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position and not wait around for your young gallant to trade you for a Maronnaise princess!”
    LaBarque did not accompany her on the coach ride home, to Rosalie’s enormous relief. She had disliked the man from the moment she set eyes on him. Now she knew why.

CHAPTER SIX
    S UN on her eyelids, the warble and trill of birdsong, the fresh scent of a summer woodland on a teasing breeze. Gabrielle stretched and lingered in her bed, savoring the slow awakening of her senses.
    She was home. It was a new home, but from the moment she had set foot into Stonewater, just three days ago, she had been at ease. Full of excited recognition and gladness at each new sight, she realized with surprise that she had missed it. Not just Féolan, but the place itself—the subtle, airy buildings, the mingling of wood and bright glades, the winding pathways. Then little Eleara had flown down the path to meet her, no longer shy but chattering brightly, and Danaïs and Célani had followed, and she could hardly remember the awkwardness of her first visit.
    The only mar to her happiness was on Derkh’s behalf. She had been surprised to find he still wanted to come to Stonewater, but his explanation—that he was ill at ease at the castle with his host gone and needed time to work out a plan for his future—made sense, and Féolan was willing. However, he had blindfolded Derkh for the last two hours of their journey, explaining that he could not, without the council’s permission, allow a Greffaire to know the location of the settlement. Derkh had nodded his understanding, but Gabrielle knew he felt the humiliation of it.
    Derkh’s eyes had gone round with wonder when the cloth wasremoved and he first beheld the Elvish community. “I see what you mean,” he had breathed to Gabrielle. “It is more different than I could have imagined.” These past days he had been even quieter than in Chênier, but he seemed more relaxed. Maybe it was easier here, she thought, where his difference would be attributed simply to being Human.
    The shocking thing Derkh had said to the head of council came again to her mind. Féolan had spoken long with Tilumar to explain their seemingly outrageous request to harbor a
Gref Orisé
soldier. Finally, Tilumar had asked to speak to Derkh himself.
    “Gabrielle and Féolan have declared you a friend,” he said. “Yet you are also of the land of our enemy. Why should I trust that you return their friendship?”
    “Gabrielle saved my life,” answered Derkh, as if that one fact explained everything. “Twice, she saved my life.” Tilumar waited for him to go on. Derkh shrugged with impatience. “It is a debt more binding than any I know. I would die rather than betray her.”
    “It is fairly spoken,” said Tilumar. “But what of Féolan? He did not save your life. Rather, as I hear, he has done you harm, even to the slaying of your own father.”
    Derkh, dark eyes flashing, had drawn his slight figure up with a dignity that seemed beyond his years. Suddenly, Gabrielle felt she looked at another Derkh: not the uncertain boy, but the warrior destined for high command. “Féolan has offered up his neck in redress for my father’s death, and I have refused it. Why should I give up the easy opportunity, to seek a harder one? There is no ill will between us.”
    After the briefest hesitation, Féolan had translated. Tilumar, visibly taken aback, had looked with long appraisal at both of them.
    “I deem you speak true,” he said at last. “You are welcome to stay in Stonewater, under the protection of Féolan. Yet, for the time being, if he leaves, then you also must depart.”
    It had been some time before Gabrielle was able to question Féolan in private about those words. She could hardly believe what he had done. She still did not know whether to be appalled or impressed by his action.
    Standing barefoot in front of the washbasin, Gabrielle twisted back her chestnut hair and splashed water on her face. Tonight