Sorcerers of the Frozen Isles

Chapter Six

“But what does it mean?” Melissa demanded of Torio after the group at supper had broken up. “First you said that Maldek might have to die for his land-and then you said someone else might have to die his death. I don’t understand.”

“And you think I do?” Torio asked. “How could someone die somebody else’s death? All I know is that Maldek gives me cold chills-because he hasn’t really reformed.”

“Is that a prophecy, too?”

They had walked out into the forest with Gray. Torio picked up a stick and tossed it. The dog loped after it and brought it back while Torio sorted his thoughts.

“No, it’s not a prophecy; it’s a feeling. You try to Read him when he’s making an apology-he’s hiding his true feelings.

“I could tell that he’s heard before that the Lord is the land, and may have to restore it with his own blood-only I’ll wager he never thought it would apply to him until he realized what he’d done to the beautiful, rich land that Zanos and Cassandra remember. Now he’s frightened, and he’s trying to make amends. But Maldek doesn’t strike me as really wanting to change. He enjoys controlling people.”

“Don’t be so cynical, Torio. People do reform.”

“Not the ones who have tasted power. Portia went down fighting, remember? Besides-Maldek’s reform is too quick. He couldn’t have changed overnight.”

“I don’t think it was overnight,” said Melissa, fending off Gray as he almost knocked her over begging her to play with him. She tossed the stick for him. “I think Maldek has been dissatisfied for a long time with the way his power has separated him from other people, but he didn’t know what was wrong until he watched the five of us together. We’re like a family, you know-Dirdra is here because of her brother, and Zanos is looking for his. So now Maldek is trying to bring families together-and he likes the feeling of using his powers for good. Torio, you can’t tell me you haven’t Read how Maldek feels when he’s healing!”

“He feels pride in his power,” Torio agreed. “He’s showing off for you, Melissa.”

She stopped abruptly. “Torio-you can’t be jealous, can you?”

“Do I have reason to be?” he countered.

“No!” she replied. A little too quickly? Then, “I’m tired,” she said. “It will be dark soon. Let’s go back.”

Torio refrained from reminding her that they were both Readers, to whom darkness meant nothing, and simply turned to walk with her back toward the castle.

Apparently they had been waited for. The moment they crossed the drawbridge, it was hauled up with a horrible rumbling sound. Torio shuddered, and Gray nudged his hand as if to give comfort.

“What’s wrong?” asked Melissa.

“Nothing,” he replied. “I think-yes, the sound reminds me of that stone sliding down out of the quarry onto that young man Wulfston and I rescued. It makes me think of someone being crushed to death.”

“Auf! Don’t say such things!” she said.

“It’s not a prophecy-it’s something that happened in the past.” Then he turned to face her. “But-my gift of prophecy disturbs you, doesn’t it? Every time I say something about the future, you withdraw from me. Melissa, I can’t help it.”

“I know,” she replied. “Still… it’s frightening, Torio. And this time you prophesied death!”

“Only if Maldek doesn’t mend his ways.”

“But you don’t think he can. You think he’ll have to die-or that one of us will have to die for him!”

The next day, Maldek and his guests rode into the city. Torio Read apphrehension flowing ahead of the party as word spread that the Master Sorcerer was in town.

Mothers called their daughters into back rooms.

Beggars scurried into corners and huddled, shaking, hoping not to be noticed-for one of their number had been carried off to the castle yesterday, and no one knew what had become of him.

They left their horses at a stable and proceeded on foot to the local hospital, where the healers looked up in astonishment, not believing they had Read the Lord of the Land approaching. They tried to shield their thoughts by bracing for Adept power, but Torio caught the fact that Maldek had turned away their pleas for his aid years before. Without the help of such a powerful Adept, the healers were severely limited-hence the presence of beggars like the crippled man Maldek and Melissa had cured yesterday.

In a private consultation room, a mother held her little girl on her lap while a female healer told her, “Try to take her to Rokannia of the Western Isle, when she comes here to pay tribute. She has the power to heal the nerves and allow your child to see.”

It was the same degenerative condition that had caused Torio to be born blind-a fairly common ailment which any of the Lords Adept in the Savage Empire could cure with a few weeks of daily treatments, as long as it was corrected in infancy. As the child grew older, such treatments were less and less effective, and for adults they didn’t work at all.

The healer looked up in astonishment as Maldek walked into the private room without knocking.

“Master!” gasped the mother, falling to her knees and clutching her child to her breast as if she feared it would be torn from her grip. The baby, naturally, began to scream.

“Give me the child,” said Maldek.

“Master, please!” said the healer. “This is Mora-dee’s only child. You surely have no use for a blind infant. Please don’t take her away!”

“Take her away?” Maldek asked. “Is that what they say of me in my land-that I steal babes from their mothers? No, woman-give me the child that I may heal her.”

Trembling, the mother delivered the screaming baby into Maldek’s huge hands. He slung her easily onto one arm, her head in his hand, her body along his forearm, and stroked her brow. She fell asleep at once.

