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“I too.” Callista’s face was pale but her voice firm, and Ellemir said, “And I.” She was crying noiselessly.

“Rhodri,” Damon said, beckoning the old steward, “find a place for the messenger to rest, and send one of our men at once to ride for Thendara on the fastest horse available, to tell Lord Hastur that we will be there within three days. And ask Ferrika to come at once to Lady Ellemir.”

The old man nodded acquiescence. Tears were streaming down old Rhodri’s wrinkled face, and Damon

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remembered that he had been here at Armida all his life, had held both Domenic and the long-dead Coryn on his knees when they were children. But there was no leisure to think of any of these things. Ferrika, brought to Ellemir, admitted that the ride would probably do no harm. “But you must travel at least part of the time in a horse-litter, my lady, for too much riding would be wearying.” When Ferrika was told that she must accompany them, she protested.

“There are many on the estate who need my services, Lord Damon.”

“Lady Ellemir bears the next heir to Alton. It is she who most needs your care, and you are her

childhood friend. You have taught other women on the estate, now they must justify their training.”

This was so obvious, even to the Amazon midwife, that she spoke the polite phrase of respect andacquiescence, and went to speak to her subordinates. Callista had set the maids to packing what theywould need for a possibly lengthy stay in Thendara. When Ellemir asked why, she said briefly, “Valdir isa child. Comyn Council may not be content to allow our father, crippled and with an ailing heart, to serveas head of the Domain; there may be a protracted struggle over a guardian for Valdir.”

“I should think Damon would be the logical guardian,” Ellemir said, and Callista’s lips stretched in a bleak smile. “Why, so he should, sister, but I have sat as Leonie’s surrogate in Council, and I know that to these great lords, nothing is ever simple or obvious if there is political advantage to some other way of settling it. Remember how Domenic said they were fighting over his right to command the Guards, young as he was? Valdir is younger still.”

Ellemir quailed, with an automatic gesture laying a protective hand over her belly. She had heard oldtales of bitter feuds in Comyn Council, of struggles more cruel than blood-feud because the ones whostruggled were not enemies but kinsmen. As the old saying went, when
 
bredin
 
were at odds, enemiesstepped in to widen the gap.

“Callie! Do you think… do you think Domenic was
 
murdered
?”

Callista said, faltering, “Cassilda, Mother of Seveners, I pray it is not so. If he had died by poison, or ofsome mysterious illness, I would fear so indeed—there was so much strife over the heirship of Alton—but struck down by Cathal in play? We
 
know
 
Cathal, Elli, he loved Domenic as his own life! They had sworn the oath of
 
bredin
 
. I would sooner believe Damon an oath-breaker than our cousin Cathal!” She added, her face white and troubled, “If it had been Dezi…”

The twin sisters looked at one another, not willing to speak their accusation, yet remembering how Dezi’s malice had come close to costing Andrew’s life. At last Ellemir said in a shaking voice, “Where, Iwonder, was Dezi when Domenic died?”

“Oh, no, no, Ellemir.” Callista caught her sister close, cutting off the words. “No, no, do not even
 
think
 
it! Our father loves Dezi, even if he would not acknowledge him, so do not make it worse than it is! Elli, I beg you, I beg you, do not put that thought into Father’s head!”

Ellemir knew what Callista meant: somehow she must manage to guard her thoughts, so that the carelessaccusation would not reach her father. But the thought troubled her, as she went about the business ofpreparing the women servants to care for the household in their absence. She found a moment to slipdown to the chapel, laying a small garland of winter flowers before the altar of Cassilda. She had wantedher child to be born at Armida, where he would live surrounded by the heritage which must be his someday.

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All she had ever wanted in life was to be wedded to Damon, to bear sons and daughters to her clan andhis. Was that so much to ask? she thought helplessly. She was not like Callista, ambitious to do
 
laran
work, to sit in Council and settle affairs of state. Why couldn’t she have that much peace? And yet sheknew that in the days to come, she could not fall back on this refuge of womanhood.

