"Nay. Her powers of instinct seem to have grown stronger. It is as if she is tapping into some source of power. Another mystery about Ciarda we must unravel," Kaliq told his companion.

Lara sat down upon the marble bench by the pool. "I love it here," she said, watching the fat goldfish darting among the pale yellow water lilies and lavender water hyacinths. "Don't ever forbid me from this place, Kaliq."

"Never!" he exclaimed, sitting next to her. His fingers tipped her face up to his, and he kissed her slowly, deeply. Her lips were like rose petals beneath his mouth. Her sigh of delight at the kiss gave him simple pleasure. Wherever their paths in life would take them, he realized, they would always belong together.

"I must go," Lara said, reluctantly breaking off their embrace.

"To Camdene?" he asked.

"Nay, back to my castle to get a little bit of sleep before I must be on my way again. Thank goodness Gare and Sinon are with Taj now. He does not resent my absences so much. This past year has been a hard one for him. A few months ago he had two parents and three sisters living with him. Then suddenly he was alone except when I was there. He is much like Magnus, and did not like it at all. Now with his two friends by his side he is content. His whole world is Terah, Kaliq. He understands little beyond it, but in time he will. For now, however, he is still a boy. I am grateful Terah is a simple land with few problems, unlike the complexities of Hetar."

"Go, then," Kaliq told her as they stood up.

With a quick smile at him she was gone in a puff of green mist.

The night was half-gone as she appeared in her own bedchamber. Lara did not bother to undress. She lay down upon her bed and fell asleep. Mila found her there when she came to awaken her mistress as she did each morning. The serving woman never knew if she would find Lara in her bed or not these days. But seeing her this morning, she went to give orders to the bath mistress to be ready. Mila saw that Lara had fallen asleep in her gown, and knew she would bathe upon waking.

The young Dominus came to his mother's apartments. "Is she back?" he asked.

"Aye, my lord," Mila said, "but still sleeping."

Lara heard her son's voice, and called sleepily, "Taj, come and see me."

He entered his mother's bedchamber, and at her invitation sat on the edge of the bed. "Good morning," he greeted her. "I see you returned late." And he grinned mischievously. "Where were you?"

"Hiding in Shunnar," she told him. "But you must not tell anyone that, Taj."

"I will keep your secret, Mother. I suppose you do not wish to face the problem of my oldest sister and her suitor," he remarked.

"I do not," Lara admitted. "But today I must. I cannot run away forever."

"What have you decided?" Taj wanted to know.

"I haven't. Yet," she said to him. Taj would not know what she and Kaliq had done. It was better that way. Her son, like his father, was not a good liar. "I suppose I will say I want them to know each other a little better before I give my permission."

"Clever," he noted. "You do not say yes, but neither do you forbid them. There is so much I can learn from you, Mother. I wish you were here more."

For his own safety she had to say something. "Taj," Lara began, "it has come to the attention of the Shadow Princes that some evil has again begun to rear its head. When this happens the magical beings of the light must band together to stop the darkness, and sooner rather than later. That is why I have been away of late. But this is another something you must keep to yourself. Discretion is an important part of ruling, my son."

"If there is danger should not you be here protecting Terah?" he asked candidly.

Lara sighed. "There is no danger to Terah right now, and if we can stop this thing before too much longer there will be no danger. Rest assured that if I am needed to watch over Terah that I will be here, Andraste in my hand. You must learn to trust me as your father learned to trust me, Taj."

"Do you love Prince Kaliq?" Taj surprised her by asking.

Lara answered honestly. "I do. I have always loved Kaliq."

"But you loved my father," Taj replied, puzzled.

"I did, Taj. I do. And before Magnus Hauk I loved Vartan of the Fiacre. The heart, my son, knows no boundaries. I may love another mortal man in my day, and his time to die will come eventually. But like me Kaliq is magic. He will never leave me. The mortals I have loved do leave me. They have no choice in the matter. And the most difficult part of being who I am is that while you and your siblings will age, grow old and die, I will remain as I am for many centuries. I will die perhaps a bit earlier than most of my faerie kin for I do have that drop of mortal blood in my veins. However, it is likely that I will see my grandchildren, my great-grandchild and so on into the next several generations, my son. I shall not leave you, Taj. It is you who will leave me one day. So do not be jealous of Kaliq, or of the time I am gone from you." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "One day when you are a man grown you will fall in love. You may fall in and out of love a dozen times before the girl you will wed comes into your life. You will understand a little better then," Lara assured him with a smile.

