bundle from Sir Graybow and stood. “As for now, please step forward, Sir Flinn and Squire Menhir.”
Flinn and Jo moved forward as one. Flinn remembered his first initiation as a knight, more than twenty years ago. That ceremony, too, had been in the spring, just as Jo’s initiation as a squire would be. The ceremony was held in the great hall, and all were invited. Throngs of onlookers filled the hall that day, and all had cheered Flinn. Even as a young squire he had distinguished himself, and the people expected great things of him.
Flinn stepped forward now in the castle’s meeting chamber. The same pride and excitement that had gripped him upon approaching the great baron came over him as he stopped before Arturus’ daughter.
Baroness Arteris held out a midnight-blue tunic embroidered in gold. “Fain Flinn, former knight of the estates of Penhaligon,” the baroness intoned, “I do hereby formally reinstate you as a knight of the Order of the Three Suns. Go with grace and glory.”
Flinn took the silky swath and bowed deeply. “Thank you, Your Ladyship.”
The baroness turned to Jo and held out a golden tunic embroidered in blue. “Johauna Menhir, I do hereby formally instate you as a squire in the Order of the Three Suns. Go with grace and obey your knight, for through him you will learn what you must to become a knight, yourself.”
Jo took the tunic and bowed as deeply as Flinn had. “Thank you, Your Ladyship,” she said, the words barely above a whisper. Then she looked at Flinn, who had never seen her eyes shine more brightly. “I’m a squire, Flinn. I’m a squire!” she said breathlessly.
Flinn nodded, unaware that his own eyes shone back at hers, equally bright. “You’re a squire, Jo. My squire.”
Jo swallowed the last of her wine and then pushed her dishes away, sated. The pigeon pie had been truly excellent. Jo had never eaten a finer dinner in all her life. Flinn, Braddoc, Karleah, and Dayin were just finishing their meal. Brisbois, after having served them as per Flinn’s orders, was just now sitting down to eat. The six of them dined in one of the castle’s numerous guest suites-a spacious communal room adjoined to a number of bedrooms. Baroness Arteris had insisted on their being her guests tonight before they headed off to hunt Verdilith in the morning.
The young squire looked around the elegant room while the others finished the fine burgundy. The carved and delicately tinted ceiling hovered at least fifteen feet above her. It contained designs that complemented the patterns in the parqueted wooden floor. Years of use had not dulled the floor’s smooth, glossy shine. Three tall, narrow windows graced the wall behind Jo’s back, and a number of dark, wooden doors in front of her led to the bedrooms and the hall.
Jo smiled. She had a truly beautiful room all to herself, as did everyone but Dayin and Braddoc, who shared a room. Jo couldn’t remember ever having a room to herself, except the cellar hole she’d left behind in Specularum. Even that she’d shared with sewer rats and other vermin. Jo looked through the open door that led to her chamber. While the rest of the castle had awed her with its magnificence, nothing she had seen could compare to the friendly elegance of her bedroom. The delicate tapestries, the gilt chairs, the watercolor portraits, the window traceries- everything beckoned to Johauna. She wanted to stay forever in that room, safe and warm and well comforted.
The squire sighed. She could see a corner of the softly inviting bed. After all the nights of sleeping outdoors on a few furs, the bed looked comfortable, indeed. One night of comfort, she thought, and then it’s time to start my life as a squire. At least now I have proper squire clothes.
The baroness had been generous to both Flinn and Jo. The castellan outfitted Flinn with a new set of armor, which stood in one corner of the communal room. Brisbois had polished it earlier. Jo now owned two changes of proper clothing. Currently, she wore clean, fresh leggings, a soft undershirt, and the golden tunic. A pair of new boots and a warm woolen cape completed the outfit. Freshly bathed, her hair carefully braided, and clad in her new clothing, Jo had presented quite a different image when she entered the anteroom earlier this evening to join the others for dinner. But it was only Flinn’s appreciative eyes that she had noticed. The memory made her smile again at Flinn.
