"Why did you bother to come here to me and tell me all of this?" he asked angrily. "Considering the barbaric, inhumane manner in which we were all brought here, not to mention your horrific plans for the rest of the slaves, drinking wine and engaging in conversation is a bit overcivilized, isn't it? If you're as powerful as you say, then why don't you just get on with it all?"

Krassus only smiled. "If that's how you feel, then tell me, Wulfgar: How would you prefer it be done?" He took another sip of wine.

"You could struggle, of course, and I could have my demonslavers beat and torture you," he went on calmly. "But that would be so pedestrian, don't you think? Besides, I need you healthy. You shall need all of your strength to survive what I am about to do to you. In the end, your struggle would only prove a waste of time and energy for us both-and given my condition, time is the one luxury I do not have. Also, should you be entertaining any heroic notions of trying to kill yourself to thwart me, know that from now on at least two armed demonslavers will be here with you, watching you every moment until my work with you is finished. Then our roles will be reversed, and you shall command me. And I shall gladly obey you for as much time as I may have left. But just now, there is something I must do."

Walking back inside, Krassus beckoned Wulfgar to join him. Realizing he had no choice, Wulfgar reluctantly did as he was asked.

Krassus pointed one hand in the direction of the balcony, and the azure glow of the craft started to appear. As it did, the wizard gracefully moved his hand back and forth, and the glow slowly began to cover the entire expanse of the doorway, creating a thin, transparent wall of blue. Krassus lowered his hand.

"A wizard's warp," he said casually. "Designed to prevent you and Serena from doing anything unpleasantly athletic. Such as a lovers' leap, for example. I have made it transparent, though, so that you might still enjoy the view. Given everything else you are about to endure, it would have been quite heartless of me to have taken that away from you, don't you agree?"

Wulfgar looked through the shimmering azure wall and out into the blackness of the night. "I will fight you; you must know that," he said softly, at the same time wondering how he might ever accomplish such a thing. "So will Serena. Somehow we will reach Tristan and Shailiha, and together we will kill you."

Krassus nodded knowingly. "Yes," he agreed. "You will no doubt struggle against all that is about to happen. At first, your blood will demand it of you. But then the left-leaning nature of your blood signature will take over, turning you toward your true calling. In the end it will not matter how much you struggle, for you cannot win. Nor can Serena. Eventually you will both understand, and thank me for the wondrous world I have lain before you. And then I shall die, leaving the rest of Nicholas' magnificent mission in your very capable hands."

Placing his hands into the opposite sleeves of his robe, he turned to leave, but then stopped. "There is still so much you do not know," he said softly, as if he were speaking to an uneducated child. "Things your unprepared mind and untrained blood are not yet ready to embrace. But they soon will be. In the meantime, I will have Serena sent back to you. Even if you tell her all that we spoke of tonight, in the end it will make no difference. So do with your newfound information what you will, and enjoy your time with her. In a few days we will begin our work together. But first there is research I must complete, and for that I need the R'talis slaves. Then, when I am finished, I will send for you. Be ready."

With that, Krassus called for his demonslavers. The bolt scratched its way across the other side of the door and three of the monsters sauntered in, armed to the teeth. Saying nothing more, Krassus walked from the room with one of them. The twin doors closed behind him with finality, leaving Wulfgar alone with the remaining two slavers.

As Wulfgar turned to look through the bizarre, transparent wall left by the wizard, his thoughts were again drawn to the hideous plans Krassus had for not only the other slaves, but also for the rest of the world.

For the first time since his capture in Farpoint, a single tear overcame the lower lid of one of his hazel eyes and rolled its way down one cheek.

CHAPTER

Thirty-six

S hailiha shifted her weight in the saddle as the bay gelding cantered across the broad, rolling field of barley. The wind created waves in the sea of ripe grain, and the sun, unusually warm for this time in the Season of New Life, lit the tan stalks with sparks of gold and amber. Smiling, she took a deep breath. The field smelled fertile with the promise of a good harvest, and she could hear the rose-colored valley swallows calling out to one another as they swooped through the clear sky, helping to create the seductive but misleading impression that all in the princess' nation was well.

Celeste rode beside her on Pilgrim, Tristan's dappled gray stallion. Since coming to live with them, Celeste had been learning to ride. Now, several months later, she could very nearly hold her own with the best of them.

She had asked Shailiha's permission to use Tristan's horse today, and the princess had gladly agreed, aware that riding Pilgrim made Celeste feel closer to Tristan.

The horrific nightmare Celeste had suffered the night before had clearly been a turning point for her. After her initial terror had passed, an overpowering rage had rushed hotly, suddenly through her veins, and she had hurried to talk with Shailiha. Her feelings-anger, fear, shame-had come pouring out, and at last had finally crumbled away. And for the first time in three centuries, her denial of her past finally departed, as well. In its place had arrived a sense of acceptance. With that newfound acceptance had finally come the freedom and the desire to taste all of the good things available to her in her new life. And the thirst her soul most desperately wished to quench was to tell Tristan how much she truly cared.

And to be with him.

Unfortunately, the best she could do for now was to ride his horse in the company of his twin sister-and her best friend.

Smiling at Celeste, Shailiha suggested that they stop for lunch and a rest in a nearby grove of trees. Celeste nodded her agreement and touched her heels to Pilgrim's flanks, urging him toward the end of the field. Laughing, Shailiha followed.

After securing their mounts and untying the two saddlebags, the women sat down in the shade of the trees. The deep, green carpet of grass was lush and soft, and it felt good to be off the horses for a time. Opening the saddlebags, Shailiha removed some cold seasoned grouse, fresh fruit, and dark bread. She also produced a bottle of very good white wine and two wooden cups. Eating and drinking in companionable silence, they took in the stillness of the countryside and the warm, soft breeze that came visiting from time to time. High above, Ox and his Minion squadron circled lazily in the sky. In truth Shailiha had at first been disappointed to know that she and Celeste were going to be chaperoned. But now, seeing the silhouettes of the powerful Minion wings against the blue background, she felt comforted.

At last Celeste spoke. "You think Tristan's still alive, don't you?" she asked quietly.

Taking a deep breath, Shailiha looked out over the field. "I don't just think it," she said with conviction. "I know it."

"As much as I love hearing you say it, how can you be so sure?"

Shailiha looked down at the glittering medallion lying around her neck. Then she held it up for Celeste to see. "Call it intuition, if you like," she answered. "But ever since I first found this around my neck and I came out from under the awful spells the Coven had placed on me, I have felt far more connected to him than ever before. In my heart I have always thought there is more to these medallions we wear than first meets the eye. They are twins, just as we are. And I believe there is meaning in that." Sighing, she let the bit of shiny gold fall back to her chest.