"They are beautiful. They offer great pleasure," he says smoothly.

"I am sure that they do." Krienn's eyes go to the archway, then to the closed door that leads to - the main part of the palace. a door barred from inside. "You would know more than I."

"Trust me." Again comes the boyish smile.

As they rise, Rabyn steps back and gestures toward the archway. His eyes flicker to the candied nuts, the nuts which he has not sampled, and he smiles, coldly.

He steps up beside her, smiling, his hand on her bare shoulder, as they step through the archway.

64.

The road through the gorge was no more than ten deks in length. And yet, with six stops and a dozen spells, the sun had touched the western walls of the valley, turning the dark clouds purplish, before Anna and her armsmen rode through the open gates of Stromwer, after Alvar and a score of armsrnen had inspected the keep--at Hanfor's insistence.

"Stromwer lies open and loyal to you," Alvar had announced.

Anna hoped a bath, a good hot bath, also lay open- except she had unfinished business. Business she hoped she could complete, half-dazed and double-visioned as she was, although she had used no Darksong on the emplacements in the gorge. Just the good solid brute force of Clearsong. . . b.l.o.o.d.y Clearsong. She was punchy and found herself holding back hysterical laughter at the idea that Clearsong magic could be so much more b.l.o.o.d.y than Darksong.

The dark clouds offered a faint drizzle by the time Anna reined up outside the keep's stable, in a courtyard ringed with her armsmen.

"All are loyal," Hanfor announced.

Score one for my last effort at Darksong "I'm going to groom Farinelli" She glanced at Alvar. "Have the saalmeister or seneschal or whoever ready to meet me in the hall."

"I can do that." Alvar smiled.

Jecks and Hanfor both frowned.

"Lady Wendella... if she's still alive;" Anna dismounted and led Farinelli into the stables behind Rickel, who carried his blade bared. She forced her steps to be deliberate.

"We are your servants!" called a thin-faced man in gray leathers from his knees on the straw.

"I accept your allegiance," Anna said. "I also remember that you pledged the same to Lord Dencer."

"Lady..."

"Serve Defalk, and no one will suffer," Anna said more softly.

Their eyes wide, two stable boys looked at the big gelding as Anna led Farinelli past. By the time Anna had groomed Farinelli and ensured he had grain and some water-not too much-a full-fledged downpour greeted her at the stable door where Fhurgen and Jecks waited.

"The saalmeister is in the corridor there," Fhurgen announced, pointing through the rain to the arched doorway that stood fifteen yards away, across the rain-slicked cobblestones and the scattered puddles.

"Alvar is with him."

Anna glanced across the rain-pelted courtyard, then at Rickel and Phurgen. "Better dust than mud on the road, I guess."

"Far better, lady." Anna walked through the rain, fearing she might fall if she ran, ignoring the roll of thunder and a single flash of lightning.

Four figures waited in the corridor-Hanfor, Alvar, Jecks, and the saalmeister. Anna wiped the water from her hair and face, knowing she scarcely looked like a regent, but more like a damp and s.h.a.ggy dog, a thin-faced, dark-eyed, and haggard s.h.a.ggy dog. She didn't even want to think about how she smelled.

Unlike the stablemaster, the saalmeister was heavyset. Dark circles ringed his eyes, a sign, Anna felt that he had suffered from the conflicts of the loyalty spell. "Darflan, this is the Lady Anna," Alvar announced.

Darflan went to his knees. "We serve you and the Regency."

"You can stand," Anna said, trying to keep the exasperation from her voice. "Where is the lady Wendella?"

"The . . . lady . . . Wendella?"

"I'm sure you've heard of the lady."

"Ah... where Lord Dencer left her. We did not know. It was said ..."

"Enough. Take us there, and bring the keys."

Jecks glanced at Hanfor. Alvar shrugged.

"Two loyalty spells are enough for anyone," Anna said. "Oh, where is the heir, her son?"

"In his nursery, lady."

"Get his nurse and bring him here."

That got another exchange of glances between Jecks and Hanfor.

"She is his mother." Anna didn't feel like explaining.

"Now... lady?"

"Now." Anna's voice chilled. She was damp, sweaty, tired, and wasn't much interested in explanations.

Darflan nodded and waddled quickly down the corridor. "Alvar," Hanfor said, "If you would make arrangements with the cooks for feeding our annsmen? I had not gotten to that."

"Yes, ser." Alvar turned and headed back down the steps.

"I'm sorry," Anna said.

"That is my job, not yours," the veteran said quietly.

The nurse, in faded brown, a squirming child in her arms, bustled toward Anna and her entourage, with Darflan at her side.

Anna glared. The nurse's bustling confidence transformed into a bow. "Regent...Lady...you wished to see young Condell?"

"I did." Anna looked at the child, already sporting a dark thatch of curly hair. "Please follow us."