"You always explain things so that I can understand them," Taj said. "Well, if you must go today then you must go."

"Not right away. Tell me if you are enjoying having Gare and Sinon with you?"

"Aye, Mother, I am! Thank you for bringing them with us. Like me they enjoy their studies. They are not like Zagiri, who was always looking to escape our schoolroom, or Marzina, who wanted knowledge of naught but magic. We are studying the history of the Middle Centuries of Terah, but our tutor has asked Gare and Sinor to tell him of those same years in the Outlands. We are learning so much about each other!"

"That is very good," Lara praised her son. "The more you know of other times, other peoples, other cultures, the better for Terah. I am pleased Master Vadin is so open-minded. Master Bashkar chose him carefully when he needed help."

"Master Bashkar is very old now, Mother. He sleeps in our classroom while Master Vadin teaches," Taj told her.

"Master Bashkar has earned his rest," Lara said. "Perhaps we shall let him go home to Shunnar. He always loved the heat of the desert. Now, my darling, run along. I must bathe and dress, and magick myself to Camdene before their evening begins."

Taj jumped up from his place on her bed. Giving her a kiss upon her cheek, he dashed off. He had taken her little lecture on life span rather well, Lara thought. He had certainly surprised her by asking if she loved Kaliq. And she had surprised herself with her answer. She did love the Shadow Prince, and she had since girlhood. But he had been so insistent that it was naught but a fancy. Of course now she knew he had said it so that she would move on to experience life, to learn from it, to become what she must to meet her destiny. But wasn't all of her life her destiny? The men she had loved. The problems she had faced and solved. Her children. And the unknown. It was all her destiny. And now once again she was being called upon to thwart the darkness.

With a small sigh of resignation, Lara transported herself into the hall of Liam, Lord of the Fiacre clan families. Beyond the open door she could see the leafless limbs of the trees black against the red-orange sky. The servants were quietly going about their evening duties, laying the tables, bringing in pitchers of Frine and beer. Noss was seated at her loom showing her daughter, Mildri, how to do a particular stitch.

Seeing Lara's arrival, she jumped up and ran to her. "Oh, Lara, thank the Celestial Actuary that you are here. I wanted to call you earlier, but Liam would not let me."

Lara immediately took her friend's hands in hers. "What has happened, Noss? What has distressed you so greatly?"

"It's Anoush!" Noss said, and she began to sob.

"Anoush? Noss! What has happened to my daughter? You must tell me!" She squeezed the two hands in hers hard, and felt guilt for deceiving Noss, but the truth was Anoush was safer as long as no one knew the truth.

"She cannot be awakened. This morning Gadara went to wake her, but she could not. And, odder still, she was unable to touch Anoush. It was as if there were some invisible barrier surrounding her. What can be the matter? What can have happened?"

"I must go to my child!" Lara said. "Who can have done this to her?" She hurried from Liam's hall and through the village of Camdene until she reached her daughter's fine stone house. Gadara saw her coming and opened the door, following Lara upstairs into Anoush's bedchamber where Lara stood at the girl's bedside looking down on her daughter. Anoush lay quietly, not moving at all.

Lara looked to Gadara. "Tell me how this has happened."

"Domina, I do not know," Gadara wept. "I came, bringing her her cup of dandelion tea. She likes to sip a cup each morning before arising. I saw her sleeping, which is unusual, for my mistress generally awakens with the dawn. Reaching out, I tried to shake her, but I was prevented from touching her."

Lara reached out to put a hand on Anoush, but Kaliq's invisible barrier blocked her. She sprang back as if she had touched something hot. "This is not my magic," she said as if speaking to herself, "but it is powerful magic." She turned to the servant. "Gadara, you will remain with your mistress. I must find a way to awaken her. I will be in Liam's hall if there is any change in my daughter's condition."

"Yes, Domina," Gadara whispered.

"Let no one but Noss in to see her," Lara instructed further.

"Yes, Domina."

Lara hurried back to the hall where Liam had now joined Noss. "My daughter has been touched by magic," Lara told them. "The barrier that surrounds her is not my magic. Has Cam been here of late?" she asked them.

"Nay, he has not," Noss said. Then her voice dropped to a whisper. "Do you think he had something to do with Anoush's condition, Lara?"

"The lad has no magic in him," Liam said. "And he hasn't been here in several days, Lara. You must look elsewhere for the guilty party."

"I had come to speak with my daughter and her suitor," Lara told them. "I know that they have wanted me to come, but I was at Shunnar with Kaliq."

