A messenger from the Council arrived as the meeting ended. He handed Roze a scroll. She read it then thrust the paper at Irys in what appeared to be disgust. Irys's shoulders drooped when she scanned the document.

What else has gone wrong? I asked her.

Another situation to deal with. This one is not life threatening, though, just bad timing, she said. At least this will be another chance for you to practice your diplomacy.

How?

An Ixian delegation is expected to arrive in six days.

So soon? I had thought the messenger with the Council's reply had just left.

Yelena, it's been five days. It's a two day ride to the Ixian border and a half a day to the Commander's castle.

Five days? So much had happened in those five days that I felt as if I lived one endless day. Difficult, too, to believe I had been living in Sitia for only two and a half seasons. Almost half a year gone in what seemed like a fortnight. My ache for Valek hadn't dulled, and I wondered if meeting the northern delegation would cause me to miss him more.

I followed the others from the room. In the hallway outside, Zitora linked her arm in mine.

"I need some help," she said, guiding me from the Keep's administration building, and toward her tower.

"But I need to-"

"Get some rest. And not go searching the Citadel for Opal," Zitora said.

"I will, anyway. You know that."

She nodded. "But not tonight."

"What do you need?"

A sad smile touched her face. "Help with Tula's flag. I believe asking her parents would only increase their grief."

We entered her tower and climbed two flights of stairs to her workroom. Comfortable chairs and tables littered with sewing and art supplies filled the large chamber.

"My seamstress skills are limited," Zitora said. She moved around the room, adding fabric and thread to the one empty table near the chairs. "But not for the lack of practice. I can sew and embroider, but I'm better at drawing. When I have the time, I've been experimenting with painting on silk."

Satisfied with her collection, Zitora dug through another pile of cloth and pulled out a sheet of white silk. She measured and cut off a five-foot-by-three-foot rectangle.

"The background will be white for Tula's purity and innocence," Zitora said. "Yelena, what should I put in the foreground?" When she saw my confusion, she explained, "A grief flag is our way of honoring the dead. It's a representation of the person. We decorate it with the things that made up a person's life, and when we raise the flag high, it releases their spirit into the sky. So what would best represent Tula?"

My thoughts went immediately to Ferde. A poisonous snake, red flames for pain and a jar of Curare all came to mind. I scowled, unable to imagine Tula's spirit free. She had been trapped in the blackness of Ferde's soul because of my stupidity.

"He's a cunning demon, isn't he?" Zitora asked, as if reading my mind. "To have the boldness to live in the Keep, to have the skill to kill under our roof and to have you blame yourself for it. A masterful trick, I'd say."

"You're starting to sound like a certain Story Weaver I know," I said.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Zitora replied. She sorted through colorful squares of silk. "Let's see. If you had listened to Irys and remained behind, the killer would have gotten Tula and you."

"But I had gotten my energy back," I said. Irys had thought it best not to mention Valek's help.

"Only because you wanted to follow Irys." Zitora raised a thin eyebrow.

"But I wouldn't have gone with Ferde willingly."

"Truly? What if he had promised not to kill Tula in exchange for you?"

I opened my mouth, then closed it, considering. She had a point.

"Once you say the words or move with intent, it's done. What follows after will not change that, and he would have killed Tula anyway," Zitora said. She lined the colored squares along the table's edge. "If you had stayed behind, you would both be gone, and we wouldn't have the information from the Sandseeds."

"Are you trying to make me feel better?"

Zitora smiled. "Now, what should we put on Tula's flag?"

The answer came to mind. "Honeysuckles, a single drop of dew on a blade of grass and glass animals."

Opal had told me about Tula's glass animals. Most of them Tula had either sold or given away as gifts, but Tula kept a small collection of them near her bed. The unwelcome thought of what we would sew on to Opal's flag rose in my mind. I suppressed it, squashing the image into a small corner of my brain. I would not let Ferde murder Opal.

Zitora drew shapes on the silk and I cut them out. When the pile met her approval, we arranged them on the white silk. Honeysuckles bordered the flag, while the blade of grass rose in the center surrounded by a ring of animal sculptures.

"Beautiful," Zitora said. Her eyes shone with grief. "Now comes the tedious part-sewing all these bits of cloth onto the background!"

I threaded needles for her, the extent of my sewing ability. After a while, she told me to go back to my room and get some sleep.

"Don't forget about our agreement," Zitora called as I started down the steps.

"I won't."

Now that she was back, I could begin teaching her some self-defense. With my thoughts preoccupied with scheduling her training, I was startled by two guards who waited for me outside Zitora's tower.

"What do you want?" I demanded, pulling my bow.

"Orders from Fourth Magician. You're to be protected at all times," said the larger of the two men.

I huffed with annoyance. "Go back to the barracks. I can take care of myself."

The men grinned.