The nurse glanced to the saalmeister. The saalmeister nodded.

Don't look to him, Anna wanted to snap. "Let's go."

"Yes, Regent.''

The saalmeister led them down the main corridor to the end, then up two flights of steps and back along a narrow corridor. His blade out, Rickel flanked Darflan while Fhurgen trailed, Jecks kept a hand on the hilt of his own blade. The nurse followed most of them, just ahead of Fhurgen.

Darflan paused at another narrow staircase.

"Go on," Anna said.

The steps up to the tower were narrow, even narrower than those in the north tower of Falcor, where Anna had stayed. Darflan stopped at the second landing.

"Unlock it," Anna ordered.

When the iron-barred door was open, Anna took the key ring from Darflan and stepped inside.

A hollow-eyed Wendella looked up from the pallet. The sunken eyes were ringed in lines. "Have you come to gloat?"

"No. I've come to set you free." Anna motioned to the wet nurse, who stepped forward. "Your son, and heir to Stromwer."

"For how long, sorceress?"

Anna looked at the pale and emaciated figure. "We need to get you healthy."

"Do not try to tempt me."

"I'm not tempting anyone, Anna said quietly. "Dencer is dead. I hold the keep. Your son is heir, He will inherit his father's lands when he is old enough."

"Why do you play with me?" Wendella's eyes remained on the cold stones of the floor.

"I am not Dencer," Anna snapped. "You should know me well enough to know I don't play games. You don't have to like me. You don't have to like your situation. You're bound to be loyal to Defalk and the Regency, and you're smart and tough. I'd rather have you running Stromwer than some lord's pampered second son."

Wendella's eyes widened slightly. "For how long? Until you hold all Liedwahr?"

"That's, not my intention." Anna smiled. "But if it were, I'd need you even more." She nodded to the wet nurse. "Let her hold him."

The nurse eased the child into Wendella's arms.

Anna tried to ignore the tears that oozed from the brown-haired mother's eyes. At least she can hold him, see him. Stop feeling sorry for yourself No one whipped and tortured you-not physically, anyway.

"Your rooms are ready for you, Anna said. She stepped back. "They are, aren't they. saalmeister?"

"They will be, Regent."

"Immediately."

Darflan bowed.

Anna turned to the nurse. "Lady Wendella's wish is your command. In anything."

"Yes, Regent."

Anna turned back to Darflan. "Leave the door open and escort Lady Wendella to her quarters when she is ready. Offer any a.s.sistance she wishes. In anything, and make sure she gets a good meal immediately.

And hot water for a bath when she wishes.''

Wendella looked at Anna, shaking her head. "I cannot pretend I like you, sorceress. You cannot buy my loyalty."

"I have your loyalty," Anna said. "I respect you, but I don't like you, and I never will.. But you will run Stromwer far better than Dencer. If you don't, I'll find someone who will until your son can."

"I will run Stromwer, and I will run it well." Wendella lowered her eyes. "I will not, I cannot, speak ill of you. But I will not speak of you, save as I must."

"That's fine. Now...get some food and whatever you need" Anna nodded and stepped back out onto the landing, and started down the steps, her boots echoing in the stone stairwell.

At the bottom, in the main corridor, Jecks glanced at Anna.

"You wonder why? She's been tortured, and she's still sane. She has to be loyal, and backing the Regency is the only way her son can hold his lands, because I'm the only one who will back her. She's smart enough to see that."

The white-haired lord shook his head.

Was she crazy? She didn't think so. Wendella had been a b.i.t.c.h, but there was a difference now. She'd never be more than civil to Anna, but that wasn't the point. Preserving Defalk was. "Jecks? Have I taken Stromwer from its heir? Have I imposed an outside lord?"

The hazel eyes met hers. "You, lady, are more deadly than either Ehara or Konsstin. You will not let personal hatred move you from what you know is best. Even the harmonies could not preserve them now."

Anna was the one to shake her head. "Me? The woman who's nearly gotten herself killed a half-dozen times? The woman who has to return a child to his mother before anything?"

"She will come to respect you," Hanfor said slowly. "If she has not already. So will her armsmen."

"Those that survive," Anna said.

"That is most of them," Hanfor answered. "And they appreciate that you limited your spells to those who attacked you." He laughed. "The common armsman is more glad for his life. It is all he has."

Anna shivered. "I think I need some dry clothes and some food. It's been a long day." How many more to come? "And a hot bath"

"Now you hold all Defalk," Jecks said. "You can rest."

Anna wanted to laugh. With Ehara and the Sea-Priests plotting something? With Mansuuran forces in Neserca? With a civil war in Ebra, and one side being backed probably by both Sturinn and Dumar?

She took a breath. Jecks was right. She could rest- briefly. And a bath would feel good.

65.