"They were going to ask your permisison to wed," Liam said. "Would you have given it to them, Lara?"

"Liam!" Noss shook her head admonishingly.

"Not yet," Lara said candidly. "I would have wanted them to become even better acquainted before I gave my permission. Besides, I always envisioned an autumn wedding for Anoush. Has anyone sent for Cam to come?"

"We didn't want to do anything until we had spoken with you, Lara," Noss told her best friend. "Besides, we were not certain that Anoush wouldn't wake up."

"The spell woven about my child is an unbreakable one," Lara told them. "She will not awaken until whoever put it there unlocks it. You must send for Cam to come and see what has befallen Anoush. Send a faerie post to him at Rivalen on the morrow. I mean to return home now, and speak with my mother. I will return in two days' time, Liam. See that Cam is here so I may speak with him then.

"Yes, Domina," the leader of the Fiacre replied to her.

And without another word to them Lara was gone from them in a puff of green smoke.

12.

LARA RETURNED AS SHE HAD promised two days later. Arriving in Liam's hall, she looked about to find Cam staring in surprise at her entrance. Lara restrained a smile. She had caught him off guard, and that was a good thing.

Noss hurried forward. "There is no change," she told Lara. "She sleeps. She does not appear to be in any kind of pain or distress."

"There is a blessing there," Lara answered her. Then she turned to Cam. "Do you have anything to do with my daughter's condition, nephew? Do not even consider lying to me for I shall find you out."

"I have no magic about me," he said. "How could I be responsible?"

He lies, Lara thought to herself, surprised. He has been given some sort of magic. It is not great, but it is there. The Darkling, of course. "Forgive me if I misjudge you, Cam, but whatever barrier contains Anoush it is not my magic. I came two days ago to speak with you and my daughter only to find her in this unwakeable sleep," Lara said. "I do not even know why this was done to her. Do you?" There! Let her put a hint into his head that his Darkling lover might have done this out of jealousy. Lara almost laughed aloud at the sudden look upon his handsome face that was as quickly gone as it had come.

"Did you mean to give us your permission to wed, my lady aunt?" he asked her.

"Nay, not yet. I wanted you to know each other better before I made that decision, Cam, but your concern for Anoush's well-being warms my heart." She gave him a smile.

"Can you not awaken her?" Cam asked. "It is said of you that your magic is great, and grows stronger every year."

"If I knew the type of spell that was used I might be able to unravel it and reverse it," Lara said. "But I have yet to decipher it. Some spells like this one are quite unique, and meant only for the person who has been enchanted. You are a handsome young man now, Cam. Is there some lass you have disappointed who might have been jealous of Anoush, and sought out someone to magick her? Think carefully, I beg you."

A thoughtful look touched Cam's face, but then he shook his head. "I can think of no one who might have misunderstood my attentions toward her. Ask the lady Sholeh if you would confirm my words. Besides, I spend more time with the cattle than I do in society, Aunt."

"Then all I can do is try to discover what sort of spell this is so I may lift it from my daughter," Lara said. "When she is herself once more we will speak on what you would both desire."

He bowed to her politely. "I can only await your success, but be assured that I love Anoush with all my heart, and she loves me."

"It pleases me to hear your words, Cam, and I am touched by your sentiments regarding yourself, but as for Anoush I must hear her declare her love for you from her own lips," Lara told him. Dismissing him with a small smile, she turned again to Noss. "Continue to watch over my child, and send to me if there is any change." Then Lara was gone from Liam's hall in a burst of her pale green smoke.

"I must return to Rivalen," Cam said to Noss and Liam. "There is no reason for me to remain here. If Anoush wakes up will you let me know?"

"Of course, lad," Liam said sympathetically.

Noss nodded. She had not liked Cam as a child, and she didn't like him now, but she had concealed her dislike from all but Lara.

Cam hurried from the hall, going to the stables to fetch his mount. He would ride far enough from the village not to be seen, and then he would transport himself to Ciarda's dwelling. Lara did not know about Ciarda, of course, and so her remarks had been but innocent ones. But it had set Cam to considering if his Darkling lover had put an enchantment upon Anoush so he might not wed her. Ciarda was inclined to jealousy.

He rode from Liam's stable and out into the cold late morning. He could smell snow in the air as his horse plodded along. Finally, when he saw by the landscape about him that he was halfway between Camdene and Rivalen, he drew his horse to a halt. He tied the animal to a tree, and said aloud, "Take me to Ciarda." And instantly he was there within her bedchamber.

