Although he seemed to enjoy the spectacle with the rest, Lord Kerim kept up a steady stream of enlightenment directed at Sham that usually began aDickon says.a aDickon says that there are two glasses, one within the other,a he explained softly as the magician made water appear and disappear by moving a glass through a wide tube of leather. aThere are hooks in the tube to catch the inner glass filled with water, and the outer glass that he is displaying for us now is empty. Notice how careful he is to hold the tube upright.a If Sham hadnat been certain that it was a direct attack on her claims of magic, she would have been interested in the methods the magician was using with a smooth competence that put the lie to his claims of being amerely an apprentice.a aThereas a false base in the lid of the pot,a said Kerim, nodding at the empty pot the magician held up for all to view.

The entertainer took a small twig from the table behind him and set it on fire with a breath. He placed the flaming bit of wood into the pot.

aHe shows us the empty pot,a continued Kerim, aputs the lid on and the spring-loaded base is pressed into the pot, snuffing the fire between the twin plates of metal. Dickon says that between the second base and the top of the lid there is room for a small animal or twoa"maybe a couple of doves. They take up less room than youad think when you see them fluttering their wings.a Sham smiled, and, having had enough of Kerimas lecture, began to work her magic. The performance proceeded as Kerim predicted. When the pot was opened, the fire was gonea"replaced by two ring-necked doves. . . and an osprey.

The predator mantled, displaying its wingspan to good advantage as it surveyed the crowded hall with hostile eyes while the doves fled in terror.

The audience, oblivious to the look of dumbfounded amazement on the magicianas face, began to clap; the osprey screamed and took to the air. It circled the room twice before it flew at the central panel of the stained-glass window that spanned half the distance from the arched ceilings to the polished floor.

A gasp arose from the crowd as the bird hit the glass, flying through it without damaging the valuable window. As the applause rose, the amagiciana recovered his aplomb and bowed deeply.

Sham shook her head, aIt was incredible the way that man fit the osprey into the lid of the pot. How do you suppose he worked the trick with the window?a She widened her eyes at Kerim who scowled at her, making her illusion well worth her effort.

The entertainer wisely chose to end his performance, though there were several props he hadnat yet used. He threw up his hands and blue smoke filled the air; when it cleared he was gone. The fraudulent servingwoman collected coins from the assemblage while several dark-clad men packed away the magicianas belongings.

As they were moving away from the stage, Sham felt Kerimas shoulder stiffen slightly. She looked up to see a tall, thin man in clerical robes of red and gold weave his way purposefully through the tangle of people that stood between him and Kerim. Like many of the Cybellians, this man had dark skin, though his hair was a golden color rare for an Easterner. His hawk-like features and his coloring gave him an arresting quality that was heightened by the peaceful assurance with which only zealots or madmen are blessed.

Beside him and to the left was a short, slender man clad in robes of white so brilliant Shamas hands ached in sympathy for his laundrywoman. He kept his head down and had a determinedly peaceful expression. His hands were folded calmly over the green belt that wrapped twice around his waist.

Sham stopped behind Kerimas chair. She recognized the foremost man by his robes of office; he was Lord Brath, High Priest of Altis. She narrowed her eyes at him, before dropping them to the floora"this man had been among those to condemn her Master. She hadnat gotten around to him with her thieving; perhaps she should resume her efforts.

aLord Kerim,a he announced in a rich voice made for singing hymns of praise, aI understand you have declined my request for additional monies for the building of the new temple.a aYes,a said Kerim baldly in such regal tones that Sham looked at him with respect.

aThat is unacceptable. The glass-artisansa guild has presented a design for the entry hall that is perfect, but it will require the funding I requested to begin the work. The ruby glass is particularly dear, and the supply of it is barely adequate.a aThen the work will not commence. There are other matters more urgent to the treasury than another stained-glass window. If you have a grievance with my decision, you may take it up with the Prophet in your next letter.a Kerim propelled his chair forward.

The high priest stepped into the chairas path. aI already have. Heas sent a letter for your perusal.a Behind his back, the smaller priest rolled his eyes and shrugged helplessly.

aVery well,a said Kerim. aCome to my room after dinner has been served and removed.a aBe certain that I shall, Lord Kerim,a replied the high priest darkly.

aTHAT ONE BEARS you no good will,a commented Sham when the churchmen were safely left behind.

aHim, I donat worry about.a Kerimas voice lost the haughty tones as easily as it had gained them. aBrath is too occupied with windows and altars to be a real threat. His assistant, Fykalla"the little priest in white and green, is another matter. I have found him invaluable, but I suspect it is only because he shares my understanding of the needs of Southwood, so we havenat had to battle each othera"yet. If we do, Iam not certain who will come out on top.a Sham nodded, and noticed a man standing by one of the doorways, looking like a hen who had wandered into a foxas den. In contrast to the silks and satins of the nobles, he wore dark homespun and the boots of a horseman who was not above mucking stalls.