Would they demand that Damon must command the Guards in his father-in-law’s place? Like all Altondaughters, she was proud of the hereditary post of commander which her father had borne, which shehad thought would be Domenic’s for years to come. But now Domenic was dead and Valdir too young,and who would it be? She looked around the chapel at the painted gods on the walls, on therepresentation, stiff and stylized, of Hastur, Son of Aldones, at Hali with Cassilda and Camilla. Theywere the forebears of the Comyn; life was easier in their day. Wearily she left the chapel and wentupstairs to talk about which of the maids should come with them, which be left to care for the estate intheir absence.

Andrew too had much to occupy his mind as he talked to the old
 
coridom
 
—like all the other servants,stricken with grief at the news of their young master’s death—about managing the stock and the estatebusiness during his absence. He thought that he ought to stay back, for he had no business in Thendara,and the ranch should not be left in the hands of servants. But he knew that part of his reluctance wasbecause the Terran Empire HQ was at Thendara. He had been content that the Terrans should think himdead; he had no kin to mourn, and there was nothing there that he wanted. But now there was,unexpectedly, conflict again. He knew rationally that the Terrans had no claim on him, that they would noteven know he was in the old city of Thendara, and certainly would not come after him. Just the same hefelt apprehensive. And he too wondered where Dezi had been when Domenic died, and dismissed thethought as unworthy.

Damon had told him that Thendara was not much more than a day’s ride for a single man on a fasthorse, in good weather, traveling alone. But for a large party, with servants, baggage, a pregnant womanand an elderly cripple who must travel in horse-litters, it might take four or five times that. Much of thework of readying the party’s horses and baggage came to Andrew, and he felt wearied but satisfiedwhen at last the party rode forth between the great gates.
 
Dom
 
Esteban was in a litter drawn betweentwo horses; another awaited Ellemir when she was weary of riding, but now she rode beside Damon,shrouded in a green riding cloak, her eyes swollen with crying. Andrew remembered Domenic teasing Ellemir at the wedding, and felt deeply saddened; he had had so little time to know this merry brotherwho had so quickly accepted him.

Then there was a long straggle of pack animals, servants riding the antlered beasts which had a surer gaiton the mountain roads than most horses, and half a dozen Guardsmen at the rear to protect them againstthe dangers of travel in the hills. Callista looked tall, pale, other-worldly in her black riding cape. Lookingat her haunted face under the dark hood, it was hard to remember the laughing girl in the golden flowers. Had it been only yesterday?

And yet, beneath the mourning solemnity of her dark garments and her pale face, she was still thatlaughing woman who had given and received his kisses with such unsuspected passion. Someday—soon, soon, he pledged himself fiercely, he would free her and have her always with him. Helooked at her bent head and she raised her face with a wan smile.

The journey took four cold and exhausting days. On the second day Ellemir took to her litter and did notride horseback again till just before they entered the city gates. In the notched pass which overlooked thecity she insisted on leaving the horse-litter and mounting again.

“The litter jolts me, and the baby, worse than Shirina’s gait,” she insisted pettishly, “and I will not be

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carried into Thendara as if I were a spoiled queen or a cripple. I want them to know my child is no weakling!” Ferrika, appealed to, said that Ellemir’s comfort was more important than anything else, and if she felt comfortable and able to ride, ride she should.

Andrew had never seen the Comyn Castle except distantly from the Terran Zone. It stood high abovethe city, immense and ancient, and Callista told him how it had stood there since before the Ages of Chaos, how it had not been built by human hands at all. The stones had been lifted into place by matrixcircles from the Towers, working together to transform the forces.

Inside it was a labyrinth, with enormous long corridors, and the rooms to which they wereshown—rooms, Callista told him, reserved since time immemorial for the Altons at Councilseason—were almost as spacious as the adjoining suites they occupied at Armida.

