Love? It was the first time that the word had entered the situation. Even Valea had never actually thought it. Love. It must be true, she realized. Master Traske was no blind man; if he saw love, it could only be because it was there for him to see.

"I'm in love with him. . . ." she whispered, noticing it as truth for the first time. Why had she never thought it before? It was so obvious! What other explanation was there for the way she felt?

Then the young witch thought of her parents and how they would react if she said as much to them. "No . . . I can't be!"

"You are." Traske put a hand on her shoulder. The touch was gentle, rea.s.suring. "Denying facts is a futile waste of time. My cla.s.ses should have taught you that by now, Lady Valea."

"What can I do?" She could not go to her mother for such advice. Benjin Traske was the only one whose counsel she could trust. He understood the world in a way that Valea had still to learn . . . might never learn, for that matter. Her parents were so protective.

"You must wait." The scholar's voice was low, confiding. He glanced around. "If there is one thing I know, it is that one must wait for the proper moment. It is how I've led my life, Valea. You must wait. I am certain that Kyl will make known the truth before it is too late. If he does not . . ." Traske shrugged sadly. "Then, it was meant to be that way."

"But you said he loved me!"

"One must consider all possibilities . . . you have not been paying attention during your cla.s.ses, I see." He smiled, shattering the image of inquisitor. "I doubt, however, that matters will end that way. Just listen-"

At the sudden pause, Valea looked around. She did not notice anything at first, but then the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the area.

"We will speak later, my lady. Remember what I have said. If you want something, you must often wait. It may be a long time before you-Aurim! Do you look for us?"

Valea's brother stopped where he was. She noted that he looked slightly annoyed, which meant that he had not likely heard any of what she and the tutor had been discussing. The novice sorceress silently thanked Master Traske for his discretion.

"N-not you, teacher. Mother wishes to speak with Valea, though."

The girl frowned. She knew what her mother wanted to talk to her about.

"Best that you go, then, my lady." The huge man casually squeezed his charge's shoulder as he guided her toward her brother. "If there is one authority we must always be on the best of terms with, it is your mother."

Aurim attempted a smile, evidently thinking that the scholar was making a joke. While they were rare, Benjin Traske did occasionally make the wry comment . . . most of them concerning the diligence of his students.

Unenthusiastic about the prospect of facing her mother but lacking any escape, Valea joined her golden-haired brother. Aurim made to go, but the young sorceress took the time to bid farewell to Master Traske. "If you will excuse me, teacher." She curtsied. "My thanks for your time."

He bowed in turn, always an extraordinary feat considering the scholar's girth. "I merely do my duty."

"No more stalling," her brother whispered to her. "Mother's waiting!"

Valea knew that she had been fortunate that it was Aurim who had come for her and not their mother. The elder Lady Bedlam had a way of often divining the truth that at times unnerved her children. Fortunately, Aurim was not so observant.

Steeling herself, the young witch followed her brother. She did not look forward to the talk, knowing it would revolve around both her behavior today and her feelings in general for princely Kyl. Still, she was not completely disheartened. The unexpected support of Master Benjin Traske gave her strength. More and more his words made sense. She would listen to her mother and try her best to pretend compliance. The time would come. Master Traske had said as much, and she had rarely known him to be wrong.

She imagined herself as Kyl's bride, his empress, and . . . the mother of his offspring. Valea knew the stories; she knew that drakes and her kind had married before. There had been children. It was all possible.

If he loved her, Valea was confident that somehow Kyl would overcome all the obstacles to their love. Somehow, despite drakes and parents, they would be together.

V.

THE FIRST DAY of the journey pa.s.sed with so little difficulty that Cabe could only marvel. Kyl was actually gracious and willing to follow the suggestions of the others. It took the warlock some time to realize that the change in att.i.tude stemmed from the heir's hidden anxiety. Kyl knew that he had to make the proper impression on both the humans and his own people or else he would never sit upon the throne of his sire. Now, en route to the first of a series of very crucial confrontations, the pressure was finally affecting the dragon heir.