Torio Read Maldek Reading for the defective nerves-then that amazing cold white fire-and the fibers grew in moments, generating the necessary tissue and connections.

What would have taken Wulfston or Aradia weeks of daily treatments was completed by Maldek in less than a quarter of an hour. Then he placed the infant back in her mother’s arms and touched her on the forehead.

The child’s eyes opened, and she made a gurgling sound. Torio could Read that the little girl’s sight was restored, but there was no way for the mother to know.

The baby had never seen before. She couldn’t focus her eyes, or recognize her mother’s face.

But the healer picked up a lighted candle, held it in front of the child’s face, and then moved it to the side.

The child’s head turned, following the light. She let out a happy chortle and reached toward it, but the healer held the candle safely out of reach.

The mother broke into sobs. “Oh, Master-thank you! How can I ever repay you?”

“There is no need,” Maldek replied. “Healer- have you any other patients who require my skills?”

“Not at present, Master,” she replied hesitantly.

“When you have, send them to my castle.”

“Yes, Master,” the healer replied-but Torio knew Maldek Read as easily as he did that she feared some underlying scheme beneath the Master Sorcerer’s apparent kindness. And he felt Maldek’s annoyance at her distrust.

But Maldek held himself in check as he showed them the rest of the hospital facility, which was similar to the one in Zendi. Then he suggested, “You may wish to explore my city on your own- and as you all have the inner sight, I have no fear you will become lost and unable to find your way back to the stable where we left our horses.”

Dirdra had not come with them on this excursion, for Kwinn screamed and clung to her every time she tried to leave his sight, and the city was certainly no place for him-or for Gray, who had, amazingly, seemed to understand Torio’s instruction to stay behind, although he made clear that he was not happy about it.

Zanos and Astra took Cassandra off to explore, while Melissa wanted to go to the herb market.

Maldek seemed determined to stay with Melissa, so Torio followed along, trying to decide if he was Reading a growing rivalry with Maldek, or only imagining it.

When Melissa was deep in discussion with one of the herbalists over the uses of some medicines she was unfamiliar with, Torio asked Maldek, “Couldn’t you cure Kwinn with the same technique you used on that baby?”

“No-but I could cure you, if you like.”

“No, thank you,” Torio answered automatically.

Maldek cocked his head to one side, studying the young Reader. “Why not? It is convenient to see, Torio-and perhaps if you did not have to stumble in the dark at any time you are not Reading, you would be able to release your Adept powers, as Melissa has done.”

“I’m not sure I want such powers,” Torio told him, and knew that Maldek Read his thought that the Master Sorcerer was only one example of the wrong that could be done with them.

But Maldek chose another direction for their conversation. “You are the only one whose desires I cannot fathom. What do you want of me, Torio?”

“Nothing.”

“Then if you refuse to take from me, what do you seek in these isles?”

“Adventure, perhaps-although I’ve had enough of that for the moment, thank you.”

“A typical young man’s answer,” Maldek observed, “but not yours, I think. Can it be that you are not seeking something to be found here, but to escape something at home?”

“A shrewd guess, Maldek,” Torio replied. “I left my homeland to avoid becoming a Lord of the Land.

Like you.”

For the first time in two days, the cold, mocking smile played over Maldek’s lips. “We are kin at heart, then-for you recognize as well as I that power must be exercised in order to rule. It is sometimes necessary to be harsh.”

“Firm,” Torio corrected. “A difficult line to tread. My teacher, Master Lenardo, treads it as easily as Lord of the Land as he did as teacher in the Academy-but I do not want responsibility for other people’s lives. Even as a teacher, my mistakes hurt other people.”

“And so you remain blind when you could see, weak when you could be strong? You are a fool, Torio.

You place yourself at other people’s mercy.”

“We are all at the mercy of the gods,” Torio replied, falling back on an Aventine commonplace.

“When I meet your gods, I will believe in them,” Maldek retorted. “Meanwhile, I will rely on my own powers.”

“Call it the gods, call it fate-there is something beyond the powers of mere men,” Torio told him. “I have seen prophecies come true-and I see my own happening, even now. I told Zanos he would find his brother, and that his brother would have his hand again-and you have found Bryen and restored his hand. Perhaps, then, you believe that I am controlling you?”

Maldek laughed. “That is something no man will ever do! Don’t try it, Torio. And be grateful… I seldom give my opponents a warning.”

“Why have you made us opponents?” Torio asked. “We did nothing to you, made no challenge. And Dirdra and her brother-why do you aid Zanos’ brother and not Dirdra’s? Dirdra is your subject; Zanos is not.”

“The game is not finished,” Maldek answered.

“Does that mean you will cure Kwinn? Surely the method you are using to regrow Bryen’s hand would work.”

“Yes-it would restore his intelligence, but not his memories or his… self. He would be like a newborn baby, having to learn everything again. And since the circumstances would be quite different, he would probably become a considerably different person.”

