Bastion

around their Vales. For once Bey didn’t act as if he knew everything; his eyes were wide and guileless, and he asked dozens of questions. And when Jakyr was done, he sighed happily. “It is like tales I found in the ancient scrolls, only you have seen these things with your own eyes! It pleases me to know such things exist in the real world, though I will never see them.”
    “You might,” Mags began, but the young Sleepgiver only shook his head.
    “There will be no time. First, as soon as I return home, I must make sure to tell the Shadao some entirely true and truly evil tales of the demon-summoners of Karse. This will ensure we have no commerce with them while he lives. And it might mean he will take a closer look at those who make our talismans. And then I must find a Blessed maiden who has spirit and marry her and . . . huh . . .” His face took on a most thoughtful expression.
    “What?” Mags asked.
    “I believe I know just the maiden. She will not have wed in the time I was gone, for she is strong of face and spirit, rather than comely and pliant. Like you, Elder Singer,” he said slyly, with a little bow. Lita threw a pillow at him. “I like her, I just had never even considered wedding her, since . . . well . . . what young fool does not prefer comely and pliant until he grows to know better?” He nodded, as if satisfied with his plan. “This, I shall do. It is a good match. We like each other, and know each other, which is more than most who wed can say. I shall tell her of you, oh, my cousin, only you shall not be my cousin in the tale, but only a Blessed friend who helped me on my travels. Then I shall help her to become the partner that you, alas, will not.” He grinned broadly. “Thus, all my problems are solved! The Shadao will see that I have settled into responsibility and will call me heir. My wife shall be the treasure of my house and the guardian of my back. And perhaps we shall have Blessed children to also train! The Shadao will likely die soon after he names me heir, because he is sick and weary. And my wife and I shall guide the House of the Sleepgivers back to the old ways.”
    Once again, Mags was starkly reminded that the ways of the Sleepgivers were nothing like the ways of Valdemar. The Shadao, who Bey lightly said was like to die soon . . . was his father. His father who Bey said had loved his mother. And yet the son spoke of him as someone he respected but scarcely knew.
    “You make it sound very simple,” Lita said dryly.
    He stretched, like a well-satisfied cat. “It is simple. The maid is like never to marry, unless I were to take her, or she were to marry beneath her, which she will never do. And as for returning the House to the old ways—not so simple, but neither is it difficult. It is not as if there are not many evil men in the world, and those who wish to see them gone and will pay well.”
    “He has a point,” Lita told Jakyr, who was making a bit of a sour face.
    “I don’t have to like it,” Jakyr retorted.
    Bey laughed; apparently he found this very funny.
    “Well, I can use a damn rest too,” Mags said. “Jakyr, we need t’get some help up here with these people. If the rest of the Circuit goes like this first part has, it’s pretty damn obvious to me that we need three Heralds comin’ one after the other to remind folks they’re part of this Kingdom. Maybe if they hadn’t been left alone so much, they wouldn’t be like this.”
    “That’s entirely possible,” said Jakyr, with a speculative look on his face. “I think that’s a good idea. I think we should pass that on as soon as we can.”
    Which means, “You and Dallen pass it on.” Mags was pleased rather than otherwise. Why shouldn’t he be? This was Jakyr giving him responsibility.
    But then Jakyr went further. “I have a profound apology to make to you, Mags. I berated you for trusting Bey, when Dallen and Jermayan backed you. I should apologize to Jermayan and Dallen as well,” he added, looking at the two Companions on the other side of the cave. Jermayan just gave his Chosen a long, withering look. Dallen gave the Herald a long, withering look and snorted.
    “I give you both permission in the future to do whatever you feel you need to if I do that again,” Jakyr said, shamefaced. “I should have known better. I did know better. I let a great many things rule me when I should have been using my head.”
    “Aye,” Mags said slowly. “Ye should have. I