For once, Cabe found himself sympathizing with the young drake.

The caravan came to a halt in a lightly wooded region, the northernmost traces of the immense Dagora Forest. Under the guidance of the Green Dragon himself, camp was set up. The Dragon King was doing his best to see to it that his emperor-to-be's journey was a quiet, smooth one. The warlock, however, could not help but frown as he watched the master of Dagora go out of his way to see to it that every comfort was afforded the heir. A drake lord as old and as commanding as the Green Dragon should not have had to belittle himself so. It amazed Cabe to watch. What it was in Kyl that brought out such a manner from the otherwise regal Dragon King confounded him.

Protocol demanded that he eat with the Dragon King, Kyl, and Grath. A wide tent of human manufacture had been set up for the would-be emperor, and it was here that Kyl chose to eat, the better for privacy. The young drake had eschewed bringing along chairs, instead adopting a custom from one of the western kingdoms. Seated on pillows before a low table, Cabe was uncomfortable, but as none of his reptilian companions appeared to be having any difficulty, he remained quiet.

Fortunately, the meal was short and the conversation centered mostly on the kingdom of Talak itself, including such things as trade goods, history, and people. Kyl seemed to drink in every drop of information. Grath, too, asked questions, generally picking subjects his brother had not yet mentioned. A few times, the warlock either hesitated or admitted outright that he, in all fairness to King Melicard, could not provide the drakes with an answer. The dragon heir accepted this, although Grath appeared disappointed.

At meal's end, Kyl took a last sip from his goblet, then said, "The food ha.s.ss been excellent and the conversssation very informative. I think, though, I would like to take sssome time to digessst both further. I thank both you, my Lord Green, and you, Ma.s.sster Bedlam, once again for your invaluable ssservice."

Warlock and Dragon King rose. Cabe winced as he stretched his legs at last. Next to him, the drake lord executed a perfect bow. "Should Your Majesty have need of my humble self again before retiring, plea.s.sse do not hesitate to call for me."

Cabe simply nodded in respect. Kyl nodded back, again not at all perturbed by his guardian's att.i.tude. Grath rose to guide the two to the tent opening. He bowed respectfully to both departing guests. "My grat.i.tude also goes out to the two of you."

Outside, Kyl's two guards straightened. The Green Dragon and Cabe walked past the watchful pair in silence, each mulling over the dinner conversation. It was not until they were well away from Kyl's tent that the Dragon King spoke.

"I am encouraged, friend Cabe. Much encouraged. Hisss Majesty asks pointed and intelligent questionsss."

Many of which seemed to originate from Grath, Cabe wanted to add. He was thankful that Kyl's younger brother was along. Where the heir faltered, surely Grath would save the situation. "You think the audience with Melicard will be successful, then, my lord?"

"It mussst be! There is no room for failure! You and I both know that!"

Once more, they continued on in silence. It was not until they were among the other members of the caravan that the silence was broken . . . or perhaps altered was the better word.

The camp looked no different, yet Cabe suddenly felt as if someone had invaded it. He paused and looked around.

"Is something amisss?" the Dragon King asked quietly.

"I don't . . . maybe . . ."

They were in the trees around the camp.

"Seekers. . . ." he whispered to his scaled companion.

"What? Impossi-" The drake lord broke off as he, too, suddenly sensed the presence of many avian minds. One hand clenched tight.

"No!" Cabe hissed, fearing that the Dragon King would try to unleash a spell. He did not know what the birdlike Seekers wanted, but if it was to attack, they would have done so by now. Either that, or they would have fled, which would have made more sense based on the numbers that the warlock perceived. There were several of the humanoid birdfolk, but not nearly enough to endanger the caravan.

"What do they want?"

"I don't know. . . ."

Around them, several of the human and drake workers stared at the two powerful figures, most, no doubt, wondering just why it was their lords stood frozen in place. Cabe was thankful that none of them had been close enough to hear his discovery of the avian observers.

It was too dark to see the arrogant forms hidden among the treetops, but now and then the patient sorcerer heard the quiet rustle of wings. The Seekers seemed satisfied with observing. Cabe could feel no desire to attack.