She nudged Kerim lightly with the hand she rested on his shoulder and the Reeve turned his head. When he saw what she was looking at, he held up a hand to signal the other man to wait while he worked his way to the door.

Kerim didnat stop to converse, but simply pushed himself through the arching entrance and out into the hall beyond. The other man followed Shamera, pulling the door closed behind him.

aElsic, again?a asked the Reeve in a resigned voice.

aAye, my lord,a replied the stableman.

Elsic, thought Sham, the asourcea of Talbotas theory about demons. She wondered how much he knew about it.

The hallway, in marked contrast to the other halls in the castle, was straight. There were no other openings until they reached the end of the hall, where a rough-hewn door hung open. A massive bar leaned against the wall where it could be used to hold the door shut in times of need. Stepping through the doorway, Sham squinted against the bright sunlight.

Large stone walled runs held fat-bellied mares and their sleek foals. The narrow path running between the pasture wall and the castle was newly paved with wooden slats. Since the area did not look well traveled, Shamera assumed that the boardwalk had been built to facilitate the Reeveas wheeled chair.

The path followed the walls of the castle as they bent and turned with a pattern known only to a collection of long-dead builders and ended, after an abrupt turn, in the stableyard.

Shamas attention was immediately drawn to a high-roofed structure filled with heaping mounds of hay where a small, milling crowd gathered. There was a man on the roof, which puzzled her slightly as he didnat seem to be doing anything useful.

aI fetched him, Stablemaster!a bellowed the man who had brought them from the public hall.

A wiry old man broke away from the crowd of stablemen, most of whom had turned their attention to the approaching Reeve and away from the cause of the tumult.

As Kerim led Sham nearer to the hay barn, she realized the person on the roof was not a man at all, but a young boy apparently ten or eleven summers old. His skin and hair were so fair that they appeared white. He sat, seemingly oblivious to the noises from below. His feet dangled over the edge of the roof and he held his chin on his handsa"the epitome of dejection.

aThank you for coming, Lord,a said the Stablemaster in Cybellian. His voice was so thick with an odd Eastern accent, Sham had difficulty understanding him.

aWhat caused this?a asked Kerim with a frown.

The man frowned in return. aMe, sir. I caught the lad in with your stallion again.a aAfter I talked to him last time?a asked the Reeve.

The Stablemaster nodded. aThe stallionas been in a foul temper lately; he kicked his groom yesterday. Scorch has never been an easy horse, and he hasnat been getting as much work as heas used to. None of us would see the lad hurt, and I suppose I was harder on him than I should have been.a Kerim nodded and began moving again. The stableyard wasnat smooth, and the tires of the chair caught in the rough dirt. Sham moved behind it and added her weight to the struggle. Kerim waited until he was directly below the boy before speaking.

aUnless you can grow wings, Elsic, your seat is a bit too high for my comfort,a commented the Reeve in a casual tone.

The boy started, aSir?a aCome down, lad.a Kerimas voice was soft, but held enough steel that the boy reached down and grabbed a large beam under the roof and somersaulted off the edge.

Someone near Sham swore. She watched with a connoisseuras appreciation the lithe, comfortable way the boy descended. Shead had enough experience at similar activities to know that he was making it look a lot easier than it was. He swung easily from one horizontal beam to another until he reached a vertical support that he shinnied down.

As he dropped lightly to his feet, Sham noticed for the first time that boy wasnat the albino he first appeareda"his eyes were so dark they appeared almost black. She also revised his age upward. Like the street children that she was familiar with, he was merely small for his years. His odd coloration caused her to frown thoughtfully.

aCome here,a said the Reeve.

Sham slanted him a glance: The boy had come down readily enough, he didnat need another reminder. It wasnat until Elsic reached out to touch the Reeveas chair before crouching down on his heels that Sham realized that Kerimas words had been directions rather than commands. Like the Old Man, the boy was blind.

aI hear that you have been getting into trouble again,a said Kerim in a reasonable tone.

