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Abruptly, Dyan set down his empty wineglass and rose. He said, "But one pleasure which has no dangerattached is to watch young people grow in wisdom, cousin. I hope to see much of that growth hi you thiswinter, and I'll watch with interest. Meanwhile, keep this in mind: I know the city well and it would be apleasure to show you anything you wish to see." He laughed aloud suddenly and said, "And believe me,cousin, such instruction would at least leave no bruises."

He strode quickly away. Regis, collecting his cloak from

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the seat, felt more puzzled than ever, feeling there was some-thing else Dyan had wanted to say.

He had to pass the table crowded with cadets, lounging over cider or beer; he noticed that they werestaring at him in no friendly fashion. None of them offered him even the bare civility of a formal greeting. He set his chin and turned his back on them. He heard one say in a low tone, "Catamite!"

Regis felt a flood of intense anger washing over him. He wanted to turn on the boy and beat him to acrimson pulp. Then he set his jaw, disciplining himself to walk away and pretend he bad not heard. // youlisten to dogs barking, you'll go deaf and never learn much.

He remembered various insults be had pretended not to hear, mostly to the intent that the Comyn hungtogether, that he bad had special favors because he was a Comyn heir. But this one was new. Herecalled the taunt Danilo had flung at him the night before his expulsion. Dani was a cristoforo and to himit was more than an insult.

He knew Dyan would have nothing but scorn for such gossip. He never made any secret of his tastes. Yet Regis felt oddly protective toward his kinsman, having sensed his bitterness. He felt a strange wish todefend him.

It occurred to him again, with frustration too new for him to realize it was a commonplace amongtelepaths, that there were times when laran was absolutely no help at all in personal relationships.

The season ended. The cadets were dismissed to their homes and Regis moved into the Hasturapartments in Comyn Castle. He appreciated the peace and quiet and felt a certain pleasure in being ableto sleep as late as he pleased in the morning. And the Hastur cooks were certainly better than those in the Guards mess. The prolonged austerity, though, first in Nevarsin, then in the barracks, had made himalmost guilty about this kind of luxury. He couldn't appreciate it as he wanted to.

One morning he was at breakfast with his grandfather when Lord Hastur said abruptly, "You're notlooking like yourself. Is something wrong?"

Regis thought that his grandfather had seen so tittle of him that he would have no idea what he usuallylooked like. He

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was too polite to say it, of course, so answered, "Bored, maybe. Not getting enough exercise.*'

It disturbed him that he could not help picking up his grandfather's thoughts: It's wrong to keep the boyhanging about here when I've so little time to spend with him.

Hastur said aloud, "I'm afraid I've been too busy to notice, my boy. I'm very sorry. Would you tike toreturn to Castle Hastur, or go somewhere else?"

"I wasn't complaining, sir. But I feel I'm no use to you. When you asked me to stay for the winter, I

thought there was something I could do to help you.*1

"I wish you could. Unfortunately, you haven't the experience to be a great deal of help yet," Hastur said, hut could not conceal a faint flicker of satisfaction. He's beginning to be interested. "Some time this winter you might attend a few sessions of the Cortes and find out about the problems we're facing. I'll get you a pass. Or you could ride to Edelweiss, spend a few days with Javanne."

Regis shrugged. He found Edelweiss dull. There was no hunting except for rabbits and squirrels, the rainkept them indoors much of the time, and he and Javanne were too far apart in age and too unlike inpersonality to find much pleasure in each other's company.

"I know it's not very exciting there either," Hastur said, almost apologizing, "but she is your sister, and we do not have so many kinfolk that we can neglect one another. If you want hunting, you know, you are free to go to Armida at any time. Lew is away and Kennard too ill to travel, but you can go there and take a friend."

But the only friend he'd made in the cadets, Regis thought, was sent home in disgrace, "Kennard is ill,sir? What's wrong?"

Danvan sighed. "This climate doesn't agree with him. He grows more crippled every year. He'll be betterwhen the rains-" He broke off as a servant came in with a message. "Already? Yes, I have to go and talkwith a trade delegation from the Dry Towns," he said with weary resignation, laying down his napkin. Heexcused himself to Regis, adding, "Let me know your plans, lad, and 111 arrange for escort."

Left alone, Regis poured himself another cup of Terran coffee, one of the few luxuries the austere oldman allowed himself, and thought it over. The duty visit to Javanne could not, of course be avoided. Avisit to Armida could await

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Lew's return; he could hardly be intending to spend the winter at Aldaran.

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If Kennard was ill, courtesy demanded that Regis pay him a visit in his suite, but for some unknownreason he was unwilling to face the Alton lord. He did not know why. Kennard had always been kind tohim. After a time he focused it down to resentment: he stood by and watched Danilo's disgrace and didn'tsay a word. Lew wanted to interfere, but he couldn't. Kennard didn't care.

And Kennard was one of the most powerful telepaths in the Comyn. Regis, feeling this much resentment,was reluctant to face him. Kennard would know immediately how he felt.

He knew, rationally, that he should go to Kennard at once, if only to tell him about bis newly developinglaran. There were training techniques to help him master and control his new facilities. But hi the cadets ithad not seemed to matter, and the proper time to speak to Lew about it had never come till too late. Dyan had seemed to take it for granted that he already had what training he needed. Kennard was theobvious one to tell. He admonished himself sternly that he should go at once, now, today.

But he was still reluctant to face him. He decided to go to Javanne for a few days first. By that timeperhaps Lew would be back.

A few days later he rode north, the weight of it still on his mind. Syrtis lay half a mile from the northwardroad and, on an impulse, he told his escort to wait in a nearby village. He rode alone toward Syrtis.

