Sariana blinked, struggling to adjust to this new distortion. Sariana Dayne as a monster was an interesting sight. It was all a trick of mirrors and light, but the effect was uncanny. The huge Sariana seemed to be floating freely in the center of a small circular room. Sariana stared thoughtfully at the huge reflection of herself and wished very badly she really was that big and powerful. At the moment it would be quite useful.
“Come on,” said a voice, “let’s try this hall. I think I got a glimpse of her cape.”
“Good thing we’ve been through this place a lot and know what to expect,” one of the other teenagers observed with a nervous chuckle. “It’s kind of spooky, even now.”
“You shouldn’t have offered to take this job if you were going to scare so easily,” chided one of the others.
“I’m not scared, I just said it would be kind of weird trying to trail someone through here if you hadn’t been through it a lot of times before.”
“I think Holt really is getting scared,” observed the first voice.
“Well, you’re not exactly acting like a Shield, yourself,” Holt retorted angrily. “Look at you. Your hands are shaking.
“They are not,” the other boy shouted back, his voice much too high. “Shut up, Holt, or I swear, I’ll smash you right into one of these dumb mirrors.”
“Shut up, both of you,” the third voice snapped. “You’re going to ruin everything. Let’s get going. I think it’s time we closed in on her. That guy will be waiting.”
Sariana moved into the center of the circular room and removed her cloak. Standing in the middle of the distorting chamber she no longer saw a giant version of herself. The image had disappeared when she moved into the heart of it. Lucky hissed softly as Sariana removed the lizard from her pocket. The crimson head swiveled quickly, jeweled eyes taking in the room, immediately dismissing the dazzling effect of light and mirrors.
“Good,” Sariana murmured. “In some ways you’re a lot smarter than a human. You know how to tell the real from the false, don’t you?”
Lucky tasted Sariana’s thumb with a tiny forked tongue. She placed the little lizard down on the mirrored floor and settled the edge of her cloak over it.
“I want you to stay right here, Lucky. Don’t move. Do you understand?” Sariana swallowed a groan. “Of course you don’t understand. How could you? But you’re accustomed to my cloak so you shouldn’t mind spending a few minutes under it.”
The lizard moved its head back and forth a few times and hissed questioningly as the edge of the cloak was draped over it, but it stayed put, as if it understood.
“Good Lucky,” Sariana murmured as she edged to the far side of the room. She stretched out the fabric of the cloak, keeping a grasp on one corner but leaving the opposite end over the scarlet-toe. She had barely positioned herself when she heard the excited voices of the boys.
“I’ll bet she went this way. Come on, hurry. This is going to be fun.”
There was another burst of nervous laughter and then a thousand teenage males filled the corridor that led into the distortion chamber. Sariana could see three distinct versions of the countless images. Three young toughs reflected into an army. They raced toward the room in which she crouched.
All three charged gleefully through the doorway. It was a tight fit.
Sariana yanked the cloak off of the scarlet-toe. The little lizard raised its head to see what all the commotion was about and then it opened its tiny mouth.
There were loud screams from the doorway as the young toughs confronted a giant image of Lucky Break. Sariana had a good idea of what the boys were seeing. The small, needle-sharp teeth of the lizard probably appeared as long as a man’s arm under the effects of the distorting mirrors. The mouth was big enough to swallow that same man. Giant claws and a nasty, whipping tail would complete the image. And the shock of it all would be reinforced by huge crimson eyes.
The entire production was sufficient to send three already nervous and overly excited boys into a wild stampede back down the mirrored hall.
Sariana didn’t hesitate. Given a few minutes to reconsider, all three were likely to come to the conclusion that they’d been had. She didn’t want to be trapped in the mirrored room when that happened. Sariana scooped up Lucky and her cloak and headed down the same mirrored corridor the boys had just used. She could hear their boots on the floor as they raced for an exit.
“They seem to know their way out of here,” Sariana told the scarlet-toe. “We’ll try to follow them.” Some of the crazy landscape was slightly familiar, she realized as she started to retrace her steps. She recognized certain distortions and optical effects that she had seen when she had been trying to flee from the boys.
Sariana was several meters down the corridor, feeling her way carefully so as not to run headlong into a sheet of mirrored glass, when she heard a new chorus of frightened teenage yells.
Wondering what had further alarmed her would-be stalkers, she slowed her pace and nearly stumbled over three huddled, jabbering youths as she rounded a mirrored curve and emerged into a large hall of brilliant lights and endless reflections.
It was easy to see what had reduced the teens to a state of abject terror. Under the circumstances, this set of images was probably even more intimidating than the giant version of Lucky.
The boys were confronting a thousand Shields, all of them ready for battle and all of them coldly, grimly angry.
Sariana took one look at the cascading images and nearly shouted her relief.
“Gryph.”
Gryph had arrived at Delek’s home on the outskirts of Little Chance soon after leaving the windrigger. He knew the way because he had visited the older man several times in the past. Delek was one of the men who had trained Gryph in the ways of prisma as well as the arts of bandit hunting. At the time Delek had lived in the same small frontier town as Gryph’s family and had been married to a Shieldmate named Penela. There had been no sons.
