Beside her, Ansset was shaking his head.

It's true, Ansset. It was bad enough for them to strand you here without warning, but when they didn't even prepare you for-what happened, what the drugs would do to you-- She didn't finish. She merely turned to Riktors, who did not seem to be listening, and said, It's the Songhouse that hurt him most.

He did hear. He sat up, and looked much relieved, though there was still tension in him, even for Kyaren to see, who did not know him.

Yes, he said. It's the Songhouse that hurt him most."

Suddenly Ansset stepped forward, toward the throne. He was angry. Kyaren was surprised-she had been the one speaking, and yet he seemed angry at Riktors.

That was a lie, Ansset said.

Riktors only looked at him, startled.

I know your voice, Riktors, know it as well as I know my own, and that was a lie, and not just a small one, Riktors, that was a lie that matters to you right to the core and I want to know why it's a lie!

Riktors did not answer. But after a few moments he looked away from Ansset, glanced toward Ferret, who immediately came forward.

Stay where you are! Ansset commanded, and Ferret, surprised by the ferocity of his voice, obeyed. Ansset spoke again to Riktors. It was not the Songhouse that hurt me most, then?

Riktors shook his head.

Where is the lie, Riktors? I was cut off from the Songhouse, and that has cost me more than any other loss I have ever sustained, even the loss of Mikal, even the loss of your friendship. And you say that it was not the Song-house that hurt me most? Who was it, then? Who was it who cut me off from them?

Again Riktors appealed to Ferret. He's dangerous, Ferret.

Ferret shook his head. When he plans to attack you, I'll know it.

It was obvious to Kyaren that Riktors did not share his confidence. But any pity or understanding she had had for the man was gone now; yet she found it hard to believe that anyone could have been so cruel as Riktors was. It was all a lie, then, she said into the silence. The Songhouse didn't refuse him. The Songhouse wanted him back.

Riktors said nothing.

You were clever, Ansset said to him. In all our conversation, that last day, you never once told me a lie. Not once. And I thought all your tension was because you were sad to see me go.

Riktors spoke at last, his voice husky. I was sad to see you go.

Anywhere. To anyone. I was yours, is that it? I had to love you most, is that it? If I thought of the Songhouse as home, you couldn't bear that, could you? If I loved the Songhouse more than I loved this palace, then you'd take the Songhouse away from me, wouldn't you? Only you had to twist it, so I'd hate them in the process, and not you at all. You couldn't have me hate you.

The words seemed to slam visibly into Riktors, and he gasped at the end of Ansset's speech. Ansset may have no songs, but his voice was still a potent tool, and be was using it to savage Riktors.

I wanted your songs, Riktors said.

You wanted my songs, Ansset answered, bitterly, more than you wanted my happiness. So you took my happiness, and stole my songs.

And then Kyaren made a connection in her mind, and realized that Riktors was not holding Josif ransom against a song.

Ansset, Kyaren said. Josif.

Ansset remembered, and the mask of Control appeared again on his face. Time enough for hatred when Josif was free.

I want Josif. Now, Ansset said.

No, Riktors said.

Aren't you through? Ansset asked. Do you think you can still save something? Or are you determined that if you can't have my love-and you can't, Riktors, you can't-then no one can. If you ever loved me, Riktors, you will let me have Josif. Now.

You can't, Riktors, you can't.

If you ever loved me, Riktors.

The words struck Riktors hard; his face worked, though whether with anger or grief Kyaren couldn't tell.

Call a guard, Riktors said.

No, Ferret said.

Riktors arose from his throne. Call a guard! he roared, and the ferret left, returning a moment later with two guards.

Take them to the prisoner. To Josif.

The guards looked at each other, then at Ferret, who nodded and whispered something. The guards looked doubtful, but they led the way. Ansset and Kyaren followed.

He won't do anything to us, will he? Kyaren whispered.

Ansset shook his head. Riktors will never hurt me directly, or you, as long as you're with me. And as long as you're with me, no one can take you away. She looked at his face. Control was lagging. She saw the killer there, and was afraid. This should never have happened to Ansset, none of this.

How did they keep the Songhouse people from coming for you? she asked. If they really wanted you back--

The empire controls the spaceports. Besides, if he could lie to me, he could lie to them. But that's past now. Time enough to set things right once we have Josif back.

Kyaren was baffled by the labyrinth of the palace, lost all sense of direction. But they went generally downward. Into the prison, she assumed. But they made a certain turn that Ansset had not been expecting-he was taken by surprise and had to retrace a few steps.

What's wrong? she asked.

He isn't in the prison, he said.

Then where?

Hospital, Ansset answered.

The guards stopped outside a door.

He's fairly drugged up. He isn't pretty right now, but Ferret said to let you see him as he is. I'm sorry.

Then the guard opened the door, and they walked in, and they saw Josif.

At first nothing seemed wrong with him, except the drugs. Josif saw them, but his eyes showed no recognition, and his jaw hung partly open. He sat on a 'narrow bed, leaning against the wall. His legs were loosely apart, and his arms hung slackly beside him. He looked as if he never planned to move.

Then Kyaren looked down, between his legs, just as Ansset saw and turned to try to block her sight. He was too late.

She screamed, shoved past him, and, still screaming, took Josif by the shoulders and pulled him toward her, embraced him in an agony of grief. He slumped against her, and with his head tilted down, he drooled. She still heard herself shouting hysterically; gradually she was able to stop, until finally even her spasmodic sobbing ended and all was silent in the room again. She looked at Ansset. His face was terrible, not because of the emotion on it, but because there was nothing on his face at all.

Carefully she leaned Josif back against the wall His head moved to the right, so that he could not see her, but merely stared at the wall. He did not attempt to move. The drugs had him well in hand.

They plan to fit him with a permanent tube tomorrow, said one of the guards.

Ansset ignored him, and Kyaren tried to. They started to push past him, but the guard raised a gun-It wasn't a laser-it was a tranquilizer. Ferret said that after you saw, you weren't to be allowed back to the great hall.

Ansset didn't pause, simply brought up his foot. The man's hand broke at the wrist; the gun dropped to the floor as the hand went slack and hung perpendicular to the floor. A moment for the pain to register, and the guard reeled out of the way. The other was too slow-Ansset took his face off with both hands, and Kyaren raced to follow the Songbird as he shoved past the screaming guard, who knelt with his hands in front of his face, blood streaming down his arms.

This was not the way they had come, Kyaren was sure. But Ansset seemed sure of where he was going, and it occurred to her that he would want to avoid the ways where guards might be waiting. Also, he avoided any doors, finally coming to the great hall through the main entrance, which stood wide.

Kyaren reached the doors a moment after Ansset passed through them, but already he was halfway across the floor, heading, not for Riktors, but for Ferret. Suddenly Ansset was in the air, and Kyaren was expecting him, in his fury, to destroy the emperor's assassin.