"-thing," Antenn said. "Loomed over us just like T'Ash did, once. It made me think. Enough."

"Good," Straif said, "though I won't tell T'Ash that."

The gun snicked together. Straif looked at Winterberry and shook his head.

"What?" asked the guardsman, then glanced down at himself. His fawn-colored leathers were smeared with dark blood. He sighed. "My travel clothes will never be the same."

"Probably not, but you just used Flair on my non-Flaired weapon that I keep because it doesn't attract such beasts as the grychomp."

"Ah, fligger. Sorry."

"You," Straif aimed a finger at the guard. "I am not taking into the wild again." He pointed at Antenn. "You, I would."

The boy flushed, looked down, scrubbed the stains on his tunic. "Thanks." When he raised his eyes, admiration glinted in them.

Straif decided that was better than resentment or loathing, but wondered if it would cost him as much.

The rest of the trip pa.s.sed reasonably well. Straif had harvested three grychomp teeth as mementos and given one each to Winterberry and Antenn. Winterberry had just shaken his head, knowing that someday, sometime, the story of being caught with his pants down facing a grychomp would make the rounds of guardhouses in Celta.

Antenn had turned his tooth around in his hands with a thoughtful expression. "Guess this will be a good reminder."

Straif wasn't sure what the boy wanted to be reminded of, and didn't ask.

As the day progressed, Antenn treated Straif like a good friend and talked up a storm on the road back to Druida. The three of them took turns riding the horse. That animal impressed Straif with its intelligence and pace, both of which were far better than a stridebeast's. He wondered if he could get a pair of horses, perhaps breed them like the Sallows. They bred for beauty and speed, but Straif knew of many an explorer who'd like intelligence and toughness. Horses' Flair was minimal, and he wondered how to boost it, a question for Danith D'Ash, but he felt very good thinking of the future, plans for once that didn't focus on finding a cure for his inherited physical flaw.

They will be back tomorrow, T'Blackthorn Residence sent to Mitch.e.l.la's mind the next afternoon as she was hand-refinishing the doors of the first-floor hall. The Residence sounded as if it were rea.s.suring itself, but then Straif had often left it, hadn't returned even to visit. A bit of anger spurted through her.

"Yes, they will. Straif will never desert you again." She was sure. She tried to sound cheerful, the day was gloomy enough with threatening rain, without having to deal with a depressed house. "Soon you'll have a Family again."

A hollow grumbling pa.s.sed through the hallway.

She was nearly done with the messy job and dressed in her oldest work clothes with her hair caught up in a kerchief when the Residence spoke. "There is a delegation requesting entrance at the greeniron gates."

"What?"

The Residence repeated itself.

"Who?" She dropped her brush in cleansing liquid, swept the cloth off her head, stared at her stained hands.

"A delegation from the Councils: T'Reed, representative of FirstFamilies Council, GraceLord Stachys Betony, representing the n.o.ble Council and GuildCouncil. Finally, GentleLady Kudzu, representing the Commoner Council. They wish a preliminary view of the Residence."

Mitch.e.l.la swore. "Tell Drina to meet and greet them."

"I am doing so. The Blackthorn Fam agrees."

She wondered what to do. Let them in? Scry someone-who?

"Shall I alert T'Blackthorns's allies?"

Was that appropriate? "Not yet. I'll tell you if and when we might need them."

A couple minutes later, dressed in an elegant trous suit and after a whirlwind spell left her feeling as if her skin had been scoured and hair yanked a dozen ways to fall in pretty curls, she walked down the gliderway. When she came to the gates, she chuckled. Drina sat framed between greeniron bars on this side of the gate and stared at the impatient reps on the other. The cat flicked her tail in arrogance.

Casually, Mitch.e.l.la set her hand against the scrystone in the brick wall to keep contact with the Residence. All three of the people before her had more Flair than she.

"Greetyou," she said to the delegation. She'd seen T'Reed at the New Twinmoons Ritual, had met Stachys Betony, and knew of the GentleLady.

"Greetyou, GentleLady Clover. Can you admit us, please?" It was more of a demand than a request by T'Reed.

Mitch.e.l.la smiled. "I'm afraid I don't have that authority. I am a contracted employee of T'Blackthorn. I especially wouldn't go against the Family Familiar, Drina, who is the only member of the Family on site at the moment."

GentleLady Kudzu looked down on the cat. "She won't speak to us. She just sits there, smirking."