“Have you told Dirdra that?” asked Melissa, who had come up just in time to hear this last exchange.

“She ought to know that you cannot restore her brother as she knew him. However, I think that she would gladly undertake the task of teaching him, if you would return his understanding.”

The moment Melissa’s attention was back on him, Maldek’s charm returned. “You are right, Melissa. I will tell her.”

“And restore Kwinn-as much as you are capable of?” she pursued.

He looked down at her, speculation in his blue eyes, thoughts carefully shielded. “Would you like me to do that?”

“I would like to see Dirdra obtain what she has made such a long, hard journey for. You said we would each receive what we had come for, Maldek. You are teaching me your healing skills. You have reunited Astra with her mother, and brought Zanos’ brother to him. What did you plan for Dirdra, if not to restore Kwinn?”

“What does she plan for me?” he countered. “Do you think she owes me nothing?”

“Her loyalty,” said Melissa, “as your subject- which she has already shown you by returning, even though you had abused her and her family.”

“She returned for her brother, not for me.”

“Then gain her respect and loyalty by restoring him!” exclaimed Melissa. “If you won’t, once I have learned to reach that healing power you have shown me, I will use it to restore Kwinn myself. And if I cannot learn it, I heard what the healer at the hospital said about sending people she can’t cure to Rokannia. I’m sure she would help Kwinn.”

“You would defy me, Melissa?” Maldek asked.

“I am not your subject-I came to this land seeking knowledge. You have freely offered me that knowledge. If you now wish to rescind that offer-”

“No, I do not. When we return to the castle, you shall have another lesson. But now, let us go to the guild hall and see how plans are progressing for Rokannia’s visit.”

“Is she coming soon?” asked Torio.

“In twelve days. My people will celebrate our victory, in which none of them died. You must admit that there I have achieved something no other Lord of the Land ever has: although I maintain an army as a secondary defense, I no longer have to send them into battle. In my land, mothers need no longer fear that their sons will be called to die.”

No, thought Torio, only that they will be turned into mindless automatons. But he ceased Reading as he thought it, so that Maldek would not catch his thought-and in that moment while he was blind, a cart rumbled by in the busy street.

The sound was magnified by the enclosing stone buildings, and for one moment, not Reading, Torio felt again the horror of being crushed to death-

“Torio!”

Melissa grasped his hand and pulled him out of the way. “You were going to walk right into that wagon!

What thought is so important to keep hidden?”

Of course he resumed Reading immediately, and found Maldek’s face saying, “I told you so,” even though he did not broadcast the thought. There was something else in the Master Sorcerer’s eyes, too-some speculation that made Torio wince in anticipation. But how could he be more vigilant than he already was?

In the middle of the night, Torio woke with a start in a cold sweat, absolute terror clutching his gut.

Gray came and licked his face, and he clung to the dog, taking comfort in the warm, unquestioning reality of the creature.

The dream was gone. He could not remember anything but mindless terror. All he knew was that it was a dream he had had often as a child-a dream laden with guilt, as if all the horrors of the world were to be laid at his door.

But he could never remember it, and as he grew up it came less frequently, and only at times of stress.

He had dreamed it after the battle at Adigia, in which Decius lost his leg, and again after the earthquake at Gaeta and the fall of Tiberium.

Each time he had dreamed it when something he had said or done had ended in harm. But yesterday-he could not remember anything he had said or done that had hurt anyone. Was he afraid of having antagonized Maldek? Perhaps that was it. Whether the Master Sorcerer’s attempts to reform were sincere or for some ulterior purpose, what did it matter as long as people were healed and none were turned orbu-at least for a time? He should put aside his skepticism, and allow Maldek’s people whatever benefits the Lord of their Land might give them, however temporary.

Three days later, Bryen’s hand was the size of a half-grown child’s, and he could move it freely. “It will simply grow now, until it reaches normal size in a few weeks,” Maldek told him.

“So now what?” Bryen asked, looking from the hand up at Maldek. “I can’t believe you done this just for my sake.”

“As a matter of fact, I didn’t do it for you at all,” Maldek explained. “Come with me, Bryen. There is someone I want you to meet.”

Zanos was with Torio in the courtyard, practicing with broadswords-and winning easily because Torio’s attention was divided.

“What’s the matter with you today?” the gladiator asked. “You’re giving me no more challenge than Gray could, trying to wield a sword with his teeth!”

At the mention of his name, Gray woofed and wagged his tail. The first time he had seen Zanos apparently attack Torio he had come between them, growling and threatening-but Torio had finally made him understand that it was a game, so now he sat and watched, waiting for his turn to play.

Knowing that Maldek and Melissa were bringing Bryen to the courtyard, Torio let himself concentrate on the match and began to give Zanos a bit of competition. The broadsword was a much better weapon for the gladiator’s strength than for Torio’s speed, but Zanos insisted every man ought to know how to fight with whatever weapon was at hand, so Torio swung and ducked, and almost caught Zanos off guard with a feint, drawing a delighted laugh from the gladiator.

