thought, but there remained a certain girlish appeal to her delicate features. Wearing Kalen's old shirt made her look like a child, too-in a dress or even a real gown…
Cellica caught him staring. 'You've another question, Sir Longing-Gaze?'
Myrin's head shot up and her eyes went wide in expectation. 'Mind your stew,' Kalen said to Cellica, harsher than he intended.
Myrin looked back down, blushing. Cellica's wry smile became a chiding frown.
Kalen ignored them both and turned back to his mostly untouched roundloaf, only to find nothing but his spoon on the table. He looked across to where Myrin was contentedly eating his morningfeast with her hands. Curious-he hadn't thought her reach so long.
'Do you need a spoon, peach?' asked Cellica.
'Sorry,' the girl said. 'I don't mean to be rude-I'm just so hungry.' She looked at Kalen's spoon and murmured something under her breath that Kalen didn't understand.
Cellica reached for the spoon as though to give it to Myrin, but it skittered away, rose into the air, and floated to Myrin's hand. She caught it and set immediately to spooning stew to her mouth. Kalen and Cellica looked at one another, then at her.
Myrin, looking nervous in the silence, blinked at them. 'What?'
'Lass,' the halfling said. 'Was that a spell?' 'Of course,' Myrin said. 'Can't-' She blushed. 'Can't everyone do that?'
Kalen and Cellica exchanged another glance. Myrin went back to eating.
Before anyone could say more, there came a loud knock at the door, and Cellica fell off her stool with a startled gasp. Myrin didn't seem to notice and went right on eating. Kalen reached for Vindicator by instinct, and only then remembered he didn't have the blade any more-or his watchsword, for that matter. Bane's breath, where had he left that?
'Hark,' he said. 'Who calls?'
No answer came.
He seized a long knife from the table and reversed it, the better to conceal the blade against his forearm. Cellica grasped the crossbow amulet around her throat and Kalen nodded. He rose, a finger to his lips, and crossed to the door.
He put his left hand on the latch and lifted it as silently as he could, keeping his body shielded by the wall. Then he threw open the door and raised the knife…
A familiar red-haired half-elf, clad in a plain leather skirt and vest over a white shirt, leaped over the threshold into his arms. 'Shadow, dearest!' she exclaimed.
Her lips found his and he could see only the stunned expressions on Cellica's and Myrin's faces.
SIXTEEN
Wheeling around for balance, Kalen managed to break the kiss and breathe.
Fayne seemed undaunted. 'Shadow! It's been so long!' She hugged him tightly and squealed.
He blinked over her shoulder ro the table, where Cellica was staring at him in shock. Myrin looked at him, then the newcomer, then down at her stew-she seemed to shrink on her stool. Cellica looked halfway between angry and wonderstruck.
'Oh, Shadow, we'll have such a glorious time at the revel,' she said, emphasizing her words breathlessly. 'I can't believe you have an invitation-I can't wait to wear my dress! Oh!'
Kalen could hardly breathe, she held him so hard.
'Kalen,' Cellica asked slowly, 'Kalen, who is this? What revel?'
'I-urph,' Kalen said as the woman kissed him again, cutting off any words. This kiss was harder than the first, more insistent, and he tasted her tongue in his mouth.
A little hand tugged the hem of the half-elf s vest. 'Pardon, lass,' Cellica asked, hands on her hips. 'Who… who are you?'
'I'm Fayne,' the half-elf said, lacing her fingers through Kalen's. 'A… friendof Shadow, here-I mean, Sir Kalen Dren.' She winked conspiratorially.
Kalen could only stare when Cellica looked at him. 'I don't know her,' he said.
'She knows you' the halfling quipped. Then, eyes widening: 'She knows? About-'
'Of course I know,' Fayne said with a laugh. Then she looked between them and put her hand over her mouth in mock fear. 'What, is it a secret?'
Cellica's face turned bright red, and Kalen shivered. 'It's not how it looks-'
Kalen saw Fayne glance at Myrin, and she hesitated half a breath. Then she let loose a squeal. 'Who's this, Kalen? She's adorable!'
Myrin's eyes widened as Fayne rushed to her and hugged her around the neck, then proceeded to fuss over her like a child with a kitten. Myrin stared at Kalen, stunned.
A tiny blue rune appeared on Myrin's cheek, Kalen saw, where Fayne had touched. But before he could comment, a halfling finger poked him insistently and he looked down.
'What's going on?' Cellica looked furious. 'Kalen, who is this woman?'
'I don't-' Kalen's head hurt even worse than when he had risen. 'I can explain.'
'Oh.' Cellica climbed up on her stool and crossed her arms. 'This should be grand.'
Myrin looked positively mouselike at the table under Fayne's attentions.
'Better make it fast,' Fayne noted, drawing out the word. 'Someone else is coming up.' Kalen's heart skipped. 'Who?'
'A woman,' Fayne said. 'Very pretty-gorgeous, even. Long dark hair, deep blue eyes. Armed and armored. Five gauntlets on her…' Fayne made a gesture across her collarbone and giggled. 'Why-' She smiled. 'Do you know her?'
'Tymora guard us,' Cellica said. 'That's Rayse.'
'Who's Rayse?' Fayne looked at Kalen jealously. 'Another lass friend?'
'His superior, Araezra Hondyl!' Cellica said. 'You were supposed to report this morn, Sir Snores-a-bed!' Cellica stared, wide-eyed, at Kalen. 'What do we-?'
Kalen was in motion, crossing to the table.
Fayne purred at him. 'You're quite the man, to have so many-hey!'
Kalen seized her by the arm and hauled her toward a closet, in which hung their spare clothes. He pushed her in, despite muffled protests, and stepped in himself.
'Kalen!' Cellica hissed. 'What am I supposed to tell her?'
Kalen shrugged-he couldn't think, except that he knew he couldn't let Araezra catch them.
He shut the door behind them.
Myrin took very close care to stare at her stew the whole time.
She didn't know what was going on-where she was, who these people were, or anything-but just because she remembered nothing didn't mean she was an idiot. She'd seen that red-haired girl-Fayne- and the way she touched Kalen.
Of course he's got a lass friend, you fool, she thought. What did you expect?
She fancied she could still feel Fayne's fingers on her cheeks-the way the half-elf had prodded at her, grinning all the while. The touch lingered and Myrin felt oddly full, though it was not just from all the stew she had eaten. She felt full in spirit.
Maybe it was just Kalen looking at you, she thought. You're such a girl!
Cellica looked at her, and her mouth drooped in a sympathetic frown. She threw up her hands. 'He's not always so,' she said. 'Just.. hold a moment.'
Myrin opened her mouth to speak, but she felt a gentle pressure in her ears-a voice rhat itched at her mind, telling her to remain in her seat. Magic. She stayed sitting, wondering.
Cellica got up and started toward the door, which Fayne had left open. In the corridor, Myrin saw with a stabbing curdle in her stomach, stood a very lovely and very angry lady. She had sleek, glossy black hair and liquid
