No. Not yet.

* * *

In the solarium the air was warm and humid and fragrant with flowering trees. Above the trees rose one of Skys spiresthe centralmost and tallest one, whose entrance must have been somewhere amid the winding paths. Unlike the rest of the spires, this one quickly tapered to a point only a few feet in diameter, too narrow to house apartments or chambers of any great size. Perhaps it was purely decorative.

If I kept my eyes half-lidded, I could ignore the spire and almost imagine I was in Darr. The trees were wrongtoo tall and thin, too far apart. In my land the forests were thick and wet and dark as mysteries, full of tangled vines and small hidden creatures. Still, the sounds and smells were similar enough to assuage my homesickness. I stayed there until the sound of nearby voices pushed my imagination away.

Pushed sharply; one of the voices was Sciminas.

I could not hear her words, but she was very close. Somewhere in one of the alcoves ahead, concealed behind a copse of brush and trees. The white-pebbled path beneath my feet ran in that direction and probably branched toward it in some way that would make my approach obvious to anyone there.

To the infinite hells with obviousness, I decided.

My father had been a great huntsman before his death. Hed taught me to roll my feet in a forest, so as to minimize the crackle of leaf litter. And I knew to stay low, because it is human nature to react to movement at eye level, while that which is higher or lower often goes unnoticed. If this had been a Darren forest, I would have climbed the nearest tree, but I could not easily climb these skinny, bare-trunked things. Low it was.

When I got closejust barely close enough to hear, but any closer and I risked being seenI hunkered down at the foot of a tree to listen.

Come, Brother, its not too much, is it? Sciminas voice, warm and cajoling. I could not help shivering at the sound of it, both in remembered fear and anger. She had set a god on me, like a trained attack dog, for her own amusement. It had been a long time since Id hated anyone so fiercely.

Anything you want is too much, said a new voicemale, tenor, with a petulant edge. Relad? Go away and let me think.

You know these darkling races, Brother. They have no patience, no higher reason. Always angry over things that happened generations ago I lost the rest of her words. I could hear occasional footsteps, which meant that she was pacing, toward me and away. When she moved away, it was hard to hear her. Just have your people sign the supply agreement. Its nothing but profit for them and for you.

That, sweet Sister, is a lie. You would never offer me anything solely for my benefit. A weary sigh, a mutter I didnt catch, and then: Go away, I said. My head hurts.

Im sure it does, given your indulgences. Sciminas voice had changed. It was still cultured, still light and pleasant, but the warmth had left it now that Relad clearly meant to refuse her. I marveled that such a subtle change could make her sound so different. Very well; Ill come back when youre feeling better. By the way. Have you met our new cousin?

I held my breath.

Come here, Relad said. I knew at once he was speaking to someone else, perhaps a servant; I couldnt imagine him using that peremptory tone with Scimina. No. I hear you tried to kill her, though. Was that wise?

I was only playing. I couldnt resist; shes such a serious little thing. Do you know, she honestly believes shes a contender for Uncles position?

I stiffened. So, apparently, did Relad, because Scimina added, Ah. You didnt realize?

You dont know for sure. The old man loved Kinneth. And the girl is nothing to us.

You really should read more of our family history, Brother. The pattern And she paced away. Infuriating. But I did not dare creep closer, because only a thin layer of branches and leaves separated me from them. This close, they would hear me breathing if they listened hard enough. All I had to count on was their absorption in the conversation.

There were a few more comments exchanged between them, most of which I missed. Then Scimina sighed. Well, you must do as you see fit, Brother, and I shall do the same, as always.

Good luck. Was this quiet wish sincere or sarcastic? I guessed the latter, but there was something in it that hinted at the former. I could not tell without seeing him.

And to you, Brother. I heard the click of her heels along the path stones, rapidly fading.

I sat where I was against the tree for a long while, waiting for my nerves to settle before I attempted to leave. My thoughts, too, though that took longer, as they whirled in the aftermath of what Id heard. She honestly believes shes a contender. Did that mean I wasnt? Relad apparently believed I was, but even he wondered, as I did: why had Dekarta brought me to Sky?

Something to ponder for later. First things first. Rising, I began to make my careful way back through the brushbut before I could, the branches parted not five feet away, and a man stumbled through. Blond, tall, well-dressed, with a fullblood mark: Relad. I froze, but it was too late; I was standing in plain sight, caught in midcreep. But to my utter amazement, he didnt see me. He walked over to a tree, unfastened his pants, and began voiding his bladder with much sighing and groaning.