Arch Wizard

ready. 'Halt,' he snapped, 'or die.'

The burning man, who must not be feeling the flames, to have a voice so free of pain, never slowed.

'We all die, lord,' he replied calmly, 'and I would rather speak to you-both of you-than flee emptyhanded. Put up your sword; I mean you no harm.'

Belard shot a look at Talyss, who nodded, and gestured with her sword that he should let the stranger come.

Or not-stranger; she knew that voice. She couldn't place it, just yet, but she'd heard it a time or three before, she knew she had… in Ironthorn, of course, yet who-

Belard backed away, and a man came staggering down into the hollow, the ward-flames falling away from him into nothingness as he reached the protected area within the wards.

As he came out through the lowest, still-dancing boughs-the limbs overhead were thick, as large in some spots as some full-grown trees along the banks of the Imrush-the moonlight fell full upon him, and both Tesmers gaped in astonishment.

They were staring at Cauldreth Jaklar, the Lord Leaf of Hammerhold. He looked bedraggled and grim, and his hands were empty. He raised them in a palms-out 'I'm unarmed' gesture, and came to a halt amid their discarded garments.

'Lord and Lady Tesmer,' he said, shooting swift looks at both of them, keeping his eyes carefully on their faces, his own face betraying no opinion at all about their lack of dress and likely reason for that, 'I am pleased to have found you this night, for I have an offer to make to you that should please you both and lead to a bright future for Ironthorn.'

Belard took a step forward and brought his sword up. 'Priest,' he snapped, 'how did you know we were here?'

'I… you are in the forest, and I serve the Forestmother, who told me where you could be found.'

'And why did you want to find us?' Talyss asked silkily, stepping back so moonlight no longer reached her raised arm, and the knife held ready to hurl in it.

'I need your aid, and your talents. Ironthorn needs your aid and talents.'

'Oh?' Belard snapped, taking another menacing step forward. 'Ironthorn's been slow to say so, thus far!'

'Lord Tesmer,' Jaklar said quickly, stepping back and to one side, 'please hear me! I can hurl spells to strike you both down, yet have not! Please! Hear me out!'

'Speak,' Talyss commanded. The priest's sidestep had brought him closer to her, yet she was mindful of his winning his way so swiftly through their combined wards. He was protected by his own magic, and it might serve to turn aside blades. Or even send hurled ones back at the one who'd thrown them.

'Yes,' the Lord Leaf agreed. 'Hear me: the Hammerhands are dead, yet House Lyrose survives-with the wizard Malraun standing behind them. So I need new rulers in Hammerhold.'

He took a step forward, and tried a smile. 'Such as the two of you. With any mates you care to take, of course.'

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Two Tesmer jaws dropped open again, incredulity ruling them this time.

'What?' Belard asked disbelievingly, shaking his head.

Talyss had a swifter, surer tongue. 'Rule as lord and lady? Over those who hate and mistrust us? While our parents sit a short ride away in their own castle, with their own claim to rightful rule over all Ironthorn?'

Jaklar met her eyes and nodded hard, as if accepting her view. 'Yet hear me still!' he snapped. 'The Lyrose women will soon be dead, punished by Malraun for their laxity, and your parents-who are, admit what you well know, the pawns of the other Doom, Narmarkoun of the greatfangs and the walking dead-will flee Ironthorn even sooner, running before Malraun can catch them.'

'Leaving us to be blasted down by the both of them!' Belard protested. 'To say nothing of what we'll have on our hands from all Ironthar-brother and sister ruling as husband and wife! — and our own kin! If none of them accept our rule, we'll soon be corpses, lord and lady of no more than a coffin each. If we're lucky enough to be slain cleanly, so there's something left of us to put in a coffin, that is!'

The priest looked to Talyss and then back at Belard, almost beseechingly. 'What if your brothers and sisters rallied to you, and upheld you as Lord and Lady of all Ironthorn?'

Talyss shook her head, lip curling. 'Man, you know nothing of House Tesmer, do you? Our darling kin wouldn't do that even if both Dooms, the Falcon and Forestmother, and our parents all ordered them to!'

'What if I used magic on them? Do any of them have influence over the others? I could-'

'Priest, you are a fool.'

Those words were uttered by a new voice, that struck everyone in the hollow to startled silence.

It was loud, cold, scornful-and came from above their heads.

Cauldreth Jaklar's hand gave off a sudden glow as he looked up, but an answering wink of light blossomed from one of the great tree limbs overhead, and the voice spoke again.

'No, Jaklar, not this time. You're not the only ambitious snake in Falconfar able to lay hands on a little magic, you know. I've half a mind to blast you now, just to make sure you'll never again dare to think of using spells to control any of we Tesmers-or have mind enough left to do so.'

'Nareyera!' Talyss spat.

The younger of her two elder sisters smiled sweetly down at her through the leaves. Nareyera Tesmer had long, glossy black hair; right now it was framing eyes that were dark with malicious glee.

'Talyss, dear, where did you learn to pleasure a man? Watching mares being serviced in the stables?'

Fire rising in her eyes, Talyss hefted her knife threateningly.

Nareyera sneered. 'Even if I wasn't spell-shielded against warsteel, your poison is nothing to me, dear. You use dellarra-so lazy of you-and I've tasted it for years. All it does these days is give me a headache. Enough to annoy me, nothing more. Bury it in yon lying priest if you must feed it someone.'

She shifted silently along the bough until she could glance clearly across the hollow-whereupon her smile broadened. 'Now there's a dagger,' she said, licking her lips. 'I wouldn't mind a ride or two myself, Belard, if you've finished with Little Cat Spiteful, here.'

Her brother glared up at her. 'How long have you been here, Nareyera?'

'From the beginning. Two family wards walking together, out here in the dark, dark Raurklor, arouse my curiosity-and when I'm curious, I like to get up high to watch and listen. When those two wards obligingly stop right under me and start to interweave, I get very interested. As it turns out, I got more than interested-I got entertained. Mmhmm, did I. Enough to make a swiftly-aging woman warm and wet, even if it is my own brother and sister.'

'Lady Tesmer,' Cauldreth Jaklar snapped, 'you would be wise-

'I am wise, priest. You're the one who should learn to become wise. You can begin by shutting your mouth, right now, and putting aside all thoughts of using any magic at all on any of us. Then, perhaps-just perhaps-I'll let you live.'

'I-'

Belard took another step toward Jaklar. 'Lord Leaf,' he growled, 'I very seldom agree with my sister Nareyera, but in this one matter I find that I do. Very much so.'

'One moment,' Talyss said then, raising her voice a trifle. 'Jaklar, I believe it would be best if you left this part of the forest, very soon and walking briskly. However, I would have an answer from you first, and an honest one, if you're capable of telling truth. I believe I would like to hear you swear by the Forestmother on this.'

Cauldreth Jaklar gave her a glare, but raised his brows and tilted his head to one side as if inviting her query.