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Sentian snarled. "He does as he pleases. We have about as much authority over him as we do the wind!"
    Brelan lurched around and stepped up to Sentian. They had never liked one another and still didn't. "You've got a short memory, Sparrow. Was it not you who said, although he is a man full grown, he has the temper of a little boy? Would you let one of your sons point a naked blade at a Temple Guard and do nothing to stop him? You have as much authority over him as he has over you ! You think he would knowingly let you do something so damned stupid?"
    "Nothing happened," Sentian snapped, but his face turned a lighter shade. "We would have protected him. Don't ever doubt that, Wren!"
    "I have no doubt you would have tried!" Brelan headed for the stairs, motioning the men of Conar's personal guard to follow him, although, at that moment, he would have liked to run them all through with his sword. He stopped on the steps leading to the bedchambers and fixed Shalu and Sentian with a furious glare. "Maybe I expect too much of you."
    The Necroman and the Serenian warrior exchanged looks of outrage, but neither spoke. Thom snaked out a hand and took the Temple Guard's forearm, bringing the man with them up the stairs.
    In the bedroom, Roget du Mer stood up from the mattress where he had removed the Raven's shirt and boots. "I'm sorry, Wren."
    Brelan let out an angry breath. "It's a little too late for apologies, Hawk."
    "He has no care for the danger! We do all we can to stop these situations—you know that—but we can't watch him every minute. He has this knack of disappearing on us."
    "Just like his lady used to," the Temple Guard murmured. The men turned stunned faces to him. The guard's expression turned solemn. "I know who he is. I almost croaked when I recognized him, but he's the reason I am betraying Tohre. Why do you think I joined the Wind Force? I don't give a damn about Serenian independence from the Tribunal. I cared about him! I wanted to do something I thought he would have done if he'd still been with us." He pointed his finger at Conar. "I was one of the men taking his coffin to the ship when Legion A'Lex stopped us. I got my back lashed for showing him homage by wearing a mourning band on my uniform!"
    Brelan turned an even angrier face to Shalu. "You see? If Zeb recognized him, anyone else could, too! What provoked this tonight, anyway? What did he want repeated?"
    A guilty look passed over Shalu's face. He looked to Roget for guidance. Obviously seeing no salvation, he shrugged his wide shoulders. "The other guard made a vulgar remark about the Queen."
    "What kind of remark?" Brelan inquired.
    Shalu looked away, apparently not wanting to repeat viciousness either, especially to a man he knew loved the woman.
    Brelan swung his gaze to Loure. "Well, Thommy? What did the bastard say?"
    Thom cleared his throat and ducked his bald head. "I'd rather not say."
    "I'd rather you did!"
    Thom looked up. He seemed to be seeking courage, then blurted it out in a rush of child-like petulance. "The two of them"—Thom pointed at the remaining guard—"came through the door talking about the lady. They were laughing and joking and I don't think the other guard saw Coni until it was too late. He was telling this one that the royal belly was near to bursting with another bastard brat. Conar took exception to the remark. He asked the man how a babe born within wedlock could be considered illegal. That dead man turned and, when he saw us sitting at the table, swaggered up, looked at Conar, and I think he must have known who he was. His eyes got all funny-looking."
    Zeb shook his head. "He didn't recognize His Grace. I heard him say 'Darkwind' and he thought we were going to arrest the man we'd been told to find at all costs. He fancied himself a great swordsman and he thought to insult Lord Darkwind, then fight him." The Temple Guard glanced at Brelan. "It was a fatal mistake, wouldn't you say?"
    "That wasn't his only mistake, but