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legs slightly apart, head tilted, regarding Han as if he’d never really seen him before. “My, my, Alister, such big words. This young woman, this teacher of yours, she has polished you up, hasn’t she?”

    Rebecca. Han’s gut twisted. in return, he’d likely gotten her killed.

    “what’s underneath is still the same,” Han said. “i’m going to get what i want and nobody is going to get in my way. including 32

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    you. we do this thing my way or you’re out. Take or leave.”

    “All right,” Crow said. “we will do things your way. But i wil give you advice, and you can choose to use it or ignore it.”

    “Fair enough,” Han said, his questions rekindling in his mind.
    “But first, i need to know—what happened between you and the Bayars, and when did it happen? where have you been in the meantime? And how did you happen to choose me?”

    “Does any of that really matter?” Crow said, turning away so Han couldn’t read his expression. “This is an alliance of convenience, nothing more. isn’t that enough?”

    “i’ve learned that whatever you don’t want to talk about is the thing i want to know,” Han said, thinking, if i know the why , if i know what drives you, i can better predict when i’ll get the blade in the back.

    “As i said, if i tell you the truth, you won’t believe me.” Crow paced back and forth, his image rippling again, which Han had come to recognize as a sign of agitation. was it such a horrible memory that Crow couldn’t stand to surface it?

    “Try me,” Han said, as Crow continued to pace. “Come on.
    At least tell me a really good lie; you might convince me.”

    “it doesn’t matter to you what happened,” Crow said. “it was long before you were born.”

    you’re not even that old, Han thought, then remembered that Crow could be any age.

    “nothing you say can possibly shock me,” Han said. “But nothing happens until i know what your story is.” Crow finally swung around to face Han. A bitter smile twisted his features. “we’ll see,” he said. “we’ll see just how foolhardy you are.” His image changed a little, sharpened, came into focus.
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    His hair remained fair, glittering, framing refined blueblood features—eyes the color of mountain asters and a good-humored mouth. As before, he looked to be only a few years older than Han.

    His clothing became more elaborate—a finely cut coat in satin and brocade, oddly old-fashioned, its champagne color a few shades darker than his hair. He was brilliant with power—
    handsome as a fancy on the make.

    “you’ve asked what i really look like,” Crow said, turning in a little circle, extending his arms. “Feast your eyes. This is how i looked when i went up against the Bayars.”

    The wizard stoles around his neck bore images of ravens, and his coat was embroidered with a device—a twined serpent and staff, angled through a crown engraved with wolves.

    The device was familiar—where had Han seen it before?

    “it was an exciting and dangerous time,” Crow said. “i was young and powerful, and i competed with the Bayars in every arena—politically, magically, and in”—here he stumbled over the words a bit—“in all manner of relationships. Just as it seemed that i had beaten them for good, i was betrayed, and the Bayars captured me. when that happened, i took refuge in the amulet i carried for so long.”

    Han tapped his amulet with his forefinger. “you’re saying you hid in a jinxpiece ?”

    Crow smiled. “immediate disbelief, as i anticipated. i so enjoy being right all the time. As i told you, i was an innovative user of magic. i hoped that the amulet would end up in friendly hands.
    Unfortunately, the Bayars realized that the key to everything they desired lay in the flashpiece. Though they have been trying to 34

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    extract its secrets for more than a thousand