Part 5 (1/2)

”Are you sure he's ready for the CoUegmm?”'Darius asked anxiously. ”Celador's such a long way away and there's no one to keep an eye on him.”

Jarrod and Tokamo exchanged a look. ”I can a.s.sure you that he's quite capable of looking after himself and

30 may even benefit from not having a doting grandfather around to spoil him.”

Darius smiled ruefully. ”Frankly, it's what happens after the Collegium that bothers me,” he said.

”How so?”

”Well, if his Talent's as strong as you seem to think it is, he's not likely to want to settle down to a life at Gwyndryth.”

”You haven't,.” Jarrod pointed out. ”Then again, I'm more than a little surprised that Marianna spends as much time there as she does.”

”I know.” Darius drank some more wine and wiped his mouth with his left hand. ”I'd like to see more of her, but she and Naxania don't get along all that well.

I'd also like to see her remarried,” he added in a burst of candor. ”If anything happened to young Joscelyn . . .”

He let the sentence trail off.

”The boy's in robust health,” Tokamo said, ”and at least you don't have to worry about him being killed in the war.”

”I wish I could be sure of that,” Darius replied. ”I don't like the sound of what happened this morning.

You'll forgive my saying so, but I wish the Discipline had more clout.”

”The people still rely on us,” Jarrod said.

”Yes, but it's been fifteen years since the Discipline did anything dramatic. People become accustomed to having dependable weather and mill wheels that turn even when the rivers are low. They take you for granted.” He paused. ”What I'm really suggesting is that it is time for another grand gesture to rea.s.sert your authority.”

”Do you have any suggestions?” Tokamo asked

skeptically.

Darius gave a little shrug. ”Perhaps Greylock would 31.

like to flex his Magical muscles. After all, he's seldom seen these days.”

”You must understand, my lord,” Jarrod said quickly before Tokamo could intervene, ”that the Mage is not as young as he used to be.”

”Who among us is?” the Holdmaster said. He fin- ished his wine, and it was apparent that he was going to take his leave. ”On the other hand,” he added, ”he does have you two strapping lads to help him, doesn't he? Look, I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but I wish you'd think about what I've said. The Discipline's always been the binding force in the Magical Kingdoms and I have a nasty suspicion that we're going to need you now more than ever.”

He got to his feet, bringing the other two with him, and parting courtesies were exchanged.

”Well, Jarrod, what do you make of all that?” To- kamo asked after the Holdmaster had been ushered out.

”I think that Queen Naxania has more problems than we are aware of. I've known the Holdmaster for a long time and he's never been adept at dissimulation.”

”I think he was sincere,” Tokamo objected.

”Oh, he was. I've no doubt about that. I just don't think that the visit was his idea. Naxania wants some- thing from us and she doesn't want to face either Rag- nor or Greylock directly. She used the Holdmaster instead.”

”Speaking of that, it's time she married the man, don't you think? She isn't getting any younger either and she's the last of the line.”

”He's a foreigner,” Jarrod replied. ”That's tolerable in a lover, but not in a consort- Besides, she's got time.

Her Talent enables her to control her body in ways de- nied other women-as long as she doesn't perform re- ally strong Magic.”