Elsicas face looked even sadder then before. aHe wonat hurt me. Heas lonely and he likes me.a The Reeve sat quietly a moment, rubbing his jaw. Finally he said, aUnder most circumstances I would agree with you, but since Iave been stuck in this chair heas not been worked as he ought to be. The Stablemaster does what he can, but Scorch is a war horse. He kicked his groom yesterday.a Elsic frowned, hesitated, and then said, aHis groom chews beggarsblessing when the Stablemaster isnat looking. Horses donat like it when people act odd.a aThe groom is lucky Scorch didnat take off his head if he was on ablessing,a agreed Kerim. aDid you hear that, Stablemaster?a The old man grunted. aI caught him at it once. If heas still doing it, he can do it at someone elseas stables.a That coloring . . . Sham reached out and touched the boy lightly on the shoulder. Her hands almost hurt with the force of his magic.

He straightened and cocked his head. aWho are you?a Sham glanced around at the crowded stableyard. aI am a friend of the Reeve,a she answered finally, and then in a soft tone that went no further than Elsic and the Reeve she said, aI am a wizard.a Elsic smiled gravely.

aMy lord,a she said, aI think heas safe enough with your warhorse. I doubt that it will hurt him.a The Reeve looked at her carefully, frowning, and then turned his gaze to the boy. Slowly he nodded his head. aBe careful, then, boy.a Elsic grinned widely. aYes, lord.a He swallowed and then said in a soft voice, aSometimes itas good to be with something so arrogant and sure of himself. It makes me feel safe.a The Reeve sat forward, aHas anyone been bothering you?a aNo one, Lord,a said Elsic quickly. aItas just . . . thereas something wrong here, something very old and evil.a The boyas face lost all expression as he spoke, and he turned to Sham and met her eyes with uncanny accuracy.

His voice quieted so that Sham was fairly certain that no one but she and the Reeve could hear him. aIt knows who you are, mage, and the threat that you represent to its intentions. It wants the Reeve more than it has desired anything in a thousand years. Be very careful.a aI will,a she agreed, as a chill crept up her spine. She wondered, having heard him speak, how the Reeve could dismiss any warning Elsic chose to give hima"but then Easterners were like that.

The boy nodded his head and turned away, disappearing without another word into the enclosed stables. The Reeve looked at Sham for a moment, then he turned his chair around, and she hurriedly moved behind it to help push. Neither spoke until they were alone on the narrow walk.

aI found him, a little more than a year ago, washed up on the sands exposed by the Spirit Tide.a Kerim paused. aHe was sitting quietly, humming a little, wearing nothing but a finely woven kilt.a He fell silent momentarily, stopping his chair and gazing at a mare and her spotted filly. aI suspect that someone left him there to die because he is blind. The people here have an unnatural fear of blindnessa"they see it as a sign of evil magic.a Kerim smiled without humor. aHe didnat speak for a long time. I donat think his native language is Cybellian or Southern, but he learned both very quickly. Elsic tells me that he cannot remember anything before he woke up here.a aI kept him with me in the Castle at first, but I was distracted by the business of running Southwood. I didnat notice some of the nobles were tormenting the boy until Dickon pointed it out to me.a Kerim sighed, and shook his head. aElsic has a way with animals, and the Stablemaster is a kind man who holds absolute control over his lads, so I gave Elsic into his keeping. I hope that heas become enough of a fixture around the stables that when . . .a The Reeveas hands tightened involuntarily on the arms of his chair, but he continued calmly enough, aa"when Iam no longer here, no one will hurt him for being the way he is.a aIall keep an eye on him,a promised Sham softly. aIf there is a problem, there are places that he can be made safe. Wizards are used to strange creatures and would do him no harm.a aHow do you know heall be safe with Scorch?a Kerim asked.

Sham shrugged. aSelkies have a way with animals.a He gave her a narrow glance.

Sham smiled and continued amiably. aSelkies are one of the seafolk. They generally appear in the shape of white seals with dark eyesa"a better form for swimming than a manas body, I imagine. No seaman who wants to live long would dream of spearing a white seala"ask Talbot. They are said to be a race of warriors, as harsh to their own kind as they are to others. When one is too old or wounded, they attack him, driving him away or killing him upon a whim. I would not think they would allow a blind child to live past his first hours unless his mother was very clever.a He seemed to be taking this calmly enough, so she continued. aHis people donat use human magics. They have access to knowledge I do not. I would take any warning he chooses to give you very seriously.a Kerimas lips quirked into a smile and he shook his head, aI donat think that I should ask this question; if Dickon were here, head disown me. What did Elsic mean when he said the demon wanted me?a aAssuming magic is real?a asked Sham with raised brows.

