"I suggest you read it over carefully."

"Let's see; the crest is in order, and it's dated the third day of Lithion. That should be right.

"My Dear Lycenias i Marron, allow me to again proffer my heartfelt thanks for a most enjoyable-" Yes, yes, the usual rubbish; fine hunting, laudable companionship, what a—" He broke off with an incredulous laugh.

"Bilairy's Balls, Nysander! It appears I'm thanking him for several nights of carnal pleasure, as well. As if I'd take on that reeking tub of guts!"

"Keep reading; it gets worse."

Seregil read on, eyes flashing indignantly, but an instant later he went pale. Carrying the letter to the window, he inspected it closely, then reread it.

"What's wrong?" Alec demanded.

"This isn't good." Seregil tugged at a stray strand of hair as he studied the note. "For all intents and purposes, this is my handwriting, right down to the great flourish connecting the final word of the letter to my signature-which I always do to prevent exactly what has somehow happened here."

"Someone's changed what it says?"

"They certainly have. "Regarding Tarin Dhial, you may rest assured of my complete support." No, this isn't good at all!"

"I don't understand. What's wrong?" Alec said, turning to Nysander.

"Tarin Dhial is an encrypted form of the name of a Plenimaran spy caught buying information from several Skalan nobles," Nysander explained. "They were all executed as traitors two months ago."

"Argragil and Mortain," said Seregil, nodding thoughtfully.

"Both guests of Lycenias that same week I was there. I had no idea what they were up to at the time! I suppose you've checked this for magic?"

"Not a trace. Unless you can prove forgery, this could be most damaging."

"But how did you come into possession of it?"

"It was sent anonymously to Lord Barien this morning."

"The Viceregent?"

"Oh, yes. Fortunately I have several Watchers among his staff. One of them recognized your seal and waylaid the document before it was seen. There may be other copies, however. I shudder to contemplate the colossal scandal that could arise should one of these fall into the wrong hands. Such embarrassment for the Queen is unthinkable, a perfect coup for the Lerans!"

Unnoticed by the others, Alec looked up sharply at this last comment, then stole a quick glance at Seregil's face. Certain suspicions he'd been nursing for some time were beginning to take clearer shape.

"There are only three forgers capable of this quality," Seregil mused.

"Fortunately, two of them are right here in the city.

It shouldn't take long to find out if they're involved. I've already tried to tie them into the Vardarus business with no success. Still, for something as large as this, I can't imagine the Lerans going too far afield. They're better organized than usual but probably still fiercely insular. That's always been their undoing in the past."

"I shall leave it to you for the time being," said Nysander, standing to go. "Keep me closely informed and if things should turn ugly, depend on me to remove you from harm's way. Farewell, Alec."

"If things turn ugly for me, then you'll have problems of your own!" Seregil warned, accompanying him to the door.

"Seregil? Is all this because you're Aurлnfaie?" Alec blurted out suddenly.

Thunderstruck, Seregil turned to stare at him. "Where did you near that?"

"You mean after all this time you still had not told him?" exclaimed Nysander, equally shocked.

"Then it's true?" Alec was grinning now.

"Actually, I was waiting for him to figure it out for himself," Seregil countered, shifting uncomfortably under Nysander's displeased gaze. "Well done, Alec. I'm just surprised it took you so long."

"Indeed?" Nysander said, giving him a last dark look. "Then the two of you have much to discuss. I shall leave you to it. Farewell!"

Returning to the table, Seregil sank his head in his hands. "Really, Alec. Of all the moments to choose!"

"I'm sorry," Alec said, coloring hotly. "It just came out."

"Who told you? Thryis? Cilia? Someone at the Orлska?"

"I figured it out myself, just now," Alec admitted. "It's the only explanation that makes sense. The way your friends speak of you, all the stories—after a while I began to wonder how someone so young could have done so much. I mean, looking at you I'd say you were no more than twenty-five, but Micum's older than that and he spoke once of meeting you when he was a young man, so you must be a lot older than you look. Once I figured that out, then things you'd told me or refused to tell me came back and I started wondering even more. Like why half the books here are written in Aurлnfaie—"

"How in the world did you know that?"

"Nysander showed me some Aurлnfaie writing while we were staying at the Orлska House. I can't read it, but I recognize the characters. I've had plenty of time to poke around, you know, all these nights you've been gone."

"Very enterprising of you," said Seregil, wincing a bit as the barb struck home. "But why didn't you ask earlier?"

"I still wasn't sure until Nysander said it would be a terrible scandal if the Lerans could make you out to be a traitor. Micum and Nysander both said you're related to the Queen. The best thing for the Lerans would be if a relative of the Queen who is also a friend to her daughter, former apprentice to her favorite wizard, and an Aurлnfaie was caught selling information to the Plenimarans."

Alec hesitated. "You're not angry, are you? I'm sorry I just blurted it out like that in front of Nysander but suddenly it was all—"

"Angry?" Seregil laughed, raising his head at last. "Alec, you constantly exceed my highest expectations!"

"Except at swordplay."

"But we've settled that. Go on now. Pack whatever you think you'll want." Jumping up, Seregil headed for his room. "I've got an extra saddle somewhere. And be sure to take your bow. Beka's quite an archer herself."

"You're not still sending me away?" exclaimed Alec, crestfallen.

"And why wouldn't I?"

"With everything Nysander just told you? How can we just ride off like that with you in trouble?"

"I can be back in town by tomorrow evening."

"So you're getting me out of the way!"

Going to Alec, Seregil clasped him gently by the back of the neck and looked earnestly into his eyes. "This is dangerous work. How can I concentrate on the task at hand if I'm constantly worrying about losing you down some dark alley during a chase? I won't feel right taking you along until I think you have some way of protecting yourself. That's why it's so important for you to learn to use your sword. Go to Micum; learn from him. He can teach you more in a week than I could in half a year, I promise."

"You never thought I was so helpless before we got to Rhнminee," Alec grumbled, trying to pull away.

Seregil tightened his grip slightly, holding him in place. "Oh, you're anything but helpless, my friend. We both know that." Releasing him, he added, "But trust me when I tell you that you haven't yet seen the Rhнminee I know."

"But what about the Lerans? Can you leave with all that going on?"

"That letter was delivered this morning, so it will be at least a day or two before they begin to guess that

it's missing. Even then, I doubt they'll act right away."

"Why not? If they have another copy they could just deliver it to someone else."

"They won't do anything until they learn what happened to the first copy, and that's not going to happen until I'm ready to let them," Seregil assured him with caret a grim smile. "Now go get packed. The day's half over already and we still have to buy you a horse!"