“That’s the way! But a good broadswordsman would-” He came in under Torio’s guard-but the younger man jumped back and pivoted, swinging sideways at Zanos’ exposed biceps.

The gladiator whirled just in time and took the bl blow on his heavy chest padding, bringing him within reach of Torio’s neck.

The practice sword merely stung, but Torio protested, “That move would work in the arena, or any time you’re wearing armor-but if you weren’t shielded, my strike would have killed you.”

“If I weren’t shielded, I wouldn’t have allowed you so close,” Zanos replied. “But I concede-we hadn’t defined whether we were supposedly wearIing armor or not.”

“I’ve never worn armor,” said Torio. “You have two sets of reflexes, Zanos-one for arena-style combat and one for other fighting. How do you keep them apart?”

“Reflexes aren’t enough. You know that,” laughed Zanos, with a stabbing blow that Torio easily parried.

“You’re thinking all the time, Torio-but at the same time you act without deliberating. You have a natural talent-I could have made a gladiator out of you!”

Zanos thrust. Torio deflected his sword and swung again-but his arms were growing tired after a long exercise with the weighted practice broadsword. Zanos could probably go on all day.

He Read Zanos Read his fatigue and start to lay on, driving Torio back toward the wall. The Reader retreated, merely keeping up his guard and trying to let his muscles revive for-

One last flurry of blows!

Zanos grinned as Torio turned on him. “Good! Very good! / would have you, with my strength- but unless you came up against another gladiator, you’d win with that strategy, Torio.” And he dropped the tip of his sword to the ground, as a sign that the match was over.

“And what would you two do in an even match?” a voice asked, and Bryen strode across the courtyard.

“Maldek, is this what you had to show me- the perfect match for the victory games?”

The gambler circled the two panting men, saying, “I want to see you with light swords-or do either of you know how to use a pikestaff? What about wrestling? The local farmers like that-they’ll bet everything that’s left from their last harvest!”

Zanos stared at the intruder. “Who are you?” he asked, a warning tone in his voice.

Bryen ignored it. “They’ll all bet on the big one, of course. You, son,” he said to Torio, “you one of Maldek’s servants? You got talent there-quick moves. Think you can take this big fellow with a lighter weapon?”

“I’m not a gladiator,” Torio replied. “I’m a Reader,” he added, thinking that that unfair advantage would surely make him ineligible for whatever the gambler had in mind.

“All the better! Inner sight against brute strength — the crowd will love it! Maldek, can I take these men with me, to supervise their training? There’s only a few days left-I have to decide how to use them to best advantage before I put out the word-”

“Stop!” ordered Zanos. “I spent most of my life fighting in the arena-and I’m not going back to it to line the pockets of another gambler!”

“Oh, you’ll be paid!” said Bryen. “Both of you- you just do what I tell you, and we’ll line all our pockets!”

He started to turn back to Maldek, assuming that everything was settled with Zanos and Torio, but Zanos had fought too long for the right to control his own life. He grasped the man’s arm and pulled him back around, saying, “Maldek is not our master. No man is. I told you I will never again kill as an exhibit for other people’s pleasure! Torio?”

“I certainly won’t,” the Reader said.

“So we are agreed,” said Zanos, squeezing Bryen’s arm for emphasis-and lifting it enough that his eyes fell on the half-grown hand.

Torio felt astonishment stab through Zanos as he looked from the hand to Bryen’s face-to the fiery red hair with a sprinkling of white at the temples, the blue eyes. Torio could see the resemblance in the square jaw and the shape of the nose, but Bryen’s face had a hardness Zanos’ lacked, even though both men had known a lifetime of harsh survival.

For a long moment, Zanos only stared. Then, “Bryen?” he whispered. The gambler only stared at him.

“Bryen-don’t you know me? I’ve come all the way from Tiberium looking for you… my brother.”

NonReader, nonAdept, Bryen had no disciplines at all to hide his feelings. His utter amazement washed over Torio in a chill wave. “Zanos? Little brother?”

The term was absurd-for although Zanos was hardly a handspan taller than Bryen, he was so broad and strong from years of training that he appeared three times his brother’s size.

Bryen laughed. “You are! Zanos, I thought I’d never see you again!” His startlement warmed into family feeling as the two men hugged, pounding one another on the back, Zanos almost crushing Bryen in his enthusiasm.

“I didn’t know if you’d even survived!” said Zanos. “I’ve wanted to come back-but it took me so many years to earn my freedom… And what about you? You look well. Are you married? My wife’s here with me-you have to meet her-and my friends, Torio here and-”

As he turned to introduce them, Zanos’ eyes fell on Maldek, who was standing back, watching the reunion in open amusement.

Zanos stopped, then said, “You found him for me, didn’t you, Maldek?”

“I found him,” the sorcerer assented.

“And restored his hand?” The gladiator shook his head slowly. “I still don’t know what to think about you-but this time you have my thanks.”

