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They were both conscious, though no one in Fort mentioned the fact, that Lord Groghe was losing some measure of his phenomenal vigor. Not surprising, considering he was eighty-nine. The vandalism at Turn's End had so shocked the old Lord that he was determined to prevent a repetition in hisHold and to identify who was behind this "resurgence of all that Abomination nonsense." He had managed to enlist the support of Torlo and many other Stationmasters, but not all Ru
Held passionately in Haligon's arms, she could forget duty, responsibility, and anything but the sensual contact she was enjoying. Te
With the i
He finger-combed his hair-which he hadn't had time to have trimmed-into a neat club at the back of his neck, fixed the collar of his jacket and lengthened his stride to match hers. Te
Torlo, or rather a shadow that could be a man, was already seated on the side bench, where the corner of the Station jutted out from the line of its neighbors. Te
"Ru
"They were?" Te
"Ru
He paused. "Then I got confirmation that sort of thing had happened elsewhere, too. Same time. Only now-" and he paused again, "same thing's happening and all down Keroon way. Three times in the past two sevendays, man twice and woman t'other, stopped Ru
Only the dark prevented Haligon from betraying surprise that Torlo would know Pinch by name and could hint at his discreet function within the Hall. Since Turn's End, Haligon had developed a healthy respect for Torlo's discretion and judgment. Son of a Lord Holder though he was, and allowed into many conferences his father held, he was surprised at how much more Torlo knew and understood about matters in Fort Hold and all across the two continents.
"Tell that MasterPrinter to be especially on his guard. It was his Hall printed that paper that's got folks so worried. I'd send a fire-lizard soon as I could, Lord Haligon."
"I will."
"Like right now," Torlo added at his driest. "See Te
So dismissed, both rose. As they strolled around the corner to the Station door, Haligon circled her shoulders with one arm, wishing they didn't have to separate quite so soon. In front of the Station, Haligon gave her a quick hug and let her go. He didn't know how many eyes followed him up the steps to the Court, but no one would have seen that he made for a narrow side staircase on the far left of the Court that led to the Harper Hall. Later, on that moonless night, the departure of a fire-lizard, from an upper window in the Hall, was seen only by the vigilant watch dragon who wished Menolly's Beauty a safe flight.
If Beauty woke the Masterprinter by picking delicately at his ear, he had the good sense not to thrash about in surprise. In fact, the fire-lizard's unexpected arrival merely confirmed the presentiment of trouble that Rosheen had confided in him three days ago. To cap her uneasiness, Stationmaster Arminet had sauntered into the Hall the day before, ostensibly to get a fresh notice of Ru
"Morilton, of course," Tagetarl had replied with a grin.
"Good locks on the windows," Arminet had closed one eye with slow significance. "Sky-broom wood in gates and the Hall doors, too."
Tagetarl raised his eyebrows but Arminet had gone straight on to discuss his printing needs. That night Tagetarl had checked the gates, Hall doors, and windows himself, and slid into the brackets of the outer gate the heavy bar of sky-broom tree wood, which the former owner of the warehouse had used to dissuade pilferage. At both ends, the bar had ingenious fastenings that made removing it difficult if one didn't know how to release the latches. Sky-broom wood was too dense to break or chip so he felt safe enough.
No matter, on top of Rosheen's uneasiness and Arminet's odd remarks, a late-night message from the Harper Hall, and from Beauty, Menolly's gold, was alarming. Tagetarl wondered why Ola, Rosheen's fire-lizard queen, did not instantly appear to "supervise" the visitor. Ola wasn't usually absent when needed.
He held out his hand and Beauty stepped onto it. He could see the message holder on her left foreleg but it was too dark to read it. Rising carefully so as not to disturb Rosheen u
As he descended the stairs, he peered out the windows into the court, silent and shadowed. Maybe that's where Ola was, lurking on the rooftop. The weaver's roof abutted the Hall's outbuildings. Pinch had made use of that entry. But Ola knew him. Tagetarl paused on the landing, listening for any sound from the hall that led to the upper story of the Print Hall. Nothing moved in that direction. He heard an admonitory chirp in the other and continued on to the spacious kitchen that was also their main living room.
Then Tagetarl berated himself for assuming that the message dealt with the Print Hall. There were any number of reasons-all equally worrying-that could have prompted Menolly to send Beauty in the middle of the night. It wasn't that late at the Harper Hall. Maybe she was merely inquiring about the musical scores she had recently sent him to be printed. Even with Beauty impatient, Tagetarl took the few steps to the porch door. It had a fine lock, strong, well-cast metal with another cu