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"Keleios, Keleios!"

The sed her throat She huddled on the floor, letting the s to breathe Pieces of the floor erupted in fla in flaently, "Keleios, hear me!"

The heat seared her skin, too near Her eyes teared, and breath was agony

A cool wind brushed her cheek, a slirasped the hand as the roof groaned and began to bend fire-eaten beahts came to her "Not real, it is not real Vision cannot harm you You are safe"

Keleios stood in the fire and did not burn A vision -- now she remembered This had not coan to fade The fire was a di, and it was gone

Keleios found herself lying in the dark; strong arainst a cloth-covered chest The cloth was silk and black as darkness Only one person in the entire keep would be so blatant as to wear the color of Loth, god of bloodshed: Lothor Lothor the Black Healer Keleios wanted to move away from his touch, but she shivered in reaction to vision, so cold She was so tired, and yet the dream remained She could not afford another vision like that

She struggled away fro Keleios crawled to the end of the shelf row; she didn&039;t have strength to go further Her ar A flexing of right arers were still in place A red witchlight sprang to life over the h-boned face in crimson relief

"Don&039;t you ever sleep, Lothor?" she asked

"Not often," he said without a trace of a smile "When you can walk, I will help you to your destination"

Keleios opened her mouth, ready to say, "But I don&039;t need help" Truth was truth, but why did it have to be hi ht prophecy was rare in Lolth"

"My brother was a visionary I am accustomed to assassination attempts in Lolth, but not here in Zeln&039;s school"

"What do you mean assassination atteh, half-snort "Still don&039;t trustspell on you, and I had to break it to free you from your vision If it had been I that wanted you dead, I could have stood and watched"

Keleios leaned against the books and closed her eyes for ame"

"It was ue full of obscene suggestion

She opened her eyes and stared at hihts to the fur at his throat

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?" His face didn&039;t achieve innocence, but he looked puzzled

Keleios shook her head "It doesn&039;tto the shelves "I believe we can go now"

He made no protest, did not try to question her further He knew the sound in her voice and it ed It irritated her that Lothor could read her so well

He had spent the last threeabout her He had questioned everyone ould talk to him and had one

She staggered, and he caught her, his arm like iron under her hand Keleios looked up at him He was impossibly tall for a Varellian, but then he was half-human Under the dark silk of a black healer prince were broad shoulders and a body too slender for a hued his collar and decorated the hem of his jerkin, which fell just above his knees The only color was the glimpse of red on red-patterned silk that told the color of his doublet, hidden under all that blackness His hair fell straight and thick, baby fine, past his shoulders It was the color of fresh-fallen snow His skin was frost, and his eyes were the silver of old ice in the winter sun He was an ice elf stretched out of shape, but still shohy they were considered one of the most beautiful of races

Of course, the word elf was an insult to a Varellian Keleios had never understood why, but the white elves considered the a Varellian an elf to his or her face could get a person killed Lothor knew nothing of being a Varellian He would not know ice elf was an insult Blood alone didn&039;t make one an elf of any kind

She looked down and felt a blush creep up her face She had been staring at hihed, a rich throaty sound that threw his pale face into friendly lines Keleios tried to pull away but he held her and said, "I am sorry, but it is so seldom that you show interest For weeks I have waited Your favorite color is green Your best sorceries are those dealing with fire and cold Even though you can doof mind, you prefer to use herb- witchery You like the slow building of power You feel more in control that way" His arlared at him "I have studied you like a rare book I know you, but you ignoreof th, and she pulled away froht "What do you want, black healer?"

"You, to be ive you an answer"

His silver eyes traced her body, and he said, "You should decide soon," He stepped close and stared down at her " Royal es are so often a matter of borders, especially when the two countries in questiontouch"

"Don&039;t threatena hand in front of her face The poas back, nagging, tricking She smiled at him, unpleasantly, and reached a hand to caress his face

The touch of the leather glove made him jump back Fear showed for a moment Then a sickly sht, Lothor, I ht," She walked past him and scooped up her enchanted pouch fro for that pouch of yours"

Keleios turned reluctantly He held out a thick black book It was surrounded by dark flathened at the sight of that book

"Do youother people&039;s conversations?"

