Kushiel's Dart

over. "Yes," he murmured.
    "I ... my lady bids me ask, is it true that you have sworn an oath upon it?"
    Delaunay looked up at her, and the emotions writ on his face were too many and too complex to decipher. "Yes, Ysandre," he said gently. "It is true."
    She drew in her breath sharply, then raised her hands and pulled down her hood, and I saw the pale gold hair of Ysandre de la Courcel. "You knew," she said, and I knew her voice too, now that it was no longer muffled. "Then tell me what news you have."
    "There is none." Delaunay shook his head. "I wait on word from Quintilius Rousse. I would have told Ganelon, the minute it arrived."
    "My grandfather." There was an edge in her voice, and the Dauphine moved restlessly, though I could tell her gaze stayed on Delaunay. "My grandfather would use you, and keep you from me. But I wanted to see for myself. I wanted to know if it was true."
    "My lady," Delaunay said, in that same gentle tone, "it is not safe for you to be here, nor for us to speak of. . . this matter."
    She laughed, a trifle bitterly. "It is the best I could manage. I have the Queen's quarters, you know, since my mother died. There was a Queen, once, some hundred years gone, who was enamored of a player. Josephine de la Courcel. She had this passage built." She crossed to the mirror-door, and pressed the hidden catch to open it. I could see Delau-nay's brows rise a fraction. "My lord Delaunay, I am alone in this, with no friends to aid me and no way of knowing who I can trust. If you honor your vow, will you not give me counsel?"
    Delaunay bowed, as he had not done when she'd drawn back her hood. Straightening, he returned the ring to her. "My lady, I am at your bidding," he said softly.
    "Come with me, then." She stepped behind the mirror, and I could see her no more. Without hesitation, Delaunay followed. The mirror closed behind them, once more blending seamlessly into the wall.
    Cramped and uncomfortable, I remained crouching beneath the chair for some minutes, until I was certain they had gone. Then, pushing the pasteboard shield out of the way, I crawled out of my hiding place and glanced in the mirror to see if I looked as dumbstruck as I felt. I did.
    Taking a deep breath, I gathered my composure and steeled myself to find the western doors and deal with the next confrontation.
    This one came in the form of a very irate Cassiline Brother. I had seen Joscelin white with rage; this time, waiting with Rogier Clavel's coach, he was apoplectic.
    "I will not" he began in a tight voice, "have my vows compromised because you -"
    "Joscelin." Weary with the exhaustion that prolonged tension can bring, I cut him off. "Is not your order vowed to protect the scions of Elua?"
    "You know it is," he said uncertainly, unable to guess my intent in asking.
    I was beyond caring. "Then hold your tongue and ask me nothing, because what I have seen this day might endanger House Courcel itself. And if you're fool enough to mention it to Delaunay, he'll have both our heads for it." With that, I climbed into the coach, settling myself for the homeward journey.
    After a moment, Joscelin gave the coachman the order and joined me. His glare was no less furious, but it held something new besides: curiosity.

THIRTY-THREE
    Delaunay returned some time in the small hours of the night, and was quiet and pensive the next morning. I more than half thought Joscelin would betray my disappearance to him, but I was wrong. He performed his exercises with a particularly single-minded focus, heedless of the cold air, the twin blades of his daggers weaving elaborate steel patterns.
    I stood bundled in my warmest garments and shivered on the terrace, watching him. When he was done, he sheathed his blades and came to speak with me.
    "Do you swear to me that what you ask in no way dishonors my vows?" he asked in a quiet voice. All of that, and he wasn't even winded; I was hard put to catch my breath just standing in the cold.
    I nodded. "I swear it," I said, trying to keep my teeth from chattering.
    "Then I will say nothing." He raised his mail-backed hand, one finger extended. "This once. If you will swear not to deceive me again while you're in my protection. Whatever I may think of it, I'd not keep you from honoring your pledge to Naamah, Phedre. I'm pledged to Cassiel to protect and serve, and I ask only that you respect my vows as I do yours."
    "I swear it," I repeated. I hugged myself against the cold. "Shall we go in now?"
    There was a