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beauty of it,” Aahz said, narrowing his big yellow eyes. “He’s convincing her to go with him of her own free will. Look at her face.”
    Since the Jahk was invisible, I could see right through him, in more ways than one. Even with Hugh Badaxe madly in love with her, Massha had admitted to me she’d never felt really attractive. To have someone who insisted that he couldn’t live without her had to be pretty overwhelming. Shilldon made her feel beautiful.
    “I’m going over there,” I said. “I’m going to tear his cloak off and reveal him to everyone!”
    Aahz clamped a scaly hand on my arm and hauled me back again.
    “Calm down, kid,” he said. “There’s no way you can take him. This is a Jahk. He’s used to competing—and winning. And if he’s about Massha’s age, he has twice your experience, and probably a hundred magik items, all of which he’s an expert at using. And it looks like he’s charming as hell. She was scared out of her mind to meet up with him. Now she’s acting like a kitten. That’s a powerful personality. What do you have?”
    I fumed for a minute on Massha’s behalf, then I stopped to think about it. Hard. Then, I smiled.
    “I have you.”
    He grinned, showing all of his four-inch pointed teeth.
    “Right. That’s not all. You’ve got special abilities today. You’ve been sworn in as an Affection Day messenger. What’s that suggest to you?”
    I clutched the bowstring that stretched from my chest to my hip.
    “I can’t shoot him! What if he really is Massha’s one true love?”
    He eyed me.
    “And what do you really think the odds of that are? Think! She told you he never went through the Affection Day ritual with her. He said he didn’t need to. What’s that suggest to you?”
    “That he’s sure it isn’t true,” I said. I eyed him, speculating. “Does the arrow really help you identify your real love, or just someone who could love you?”
    “The effect’s temporary,” Aahz said, his voice a low, amused purr. “It just adds spice to the relationship. Do you think I’d be sending you out to a dozen honeys if I thought they’d all be coming for me at once?”
    I felt my eyebrows rise. Then I reached for my bow.
    “I think I have an Affection Day delivery to make.”
    I marched across the crowded square. The dancing couples waved and smiled at me as I passed.
    “Shoot us!” a middle-aged matron cried, crushing one of the disguised Deveels in a passionate embrace. The Deveel looked terrified. “He’s marvelous!”
    “I’ll be back,” I said.
    Massha glanced up at me as I approached. For just a moment, I saw the outline of a handsome face with a pronounced jaw, then it vanished.
    “Skeeve, what are you doing?” she asked.
    “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” I asked, pointedly turning to the empty stool. In my mind’s eye, I could still see the outline of a body. It was much larger than mine, with shoulders twice as wide and hands the size of my head. I wasn’t going to let mere size intimidate me. Massha was counting on me!
    “Um, sure,” Massha said. Her voice trembled. “Skeeve, this is Shilldon. He’s … he’s the love of my life.”
    The face I had glimpsed appeared again. Shilldon wore a self-satisfied smirk. Even though I wanted to punch him out, I was struck by how absurdly handsome he was. I was good at spotting illusions, and this was no illusion. He had wide, chiseled cheekbones, a noble brow, clear green eyes, and a mouth that was at once masculine but soft. By comparison, he made me feel like a scarecrow, and the ridiculous messenger suit didn’t do anything to help.
    “Nice to meet you, Shilldon,” I said. “When are you leaving Klah?”
    The smirk broadened.
    “As soon as I can convince this gorgeous lady to come with me,” he said. His hand appeared on top of Massha’s on the table. His fingers squeezed hers tightly—a little too tightly. “I’ve been searching for her for years.”
    Massha’s