This reunion, however, was less sweet than Astra’s with her mother. But it was happy enough for the next few hours, as Zanos introduced his brother to the rest of their group, told his story and Astra’s, and listened to Bryen’s tale of survival.

When the slaver ship departed, Bryen had been left among the dead and dying. The village healer had been slaughtered, so there was no help but what they could do for one another. A man with a gut wound tied a rope around the end of the boy’s arm so he would not bleed to death, and together they somehow got another man and a woman into a fishing boat and set out for the next village.

But by dawn all three of Bryen’s companions were dead of their wounds. The boy passed out, and the boat drifted aimlessly until other fishermen found it.

They took Bryen to their healer, who saved his life, but only a Master Sorcerer could restore his hand.

“Why wasn’t that done?” demanded Zanos. “The Lord of the Land in our day was good and kind-”

“And old,” said Bryen. “Oh, he lived for over ten years after you were captured, but his powers were waning. Maldek, his son, was sent to apprentice in Meliard, far to the north, for he was hardly older than I was, and not come into his full powers. We paid so little attention to anything but fishing in our home village-I found in the City that Madura was at war! The fleet was defending the river here; that’s why the slavers found it so easy to prey on the southern coast.

“The Lord of the Land granted me audience when he heard my story-but only to tell me no, he couldn’t use his strength to heal half-grown boys when he had to keep grown men strong for his army. He promised to heal me as soon as I was full-grown.” Bryen snorted derisively. “So much for the promises of the Lord of the Land!”

“The war went on for many years,” said Cassandra. “Surely you can understand the difficult decisions he had to make about how best to defend his people. All those years, Bryen, our climate remained mild, our crops and flocks healthy.”

“Maybe, but in the City I learned to take care of myself. A man named Graorn took me in, and set me to collecting rents from his tenants. He had a hook made for my missing hand-and I was starting to get big enough that the welchers handed over what they owed when I shoved it in their faces.

“By the time I was old enough to go into the army, I’d seen too many soldiers go out there and almost die, and be healed, and almost die again, and be healed-the second or third time lots of ‘em deserted, and hid out in the City. So I just didn’t go to get my hand put back.”

“Then how can you blame the Lord of the Land for not keeping his promise?” Zanos asked.

“Once the war was over, I went to the castle!” Bryen flared. “That was after Maldek came home. With his powers, it was over fast-and I went to the castle and couldn’t even get in! For the next few years, everyone said Maldek was really running things-but mostly life was all right until the old lord died.

Then-”

“Yes-we’ve seen,” said Zanos.

“But Maldek seems to be learning from his mistakes,” put in Melissa.

“Don’t bet on it!” said Bryen. “They say nobody’s ever had as much power as Maldek has-so who’s gonna stop him from doing whatever he wants?”

“Himself,” Melissa answered. “Bryen, he healed you, and reunited you with your brother. He found Astra’s mother for her. Can’t you see what’s happening? He’s been so isolated by his power, and by the fear he has generated in his people… he’s so lonely.”

“Lonely!” Dirdra snorted. “He can take anyone he wants!”

“He can by force,” agreed Melissa, “but you of all people know that he has found no satisfaction in that.”

“So he simply forces people in other ways!” the Maduran woman retorted. “Are you all such fools, to be taken in by his supposed reform?”

“Dirdra, shouldn’t we give him the benefit of the doubt?” asked Astra. “Maldek did not have to find my mother. I’d never have known she was in Madura.”

“Did you never wonder how he knew your mother had left the Aventine Empire?” Dirdra asked. “Astra, he spies on our minds-and you Readers can’t even tell he’s doing it!”

“That’s true,” said Torio. “At least while we were on the way here, I felt Maldek’s mind searching several times-didn’t you, Astra, Melissa?”

Astra nodded. But Melissa said, “Yes-but he was testing us then. He found that we were all friends, and nothing he sent against us could defeat us when we worked together.”

“He’s clumsy,” Zanos put in. “Let’s suppose Melissa’s right, and we came along just at the time when Maldek had realized that forcing people to do his will wasn’t satisfying. Maye he really is trying to make friends with us-but all he can think to do is find out what we’re looking for, and give it to us.”

“He’s trying to buy your friendship,” said Dirdra.

“He’ll learn that only friendship gains friendship,” said Melissa. “Astra is right. We ought to assume that Maldek means well until he proves otherwise.”

Torio remained quiet through the exchange, for Dirdra expressed his feelings quite well, and he didn’t want to fight with Melissa.

She, however, knew what was on his mind, and confronted him after supper that night. “Why didn’t you say what you thought this afternoon?”

“What do you mean?”

“Torio, you may be able to hide your precise thoughts from me, but your feelings are on Dirdra’s side, against Maldek.”

“And why are you so much for him?” Torio asked. “Read what his people think about him- how they hid when we went into town, how Bryen distrusted his motives. What’s wrong with you, Melissa? Can’t you see that he’s putting on an act?”