Ciarda was with her Wolfyn lover. She was kneeling as he pumped himself within her. Cam watched them dispassionately until the Wolfyn howled with his attainment, but he could see Ciarda was not satisfied. He almost laughed as she rounded on her lover, beating him on his long snout with her fists.

"Pig! Do you dare to take your pleasures before giving them to me? Get out! And never return!" Her eyes lit on Cam. "This mortal knows well how to pleasure me, don't you, Cam? Come, and show this fool of a selfish Wolfyn how easily I can be pleasured if one but tries. You will remain and watch us."

Without a word Cam loosened his manhood from his breeches. A few quick strokes of his hand, and he was ready. Ciarda knelt upon the bed, her bottom toward him. Cam grasped her hips, and drove himself hard and deep. At once Ciarda moaned.

"You see, Wolfyn," Cam explained, "she requires a great deal of slow preparation to ready her. Then a quick thrust to impale her firmly so she feels all of your length and thickness." Reaching beneath the Darkling, he used one hand to squeeze her full breast, pinching the nipple hard before he released it. "Her breasts are particularly sensitive. Come, and slide your head beneath her so you may suckle and fondle her. She will like that, won't you, Ciarda?"

"Yes!" Ciarda said breathlessly as the young Wolfyn did as Cam bid him, his mouth closing over the sensitive tip of her breast. "Oh, yes!"

"She is a greedy bitch where pleasures are concerned," Cam continued on in a pleasant tone. "Since you have disappointed and angered her you must work twice as hard now to pleasure her. Suck her! And while you do I will begin to stoke her lust." He began to move himself in and out of Ciarda, slowly at first, then with increasing vigor and speed. He could sense her grasping for completion, but he deliberately kept her just short of it, explaining as he did so that it would drive her wilder, and give her far greater pleasures to be denied for a time, and then finally satisfied.

The young Wolfyn crawled from beneath Ciarda's breasts, which he had sucked until they were swollen and sore. Now he forced his manhood between her lips, growling at her to suck him until he bid her cease. The Darkling attained great pleasures as Cam's juices burst into her as her sheath spasmed and tightened about his manood even as the Wolfyn's juices spurted down her throat, and he howled again with delight before collapsing onto the bed.

Cam withdrew his now-satisfied manhood from Ciarda's hot dripping sheath, rearranging his garments into a semblance of order. He smacked the Darkling's plump bottom a stinging blow. Then, grasping her by her ebony hair, he yanked her head up, looking down into her face. "Did you dare to lay an enchantment upon Anoush, you bitch?" he snarled at her.

Ciarda scrambled to her feet. She was naked, and very beautiful. "Get out!" she said to the Wolfyn, and, scrambling to his feet, he fled her. "What are you talking about?" she demanded of Cam as she picked up a scarlet silk robe and wrapped it about her. "What has happened to your precious mortal lover? Nothing serious, I hope."

"She lies in a deep sleep unable to awaken," Cam said.

"Her mother has done this, you fool," Ciarda said, tossing her black hair at him.

"Nay! There is even an invisible shield about her. Lara says it is not her doing."

"And you believe her? She has done this to prevent you from wedding her child," Ciarda said. "She has not given you her permission, has she? But the girl is in love with you. She will defy her mother and wed you. The faerie woman knows this, and so she has woven an enchantment about the girl."

"Nay, if Lara says she is not responsible then she is not," he defended her. "She is not known to lie. And I believe she will allow me to wed Anoush if Anoush wants it. And she does, Ciarda! You are jealous, Darkling! Remove the enchantment you have put upon Anoush, or you shall never know pleasures with me again."

"How prideful you are, mortal." The Darkling sneered. "There are other lovers I can take to my bed. You are not the only manhood available to me to ride."

"I saw what you rode but minutes ago, and he did not satisfy you, Ciarda. Only I can do that, and you know it."

"I swear to you that I have not laid any enchantment upon your beloved," the Darkling said. "You will tire of the girl sooner than later, Cam. As you are the only one to satisfy my lusts, I know that I am the only one who can satisfy your lust. You have not taken pleasures with Anoush, have you?"

"She was not ready," Cam said.

The Darkling laughed scornfully. "You were afraid to touch her lest she flee you," she said. "Does she not like pleasures?"

"She is shy, but once she is mine I will cure her of that affliction," Cam boasted. Then he said, "If you did not place that spell upon Anoush, and Lara did not, then we must at least find someone who can remove it."