easily we stopped this attack and how incompetent the attackers were as fighters. I agree with her opinion that this attack was meant to divert us from a more serious attempt later, so the men need to be told that they have to be doubly alert from now on. The next attempt, whatever it will be, will probably come just about the time we reach my palace. That’s when I would schedule it for.”

  Listan muttered a few words Elissia didn’t catch, which told her he was probably cursing under his breath.

  “You’re absolutely right, my king,” Listan finally managed to say in a louder voice. “You and the queen have seen the truth that I never would have, which makes me an idiot. I’ll pass the word to the men immediately.”

  “Not an idiot, Listan,” Elissia said as he turned back to his horse. “Just a nicer, more trusting soul. It’s really nothing to be ashamed of.”

  “Overlooking something that could end my king makes me an idiot,” Listan disagreed after settling himself back into his saddle. “Happily, though, he has you to make up for my lacks.”

  And with that last remark Listan turned his horse and rode away again, leaving Elissia with nothing to say.

  “We’d better get moving again,” the savage commented as though he’d hadn’t heard Listan. “After all, we don’t want to be late for the next attack. Let me help you back into the coach.”

  Elissia let herself be helped back into the coach, and a couple of minutes later they were on the move again. At first the coach driver had to circle around clumps of bodies on the road, but then they were past the area of attack and moving freely again. The savage rode ahead to the front of the procession, but was back in a few minutes to ride to the right of the coach. A number of minutes went by in silence, and then he looked at Elissia.

  “Would you like to make a small wager on what the next attack will consist of?” he asked in a mild and easy way. “I have gold to bet on the idea that the enemy will have a small group of men dressed like my fighters and will try to reach me that way.”

  “If I had any gold, I’d bet on the next attack coming from a single, familiar individual,” Elissia answered, having considered the question for a few minutes. “Probably not a really close friend, but someone you know and discount as a threat.

  But I don’t have any gold, so I can’t bet.”

  “You don’t need the gold to bet,” the savage answered with actual amusement. “If I lose I’ll pay in gold, but if you lose you have to go along with anything I ask of you for one full day. Is it a bet?”

  “Only if you’re willing to use the same coin, so to speak, that I’d be using,” Elissia answered at once, not about to be thick enough in the head to agree to his terms as they stood. “If you’re that fond of your theory, back it with something more substantial than gold.”

  “Let me think about that,” the savage suggested, his continuing amusement clear. “I’m not sure I’m all that fond of the theory.”

  Elissia nodded to show that she was willing to wait while he considered his response, and they rode on in silence while Elissia thought about a personal oddity she’d noticed. Every time she thought of the savage as “the savage,” a small twinge tweaked her insides. Until now she’d had no idea why that was, but suddenly the answer had come to her along with a memory.

  She’d once told the man that he was her savage, but that was when she’d almost believed that he really loved her. Now she knew better, so every time she thought of him as “the savage” the pain of what was lost came to torment her. Which meant it was more than time she started to call him by name, especially in her own thoughts. Public names meant very little, but private ones?

  The rest of the trip disappeared behind dark clouds of trying-not-to-think, which meant that Elissia suddenly found that they were riding through the gates of a city. The savage’s - Derand’s - city was called Holdisond, and the city was supposed to be a bit larger than Ramsond - which was slightly larger than Elissia’s father’s Sollerasond. Their entire force had stayed together after the attack, so all of them rode through the widely opened gates.

  It had grown too dark for Elissia to see all that much of the city, but what she did see was as disturbing as what she’d seen in Derand’s father’s city of Meersond. The squalor and backwardness she’d been expecting were conspicuous by their absence, and if anything Holdisond looked a bit more prosperous than her father’s city. So why, Elissia wondered, had she been so sure that she was being taken to the end of civilization? She’d have to think about that question?

  They finally reached Derand’s palace, where the coach came to a halt at the foot of the wide stairs leading into the palace. Listan and Derand dismounted, and Derand came to open the coach door himself.

  “We’re probably about to find out which of us would have won the bet,” Derand murmured as he helped Elissia out of the coach. “When the attack comes, don’t waste any time getting behind me.”

  “That’s one order you’ll never find me disobeying,” Elissia murmured back as she took Derand’s offered arm. “And it’s just possible that we both would have won the bet. The only question left is which of us would have won first.”

  Derand’s brows rose high when he heard that, and a moment later he’d turned his head toward Listan and was speaking very softly to his friend and advisor. Elissia realized that Listan was probably being warned, which put a tight, angry expression on Listan’s face even as he nodded his agreement with whatever he was being told.

  They were mounting the stairs as Derand spoke to Listan, but the conversation ended when they reached the top. Guards in black leather stood all around, but there was also a contingent of guards from the escort close behind them. The entire group began to walk toward the open doors of the palace, and they were almost there when a figure in a red robe came out leading another group of guards.

  “Your Majesty, welcome home!” the figure in the red robe called out as he approached. Elissia realized that the man was a priest of Drassar the Beneficent, a moderately popular god among the people of the kingdoms. Priests were supposed to be completely non-violent and concern themselves with nothing but their gods, but Elissia suddenly had the oddest feeling?