"She told us you would say that," the other man said. "We follow her orders. If our unit fails to protect you, we'll be assigned to clean chamber pots for the rest of our days."

"I could make your job very difficult," I warned them.

The stubborn stiffness of their shoulders never softened.

"There is nothing you can do that's worse than cleaning chamber pots," said the large man.

I sighed; giving them the slip to search for Opal would be hard. Which was probably why Irys had assigned them to me. She knew that I would go hunting as soon as I could.

"Just stay out of my way," I growled.

I turned my back on the guards and headed for the apprentice's wing. The dark campus seemed to mourn, and an uneasy quiet filled the air. The raising ceremony for Tula was scheduled for dawn.

Then life would continue. I would have my afternoon lesson with Irys. Cahil had already reminded me of our evening ride. I would attempt to keep my promise to Moon Man. All these events would occur despite the threat to Opal. Or should that be in spite of the threat?

My guards refused to let me enter my rooms until one of them searched for intruders. At least they remained outside afterward and didn't insist on staying with me. But Irys had informed them that I would attempt to "escape," because when I looked out my bedroom window, I saw one of the guards standing there. I closed and locked the window shutters.

The guards blocked both exits. I could see Dax's grin in my mind, knowing he would delight in telling me the gossip and rumors from the other students about my protectors.

I sat on the bed in annoyance and sealed my fate. The soft comfort of my pillow called to me. I would rest only a moment, clearing my head so I could plan a way to lose my two shadows.

During the next five days, I had only one successful escape. The morning after I had helped Zitora with Tula's grief flag, I stood next to Irys for Tula's raising ceremony.

Tula's body had been wrapped in white linen strips and covered with her flag. The leader of the Cowan clan spoke kind words over her body as her parents wept. All four Master Magicians attended. Zitora soaked a handkerchief with her tears, but I clamped down on my emotions and focused on Opal, hardening my resolve to find her.

Tula's body was to be taken home and buried in her family's graveyard. But, according to Sitian beliefs, during this farewell ceremony her spirit transferred to the flag. The people surrounding me believed that when this pennant of white silk fluttered above Roze's tower, Tula's spirit would be released into the sky.

But I knew better. Tula's spirit was trapped inside Ferde and only his death would release her. For me, Tula's flag not only signaled Ferde that we had agreed to his exchange, but also symbolized my determination to find and stop him.

The morning after Tula's ceremony, I led my guards to the baths. The pools and changing rooms bustled with students getting ready for classes, and despite the assortment of wary looks aimed my way, I managed to pay a few novices to create a diversion near the back entrance.

The ruse worked. I dashed out of the baths and out of the Keep before the soldiers at the gate could recognize me. The guards stationed at the Keep's gate monitored who came in, and, unless there was a crisis, they only paid a passing interest to those who left.

Once out of sight, my first task included finding Fisk and his friends. The market was just stirring to life. Only a few customers wandered through the stands at this early hour. I found Fisk playing dice with a group of children.

He ran over to me. "Lovely Yelena, how can I assist you today?" His smile lit up his face.

The other children surrounded me, waiting for instructions. They appeared clean and cared for. They earned money for their families, and I thought that once I finished this ugly business with Ferde, I would give them more help. I remembered to tell them about the Keep's need for another gardener, though, and was rewarded to see one girl run home to tell her father.

"I need guides," I told Fisk. "Show me all the shortcuts and hidden areas of the Citadel."

While they took me through back alleys and forgotten quarters, I questioned them about the people. Anybody new? Anybody acting strange? Had they seen a young, frightened girl with a man? They regaled me with wild stories, but the information was not what I needed. As we moved, I searched the surrounding homes with my magic, seeking Opal, or the wisp of someone else's magic, or anything that might give me a clue as to her whereabouts.

The day was well spent and only my hunger could stop me. Fisk led me to the best meat griller in the Citadel's market. As I ate the juicy beef, I decided I would continue my search late into the night and then find a place to sleep. I would have plenty more days to spend hunting Opal.

At least that had been my intention until Irys and my guards ambushed me. Hidden behind a shield of magic, she prevented me from sensing them until too late. The instant the two soldiers grabbed my arms; she seized control of my body, pushing aside what I had thought to be a strong mental barrier. The full power of a Master Magician reduced my own defenses to dust. Unable to move or to talk, I stared at her in complete surprise.

Even though I had missed Irys's morning lesson and blocked her efforts to find me with her magic, I thought she would understand my mission. I was unprepared for the severity of her anger.

My guards, looking grim and scared, clung to me.

You will not leave the Keep again. You will not lose your guards again. Or I will lock you in the Keep's prison. Understand?

Yes. I'm- I'll be watching.

But- Irys severed our mental connection with a head aching abruptness. Yet her magic still gripped my body.

