.
"I would prefer not," said Sandre d'Astibar finally. "Not like this," he added, as Devin drew breath again. "Will you accept an apology from one who is sunken as low as he has ever been?"
"I will," said Alessan simply. "And I would seek your counsel before we must, indeed, part ways for a time. Your middle son was taken alive. He will name me and Devin both tomorrow morning if not tonight."
"Not tonight," the Duke said, almost absently. "Alberico apprehends no danger anymore. He will also be quite seriously debilitated by what happened here. He will leave Tomasso until a time when he can enjoy what happens. When he is in a mood to ... play."
"Tonight, tomorrow," said Baerd, his blunt voice jarring the mood. "It makes little difference. He will talk. We must be away before he does."
"Perhaps, perhaps not," Sandre murmured in the same strangely detached voice. He looked at the four dead men on the floor. "I wish I knew exactly what happened," he said. "Inside the coffin I could see nothing, but I can tell you that Alberico used a magic here tonight so strong it is still pulsating. And he used it to save his own life. Scalvaia did something, I don't know what, but he came very near." He looked
at Alessan. "Near to giving Brandin of Ygrath dominion over the whole peninsula."
"You heard that?" Alessan said. "You agree with me?"
"I think I always knew it to be true, and I know I succeeded in denying it within myself. I was so focused on my own enemy here in Astibar. I needed to hear it said, but once will be enough. Yes, I agree with you. They must be taken down together."
Alessan nodded, and some of his own rigidly controlled tension seemed to ease away. He said, "There are those who still think otherwise. I value your agreement."
He glanced over at Baerd, smiling a little wryly, then back to the Duke. "You mentioned Alberico's use of magic as if it should have a meaning now for us. What meaning then? We are ignorant in these matters."
"No shame. If you aren't a wizard you are meant to be ignorant." Sandre smiled thinly. "The meaning is straightforward though: there is such an overflow of magic spilling out from this room tonight that any paltry power of my own that I invoke will be completely screened. I think I can ensure that your names are not given to the torturers tomorrow."
"I see," said Alessan, nodding slowly. Devin did not see anything; he felt as if he were churning along in the turbulent wake of information. "You can take yourself through space? You can go in there and bring him out?" Alessan's eyes were bright.
Sandre was shaking his head though. He held up his left hand, all five fingers spread wide. "I never chopped two fingers in the wizard's final binding to the Palm. My magic is profoundly limited. I can't say I regret it, I would never have been Duke of Astibar had I done so, given the prejudices and the laws governing wizards here, but it constrains what I am able to do. I can go in there myself, yes, but I am not strong enough to bring someone else out. I can take him something though."
"I see," said Alessan again, but in a different voice. There was a silence. He pushed a hand through his disordered hair. "I am sorry," he said at length, softly.④④網④文④檔④下④載④與④在④線④閱④讀④
The Duke's face was expressionless. Above the white beard and the gaunt cheeks his eyes gave nothing away at all. Behind him the fire crackled, sparks snapping outward into the room.
"I have a condition," Sandre said.
"Which is?"
“That you allow me to come with you. I am now a dead man. Given to Morian. Here in Astibar I can speak to no one, achieve nothing. If I am to preserve any purpose now to the botched deception of my dying I must go with you. Prince of Tigana, will you accept a feeble wizard in your entourage? A wizard come freely, not bound by some legend?"
For a long time Alessan was silent, looking at the other man, his hands quiet at his sides. Then, unexpectedly, he grinned. It was like a flash of light, a gleam of warmth cracking the i