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I dragged myself to Marjorie's side. Her face was contorted, but even as I looked, it went slack andpeaceful. She had

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fainted and I was glad. The fires that had burned my hand to a sickening, charred ruin had struck inward, through her, as the fire of Sharra withdrew back through that opened gateway. I dared not let myself think what she must have suffered, what she must still suffer if she lived. I looked up at Callina with terrible appeal and read there what Callina had been too gentle to tell me in words.

Callina knelt beside us, saying with a gentleness I had never heard in any woman's voice, "We will try tosave her for you, Lew." But I could see the faint, blue-lighted currents of energy pulsing dimmer anddimmer. Callina lifted Marjorie in her arms, kneeling, held her head against her breast. Marjorie's featuresflickered for a moment in renewed consciousness and renewed pain; then her eyes blazed into mine,golden, triumphant, proud. She smiled, whispered my name, rested her head peacefully on Callina'sbreast and closed her eyes. Callina bent her head, weeping, and her long dark hair fell like a mourningveil across Marjorie's stilled face.

I let consciousness slip away, let the fire in my hand take my whole body. Maybe I could die too.

But there was not even that much mercy anywhere in the universe.

Epilogue

The Crystal Chamber, high in Comyn Castle, was the most formal of all the meeting places for Comyn Council. An even blue light spilled through the walls; flashes of green, crimson, violet struck through,reflected from the prisms everywhere in the glass. It was like meeting at the heart of a rainbow, Registhought, wondering if this was in honor of the Terran Legate. Certainly the Legate looked suitablyimpressed. Not many Terrans had ever been allowed to see the Crystal Chamber.

'*... in conclusion, my lords, I am prepared to explain to you what provisions have been made for enforcing the Compact on a planet-wide basis," the Legate said, and Regis waited while the interpreter repeated his words hi casta for the benefit of the Comyn and assembled nobles. Regis, who understood Terran Standard and bad heard it the first time around, sat thinking about the young interpreter, Dan Law-ton, the redheaded half-Darkovan whom he had met at the spaceport.

Lawton could have been on the other side of the railing, listening to this speech, not interpreting it for the Terrans. Regis wondered if he regretted his choice. It was easy enough to guess: no choice ever wentwholly unregretted. Regis was mostly thinking of his own.

There was still time. His grandfather bad made him promise three years. But he knew that for him, timehad run out on his choices.

Dan Lawton was finishing up the Legate's speech.

". . . every individual landing at any Trade City, whether at Thendara, Port Chicago or Caer Donn, when Caer Donn can be returned to operation as a Trade City, will be required to sign a formal declaration that there is no contraband in his possession, or to leave all such weapons under bond hi the Terran Zone. Furthermore, all weapons imported

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to this planet for legal use by Terrans shall be treated with a small and ineradicable mark of a radioactive

substance, so that the whereabouts of such weapons can be traced and they can be recalled."

Regis gave a faint, wry smile. How quickly the Terrans had come around, when they discovered the Compact was not designed to eliminate Terran weapons but the great and dangerous Darkovan ones. They had had enough of Darkovan ones on the night when Caer Donn burned. Now they were all tooeager to honor the Compact, hi return for a Darkovan pledge to continue to do so.

So Kadarin accomplished something. And for the Comyn. What irony!

A brief recess was called after the Legate's speech and Regis, going to stretch his legs hi the corridor,met Dan Law-ton briefly face to face.

"I didn*t recognize you," the young Terran said. "I didn't know you'd taken a seat in Council, Lord

Regis."

Regis said, "I'm anticipating the fact by about half an hour, actually.**

"This doesn't mean your grandfather is going to retire?"

"Not for a great many years, I hope."

"I heard a rumor-" Lawton hesitated. 'Tm not sure it's proper to be talking like this outside of diplomatic

channels . . ."

Regis laughed and said, "Let's say Tm not tied down to diplomatic channels for half an hour yet. One ofthe things I hope to see altered between Terran and Darkovan is this business of doing everything throughdiplomatic channels. It's your custom, not ours."

