“Believe it!” Rinaldo snapped. “Believe I mean every word of it, my brother. God has sent a pestilence upon this land and I am the instrument of its cure—”

Entirely out of patience, Regis interrupted, “Oh, go and preach to the crows! I’ve had enough! Danilo, I hereby revoke the transfer of your oath to this—this—to my brother, and require of you all allegiance and service as my paxman.”

His face somber and unrevealing, Danilo inclined his head, the salute of a Comyn lord to one of higher rank, to Regis.

“ Vai dom. I am yours to command.” As I have always been.

“You—you can’t do this! I am Lord Hastur, your sworn liege! I am King!” For a breathless moment, Rinaldo glanced about the chamber. The other members of his council refused to meet his eyes. Tiphani had stopped sobbing, her face as pale as marble.

“Lady,” Regis said to her, “my counsel, if you will have it, is for you to return to your husband. He cares deeply for you. In the days to come, your son will need both his parents.”

She stood there, stunned, until Gabriel led her to the door and delivered her into the care of one of the Guardsmen. Although she left the chamber docilely enough, Regis caught the look of pure malice that she directed, not at himself, but at Rinaldo.

Regis broke the awkward silence. “Rinaldo, you and I are not finished. What I have to say to you next concerns not only Hastur but all the Domains. According to law as well as custom, any such action must be witnessed by the Comyn. In the absence of a formal Council, we will accommodate tradition as best we can.”

“What are you talking about? I am King! You cannot make me do anything! As for the Comyn, they are without consequence. I do not grant them any rights whatsoever over me.”

“But I do.I summon you to answer me in the Crystal Chamber. There, as has been custom since the Ages of Chaos, we will discuss the future of Hastur. I will not insist we meet immediately. You and your lady wife deserve time to mourn your loss,” for although there had never been an actual pregnancy in fact, it had existed in their minds and hearts. “Therefore, the hearing will take place tomorrow at this very hour before all members of our caste who can be assembled.”

Rinaldo gaped at him. Regis thought ruefully that if he had been decisive to begin with, matters would never have deteriorated to this point. But that opportunity, like last winter’s snows, was gone past recall.

“I warn you,” Regis went on, “to take no precipitous action during this time. I have issued a summons to you, and a truce now exists between us until the matter is resolved.”

Around the room, heads nodded. The Guardsmen looked frankly relieved.

“If you do not behave with honor or if you fail to appear at the Crystal Chamber,” Regis added, aware of the tightness in his jaw, “then all the world will know you have agreed to whatever I decide in your absence. Think hard on it, my brother,for you may not care for the result.”

Regis did not wait for an answer. Giving the council members a scowl worthy of his grandfather, he strode through the door, with Danilo and Gabriel a half pace behind.

34

“Have you gone mad?” Gabriel asked Regis as the three men hurried from the main part of the Castle and crossed a series of courtyards to the nearest gate.

Regis felt the subtle, sustaining touch of Danilo’s laran. I could not do this without him, any more than I could have come this far without Linnea.

“No,” Regis answered with a ghost of a smile. “For the first time in far too long, I have gone sane.”

The gate was locked from the inside, but it was unguarded. Regis lifted the latch. “Gabriel, you must return to Javanne and tell her what happened. I will need both of you present tomorrow. You have a rightful claim to represent Alton in Lew’s absence.”

Gabriel’s eyes darkened with understanding. “By all the gods, you mean to do it.”

“In full view of the Comyn, whatever is left of us. In order for the outcome to be binding, the challenge must be seen as legitimate beyond question.”

“We’ll be there,” Gabriel said. “And Mikhail as well. He sent word he expects to arrive late today, bringing Kennard-Dyan with him.”

The news gave Regis an unexpected lift to his spirits. Danilo breathed, “What a stroke of luck.”

“Mikhail left Ardais as soon as he received word about his sister’s abduction,” Gabriel explained. “He meant to comfort his mother, although he could not have known what would come next. He has an extraordinary sense of timing, if I say so myself.”

“He will be most welcome,” Regis said. With a bow, Gabriel withdrew back into the Castle.

Regis and Danilo headed for the town house in silence. Regis drank in the comfort of having Danilo once again by his side. There was still work to be done, work that only Danilo could do.

“Danilo, once you accomplished wonders gathering together a temporary Council when we debated the question of Federation membership,” Regis began, hearing the heaviness in his own voice. “I would not have it said I dealt with my brother secretly or through subterfuge. As it is, there will be too many vacant places in the Crystal Chamber—”

“Don’t,” Danilo said.

Regis paused, raising one eyebrow in question.

“Don’t ask me to leave you so soon. I’ve hardly—” Danilo’s voice caught in his throat. His eyes were wide and dark, filled with emotion. When he spoke again, his voice was so soft that no one but Regis could have heard: “I’ve clung to hope for so long, without even a word.”

They had come to a halt, standing very close, leaning toward one another without conscious intent. Regis felt the warmth of Danilo’s breath on his face. He thought of Linnea at home, of this moment, of Kierestelli hidden in the Yellow Forest. Of Felix’s blood, sticky beneath his fingers. Of the flare of light and power beyond his own.

Too much, it was too much for one human heart to bear alone.

Not alone,came Danilo’s thought.

Regis drew in a breath. Danilo raised his hand, quick as a dagger in the hands of a master, and brushed Regis on the lips with one fingertip. It was only a fleeting touch, but enough to shatter doubt.

Bredhyu.

Always.

“Now let me take you home,” Danilo said, with the hint of smile. “I cannot in good conscience allow you to wander the streets unguarded.”

Still, Regis did not move. “Home. To Linnea.” And to all the questions implicit in those few words.

“Home,” Danilo agreed, “to whatever has changed and not changed. For many years, we have both known that you must marry. I wished it were not so, but it is the way of the world. You are Hastur. Your destiny was laid down before you were born.”

Regis did not know whether to laugh or weep. “Then I should have chosen my parents more carefully.”

Danilo did not rise to the old joke. “I would not have you other than you are. In any way.” He paused. Then: “You once said you would not marry any woman you could not respect and cherish, who did not return those feelings. I think you have found her.”

Understanding rose slowly, trailing inexpressible relief. Danilo and Linnea might never be close, but neither would question the other’s devotion. Or place in his heart.

Although the day was mild for spring, a chill wind curled through the street. Danilo, dressed only in indoor clothing, shivered. Regis glanced back at the Castle.

Danilo followed the movement of his eyes. “I would not willingly set foot in the Castle again, except at your side. Tomorrow, either I will be able to retrieve my possessions or it will not matter.”

Regis unclasped his own cloak and draped it over Danilo’s shoulders. Danilo looked as if he would protest, that he could not accept the cloak while Regis had none, that Regis looked like a wild man with his stained, torn clothing and disheveled hair. The blood on his shirt had dried to a crust.