Jubar turned to Tayan and bowed. "Very good to see you, MaLord. If you will follow me, I'll see you to your room."

"Meet us in the chapel once you're settled," Stazor said and walked off.

Tayan didn't have anything to settle. He had been spirited off without any possessions. His pack was still in Eldarin's quarters, as were his sword and bow. He did follow the servant up to his room so he would know where to sleep at night. As they walked, he checked his pockets. He had a gold piece and a few silvers; hopefully it would be enough to at least buy an extra set of clothes and a few supplies. He would still need some kind of weapon--he'd ask Stazor to lend him one until he got his own.

The guestroom was actually a suite of three rooms. Besides a good-sized sitting room decorated with plush chairs and couches, there was a separate bedroom and a small room Jubar called a water closet. Tayan stood by as he explained the function of the strange-looking facility.

Motioning to the bathtub with metal bars coming down from the ceiling, Jubar told him, "These are the water pipes to fill the bath. Hot water is on the left, cold on the right.a He reached over to push up a lever attached to the cold water pipe. Water spilled out until he pushed it back down again. "The chamber pot works in the same manner. I will have someone come in to draw your bath, but the chamber pot you will have to do yourself," he said with a grin.

"There is a cistern filled with hot water?" Tayan asked.

"It's not exactly a cistern. Did you notice the brass tank on the roof? The water comes from there and is heated in a smaller tank on the top floor. I would be glad to show you the plumbing, if you like."

Running hot water. It sounded intriguing, but Tayan had more important things to think about at the moment. "Maybe later. Where is the nearest place I can buy some clothes?a Jubar bowed slightly as if he was happy there was something he could help with.

"What are you looking for? There is Laura's Tailor Shop if you would like something made, Pernell's for formal wear and Elanzo's Dry Goods for just about everything else."

"The dry goods store is fine."

"When you leave the palace, turn left. Elanzo's is just past the second street on the right. Is there anything else you require, M'Lord?"

Tayan shook his head. "Not at the moment.a He thanked the man and headed out to find Stazor.

The inside of the palace chapel was the finest he had ever seen. Besides windows of stained glass depicting various religious leaders and the images of Odin and Leighna in bright colors, every piece of stone and wood was brightly polished. The letters and pictures carved into the columns were filled with gold, silver torch holders hung on each pillar. At the front, a tall pulpit sat to the left, and the altar was covered by a white linen cloth trimmed with bands of gold stitching.

In front of the altar, Amber stood with Stazor on one side of her and Father Ross on the other. None spoke as he walked in. The way they watched him caught his attention, especially Amber, who looked worried.

Halfway up the aisle, Tayan slowed, sensing something wrong. Not two steps farther, he caught a flash of motion to his right. He ducked out of instinct before his brain registered he was being attacked. Something whizzed by his head so close his hair was fluffed by the wind. His left foot swung up behind in an arc to kick at the shape, making contact with the attacker's arm.

Rolling away, Tayan shot back up in a defensive stance to face a knight holding a fully padded practice staff.

"What in the abyss is this!" he demanded.

As the two men faced off, a loud, deep roar sounded outside that made the building tremble. The knight turned away from Tayan and flung the practice weapon to one side then drew a more deadly broadsword as he faced the back of the chapel.

Stazor ran up the aisle. "It's outside, get ready!" he called.

Father Ross and Amber were right behind, and they all took positions around Tayan. Both Father Ross and Amber held their holy symbols, watching intently to the left and right.

Stazor started for the doors with the other knight. Glancing back quickly, he said, "Come, but stay together."

Tayan began to understand. They had set up the attack to draw out the thing shadowing him. Now, they were going out to try and destroy it. Stazor was a brave man, but he was sure whatever this was would not be stopped by so few.

"Wait, let me go first."

"We will send it back to whence it came!" announced Father Ross.

Jumping forward, Tayan dashed up behind the knights and stopped them with a hand on each of their shoulders. "Stazor, you go out there, and this thing will kill you."

Stazor's face was stone. "I cannot allow an evil thing to exist here."

"Then let me lead." Without waiting for a reply, he slipped between them and went to the doors. Behind him, Amber cried out a warning for him to get back. Ignoring it, he pushed the doors open and strode outside.

In the courtyard, the only thing he saw were several knights gathered together, weapons drawn. Like him, they were searching for whatever had roared. By their looks, they didn't see or sense anything. The others poured out of the chapel behind him in a semi-circle.