Gryph had been young when Penela had died and remembered her only vaguely. What he did recall quite vividly was Delek’s quiet acceptance of his wife’s death. It had surprised Gryph at the time. He had assumed that the loss of a Shieldmate would be a devastating experience, especially when there had been no sons.
He had been as startled as everyone else when Delek, still a man in his prime, had made no effort to find another Shieldmate. Instead he had moved to Little Chance and found Alana, the daughter of a small textile design clan. There had been no marriage. Alana could not be accepted as a Shieldmate, and Delek was too proud to give up his own heritage in exchange for adoption into his lady’s clan. The two had been living together so long that everyone had quietly accepted the situation.
Delek received his unexpected guest in a garden that was in full bloom. Gryph admired it as he sank into a carved wooden chair.
It looks as though your hobby has turned into a full-time job, Delek.”
The older man grinned in satisfaction and put aside the cane he used. “I keep busy. And I keep food on the table.”
Gryph arched a brow. “Is there money in gardening?”
“Theoretically no, not unless you’re a member of a horticulture clan,” Delek admitted. You know that as well as I do. But I’ve been doing some deals on the side with the Westelyn Clan. They grow flowers for the wholesale market. They’ve been paying good prices for some of my hybrid seeds. Between that and what Alana earns with her weaving designs we do all right. Fortunately. Since I took that bandit’s blade in my knee two years ago, I haven’t been fit for hunting or anything else. Amazing how hard it is to get along with a bad knee.”
Alana emerged from the house, a good-looking, middle-aged woman with a stately carriage and soft eyes. She was carrying a tray of ale and crackers. “If I have anything to say about it, Delek won’t ever accept another mercenary job or go back to fighting frontier bandits. I much
prefer him working with flowers. This way the only thing I have to worry about is having him get stuck with a thorn or two.”
Gryph smiled at her as he accepted the ale. “I can see there are some definite benefits to gardening.”
Alana set the tray down, casting a shrewd glance at Gryph. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but I get the feeling this is not a routine visit to an old friend.”
Gryph shrugged, unwilling to be rude, but anxious to get on with what he had come for. “I came to ask Delek’s advice about certain matters.”
“Ah, Shield business,” Alana said knowingly. “I will leave you two to discuss it in private.”
Delek frowned. “It’s not necessary for you to leave us, my dear.”
She shook her head, smiling slightly. “I think Gryph would be more comfortable if I went inside. I’ll see you both later.” She walked through the garden, the skirts of her yellow gown lightly brushing the heads of some of Delek’s beautiful flowers.
Gryph saw the expression on Delek’s face as Alana left. Love and pride and quiet satisfaction were clearly evident. Gryph raised his glass of ale.
“To your lady,” he said formally.
“I’ll drink to that.” Delek took a long swallow from his own glass. “Now, let’s get the business over with. Tell me what brings you so unexpectedly to Little Chance.”
Gryph put his glass down and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. “I think someone has found a crystal ship, Delek.”
Delek stared at him. “There hasn’t been a ship found for over fifty years.”
“I know. But someone has stolen a prisma cutter. Two men have died because of that cutter. One of those men was an informant I occasionally use in Serendipity. Before he died he told me there were rumors of the cutter being taken north to Little Chance. Little Chance is the last town before one heads into the region that contains the Gorge of Storms.”
Delek sat forward, watching Gryph carefully. “The last few crystal ships were found in the gorge.”
“I know.”
“Shields searched the region thoroughly after they neutralized those ships to determine if there might be any more”
“That was over fifty years ago. It’s possible a ship was missed.”
Delek nodded slowly. “Possible. Not probable, but possible. The terrain of the gorge is tricky. The rock formations there can conceal prisma rays. Have you sent word to the frontier towns?”
“No. I haven’t dared. For one thing, I don’t think I have enough time to get a message to the borders and wait for the arrival of other Shields. For another, I’d have to trust the message to someone outside our class and I can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
Gryph sighed. “Because,” he said carefully, “I think there’s a rogue behind all this.”
Delek stared at him. “Are you certain?”
“No. But my informant, the one who died, thought there was a Shield involved. Brinton’s information was invariably accurate.”
“I see your problem,” Delek said. “This is truly Shield business, then. The possibility of another prisma crystal ship having been found is bad enough. But if a Shield has gone rogue, we’re all in very serious trouble. Remember Targyn?”
“I remember.” Gryph gazed at the flowers around him, remembering the tale he had once told Luri. “Luckily he’s become pure legend.”
“Had he lived, he would have been a very dangerous man,” Delek said. “He had delusions of grandeur, I’m afraid. He dreamed of controlling prisma, you know. He wanted to test the old theories. He used to talk about it all the time. When no one supported his ideas he started spending more and more time alone in the mountains hunting bandits all by himself. He was crazy. No doubt about it. A real rogue Shield. Everyone was relieved when he met a glorious end. Saved us from having to send someone into the mountains to take care of him.”
“Don’t remind me,” Gryph muttered. “I got the impression I might have been elected to do the job.”
“Oh, no doubt about it,” Delek assured him cheerfully. “There aren’t many men who could have taken Targyn. You’re one of the few who might have been able to do it. He was good. Damn good.”
