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Rux took to deep shadows and hid when two groups of passersby approached, each person among them absently murmuring greetings to Alamar but not stopping their own discussions to talk with the eld Mage.
    The three came to the edge of a wide flagstone plaza in the center of which stood the library tower, and there they waited until all was clear. Then Jinnarin guided Rux to pad next to Alamar, the fox brushing up against the elder’s robe as across the ’spanse they went—a Mage with a shadow at his side.
    At last they entered the building, Rux bearing Jinnarin darting through the archway and into the gloom within.
    Inside, beyond the foyer, they came among stacks of books, the shelves arranged about a central area filled with tables and chairs, desks and benches, at which sat various people in study. Telling Jinnarin and Rux to wait among the stacks, Alamar went into the central area. Jinnarin dismounted but kept the fox close at hand. Now and again a chair would scrape, and someone would get up to find a book. At these times, if necessary, fox and Pysk would move back among the shadows, shifting from row to row to remain out of sight.
    At last Alamar returned. “Up two floors,” he muttered, leading the way, Jinnarin again mounted on Rux.
    Along a wall a stone stair led upward, and here theelder paused, complaining, “They
would
have to put them on the upper floors.”
    “Put what, Alamar?”
    “The books we want,” he peevishly answered.
    “Oh.”
    Taking a deep breath, up the Mage trudged, stopping now and again to catch his wind. Rux, though, darted ahead, quickly covering the two flights, Jinnarin not wanting to dwell overlong upon the exposed staircase. Finally, Alamar came to the third floor landing and shuffled in among the stacks. Long he searched, at last finding the book he wanted, a large tome entitled
Maria Orbis Mithgarii
. “Aha! Now we shall see.”
    Alamar made his way to a table and settled in a chair in the sparsely occupied central area. No sooner had he sat than a slender young raven-haired Woman—or was she an Elfess?—came through the stacks and stopped at his table side. “Alamar?”
    The elder looked up at her, squinting his eyes. At last he said, “Drienne?”
    She smiled, nodding. “How have you been, love?”
    Alamar settled back in his chair. “Getting on, Dree. Getting on.”
    “I can see.” She sat opposite from him. “Isn’t it about time you crossed over? You can’t have many castings left.”
    Alamar sighed. “Aye, you have the right of that. It’s time I took my rest.
    “But, Dree, what about you? Last I saw, you were tottering, too. But now—well look at you. The same as you were on Faro.”
    She smiled again, her entire face lighting up. “The cottage in the woods. Alamar, I haven’t thought about that for…” Her hazel eyes fell into reflection, green flecks glinting. At last she said, “Would that we were there now. But not as you are, for I am certain that I would kill you.”
    “Perhaps you would, Dree, but perhaps not. Regardless, dying in your arms would be worth it.”
    “Why not go back to Vadaria, and when you return…well—”
    “Tempting, as always, Dree. But I can’t go right now. I’ve something to do. Then I’ll go, and when I comeback we will hike to that cottage in the woods and mayhap not come out for years.”
    Drienne smiled, her eyes lost in gentle memory. But then she sighed and came to herself once more. Of a sudden, as if searching, she looked under the table, then toward the stacks. “I thought I saw a fox with you. Surely you haven’t taken a fox as a familiar.”
    “It’s just an acquaintance, Dree, following me about for the nonce.”
    “Good. I shouldn’t think foxes would make good companions. Too feral. Not like cats—”
    “Or owls,” interjected Alamar.
    Drienne rolled her eyes at this. “As I was saying, not like cats and their comforting ways as well as their wild energy. And Alamar, I’ve told you before,