A few seconds later Father Ross announced, "It has fled."

"Holy presence drove it away." Amber breathed deeply with relief.

Tayan wasn't so sure. "Holy presence kept it at bay. I think it may have been called off."

"It figured out we weren't really going to hurt you, and the risk to itself was too great for it to stay," Stazor concluded.

''Probably."

His face screwed up in frustration, Stazor sheathed his sword. "We didn't even get a look at it!a Letting out a sigh, he said, "Tayan, it may very well kill you once you leave the city. Stay with us--I will send messengers to deliver Lord Zodiac's message."

"Thanks, but no. Whatever it is, I'm the one that has to deal with it.a Glancing at Amber, he added, "I would appreciate it if Amber stays with you."

This brought an immediate response. Glaring at him, she said, "I will not! Tayan, I may be your only protection from that thing. Zodiac told me to stick by you."

He could just see Amber standing before some nightmarish beast. He was sure she'd try no matter how scared she was, or the fact it would tear her to shreds.

"He doesn't know about that thing. It was strong enough to enter a holy city and tried to enter the chapel itself. I doubt you would be any more than an annoyance to it," he told her sternly.

Amber drew herself up and looked at him defiantly, "I had thought insects to only be an annoyance before I met the druids. Now I know they can be powerful weapons. I know I am not a Mother, but I trust in my Goddess. Leighna will protect us."

"The gods have their plan, part of which might not be to save a young girl who chooses to face down the devil," Father Ross said heavily.

Amber shifted her glare to him. "If I may serve Leighna better in heaven then so be it. Tell me that you would back down from evil, and I will consider staying here."

"Sister Amber, we are more capable of fighting such," Stazor pointed out.

"Listen to the governor, Sister," Father Ross encouraged. Stepping towards her, he held up his finger to stress his point. "Your soul would be a great prize to a thing such as that. It might not attack you directly but play with your mind, trick you into doing something to weaken yourself. You do not know how devious evil can be! To have faith is very important, Sister, but so is knowledge. You are not prepared to do battle with our enemy."

"I stay with Tayan," she insisted. "I would ask to pray with you, Father, and have your blessings."

Seeing she was not going to change her mind, Father Ross shook his head sadly. "Come, we will offer prayers and ask for guidance."

Tayan watched them go into the chapel. With any luck, the priest would make Amber understand she was better off staying here.

"Maybe I should leave now." he mused.

"Do you really want her running behind your coach?" Stazor chuckled.

"What are you talking about?"

Folding his arms over his chest, Stazor grinned at him. "Are you that blind? The good sister is quite taken with you. You haven't been here half a day, and I can see it clearly. I do believe she also has cast herself as your spiritual guide."

"Even more reason I should leave her behind."

"I do not think Sister Amber can be stopped. She is using her strengths--faith, love and healing. These things are her armor, her weapons against evil. I only pray that those, with her determination, will be enough."

Tayan started thinking about Amber, how she always seemed to be near him, how she looked at him with those big brown eyes. He enjoyed her company and had not stopped to think why she was paying so much attention to him. If she was falling in love with him, he had to set her straight. His heart still belonged to his wife.

Suddenly, he wanted to discuss anything but Amber.

"I need to go get some clothes. When I return, could you lend me a sword and a bow? I seemed to have left mine in Newburg."

Stazor arched an eyebrow. "How did you come to travel in this state?"

Tayan didn't want to go through the whole explanation. "It's a long story. I have coin for some clothes, but not nearly enough for a decent sword--"

Stopping him with a wave of his hand, Stazor told him, "Tell Jubar what you need, and he will get it. Once you have your other necessities, we'll go down to the armory and outfit you properly."

Tayan shifted nervously; he knew the servant would get things much too expensive for the few coins he had in his pocket.

"I can only buy basic items, and the weapons will be only a loan."

Stazor shook his head. "You are a friend and you have a holy mission, two very good reasons I cannot allow you to pay. If you have limited funds then I am sure you will be needing them. Zayton is a long way down the road."

Stazor was right, it was a long way to Zayton. He was facing the choice of either eating or sleeping under a roof. Add to that the unexpected, and he'd be broke before he knew it. His food would be what he hunted, and his bed would be his tent.

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

"You are more than welcome. I have city matters to attend to. If I don't see you beforehand, dinner is at six bells.a Giving him a big smile, Stazor clapped him on the shoulder. "It's really good to see you again."

