Eclipse wasn't surprised at the question. In her place, he would have wanted to know the same thing. Unfortunately, there was only so much he could tell her about it. "I wasn't there for most of it. She didn't come to Silverfire until she was thirteen."

"I want to know about that, too," Miryo said, sitting forward in interest. "I know she was a Temple Dancer, but how did she end up as a Hunter? I thought the schools didn't take trainees older than tena"eleven at the most."

"They don't. Sen wasa an exception." Eclipse laughed briefly, shaking his head. "I don't know why I still call her Sen. She just made such a vivid impression on me back then, when she came to Silverfire, before she earned her Hunter name. That's when we became friends."

"You're year-mates?"

Eclipse nodded. "But she and I are better friends than most. A lot of people didn't like her being accepted so late; she didn't have any friends when she showed up. But Ia well, I admired her. All these people trying to make her fail, to drive her out, and I think she didn't even see them half the time. Just blocked out everything that wasn't a part of what she needed to do." He grinned as a memory returned to him, even though it was kind of a painful one. "There was this one master, Talona"he fig-ured out early on that the quickest way to make Sen do something was to tell her she was too weak to do ita"" He broke off as Miryo laughed. "What?"

The witch waved a hand, indicating he should continue. "Just seeing similarities, is all."

"I hope you never went through anything like she did," Eclipse said, a little grim, even after all this time. "Talon went too far, always telling her she wasn't good enough. Had Sen convinced she hadn't yet proven her right to stay. She damn near broke herself trying to satisfy him. In the end, Jaguar even brought in a witch to heal her when she ripped her knee apart from training too much."

The amusement drained out of Miryo's face at his words. Watching it was strange; Eclipse still hadn't adjusted to the likeness. It was as if he were seeing Sen with long hair.

No, not quite. More as if he were seeing Sen the way she might have been, had she not come to Silverfire. The challenges she faced there had put a hardness in her, a streak of self-reliance that made her difficult to befriend. Eclipse was the only person who had really gotten inside that defense. Miryo was softer, more open; her life had not driven her to be so skeptical of those around her.

Miryo spoke, breaking his reverie. "She's good, isn't she? I saw the Thornbloods when they brought her in. She did quite a bit of damage before they took her. And there were four of them."

Eclipse snorted. "It would take four Thornbloods to take her down. Partly because they're not great Hunters, and partly because you're right: she's that good. I think that's why Jaguar let her into Silverfire. She was already strong and agile from being a Dancer, and she's got reflexes you wouldn't believe." He paused as a came to him. "Then again, maybe you would." He held out his hands, palm up. "Put your hands over mine, just barely touching."

Miryo did so, plainly curious.

"I'm going to try and slap the backs of your hands," Eclipse said. "When you feel me move, you try to pull away faster, so I miss. Got it?" Miryo nodded. "Okay. Ready?"

His hands flashed out and slapped hers smartly.

"Okay, now you see how that works. I guess you never played this as a kid? We'll do it for real this time." He repositioned his hands beneath hers.

And slapped her hands again.

They went through this twice more before Miryo dropped her hands and gave him an ironic look. "I don't have her reflexes, do I."

The difference was unmistakable. "I guess not. She must have gotten it from the Dancer training, before she got to Silverfire." But he knew as he said it that it wasn't true. Sen couldn't sing, and Miryo didn't have the reflexes. It had to be a part of their conditiona"but why?

Miryo didn't look like she believed the excuse, either. She chose not to comment, though. "So if life was so hard for her at Silverfire, why did she come? She had to have known it wouldn't be easy."

"Oh, she knew it, all right. I think she was just crazy." Eclipse shook his head in bemusement. "She says she'd always wanted to be a Hunter. Like that was what she was meant to do. She didn't mind being a Dancer, but it wasn't her choice. Then the woman who led her company called her in one day, completely out of the blue, and offered her a chance to be a Hunter." He shrugged. "She took it. And never looked back."

"Looking back feeds doubt," Miryo said softly, gazing off into the shadows. "And sometimes you can't afford that."

