nearly afraid to touch them.
The food was wonderful as well—simple and fresh, with an emphasis on perfectly ripe vegetables and fruits, wonderful breads, savory meat. There were no cleverly disguised, complicated dishes, no culinary oddities. You didn't have to guess at what it was, or how to eat it, either. Kellen found himself starting to relax, as Ashaniel led the conversation into safe easy topics that centered around Sandalon's day and how he'd spent it. The Queen obviously adored her son, and Sandalon was both young enough to think everyone should find Kellen as fascinating as he did and naive enough to be unaware that describing someone in the manner of a new menagerie animal might be less than flattering. More than once, Kellen caught Ashaniel suppressing a fond parental smile.
But the smiles quickly faded, and Kellen realized that Ashaniel had a lot more on her mind than being kind to her son's new friend. The Queen was worried about something—badly worried, if even Kellen could pick up on it— and doing her best to hide it.
The last course was raspberries served in frozen cream, accompanied by tiny cups of a dark sweet wine for the adults, and a large mug of berry-cider for Sandalon. The child lingered over his drink, unwilling to finish it, until at last Ashaniel regarded him sternly.
'It is time for you to seek your bed, my young son,' she said in a voice that brooked no argument. 'I do not think our friend Kellen plans to leave us soon, so you need not fear he will be gone before you wake again. And it is time for you to sleep.'
Sandalon looked just as rebellious as any other youngster at being told to go to bed, but he promptly drained his mug and got to his feet. It was obvious that however defiant he might feel, he would behave obediently. Everyone stood, and Sandalon bowed—first to his mother, then to Kellen—before allowing himself to be led off by his nurse.
'Will you come and see me tomorrow?' Sandalon asked, stopping at the doorway and looking over his shoulder.
Oh, bless the little fellow — Sandalon sounded positively mournful!
There was a sudden wariness in the air, and Kellen realized both women were looking at him intently, though he didn't know why.
'I will,' Kellen promised. 'Or you can come and see me. I had a good time today with you!'
Sandalon beamed, and the momentary tension Kellen had sensed disappeared. 'I will!' the boy promised. 'Thank you!'
'He is very young,' the Queen said apologetically, when Lairamo had led her son away. 'And—often lonely.'
Now what was that all about? Kellen wondered. Surely they weren't afraid that I'd reject the kid? He'd spent far too many lonely hours as a child himself to do anything of the sort! And how he would have loved having an older boy to look up to and have as a mentor!
'I suppose I should be getting home,' Kellen said when Ashaniel didn't say anything more.
'Stay a while, if you would. I would talk with you for a few moments,' she said.
The bald statement rather startled Kellen—it was the first time today an Elf had ever been that direct. Perhaps because she was the Queen, she felt she could afford to go straight to the heart of the matter.
She gestured to Kellen to follow her, and led him out of the dining salon through another door than the one Sandalon and his nurse had used.
As far as Kellen could tell after all the twists and turns, the room they ended up in was directly beneath the glass room Sandalon had brought him to earlier. Here lamps were lit against the darkness, and a small fire burned in an elegant stove made of the same translucent Elvenware they'd eaten their dinners from. It was built to suggest a phoenix rising from flames, and the flickering of the real flames within gave the tile flames an eerie semblance of life.
The room was small and intimate, a room for private councils. Ashaniel motioned for Kellen to close the door behind them, and sank gracefully down into one of the chairs, gesturing to Kellen to take the other. There was a small table between them, with a tall green and silver decanter and two cups. She poured them both full and handed one to him.
Kellen sipped cautiously, tasting apricots and cinnamon, but no alcohol.
'I beg that you will forgive my rudeness, but I am desperate,' Ashaniel said. 'You have named yourself Kellen Tavadon. I have heard of another who once bore the name Tavadon, who has lately been a guest in our lands.'
Ashaniel waited, looking at him.
Elves don't ask questions. He didn't know where the unexpected intuition came from, but Kellen suddenly realized it was true. He hadn't heard a direct question from anyone here today but Sandalon—and hadn't Idalia said
