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Shaine looked at Carillon。 Slowly he rose to his feet； taller man his heir only by virtue of the dais； staring at him in amazement。
〃Carillon。。。〃 he whispered。
〃A fool；〃 Carillon repeated。
But Shaine was not undone by Carillon's unexpected presence。 He was a king before all else； and could still mand a powerful presence when he chose。
〃You will not speak to me until you find the proper words of respect to your liege lord。〃
The prince laughed openly。 〃Respect。 You have earned none of mine； uncle。〃
Shaine's gray eyes glared。 His voice dropped to the ominous tone Alix recalled so clearly。
〃I will excuse your poor manners this once。 Doubtless you grieve for your father； and you appear to have been poorly treated at Keough's hands。 But I will not hear such words from you again。〃
Carillon smiled grimly。 〃My father is fortunate in his death； uncle。 He does not face the knowledge that die Mujhar has failed Homana。 / have to deal with that。。。 and so must you。〃
〃You call me a fool！〃 Shaine roared。 〃What do you know of the things I have had to order these past months？ What do you know of the harsh decisions I have had to make？〃
〃Safe within your walls！〃 Carillon shouted back。 〃/ have
been ita me field with thousands of Homanan soldiers＋some of
them boys！ What do you know of that； my lord Mujhar？ You
make the mands＋we carry them out。 And we are the ones
who die beneath Bellam and Keough's hordes； uncle＋notyout〃
Shaine's face congested。 〃You would have me die； men； my lord heir？ So you may do better in my place？ Is that what you seek？〃
Carillon was rigid。 〃I want Homana safe again； my lord Mujhar。 And you alive to see it。〃
Before Shaine could reply a quiet voice echoed down the hall。 〃And / want you alive as well； Shaine the Mujhar。 Else I cannot have the pleasure of taking your life。〃
Alix stiffened as Finn threw the words down the hall； moving to approach the Mujhar。 Storr padded at his side silently。 She sensed me wolf's loyalty to Finn more strongly than ever before。 She nearly went after them both； suddenly frightened； but Dun…can kept her back。
〃It is for him to do；〃 he said softly。 〃It is his tahlmorra。〃
〃He will slay him！〃
〃Perhaps。 Be silent； Alix。 This is for Finn to do。〃
She clenched her teeth and turned back； hating the calm acceptance in Duncan's broken voice。 Like him； she could only watch。
Finn stopped before the dais。 He waited；
Shaine stared at him。 Color drained from his face until only a death mask remained。 His lips were bluish； hands shaking。 An inarticulate sound burst from his throat。 Then he swallowed visibly and forced a single word between his lips。
〃ffaie。〃
Finn laughed。 〃No。 His son。〃
〃Hale is。。。 slain。。。〃
〃By your order。〃
〃He had to die。。。 had to。。。〃 Shaine stiffened before Finn and brushed a trembling hand across his staring eyes。 〃He had to die。〃
〃WAy？〃
Shaine blinked。 〃He took her away。 Lindir； My daughter。〃
He swallowed。 〃Took her from me。〃
〃She chose to go。 You drove her away； my lord Mujhar。 You。 Lindir left Homana…Mujhar of her own will； because she desired it。 Because she desired a Cheysuli！〃
〃No！〃
〃Aye； my lord！〃
Carillon stepped toward the Cheysuli。 〃Finn＋〃
〃Silence yourself； princeling！〃 Finn snapped。 〃This is a thing between men。〃
〃Finn！〃
〃Go； princeling。 You have served your purpose… You have delivered the Mujhar to me； as I have long desired。〃 Finn glared at him。 〃Go。〃
Alix started forward but Duncan's hand inexorably drew her back。
Carillon turned again to his uncle。 〃This is your doing！ Once the Cheysuli served Homanan kings more faithfully man ＋ now they seek only to destroy the man who ordered the qu'mohlin。 Is this what you wanted？〃
Shaine's face was deathly white。 His breath came hoarse and loud。 〃Hale。。。 it is Hale。。。〃
〃No！〃 Carillon shouted。
The Mujhar's face cleared and sense crept back into his blank eyes。 He looked upon Finn a long moment； then reached out to point at the Cheysuli。
〃I will not suffer a shapechanger in my presence。 In my realm… I have ordered your race destroyed and I will have it done。 / will have it done！〃
The roar swept through the hall。 Finn met it with a smile。 〃He was your sworn man； Shaine me Mujhar。 A Cheysuli blood…oath… He fought for you； slew for you； loved you as his liege lord。 And you had him slain like some crazed beast。〃
〃Finn；〃 Duncan said at last。
Shaine's eyes sharpened as he looked past Finn and Carillon。
His chest heaved。
〃No。〃 He choked。 〃Not the Cheysuli。。。〃
Carillon glanced at him。 〃My lord？〃
The Mujhar's breath was uneven； 〃I＋will＋not＋have＋ Cheysuli＋here。。。〃
〃It seems you have little choice； uncle。〃
〃I will not have it！〃 Shaine moved to the throne and drew a scarlet silk bag from its cushioned seat。 He turned back to them with an expression of gloating triumph in his eyes。 Slowly he poured glowing blue cubes into me palm of one hand。
Carillon stared。 〃The wards＋？〃
〃Hale*s； given to me forty years ago。。。 should I ever face harsh odds。 There are no more in all of Homana。〃 Shaine swallowed as heavy color rushed into his face。 〃They have kept the Ihlini from Homana…Mujhar。 It is the only thing。 And I will willingly destroy them if only to destroy the Cheysuli！〃
Surprising them all with his swiftness； the Mujhar moved agilely to the coals of the firepit。 Carillon said something incoherently and leaped for him； grabbing for me outstretched hand clutching the blue cubes。…Finn drew his knife and advanced。
But the Mujhar was too quick。
Blue flames roared up as the wards burned。 Eerie illumination crept across Shaine's tortured features。 He stood stiffly before his nephew and Finn。
〃I declared qu'mahlin on the Cheysuli twenty…five years ago；〃 he rasped。 〃It has not ended！〃
Alix gasped。 She saw Shaine look past Finn； and as his eyes fell on her face she saw loathing enter them。
〃Shapechanger。。。〃 he hissed。 〃Shapechanger1。〃 He drew a gasping breath and pointed at her。 〃My daughter gave her life in exchange for a halfling witch！〃
Alix stared at him in shock and mute pain； stunned by the virulence of his hatred。 Then Finn said something in the Old Tongue and lifted his knife to strike…Carillon leaped； grabbing the raised arm。 Finn spun to dislodge him but a garbled sound broke from the Mujhar's throat and stopped them both。
Shaine fell slowly forward to his knees。 His eyes remained locked on Alix； but his face was no longer that of a sane man。 It twitched； discolored； and he pitched loosely onto the stones。
Alix was frozen in horror。 She saw Finn standing over the Mujhar； still clasping his knife。
Silence reigned。 No one moved； as if made immobile by the sudden collapse of Shaine。 Then Finn turned a strangely impassive face to Carillon。
〃Is he slain； princeling？ Is the Mujhar dead at last？〃
Carillon knelt by Shaine's side。 Carefully he turned the body over and they all saw the twisted travesty of a face。 Alix gulped back a sour taste in her throat。
After a moment Carillon lowered the body and rose； facing Finn bitterly。 〃You have acplished your goal； shapechanger；〃 he said flatly。 〃The Mujhar is slain。〃
Alix began to tremble。 She saw an expression in Finn'