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you?”
    Ancar grinned, his spirits buoyed up by his new-found feelings of power. This was too great an opportunity to resist.
    â€œKing Ancar of Hardorn,” he said, softly; then, with steel in his voice that showed he would not be trifled with, added, “But you will call me—‘Master.’ ”
    The bright eyes flashed in impotent anger, and Ancar laughed, waving to the litter bearers to be on their way. He had the upper hand here, and he was not going to give Falconsbane a chance to regain it.

Chapter Two
    H erald Elspeth, Heir to the Kingdom of Valdemar, Adept-Mage-In-Training, Wingsister to Tayledras clan k’Sheyna, was in hot water up to her neck—again. She was immersed in a steaming pool, surrounded by Hawkbrother scouts and mages, and members of the legendary Kaled’a’in clan k’Leshya, not all of whom were human. . . .
    â€œThis feels marvelous. I say it every day, but I’ll say it again: We don’t have anything like this back in Valdemar. Yet!” Elspeth smiled to her counterparts in the hot-spring grotto. “I got word from Gwena there were inventors in Haven working on a water heating system using the fires from forges. If they can make it work, I am definitely going to encourage them to make something like this.”
    Iceshadow k’Sheyna twisted a few strands of his waist-length, winter-white hair around his finger, and looked thoughtful. It was difficult to tell how old he was, despite the white hair; older than Elspeth, but that was about it. His smooth, sculptured face showed little sign of age, and only a few worry lines creased Iceshadow’s brow as a sign of past troubles. He stretched out his arms, popping his joints softly. “You’ll be taking many new ways of thinking back to your people. However,” he continued, “k’Sheyna will always be a home to you.”
    â€œVery true. And while I am proud to be a Wingsister . . . well, as much as I love the Vales, I would like to see my old familiar surroundings. I like to travel, but I’m not really nomadic. Even people I couldn’t stand back at the palace seem pleasant once I’ve been away from them for a while.” “I feel the same way about our Clan. Those few I disliked in person, I have come to feel affection for when away. Distance and time can do that. But I must admit,” he said to Elspeth, “that despite being thrilled at the thought of seeing the rest of k’Sheyna again, this whole Gating business makes me very nervous. Making a Gate, in the heart of this Vale. . . .”
    It wasn’t Elspeth who answered him. Firesong, who seemingly had not been paying attention to anyone but his black-haired companion Silverfox, grinned back over his shoulder at them. “Ah, there is no unstable Heartstone here, elder cousin. You have no reason to be nervous. Well, not because of Gates, anyway.”
    When Firesong smiled, it was difficult not to smile back. The supernally handsome Adept from the North could charm just about anyone or anything if he exerted himself, and Iceshadow was no exception to the power of that charm. “Only a node here, and another in the gryphons’ ruins. Nothing to fret over. There are more than enough mages here to keep the effects of a Gate Spell balanced, and prevent a spring storm from dropping down upon us.”
    The older Hawkbrother laughed shakily, returning Firesong’s grin. “It is difficult to convince my insides of this, youngling. We lived too long in the shadow of power we dared not trust. It can make anyone wary.”
    Firesong scowled a little but nodded. He, of all of them, knew best the chill of that shadow, for he had been the one most directly involved in confining it. Elspeth understood Iceshadow’s meaning only too easily herself. The little time she had spent in the presence of the rogue, unstable Heartstone of k’Sheyna Vale had been more than enough to convince her