"Yes" He sers were like white roots against the black covers, as if when she reached to take it, the hand would coth

He stood patiently as if he could stand offering her evil forever The red glow of his sorcery turned his white hair to blood, and she touched the dagger in its arm sheath for reassurance

She went to hi, and it sent a shock through the leather glove, a burning over the mark on her palm She knew this book, or one like it A pale shadow of it had resided on the Grey Isle Six years ago that slim copy, a bare handful of this book&039;s worth, had been used against Belor and her It had conjured demons and opened the way to the pit Harque the Witch had valued it above all other powers Yet, her prophecy told her this one reat harm with it The enchanted pouch quenched the black fla in her hand did not stop, and she rubbed it against her leg She had a strong desire to uncover her hand and rub the pain There was a need to feel cool air on it There was a great sense of lightness to her taking the book, but it was dangerous It was peril in a way she could not define

As if aware of the dark voluh her hands a cry came from nearby "Keleios!"

She stepped fro close behind A circle of flae shadows on the shelves Glihts had been to keep him safe, but the flames had been so close He was imprisoned, but not harmed, safe from her vision, but trapped

Lothor spoke quietly "He doesn&039;t look happy"

"The vision ca I was afraid I would harh, but he isn&039;t going to be pleased with you"

A shiver ran up her spine, and her left hand demanded attention "He isn&039;t happy, but if I free him now, he&039;ll ask questions, waste tiies" There wasn&039;t time for all that, and Keleios turned and walked down the main aisle Belor did not yell after her; perhaps he could not see through the fla ahead of them like a bloated will o&039; wisp

When they stood in the open hallway, she turned to hi much better now My destination lies only a few steps away"

"I am not so easily dish the door"

"I do not need your protection, Prince Lothor"

"But I have already protected all your prophecies tonight"

"All er and so to this school You are only a guest, albeit a long-staying one"

He slittered "I have been here so long, I have been granted privileges"

The poas returning Her skin craith it, and a tic began in her left cheek She wanted to be rid of him and his cursed question So easy -- just say it was accidental, too much power and one veiled insult too hts away It was the sorcery talking; it wanted use The dreaive soon

She clenched her fists and spoke carefully "Are you here merely to torment or is there a purpose to it?"

"I have had but one purpose since I arrived" He race His silver eyes met hers, and she would not look away "Will you marry me?"

"I have told you many times that you must be patient"

"I have been patient I believe that you would answer no if I were not a prince and heir to a throne It is not polite to refuse a prince hurriedly" Anger showed on his face His whiteness flushed slightly, eyes sparking

"If you believe that is your answer, then go, leave me in peace" She turned from him

He called after her, "You will not be rid ofto breathe through the power It choked her, deot na her that he had ties with them, too She dared not move, only breathe in and out

He stepped round her and brought her left hand upward His angry eyes watched hers, saw the struggle in thelove softly "My poor little enchanter, half-good and half-bad, how confusing"

"Lothor, please"

"We could end it now Fight, and you would be rid ofclose "You would give me such a way out?"

"I, yes; my father who sentsorcery welled in his fingers "I would spare us both an unhappy e if I were allowed to" His hand fell to his side "But I am not my master"

"Everyone should be their own master at least part of the tih the ic flitted through the hallway

She stood in front of Master Poula&039;s door, but before she could speak, a voice called, "Coic and stepped into the dark room like a storm about to break

The room was as dark as the tower had been Rushes squeaked underfoot, each step pressing the strewing herbs to fragrance The pine scent of rosemary, spearmint, peppermint, and some fruit mint, perhaps apple, filled the air Mint and rosemary were old favorites of Master Poula&039;s The s spell upon the floor showed Poula had been prepared for a dream-heavy Keleios She too was a prophet, if only of cards

The master sat very still at a small round table It was formed of ash and dark with polish It was then her card prophecies and her healing teas She wore a loose belted robe that Keleios had seen before It was deep forest green hite edging it round Herbs were eic in it, not even for an herb-witch It was just a pretty robe

In the gloom Poula&039;s face bore terrible scars: one eye nearly shut with scar tissue, the other an erey, was unbound The smooth blank mask that she usually wore lay beside her on the table Keleios was privileged to be one of a handful who ever saw her unh the enchanted necklace that she wore objects were outlined with color like auras It was a singular joy to Poula that Keleios did not need lights Even though it did not hide her scars from the half-elven, Poula was er Keleios had asked how she ca the apprentices and journeymen, of what she hid and why, and how Poula looked past the child and sees, then said, "Once I was young and foolish I was challenged by a sorceress and I met her in the arena I could have killed her She lay at my feet and could not ave mercy" She turned her blind eyes to Keleios and said, "But she was evil, and because I left her alive, she did this to me"

As far as Keleios knew, she was the only apprentice to be honored with the story, and she told no one It was this story that had given Keleios the courage, or the fear, to kill in the arena Two challenges, two deaths, both as a journeyed her since she returned froe after she was stripped of her master&039;s rank, but official rank or not, she had been a master, and the sorcerer had died

"Come in, child I have a cup of tea ready for you"

"Master Poula, I have come to prophesy"

"I am aware of that The tea will help you control your powers Bits of ic, like colored fireflies, dance round you Drink, then prophesy"

Keleios held out her hand; the cup and saucer flew to her The reen liquid spilled over the riht?"