Her meaning was obvious. Eclipse watched her, and worried. They weren't going to give up. And he could only hope that one of them would be left standing when it was done.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

Silverfire

Powder in her hair dulled its color to brown; makeup gave her cheekbones she'd never been born with, and at the same time downplayed her eyes. Despite it all, Miryo couldn't help but feel the innkeeper's eyes lingered on her a moment longer than they needed to.

Void it. My horse isn't even stabled, and already my disguise is cracking.

She couldn't figure out how. Granted, the pool she'd used for a mirror that morning had not been great, but she'd been impressed with Mirage's skill in changing her appearance. The powder couldn't take a lot of abuse before it would start to brush out, but it had the advantage of being temporary; she'd rebelled against truly dyeing it. It didn't have to last long. All she had to do was get a room at the inn and stay in it, and touch up the powder at need.

But the innkeeper was looking at her already.

Had sweat begun to streak the makeup? The day was still young, but already it was hot. She had split off from Mirage and Eclipse earlier that morning, riding to Elensk while the two Hunters visited Silverfire. She still wished she had gone with them; her doppelganger had spent many of her formative years there, and so Miryo was nat-urally curious to see the place. But Mirage's concerns were well-grounded, and so Miryo stayed away. She had wanted to just camp somewhere, but Eclipse had pointed out that it might cause trouble if a patrol of trainees from Silverfire came across her.

So here she was, in town and disguised. In theory. Perhaps not so well as she had thought, though.

The realization hit her like a falling tree branch. It's not your appearance, idiot; it's your behavior. You've seen for yourself how many mannerisms you two share. How many times do you think he's seen Mirage, with Elensk this close to the school? That's why he's looking at you sideways.

I knew spending the day in a town full of Silverfire agents was a bad idea.

Quickly Miryo recalculated. And so when the innkeeper quoted the room price to her, she put on the expression she could least imagine on her own face or her double's: petulance.

"Per night?" she said, deliberately imitating the accents she'd heard from the petty highborns in Haira. "Well, at least it covers the bathhouse as well, right?"

Irritation flickered in his eyes. "I'm afraid we have no bathhouse, goodwoman," he said. "I will have a maid bring up a tub and hot water, though."

Miryo was surprised to notice how much the lack of the honorific "Katsu" grated. It had been hardly any time since her testing, and yet already she took the term for granted. But no time to mull on that; she had an act to keep up. "No bathhouse? Sweet Maiden, what kind of backwater place is this? And I'm going to have to put up with another five days of this before I get to Dravya!"

"I apologize, goodwoman. I'm afraid this is a small town, and a small inn."

"I don't need you to tell me that." Miryo put as much aggravation in her sigh as she could. "Well, I don't suppose I'll find better in a pest hole like this town. And I'll be gone soon enougha"thank the Bride. Now where's my room?"

She dropped the pose as soon as the door was shut behind her. Her jaw ached, and she rubbed it absently; maintaining that expression had been surprisingly hard. And what a silly way to behave! Blaming that poor man for not running a city-class inn, when he lived in a small town. She wished she could apologize.

It was barely noon. Mirage and Eclipse would not be back until tomorrow, which left her with the remainder of today and part of tomorrow to kill. Somehow.

She had lunch first, sequestered in her room; then she had the maid bring up the promised tub and water. Miryo dismissed the girl's offers of help, and as a precaution locked the door behind her. She didn't soak in the tub, lest the steam interfere with her disguise; she was capable of touching it up, but not redoing it from scratch should it become ruined. Instead she stripped down and took a thorough sponge bath, fiercely scrubbing away the layers of dust that had built up during the ride. Then she touched up her disguise, called for another bath, and used this one to clean some of her belongings, remembering too late that a true highborn would have had a servant do it. By the time she was done it was vaguely dinnertime, and she called for the maid to remove the tub and bring supper. She ate. The dishes were taken away.

And then Miryo was out of tasks to occupy herself, and the boredom set in.

It had been three years since Mirage visited Silverfire, and a full five since she had lived there, but she still remembered every tree and stone in the lands surrounding the compound.

I bloody well ought to. We spent enough time doing training exercises out here.

