Illyth glanced over at Lady Mantis. "Jack, this is just a game. This is the way the Game of Masks works-plots within plots within plots. The Riddle of the Seven Faceless Lords is simply the plot device against which the real Game is played, a game of acting out parts and making alliances, a game of innuendo and intrigue that the players themselves create as they go along. That's the Game of Masks."

"It's also a regular gathering of the wealthiest and most powerful people of Raven's Bluff," Jack said. "If I were not the very soul of honesty, I might be tempted to use the Game as a convenient tool in furthering my own ambitions and designs outside the Game events. Perhaps by embarrassing or eliminating rivals."

"You have a sinister and suspicious mind, Jack."

"Every day I regret that I am not more generous and trusting, dear Illyth, but I suppose I must make the best of the talents I have been given." The line advanced again; Jack and Illyth were next in line to remove their masks in secret and leave the party. "Humor me for a moment: where is Lord Tiger?"

"Who knows?" Illyth said crossly. "The washroom? Drunk under a table? Perhaps trysting with a secret lover in a private room of the house?"

"Good answers all," Jack said. "I think he's outside, watching the entrance to the foyer. Lady Mantis will note when we go inside to remove our masks, and then she'll send someone-that servant there, by her side-to tell Lord Tiger that we are inside. When we leave, Tiger will identify us. Lady Mantis and Lord Tiger desperately want to know who Lord Fox and Lady Crane really are, and they mean to find out in just a few more moments."

"He might not know who we are, even if he does mark our appearance," Illyth said.

"True, but he could have us followed, or he might be able to ask anyone standing outside awaiting a carriage who we are. I might be difficult to identify, but I suspect you will be more easily recognized."

Illyth hugged her arms and suppressed a shiver. "Damn it, Jack. Now you have me thinking the same nasty and suspicious thoughts you're thinking. Should we delay removing our masks?"

"They'll simply wait as long as they need to. The longer they wait, the more players leave, and the easier it is to be certain of our identities."

"We can probably identify them in turn," Illyth pointed out.

"To what end?" Jack asked. "All we know is that they talked of something that sounded very suspicious. Who would move against a Game player based on that information?"

"So what should we do?"

"Fox them, of course. We'll leave without allowing ourselves to be observed." Jack drew Illyth out of the line for the robing room and led her across the ballroom to one of the antechambers. Lady Mantis watched them go and made a show of casually strolling in their direction, keeping an eye on them without following too closely. Jack and Illyth slipped behind a curtained alcove; then Jack turned to Illyth. "I know a little magic," he said. "I'll work a spell of invisibility on us both, and we'll walk right by Mantis and Tiger."

Myth stared at him. "You are a mage?"

"Merely one of my many talents, dear Illyth. I consider myself a renaissance man, well versed in a variety of skills and exploits. Now, I will cast the spell first on you. Take hold of my sleeve so that we don't lose each other when I make myself invisible too." Jack mumbled the words of the spell and worked the gestures and passes necessary to form the emerald energy into the shape he needed; Illyth, looking both surprised and delighted, faded from view. He waited until he felt her hand on his arm and then worked the spell for himself.

"You're invisible," whispered Illyth's voice in his ear.

"As are you, my dear. Now, stay close to me and try to move quietly."

"What of our masks?"

"We'll take them with us tonight. I don't think the Game attendants will mind too much, provided we bring them back for the Yellow Lord's Tournament." Jack set his hand on hers, and they strolled back into the ballroom arm in arm. Lady Mantis and her servant stood there, waiting and watching. Few Game players were left, a handful of handfuls scattered about the floor, laughing and gossiping as the attendants began to clean the room.

Jack altered their course so that they passed right in front of Lady Mantis. Illyth gasped in alarm and tugged at his arm, but he grasped her hand firmly and carried her along.

"Good evening, Lady Mantis," he said aloud. "I do hope you have enjoyed the party. Perhaps we'll see you outside. Good night!"

Mantis nearly jumped out of her shoes. "Who's there?" she snapped. Jack simply laughed and walked off, leading Illyth away.

"Are you insane?" Illyth hissed in his ear. "Now they'll know how we eluded them!"

"True," Jack admitted, "but Mantis and Tiger will spend days wondering whether or not invisible spies are listening in on their conversations and reporting their every action to the proper authorities. It should cause them no little worry."

"It should make them all the more interested in discovering who we really are!" Illyth groaned. "You never settle for half measures, do you?"

"Bold statements and daring actions are the hallmarks of confidence and the stuff of greatness," Jack said. "Shall we go?"

Side by side, they walked out into the night.

The next day, Jack sat on the end of a pier, kicking his feet idly over the waters of the inner harbor, and thought about what to do next. Time was heavy on his hands. All around him, the wharves thronged with people, longshoremen and sailors and teamsters and touts and peddlers, all shouting and calling out to one another as the business of the port carried on in the normal manner.

Elana had not left word for him at the Cracked Tankard, at least not yet, so he could not retrieve the book from its hiding place and collect the balance of his fee. He had a night and a day to wait yet before he could deliver the Sarkonagael. The next Game event was not for two nights yet, so there was little opportunity to continue his attack on the Riddle of the Seven Faceless Lords or to determine who Lady Mantis and Lord Tiger were and what it was they were up to.

Morgath and Saerk hadn't put in an appearance for days; presumably they'd followed Anders out of town in an effort to steal or recover the ruby the Northman held.

Marcus and Ashwillow hadn't shown their faces since that one unfortunate encounter in the alleyway near Jack's apartments.

Iphegor the Black had not been observed to leave his tower since the untimely demise of his familiar after Jack's burglary.

Ontrodes had run him out first thing in the morning when Jack dropped by to find out if the sage had learned anything more about the Sarkonagael. Even though Jack had the book in his possession, he was still interested in finding out what exactly it was so that he could figure out why Elana wanted it. He'd tried to read it, of course, but the cursed thing was obscured in a mage script he couldn't unravel. Of course, he didn't show Ontrodes any of the book-that would invite trouble, especially considering how diligently the sage was working for Zandria. Jack had the feeling that Zandria and the Sarkonagael would not mix well.

He looked up at the blue sky, streaked with high, wispy clouds. "At least it finally stopped raining," he remarked to no one in particular. He polished a stolen apple on one sleeve and took a reflective bite. The Brothers Kuldath suspected him of stealing their rubies. The Knights of the Hawk suspected Elana of something and associated him with her. Doubtless Iphegor the Black very much wanted somebody's head on a plate, although it was unlikely that the wizard would believe for long that Marcus the knight-commander was the perpetrator of his familiar's cruel end.