"I suggest you return tomorrow, when T'Blackthorn is here. He can give you a tour then."

Stachys stepped forward. "I believe we must insist." He held up a sheaf of papyrus and pa.s.sed it through the gate for Mitch.e.l.la to read. She took it and scanned it. Anger simmered through her. "These are charges that T'Blackthorn has damaged the estate with his renovation. It will take me time to read-"

Thunder rolled.

"May we please be allowed to wait inside?" Commoner Representative Kudzu was a plump woman with thick, long hair.

Drina shifted her bottom until she sat on Mitch.e.l.la's foot. We can handle them. Residence agrees.

Mitch.e.l.la wasn't so sure, but she looked each of the others in the eyes. "I am not authorized to let you in. T'Blackthorn has been very concerned with security. If you all give me your words of honor that you will remain in the library while we sort this out, I will admit you. You can observe what you can of the estate and Residence as we walk to the library."

"I agree," snapped T'Reed. The GentleLady followed. Stachys Betony hesitated until everyone looked at him.

"You're the one pushing for this inspection, Stachys," GentleLady Kudzu said.

"I agree," he ground out.

Mitch.e.l.la lifted a finger. "I also want your words that should I suffer from this action, the Councils will reimburse me."

"You are trying to deflect us from doing our duty," Stachys said.

Mitch.e.l.la tossed her head. "I am protecting myself."

"Too late for that, everyone knows you're the alleged T'Blackthorn's lover," Stachys said.

"Rudeness and disrespect will not help our cause, GraceLord," GentleLady Kudzu muttered.

"The n.o.ble Council will recompense you if the current T'Blackthorn finds fault with your actions," T'Reed said impatiently as large raindrops splatted around them.

"Residence, open the gates, please," Mitch.e.l.la said.

As little as you can, Drina sniffed. Let that Stachys man squeeze.

He was the largest of the three.

As the spitting rain increased, Drina shot across the yard to the Residence and inside. The others hurried after the cat, casting glances at the estate and the Residence. Mitch.e.l.la ensured that the gates were locked before following.

When she reached the library, the reps had chosen to sit in a conversational grouping of several chairs around a table near the huge fireplace that held a crackling fire.

Stachys curled his lip at the comfortably shabby room. "Disgraceful."

"It looks just as it did the last time I was here with the late T'Blackthorn," T'Reed said. "Well done, GentleLady Clover."

"I like the room," GentleLady Kudzu said.

Mitch.e.l.la dipped her head, "Thank you."

At that moment the door swung open and the cook entered with a tray of beverages and pastries. "The Residence informed me of your tastes." He set the tray on the table and departed quickly. The delegation dug into the food while Mitch.e.l.la went to a small desk where she scanned the papyrus.

"I have been charged as an accessory in the ruin of this estate." Fury turned her vision red.

Twenty-seven.

Mitch.e.l.la jumped to her feet, uncaring that the desk chair toppled to the floor. All the work she'd done on the estate-the aches of her body, the pummeling of her mind to make it warm and welcoming and a home again, was being condemned.

She could barely see to stalk over to the delegates.

Straining to keep her temper, she 'ported all her models and notes to stack at her feet. Energy was no problem, rage fueled her Flair.

With a snap of her fingers, she showed a holomodel of the estate as she'd found it, then the progression of the work-a record she always kept.

After that holo faded, she projected models of the chambers she'd finished room by room. This cycle took long enough for her to calm a bit. When it ended, she had her temper under firm control and her hands didn't shake as she poured a cup of hot cocoa. "What is it about these rooms we've refinished and the Residence itself that you find 'ruined'?"

"These are only the things you've shown us, not our own tour," Stachys said.

Mitch.e.l.la glanced at T'Reed. "T'Blackthorn's reported to you every day. What in those reports made you doubt so you had to visit?"

"Nothing. The FirstFamily Council was overruled," T'Reed replied stiffly.

"This is only a preliminary walk-through," GentleLady Kudzu said.

That had no effect on Mitch.e.l.la. "I don't see you defending my work. I see a FirstFamily GreatLord who says nothing about the accusations against me, and a GraceLord representing the n.o.ble and Guild Councils who still doubts my word despite everything I've shown you." With a sweeping gesture she indicated the pile of doc.u.ments, flexistrips, holos of her work.