“Luckily for me Targyn passed into legend all by himself.” Gryph paused, thinking. “ls there any other Shield in the area right now?”
“Not as far as I know. There haven’t been many Shields through Little Chance during the past few months. No reason. Their work is out on the frontier and if they’re looking for wives, they usually head for Serendipity or one of the bigger towns to the south.”
“I couldn’t find anyone in Serendipity and I haven’t got time to search any other towns along the way.”
“I’ll come with you,” Delek said flatly. “I may not be of much use because of this game leg, but it looks like I’m all you’ve got in the way of backup. I assume you’re going into the gorge?”
“It’s the only lead I’ve got. But I’ve given this some thought, Delek. I’ve decided it would be better if you took care of contacting the frontier clans. You know as well as I do that it has to be done in person. We can’t take the risk of letting outsiders know a Shield may have gone rogue.”
Delek nodded. “We’ll have to take care of everything ourselves. I’ll leave at once. It will take a few days, even with the fastest dragonponies.”
“Good. We’ll leave for the gorge this afternoon.”
“We?” Delek asked quickly.
Gryph permitted himself a small, satisfied grin. He lifted his glass. “Congratulate me, Delek. I’ve found a Shield-mate.”
Delek smiled and raised his glass. “A cause for congratulations, indeed. Your clan will be pleased. What is your wife’s name?”
“Sariana Dayne. She’s from the eastern provinces.”
“Interesting,” Delek mused. “I have not heard of any mates being found among the women of the east, but I suppose it’s reasonable to assume there are some potential Shieldmates there. That should be good news to the clans.”
“There are some complications with an eastern Shield-mate,” Gryph admitted.
“Such as?”
“As far as she’s concerned, the First Generation Pact between Shields and the colonists doesn’t apply to her. After all, her people did not make any treaty with the Shields.”
Delek gaped at him in amazement. “By the Lightstorm, Gryph, I hadn’t thought about that. She’s right.” Delek grinned slowly, a very feral smile that reminded Gryph of the hunter Delek had once been. “But by the same token, she is not protected by the Pact.”
“Nevertheless,” Gryph stated proudly, “I followed the rules.”
“But did she know the rules before you took her to bed?” Delek asked slyly.
“Things were rather confused that night,” Gryph admitted. “There wasn’t time or opportunity to give her an education on the history of Shields and colonists.”
Delek roared with laughter and slapped his thigh. “I’ll just bet there wasn’t time. Did she open your kit the next morning?”
“Easily.” Gryph smiled with pride. “As easily as if she were a Shield trained in working prisma and had her own kit. It was amazing.”
“What does she think of this whole affair?”
Gryph shrugged and picked up his glass. “As I said, she refuses to concede that she’s even married, let alone that anything unusual happened the night I linked with her. She insists she had a little too much to drink that evening.”
“But she is with you now?”
Gryph opened one hand in a gesture. “Naturally. And she’ll stay with me whether she likes it or not. I think someone has figured out she can be used to control me.”
Delek met his gaze knowingly. “Another Shield would know that. But so would any westerner who is reasonably well-versed in Shield history. It’s no secret that a Shield-
mate is a very valuable commodity to a Shield, even if he would like to throttle her at times.”
Gryph eyed Delek in surprise. “There have been one or two times already when I could willingly have taken my belt to Sariana’s backside. She is willful, independent and smart. I’m learning that that is a dangerous combination in a woman.”
Delek was amused. “True. What else is she?”
Gryph smiled. “She’s also warm and gentle underneath her thorns, rather like one of your prize flowers, Delek. She has pride and strength. She’s brave and gutsy, too. Back in Serendipity she nearly killed a man who was trying to assault her. Getting her to follow even the most reasonable of orders is proving to be a challenge, however.”
Delek’s grin broadened as he listened to the growing list of attributes. “A true Shieldmate for you, Gryph. You need a woman you can’t intimidate.”
“Intimidate! I don’t intimidate women.”
Delek laughed. “Your instinct is to dominate any situation in which you find yourself. It sounds as though you’ve found a woman who can deal with that aspect of your nature. You are indeed a lucky man. But I think you are also going to be a very busy man. You’ll have your hands full trying to hold onto her unless she makes up her mind that she is married to you.”
“Don’t worry,” Gryph stated. “She can kick and scream all she wants. I’m not going to let her get away.” There was a short pause and then he said slowly, “Delek, I want to ask you something about linking.”
Delek chuckled. “By now you already know the basics. Why would you need advice from an old hunter like me?”
Gryph forced back the mild embarrassment that threatened to redden his high cheekbones. “It’s about the first time.”
“What about it?”
“I want to know if there is really supposed to be so much pain,” Gryph said quietly.
Delek appeared to realize just how serious Gryph was. “Pain? Well, there’s the slight burning sensation both people get from the prisma, and there’s the feeling of disorientation that occurs when each picks up on the other’s emotions. If a woman has had little or no previous sexual experience, she might have some additional discomfort. The Shield might or might not feel some of that discomfort, depending on the strength of the link. But I wouldn’t describe any of it as painful.”