Secundus； and then I'll let you have a go at Tertius and Quartus。〃 He quirked a pleased grin at the prince。 〃God； I'm glad you're grown！ Teaching this to children can sometimes be so tedious…but I think you're going to get it right the first time。〃
〃Do you do that often？〃 Conall asked。 〃Teach children； I mean？〃
〃Often enough。 Be still； now。〃
Tiercel brought Seconde above Sixte； paused to draw a deep breath； then gently brought the white cube down on the black as he spoke its balance mnemonic。
〃Secundus！ Now you do the other two；〃 he added； as he drew his hand away from a second silvery rectoid。
Conall plied without hesitation or difficulty； looking up expectantly as he drew his hand away from Quartus。
〃Now what？〃
〃Now es the tricky part； because there's some very specific visualization involved；〃 Tiercel said。 〃May I borrow your signet for a moment？〃
The ring； richly engraved gold on Conall's left little finger； bore the Haldane arms as differenced for a second son's eldest son： Nigel's bordured and crescent…charged Haldane lion overlaid with a label of three points。 Conall removed it without discussion； setting it； at Tiercel's direction； in the central space Tiercel made by moving the four towers a handspan farther apart。
〃Now； just watch； this first time；〃 Tiercel said； poising a forefinger above the tower that was Primus。 〃I want you to observe the effect before you're involved with it。〃
As Conall sat back a little with a nod； Tiercel drew another deep breath； his tawny eyes going hooded； and pointed to the four towers in quick succession as he spoke their names。
〃Primus； Secundus； Tertius； et Quartus…fiat lux！〃
Conall gasped as misty light flared up in a shallow dome over the towers； enclosing the ring； but he immediately leaned closer for a better look。
〃Is it solid？〃 he whispered。
〃Touch it and find out；〃 Tiercel replied。 〃Go ahead；〃 he added； at Conall's hesitation。 〃It won't hurt you…not set this way； at any rate。〃
〃I suppose that's meant to be reassuring；〃 Conall muttered； prodding tentatively with a fingertip。 It felt not quite solid； and made his finger tingle； as when an arm or leg went to sleep； but the sensation was not painful。
〃Poke a little harder；〃 Tiercel suggested； watching him closely。
Conall plied。 His finger encountered more resistance； and a stronger tingling sensation； the farther he pushed it in； but even when he tried with all his strength； he could not quite manage to touch his ring。
〃That's enough of that；〃 Tiercel finally said； gesturing for him to pull back。 〃Now I'm going to make a subtle alteration。〃 He held his hand over the domelet for a few seconds； not doing anything that Conall could detect； then blinked and glanced up at Conall again。 〃Now touch it。〃
Conall started to obey； but a blue…violet spark arced between the dome and his fingertip with painful consequences before he could even make contact。 He gasped as he wrenched his hand away； looking up at Tiercel with only thinly veiled anger as he nursed his wounded finger in his mouth。 It was all but blistered at the tip。
〃What the devil did you do that for？〃 he demanded。
〃So you would have some inkling of what this spell could do；〃 Tiercel said mildly。 〃Now suppose it were covering an entire room rather than just your ring。 Do you remember the protective dome that Kelson and Charissa raised； when they fought at Kelson's coronation？〃
〃Of course；〃 Conall breathed。 〃But they didn't use ward cubes…did they？〃
〃No。 But some of the principles are the same。 Actually； the first version is the more useful for general purposes…and there are variations between。〃 Tiercel passed his hand over the dome again； then turned his palm briefly toward Conall。 〃Now try it again。〃
〃Is it going to kill me this time； instead of just burning me？〃 Conall asked； still sucking resentfully at his wounded fingertip。
〃e； now。 Would I kill you； after all the work I've put into you in the past year？〃
Conall only snorted in answer； but after taking a deep breath； he did reach out gingerly to touch the dome again。 This time； his finger passed through its misty outline with no more sensation than going through fog。 With elation in his eyes； he speared the ring with his fingertip and pulled it out； looking up at Tiercel in triumph。
〃Got it！〃
〃Of course。 That time； the wards were attuned to you。 Now； put it back； and I'll show you how we dismantle the wards。 Then I'll let you practice。〃
Two hours later； Conall had formed and neutralized the wards several times under Tiercel's supervision…though only in the primary； non…lethal mode…and was confident he could now do so without assistance if the need arose。
〃Hmmm； I daresay