"You three have forced this issue, but I'm not a FirstFamilies Lord or Lady. I'm a Commoner, and it's my understanding that a member of the n.o.ble Council is smearing my reputation, casting doubt on my skills as a designer. Since I am of lower rank, I have the right to know my accuser, see him, put questions to him."

T'Reed looked at her with respect, Stachys with discomfort, and GentleLady Kudzu nodded decisively. "She's right."

"Who filed these papers?"

"We should go," Stachys said.

T'Reed said, "From what I've seen and experienced, I believe the accusations are incorrect. The estate walls, gates, and glideway are in top order. The library provided shelter and comfort. The kitchen is capable of delivering excellent food on a moment's notice. These are not the signs of a ruined FirstFamily Residence."

"I've seen and heard plenty. These papyrus should be discounted as being proven false," GentleLady Kudzu said.

"That's not acceptable," Mitch.e.l.la said. "My reputation is at stake, as well as T'Blackthorn's. This mess has just grown. I suggest to all the Councils that they make a determination on the T'Blackthorn claims in the next few days, or I a.s.sure you, I will file charges against the Councils themselves for acting hastily and falsely and harming my livelihood.

"I know of the accusations against T'Blackthorn, and they are wrong, too. No one can prove that the estate is in ruins."

"It's disgusting-" Stachys said.

"-It was neglected. But I've been studying FirstFamily Residences-and I've worked with houses and homes all my professional life-and nothing about this Residence is in ruin. By your own laws-Council laws-a HouseHeart must be gone, the Residence must not be sentient, that is not the case here. Residence, what say you?"

"I support T'Blackthorn," boomed the Residence. "He is a good FirstFamily GrandLord."

Mitch.e.l.la said, "Furthermore, Straif has done his duty. He has officiated or partic.i.p.ated in an acceptable number of Rituals. This case has dragged on long enough, especially since it's been shrouded in secrecy to T'Blackthorn. But you can't hide my accuser from me-not if he's higher rank. End it, Councilfolk. You have listened to a false claimant."

Pale, Stachys shot to his feet. "I only want to claim what I have a right to. The T'Blackthorn's estate. I am of the blood, and the current man has let the Residence fall into ruin, neglected the estate and his responsibilities to society."

Mitch.e.l.la's knees went weak at the revelation. She leaned against the sofa. Her wits scrabbled, but she managed to reply, "Untrue. You were waiting for one more season to pa.s.s before pressing your claim, but when Straif came back you had to move quickly and hope you could prove that he'd missed too many GreatRituals. You erred."

Stachys's fingers bunched. "You've just proven that he's seduced you. Since he is a FirstFamilies GrandLord and supposedly an honorable n.o.bleman, it is easy for everyone to close their eyes to his long and many faults. Because honorable n.o.bles don't run away from their duties, don't let their homes fall into ruin. But this one did. And has done so again. For centuries the twenty-five FirstFamiles of Celta have always held GreatRituals to direct energy in bettering our people, but they have also grown arrogant. How long will the twenty-four FirstFamiles let the present T'Blackthorn ignore the responsibilities that were his since birth? I contend that this T'Blackthorn isn't honorable, but dishonorable-and cowardly, too!"

"Is that so?" Straif said from the doorway, looking every centimeter a dangerous outlaw, not a n.o.ble FirstFamily GrandLord.

Everyone turned to scrutinize him, but his stare focused on Stachys, and Straif prowled into the room. Even Mitch.e.l.la saw his aura pulsate with fury.

"Did you just call me a dishonorable coward?" Straif asked softly.

Stachys paled, but drew himself up. Now that the two men were together, there was the hint of a family resemblance. "Yes," he whispered, "I did."

Straif nodded. "Do you care to retract your words?"

Stachys glanced around the room. T'Reed and GentleLady Kudzu sat frozen in their chairs. No question that Straif dominated the scene. Stachys could not back down and save his claim. He coughed. "No, I don't retract my words." His voice cracked, but he plowed on. "I meant what I said."

Silence seethed through the room.

Straif narrowed his eyes, examining Stachys. "Right. I can't allow such insult to pa.s.s, not in my own home, not even from a distant cuz." He stripped off a heavily worn celtaroon glove and dropped it at Stachys's feet. "My seconds will contact you. Expect a visit from Tinne Holly." He stared at T'Reed. "Teleport these-people-out of here."

"I don't like 'porting," GentleLady Kudzu said. "I'm leaving on my own two feet." But she lingered near the door to watch the scene.