“No, I don’t see that!” she exploded. “Why would he bother? Torio, the man is putting forth every effort to make up for what he did to us. He’s starting work at healing Kwinn in the morning. Maybe Dirdra will come to see that he’s trying-”

They were climbing the staircase leading to the upper hallway where their rooms were. From Zanos and Astra’s room came a sudden shout that stopped them in their tracks: “No! By Mawort, even if you are my brother, I’ll never again kill for sport!”

“But the money, Zanos-”

“Money? Is that all you think of, Bryen?”

“Money is power-if you don’t have any other kind. And even Maldek needs money.”

“Zanos, please-calm down,” came Astra’s voice.

“When my own brother wants to put me back in the arena? Bryen, you make your living out of other men’s pain! Don’t think I don’t understand- that’s how I bought my way out of slavery, and won the money to get out of the empire.” He let out a bitter laugh. “Only to lose it to a cheating, power-hungry gambler just like you!”

The door to the gladiator’s room slammed against the wall as Zanos burst out. He rushed by Torio and Melissa without even seeing them, Bryen following at a discreet distance.

Torio had seen Zanos do this before. Trained to violence, he had taught himself to walk away from a brewing fight before he hurt someone. Bryen didn’t know the risk he took by pursuing him.

But Astra did-and her mother Read her fear and exclaimed, “What kind of man have you married, Astra? How could a Reader live daily with such violence? And he has taught you to carry a sword-”

“Mother, I love Zanos. He won’t hurt Bryen- that’s why he walked away.”

“But he’s such a… brute. Oh, my daughter, if only I could have been there to guide you-”

“You broke your oath as much as I did mine!” said Astra. “Don’t you talk about guiding me-at least I knew about the corruption in the Academy system before I deserted it. Portia attacked me because I knew too much-because of this wild Reading talent I inherited from you and my father. Did it ever occur to you that the Academy rules which prevent Master Readers from having children are there to save children from growing up as I did, unable to control? It’s a wonder I didn’t go mad, and end my life at Gaeta with the healers tying knots in my mind!”

“So you chose to have your children with that- that animal?”

“Zanos is a good man-how can you call yourself a Reader and not recognize that?” And Astra also burst from the room, sailing past Torio and Melissa, who stared at each other and realized-

“He’s got us divided!” exclaimed Torio. “Maldek could not defeat us as a group-but he now has us separated, so he can-” Dread suspicion directed his Reading to the end of the hall. “Where’s Dirdra?”

Only Kwinn was in Dirdra’s room, curled up on the end of the bed, sound asleep. An Adept-induced sleep, obviously, or he would never have allowed Dirdra to leave him alone.

And in Maldek’s throne room, Dirdra stood before the Master Sorcerer, who was telling her, “I am truly sorry that I cannot restore Kwinn exactly as he was before-but I know you will teach him to be a good man, and love him as much as you always did.”

She regarded him with suspicion as she agreed, “That is true.”

“Dirdra, I am asking your forgiveness.”

Torio and Melissa took each other’s hands, not daring to make a mental comment or even let their feelings surface lest Maldek Read them spying. Could Melissa be right? This was one time Torio would be glad to be proved wrong.

“When I see my brother restored to the man he was-and when in his eyes I see a man’s intelligence-then, Master, I will forgive you with all my heart,” Dirdra said with her customary dignity.

Maldek smiled his most charming smile, stood, and descended the steps from his throne. He came to Dirdra-too close, daring her to retreat. She stood her ground, and he let his overpowering maleness overshadow her as he said, “I will be happy to accept it then. In the meantime, you may have friends, Dirdra, but in one way you are as lonely as I am-as Kwinn was for you while you were gone.”

He looked down into her eyes. “I kept him with me as a reminder of you-your image was the one thing always clear in his mind.” He put his hands on her shoulders, ignoring the slight increase in the stiffness of her posture. “I missed you, Dirdra.”

He bent his head, kissing her unyielding lips. Dirdra was not thinking at all, fearing anything that escaped her control would trigger Maldek’s anger and end her hopes for Kwinn. Maldek must have known what she was doing, but he continued gently kissing her cheeks, her eyelids. “You have no need to fear me. I wouldn’t hurt you. Let me share with you, Dirdra. Think of what pleasure a Master Sorcerer can provide-”

“Please, Master, do not touch me further,” Dirdra said quietly, firmly.

He lifted his head, but did not take his hands from her shoulders. “Dirdra, you are mine. You are my subject, and I can do with you what I will-but instead I offer you freely-”

“Master, you do not offer freely the chance to refuse you.”

Maldek’s eyes glinted coldly. “It is irrational for you to refuse me. Rokannia, a Master Sorceress, is on the sea, bound for Madura. When she arrives, she will once again ask of me as a favor what you will not take freely given!”

“Rokannia wants your child, not you,” said Dirdra. “She would raise that child to your strength without your cruelty. Together they would free the Western Isle of your tyranny-perhaps Madura, too, for it would be your child’s inheritance.”