"I'm enough of a Darkovan to resent it sometimes. I heard a rumor that there would be war with

Aldaran. Any truth to it?"

"None whatever, Tm glad to say. Beltran has enough trouble. The fire at Caer Donn destroyed nearly eighty years of loyalty to Aldaran among the mountain people-and eighty years of good relations between Aldaran and the Terrans. The last thing he wants is to fight the Domains."

"Rumor for rumor," Lawton said. "The man Kadarin seems to have vanished into thin air. He'd been seen hi the Dry Towns, but he's gone again. We've had a price on his head since he quit Terran intelligence thirty years ago-"

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Regis blinked. He had seen Kadarin only once, but he would have sworn the man was no more thanthirty.

"We're watching the ports, and if he tries to leave Darkover well take him. Personally I'd say good riddance. More likely he*ll hide out in the Hellers for the rest of his natural life. If there's anything natural about it, that is."

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The recess was over and they began to return to the Crystal Chamber. Regis found himself face to facewith Dyan Ardais. Dyan was dressed, not in his Domain colors, but in the drab black of ritual mourning.

"Lord Dyan-no, Lord Ardais, may I express my condolences."

"They are wasted," Dyan said briefly. "My father has not been in his right senses for years before you were born, Regis. What mourning I made for him was so long ago I have even forgotten what grief I felt. He has been dead more than half of my life; the burial was unduly delayed, that was all." Briefly, grimly, he smiled.

"But formality for formality, Lord Regis. My congratulations." His eyes held a hint of bleak amusement. MI suspect those are wasted too. I know you well enough to know you have no particular delight in taking a seat in Council. But of course we are both too well trained in Comyn formalities to say so." He bowed to Regis and went into the Crystal Chamber.

Perhaps these formalities were a good thing, Regis thought. How could Dyan and he ever exchange acivfl word without them? He felt a great sadness, as if he had lost a friend without ever knowing him atall.

The honor guard, commanded today by Gabriel Lanart-Hastur, was directing the reseating of the

Comyn; as the doors were closed, the Regent called them all to order.

"The next business of this assembly," he said, "is to settle certain heirships within the Comyn. Lord Dyan

Ardais, please come forward.**

Dyan, in his somber mourning, came and stood at the center of .the rainbow lights.

"On the death of your father, Kyrfl-Valentine Ardais of Ardais, I call upon you, Dyan-Gabriel Ardais, to relinquish the state of Regent-heir to the Ardais Domain and assume that of Lord Ardais, with wardship and sovereignty over the Domain of Ardais and all those who owe them loyalty and

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allegiance. Are you prepared to assume wardship over your people?"

"I am prepared.*"

"Do you solemnly declare that to your knowledge you are fit to assume this responsibility? Is there any man who will challenge your right to this solemn wardship of the people of your Domain, the people of all the Domains, the people of all Darkover?"

How many of them could truly declare themselves fit for mat? Regis wondered. Dyan gave the proper

answer.

**I will abide the challenge."

Gabriel, as commander of the Honor Guard, strode to his side and drew Dyan's sword. He called in aloud voice, "Is there any to challenge the worth and rightful wardship of Dyan-Gabriel, Lord of Ardais?"

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There was a long silence. Hypocrisy, Regis thought Meaningless formality. That challenge was notanswered twice in a score of years, and even then it had nothing to do with fitness but with disputedinheritance! How long had it been since anyone seriously answered that challenge?

"I challenge the wardship of Ardais," said a harsh and strident old voice from the ranks of the lesser peers. Dom Felix Syrtis rose and slowly made his way toward the center of the room. He took the sword from Gabriel's hand.

Dyan's calm pallor did not alter, but Regis saw that his breathing had quickened. Gabriel said steadily,

"Upon what grounds, Dom Felix?"

Regis looked around quickly. As his sworn paxman and bodyguard, Danilo was seated just beside him. Danilo did not meet Regis' eyes, but Regis could see that his fists were clenched. This was what Danilohad feared, if it came to his father's knowledge.