It lay at the far end of a long valley, leading downward to the lake country around Mariposa. It was aclear autumn day, with ripening fruit trees hanging low under their thick harvest and small animals makingscurrying noises in the dry brushwood at the side of the road. The sounds and smells made Regis feelwell content as he rode along, but as he came down toward the farm his spirits sank. He had beenthinking Danilo well off, to be coming home to this pleasant country, but he had not realized how poor theplace was. The main house was small, one wing falling into such disrepair that it could hardly have beensafe for human habitation. The sparse outbuildings showed how few men must live on the place. The oldmoat had been drained, ditched and put to kitchen-gardens with neat rows of vegetables and pot-herbs.

An old, bent servant told him, touching his breast in rustic courtesy, that the master was just returningfrom the hunt. Regis suspected that in a place like this rabbit would be more plentiful on the table thanbutcher's meat.

A tall, aging man in a once-fine threadbare cloak rode slowly toward him. He was moustached andbearded, and sat his horse with the erect competence of an old soldier. A fine hawk sat, hooded, on hissaddle.

"Greetings," he said in a deep voice. "We see few travelers at Syrtis. How may I serve you?"

Regis alighted from his horse, making him a courteous bow. "Dom Felix Syrtis? Regis-Rafael Hastur,para servirte."

"My house and I are at your service, Lord Regis. Let me see to your mount. Old Mauris is half blind; I'd

not trust him with such a fine animal. Will you come with me?"

Leading his horse, Regis followed the old man toward a stone barn hi better repair than most of theoutbuildings, being weathertight and newly roofed. At the far end was a screened-off enclosure; nearerwere open box stalls, and Regis tethered his horse in the closest while Dom Felix took a cluster of smallbirds from the hook at his saddle and unsaddled his mount. Regis saw Danilo's beautiful black gelding inanother stall, the old bony hunter Dom Felix had been riding and two good, but aging mares. The other

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stalls were empty, except for a couple of clumsy plowhorses and a milk animal or two. This was abysmal poverty indeed for a family of noble blood and Regis was ashamed to witness it. He remembered that Danilo had hardly had a whole shirt to his back when he joined the cadets.

Dom Felix was looking at Regis* black mare with the kind of love that men of his type bestowed openlyonly on their horses and hawks. "A fine mount, vai dam. Armida-bred, no doubt? I know that pedigree."

"True. A birthday gift from Lord Kennard, before I went to Nevarsin."

"Might I ask her name, Lord Regis?"

"Melisande," Regis told him, and the old man stroked the velvet muzzle tenderly. Regis nodded to

Danilo's fine black. "And there is another of the same breed; they might well be foals of the same dam."

"Aye," said Dom Felix curtly, "Lord Alton does not withdraw a gift, however unworthy given." He shut

his mouth with a snap and Regis' heart sank; it promised ill for his mis-

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sion. Dom Felix turned away to see to the hawk, and Regis asked politely, "Had you good hunting, sir?"

"Indifferent," said Dom Felix shortly, taking the hawk from his saddle and carrying her to the enclosure at

the far end. "No, my lord, you will frighten a haggard I have here. Be pleased to remain where you are."

Rebuked, Regis kept his distance. When the old man returned, he complimented him on a well-trainedbird.

"It is my life's work, Lord Regis. I was hawk-master to your grandsire, when your father was a lad,"

Regis raised a mental eyebrow, but in these disturbed days it was not unusual to find a former courtierout of favor. "How is it that you honor my house, Dom Regis?" "I came to see your son Danilo."

The old man's tight-pressed lips almost disappeared between moustache and chin. Finally he said, "Mylord, by your uniform you know of my son's disgrace. I beg you, leave him in peace. Whatever his crime,he has paid more than you can know."

Regis said, in shock, "No! I am his friend!" Now the pent-up hostility exploded.

"The friendship of a Comyn lord is as the sweetness of a beehive: it bears a deadly sting! I have lost one

son already to the love of a Hastur lord; must I lose the last child of my old age as well?**

Regis spoke gently. "All my life, Dom Felix, I have heard nothing but good of the man who gave his lifein a vain attempt to shield my father. Do you think me evil enough to wish harm on the house of such aman? Whatever yo.ur grudge against my forefathers, sir, you have no quarrel with me. If Danilo has, hemust tell me himself. I had not known your son was so young he must seek a parent's leave to welcome a

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guest."

A faint, unlovely flush spread slowly over the bearded face. Regis realized too late that he had beenimpertinent. It came as no surprise that Danilo should be under his father's displeasure, yet he had spokenthe truth: by the law of the Domains, Danilo was a responsible adult.

"My son is in the orchard, Dom Regis. May I send to summon him? We have but few servants to bear

messages." "I'll walk down, if I may." "Forgive me, then, if I do not accompany you, since you

say your business is with my son. I must take these birds to my kitchen folk. The path will lead you to

the orchard."

Regis walked down the narrow lane the old man pointed out. At its end the path opened out to anorchard of apple and pear trees. The fruit, fully ripe, hung glistening among the darkening leaves. Danilowas there at the far end of the grove, his back to Regft^stooping to rake up some mulch around the treeroots. He was stripped to the waist, his feet thrust into wooden clogs. A damp sweat-rag was tiedaround his forehead, his dark hair in disorder above it.

The smell of apples was sweet and winy. Danilo slowly straightened his back, picked up a windfall andthoughtfully bit into it. Regis stood watching him, unseen, for a moment. He looked tired, preoccupiedand, if not content, at least lulled by hard physical work and the warm sun into a momentary peace.

"Dani?" Regis said at last, and the boy, startled, dropped the apple and stumbled over bis rake as he

turned. Regis wondered what to say.

Danilo took a step toward him. "What do you want?"

"I was on the road to my sister's house; I stopped to pay my respects to your father and to see how you