"Then what would you have us do?" Aradia demanded. "Go on as we are and spread our influence ever farther with ever less strength? We are four; soon we will be seven. We will trust Ivorn, Julia-but what of Torio? Lenardo, you know him and trust him, and we take your word. But what happens when Torio brings someone else into our alliance, or Julia does, or any one of us? What happens when we are ten? Twenty? A hundred? Your empire has a senate, Lenardo, but it cannot rule without one person who can make final decisions."

"Not my empire any longer," he reminded her. "You need not fear that I have any lingering loyalties there."

"I don't. I am pointing out that there must be one voice above the rest when many voices disagree. The Aventine succession is foolish; the whole system of suppressing those with powers is ridiculous. The person who rules here must be the person with the greatest powers."

"And if he is another Drakonius?" asked Wulfston.

"Then," said Lenardo, "the council has the power to eject him."

Lilith gasped. "You are turning to Aradia's side, Lenardo?"

"Only insofar as she is right," he replied. "Our alliance has weathered two attacks now. Other lords will wonder what we have, and some will want to join us. Aradia is right that our ranks will grow and that we must formalize our government. Casual agreements among four friends have worked tolerably well so far, but we all agree, I think, that they will not work much longer."

"Then what do you suggest?" Lilith asked.

"A government based not on the Aventine system but on the organization of the Academies. Right now that system is being tested by Portia and her cohorts, but other Master Readers are already working to weed out the corruption. Aradia is right that those with power must rule, but there must be safeguards on them, such as the Council of Masters. Portia will not hold her office much longer. She is corrupt, but the system is not.

"What I propose, then, is a council to which every Lord Adept and Reader automatically belongs by virtue of his powers. The one who can demonstrate the greatest power will have the deciding vote in matters of dispute. But," he added, Reading Aradia's glee and the strong reservations still held by Wulfston and Lilith, "there must be safeguards. The Readers have only the protection of the Reader's Oath, but it is a strong protection. I saw clearly that Portia had forfeited a large portion of her powers by violating her Oath."

"You propose such an oath for Adepts?" Lilith asked.

"Yes. An Oath and a Law that will pass from one generation to another, long after we are gone. Something beyond personal loyalties, beyond family ties-an Oath every Reader and Adept must honor, no matter how he may disagree with us in other matters."

"And it would be our duty," said Lilith, beginning to like the idea, "to formulate such an oath."

"Yes," Lenardo said. "You may be certain we will have many disputes before we are satisfied, but it will be worth all of them."

"What happens," Aradia asked skeptically, "if a Lord Adept breaks this marvelous Oath?"

"I should think," Lenardo said, "that the other safeguard would be obvious to you, Aradia. Adepts can join their powers. You are the most powerful Adept here. My powers are minimal, but Lilith and Wulfston are powerful Adepts. Would you care to stand against the three of us-" he took Wulfston's hand on top of the table, and the black Adept took the cue and grasped Lilith's hand with bis other "-if we linked our powers against you?"

Aradia stared at them, and for one horrible moment Lenardo feared that she actually would strike some blow at them. But then she smiled, her wolflike grin merging into a laugh. "Oh, Lenardo, you are certainly learning quickly how to use power." She took his hand and Lilith's, completing the circle. "You win," she said. "We'll form a council, and we'll formulate an Oath. It won't be easy."

"Nothing as important as this can be easy," said Wulfston.

"But it will be worth the effort," Lilith said, her eyes shining.

They left it at that and after deciding on the division of lands for the next day's ceremony left the room to join the celebration. Lenardo stopped hi the doorway and looked back at the bare room with its plain wooden table and four mismatched chairs. Aradia turned to see why he had not followed her, and then she laughed.

"The council chamber in which was formed the new empire-the greatest the world has ever known."

"Not an empire-" Lenardo began, but Aradia put a finger over his lips.

"Semantics again," she said. "Call it what you want, it's still an empire. Call us what you want, we'll still rule. Can you Read how proud of you I am, Lenardo, and how much I love you?"

She kissed him, and he held her slight, lithe body close, knowing the power in her. But I have power, too, and I don't fear to use it anymore. Confidently, he took her hand and led her out to join the celebration in the forum.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jean Lorrah has a Ph.D. in Medieval British Literature. She is a Professor of English at Murray State University in Kentucky. Her first professional publications were nonfic-tion; her fiction was published in fanzines for years before her first pro novel appeared in 1980. She maintains a close relationship with sf fandom, appearing at conventions and engaging in as much fannish activity as time will allow. On occasion, she has the opportunity to combine her two loves of teaching and writing by teaching creative writing.