LITMIR.BIZ

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      “Obviously Defau was repulsed,” Thealia said dryly.

      Faith’s eyes clouded and she tilted her head as if straining to use her Power. “His lifepulse is thready. I doubt he will live.”

      “We all knew there could be casualties among us,” Thealia said. She felt the weight of their gazes.

      “And you sent Reynardus away,” Armsmaster Swordmarshall Mace said. His wife and Shield set her hand on his arm and squeezed. He shut his mouth.

      Thealia passed a hand across her eyes, caught small beads of perspiration. “You only say what everyone thinks.” She looked at them all. “We can’t afford to have a negative influence in our Circle. We lost her for a moment. We could have lost her for good. Reynardus has challenged every step we took. I listened to the Spring Song and underwent a personal Song Quest.” She nodded to a couple of friends. “So did some others of us. Reynardus won’t listen to the Spring Song or believe our personal Song Quests.” She shrugged. “He’s always been a man who will only trust what he himself knows to be true—what he sees, or touches or perceives. Let him undergo trance with the Singer and hear his own Song. I only wish his results would be different and more hopeful than the rest of ours have been.” Others nodded.

      “Marshall Alyeka is about to fall into the pool again,” Mace said. “Who knows what immersion in jerir twice in one night would do to her?”

      Thealia hadn’t seen any movement in her peripheral vision, but when she faced the woman, Alexa was swaying.

      Straightening her shoulders, Thealia said, “Let’s finish this business. Those who want to stay, can. Partis, call in all the unmated noblemen and women.”

      Marwey tensed as Partis went to the gong and hit three notes around the rim.

      “Marwey?”

      The teenager pressed her lips together. “You’re including Chevalier Raston?”

      Empathy for the girl’s attraction to the knight touched Thealia. “I must,” she said gently. “Alyeka must be able to choose from everyone eligible. Including Raston. Including you. The Song knows there isn’t a good choice of quality available bedmates, just those courtiers usually here at the Castle and the Chevaliers assigned to us.” She clicked her tongue. “I don’t think our widespread call for a mate for an Exotique was taken seriously.”

      Marwey’s mouth set; she looked strained about the eyes.

      “And,” Thealia said gently, “if Alyeka chooses a bedmate tonight she won’t have to go through the formal Choosing and Blood-Bond Pairing ritual tomorrow. You’ve been the closest to her of us all. Surely you’d like to spare her that wrenching experience.”

      Marwey grimaced and dropped her gaze. “Yes.”

      “You’ve been linked to her to experience her world and help us communicate. Do you think she will want you or Raston?”

      The teenager narrowed her eyes, recollecting and exploring her brief bond with the Exotique. Marwey shivered again. A dimple peeped from her cheek. “She likes men only. And older ones than Raston.” Then Marwey sobered and glanced around the group of Marshalls. “Her world is completely different! They don’t even believe Power exists!” She blinked rapidly. “I can’t tolerate the glimpses of her world. I hope she can fit in here. ’Cause she can help us, a lot. She will make new fenceposts for us. I felt it.” She pressed both hands to her chest.

      They looked skeptically at her. She drew herself up to her full height—almost as tall as the Exotique. “I have not come into my full range or aspects of my Power, but I know what I know,” she said with dignity, and walked to the bench beside the door and sat.

      “Teenagers,” Mace sighed.

      “They can be dramatic,” Faith agreed. “But Marwey is the only one who’s linked with our new Marshall, and the Exotique chose the Jade Baton of Honor.”

      There was silence as they all thought of the ancient legends of blazing energy woven around the Jade Baton of Honor.

      The gong sounded as the door opened and people trooped in.

      3

      Alexa jumped at the deep tone of the gong. She gathered her wits from the daze she’d fallen into.

      More people. Now what? Was she going to have to weather more “tests”? Anger spurted through her and gave her energy enough to stand straight and glare at the newcomers. They brought a riff of music with them, individual notes, most of which weren’t interesting to Alexa. Weird.

      At Thealia’s wave they stood in a line before Alexa.

      Again they were all taller than she, a couple of the men far more than six feet tall. They were an attractive people.

      Only a few had streaks in their hair, silver or gold. Several—men and women—were dressed in soldiers’ uniforms, some with heraldry on their chests. The women wore long gowns of cotton or linen with wool surcoats in layered, bright colors that wouldn’t have been matched together back home. None of the newcomers dressed like the Marshalls.

      Definitely a class system here. Alexa wondered where an orphan who grew up in foster homes like herself would fit in. Lowest of the low, no doubt. A serving woman.

      Ha! She’d climbed from poor beginnings in her own world, she could do it here too. After a little rest. God, she was tired! It was all she could do to keep her chin up. A warmth pulsed in her hand and she looked down to see her baton. Right, she thought fuzzily. She was already a Marshall, whatever that was.

      A woman in the line squeaked as the jade staff glowed, then crumpled to the floor. Someone else snorted.

      “Deshouse, Alyeka,” Thealia said.

      Alexa stared blankly at her.

      Thealia tapped her foot and her eyebrows drew together as if she was figuring out how to communicate.

      “Alyeka,” said Marwey.

      Alexa turned her head to the girl. Marwey ran to one of the young soldiers and threw herself into his arms. He flushed and stiffened until she pulled his head down and whispered into his ear. After a second, he kissed her with enthusiasm.

      “Deshouse, Alyeka,” Thealia repeated.

      Alexa got the idea. They wanted her to choose a lover. So, they’d “tested” her to check if she would let a baby drown. Was this another test, to see if she’d have sex with someone she just met? Or was it more complex than that? Would her choice of lover reflect on her?

      She didn’t know what it meant that she had chosen the jade wand. Who had it belonged to, what traditions or history might it have?

      What would it mean if she chose a person? Surely they didn’t expect her to have sex tonight! She didn’t even know if she could put one foot in front of the other to walk to the wall and collapse on a padded bench and sleep.

      “Alyeka!” Thealia was stern.

      After licking her lips and clearing her throat, Alexa called. “Marwey.”

      The girl said something to her boyfriend and patted his cheek, then ran over to Alexa, who could only admire her energy.

      “Marwey,” Alexa croaked. “Bar? Test?”

      Marwey’s brow furrowed, then her face cleared. “Ttho, Alyeka. Ttho bar.”

      “Huh,” Alexa said.

      Both Thealia and Marwey said it together now. “Deshouse.”

      With great precision, Alexa turned her back on the line of people. More than one sigh of relief came from behind her. She faced Thealia, met the gaze of every other Marshall. “Ttho. No.” She felt like a two-year-old who only knew one word—no. Not exactly true—she knew baton and Marwey and Thealia and Reynardus…. Her mind numbed into a daze of weariness again. She wondered

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