Her green eyes stared up at him defiantly. “Do you think that people without the inner sight have no minds? You want me only because I refuse you. Would that I had given in at the very beginning-you would have discarded me without harming my brother.”

“And I shall have you now, and discard you as I please-”

“Zanos! Astra! Cassandra!” Torio broadcast at the strongest intensity. “Maldek is threatening Dirdra!”

He and Melissa ran toward the throne room, Gray surging ahead of them. The guards barred their way, but Melissa had the power to make them sleep. As they collapsed, sliding down the wall, Torio flung the door open.

“Where are your fine promises and good intentions now, Maldek?” he demanded.

“Spying on me, Torio?” asked the sorcerer conversationally.

“Merely making certain of Dirdra’s safety. We share a bond of friendship.”

Zanos arrived, trailed by Bryen, while Cassandra met her daughter at the juncture of the passageways, and the two women marched defiantly into the throne room together.

“Torio was right!” said Melissa. “You haven’t changed, Maldek-you just wanted us to think you had.”

“When you found my brother,” said Zanos, “you knew he was the kind of man who would bring dissension into our group.”

“The gods forgive me,” added Cassandra, “but you must have brought me here knowing that I would not approve of my daughter’s choice of husband, and might drive them apart. Astra, I am sorry. I have seen how much Zanos loves you, and what else matters?”

“Nothing,” replied Astra, linking arms with her mother. “Dirdra-come and join us. We are family- as long as we remain together, Maldek cannot harm us.”

Dirdra took Astra’s other arm. Torio and Melissa took their places, and Zanos and Bryen forged the link on the other side of Cassandra.

The Master Sorcerer laughed. “I could kill you all, right there where you stand!”

“You can kill us,” said Melissa, “but you cannot bend us to your will. I was wrong about you, Maldek.

You haven’t yet learned that kindness makes friends as close as brothers, but threats create only frightened enemies.”

“Indeed? You want to be brothers? Do you want Bryen as your brother-gambler, extortionist, exploiter of other men’s pain? You didn’t like what you found very much, did you, Zanos?”

“He is my brother,” Zanos insisted. “We were separated as boys, so we don’t know one another very well yet-but we will come to understand each other.”

“You five who came so far together-Zanos, Astra, Torio, Melissa, Dirdra-do you feel like brothers and sisters? Do you really know one another any better than you do Bryen and Cassandra?”

“After what you put us through?” asked Torio. “I would trust any of my friends with my life- and have done so.”

“But… could they trust you?” asked Maldek with a malicious smile.

“Of course,” said Zanos. “We have all trusted Torio with our lives.”

“Not knowing what you risked!” Maldek told them. “Do you know why he is so afraid of wielding power? Do you know what Torio did to his own brother?”

Melissa turned. “Torio? You never told me you had a brother.”

“He died,” Torio replied. “I hardly remember him-we were just little boys-I couldn’t have been more than four years old. Before any of my Reading powers began to develop.”

“But you had power, Torio,” said Maldek. “You were blind-and so your mother set you over your brother, even though he was older. He had to obey your every whim, remember?”

“No,” Torio said truthfully, “I don’t remember. I can hardly recall anything before Master Lenardo discovered that I was a Reader and took me to the Academy at Adigia.”

“Then remember nowl” said Maldek-and suddenly Torio and all the other Readers there were enveloped helplessly in nightmare.

It was his dream!

The moment it began he recognized it, although every time he woke from it he found it gone beyond recall.

He was a child, small and helpless in a world where everyone else strode freely, but he had to feel his way unless someone led him by the hand.

Having never seen, he did not understand the power sighted people had-only that he bumped into things other people miraculously knew were there, and that he could not find his way outside the small apartment where he lived with his father, mother, and brother Detrus.

Only in their home was his world safe and warm; there he was held and fed and loved. But Detrus had to take care of him when both their parents were working-and Detrus would rather play with the other boys than nursemaid his blind brother. ‘

One day Detrus took him outside and left him sitting against a wall while he played with the other boys.

Out of nothingness came the sound of footsteps- but not human steps. Something with claws clicking on the cobbles!

He smelled a strange odor-it came closer and he shrank back against the wall. Icy wetness nudged his neck-a slavering beast began licking his face-

He screamed!

The thing barked, hot breath with the odor of garbage in his face-

And his brother and his friends came running- not to rescue him, but to howl with laughter!

That evening, clutching his mother as if he would never let go, Torio begged, “Don’ lee me with Detrus no more, Mama! It was a monster! It wanted to eat me up!”

“It was just a dogl” Detrus explained. “It wouldn’t of hurt Torio-just washed his face for him.” He laughed.

But it wasn’t funny to their mother.

“Torio can’t help being blind,” she reminded Detrus. “You know your father and I both have to work.

You have to take care of your brother-an’ no more leaving him alone, in the house or outside!”

“But Mama-” Detrus protested.