Kerim sighed theatrically, and nodded.

Sham shook her head. aI donat know. Was anything specifically happening to you when the killing started?a aHmm . . . that would be about eight months ago. It was about that time that I moved Elsic to the stables. A good friend of mine died of the wasting sickness.a He closed his eyes briefly and leaned back, aMy mother dismissed the cook. My favorite mare foaled. My back started hurting.a aThat was when your back trouble started?a Kerim nodded. aI wrenched it on the way back from Fahillas funeral.a aLady Skyas husband?a The Reeve nodded shortly, and then began to push himself forward again. aCome. If we hurry weall have time to eat before Brath and his entourage invade my chambers.a INDEED, DICKON HAD just finished taking the dinner trays out when someone knocked on the Reeveas door.

aIall get it,a said Sham.

The high priest waited in the hall with the aesthetic-looking Fykall a step behind him. Brath nodded at her as he entered. aYou may leave us, Lady Shamera.a She glanced at Kerim who made a negative motion with his hand. Shutting the door after Fykall was inside, Shamera said pleasantly, aI am sorry, Lord Brath, but my lord has a headache and I promised to do something about it as soon as youare gone.a She bushed by both churchmen and sat down gracefully in the chair nearest Kerim, leaving the visitors to occupy the chairs opposite him.

aYou said you have a letter for me?a asked Kerim.

Lord Brath gestured to Fykall who pulled a sealed courieras envelope out of his purse and handed it to Kerim. aAs you see, I have not broken the seals.a Kerim looked up and raised an eyebrow. aI doubt that you could have done so, Lord Brath. The Voice has methods to prevent his letters from straying.a With a finger, he touched the seal and it opened readily without use of a letter opener.

Sham leaned sideways, shamelessly reading over the Reeveas shoulder. There were two sheets of paper in the courieras pouch. The first was a plain sheet of paper with a quick scrawl that said merely: Sorry I inflicted him on you, but the old foolas a favorite with Altis. I didnat know anyone else who could deal with him better than you. Hope this helps.

Terran The second paper was embossed and official. The scribeas art had been practiced so heavily that Sham had to stand up and walk directly behind Kerim in order to read it. It was folded so she couldnat see the top third, but the meat of the letter was decipherable.

Be it known that the first desire of Altis is that all of his subjects live in peace. To those ends, the Reeve of Southwood is to make such judgments as seem him mete. All who live in Southwood shall abide by his decisions.

Signed this day by Terran, the Voice and the Eyes of Altis As Sham was connecting Terran of the first letter to the Voice of Altis, Kerim began to read the official letter out loud. When he was finished, he looked up at the high priest.

His voice softened from the official tones in which head read the letter. aI will, of course, keep the original. If you would have a copy, Fykall is welcome to stay and render it for you.a The high priest stood stiffly, looking much older than he had coming into the chambers. aThat wonat be necessary, Lord Kerim. Come Fykall, there are things to be done at the temple.a The little priest nodded, but before following his retreating superior he reached out and patted Kerimas shoulder twice in gentle sympathy.

Sham waited until the door closed and said, aTrust a churchman to take all the joy out of putting him in his place.a Kerim eyed her unfavorably. aDonat make light of any manas pain.a She tossed her head. aThat was not pain you saw, but thwarted ambition. I have no sympathy to spare for Lord Bratha"he has no mercy for those in his power.a Kerim watched her face; head known too many people consumed by hatred to watch while it consumed another victim. aPerhaps you are right; he doesnat deserve our sympathy. But, Shamera, if we do not feel ita"how are we better than he is?a She snorted and strode to a small table that held a pitcher of water and several cups.

As she filled a cup with water she said, in an apparent change of subject, aYou know, I have always wondered why there was never an official injunction against magic since Altis dislikes it so.a aAnd you accuse me of gross ignorance,a he mused.

She turned toward him, cup in hand, and said, aExcuse me?a aEven if magic were real, there would be no injunction against it. As far as I know Altis has never handed down a directive one way or the other.a She frowned. aAfter the Castle fell, Lord Brath declared magic an anathema to Altis and incited the soldiers to kill anyone who might be a mage.a aFear makes idiots of us all, at some time or the other. Brath was officially reprimanded for his part in the deaths after Landsend was taken.a She set the cup down without drinking from it and wandered aimlessly around the room. aI donat like him.a aBrath? Neither do I. Heas an arrogant, self-righteous, self-interested worm,a he agreed lightly.