"I challenge him as unfit," Dom Felix said, "on the grounds that he contrived unjustly the disgrace and dishonor of my son, while my son was a cadet in the Castle Guard. I declare blood-feud and call formal challenge upon him."

Everyone sat silent and stunned. Regis picked up Gabriel tanart-Hastur's scornful thought, unguarded,that if Dyan had to fight a duel over every episode of that sort he'd be here fighting until the sun came uptomorrow, lucky for him he was the best swordsman in the Domains. But aloud Gabriel only said, "Youhave heard the challenge, Dyan Ardais,

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and you must accept it or refuse. Do you wish to consult with anyone before making your decision?"

"I refuse the challenge," Dyan said steadily.

Unprecedented as the challenge itself had been, the refusal was even more unprecedented. Hasturleaned forward and said, "You must state your grounds for refusing a formal challenge, Lord Dyan."

"I do so," Dyan said, "on the grounds that the charge is justified."

An audible gasp went around the room. A Comyn lord did not admit that sort of thing! Everyone in thatroom, Regis believed, must know the charge was justified. But everyone also knew that Dyan's next actwas to accept the challenge, quickly kill the old man and go on from there.

Dyan had paused only briefly. "The charge is just," he repeated, "and there is no honor to be gamedfrom the legal murder of an old man. And murder it would be. Whether his cause is just or unjust, a manof Dom Felix* years would have no equitable chance to prove it against my swordsmanship. And finally Istate that it is not for him to challenge me. The son on whose behalf he makes this challenge is a man, nota minor child, and it is he, not his father, who should rightly challenge me hi this cause. Does he stand

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ready to do it?** And he swung around to face Danilo where he sat beside Regis.

Regis heard himself gasp aloud.

Gabriel, too, looked shaken. But, as protocol demanded, he had to ask:

"Dom Danilo Syrtis. Do you stand ready to challenge Lord Dyan Ardais in this cause?"

Dom Felix said harshly, **He does or I will disown him!"

Gabriel rebuked gently, "Your son is a man, Dom Felix, not a chad in your keeping. He must answer forhimself."

Danilo stepped into the center of the room. He said, "I am sworn paxman to Lord Regis Hastur. My Lord, have I your leave to make the challenge?" He was as white as a sheet Regis thought desperatelythat the damned fool was no match for Dyan. He couldnt just sit there and watch Dyan murder him tosettle this grudge once and for all.

All his love for Danilo rebelled against this, but before his friend's leveled eyes he knew he had nochoice. He could not protect Dani. He said, "You have my leave to do whatever honor demands of you,kinsman. But there is no compulsion

to do so. You are sworn to my service and by law that service takes precedence, so you have also my

leave to refuse the challenge with no stain upon your honor."

Regis was giving Dani an honorable escape if he wanted it He could not, by Comyn immunity, fight Dyanin his place. But he could do mis much.

Danflo made Regis a formal bow. He avoided his eyes. He went directly to Dyan, faced him and said,

HI call challenge upon you, Lord Dyan."

Dyan drew a deep breath. He was as pale as Danflo himself. He said, **I accept the challenge. But bylaw, a challenge of this nature may be resolved, at the option of the one challenged, by the offer ofhonorable amends. Is that not so, my lord Hastur?"

Regis could feel his grandfather's confusion like his own, as the old Regent said slowly, 'The law doesindeed give you this option, Lord Dyan."

Regis, watching him closely, could see the almost-involuntary motion of Dyan's band toward the hilt ofhis sword. This was the way Dyan had always settled all challenges before. But he steadied his hands,clasping them quietly before him. Regis could feel, like a bitter pain, Dyan's grief and humiliation, but theolder man said, in a harsh, steady voice, Then, Danflo-Felix Syrtis, I offer you here before my peers andmy kinsmen a public apology for the wrong done you, in that I did unjustly and wrongfully contrive yourdisgrace, by provoking you willfulry Into a breach of cadet rules and by a misuse of laran; and I offer youany honorable amends in my power. Win this settle the challenge and the blood-feud, sir?"