Shield's Lady

unexpectedly to Little Chance.”
    Gryph put his glass down and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. “I think someone has found a crystal ship, Delek.”
    Delek stared at him. “There hasn’t been a ship found for over fifty years.”
    “I know. But someone has stolen a prisma cutter. Two men have died because of that cutter. One of those men was an informant I occasionally use in Serendipity. Before he died he told me there were rumors of the cutter being taken north to Little Chance. Little Chance is the last town before one heads into the region that contains the Gorge of Storms.”
    Delek sat forward, watching Gryph carefully. “The last few crystal ships were found in the gorge.”
    “I know.”
    “Shields searched the region thoroughly after they neutralized those ships to determine if there might be any more”
    “That was over fifty years ago. It’s possible a ship was missed.”
    Delek nodded slowly. “Possible. Not probable, but possible. The terrain of the gorge is tricky. The rock formations there can conceal prisma rays. Have you sent word to the frontier towns?”
    “No. I haven’t dared. For one thing, I don’t think I have enough time to get a message to the borders and wait for the arrival of other Shields. For another, I’d have to trust the message to someone outside our class and I can’t do that.”
    “Why not?”
    Gryph sighed. “Because,” he said carefully, “I think there’s a rogue behind all this.”
    Delek stared at him. “Are you certain?”
    “No. But my informant, the one who died, thought there was a Shield involved. Brinton’s information was invariably accurate.”
    “I see your problem,” Delek said. “This is truly Shield business, then. The possibility of another prisma crystal ship having been found is bad enough. But if a Shield has gone rogue, we’re all in very serious trouble. Remember Targyn?”
    “I remember.” Gryph gazed at the flowers around him, remembering the tale he had once told Luri. “Luckily he’s become pure legend.”
    “Had he lived, he would have been a very dangerous man,” Delek said. “He had delusions of grandeur, I’m afraid. He dreamed of controlling prisma, you know. He wanted to test the old theories. He used to talk about it all the time. When no one supported his ideas he started spending more and more time alone in the mountains hunting bandits all by himself. He was crazy. No doubt about it. A real rogue Shield. Everyone was relieved when he met a glorious end. Saved us from having to send someone into the mountains to take care of him.”
    “Don’t remind me,” Gryph muttered. “I got the impression I might have been elected to do the job.”
    “Oh, no doubt about it,” Delek assured him cheerfully. “There aren’t many men who could have taken Targyn. You’re one of the few who might have been able to do it. He was good. Damn good.”
    “Luckily for me Targyn passed into legend all by himself.” Gryph paused, thinking. “ls there any other Shield in the area right now?”
    “Not as far as I know. There haven’t been many Shields through Little Chance during the past few months. No reason. Their work is out on the frontier and if they’re looking for wives, they usually head for Serendipity or one of the bigger towns to the south.”
    “I couldn’t find anyone in Serendipity and I haven’t got time to search any other towns along the way.”
    “I’ll come with you,” Delek said flatly. “I may not be of much use because of this game leg, but it looks like I’m all you’ve got in the way of backup. I assume you’re going into the gorge?”
    “It’s the only lead I’ve got. But I’ve given this some thought, Delek. I’ve decided it would be better if you took care of contacting the frontier clans. You know as well as I do that it has to be done in person. We can’t take the risk of letting outsiders know a Shield may have gone rogue.”
    Delek nodded. “We’ll have to take care of everything ourselves. I’ll leave at once. It will take a few days, even with the fastest dragonponies.”
    “Good. We’ll leave for the gorge this afternoon.”
    “We?” Delek asked quickly.
    Gryph permitted himself a small, satisfied grin. He lifted his glass. “Congratulate me, Delek. I’ve found a Shield-mate.”
    Delek smiled and raised his glass. “A cause for congratulations, indeed. Your clan will be pleased. What is your wife’s name?”
    “Sariana Dayne. She’s from the