She tilted her chin up. aIf he were drowning I wouldnat throw him a rope.a aThe question isa"a said Kerim slowly, aa"would he throw you one?a

SIX.

Sham entered her room with a tired sigh. Without calling for the maid, as she knew was customary, she rapidly stripped off the blue dress and left it where it dropped. Tonight she was too tired to play Lady Shamera for the maidas benefit. A nightdress had been left on the bed, and she slipped it on.

Something nagged for her attention and she frowned, staring at the mantel over the fireplace. She had a very good eye for detail and a memory that seldom failed her: The ornaments on the mantle had been moved. Someone had been in her room while she was gone.

Alert now, she noticed that the keys were in the lock of the trunk, as if someone had tried to open it. Sham stretched and deliberately relaxed her muscles. This was not Purgatory, she reminded herselfa"she was the only thief here.

The servants had been in to dust the mantel and moved a few of the figurines and the ornamental dagger. Jenli had probably tried to open the trunk to put the rest of the clothes in the wardrobea"not that she would have had any luck. Sham knew without looking that the fastening spell had not been broken.

Still, she opened the lid and dug through the remaining clothes to make sure nothing had been disturbed. The flute lay awaiting her touch, its call so strong she had to force herself to cover it again with her tunic.

Her knife and dagger were there, slim-bladed and honed to deadly sharpness. Her thieving tools were there too, neatly tucked inside a small kit. She felt naked without them, but they were hardly necessary in the rarefied atmosphere of court. Tomorrow she would begin searching the courtieras houses, then she could wear them.

Sham closed the trunk and locked it again, first with the key and then with magic. She picked up a long-handled brass snuffer that was leaning against the wall, and started to put the candles out one by one.

She could have used magic, of course, but she always used it sparingly. A wizard who used her magic for little things was likely to have nothing left in time of need. With a demon on the loose in the Castle she was likely to need ita"and she was convinced it was in the Castle. One of the talents said to be strongest in the seal-people was sensitivity to danger. If Kerimas selkie said it was here, it was so.

As Sham stood on her toes to reach the small candelabra that hung from the center of the room, a strange shiver ran down her spine. It was similar to the sensation the shifted ornaments on the mantel had given her, but this had no such mundane cause. Casually she circled the fixture, scanning the shadows that cloaked the corners of the room. She saw nothing, but she was certain something was here with her.

Slowly, Sham continued darkening the room. Moving to the fireplace, she extinguished the three large candles placed on the far end of the mantel. As she moved, she forced herself to keep her hands steady.

Warding spells were effective against magical beings like demons and dragons only if the warding was around the spellcasteras home and cast by someone who understood the exact nature of the creature. Even if she had been better-versed in demonology, she was caught fairly on the demonas hunting groundsa"and she was beginning to feel like dinner.

After shead extinguished the last candle, Sham casually set the snuffer against the fireplace and stared at the polished floor as if in deep thoughta"the sea could freeze before shead crawl into that bed with its hampering blankets while there was a plaguing demon in the room. It wasnat the best time to remember that the demon was overdue for a kill.

Sham caught a bare glimpse of something as a light touch stroked her shoulder. She didnat realize it had been an attack until she felt the warmth of her blood sliding down her arm. Whatever it used to cut her with was so sharp that she did not hurt initiallya"an oversight soon corrected.

Deciding that staying in character might have its advantages, she screamed for help. She hoped the walls were thinner than they looked, so Kerim might hear her. The demon had been avoiding a public display, for reasons of its own; Sham hoped that it would continue the pattern. She didnat have the knowledge she needed to destroy the demon yet, though she had the Whisper looking for any wizard that might. Without intervention, there was a better than even chance that she wouldnat survive the night.

Hand to her shoulder, she spun around, looking frantically for her attacker while carefully maintaining the mannerisms shead adopted in her role as the Reeveas mistress. The room was quiet and appeared as empty as it had before the attack. All she could hear was the harshness of her own breathing.

Just as in the Old Manas cottage, the intruder wasnat using conventional methods of invisibility. No matter how powerful a sight aversion spell was, a wizard who was aware of the spellcaster could overcome ita"as he could any other illusion. Sham couldnat see anything out of place. Warm fluid dripped off her fingers, but she didnat look down at the growing stain on the floor.