“Glad to be an official squire, Jo?” Flinn guessed her thoughts. His smile in return was every bit as broad as hers.
“Oh, yes! I’ve never been happier, and I have so much to thank Thor and Tarastia for!” Jo said enthusiastically. “I’m a squire, you’re a knight, and Dayin’s found a home with Karleah-” Jo ruffled the boy’s hair, but Dayin pulled away from her and hunched down in his chair. “Dayin? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” muttered the boy sullenly.
Braddoc gestured toward Dayin with a silver bread knife. The dwarf was cutting a last slice of bread from a still-warm loaf. “He’s been acting strange ever since your hearing, Flinn. In fact, if memory serves me right, he started acting this way during the session.”
“And why shouldn’t he be acting the way he is?” Karleah said carelessly. “The boy’s father is the one who led the lady into the hall.”
“Dayin’s father?” Three voices chorused.
“Dayin,” Jo asked first, “what does Karleah mean? Was that man really your father?”
Dayin nodded, his eyes seeming too large for his head. “Yes,” he said, his lower lip trembling but trying not to.
“Karleah?” Flinn turned to the wizardess and asked, “You knew Maloch Kine, didn’t you?”
The old woman returned Flinn’s look, her tiny dark eyes bright in the light of the candles. “I knew him.” She shrugged. “It was Maloch Kine, all right. But he abandoned the boy, and now Dayin’s mine.”
“Sir Brisbois,” Flinn called sharply, “who was that man attending Yvaughan?” His eyes locked on his bondsman, who finished a sip of wine and then spoke.
“I was wondering when you’d get around to him,” Brisbois said. “The man’s name-at least here in the castle- is Teryl Auroch. He came here about two years ago as an ‘advisor’ for Yvaughan, courtesy of Maldrake, of course,” Brisbois added wryly.
“What do you know about him?” Flinn asked.
“The man’s a mage, and a powerful one, too.” Brisbois leaned toward Flinn. “I can’t prove it, but I think Auroch killed Yvaughan’s son-though, if he did, that was really a blessing in disguise now that I think just what the father was. Also, I think he was slowly poisoning Yvaughan, but I can’t prove that, either. Maldrake-Maldrake refused to listen to me when I tried to warn him about Auroch, but who knows? Maybe they had all this planned from the very beginning.” “Do you know if this Auroch is still here in the castle?” Flinn asked.
Brisbois stood and smiled blackly. “Yes. What’s more, I’ll bring him to you. It’ll be my pleasure, Flinn. I’ll return as soon as possible.” Brisbois went to the door, then hesitated. “The… interment for Yvaughan is taking place this evening. The baroness said she would hold a brief ceremony.” He left the room.
Flinn nodded, his eyes distant and unseeing. Jo reached over and covered his hand with hers. “I’m sorry about Yvaughan,” she said quietly.
The knight turned to her and clasped her hand in his. “Thank you, Johauna. I… appreciate your concern, more than I can tell you.” Then Flinn withdrew his hands and rested his chin on them. “If Maloch Kine-or this Teryl Auroch-really are one and the same, what do you suppose that means?” Flinn shook his head and turned to the boy. “Dayin? Are you certain that man was your father?”
Dayin’s lips quivered, and tears touched his eyes. “It was him,” he whispered. He leaned against Karleah for comfort, the old woman putting her bony arm around the boy’s slender shoulders.
Jo asked, “Why would your father abandon you like that, Dayin? Did something happen to him? Did he think you were dead?”
The boy’s face worked. “He-he just disappeared. I don’t know. It was a long time ago. I thought… it seemed like he died.”
“The explosion?” Flinn asked.
The boy nodded. “There was an explosion in the tower, and that’s when my father disappeared. I stayed there, waiting for him to come home, but he never did. I-I thought he was dead.” A tear trickled down his cheek. “He wouldn’t just leave me, would he? My father was a good man.” Karleah patted the boy awkwardly, then gave him a little shake.
Braddoc spoke up. “Remember, Auroch and Kine are both old terms for cattle. That seemed a bit odd to
