adjust. David sat patiently, his legs dangling over the long drop. He was
smiling slightly.
'Come away from the edge,' said Hawk finally. 'It's dangerous.'
'Look at the view,' said David. 'Isn't it marvelous? It feels like you can see
forever.'
'Is that why you dragged us all the way up here?' said Fisher. 'To admire the
view?'
David shrugged, and smiled. 'I won't ask you how I gave myself away. It doesn't
matter. I was pretty much an amateur at the spying game, anyway. But I would
like to know who you really are.'
'Hawk and Fisher, Captains in the city Guard,' said Hawk. 'We're the ones who
chased you through half of Haven last night.'
David raised an eyebrow. 'I'm impressed. I've heard some of the stories they
tell about you two. Are they true?'
'Some of them,' said Hawk.
'What did you do with the sorcerer Grimm?'
'We killed him,' said Fisher.
'Good,' said David. 'The city probably smells better now he's gone. I wouldn't
have dealt with him at all if my contact hadn't insisted.'
'Who was your contact?' said Hawk.
David shrugged. 'It was always someone different. They didn't trust me enough to
let me see anyone important.'
'What about the information?' said Fisher. 'What was so important that so many
people had to risk their lives because of it?'
David stared out across the sea. 'The Monarch of Outremer is coming here, to
Haven, to meet with our King and hammer out a Peace Treaty to put an end to the
border clashes, before they start really getting out of hand. But there are
those on both sides who would profit greatly from a war, people who don't want
the peace talks to succeed. Knowing the exact date and time and place of those
talks was therefore of very great value to those with an interest in sabotaging
them. And I knew. I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time,
and nosy enough to look at a sheet of paper left lying carelessly on a desk. And
that's how it all started. As simply as that.'
'Come away from the edge,' said Hawk. 'You might fall.'
'I'm not going back,' said David. 'If I were put on trial, it would disgrace my
Family's name. I can't do that. I've been enough of a disappointment to them as
it is. Besides, my friends would be found guilty by association, just for
knowing me. And Holly would be hounded, ostracized, because she was close to me.
I can't have that. I think Holly could be happy with Arthur. Don't you?'
'Yes,' said Hawk. 'He cares for her.'
'Good,' said David, and pushed himself out and away from the wall. He didn't
scream, all the way down to the rocks at the bottom of the cliffs.
Chapter Eight
Saying Goodbye
The wards finally went down at ten o'clock the next morning. A subtle vibration
came and went on the air, and the solid weight of Tower MacNeil seemed to settle
itself more comfortably, and as suddenly and simply as that, it was over. Hawk
ceremoniously opened the front door, and he and Fisher stepped out into the
brisk morning air. It was a fine sunny morning, with only the cold nip of the
wind to remind them of how close winter was. Gulls rode the wind on outstretched
wings, crying and keening, and from far below came the endless crash of waves on
the rocks.
Only Jamie and Robbie Brennan were there to say goodbye, and Hawk and Fisher
were just as happy that way. It had been an uncomfortable time for all of them,
waiting for the wards to go down. Hawk and Fisher might have saved the day, but
their very presence was a reminder of things the MacNeils were eager to forget.
The four of them stood together a moment, two within the Tower and two without,
none of them sure what to say for the best. In the end, Jamie coughed awkwardly,
and they all looked at him expectantly.
'You've done my Family a great service,' he said firmly. 'The freak is finally
at rest, and the MacNeils are free of their Curse, if not their Shame. I wish
you'd let me reward you in some way. Just saying thanks doesn't seem nearly
enough.'
'Thanks are all we want,' said Hawk. 'We're just grateful you haven't insisted
on knowing who we really are.'
'I have a strong feeling I should,' said Jamie, trying not to stare at Hawk's
closed right eye, 'But I'm equally sure I wouldn't like the answer. You'd
probably only lie, anyway.'
Hawk and Fisher grinned, and said nothing.
'I'm afraid we're all the send-off you're going to get,' said Brennan. 'The
others have all managed to be very busy just at the moment. Holly and Lord
Arthur are comforting each other, as best they can. For the moment they both
miss David too much to think of anything else, but I wouldn't be surprised if
they ended up staying together. I think they'd be good for each other. Who
knows? Maybe she'll even stop him drinking.'
Hawk smiled. 'It's possible, I suppose. Stranger things have happened.'
'Aunt Katrina is upstairs packing,' said Jamie. 'I told her she was still
welcome to stay as long as she wished, but it would appear she can't wait to
leave. She says she doesn't feel safe here anymore. I can understand that. I've
lived all my life in the Tower, and I don't feel the same about it now. It's as
though an old and trusted friend had suddenly revealed a dark and violent side
to his nature, something you'd never even suspected before. I'll probably get
over it, but I don't think I'll ever really trust the Tower again.'
'Where's she going?' said Hawk.
Jamie shrugged. 'Back to the city. I don't think she herself knows where she's
going yet.'
'Maybe she'll go back to her husband,' said Fisher.
'I hope not,' said Brennan. 'For his sake. I wouldn't wish Katrina on my worst
enemy. At least not unless I was in a really nasty mood.'
'What about Alistair?' said Hawk. 'He spent most of yesterday evening trying to
avoid us.'
'He's around somewhere,' said Jamie. 'Hiding his face. I think he still feels
guilty about accusing you of being the freak. No doubt he'll turn up again, once
you're safely gone.'
There was another pause as they ran out of polite, unimportant things to say.
'I'm sorry about David,' said Hawk finally. 'He wasn't a bad sort. We would have
taken him alive, if we could.'
'I know that,' said Jamie. 'I've no doubt it happened just the way you
described. David was many things, but he was never a coward. He knew there was
