"In her?" He laughed, ruefully acknowledging the short- coming he'd always known. "Don't question her taste, Talli.

It was I who"

She laughed gently. "Oh, Khyel, you don't understand at all, do you? That's one reason I . . ."

He glanced up. She was looking at him. Just . . . looking.

Strangely. Or perhaps it was the silver-dusted shadows from the city street leylamps that made her seem suddenly . . .

different.

"Mirym was so very quiet, so eminently practical," she said at last. "It's not her bedding with you that surprised me. It was the fact she got pregnant. That seemed out of character. As for what happened between you. I'd be a fool to let it affect our situation. Other factors, however . . ."

That strange look hadn't left her face. She seemed to be measuring him for something. Finally, she said, "Must I be the one to ask, Mikhyel?"

In a sudden panic, he realized he had no idea what she was talking about.

Her eyes fell; she touched his hand, a gentle, lingering stroke. He turned it over and clasped hers, hoping that answered her need. She smiled, but not, he thought, in humor. Her other hand lifted to his cheek, her body leaning toward him, of necessity.

And only a fool could fail to read those signals. Only a greater fool would feel the confusion that gripped his stom- ach as violently as the tension before a major debate.

A sensible manDeymorinwould lean the fraction necessary to match lips to lips, accepting easily the gift of- fered in such kindly humor and willing appreciation, not thinking beyond that. Or he would have before he'd found Kiyrstin.

But he had no Kiyrstin; no hold, moral, legal or emo- tional, on him. And this was Nethaalye, the woman he would, quite willingly, take to wife.

Would he, however, as willingly take her to bed? To bed, yes, as would his duty to his family and hers dictate. And he would perform, on cue, as duty also dictated.

And duty to her. He'd never thought about that part.

Never considered that she might wantand deserve more.

And he wondered, in some panic, if she did, in fact love him. And if, on that love, hinged the fate of the web. Be- cause he very much feared that he could never feel for her what . . . what Deymorin felt for Kiyrstin, or even what Nikki felt for Lidye.

He steeled his stomach and leaned. Lips touched lightly.

His tension remained. He drew back, or she did, and he saw, at this close range, a distinct, moist glimmer in her eyes, though her face remained as serene as before.

Freeing his hand, he cupped that serenity and tried again, seeking that elusive drive he'd felt on occasion with Mirym, albeit in general with the help of his randy brothers. He closed his eyes, seeking sensation first, trusting association would solve its own problem. And for a moment, he thought the necessary response was there, that - . . desire - - . might be possible. Lips softened, formed to one another, and explored with mutual respect.

But the gentle touch disengaged with a shuddery little breath, and dark, satiny hair replaced it against his lips.

Nethaalye's hand left his neck to rest lightly on his chest, but for balance only, for all the pressure exerted.

"Oh, I do envy the woman you eventually take to wife, Mikhyel dunMheric," she said on a fluttering breath, and a whisper of a tremor rippled through her.

While he was still turning that over in his head, she sat back, utterly composed.

"But that woman is not I, my dear friend."

"Nethaalye, I"

She pressed his hand.

They'd arrived at her father's empty house.

"Just let me know when to be ready to leave," she mur- mured, and stepped out into Ganfrion's waiting hands.

Chapter Five.

For a woman who so vehemently resisted donning them, Kiyrstin chose her women's clothing well.

The cool shadows of the north garden formed a fitting frame for her overdress of deep maroon and soft tangerine orange. Her shapely shoulders and long neck rising from the pale blue, beaded undergown were enough to set any man's heart to racing. For Deymorin Rhomandi, too long without the feel of that skin beneath his fingers, the sight was sufficient to set more than his heart rate up.

She stood beside a small pool, one hand supporting the opposite elbow, the other cupping her chin in a familiar, deep-thought gesture.

His boots padding silently along the cedar-bark pathway, he slipped up behind her. Arms spread wide he surrounded her, in one hand, the enormous bouquet he'd brought into Rhomatum with him, in the other, a single rose. As he bent to press his lips to that bare right shoulder, his left hand drew the soft petals of the rose bud along her throat.

As an assassin would draw a blade across his victim's jugular.

Calm as a spring day, she tipped her head to the left, opening more territory to his exploring lips.

"Lucky for you, my husband is away," she said.

He lifted his head, strangely hurt. "Husband?"