"I think . . . they simply want to know a little about the future emperor."

"I shall have them shot from the treesss," snarled the Green Dragon. From his tone, he had still not come to grips with the realization that the Seekers had settled around the camp without his notice.

"Don't!" admonished Cabe. "I . . . I think we won't have any trouble from them if we simply let them be."

"Seekers?" The very idea of allowing the caravan and, especially, Kyl to remain surrounded by the bird folk went against the draconian monarch's notions of safety.

Cabe could hardly blame him. Still, he had no desire to start a conflict with the ancient race. Although only a vestige of their former might, the Seekers, once rulers of the land, were still a cunning and deadly foe when stirred. For now, it was simple curiosity that drove them.

Then, as silently as they had come, the Seekers departed.

Only the warlock and the drake lord noticed their withdrawal. The reptilian knight glanced down at his human companion. "Why did they leave?"

Why, indeed? "They must have discovered what they wanted to know."

"Peaceful intentionsss or not, I am putting the guardsss on alert, friend Cabe! If even one of the bird people returns, I will have it destroyed!"

With that said, the Dragon King whirled about and stalked away.

The mage watched him vanish into the night, silently hoping that there would be no further incident. Then, ignoring the still curious glances of the servants nearby, Cabe turned and headed toward his own tent. It would be wise, he concluded, to make a few additions to the spells he and the drake lord had cast. Stronger yet more subtle ones. There would be no repeat of the surprise visit. Next time-though in truth he hoped there would be no next time-he would be alerted to the avians' presence long before they became a threat.

Even still, Cabe knew he would sleep lightly this night. Very lightly.

TO THE WEARY mage's relief, the night pa.s.sed with no return of the bird folk. Cabe had not slept well, not trusting that his newly cast defensive spells would be sufficient for the cunning avians. The nagging lack of confidence was something he had often fallen victim to in the past, and the warlock was quite aware that Aurim had inherited the tendency to doubt himself from his father. That, more than anything else, was why his son's spells went awry. Cabe hoped that one day Aurim, at least, would overcome the doubts. It was looking more and more as if he never would.

The caravan was ready to move on in an astonishingly short time, no doubt thanks in great part to the Green Dragon's threatening encouragement. He did not see the silent night as any sign the Seekers had meant no harm. To him, it meant that the avians intended something more monstrous later in the journey. The drake lord wanted to make as much progress as possible before that happened.

Cabe did not argue with him, deciding they were all best served by taking no chances. If circ.u.mstances called for him to step between the bird folk and the Dragon King, then so be it. He hoped it would not come to that.

The weather stayed clear, allowing them to cover much ground. There was little trouble, save an argument between a human rider and one of the drake warriors the Green Dragon had brought with him. It was the opinion of the human that his counterpart's reptilian steed was eying the horse with too much eagerness. Separating the two succeeded for a time in ending the matter, but when the accused riding drake started fighting for control with his master, his definite intention being to accost one of the other horses, the Dragon King had the drake warrior ride off and feed his mount. He was also warned that if the beast still hungered when the two returned, it would be its own master it was fed.

That this was the only incident of friction between the human and drake folk was encouraging. Even though the humans for the most part had originally come from settlements located in the lands of the Green Dragon, they had never mingled much with the drake race. Cabe's tiny kingdom had brought the two races closer together than in any part of the Dragonrealm with the possible exception of Irillian by the Sea. There, however, humans were second to their reptilian counterparts. They were treated well, but the divisions still remained. Such was not the case at the Manor. The warlock hoped that he would one day see the rest of the Dragonrealm follow their example. Even he had been amazed that the two races could work so well together.

Evening came none too soon for the mage, who wondered whether he had grown a little soft over the past few years. For the most part, he had traveled by means of either his own sorcery or the swiftness of Darkhorse. Cabe could not recall the last time he had gone on an extended journey with only true horse for transportation. He had forgotten how uncomfortable a saddle could be after two days of riding.