IT HAD FED its hunger only last night; so it had only come to watch the newcomera"although it had placed the dagger on the mantel for possible use. Weapons were difficult to carry in its own insubstantial form.

The Chen Laut breathed deeply. The scent of the womanas terror-inspired sweat was titillatinga"much too arousing to resist. She was so vulnerable, pitiful really. A millennia of evading human detection told it that it was taking unnecessary risks. Even a decade ago, it would have resisted hurting the human for fear of betraying itself.

But the Castle was held by fools who didnat believe in magic or demons: And this woman played where she didnat belong. It considered the crippled human that it could hear struggling to the wheeled chair on the other side of the door, and dismissed him with the last of its caution.

Upon entering the room, the demon had changed into its secondary form, calling upon magic to hide its body from the woman. As a noncorporeal entity, the demon needed a physical form to affect things in this world. The Summoner had provided two. The first form must be protected; without it the demon would be powerless, cut adrift here forever. But the second form, though infinitely more useful, was not necessary to survival.

SLOWLY SHAM BACKED against the stonework and stretched a hand behind her, fumbling amid the implements that hung on hooks near the hearth. Her magic was unlikely to hurt it until she understood better what she was fightinga"so she decided to try something else. The most obvious tool for a frightened woman to grasp was the poker. She had no intention of getting close enough to the demon to use such an ineffective weapon. Deliberately Sham knocked the poker loudly to the ground and snatched the small shovel instead, as if she had missed her target. She held the iron handle with an awkwardness that was not completely feigned; her shoulder hurt.

There was a soft sound to her right as if something hard scraped across an expanse of floor that the rugs didnat cover. She was certain that the demon was as capable of masking sounds as Sham herself was: It was goading her.

The next sound was louder, and to her right again. She turned toward the fire and dipped the shovel in the hot coals. Continuing her turn, she cast the fiery lumps in the general direction of the second sound.

When she faced it, Sham saw the vague form of her attacker. Though magic concealed its face, it appeared to be a man. She must have hit it with some of the coals, because it shrieked in an inhumanly high tone. As the sound died down, she could hear someone rattle the catch on the door to Kerimas room.

As Sham turned to the door, the intruder grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her towards the far wall. She landed on the polished nightstand, an improvement to the well-being of neither her nor the small, formerly sturdy piece of furniture. Used to street fighting, though no one had actually thrown her across a room before, she managed to roll to her feet, shaking off bits and pieces of wood as she did so.

The demon had summoned the shadows around itself, using the same spell that Sham favored in the dark streets of Purgatory. In the dark room, the unnatural shadows covered the whole area until the only thing Sham could see were the coals that had landed on the bedclothes and started to ignite the cloth.

As she peered into the darkness, the demon surprised a cry out of her when it cut her bared calf. She looked down before it had completed its stroke, and she caught a glimpse of something metallic in the darkness: the pox-eaten thing was using a knife!

For some reason that turned her fear into fury. She was being attacked by a demon, a legendary creature of song and storya"and it was using a knife like a common thief.

She crouched with a snarl, but the entire room was encased in the peculiar shroud of shadow and the demonas presence was too strong to pinpoint. Smoke from the small fires amid the bedding and the rugs began to fill the room, making her eyes water, and she acquired another wound, this one on her thigh. Sham growled with frustrated anger.

A deafening crack echoed in the room, followed by an assortment of sounds, including the opening and closing of the outer door as the intruder escaped into the anonymity of the hall.

THE DEMON RAN cautiously through the halls until it was far from possible pursuit. The Reeve would be more interested in protecting his woman than finding her attacker. In the shadows of an unused room, it examined the body it wore. The damage the coals had inflicted was minor, though it would require a fair amount of power to return the golem to wholeness. The mild irritation it felt toward the Reeveas mistress flamed to momentary rage. It calmed itself by deciding the woman would be its next meal, seven days hence. Until then, she could do little harm.

AS THE UNNATURAL shadows dissolved, Shamera could see that the door by the fireplace had been split down the center. The half with the latch lay on the floor, tangled in the tapestries that had covered the doorway; the other half hung awkwardly from the lower hinge. The upper hinge clung tenaciously to the door, pale splinters of wood attesting to the force that had ripped it from the door frame.

She turned her gaze from the door to the Reeve, who was dressed in night robes with a wicked-looking war axe in one hand; his chair was placed sideways to the door frame to allow him to strike effectively. She gave him a grin of sheer relief.

aIam glad you could make it,a she quipped, her voice not quite as steady as she wished.