“Ask her.”
“Just quickly? The highlights?”
“Ask your aunt.”
“Rap!” .she said crossly.
He got up off the chair and began to pace to and fro across the room, not speaking,
Obviously he had come here for some reason—breaking into the Opal Palace in the middle of the night must be a dangerous thing for him to do, no matter how great his powers were. There was one obvious reason for gentlemen to sneak into ladies’ chambers like this. She did not think Rap would attempt anything so crude as that.
So why was her heart galloping? Because she was hoping he would? She knew what would happen if he did try to carry her off to his personal den of iniquity—and it would not involve Sultana Inosolan screaming and spoiling the fun. She would leave Azak a heart-warming note.
“Rap, if you fight Kalkor tomorrow—”
“Today. It’s not far off dawn.”
“Today, then. Is it certain? I mean, can you be sure that he won’t kill you? Even with the third prophecy . . . can you be sure of winning?”
He was over by the window, and behind her. “No.” Eek! So that was it.
“Then don’t! I won’t risk losing you again, not just for Krasnegar. I mean, even if you do win, there’s no guarantee that I’ll ever be queen. We must break the chain somewhere! We mustn’t let the goblins get you, the third prophecy. What did you mean when you said that magic casements don’t prophesy?”
“It’d take too long to explain.”
“Well, never mind. just give me a minute to get some clothes on, and we can go.”
“What?” He was back by the dresser, where she could see him, and he was staring at her with a very shocked expression.
She smiled. “I love you, Rap! Did you doubt it?” Now his face was as readable as it had ever beenhe colored all the way to his ears. “Inos, no!”
“Of course I do! I admit I didn’t realize back in Krasnegar, but I should have! You might have dropped a hint or two, you know. Boys are supposed to make the first move.”
He frowned at her in dismay and shook his head. “Of course I love you!” she said crossly. “It’s what the God tried to tell me, and I was too stupid to—”
“Inos! You’re a married woman! A sultana! No, listen to me . . .” He sat down on the chair again and looked pigheaded. “You know how Andor used mastery on you? Well, when I got my second word of power, I found myself using mastery on him! I could make Andor believe anything I wanted! I couldn’t help it. And now—”
Twaddle! “Let’s not talk about Andor. Horrible man!” She smiled at him, this grown-up, solid, solemn Rap. Very much what she would have expected—reliable, competent . . . when he knew what he was doing, that is; probably still inclined to blunder without proper guidance. Still, he’d managed to get here. Maybe Sagorn had helped. But honest, trustworthy, faithful. just what a woman needs.
“I admit that I still didn’t realize, even when you turned up in Krasnegar the night that Father died. Oh, I should have! You’d run all the way to Pondague and then back again, just for me, and I still didn’t see. But I was very shaken that night, and still under Andor’s spell a bit, and I wasn’t thinking straight. But—”
“You married Azak. I asked you if—”
“Rap!” she shouted, forgetting that her husband was sleeping on the bed behind her. “You’d just turned my wedding into a circus and killed all those guards and—”
“Inos!” he said softly, and her tongue seemed to freeze. “My ambition was always to be your sergeant-at-arms, when you became queen. You knew that! Now I know I’d never make a soldier, and I’m very happy that you’ve found such a fine royal husband. I know I’m just a nothing! We’re not children anymore.” He looked very earnest, but Rap had always sounded pompous when he tried to tell lies. Not enough practice, likely.
She laughed and jumped up. “Turn your back, Nothing, and I’ll get dressed, and we’ll run—”
“No. Sit down! Now listen. I’m trying to tell you something! I’m a mage. I can make you do anything I want. Anything at all. And, yes, I do feel very strongly about you.”
“Oo, that’s it? Feel strongly? You run through the taiga, you cross the whole world to come to me, you fight dragons . . . You’re quite sure you feel strongly? So. . .”
“And it leaks!” he shouted.
Azak stirred briefly. Then he rolled over and went still again.
“Leaks?” she echoed stupidly.
Rap nodded, looking miserable. “I can’t help a little mastery leaking out. That’s what you’re feeling. Every time I look at you . . . I’m sorry, Inos. That’s all it is. When I’m not around anymore, then you’ll recover. But I’m afraid I’m making you feel that way. That’s all it is, really.”
More twaddle! “Oh, no it’s not!”
“Oh, yes it is!”
They scowled at each other.
She snorted. “Indeed! And who are you to say whether I’m in love with you or not?”
“I’m a mage. Yes, I know you’re telling the truth. I can see that.”
“Kind of you to mention it.”
“But that’s not the point! You’re saying what you really believe, but you’re believing that because I . . . Because I want you. Yes, I do want you, and I’m making you feel that way.”
“Oh, is that so? Well, let’s just prove a point! Come here.”
She started to unwrap her housecoat and Rap said, “Inos!” Kade herself could not have sounded more scandalized.
She fastened the housecoat again miserably. “Rap, I really do love you! I married Azak because I didn’t have any choice. Rasha was going to do terrible things to—”
“Inos, please?”
She fell silent.
“I didn’t come for that. I would never! And I didn’t come to take you away. I just came to ask a favor.” She stared at him, the way he slumped in the chair, the dejected way he held his head. This was not like him. He was readable now, and he was in real trouble.
“Rap? What favor?” Anything! He sighed. “Kalkor’s a sorcerer.”
“Oh, no!”
“I think he is. I’m not sure. He’s at least a mage, but I think he’s a full, four-word sorcerer. That’s why he can risk coming to Hub—the Impire can’t kill him. When he wants to go, he’ll just vanish.” He studied her bleakly for a moment. “And if the Impire can’t kill him, then I certainly can’t! I can feel magic being used, Inos, and he used big power on the troll. Maybe he’s just a clumsy mage, but I think he’s a full sorcerer.”
“That’s what Zinixo meant!”
“Must be—he was pointing at Kalkor. See, the regent was going to forbid another Reckoning, and Kalkor changed his mind for him. I felt that one, too. And to use power on the imperor—or his regent, I suppose—is a direct breach of the Protocol.”
“And the day before, he struck down Angilki right in the Rotunda . . .”
But Rap did not know that story, so she had to explain that part also, while he stared at her solemnly with his big gray eyes. Stupid tattoos! Why didn’t he magic them away? Oh, Rap, Rap! Who cared about tattoos? Wonderful to have him back . . .
“So why don’t the wardens punish him?” she demanded at the end.
“I don’t know. Maybe they want me safely dead first? No, that’s stupid—I’m worse than the dwarf. Seeing enemies everywhere.”
“So Kalkor’s a sorcerer. And you’re not?”
He shook his head. “I’m only a mage. Three words.” She felt a shiver of panic. If Kalkor killed Rap, then she was going to go back to Arakkaran, married to Azak, and Rap would be really dead at last. She’d thought those nightmares were all over.
And then she understood, and relief washed over her like light through a shutter thrown back. She would make him ask, though! For even doubting. ”Tell me!”
“Would you . . . would you mind . . . sharing your word of power? I know it’s an Evilish big thing to ask of anyone, but . . .” Then he must have sensed her amusement, because he stopped, and almost seemed to smile.
“I’m sorry to have to ask you, but I’m afraid. I mean, I’m afraid that without that, I won’t be able to kill the bastard.” His face went wooden again.
“Why did you change your mind, Rap?” she asked softly. “What was it Kalkor threw at you that made you change your mind?”
Wooden, very wooden . . . “I don’t want to talk about it.” He shivered.
“Where did you go when you left us?” Nosy!