"You come by it honestly," Jewel said proudly. "Or dishonestly, as the case may be."

Ferret flashed a crooked smile at her. "But that wasn't all." His smile faded into an uncharacteristically solemn expression. "I think the Shadowstar had a hand in things. For one, the local master thief conveniently dropped dead the day I strolled into Soubar. Nothing completely impossible ever happened. It just seemed that every time there was a chancy situation that could go for or against me, it always went for me. And, well"—he gestured to the opulent furnishings around them—"this is the result."

"Why didn't you let us know you were alive?" Mari asked in exasperation.

Ferret scratched his chin nervously. "I was going to, reelly. It's just that I started to realize being dead has its advantages. It was like being given a completely fresh start. Everyone thought the thief Ferret had met his demise, and no one knew anything at all about the man Stiletto. The fact is, I've found that an aura of mystery is a great weapon. No one knows what to expect from you, so they always expect the worst. That tends to make them a little more… er, pliable." He sighed. "I suppose that's all over now." Ferret shook his head, dispelling his momentary melancholy. "But you still haven't told me why you've been searching for me. And by the way, where's Caledan?"

Morhion exchanged grim looks with the others. "You might wish to pour yourself another glass of wine before we explain…"

When at last Morhion had finished recounting all that had befallen, Ferret appeared visibly shaken. "Poor Caledan," he whispered sadly.

"You can understand why we are glad to have reached yon before Caledan did," Morhion said. "The Shadowstar is the key to halting or completing his metamorphosis. With it, we should be able to—"

"You can't have it!" Ferret snapped suddenly. As if by dark magic, the little thief's usually cheerful face was transformed into a pale mask of suspicion. He retreated into a corner, crossing his arms and glaring at them with calculating eyes. "I should have known all along that was what you wanted, to come here and rob me. Well I won't allow it! I'll call my servants before I let you touch any of my treasure." A look of pure greed crossed his face. "I found the medallion. I rescued it from the tomb. The Shadowstar is mine!" His hand strayed to the jeweled dagger at his belt as the others stared in shock. None had ever seen Ferret behave this way.

There was a tense moment of silence. At last, Jewel stepped forward. "That's not like you, Ferret," she said quietly, her violet eyes intent. He gripped the hilt of the dagger more tightly, staring at her with a mixture of fear and hatred, like a cornered animal. Jewel continued to approach him, speaking calmly.

"Greed is a thief's worst enemy, Ferret. You know that. It was the first lesson I ever taught you. A covetous thief is a dead thief. We commit thievery for our livelihood, and that's all. As soon as the objects we steal become dearer to us than life, it is our own lives that are stolen." Slowly, she reached out to touch his hand.

Ferret stared at her with a look of utter terror loathing. For a moment he gripped the knife with white-knuckled hands. Then he shuddered violently and let go of the dagger. He passed his hand before his face. The look of violence vanished.

"I'm . .I'm so sorry, Grandmother," he said haggardly "I don't know what came over me. I must be tired, that's all." He turned toward Morhion. "Of course you can have the Shadowstar, Morhion, if you think it might help Caledan."

Morhion only nodded. He watched the little thief thoughtfully. Once, a thousand years ago, the Shadowstar had transformed a simple minstrel into the Shadowking.

Ferret had possessed the medallion only a short time, but the thief had not gone untouched by its dark influence.

Ferret led them out of the chamber and through the twisting labyrinth of his hideout. Soon they came to a door hewn of a single massive slab of the same strangely slick black marble they had seen before. "I keep all my greatest treasures in here," Ferret explained. "The Shadowstar created the door for me. It will open only at my touch."

He placed his hand in a circular depression in the center of the marble slab. There was a hissing of air. Then the door parted along an unseen crack and swung silently open. Ferret took a torch from a nearby sconce and led the way. Inside the circular chamber were chests filled with glittering gems, stacks of priceless antique furniture and heaps of ornate weapons forged from precious metals. In the center of the chamber was a pedestal upon which rested a black velvet cushion, and on the cushion rested…

Nothing.

"By Shar!" Ferret swore in disbelief. "It's gone! The Shadowstar!"

"But how?" Mari demanded. "I thought you said that only you could open the door."

"A door created by shadow magic," Morhion added pointedly. From beneath his shirt, he drew out the ruby amulet. It glowed a brilliant crimson. "Caledan was here." he said grimly.

"I don't think we really need your amulet to tell us that, " Jewel replied, pointing to the far wall. A patch of stone looked as if it had melted and resolidified, forming the shape of a grotesque mouth that gaped open in a silent, frozen scream.

"In which case," Cormik added soberly, "he now has the Shadowstar."

Kellen bowed his head in sorrow. "Then we've lost."

Fifteen

"So where will he go now?" Mari asked the question as she paced restlessly back and forth across a thick Amnian rug. They had regrouped in Ferret's luxurious receiving chamber.

"Ebenfar," Morhion said after a moment.

The others looked at him in puzzlement.

"Ebenfar was the ancient kingdom ruled by Verraketh, the Shadowking," the mage explained. "Think of the words spoken by the two ghosts. The shade of Talek Talembar warned that a new king would rise to take the place of the old. And Kera's ghost warned Mari not to let Caledan ascend a throne." He smoothed a wrinkle from his long purple vest. "Now that he has the Shadowstar, Caledan will journey to Ebenfar, to rule as the new shadowking from Verraketh's throne."

Mari shivered. "If Caledan's transformation won't be complete until he sits upon Verraketh's throne, then he isn't a shadowking yet," she said fiercely. "I'm going a him, to stop him before he reaches Ebenfar."

"You will not go alone," Morhion said solemnly. "But there is a problem." He took a deep breath. "I do not know where Ebenfar is. We can follow Caledan's trail, as we have been doing, but we have little chance of reaching Ebenfar before him."

Mari's heart sank. Morhion knew so much—she simply assumed he would also know the location of Verraketh's ancient kingdom. She shook her head in despair. Now what were they to do?

A chill gust of air blew through the chamber, ruffling the tapestries and causing the chamber's oil lamps to gutter crazily. In the center of the room, a dark figure materialized out of thin air. It was a man, clad in ornate armor as black as polished onyx. Clearly, he was not alive. His eyes smoldered like hot cinders, and Mari could see dimly through the vaporous substance of his body.

"Serafi!" Morhion choked on the word.

Mari stared at Morhion. Serafi—that was the name the dark spirit with whom, years ago, the mage had forged a pact to save Caledan's life. The others gaped at the dusky spirit in horror, except for Kellen, whose gaze was calm and interested.

"Why have you come to me?" Morhion said hoarsely. "Why here, and why now?"

The spectral knight seemed to absorb all the light in the room. "I have come because it is clear you are far too stupid to complete your quest without my help," Serafi hissed. "And complete it you must, so that I can claim my due."

"How can I possibly afford any more of your help, Serafi?"