“No!” she told him. “You stay inside and play Torio’s games! You feed him when he’s hungry. If he wants to go outside, you hold him by the hand, and take him where he wants to go. And Torio-if Detrus ever scares you again, you let me know!”

For the first time in his life, a feeling of power surged through Torio.

Then it was another afternoon, after lunch. He made Detrus play the word-guessing game he hated because Torio, although two years younger, was better at it than he was. But “I’ll tell Mama” was all Torio had to threaten to get what he wanted.

“That’s a dumb game!” said Detrus after Torio won another round. “Words are for girls and blind kids.

You can’t do nothin’ fun, Torio.”

“What do you wanna do?” Torio asked, feeling magnanimous. “We could sing songs.”

“That’s for little kids!”

“You could tell me a story.”

“I don’t know any stories.”

“Yes you do. Tell me about the wild boy raised by the wolves.” In Torio’s mind, a wolf must be much like the dog that had come out of nowhere and terrified him.

But he knew it was a favorite story with Detrus, who had actually seen the wild boy in a cage when the carnival came through their town last summer. In fact, Detrus had been talking about the wild boy recently because they had heard that the carnival was in one of the nearby towns, and might be coming back to their town soon.

Detrus told the story, getting into the spirit as he described the boy’s shaggy hair and long, sharp teeth, growling in imitation of the way he had growled at the crowd.

“And then, when fat Orfio got real close and tried to touch him,” Detrus ended in a fit of giggles, “he lifted his leg just like a dog and peed right out of the cage on him!”

Torio giggled, too, in boyish comradeship at sharing a story their mother would never have approved of.

Just then running footsteps pounded down the street outside. “Carnival’s coming! Carnival’s coming!”

shouted boys’ voices.

Someone hammered on the door. “Detrus! Hey- Detrus! Come on! Let’s see if they’ve still got the wild boy!”

Torio recognized Orfio’s voice. “Come on, Detrus! We’re gonna miss it! I’m gonna get that wild boy-I got a good sharp stick to jab ‘im with!”

“Torio-you stay here,” ordered Detrus. “I’m only gonna go an’ see the wild boy, and then I’ll be right back-all right?”

“No!” said Torio. “No, Detrus! Mama said you gotta stay here with me!”

“Not on carnival day! Torio-you don’t tell her, and I’ll bring you a sugar sop.”

“Where you gonna get a sugar sop?” demanded Torio. “You’re lying, Detrus! I’ll tell Mama!” 2 “I’ll pinch you!” Detrus said angrily, suiting action to words.

¦ “I’ll tell Mama!” Torio screamed the louder. “I’ll put you outside where the dogs’ll eat you up!” Detrus threatened.

“An’ Mama’U punish you!” Torio retorted, “feeling his power in the fact that Detrus remained there arguing instead of just running off.

That fact gave him courage.

“Take me along.”

“I can’t do that! You’d get lost.”

“Not if you hold my hand like Mama said. I wanna go to the carnival, Detrus. You take me!” said Torio, stomping his foot for emphasis.

By the time they were at the end of their street, Torio regretted his hasty decision.

They got into a jostling crowd, and Torio was lost already. If Detrus let go of his hand, he’d never find his way home!

He stopped, digging in his heels. “Detrus, I wanna go home!”

“No! You wanted to come along, now you come!” said Detrus. “Hurry up, Torio! We’ll miss the parade!”

Detrus gave a jerk to Torio’s hand, and the blind boy stumbled after him, terror building. Up ahead there were rumbling noises, and roars and growls along with the stink of wild beasts-real wild beasts, not neighborhood dogs and cats!

“I wanna go home!” Torio screamed the louder, but Detrus dragged him along, in among packed bodies, bumping into people, worming their way through to where Detrus could see the passing wagons.

“There’s the wild boy!” Detrus shouted. “Come on, Torio-Orfio’s tryin’ a catch up-I wanna see if he sticks him!”

“I wanna go home!” Torio cried again as Detrus hauled him along. Suddenly he dug in his heels, grabbed Detrus’ hand in both of his, and swung his brother away from the direction he was headed. “You gotta do what / want, Detrus! I wanna go homel”

Torio knew nothing of where they were except that they had broken through the crowd that he could still hear, and all around them were loud rumbles of heavy animal wagons with their growling beasts and sharp ammonia stinks.

He swung Detrus in the direction he thought they had come from.

Detrus stumbled-and his hand slipped out of Torio’s!

“Detrus!” Torio screamed. Other voices in the crowd began to scream. “Look out!”

“Watch out for the boys!” Horses neighed in terror. Fear stench rose all around. The rumble grew louder, shaking the ground as Torio groped wildly for Detrus- Heard his brother’s scream- Heard horses scream again- Heard people screaming all around- Smelled-blood!

In Maldek’s throne room, Torio stood sweating and shaking as he did when he awoke from that same nightmare. Now he knew why he could never remember it.

Tears streaking his face, he sank to his knees, whispering, “Now you know-now we all know. I’m responsible. I killed my brother.”