Masques - By Patricia Briggs Page 0,2

may need what aid I can offer. It has never been easy to ascend a throne, especially now with the Uriah restless in the eastern forests. Not to mention that there are always opposing factions or ..." - he hesitated, waving his hand expressively - "other enemies."

Myr bowed his head quickly in gratitude; Aralorn hoped she was the only one who recognized his insincerity. "I shall do as you request, my Lord Magician. I know my parents counted you their friend." He paused and then said, "I apologize, Lord, I have enjoyed our conversation, but I must excuse myself early. You see" - he leaned in closer with the air of a young boy confessing a secret™"! just bought a new stallion and I'm not sure I trust him on the trails after dark." His face lost its eagerness for a moment. "After what happened to my parents, sir, I feel the need to be overly cautious."

The magician smiled understandingly. "I'll summon your servants for you."

Myr shook his head. "I left them outside with orders to meet me an hour before dark."

"The gods follow you, then. With your courage and strength, you will do credit to your lineage. I wish that my own son were more like you." To Aralorn's sensitive ears, the magician's voice held just the right amount of pain. She wondered why she hadn't noticed before she'd been assigned here that his emotions were always exactly right. She shouldn't have needed the opportunity, if that were the correct term, to observe his less savory endeavors to notice that there was something beneath the surface.

"Lord Cain could not be termed a coward, sir." Myr's voice held a matching amount of sympathy, as false as the ae'Magi's.

"No," said the ae'Magi, "I think that it would have been better for all of us if he were a coward. He would have done less harm. I have him under control now, but I don't know how long I can keep him quiet."

* * *

ARALORN HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE AE'MAGI'S SON. THE ae'Magi kept his dark magics secret, but his son had performed in the broad light of day. For a while he'd been an embarrassment to the ae'Magi, stories of the atrocities that he committed flying rampant. She'd never met Cain; he'd faded out of the light before she'd become involved in her present occupation. She'd heard the rumors, though - they got worse with each telling. The stories put the ae'Magi in the role of the grieving father who was forced to exile his son. Aralorn suspected that Cain's absence might be due to death rather than exile. It would have been inconvenient if someone had questioned where the ae'Magi's son learned so much about forbidden magic.

"Be that as it may" - with apparent effort the Magician dismissed the thought of his son - "'your servants probably will be awaiting you even now."

"Yes, I should go. You may be sure I shall remember your gracious offer of assistance if ever I need help." With that Myr bowed once more and left.

Watching Myr leave, the Magician smiled - the slight imperfection of one eyetooth lending charm to the perfect curve of his lips. "What a clever, clever child you have grown to be, Myr," His voice purred with approval. "It is too bad you are forced to play your games with an adult." Aralorn felt her apprehension turn to real concern for the welfare of the King of Reth.

It was late before the crowd began to thin and later still before everyone had gone, Aralorn fell more nervous as each person left, knowing that the meager protection they offered would soon be gone. Alter seeing the last couple out, the ae'Magi walked slowly over to the cage.

"So," he said, swaying gently back on his heels, "the Rethian doesn't see my pretty Northland bird. When he looked at you, he looked where your eyes are, not where the eyes of the falcon would have been."

Plague it, she thought, the man is too observant. The ae'Magi put one hand through the bars and caressed her neck. She leaned against him and rubbed her cheek on his hand, forcing herself to obey the vague compulsion of the charismatic spell that he maintained.

The ae'Magi tilted her face so that her eyes met his and said in a leading tone, "I wonder how he broke through my illusion."

She'd had some time to think out her actions after Myr left. If he found out for sure that