  “Don’t let him get close to you!” Elissia whispered to Derand as soon as she understood what was bothering her. “And watch those fighters behind him!”

  Derand parted his lips to reply, but before the first word was out the attack was launched. The fighters behind the priest of Drassar suddenly drew their swords and rushed forward, all of them obviously heading for Derand and Elissia. Derand thrust her behind him as he drew his sword in answer, Listan and the rest of his escort immediately doing the same.

  Elissia saw Derand’s right arm swing forward sharply, but it looked more like he’d used the fist holding his sword rather than the sword itself. Then he was using the sword, and the attackers in his reach didn’t stand a chance against him. Elissia had never seen anyone use a sword that well, and the fighters around him weren’t that much worse. In a matter of minutes the attack was over, and more dead bodies littered the ground.

  When the frantic fighting finally ended, Elissia was able to see the priest of Drassar stretched out on the stone. The red-robed man held a dagger in his left hand, but he didn’t look dead.

  “I knocked him out just as he started to pull out that dagger,” Derand said, obviously knowing what Elissia was looking at. “I wanted him able to answer some questions, most especially about who’s behind these attempts. This time the attacking fighters were much better with their swords.”

  “Stands to reason they would be,” Elissia commented as she looked around. “And since both attacks came at the same time, neither of us would have won the bet. Listan, is there someone who knows most if not all of your fighters? If so, get that man and send him around with a good escort of those fighters you’re sure of. Anyone he doesn’t know is to be taken into custody until they can be vouched for by someone trustworthy. And all fighters who were recruited in the last month or so need to be separated out from the rest.”

  “Good idea,” Derand said, his nod thoughtful. “Yes, Listan, do as she says, but if someone unknown is found I want to hear about it fast. Now let’s get this priest of Drassar to a place where we can revive him in peace.”

  Listan had already relieved the unconscious priest of the dagger, and now he gestured some of his fighters into picking up the limp body. Elissia found her right arm being wound around Derand’s left again, and then they continued on into the palace. Listan walked in front of them, and their escort came along behind.

  After being led up a set of stairs almost as wide as the ones outside, Elissia found herself on the second floor of the palace. All the decorations they passed were in incredibly good taste, beauty and balance obviously being considered above gaudy exhibitions of wealth. Elissia, having decided to refuse to think about things like that, simply glanced around as they moved past a group of guards watching over the entrance to a section of the palace.

  The area they entered proved to be the approach to the royal apartments. A very large gathering room had its own guards ranged around the walls, and Elissia saw Listan examining the faces of these guards just as he’d examined every guard they’d passed. So far Listan looked satisfied, so chances were good that he knew the men on guard duty.

  “The men I sent to the kitchens ought to be overseeing the preparation of the meal you undoubtedly want, my king,” Listan said as Derand gestured the guardsmen carrying the priest into putting the man onto a couch. “If you like, I’ll oversee the questioning of this priest while you and the queen refresh yourselves.”

  “The queen is fresh enough and so am I,” Derand replied with an amused glance for Elissia as he looked down at the priest. “We need something to occupy our time until the food is ready, so handling the interrogation might as well be it. As soon as you wake him up for us, that is.”

  Listan bowed his agreement, but didn’t approach the priest until a fighter hurried into the area and came up to Listan to hand something over. The something turned out to be smelling salts, which actually brought the priest around in only a few minutes.

  “What? What happened?” the groggy man groaned out as he stirred on the couch. “Where am I?”

  “You’re in the robe of a man who just tried to kill his sovereign,” Derand growled, sounding more dangerous and deadly than Elissia had ever heard anyone sound. “What I want to know is who put you up to the attempt.”

  “You!” the priest gasped, staring up at Derand. “The man who means to force an end to the worship of Drassar in all the kingdoms of Arvin! You should be dead for considering such sacrilege! You must be dead!”

  And then the fool started to scramble erect, probably so that he might attack Derand again, Elissia thought. The man started to get up, but Listan pushed him flat again.

  “Where did you hear that nonsense?” Listan demanded as he held the struggling man still. “My king respects the worship of all the gods and would never even think of deciding which should be allowed and which not. How could you believe someone who told you otherwise?”

  “I - wasn’t told that,” the priest admitted after a long moment, the expression on his narrow face now one of confusion. “I ? overheard some of your fighters talking, and they were laughing about how Drassar would become unknown once his priests were driven out. When I heard that the king would be getting back tonight I made sure to be here, ready to end his blasphemy. Fighters were all around and some came up right behind me, but I never expected to survive after ending the threat to my god so their presence didn’t matter. I ? don’t understand why my attempt didn’t work.”

  “Your attack didn’t work because a superior strategist anticipated it,” Derand answered the man, his expression dark with anger. “So they baited you with a lie you were meant to overhear, waited for you to get here to the palace, then tried to camouflage and support your attack with one of their own. Very neat.”