Outside the Alton suite the castle seemed deserted. “But Lord Hastur is here,” Callista told him. “Heremains in Thendara most of the year, and his son Danvan is helping to command the Guards. I supposethey wil summon council to act on the heirship of Alton. There are always questions, and Valdir is soyoung.”

As
Dom
 
Esteban was carried into the main hall of the Alton rooms, a slender, sallow boy with a sharp,intelligent face and hair so dark it hardly seemed red, about twelve years old, came forward to meet him.

“Valdir.”
 
Dom
 
Esteban held out his arms, and the boy knelt at his feet.

“You are so young, my boy, but you will have to be a grown man already!” As the boy rose, he clasped him close. “Do you know what has become of your brother’s…” He choked on the word. Young Valdir said quietly, “He rests in the chapel, Father, and his paxman is with him. I did not know what I ought to do, but”—he gestured, and Dezi came hesitantly into the main room—“my brother Dezi has been such a help to me, since I came from Nevarsin.”

Damon thought, uncharitably, that Dezi had lost no time, now that his protector was dead, in worminghimself into the good graces of the next heir. Next to the thin, sallow Valdir, Dezi, with his bright red hairand freckled fac«, looked far more like a member of the family than did the legitimate son.
 
Dom
 
Estebanembraced Dezi, weeping.

“My dear, dear boy—”

Damon wondered how he could deprive the old man of the comfort of his only other remaining son,deprive Valdir of his only living brother? It was a true saying, bare is back without brother. In any case, Dezi, deprived of his matrix, was harmless.

Valdir came and hugged Ellemir. “I see you finally did marry Damon. I thought you would.” But before Callista he hung shyly back. Callista held out her hands, explaining to Andrew, “I went to the Towerwhen Valdir was an infant in arms; I have seen him only a few times since, and not since he was a tinychild. I am sure you have forgotten me, brother.”

“Not quite,” said the boy, looking up at his tall sister. “I seem to remember a little. We were in a room with colors, like a rainbow. I must have been very small. I fell and hurt my knee, and you took me on your lap and sang to me. You were wearing a white dress with something blue on it.”

She smiled. “I remember now, it was when you were presented in the Crystal Chamber, as every

Comyn son must be so that they may be sure he has no hidden defect or deformity, when later he is

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pledged for marriage. I was only a psi monitor then. But you were not even five years old; I am surprised

you should even remember the blue veil. This is my husband, Andrew.”

The child bowed courteously but did not offer Andrew his hand, retreating to Dezi’s side. Andrewbowed coldly to Dezi; Damon gave him a kinsman’s embrace, hoping the touch would dispel thesuspicions he could not be rid of. But Dezi was well barricaded against him. Damon could not read hismind even a little. Then Damon admonished himself to be fair. At their last meeting he had tortured Dezi,nearly killed him; how could he greet Damon with much friendship?

Dom
Esteban was taken to his rooms. He looked pleadingly at Dezi, and the young man followed hisfather. When they had gone Andrew said with a grimace, “Well, I thought we were rid of him. But if itcomforts our father to have him near, what can we do?”

Damon thought it would not be the first time that a bastard son, rascally in his youth, had become theprop and mainstay of a father who had lost his other children. He hoped for
Dom
 
Esteban’s sake, andfor Dezi’s own, that it might prove to be so.

He joined Andrew and Callista, saying, “Will you come with me to the chapel, to see what has beendone with Domenic? If all is seemly, we can spare our father this, and Ellemir. Ferrika has put her to bed. She knew Domenic best… there is no need to harrow her feelings more.”

The chapel was in the deepest part of the Comyn Castle, carved from the living rock of the mountain onwhich it stood. It had the cold, earthy chill of an underground cavern. Domenic lay in the echoing silenceon a long trestled bier, before the carved image Andrew could already recognize as the Blessed Cassilda,mother of the Domains. In the carved stone figure Andrew fancied be could actually see a faint likenessto Callista’s own features, and to the cold and lifeless face of the young man who lay dead.