She and Eclipse hastened their pace along the road; now that they were too close to their goal, neither of them had the patience to wait. They flew along, kicking up clouds of dust as they went. Mirage resolved to make sure Mist and Sparker were treated well while they talked to Jaguar. The horses deserved some rest, and weren't likely to get it any time soon.

The tower with the bells and the dovecote was the first thing to come into view, poking up from the horizon. Then there was a dark smear, slowly growing; that was the small wood along the back edge of the compound, where students learned how not to sound like crippled cows when sneaking around. Mirage even knew the exact moment she would see the small guard tower and wall that straddled the road. They had always struck her as an odd paradox; they didn't do much to guard entry to Silverfire, yet anyone who thought he could sneak in was sadly mistaken. The structures themselves were there mostly to give students practice sneaking in and out.

A whoop sounded from the tower as they approached. Mirage squinted and saw a limping figure emerge, waving energetically at them.

"Warrior's blade, Mirage, you cost me ten silver! I bet you'd be here a month ago!" Viper hobbled forward another few steps and moderated his voice now that they were in range. "Both of you at once? Man, what a treat!"

Eclipse glanced at the leg Viper was favoring. "What's up with you?"

"Took a spear to the thigh." He put on a woebegone expression. "A witch healed it, believe it or not, but it still takes a while to get totally better. So here I am, serving guard duty on the infants." A sharp whistle sounded then, and his head whipped around. "Speaking of which. There's a class of fourteens coming through, and I've got to be 'on guard.' Come by after noon, though; it's been a dog's age since I talked to either of you." That said, he hobbled back to his tower.

Mirage nudged Mist forward and frowned to herself. He expected me? Why? Does everyone know we're on this commission?

The question would have to wait until after their meeting with Jaguar, so she put it from her mind and raised her head, taking in the view of Silverfire with warm appreciation.

She was an itinerant Hunter; she had no home. But if she had to name the place closest to her heart, it would be here. Up ahead were the shale walls of the barracks; Mirage could just see her old room, high up on one corner, and she smiled at it. Opposite was the small building where students had classes. Silverfire provided its trainees with a decent education, but since they rarely took jobs involving high-class society, book-learning was not of paramount importance. More of their lessons were conducted elsewhere in the compound.

Such as in the salle, just past the class building. Indoor practice was held there, but in fine weathera"or often in poor weathera"the students trained outside, in the hard-packed dirt ring next to the salle. Behind that she could see the archery range, and the mounted combat arena, and then the wood.

They stopped first at the stables, just inside the yard. Farther back were the school stables; these up front were for visitors only. They were staffed by successive shifts of trainees and one old Hunter.

"Good to see you," Briar said laconically, taking the reins of their horses in his scarred, three-fingered hand. "Here for Jaguar, right? He's been waiting."

"Is he with anybody now?" Mirage asked.

Briar rolled his eyes around, considering it. "No. No outsider, at least, and he'll kick a student out for you."

Mirage grinned. "Thanks. Treat the horses to something nice; we've been hard on them lately."

That earned her a sharp look, and then a scrutiny of Mist that took in everything from her dusty forelock to the tiny scrape on one back hoof. "You better not be treating her badly."

"Treat Mist badly? I know better than that. You'd take a horsewhip to me if I lamed her."

"Damn straight." He tugged on the reins of the horses and vanished into the stables.

They continued onward, past the barracks and the infirmary. Mirage shielded her eyes with one hand as they approached the building at the tower's base and glanced upward. Sure enough, there was a young man up there, plastered to the side of the tower and looking petrified. Must've lipped off to one of the masters. Poor sod. I wonder how many trips he's made up therea"and how many he has left?

Then they were inside the building, and blinking in the dim light. She could just barely make out a thin shadow behind the desk. "You took long enough getting here," he said curtly. "We got your message days ago."

"Delays happen, Slip," Mirage said. Her vision was clearing now, showing her a tiny, rail-thin man sitting bolt upright behind a stack of papers. His knifelike face marked him as the twin of Wisp, Silverfire's contact in Angrim.

"You do this on purpose, don't you?" Eclipse complained.

"Do what?" Slip said blandly.

"Make it dark in here. You like us being blind when we walk in."

"You knew what it would be like. Haven't you learned to close your eyes before you come in? Stupid boy."

