But first he would need to consult the Scroll of the Vagaries.

For the last two hours Krassus had been explaining his plan in great detail to the unbelieving man seated beside him, telling him why he had been brought here and what was about to happen to all of the other slaves, both Talis and R'talis alike. Some of it, the wizard had said, was already going forward at the hands of the consuls under his control.

As Krassus had gone on talking, the look of extreme horror on Wulfgar's face had turned to one of pure rage. At one point he had actually tried to attack the wizard. But Krassus had, of course, been able to control him, painfully but gently showing him the error of his ways. After that Wulfgar had simply paced, seething, knowing that there was nothing he could do but listen to the impossible-sounding plans of the wizard with the long, white hair and the strange gray-and-blue robe.

Krassus had fully expected Wulfgar to react this way. In fact, he would have been bitterly disappointed if the son of Morganna had not. But he also knew that Wulfgar's feelings would change soon enough. And there would be absolutely nothing Wulfgar would be able to do to prevent it.

When Krassus had explained that Wulfgar was in fact the bastard half sibling of Tristan and Shailiha, the Chosen Ones themselves, Wulfgar had laughed, calling the wizard insane. But after Krassus had explained to him about the wizards' orphanage and the fact that he had been given over to a couple named Jason and Selene of the House of Merrick, his derisive attitude had slowly subsided. And when Krassus had shown Wulfgar the blood signatures of all three of Morganna's offspring, and then gone on to explain how they had been formed by the craft, for a time Wulfgar had become strangely silent.

"Why Serena?" Wulfgar finally asked, his mood quieter now.

"What do you mean?" Krassus responded politely.

"It was painfully obvious that that freak Janus wanted us together, and in a very bad way," Wulfgar answered. "I had never asked for a woman. Yet there she suddenly was. Presented to me on a silver platter, to supposedly do with however I wished. I now partially regret to say that it worked. I care very much for her, as she does for me. But you know that already, don't you? So tell me, why was it so important to you that we meet?"

"I handpicked Serena for you myself, as the dead son of the Chosen One commanded me to do, just before his ill-fated attempt to empower the Gates of Dawn," Krassus answered perfunctorily. "Serena is not only quite beautiful, but also highly intelligent. The assay rating of her endowed blood makes her an excellent match for you. It is in fact a value of three-very high quality, indeed. And her blood signature leans far to the left, just as your does, making her even more suitable. But as of yet, of course, she is completely ignorant of such nuances."

Still confused, Wulfgar scowled at the thought of how easily he and Serena had been manipulated. But his love for her was real. Now he knew why she had been taken away by the demonslavers this morning: so that the wizard called Krassus could come here and speak to him privately. Suddenly more concerned than ever for Serena's well-being, he glared at the wizard sitting so calmly across from him.

"You still haven't answered my question," he demanded. "Why was she presented to me? It couldn't have simply been for our sexual gratification."

"No, no, of course not," Krassus answered happily, crossing his legs and taking a sip of the excellent red wine on the table before him. "Although an offspring from your union would certainly be useful, that is not my goal. Other, more pressing matters must take precedence. As I have told you, you will eventually become the ruler of not only this island, but a good deal more, as well. And every king needs a queen. The woman behind the throne, as they say. Serena was the obvious choice, and is also the woman you will no doubt bestow this honor upon when the time comes. When all is said and done, you will eventually find that the two of you are compatible in ways you could never have dreamed."

Wulfgar thought for a moment. "Assuming that all of this insanity is in fact true, how can you be so sure that I will choose Serena?"

"Because even though you don't realize it yet, you are a highly superior specimen of the craft," Krassus said calmly. "At some point even you will finally understand that only the best will do. Your position, the quality of your blood, and the left-leaning nature of your signature will eventually demand it. And Serena is without question the most highly qualified woman here."

"So you plan to do to Serena what you wish to do to me?" Wulfgar asked furiously. Guilt that he had somehow helped Krassus draw Serena into all of this piled on top of his anger, and he stood again and began pacing the balcony.

"Oh, no," Krassus answered. "When the time comes, that shall be your task. You will most assuredly want to do it yourself, to make sure her arrival into your new world is perfect in all respects."

"But if she is so important to you, why did you make her an outcast from the other slaves, feeding her fine food in their presence while they starve?" Wulfgar asked. "What possible purpose could that serve except to reinforce your cruelty?"

"Ah, yes," Krassus answered. "You see, it is time Serena began learning how to handle what will soon be her new station in life. As you will learn, the unendowed are little more than a natural resource for the endowed to exploit. Mere cattle, as it were. And becoming immune to the pleadings of those of lesser blood is an essential part of that realization. What better way to begin teaching her than to force her to watch her friends starve while she thrives? Besides, as I understand it, it was you who insisted that she receive better nourishment. Perhaps you should have been more careful with your words, Wulfgar. You know what they say: Be careful what you ask for, you might just get it."

Seething, Wulfgar stopped pacing for a moment to glare at the imperious, self-confident wizard. "And that freak of nature named Janus," he said angrily, "what rock did you find him under?"

Krassus gave a soft chuckle. "Interesting, isn't he?" he commented. "Nicholas suggested that I select a Eutracian of unendowed blood to help oversee the slaving operations. Far easier to kill, you see, than someone of endowed blood should something sour in the relationship. So I went shopping for an assistant in Bargainer's Square. That section of Tammerland is literally teeming with criminals for hire. Janus seemed an excellent choice." The wizard took another sip of wine.

"But I can sense how much you hate him, Wulfgar," Krassus added conspiratorially. "So once you have attained your potential, if you wish to kill him, then kill him. Frankly, I couldn't care less. Janus is merely a means to an end. Thugs like him are a kisa a dozen, so to speak."

A short smile finally crossed Wulfgar's lips. "If I can eventually kill Janus, then how do you know that I won't also kill you, and all of your demonslavers?" he asked. "I would enjoy that very much."

Krassus calmly took another sip of wine. "Because by then you won't want to," he answered. "As you will eventually see, you will need the slavers. And by that time, killing me would profit you nothing. As I told you, I now have a preordained life span. It came to me compliments of Nicholas, in the form of my rather inconvenient but very effective lung disease. A creative incentive granted to me by my master, designed not only to hurry me in my work but also to grace me with the greatest reward of all: to reside for all of eternity in the embrace of the Heretics of the Guild. So once you can, feel free to kill me. My fate is sealed one way or the other."

Wulfgar's emotions reeled between disbelief and hatred. Could this wizard actually be telling the truth? Or was he simply mad? And if it all really was true, then how could he, a simple blacksmith and livery owner, ever hope to stop it? How could one hope to defeat a madman of the craft?