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ne； whose childhood fantasies had been shaped of images like this； knew a moment of sheer delight。
At which point a lithe； feral figure； shimmering with jewelry； swung easily through the window into the room。 He landed lightly beside Jennifer； and she felt a wandering hand stroke her hair before he spoke。
〃Who makes this noise at such an hour？ Can a soldier not sleep at night in his father's palace without… why； Gorlaes！ And Metran！ And here is Loren！ You have returned； Silvercloak…and with our visitors； I see。 In the very teeth of time。〃 The insolence of his voice filled the room。 〃Gorlaes； send quickly； my father will want to wele them immediately。〃
〃The King；〃 the Chancellor replied stiffly； 〃is indisposed； my lord Prince。 He sent me…〃
〃He can't e？ Then I must do the family honors myself。 Silvercloak； would you 。 。 。 ？〃
And so Loren carefully introduced them again。 And 〃A peach！〃 said Diarmuid dan Ailell； bending； slowly； to kiss Jennifer's hand。 Against her will； she laughed。 He didn't hurry the kiss。
When he straightened； though； his words were formal； and both of his arms were raised in a wide gesture of ritual。 〃I wele you now；〃 he began； and Kevin； turning instinctively； saw the benign countenance of Gorlaes contort； for a blurred instant； with fury。 〃I wele you now；〃 Diarmuid said； in a voice stripped of mockery； 〃as guest…friends of my father and myself。 The home of Ailell is your home； your honor is ours。 An injury done you is an injury to ourselves。 And treason to the Oak Crown of the High King。 Be wele to Paras Derval。 I will personally attend to your fort for tonight。〃 Only on the last phrase did the voice change a little； as the quick eyes； malicious and amused； flashed to Jennifer's。
She flushed again； but he had already turned。 〃Gorlaes；〃 he said softly； 〃your retainers appear to have collapsed。 I have been told； in the few hours since I've been back from South Keep； of entirely too much drinking among them。 I know it is a festival； but really 。 。 。 ？〃 And the tone was so mild； so very reproachful。 Kevin fought to keep a straight face。 〃Coll；〃 Diarmuid went on； 〃have four rooms made ready on the north side； please； and quickly。〃
〃No。〃 It was Jennifer。 〃Kim and I will share。 Just three。〃 She resolutely avoided looking at the Prince。 Kimberly； watching him； decided that his eyebrows went higher than they had any right to go。
〃We will； too；〃 said Paul Schafer quietly。 And Kevin felt his pulse leap。 Oh； Abba； he thought； maybe this will do it for him。 Maybe it will。
〃I'm too hot。 Why is it so hot everywhere？〃 Metran； First of the Mages； asked； of no one in particular。
The north side of the palace； opposite the town； overlooked a walled garden。 When they were finally alone in their room Kevin opened the glass doors and stepped out onto a wide stone balcony。 The moon； waning； was high overhead； bright enough to illuminate the shrubs and the few flowers below their room。
〃Not much of a garden；〃 he mented； as Paul came out to join him。
〃There's been no rain； Diarmuid said。〃
〃That's true。〃 There was silence。 A light breeze had finally e up to cool the evening。
〃Have you noticed the moon？〃 Paul asked； leaning on the parapet。
Kevin nodded。 〃Larger； you mean？ Yes； I did。 Wonder what effect that has？〃
〃Higher tides； most likely。〃
〃I guess。 And more werewolves。〃
Schafer gave him a wry look。 〃I wouldn't be surprised。 Tell me； what did you think about that business back there？〃
〃Well； Loren and Diarmuid seem to be on the same side。〃
〃It looks that way。 Matt's not very sure of him。〃
〃Somehow that doesn't surprise me。〃
〃Really。 What about Gorlaes？ He was pretty quick to call in the marines。 Was he just following orders； or…〃
〃Not a chance； Paul。 I saw his face when Diarmuid made us guest…friends。 Not happy； my friend。〃
〃Really？〃 Schafer said。 〃Well； that simplifies things at least。 I'd like to know more about this Jaelle； though。 And Diarmuid's brother； too。〃
〃The nameless one？〃 Kevin intoned lugubriously。 〃He of no name？〃
Schafer snorted。 〃Funny man。 Yes； him。〃
〃We'll figure it out。 We've figured things out before。〃
〃I know；〃 said Paul Schafer； and after a moment gave a rare smile。
〃Oh； Romeo； Romeo； wherefore art thou Romeo？〃 came a plaintive cry from off to their left。 They looked over。 Kim Ford； languishing for all she was worth； swayed towards them from the next balcony。 The leap was about ten feet。
〃I'm ing！〃 Kevin responded instantly。 He rushed to the edge of their own balcony。
〃Oh； fly to me！〃 Kimberly trilled。 Jennifer； behind her； began almost reluctantly to laugh。
〃I'm ing！〃 Kevin repeated； ostentatiously limbering up。 〃You two all right there？〃 he asked； in mid…flex。 〃Been ravished yet？〃
〃Not a chance；〃 Kim lamented。 〃Can't find anyone who's man enough to jump to our balcony。〃
Kevin laughed。 〃I'd have to do it pretty fast；〃 he said； 〃to get there before the Prince。〃
〃I don't know；〃 Jennifer Lowell said； 〃if anyone can move faster than that guy。〃
Paul Schafer； hearing the banter begin； and the laughter of the two women； moved to the far end of the balcony。 He knew； very well； that the frivolity was only a release from tension； but it wasn't something to which he had access any more。 Resting his own ringless； fine…boned hands on the railing； he gazed out and down at the denuded garden below。 He stood there； looking about him； but not really seeing： the inner landscape demanded its due。
Even had Schafer been carefully scanning the shadows； though； it is unlikely that he would have discerned the dark creature that crouched behind a clump of stunted shrubs； watching him。 The desire to kill was strong upon it； and Paul had moved to within easy range of the poison darts it carried。 He might have died then。
But fear mastered bloodlust in the figure below。 It had been ordered to observe； and to report； but not to kill。
So Paul lived； observed； oblivious； and after a time he drew a long breath and lifted his eyes from sightless fixation on the shadows below。
To see a thing none of the others saw。
High on the stone outer wall enclosing the garden stood an enormous grey dog； or a wolf； and it was looking at him across the moonlit space between； with eyes that were not those of a wolf or a dog； and in which lay a sadness deeper and older than anything Paul had ever seen or known。 From the top of the wall the creature stared at him the way animals are not supposed to be able to do。 And it called him。 The pull was unmistakable； imperative； terrifying。 Looming in night shadow it reached out for him； the eyes； unnaturally distinct； boring into his own。 Paul touched and then twisted his mind away from a well of sorrow so deep he feared it could drown him。 Whatever stood on the wall had endured and was still enduring a loss that spanned the worlds。 It dwarfed him； appalled him。
And it was calling him。 Sweat cold on his skin in the summer night； Paul Schafer knew that this was one of the things caught up in the chaotic vision Loren's searching had given him。
With an effort brutally physical； he broke away。 When he tur