"Take her back to the Keep," Irys ordered the guards. "Take her to her rooms. She may leave them only for lessons and meals. Do not lose her again."

The guards flinched under her searing gaze. The larger one picked me up and threw me over his shoulder. I suffered the indignity of being carried through the Citadel, across the Keep's campus and dumped onto my bed.

Irys didn't relinquish control of my body until the next morning, although I still felt a band of her magic wrapped around my throat. By then, I was ready to throttle anyone who dared to get in my way. Avoided as if I carried a disease, I could only vent my ill humor on the guards as they escorted me through the campus.

After three days of this hell, I stood next to Irys in the great hall of the Council building, waiting for the Ixian delegation to arrive. Irys had used my lesson time to lecture me on proper Sitian protocols and diplomacy. She had refused to let me talk to her about anything other than the lecture topic. My frustration at not knowing about the search for Opal seized my chest like a vise.

The great hall was decorated with large silk banners representing each of the eleven clans and each of the Master Magicians. Hung from the ceiling, these colorful banners flowed down three stories of marble walls until they reached the floor. Tall slender windows separated the banners, allowing the sunlight to stripe the floor with gold. The Council members wore formal robes of silk, embroidered with silver thread. Irys and the other Masters wore their ceremonial robes and masks.

I remembered Irys's hawk mask from when she had visited the Commander in Ixia, and I looked at the others with interest. Roze Featherstone, First Magician wore a blue dragon mask. Bain Bloodgood, Second Magician had donned a leopard skin mask. And a white unicorn covered Third Magician, Zitora's face.

According to Fisk, these animals acted as the magicians' guides through the underworld and throughout their life. They had found them while enduring the Master level test, which, from the little bits of information I could gather, seemed a horrible ordeal.

Cahil had donned the midnight-blue tunic with the silver piping that he had worn to the New Beginnings feast. The color complemented his blond hair and he looked regal despite his hard expression. Present to assess his enemy for weakness, he promised to keep quiet and not draw attention to himself; otherwise, the Council members would have banned him from the greeting ceremonies.

Fidgeting, I twisted the wide sleeves of my formal apprentice robe around my arm. Pale yellow in color, the hem of the plain cotton garment touched my feet and revealed the black sandals Zitora had given to me. I plucked at the skin on my neck and pulled at the robe's collar.

What's wrong? Irys asked. Her rigid posture radiated disapproval.

It was the first time since my house arrest that she had mentally communicated to me. I wanted to ignore her. My anger at her punishment still sizzled in my blood. Even now, Irys's magic wrapped around my neck. She hadn't been kidding when she had said she'd be watching. The power I would need to remove her magic would exhaust me, and I didn't possess enough nerve to provoke her again.

Your leash chafes. My thoughts were cold.

Good. Maybe now you'll learn to listen and to think before you act. To trust others' judgments.

I've learned something.

What?

The harsh tactics of the Commander are not unique to Ixia.

Oh, Yelena. Irys's stiff demeanor melted. The hard band of magic around my throat disappeared. I'm at my wit's end. You're so focused on action. You have a single-minded determination that barrels through situations. You've been lucky so far, and I don't know how to make you understand that if Tula's killer absorbs your power, he will be unstoppable. Sitia will be his to rule. This goes beyond you and your desire for revenge. This affects us all. All options must be carefully considered before any action is taken. That is the Sitian way.

She shook her head, sighing. I have forgotten that you're a grown woman. Once you have complete control of your magic and when this killer is found, you can do as you like, go where you please. I had hoped you would have become a part of our efforts to keep Sitia a safe and prosperous place to live. But your unpredictability will only jeopardize our community.

Irys's words cut through my anger. To be free to do anything I wanted seemed a foreign concept. The first time in my life that I had been offered such a choice.

I envisioned traveling all over Sitia with Kiki and with no worries or promises to keep. To be unconnected. Moving from one town to the next, experiencing the culture. Or climbing through the jungle with my father, learning about the medicinal properties of some leaf. Or sneaking into Ixia to meet with Valek. She presented an attractive option.

Perhaps I would take her up on it, but not until after I captured Ferde and fulfilled my promise to Moon Man.

Deciding I would try harder to work in the Sitian way, I said, Irys, I would like to help find Opal.

Sensing my intentions, she turned to me and studied my expression. There's a meeting scheduled after the formalities with the Ixians. You're welcome to come.

I smoothed out the sleeves of my robe as the row of trumpet players sounded the arrival of the northerners. An immediate hush fell over the great hall as a stately parade of Ixians entered the room.

The Ambassador led the procession. The tailored cut of her black uniform lent her an air of importance. Two diamonds sparkled from her collar. The Commander must have shown her great favor in allowing her to wear the precious stones for this mission. Her long straight hair was fading toward gray, yet her almond-shaped eyes held a powerful vitality.

Sudden recognition pierced my heart.