Just as sweet as Wisp. Mirage grinned to herself. "Is Jaguar free?"

By way of an answer, Slip cocked his head to one side. A moment later, they heard a faint bong from overhead. "Now he is. You saw the idiot outside?" He barely waited for them to nod. "Five years here, and still an idiot. That's his third session with the tower this month. Talon sent him for ten climbs this time. Says he'll make it fifteen, next time, and twenty after that. Warrior save us all. I keep hoping the stupid git will fall off and make us all happy. Why Jaguar hasn't thrown him out I don't know. But he's done nowa"that was tena"so go on upstairs."

"Ouch," Eclipse murmured in her ear as they left Slip's domain. "Ten tripsa"that hurts."

"And fifteen in store," Mirage muttered back. She imagined she could hear the boy's feet against the shale of the walls, climbing down from the belfry. "For his sake, I hope he learns to keep his mouth shut."

And then they were at the top of the stairs. They both paused and straightened their dusty clothing. Then Mirage raised one hand and knocked.

"Come in," Jaguar called.

He didn't look surprised to see them. Of course not; knowing him, he'd known they were approaching before they even spoke to Viper. Silverfire's Grandmaster had not earned his position by being a stupid or inattentive man.

Mirage and Eclipse saluted him. He stood and returned it, master to student, then sat once more. "Stand free," he said.

They stationed their fed apart and clasped their hands behind their backs. No one really relaxed in Jaguar's presence, even with permission; it just wasn't possible.

Jaguar eyed them for a moment, then nodded. "Start talking."

Miryo wished she could sleep. It would make the time pass more quickly. But despite being exhausted by the trip, she could not seem to fall asleep. It was too early, and she had too much on her mind.

She didn't dare go down and socialize in the common room. Aside from concerns about her disguise, it didn't remotely fit the persona she'd adopted, that of a young woman with pretensions to rank. Neither could she chat with the maid, even supposing she wanted to. She started to review spells in her heada"a reflex left from the crush of the days before her testa"but she immediately started to reach for power, and cut herself off, sweating.

Crone have mercy. It's getting harder to resist.

The brief taste from that night in the wood had only sharpened her longing for magic. Which she ought to have expected. It was logical, really.

But logic did nothing to soften the bite.

Miryo paced the room for some time before finally stopping, swearing, and kneeling to pray.

Goddess. Please, oh please, hear my prayers.

Help me hold on. I can't give in now, not when we maybe have a chance to make this better.

Or have I got it wrong? Maybe this really is the way you intended things to be. I feel like there should be another answer, but every time I look, I feel like I'm slamming my head against a brick wall.

Thinking about that put an uneasy feeling in Miryo's stomach. What if she and Mirage failed? What would it mean? None of the options were reassuring. It might mean that the answer had been there, and they had simply been too stupid to see it in time. Or perhaps the Goddess intended for things to change, but not at their hands. Or the Goddess liked things the way they were.

Separation and death, a denial of the selfa"I can't believe that.

Miryo firmed her jaw. I've committed myself to this path, Goddess. So either give me the strength to see it through, or convince me that I'm wrong.

It was more a demand than a prayer, but it hardened her resolve, and maybe that was enough.

"We think we know who the Wolfstar is," Jaguar began when they were done with their report. "They have one, twenty-nine years old, named Wraith. He hadn't done much to earn his name, or so we thought until recently. It seems he inherited in full measure the Wolfstar tendency to hide his tracks. But only for a while. After enough time has passed, he feels free to boast."

"Boast?" Mirage said, not bothering to hide her contempt. "When you're an assassin? That's stupid. It's not as if there's a limited term on revenge."

"He's aware of that," Jaguar said dryly. "It came out in this last year that he was behind the death of Lady Anade of Razi. Tangle, Cano's Cloudhawk, went after him; he had a personal attachment to the late Lady. Wraith killed him a few months ago."

Mirage whistled soundlessly. She knew of Tangle; he was one of Cloudhawk's gems. And if Wraith was twenty-nine, he had to have killed Anade when he was just twenty-one. Her fight with him took on a whole new lighta"not that it excused her losing him in Vilardi.