though he might be, I'll find one.' Kheda realised he was knotting his fingers so tightly his rings were digging in painfully and forced his hands apart. 'Until then, Ridu can serve as my bodyguard as well as captain of my personal warriors.' He gestured towards a figure crossing the next island but one.

'Yes, my lord.' It cost Beyau visible effort to smooth the dissatisfaction from his face.

Kheda looked up to check the position of the sun above the wheeling coral gulls. 'Do you suppose something's delayed Ulla Safar? His shipmasters aren't usually this far adrift of their tide.'

'We're expecting Redigal Coron's galleys for the sunset high water.' Beyau let his exasperation show. 'If Ulla Safar's galleys can't cross the reef when they arrive, they'll just have to stand off in the main channel while we see the Redigal flotilla anchored.'

Kheda shrugged. 'Ulla convenience is the least of my concerns.'

By tomorrow Ritsem Caid and the contingent from Daish will be here as well. Irrespective of omens, I must start this new year by renewing my ties with those domains I hope will remain my allies. And by getting the measure of those who at best wish me no good fortune, and at worst would happily see me dead. Is Itrac up to the challenge of besting their women in their silken combats?

He carefully fitted the lid back onto the box. 'We'll see if Ridu has news and then I'll take this gift to my lady.' He walked down the steps of the pavilion and headed for the bridge to the next islet, Beyau falling into step beside him. 'What are we serving our guests tonight?'

'Spotted deer from the forests of Boal. Bristle-mouthed fish from the knot-tree swamps. Silver fowl from Esabir. Green turtle from the shallows of Dalao.' Beyau ticked off delicacies on his fingers as they crossed

the swaying planks. 'Purple conch flesh from the Snake Bird Islands—'

'My lord.' A young warrior halted on the sandy path and bowed low. Straightening, he took off his steel helmet and tucked it under one arm, the veil of fine chain mail fixed to the shining brass brow band rasping against his brass-inlaid vambraces.

'The residence warriors are looking forward to testing themselves against the honour guards escorting our quests?' hazarded Kheda.

The grin widened on Ridu's cheerful brown face. 'We must uphold Chazen's reputation, my lord.' He rested one hand lightly on the hilt of the scabbarded sword thrust (hrough his wide belt. Bronze inlay on the steel plates inset into his gleaming mail hauberk to protect his vitals caught the sun with a flash of fire.

'As dragon slayers?' Beyau smiled reluctantly as he reached out to straighten the ridged grey scale hanging from a sturdy copper chain around the young swordsman's neck.

'We of Chazen owe those of Ritsem and Redigal a debt of gratitude for their help in driving out the wild men's invasion the year before last,' Ridu said with dignity. 'But we killed that second dragon ourselves last year. None can say doing so did not reclaim our standing as warriors in full measure.'

What would you say if you knew that cloud dragon we killed was a northern wizard's simulacrum, summoned to kill the true evil? The only real dragon was the one that came before it, linked in some mystery to the wild men who invaded in its vanguard, all of them wielding foul magical fires that no Aldabreshin could withstand. We could never have defeated a dragon without me forswearing myself and making that pact with Dev and then with Velindre. I wonder if Risala's found her yet.

Kheda set such concerns resolutely aside. 'Test

yourselves against the Ritsem guards, by all means. Ganil, Ritsem Caid's body slave, will be in command.'

'He's a good man,' Beyau allowed grudgingly.

'The Redigal warriors will test your mettle as well.' Kheda frowned slightly. 'I don't know who Redigal Coron's body slave might be. I imagine he still changes his personal attendant with each season.'

'Are you sure you don't want to come back to serve in the residence contingent?' Ridu regarded Beyau with spurious innocence.

'Spend the heat of the day in full armour taking orders from a whelp like you? No, thank you.' Beyau sounded almost convincing. 'Though I might dig out that talon I won from the dragon,' he mused.

'The Daish contingent will be led by Telouet, Daish Sirket's body slave.' Kheda succeeded in keeping his voice calm. 'Look for his help, and Ganil's, to make sure no one responds to provocation offered by Ulla Safar's entourage.'

'My lord.' Ridu hid his surprise at Kheda's candour with a bow.

Beyau showed no such discretion. 'You think they'll cause trouble?'

'They'll make the most of the least opportunity to do so,' Kheda said frankly, 'but I don't think even Ulla Safar would have his men start a fight wholly without justification. Not if you make it clear that Chazen, Ritsem and Daish stand shoulder to shoulder.'

Our neighbours may not see the same portents in the upheavals of these past two years but they agree that Ulla Safar overstepped the mark in trying to have me killed.

Ridu drew himself up to his full height. 'Yes, my lord.'

Kheda nodded to Beyau. 'Send word to my lady Itrac's pavilion as soon as any galleys are sighted.'

'Very good, my lord.' Beyau bowed low before turning

a stern eye on Ridu. 'I'll show you just where visiting warriors will be accommodated, in case of trouble.'

Ridu followed Beyau away across the island and Kheda took the walkway that led towards Itrac's pavilion. Household slaves and servants were in evidence but there wasn't the bustle that had reverberated around the lagoon for the past few days. Today, suppressed anticipation hung around maids dusting already immaculate steps and the water carriers delivering shining brass pots.

The sand before Itrac's pavilion was raked with elegant lines and an old man stood ready to smooth away Kheda's footprints. He bowed low and pushed open the tall door. The warlord acknowledged him with a brief smile and won a wrinkled grin from the old man.

Jevin was standing just inside. 'My lord.' Like Ridu, he wore a burnished hauberk of fine chain mail. Unlike the guard captain, he could boast no dragon scale around his neck, though rock crystal gleamed in the silver brow band of his helmet, on his broad silver-studded belt and on the pommels of his twin swords and crescent dagger.

If my deceits are ever discovered, no one will be able to condemn you as tainted with magic. You were guarding Itrac when Ridu, Beyau and I were killing an already dying dragon. You will guard her against any accusations that she shares my guilt.

Itrac's audience hall was ready for their anticipated quests. The floor tiles were the soft green of water over sandy shallows, while hangings of translucent silk echoed the countless shades of blue uniting sea and sky. Brightly coloured fish decorated a thick carpet of mottled blue silk. They swam in shoals and pairs and spirals through a deceptively simple pattern of drifting sea grass, bordered by clusters of sea stars, pearl oysters and particoloured clams. Kheda smiled as he placed the little box on one of the low ebony tables set at each corner of the

carpet. All were painted with intricate scenes of busy pearl divers.

No one is to be left in any doubt that the seas are rapidly replenishing this domain's wealth.

'Are you thirsty? Shall I send for juice?' Itrac was sitting cross-legged on a bank of cushions at one end of the carpet. She wore a full-skirted, long-sleeved gown of white silk shot with all the colours of the rainbow.

'Not on my account.' Kheda took a moment to flatter Itrac with his full attention.

Where her dresses had usually been designed to flatter her modest bosom, this one proudly celebrated the splendid cleavage granted by her new motherhood. She wore a collar of pearls touched with pink and blue and gold, lustrous against her copper skin, and bracelets of those same prized coloured pearls. More glistened in the midnight of her hair, drawn back to fall in a cascade of ringlets around her shoulders.