Thinking of Darkhorse, the saddle-worn mage wondered where the eternal was. The shadow steed was not yet late, but Cabe still feared that some other hidden trap had caught Darkhorse unprepared.

He was carefully dismounting when Grath joined him. "Master Bedlam. Can I be of any a.s.sistance?"

"Thank you, no. I'm fine."

Someone came to take the reins of his horse. Cabe gladly gave them up. Beside him, the young drake continued to wait.

"Might I speak to you for just a moment, Master Bedlam?"

The Green Dragon and Kyl had already started walking away. Cabe, seeing that he was not needed at the moment, nodded to his companion. "What do you want?"

Grath looked almost embarra.s.sed. "The closer we come to Talak, the more uneasy I become. I do not mean that I fear danger, not with you, Lord Green, and soon Darkhorse to protect the caravan, but rather . . . rather I am fearful of the coming confrontation with His Majesty, King Melicard."

"Kyl's been well-rehea.r.s.ed. He'll do fine." At least, Cabe added to himself, I hope so.

"It is not Kyl I am worried about. He has been trained from birth for such things. No, I fear my own lack of experience will tell. If I commit an error, it will reflect upon Kyl . . . upon all drakesss . . ."

Worried as he had been about the dragon heir's performance, Cabe had not really considered the pressures on Grath. He had always been of the a.s.sumption that Grath was capable of doing what had to be done. When was the last time he and the others had considered the situation from the younger drake's point of view?

"Grath," he finally said, trying to choose his words for best result, "you'll do fine. I've watched you. Gwendolyn and Lord Green have watched you. We probably haven't told you lately how proud we are of your efforts. You complement Kyl perfectly. He couldn't have a finer counselor."

"If my clutch had been first," Grath said, referring to his hatching, "I would have been the heir. Yet, although I am not, I am still to fulfill a role of great importance. That is why I have always strived to know all that there is to know. If I give wrong advice to Kyl, it could cause catastrophe." The drake looked down. "To be worthy of giving counsel to the Dragon Emperor, I have striven for knowledge as if I am the heir himself, but . . . but I ssstill . . ."

Cabe put a hand on Grath's arm. "You would be as good an emperor as Kyl, Grath! When the meeting between your brother and Melicard commences, you'll do just fine. Kyl would have no other beside him. He's said so many times, remember?"

"Yesss . . ."

"We're all weary from the day's ride, so-"

A familiar presence touched the warlock's thoughts. Grath, noticing his expression, tensed and glanced around.

"Ho there, Cabe! h.e.l.lo, young Grath!"

Standing where nothing but the creeping darkness of the coming night had been before, was the irrepressible shadow steed. Darkhorse dipped his head in further greeting, then trotted silently toward the duo.

"You made it!" Cabe fairly shouted. Then, collecting himself, he said more quietly, "It's good to see you safe."

"So I noticed! Ha!"

"Welcome back, Darkhorse," Grath added.

"Thank you, one and all." The huge stallion's ice-blue eyes glittered. "It was an entertaining excursion to say the least!"

The warlock's relief faded. "You found more spell traps?"

"Two too many, my friend! Someone was trying to ensure most readily that I was snared!" Darkhorse's voice lowered to a quiet boom. "I did not admit to you the trouble the first trap caused me. It came very close to capturing me as the other captured you, Cabe!"

Then what would I have done? the sorcerer could not help thinking.

"Of the other two snares I found, I can only tell you that they were traps of great cunning! Had I encountered one of them first, it might be that both you and I would have struggled in both ignorance and futility while day after day pa.s.sed without our knowing it!"

"How did you deal with the spells?"

The eternal chuckled. "They were designed to trap, not cope with being trapped! Once I understood their nature, I simply swallowed them."

"Swallowed?" Cabe tried to picture the sight, but failed utterly.

"They were quite tasty in their own way!"

Cabe was still deciding whether or not he should ask Darkhorse to expand on his remark when Kyl appeared, trailed by Lord Green and the two guards. The emperor-to-be was still clad in his riding clothes.