her head resting against his shoulder, and he had little desire to move. He smiled to himself, remembering the first time she had fallen asleep thus, within the Deep Forest. His grin turned wry, recalling her fearsome reaction to be woken.
Grey light filtered into the room, brightening by the second. As his eyes adjusted, he was surprised to find the red frost wolf curled up beside Kalla. Well, Vander didn't surprise him. The surprise was Kasai who, in his harrier form, was wedged between the wolf and Kalla.
Aleister's smile deepened. Kalla seemed to attract people. People changed by being around her. He had seen it in Vander, in Kasai, even in himself.
The harrier stirred to wakefulness, fixing a bright accusing eye on Aleister. The Fox grinned as Kasai yawned, then jerked his hand away as the hawk snapped his beak at it in irritation. Kasai carefully edged away from them before willing himself to change. Aleister frowned as he noticed that his Mage clutched a pair of fox-flutes to her chest.
Aleister kissed her on one fluffy ear and gently moved away to stand himself. From the balcony he heard soft voices. Looking out, he saw that Sir Lukas and Manny were already awake. He nodded towards the balcony. Kasai nodded back, and they padded softly out, careful not to disturb the sleeping magi.
“Good morning, Lord kyl'Malkador. Sir Lukas,” Aleister said, nodding to each in turn. The hawk echoed his greeting.
“Good morning, Prince. Good morning, Master Kasai,” Manny responded. Aleister winced at the title, but let it be.
“I checked on Lady Kalla and Lord Vander when I woke. They rest peacefully and should wake soon.”
Aleister breathed a silent sigh of relief at the news.
Manny paused for a moment to look out at the rising sun, staining the sky orange and rose, before he continued.
“I was surprised to find Vander such a capable Healer, despite what I learned from Lady Kalla. He did a superb job, such that even Lord Hauss could not find fault. I wonder if she has become as skilled a War Mage as he is?”
The Fox shook his head. “I don't know, Lord kyl'Malkador. She has been given no reason, as yet, to test that.”
As they waited for the others to waken, or the Argosians to summon them, Manny quizzed Kasai of life on the Plains, and Aleister of life elsewhere. Aleister smiled to himself, thinking how very sheltered the young mage seemed. He knew that novice magi rarely left the Kanlon, and never so without the company of a maester, a Mage that had earned Kyl' as part of their name.
Finally he became aware of Kalla stirring and hurried back inside in time to help her up, the others following behind. She frowned at the fox-flutes, but said nothing regarding them as she tucked them safely away. Their noise was enough to wake Vander and the wolf huffed grumpily, stretching out his paws. With a sigh, he shifted and immediately turned his attention to Kalla. His look was one of relief when he saw that she was up and about.
“You gave us quite a scare yesterday, Dashkele,” he said. She favored him with a warm smile.
“You did a good job,” she replied, assessing her own body and the healed damage. “But what of Emperor Sykes.”
“He is well. Lord kyl'Malkador saw to that. Our cover is blown of course. The Fleet Admiral was none too happy. …And Sir James is dead, at least as far as we know. Grosso took his body away before any could make sure,” Vander replied.
“He did take a shot to the chest at close range. Grosso doesn't seem to be near as skilled in healing as any of you. Surely he couldn't have healed the Praetor,” Kasai said.
“Grosso is not,” Vander said softly. “But if the Nagali had a use for Sir James, he could very well have used the Artisan as a conduit.” The War Mage shivered, recalling his own experiences. Al'Dhumarna had still found him useful after he had taken out Gasta and had thus deigned to give Vander a tiny fraction of power, but that tiny bit had been enough to
Grey light filtered into the room, brightening by the second. As his eyes adjusted, he was surprised to find the red frost wolf curled up beside Kalla. Well, Vander didn't surprise him. The surprise was Kasai who, in his harrier form, was wedged between the wolf and Kalla.
Aleister's smile deepened. Kalla seemed to attract people. People changed by being around her. He had seen it in Vander, in Kasai, even in himself.
The harrier stirred to wakefulness, fixing a bright accusing eye on Aleister. The Fox grinned as Kasai yawned, then jerked his hand away as the hawk snapped his beak at it in irritation. Kasai carefully edged away from them before willing himself to change. Aleister frowned as he noticed that his Mage clutched a pair of fox-flutes to her chest.
Aleister kissed her on one fluffy ear and gently moved away to stand himself. From the balcony he heard soft voices. Looking out, he saw that Sir Lukas and Manny were already awake. He nodded towards the balcony. Kasai nodded back, and they padded softly out, careful not to disturb the sleeping magi.
“Good morning, Lord kyl'Malkador. Sir Lukas,” Aleister said, nodding to each in turn. The hawk echoed his greeting.
“Good morning, Prince. Good morning, Master Kasai,” Manny responded. Aleister winced at the title, but let it be.
“I checked on Lady Kalla and Lord Vander when I woke. They rest peacefully and should wake soon.”
Aleister breathed a silent sigh of relief at the news.
Manny paused for a moment to look out at the rising sun, staining the sky orange and rose, before he continued.
“I was surprised to find Vander such a capable Healer, despite what I learned from Lady Kalla. He did a superb job, such that even Lord Hauss could not find fault. I wonder if she has become as skilled a War Mage as he is?”
The Fox shook his head. “I don't know, Lord kyl'Malkador. She has been given no reason, as yet, to test that.”
As they waited for the others to waken, or the Argosians to summon them, Manny quizzed Kasai of life on the Plains, and Aleister of life elsewhere. Aleister smiled to himself, thinking how very sheltered the young mage seemed. He knew that novice magi rarely left the Kanlon, and never so without the company of a maester, a Mage that had earned Kyl' as part of their name.
Finally he became aware of Kalla stirring and hurried back inside in time to help her up, the others following behind. She frowned at the fox-flutes, but said nothing regarding them as she tucked them safely away. Their noise was enough to wake Vander and the wolf huffed grumpily, stretching out his paws. With a sigh, he shifted and immediately turned his attention to Kalla. His look was one of relief when he saw that she was up and about.
“You gave us quite a scare yesterday, Dashkele,” he said. She favored him with a warm smile.
“You did a good job,” she replied, assessing her own body and the healed damage. “But what of Emperor Sykes.”
“He is well. Lord kyl'Malkador saw to that. Our cover is blown of course. The Fleet Admiral was none too happy. …And Sir James is dead, at least as far as we know. Grosso took his body away before any could make sure,” Vander replied.
“He did take a shot to the chest at close range. Grosso doesn't seem to be near as skilled in healing as any of you. Surely he couldn't have healed the Praetor,” Kasai said.
“Grosso is not,” Vander said softly. “But if the Nagali had a use for Sir James, he could very well have used the Artisan as a conduit.” The War Mage shivered, recalling his own experiences. Al'Dhumarna had still found him useful after he had taken out Gasta and had thus deigned to give Vander a tiny fraction of power, but that tiny bit had been enough to
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