Her rich chuckle eased the hurt, as she turned in the circle of his arms. "In all eyes but Garetti's and the law,"

she murmured, and molded her lips to his.

When Garetti's day had been thoroughly ruined, in ab- sentia, and the bouquet restored to something vaguely re- sembling the Armayel florist's original effort, Kiyrstin asked, "So what are you doing here?"

"Missed my nonwife."

"Good start. And?"

"I'm running a bit ahead of schedule, I was in Barsitum, as close to Rhomatum as I'll be in the next month, so I thought I'd drop in for a visit."

"Drop in. Just like that."

"Well, I'm worried about Khyel."

"Ha. Now we're getting somewhere. When are you going to let the poor lad sink or swim on his own, JD?"

The bench on which they'd settled had a curve that fol- lowed the pond's edge and allowed an intimate near face- on conversation. And her face left no doubt regarding her feelings on this topic.

She thought him an interfering, energy-wasting idiot.

"Did Nikki tell you what he's up to?" he asked, feeling rather on the defensive.

"Yes. So?"

"I haven't heard a word from him, haven't felt anything since that wild scheme supposedly took place."

"Yes. So?"

"So, I'm worried."

"Yes. So?"

"Dammit, Kiyrsti, say something useful!"

"Yes. So?"

He glared at her. At length. She refused to elucidate.

He relented.

"Welcome to the world of normal people, eh?"

She nodded. "And?"

"Thanks to this thing we share, I'd know if he'd gotten into serious trouble."

"And?"

"I'll wait until he's ready to tell me what happened."

She leaned over and kissed his nose. He grunted and swiped the kiss away, figuratively speaking.

"And what in the name of Darius' balls are you doing in that outfit? Not," he hastened to add, "that I've any objections, mind you."

"I'm entertaining, this afternoon."

"You're always entertaining, m'love. Anyone I know, and do I trade my rose in for the real thing?"

"Keep your toys in their sheaths, laddybuck. We've guests from Shatum."

"Ah. Early."

"You got the letters."

He shrugged. "Thought I'd be here, just in case."

"Just never you mind. And you stay quiet and out of sight. Let Nikki and the ladies handle this one."

"Hadn't intended otherwise. Just wanted to be here for a firsthand viewing. What exactly are you up to? Who all came?"

"Damned if I'll recite the list. Everyone and their cous- ins. Kirish'lani, Shatumin, and a few who have yet to speak a civilized language."

Suddenly, the day was no longer quite so bright.

"Kiyrstin''

"Oh, hush, Rhomandi, I'm joking. By the time we're through with them, they'll realize their only option is to sit and waitunless they care to do it Darius' way, and then, well, we won't have to worry about them, will we?"

He rubbed an already ruined petal between two fingers.

He thought of Mikhyel and what Kiyrstin had said, he thought about what would be happening here, if he hadn't come back, and interfering with plans already in motion, and decided, perhaps, he had to trust someone some time.

Besides, if things went wrong, she couldand would come for him.

"I'll sneak into the house, let my little brother know I'm here, then wait for you in the room, where you can tell me all about it this evening." He yawned. "Darius knows, I could use the sleep."

"How long can you stay?"

"Since you don't need me, I'll be gone tomorrow morn- ing before you wake up."

"Want to lay a wager on that?"

He chuckled. "Which"

{Deymorin?]

His throat constricted. His vision faded. His ears rang.

And his body was soaked.

(Deymorin, are you there?) {Shit, Khyel!) He waved Kiyrstin's hands away, and pulled himself out of the pond. {Back off.} {Sorry.) {Mikhyel? Deymorin! You're here?l Confusion. Elation.

All that and more from an enthusiastic Nikki.

{Nikki, save your reunion for later, please.} Khyel, of course, holding Nikki at bay.

{Where the hell are you, Khy?} Deymorin asked. {You'n as clear as if you were standing right here.} (The Tower of Giephaetumor near enough it make no difference.} {Made contact, then?} Acknowledgment. {Nethaalye's returning to Rhomantun tomorrow. Nikki, is it safe?}

LVIIIVIIVVV TT I LRlrl~ 1Y *l. UULV j {Yes. I'll tell Lidye. I'm certain she'll welcome the help jl hope so. Deymorin, Kiyrstin} {Is right here. I'll tell her.)