Tayan watched him depart then went to find Jubar. The servant took down everything he asked for and included some basic items like a pack to put all his stuff in and an extra bag for feed for his horse. Keeping all his belongings in that magic sack, he had gotten used to not lugging a backpack around. He asked about the horse, and Jubar told him that horses were a basic traveling need. By the time they were done Tayan wondered if he would later add on a wagon to the list as a basic need.

With his gear out of the way, Tayan began thinking about Amber again. He had that evil whatever-it-was watching him; he didn't want to worry about Amber trying to tangle with it. He could sneak out at night and leave her behind, but then she'd only press the coach driver to make better time to catch up to him. The last thing he wanted was one more death on his hands, especially hers. He decided to go talk to the driver and hope he was a decent enough fellow to not take her any farther.

Asking around, Tayan found out all the coach drivers passing through stayed at a place called the Roadhouse Inn. It was in the center of town and only a few blocks from the palace. He made sure Amber was occupied elsewhere and left to go pay their driver a visit.

The Roadhouse Inn wasn't a tall building, but the front stretched on for half the block. Three main doors led inside, andall three had different signs over them. The first read Tickets and Booking, the second Dinner and Drinks and the third Rooms.

Tayan went in the first door to find a prune-faced woman. Looking up at him, she asked, "May I help you?"

"I am looking for the driver of the coach that came in from Capetown today."

Frowning at him, she said, "I only know where the coaches are going. What is your destination?"

"We're going to Tolina then on to Zayton."

Scanning a small chalkboard on the desk, she tapped it with a bony finger. "There are two coaches leaving for Spring Valley today. Tomorrow another one is going straight through to Old Castle. You can pick up another coach at either of those places--we have no long distance runs from here to Tolina."

Tayan figured he'd better explain what he wanted a little more clearly. "We have a coach that is taking us all the way to Zayton. I need to find the driver."

"I will not have a through coach listed, sir."

"You can't tell me the name of the driver?"

Tipping her head slightly, she asked, "You don't know who brought you?"

"No, maaam."

"Then I can't help you, sir."

He thought it might help if he described the coach. "It was a red coach with black trim, a full-roofed model."

She shook her head as she sighed. "Nowadays, most of them are. Take a look in the stableyard out back--the driver's name should be on the side under his seat. The drivers usually gather in the dining room or the lounge. If you have a problem with your driver, you can find him there."

Realizing that was all he was going to get out of her, he thanked her and went out to the stableyard. He knew what the coach looked like, but upon seeing the line of eight vehicles backed against the rail he noticed six of the eight were red with black trim. As he got closer to look at the side door to see if it had a window, he noticed the name of the company in bold white letters on the side.

Redman Coach Lines

Staring at it, he though it had to be a coincidence. He couldn't imagine Eric owning a single coach, let alone a whole fleet. Inspecting them, he saw all six belonged to the same company. He did find the one he and Amber had come in on--it was the only one that didn't have a window in the door. Beside it was a stable boy with a bucket, washing the dust off.

The boy didn't notice him until Tayan was right beside him. Startled, the lad blushed and uttered a greeting. As he looked at Tayan, he became wide-eyed then glanced at the name on the coach. He gaped as he said, "Wow! Are you him?"

Tayan felt a chill shoot up his spine. "Am I who?"

"You the Red Man, the one who kills pilgyns and vlaks all by himself?"

The chill went into his blood. "Is that who owns these?" he grated.

"Yeah, well, Jake says that some of the drivers pay him to put his name on their coach. It helps keep away bandits--ain't no one wants to tangle with him," the boy explained.

A shadow fell over him. He had been riding in his father's coaches. Even when the man wasn't anywhere near, he still haunted him! Turning stiffly, he strode around to the front of the building. He had to do something to keep Amber from getting in one of those damned coaches and following him. Something to scare the daylights out of the driver...

Suddenly, he had the answer. He left the Roadhouse and headed back to the palace to get what he would need. The memory of his father was like a festering sore on his backside; it was about time he got some use out of the name Eric had made for himself.

The bald man wearing the leather apron and soot on his face looked at him quizzically.

"You want ruined chain mail?"

Tayan nodded at the smith. "The worse it is, the better."

"We don't keep stuff like that. The only thing I have here that comes close to what you're asking for is some remnants I keep to fix other suits. It isn't fit to wear."