LITMIR.BIZ

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“we will mount a search for her, Dillon, but I am certain this is just a misunderstanding. Besides, Lara has always been protected by her magic and by Ethne.”

      Something is wrong, Dillon thought to himself. I feel it. I sense it. Something is not right about this. My mother is nowhere near. I would know it if she were. Do I not always know when she is approaching? But they will not listen to me. They do not understand. In blood I am more mortal than faerie, but my senses are all magical. “Very well,” Dillon agreed reluctantly.

       But by the following day, Lara was nowhere to be found, nor had anyone in the village seen her. Over Dillon’s objections that he and Dasras had searched thoroughly the previous day, Liam nonetheless mounted a great search that spread out for miles about the village yet at day’s end no trace of Lara could be found at all.

       The men of Camdene met in their lord’s hall that night to discuss the matter. Now even they were becoming worried. It was not like Lara to disappear and not let someone know. Noss, the serving women and Anoush served the men seated at the trestle tables below the high board. Even little Zagiri toddled about offering the men fresh fruit. And then Dillon saw something glitter from beneath the high neckline of his older sister’s gown. He caught Anoush by the arm.

       “What are you wearing about your neck?” he asked her sharply.

       “Just an amulet,” she replied.

       “Show me!” he demanded.

       “It is just an amulet,” she protested.

       Dillon’s hand moved swiftly to his sister’s neck and he tore the gold chain from it. “Where in the name of the Great Creator did you get this?” he shouted. “It is Mother’s star! The one that holds Ethne. Where did you get this?”

       Anoush began to cry. “When I woke up yesterday I found it in Mother’s bed,” she sobbed. “I have always wanted one like it and she was not wearing it. Give it back!”

       Dillon held the chain with its perfect crystal star high for all to see. “Have any of you ever known my mother not to have this about her neck?” he shouted. “I told you yesterday that something was wrong but you would not listen to me! My mother has surely been stolen away! I must fetch Magnus Hauk!” And still carrying Lara’s chain and star, Dillon ran from Liam’s hall out into the evening.

       He ran through the village and into the meadow where he called to Dasras. Quickly he explained all that had happened. Then swinging himself onto the great stallion’s back, he said, “Please, Dasras, take me to the Dominus!”

       Dasras galloped across the field, his great wings suddenly unfurling and flapping as he rose up into the night sky. The miles beneath dissolved as they flew. The moons of Hetar began to rise one by one as they traveled. After several hours they reached the castle of the Dominus of Terah. Dasras put them down in the middle of the stable yard. It was almost dawn in Terah and Jason, Dasras’s personal groom, came stumbling sleepily from the stables.

       “My lord Dasras, I was not expecting you,” he told the stallion.

       “Nor was I expecting to be here today,” Dasras replied. “This is the Domina’s son. Show him the way to the Dominus’s apartments and then return to me.”

       “At once, my lord,” Jason replied. “Come, young master, and I will take you to your stepfather. Is this your first visit to the castle?”

       “It is,” Dillon replied as he followed the older boy into the castle, then down several corridors and up two flights of stairs.

       As they passed each of the guardsmen in the hallways, Jason stopped a moment to say, “This is the Domina’s son come from the New Outlands with an important message for his stepfather,” and the guardsmen would pass them through.

       Finally they reached the apartments of the Dominus and Jason repeated his message to the guardsmen, one of whom asked them to wait while the Dominus was awakened. But Magnus Hauk was already awake. He had not slept well for the past three nights.

       “Dillon, what is it?” he asked as he came to the door and ushered his stepson into his dayroom. “Thank you, Jason,” he called as he shut the door behind them. “What has happened? Is your mother all right? I have been restless the past few nights.”

       “My mother has gone missing, my lord,” Dillon said quietly. Seeing the look of concern in his stepfather’s eyes Dillon liked him better than he ever had.

       “What do you mean gone missing?” he asked in a tight voice. He was suddenly terrified at the thought he might lose Lara, but he couldn’t let the boy know that. Dillon had obviously come to him for help and for reassurance.

       “We had been out on the hillside—Mother, Anoush and me—watching the Night of the Flying Stars. Zagiri is too little to stay up so late,” he explained lest his stepfather think they were unfairly excluding his daughter. “We returned and went to bed, but when I awoke in the morning, Mother was gone. At first I was not concerned, for more often than not she arises early to watch the sunrise. But she was not outside and no one had seen her that morning. Dasras and I searched for several hours, but we could not find her. I wanted to come to you that night, but Liam insisted upon wasting another day searching with all the men of Camdene. Then last night in the hall I discovered Anoush wearing Mother’s star and chain. She said she found it in Mother’s bed. I have never known Mother not to wear that star, my lord, have you?” He drew it from his pocket and held it out to Magnus Hauk.

       “Nay, I have not,” the Dominus said. His chest felt suddenly tight.

       “My lord,” Dillon started to continue, but Magnus Hauk held up his hand.

       “We have discussed this before,” he said quietly. “When we are in private you are to address me by my given name. I am your stepfather, but I know you cannot call me Father, for you knew Vartan. Still, ‘my lord’ seems so formal and your mother had written me that you and Anoush would be coming to live with us after the Gathering. Now, Dillon, my stepson, continue.” He put a comforting arm about the boy.

       “My lord stepfather, there is magic here. I know there is. You must come to the New Outlands and you must call for Prince Kaliq to come, as well. My mother is gone, I know it. I feel it! Further searching will not find her there.”

       Magnus Hauk knew that Dillon favored his mother for she had often enough marveled that he did. “What do you know?” he asked his stepson.

       “I can only speak before Prince Kaliq,” Dillon replied. “I tried to tell Liam and the others but they would not listen to me. They do not understand!”

       Magnus Hauk nodded. “No,” he said quietly. “They would not.” He did not argue with Dillon. Instead he called out in a firm voice, “Kaliq of the Shadows, I need your aid. Please come to me.”

       And then suddenly Prince Kaliq stepped from a hazy corner of the chamber. He bowed to the Dominus; an eyebrow raised curiously as he saw Dillon. “How may I help you, Magnus Hauk?” he asked. “Good morning, Dillon.”

       “Lara has disappeared from the New Outlands,” Magnus Hauk said without any preamble. He then quickly explained what Dillon had told him. “There is more, but Dillon will only speak of it to you.”

       “Let us sit down,” the Shadow Prince said. “I can feel your fear, your concern and your exhaustion, Dillon. Sit by me and tell me what you could not tell the others.”

       The three sat together upon a silken couch that had been placed before a large hearth. The prince raised a hand and snapped his fingers; a fire sprang up in the fireplace, crackling and snapping, its warmth spreading out to touch the boy’s thin, chilled frame. Almost immediately, a goblet appeared in the prince’s hand and he offered it to Dillon who sipped thirstily. “Now, tell me,” Kaliq said gently.

       Dillon explained how they had watched the flying stars and then gone to bed. “I awoke because I thought I heard a noise,” he said. “I opened my eyes and saw filmy creatures hovering over Mother. They were almost silent but for the

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