"Be eased, child; the tea will re touches of the spell that nearly killed you twice tonight"

The cup was delicate white with sprigs of blue lavender painted on its side Its curved handle fit her fingers nicely, small She took a deep breath of the tea&039;s stea that it made one think of surance of cae to her , and it carried ic There was the faint sweetness of lavender flowers, the farant valerian root, fennel, and ht hardened her cal spells When it was finished, she levitated it carefully back to the table and sat it next to the small round teapot

"Do you feel better?"

"Much, thank you, master"

She chuckled "That&039;s what I&039;m here for" She settled back in her chair and did not offer one to Keleios -- she knew better "Well, child, tell your dream"

Keleios stood and stared at the darkened walls Deep breaths for control, channel the power, and she touched the steel calm that held the dream back The steel split, and the drea i and drawing in a deep shuddering breath When she looked up, Poula still sat unmoved "Master, what are we to do?"

"Come, child, sit and have a second cup of tea while we think"

Keleios sat gratefully If it were not for the spell in the tea, she would be good only for sleep now She poured a second cup and asked, "Poula?"

"No, thank you, the spell is all for you" The herb-witch sat very still and said, "You are prophet; this e was yours What do you say about it?"

Keleios took a sip of tea and spoke carefully "It is frightfully clear, Poula The great blackness, whether a hole or a , is my symbol for death I am sure of one death: Feltan&039;s"

"I sorroith you, Keleios Will you tell hiht-year-old boy that you have seen his death?"

"Then you won&039;t tell hiht him here to the school so he could train He had already attracted a familiar You kno rare that is in an untrained herb-witch"

Poula nodded "He has great potential"

"I brought him here, perhaps to his death"

"You cannot think that way"

Keleios stared at the tabletop "But I do think that way"

"I cannot offer you comfort, Keleios I have seen death in the cards before It is not an easy or sie"

Keleios nodded and sipped her tea, thinking

"And the rest of the dream?" Poula asked

Keleios took a deep breath and let it out slowly "The keep walls will be breached Whether by ic or force of arms, I am not sure Fidelis the Witch will aid the treachery that allows us to fall As she aided it tonight"

Poula stared at her and said nothing

Keleios said, "You knoell as I that it had to be Fidelis No other herb-witch in the school could have done such a spell Except for you, of course"

"You have never liked Fidelis"

Keleios wasn&039;t sure that it was a question, but she answered it "No, I don&039;t approve of black ic I believe there are some spells that are not meant to be used"

"Then why are they in the tomes? Someone had to create theument"

&039;You and she have shared a roo for o back to the journeymen dor at her own folded hands "Has it occurred to you that the binding spell ht have been a personal attempt on your life"

"No, I believe it was to keep the prophecy a secret"

"And the phantasm&039;s purpose?"

"The sa doom secret"

"Do you really think that Alys could have hidden fro was placed on her first It would have tied her to the first drea"

"But to what purpose?"

"Keleios"

"So I would save her? But that makes no sense Surely the phantasm would finish off most prophets"

"Yes, but you are here, alive, sane And you closed the tower to the phantasht was meant for me, the only sorcerous drea the phantasm"

"Yes, my dear"

"So Fidelis planned to kill me and keep the drea Alys in the process"

"Perhaps there was another reason for her to make sure of your death"

"What do you know that I don&039;t?"

"She worships Mother Bane, Keleios, and it would not be against her vows to kill you Especially if it were her questing debt"

"Her questing debt? Who would waste their questing task on my death?"

"Fidelis quested with Harque the Witch"

Keleios slumped back in her chair and just stared, "How could Zeln and you have allowed that? Harque is er, and you sent a journeyman to quest with her"

"Fidelis requested it And Harque was herb-witch, shadow priest, and prophet It is a rare combination, and it matched Fidelis"