Afterward as they lay sated with each other Kaliq said, “I want you to make Shunnar your home, my love.”
“I cannot,” Lara answered him. “Not until Taj is grown and ruling on his own. You know that I cannot leave him now, Kaliq.”
“I know,” he admitted with a sigh. “But when you can, Shunnar should be your home, not Terah.
“We have much to do before that can happen, my lord. This business with Hetar needs to be finished. And Anoush must be awakened, Marzina taught self-discipline lest she become a danger to herself and others and my son grown and wise enough to govern without me. There will be time for us eventually, my dearest Kaliq, but neither you nor I are apt to neglect our duty, are we?”
“Nay, we are not,” he admitted. “Will you come to me when you can, my love?”
“Aye, I will. You are the only creature, mortal or magic, to truly understand me,” Lara said softly. “But you must remember always that I am faerie, for I would not hurt you deliberately, Kaliq.”
“I know that,” he told her, pulling her back into his embrace, and Lara sighed happily with the knowledge that whatever happened Kaliq would always be there for her.
IN THE DAYS AND WEEKS THAT followed Hetar began to heal. By the time the Icy Season returned all in the kingdom had warm, dry shelters. The Hetarians were proud of what they had accomplished in those few months. Even the magnates and the Merchants Guild had stopped complaining about the monies they were spending, for they saw a future of fresh profits for themselves as the people became prosperous once again. It was time for the Hierarch to leave Hetar.
He did so at Winterfest in a dramatic fashion that would be remembered for years to come. The square was overflowing, for the Hierarch had announced several days prior that he would leave them on the last night of Winterfest. The crowds jostled with one another for a glimpse of the Hierarch. People hung from the windows of the buildings about the main square. They stood or clung to the rooftops. Children were held up for the Hierarch’s blessing as he made his way into the crowds that parted for him, and stood upon the painted platform that had been raised up for this occasion.
“I will not come again, my people,” he told the Hetarians who stood listening to his words with upturned faces. “Follow my teachings. Be kind to one another. Profit is a good thing when not carried to extremes. I have shown you how to restore your traditions so that they fit the times in which you now live. You have already demonstrated much progress in the rebuilding of your kingdom. I came but to guide you, but it is you who must, who can and who will restore this land by your own good efforts. Hetar is capable of great things, my children. I give you all my blessing,” the Hierarch said as he lifted his hands to encompass the crowds below, above and around him. Then to the gasps and cries of his audience he began to rise up. “Farewell!” he called out to them as he appeared to float away.
And those there in and about the main square watched, astonished, until the Hierarch had disappeared completely from their sight. A feeling of euphoria filled the air with his passing. All night long the people of Hetar celebrated the Icy Season, the Hierarch and each other. Frine flowed freely. There were stalls selling little hot meat pies and skewers with roasted vegetables. The Pleasure Houses were busier than they had been in months. Everyone agreed that Hetar’s difficult days were behind them. They were well on the road to recovery, and the High Council would see they remained there.
As for Cam of the Fiacre, no one was more relieved than he to be returned home to his village of Rivalen. His last few months in Hetar had been very frightening, for he had never quite believed that his aunt would really aid him. Each day he had been required to perform as the Hierarch the Shadow Prince Kaliq stood invisible at his side, putting the proper words in his mouth, creating the miracles he was required to perform. Still, until he actually found himself back in his own environs he had never believed he wouldn’t be betrayed. He appeared in Sholeh’s hall with Lara even as the morning was beginning.
“Go and find your bed, Cam,” Lara advised him. “I will return this evening, and we will speak with Sholeh together.” She gave him a quick smile and was gone before he might question her further about Anoush.
Returning to Shunnar, Lara sought out Kaliq. “I need a favor of you, my lord,” she greeted him.
“What would you have of me, my love?” he asked her.
“I do not wish to lie to Cam when he accuses me of turning Anoush’s heart from him,” Lara said. “When I awaken her I need your aid in this matter.”
“Before I agree,” Kaliq said, “I must look into Cam’s heart to see if he truly loves her. We cannot in good conscience separate true love, for if we do neither lover will ever find real happiness, Lara. You know this to be so.”
She sighed, nodding. “My instinct tells me he is the wrong man for her, but even my natural talents may be flawed by his parents’ crime. Look into his heart, Kaliq, and I will abide by your decision in this matter,” Lara said.
The Shadow Prince took his crystal globe from the place where it sat in the garden absorbing the sunlight by day, and the moonlight by night. Holding it in his left palm, he passed his right hand over it.
She peered into the crystal and then said, “His heart is black as pitch.” Then she sighed. “In a strange way I am sorry,” Lara said.
“I will contact the Munin, and have all recent memories of Cam removed from Anoush’s memory,” Kaliq said. “Your instincts are sound, my love. When it is done we will awaken Anoush together.”
“Aye, and in time perhaps my daughter will find a man who loves her with a true heart whom she will also love,” Lara replied.
Kaliq called his friend the Munin Lord Satordi to him. He explained the situation, and together the two stood by Anoush’s bedside while Satordi gently extracted the girl’s recent memories of Cam from her head. Those memories were also excised from the Clan families. The Munin were the magical folk who had dominion over the memories of all beings. When memories were lost it was the Munin who found them and stored them away. They were also adept at taking memories if needs be.
“Store them carefully in a hidden place known only to you,” Kaliq said.
“It will be done, my lord Prince,” Satordi replied, and he was gone.
Kaliq then went to find Lara. They transported the girl by means of their magic back to her own home in New Camdene. Anoush would never know of her kidnapping and rescue while she slept. Gently they awakened her, undoing the spell that had put her to sleep those few months ago.
Anoush opened her blue eyes, yawned, stretched and then sat up. “Mother! My lord! Why are you here? How long have I slept?”
“For several months, my darling,” Lara said. “You fell ill of a fever, and magical sleep was the only remedy for it.”
“Mother, I had the oddest dream while I slept,” Anoush said. “A handsome young man came and stood by my bedside. He stroked my hand, and said no harm would come to me for we were kin, and he could allow no harm to touch his kin. Isn’t that strange?”
“And what did this young man look like?” Kaliq said in an amused voice so as not to alarm the girl, for he had heard Lara’s soft gasp.
“He was tall, and fair with golden hair just like yours, Mother, but his eyes were a dark gray,” Anoush replied.
“So, Mistress Anoush, you dream of handsome golden-haired men when you sleep,” Kaliq teased her, chuckling.
Anoush giggled, sounding very girlish. “Maybe I will meet him one day, my lord,” she said. “Do you think I will?”
“Ah, my child, I suspect it was nothing more than a dream,” Kaliq told her, patting her shoulder. “As you were forced to sleep for so long I am glad you had such pleasant dreams to keep you content.”
“Mother, would you ask Gadara to set up my bath? And would you and Kaliq remain to eat with me?” Anoush asked. “I want to know everything that happened while I slept. Have you spoken with Zagiri? Has she come home yet? And how is Marzina? And my brothers?” She stood up on wobbly legs, but remained upright.
“Of course, darling,” Lara said. Then she and Kaliq left Anoush. Finding Gadara, she told the servant that Anoush was awake, and would want a bath. “And we will remain for the morning meal.” When Gadara had hurried
