The long-limbed figure of Mellion uncurled itself from the seat and stood, proving himself a head taller than either me or Garvin. He spread his hands flat and moved them slowly apart. The others stopped talking. He pointed to the vacant seat, then held his hands over his eyes. Then he dropped his hands and walked around to Garvin and held his hand out. Garvin looked confused until Mellion gently prised the scabbard from Garvin's hand and offered it to me.

"What does he want me to do with it?" I asked Garvin.

"I think he's offering you a solution," said Garvin. "He wants me to kill myself?" I asked.

"No," said Kimlesh. "Hordemaster Mellion has once again proved his tactical ability. My compliments, sir." Mellion bowed and returned to his seat, leaving me holding Garvin's scabbard and wondering whether I could use it as a weapon in some way. One look at Garvin, however, changed my mind. He held his long blade with easy readiness.

I looked around the circle of faces, the blank looks among them reflecting my own confusion.

"Why am I holding this?" I asked Kimlesh.

"Mellion is suggesting you join the warders."

"Me? I don't know one end of a pointed stick from the other."

"I agree," said Krane. "A wraithkin warder? His loyalty would be questionable at best."

"But there have always been wraithkin warders, haven't there, Garvin. Tell them," said Kimlesh. "This is true," Garvin said. "While there hasn't been a wraithkin warder since the separation of the Seventh Court, that's only because there have been no candidates. As you know, there were originally seven warders, one from each court. And their loyalty is to no single court. We carry out the will of the council." He made this point looking directly at Krane.

"I'm sorry, Garvin," he said. "I did not mean to imply- "

"I understand your concern, Lord Krane, but the warders swear their oath to the council, revoking any previous oath to their own court. They are bound to the council as anyone else is bound to their court. "

"Are you... are you offering me a job?" I asked them. "It is a way out of the dilemma, certainly," said Kimlesh. "We need your silence and you wish to survive. The two are not incompatible if you are a warder." Garvin addressed himself to the council. "I would respectfully remind the council that you are going to be putting your lives in this man's hands. Is that what you want?"

"Can you train him?" asked Teoth.

Garvin looked me up and down, a.s.sessing me like a piece of meat. "I can make him competent. Whether he has any true ability remains to be seen."

"He's already proven himself far more resourceful than any of us would have credited," said Teoth. "And it is better to have him bound close to us than running around loose, don't you think?" Kimlesh looked around the circle.

"Warders can get killed," said Krane. "If he dies in service then we still risk exposure."

"I can ask the Remembrancer to rescind the order," I told them. "If you will all swear not to harm me or mine then it can be withdrawn. It will take a few weeks to unravel, but it can be done."

"You misunderstand," said Kimlesh. "We would not harm you. You will be our protector, our bodyguard and our servant. A warder has never, ever been harmed by the council."

"Nevertheless," I looked at Krane, "that's my condition."

He sat back in his seat, while everyone looked at him. "Very well," he said. "Swear him in. The sooner this is done with, the better."

"Do you each swear that you will do me no harm, either directly or indirectly?"

"I swear that we will treat you like any other warder, with no preference or privilege, nor any wish for harm," said Kimlesh.

"So say I," said Yonna.

"And I," said Teoth

Mellion pressed his hand over his heart and nodded solemnly.

Barthia agreed, "The same for me."

Krane looked around the faces, then nodded. "I'm going to regret this, I just know it," he sighed. "I too will treat you as any other warder with no preference or privilege, nor any wish for harm. Is that enough?" I nodded.

"Give Garvin his scabbard back and then take off your jacket and kneel," said Kimlesh. "Garvin?"

Garvin took back his scabbard and moved to the side of me while I dropped the jacket in a bundle on the floor and knelt in the centre of the star.

"Put out your right hand and bare your wrist," she instructed.

I hesitated just a moment, then pulled back the shirt from my wrist, exposing the skin. I held out my wrist and Garvin's blade flashed down. I flinched, but the blade stopped, just above the veins of my wrist. He withdrew the sword.

"A test?" I asked. Then I noticed the blood welling out of the cut across my wrist. I hadn't even felt it touch me. "Taste it," said Kimlesh. I sucked the blood, feeling the coppery tang of it in my mouth.

"By your blood, will you serve the will of the council until released of your service," she asked. "I will." The coppery taste got stronger.

"By your heart, will you hold the life of any member of the council above your own?"

I looked at Krane. "I will." I could feel the blood on my tongue.

"By your mind, will you seek to preserve and protect your fellow warders even at risk of your own life? "

"I will." Its taste thickened.

"By your power, will you keep the secrets of the council, even to your own death?"

"I will."

"Stand, Warder Alshirian, called Dogstar, also called Niall Petersen, and bow to the council."

I got unsteadily to my feet. Garvin watching me, then turned to the council and bowed slowly.

"Garvin will take you to Blackbird. I imagine you will want to tell her your news."

Garvin wiped down the blade with a plain white cloth. Then he nodded to Kimlesh.

"Go then. We will see you again, Warder Alshirian." I turned, but Garvin caught my eye. He turned and whirled the blade around in his hand, sheathing the blade with a soft hiss in one smooth movement, then he placed his right hand over his heart and bowed slowly to the council. I mimicked his bow. He turned and escorted me to the door. "Send in Fionh, please, Garvin."

He held the door while I stepped through and he stepped through after me. Tate and Fionh were waiting outside. Fionh's eyebrow went up when she saw me.

"You're to go in directly, Fee. Tate, you're with me. "

"What happened in there?" asked Fionh.

"I'll tell you later." He looked me over. "We're going to have our work cut out. See if you can find out how long they're going to be. Mullbrook will want to know if they are dining."

Fionh slipped back into the room, pulling the door quietly closed behind her.

Garvin walked away down the corridor with Tate stepping in behind. I stood there for a moment, bemused, unsure of what I should do.

Garvin paused and slowly turned back to me. "First lesson," he said. "I can lead, but you have to follow." They strode away. I gathered my wits together and trotted after them.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" asked Tate as we neared the room where we had originally been taken.

"You and the rest of the team," said Garvin. "But first we need to return Warder Dogstar here to his love." We entered the room. Blackbird was standing by the fireplace. She took one look at me, then ran and threw herself into my arms, wrapping her arms around my neck and pressing her warm lips to mine.

"Warder Dogstar?" said Tate from behind us.

"Come on. We need to get the others together." He waited until Blackbird released me and then pointed at me and then at the floor. "Stay here. Do not leave this room until I come and get you. Consider it an order. "

"Yes, sir," I said, grinning at him.

"Learn to follow them. It'll keep you alive. "

"Yes, sir."

"Tate. Get the others. Team briefing in five. "