  “Then ? it really is a lie?” the priest asked, his bewilderment stronger as he looked back and forth between Derand and Listan. “Your Majesty, please accept my deepest apologies for having allowed myself to be duped! I will certainly do penance for a very long - “

  “Penance?” Derand interrupted with a snort of ridicule. “You try to kill me and now expect to get away with doing nothing but some penance? In this situation I get to name the penance, and I choose execution for an act of treason - and an act of stupidity. Listan, have him thrown into a cell until I decide when I want the execution carried out.”

  The priest paled and tried to babble out a protest, but Derand took Elissia’s arm in his hand and urged her away with him. She made no effort to hang back, which meant they left the reception room and quickly reached a more private area. The sitting room wasn’t exactly small, but it was smaller than the reception room and obviously meant for less formal occasions.

  “Listan is upset because he thinks you meant what you said,” Elissia commented when Derand’s hand left her arm. “Hasn’t the man learned anything about strategy from working with you?”

  “Listan is a good friend and absolutely devoted, but he couldn’t design a decent strategy if his life depended on it,” Derand answered with a surprised laugh. “For a minute I thought I’d have to explain my intentions to you as well as to him, but I should have known better. You obviously know why I made that very public announcement about executing the man.”

  “You made the announcement to keep him alive,” Elissia said with her own smile of amusement. “If your enemies believe you’re going to be stupid enough to execute a priest, they’ll just stand back and let you cut your own throat at the same time. If they thought you meant to let the man go, they’d kill him and then make sure you were blamed for his death. I’d have the man guarded really well tonight, and first thing tomorrow I’d send for the priests of the rest of the religions to explain what happened. Once they understand what your enemies are trying, the same trick won’t work a second time. Are you just going to let that priest go, or have you something else in mind?”

  “I’m going to let the man live, but not in Holdisond,” Derand answered after ringing for a servant. “Someone else in his place would have checked around before deciding on committing murder, but he just jumped right in without spending a minute’s thinking time. If his superiors are wise they’ll get rid of him entirely, but that’s their decision and I don’t intend to mix in. He just won’t be welcome to remain in my city.”

  Elissia nodded, actually agreeing completely, and the conversation was ended when a servant entered.

  The servant carried a tea service on a tray, and his face wore a wide grin.

  “Your Majesty, welcome home!” the man said with warmth that looked completely sincere. “Things have been really quiet here while you were gone, but now they’re bound to liven up again. I brought your tea myself so you’d know it’s perfectly safe to drink.”

  “We’ll know the tea is safe to drink once you drink some first,” Elissia said at once, the amusement on Derand’s face telling her that he wasn’t going to suggest something so practical. “You won’t mind doing that for us, will you?”

  “Why - no, of course not, my lady,” the servant answered, his grin faltering. “If that’s the king’s wish I’ll be glad to drink first.”

  “It’s the queen’s wish, Potry, so that ought to be enough,” Derand put in, the words easy and friendly if you discounted the steel behind them. “You’ll be having tea with us, only your cup will be finished first.”

  “The queen?” Potry echoed with eyes and mouth wide. “You have a queen now, Your Majesty? Well, congratulations, my king, and many happy felicitations! Allow me to drink a toast to the both of you!”

  And with that the man quickly poured a cup of tea, gestured toward them with the cup, then downed the tea in almost a single gulp. By then his grin had returned, and as he put the cup to one side of the tray he also bowed to Elissia.

  “Welcome to Holdisond, Your Majesty,” he said with a great deal of relish. “We’re delighted to have you here, and just wait till I tell everyone in the kitchens!”

  After another bow to Derand, the man hurried out of the room. Elissia watched the servant disappear with what she knew must be a very odd expression, a thought confirmed when Derand chuckled.

  “Potry looked after me during the campaigns,” he said as he walked toward the tea service. “I’ve trusted him with my life before this, but you couldn’t have known that so your suggestion was perfectly in order. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. If anyone tries to poison the food I’ll probably kill them with my bare hands.”

  Elissia smiled her agreement as she took the cup of tea Derand had poured, but on the inside she was feeling very strange. The savage - Derand - kept saying things that showed approval of her and her doings, giving her an acceptance while he pretended to care that he hadn’t given when he claimed to love her. How sad that the matter couldn’t have turned out to be the other way around?

  They took their tea into a small dining room, and not long after that their food was brought. Potry was there to direct the efforts of the other servants, so the meal went smoothly - not to mention deliciously.

  After the meal Elissia was introduced to the girls who would be her maids, and said girls took her into a very large bedchamber where her trunks had been brought. The bedchamber had a bathing room almost as large, and the girls were efficient in their help. Elissia was bathed and helped into an ivory white sleep ensemble, and then the girls quietly disappeared. Since Derand, already in a lounging wrap, waited in the bedchamber, Elissia didn’t wonder why the girls had left so quickly. As she moved closer to the man who was supposed to be her husband she knew it was time to try her ploy, and all she could do was pray that it worked.

  “That’s a very attractive ensemble,” Derand said as she walked toward where he sat, a wine glass in his hand. “Would you care for a glass of this wine? It’s really excellent.”