Masques (Sianim #1)(59)

"Maybe," answered Wolf, starting to head toward Aralorn, who was swaying wearily as she finished her story, "but there are only two other entrances that I have found, and they were all heavily carved with runes. If this entrance is protected, I suspect that all of them are."

* * *

OUTSIDE, THE URIAH QUIETED AND SANK TO THEIR KNEES AS a rider came into view. His horse was lathered and sweating, showing the whites of its eyes in fear of the Uriah. But it had learned to trust its rider, and Lord Kisrah was careful to keep the Uriah motionless with the spells of control that the ae'Magi had taught him.

He dismounted near the entrance to the cave. The wall of flame had subsided somewhat when the Uriah backed away, but it was still higher than Lord Kisrah's head. He could see the runes just inside the entrance, but he couldn't touch them to alter their power.

He sketched a symbol in the air that glowed faintly yellow and passed easily through the flames. It touched a rune and the flames started to die down, low enough that he could see a man walk into the cave opening.

"You are not welcome. Leave this place." The man was almost inhumanly beautiful, and Lord Kisrah caught his breath in admiration. Abruptly the flames returned; for the first time Lord Kisrah could feel the heat on his face.

He hacked up and tried to push the flames down again with no effect. The third time he tried it, the Uriah began stirring as his hold on them weakened. With a curse, he desisted. He led the horse back through the Uriah until he had some space.

"You will stay here until the ae'Magi releases you," he ordered briskly. "If someone comes out of the cave, you will not harm them. Take them prisoner - you know how to contact me if that happens." He mounted the horse and let it choose its own speed away from the Uriah.

* * *

"THANK YOU, LORD KISRAH. I AM SURE THAT YOU DID YOUR best with the warding - but the old runes are tricky at best, and in the North they could easily be the work of one of the races that use green magic." The ae'Magi smiled graciously.

Lord Kisrah looked only a little less miserable in his seat in the ae'Magi's study. "I got a look at some of the runes there, and I'll look them up and see what can be done about them. The magician had no trouble with my spell, though. He's more worrisome than the runes."

"I agree, sir," purred the ae'Magi. "I intend to find out just who he is. Can you describe him for me again?"

Lord Kisrah nodded and set aside the warmed ale he'd been drinking. "He was no more than medium height. His hair was blond, I think, although it could have been light brown. His eyes were either blue or green - again, the light made it difficult to tell. He couldn't have been more than twenty-four or twenty-five and could have been younger except that he was so powerful. His voice was oddly accented, but he didn't say enough that I could tell much about the accent, other than the Rethian he spoke was not his native tongue."

"There was no way that his hair could have been darker? His eyes golden?" queried the ae'Magi softly.

Lord Kisrah shook his head. "No. His eyes, maybe. They were some light color. But his hair was light." He yawned abruptly.

The ae'Magi stood and offered his arm for support to the young nobleman. "I am sorry; I have kept you up talking and you are almost dropping from exhaustion." He led him to the door and opened it, clapping his hands lightly. Before he clapped a second time, a pretty young serving girl appeared.

"Take Lord Kisrah to the blue room, Rhidan, and see to his comfort." The ae'Magi turned to his guest. "Pray follow the girl - she will attend to your every need. If you want anything, just ask."

Lord Kisrah brightened visibly and wished him a good night.

Alone in his study, the ae'Magi brooded, disliking the thought of yet another magician in his way. Abruptly he got to his feet; all this worry could do no good. It was too late at night to try to think and he was too frustrated to sleep. He motioned abruptly to the pale young girl who had sat in her corner, unnoticed by Lord Kisrah. Obedient to his gesture, she dropped the clothes she wore and stood naked and submissive before him.

He cupped her chin in one hand and stroked her body gently with the other. "Tonight," he said, "I have something special in mind for you."

Chapter Ten

Aralorn went back to work taking care of the children to give herself something to do. It was harder than it had been before. There was no place for them to run and play, and they were restless with the Uriah just outside. To distract them, Aralorn taught them the letters of the alphabet and how they fit together to form words. And then she told stories until she was hoarse.

"So Kai bet the whole troop that he could sneak into camp and steal the pot of coffee on the coals with no one seeing him." Seated on a bump in the floor, Aralorn checked to make sure that most of the children were listening. "He and Talor were raised in a Trader Clan, just like Stanis. When he was little he learned how to be very quiet and to sit still in shadows so no one could see him.

"That night they doubled the guard on the camp and assigned a special guard just to follow Kid around. Two men sat and just watched the coffeepot. But despite all of that, the next morning the pot was gone. The guard who was supposed to be following Kai around had actually been following Talor, who looked enough like his twin to be mistaken for him in the dark." Aralorn smiled at her intent audience. Stories about the twins were always guaranteed attention-holders.