the Keep. Gnome Hunters stood watch without, and the door was locked and barred.
The Gnomes moved aside quickly as Shadea stepped up and manipulated the locks. When the door was open, the Druids ushered the Ohmsfords inside.
Bek glanced around. The room was empty except for a huge basin of water that sat at its center. The basin bowl was shallow and broad, and the waters it contained were a very deep green. There were lines and markings drawn on the surface of the basin below the waters, bumps and ridges, as well. It was a map, he realized, moving over to get a closer look, a map of the Four Lands.
«This is where you can help us, Bek,' Shadea a'Ru announced, moving up beside him. Rue had already taken up a position on his other side, and he could feel the anticipation radiating from her like body heat. «This room is called the cold chamber. The stone walls insulate the basin. The scrye waters in the basin monitor the lines of power that bind the earth. They reflect disturbances in those lines when a powerful magic is used. We study them in an effort to discover where magic is being used outside the purview of the order.»
She turned to him. «We had thought to use the scrye waters to track your sister's movements after she disappeared, but there have been no disturbances that would indicate the use of her magic. Still, the waters will track such magic, even its most minuscule application, if their power to interpret is enhanced. If you were to apply the magic of the wishsong to that end, we might be able to discover where she is. I know you possess the power to control its effect on things. Will you use it here?»
Bek held her gaze a moment, trying to read what was behind it. She was asking him to do something very straightforward, but he was suspicious of her motives. Traunt Rowan's omissions and shad–ings still troubled him, — his uneasiness about the circumstances surrounding the disappearances of his sister and son hadn't lessened. He was tired from lack of sleep and worry, and he didn't trust that he was thinking clearly.
«I know you want me to do this right away,' he told her. «I want that, too. But I don't know that I can help you effectively until I am better rested. Application of the magic of the wishsong requires a steady concentration that I don't feel I can bring to bear just now.
What I would like to do is eat something and get some sleep, then try in the morning, when I'm fresh.»
«Bek!» Rue exploded angrily, gripping his shoulder so hard it hurt. 'This is our son and your sister we are trying to help! What do you mean, you need to rest? You can rest later!»
Her words made him flinch, but he looked directly at her. «I'm worried for them, too. But I don't want to make a mistake. I'm just not sure I'm recovered enough from that fever to focus the way I need to. Not without a little food and rest first.»
He turned away from the surprise and confusion that flashed sharply in her eyes. «Tomorrow, then?»
Clearly unhappy with the delay, Shadea a'Ru took a moment to consider. Reluctantly, she nodded. 'Tomorrow will be fine. Traunt Rowan will see you to your sleeping chambers and arrange for food to be brought. Rest well.»
She swept out of the room without sparing him another glance, a hint of disgust reflected on her strong features. The taller of the two Druids who went with her turned briefly to study him, and Bek did not care for what he saw in the dark eyes. Then they were gone, and Traunt Rowan was saying something about arrangements for the night. Bek didn't hear all of it; his attention was back on Rue, who was looking at him in what he hoped was a less judgmental way.
«Come with me,' the Druid ordered, his own face dark and troubled.
It took them only a few minutes to reach their sleeping chambers, which consisted of two rooms with a bed, a few furnishings, a single door, high windows, and a pair of unfriendly looking Gnome Hunters already positioned at the doors.
«To keep you safe,' Traunt Rowan explained quickly. «We are taking no chances with your family even here. Until we find out what has happened to the Ard Rhys and your son, we intend to keep close watch over all of you. I will have dinner sent right up.»
When he was gone and the door securely closed behind him, Bek put a finger to his lips before Rue could say anything, shaking his head in warning. He motioned about the room, to the walls and ceiling, to the vents and doors and windows, where other ears might be listening. When she nodded her understanding, he took her in his arms and put his lips close to her ear. «Are you all right?»
He felt her nod into his shoulder. Her mouth pressed against his ear. «What was all that about a fever?
You haven't had a fever in months.»
«An excuse to keep Shadea at bay,' he whispered. «Something about all this isn't right. I need to think about what she's asking me to do.»
Another nod. «I don't trust her, either. I don't trust any of them. They're lying about something.»
«That young Druid who bumped into me in the hallway? That wasn't an accident. He gave me a note, — I have it in my pocket. He pressed it into my hand while he was helping me get up. He didn't want Shadea and the others to see what he was doing. He took a big chance.»
«Do you know him? Is he Grianne's friend?» «I don't know who is or isn't her friend at this point.» «Have you looked at the note?»
He shook his head. «I was waiting until we got away from the others. I didn't want to take a chance that they might see me looking at it.» He paused, looking past her to the stone walls. «Walk with me over to the window. Stand close so we can shield what we're doing.» He felt her hand press against his back. «Do you think they might be watching as well as listening? Here?»
He shook his head. He didn't know. But he wasn't about to chance it. The safety of his sister and his son were at stake, and some among the Druids might not have their best interests at heart, no matter what they said.
They moved over to the window. The sun was setting on the horizon, a bloodred orb hung against a cerulean sky. Shadows had lengthened into dark pools, and the moon was just visible along the northeast horizon. The air outside felt cool and fresh on their faces as they leaned out, resting their arms on the stone sill, hunched close together with their backs to the room.
Bek slipped the scrap of paper from its hiding place and laid it in front of them, keeping his hands cupped about it. They bent close. Four words were printed on it in block letters.
DO NOT TRUST THEM.
That was all. Bek studied the note a moment more, glanced at Rue, then pocketed it anew. When he had a chance to do so, he would destroy it. But he would have to be careful how he handled it. Druids could reconstruct messages from nothing more than ashes.
«Clearly, not everyone is in agreement about what has happened to my sister,' he said. «The young Druid, for one.»
«Maybe others, as well.»
He laid his hand on her arm. «We can't trust anyone.»
She nodded, her eyes shifting to find his. «What are we going to do?»
He smiled. «I was hoping you could tell me.» He leaned over and kissed her forehead gently. «I really was.»
in bed that night, wrapped in each other's arms, comforted by the darkness and the silence, they talked about it.
«Do you think they are listening still?» She said it with an edge to her voice that suggested what she might do to them if she discovered they were.
He stroked her hair. «I think they have better things to do.»
«I hope they weren't watching when we bathed. That makes my skin crawl. But I can imagine that ferret– faced Druid doing it.»
«No one watched us bathe.»
She was silent a moment, pressed up against him. «At least the meal they gave us was decent. They didn't try to poison us.»
«They have other plans for us. Poison doesn't figure into things until we've served our purpose.»
He felt her face turn toward his own in the dark. «Which is? You have a hunch, don't you?»
His voice was already a whisper, but he lowered it further. «I've been thinking about it. Grianne disappeared
