Cascet of Souls

A few moments later there was a stir in the crowd near the theater doors. A herald in blue and white stepped in and a

Everyone stood and bowed as the royal party made their way to Seregil’s box to join them.

“Your Highnesses, welcome!” Seregil said, bowing with the others.

“Thank you for your invitation,” Elani replied, kissing Palmani and Reltheus on both cheeks before taking her place in the central seat of honor, flanked by Alaya and her uncle. She was quite lovely tonight, glittering in crystal-spangled sea-green silk that brought out the royal green in her eyes and the sparkle of the diamond pins in her hair. “Mother is having

one of her headaches tonight, so I brought Uncle Korathan instead.”

“Delighted to see you, Your Highness,” Seregil said.

Korathan allowed himself a small smile. “My niece was most persuasive.”

“He hasn’t come to see these players once!” Elani told them.

“He was always pestering his mother to take him to the theater as a boy,” Alaya put in, giving the prince a fond look.

“There wasn’t a war on then, my dears,” Korathan replied.

To Thero’s surprise, Elani leaned forward and smiled at him. “I remember you! You came to Duke Reltheus’s hunt last winter. You’re the one who made the snow catamount for the children, and the golden diadem out of pine tips. I still have it.”

“I am deeply honored, Your Highness.”

“He just made this for me!” Palmani proudly showed off her rabbit.

“Allow me, Your Highness.” Thero picked another pear from the bowl and made one for the princess, this one sitting up on its haunches. Elani and the other women exclaimed over it like delighted children as he presented it to her.

As Elani admired it, Thero cast a brief spell, looking for any tinge of magic around her or the others. There were just a few excellent protections on Elani and Korathan, cast no doubt by the court wizard, but nothing malevolent.

Presently the house lights were snuffed and the play began. There was a brief prologue delivered by a beautiful dark-haired woman, then the heavy curtains opened to reveal a cleverly painted background and set pieces that were someone’s idea of what a wizard’s workroom looked like. It was a bit overdone, but Thero refrained from saying so.

Presently the handsome Atre appeared in an approximation of Oreska robes and began declaiming his intention to capture the heart of some unwilling woman with magic. Why on earth had Alec assumed he’d like this play? It was an appalling misuse of power! He glanced over at Seregil, who was sitting to Alec’s right, and his friend gave him a maddeningly i

Since he couldn’t very well leave, he poured himself a cup of wine and settled in to critique every error. But instead he found himself caught up in the story, which was far more complex than he’d expected, with very good costuming. He was actually enjoying himself when, at the begi

“Who is that?” he whispered to Alec.

“Brader. He plays the second lead quite often. Good, isn’t he?”

“Yes,” Thero murmured, gaze fixed on the actor. “Would it be possible for me to meet him after the play?”

“Yes, of course. We’re dining with them afterward.” Alec gave him a knowing grin. “I told you you’d like it, didn’t I? Though it’s usually Atre that catches people’s eye.”

“He’s quite remarkable. But I think I’ve seen the other one-Brader-before.”

“Really, where?”

“Are you two going to talk through the entire play?” Korathan hissed.

Alec gave the wizard a comical look of embarrassment and settled back in his chair. Thero had to content himself with watching the rest of the play, impatient to get a closer look at this Brader fellow. Gradually the plot recaptured his interest, and by the end of the play he was hoping he was wrong, impressed as he was with the troupe’s talent.

After the actors had taken their bows, Thero and his party waited in the box until the theater emptied, then went down to the stage area. When the actors came out to present themselves to Elani, Brader was not among them.

“Your Highnesses, may I present Master Atre and his company,” Seregil said, doing the honors.

“I’m so happy to see you onstage, after that wonderful performance you gave at Alaya’s that night!” Elani said, clearly

enchanted. She gave Merina a golden ring and Atre a small brooch studded with emeralds. “In honor of seeing you onstage at last. I hope you will keep them as a remembrance.”

“As I do this ring, Highness,” Atre said, showing her a ring set with a large amethyst. He knelt dramatically and kissed her hand while the rest of the company bowed and curtsied.

“Dare I hope you will join us for di

“No,” Korathan replied, though Elani had for an instant looked hopeful.

Brader came in from the wings just then, and although he was still several yards away, that strange feeling shivered up Thero’s back again, muted, but unpleasant. But it was gone as quickly as it came, and then Seregil was introducing him to the man.

“My lord, we’re honored by your presence,” Brader said to Thero. “This is your first time with us, isn’t it?”

“It is, Master Brader.”

“I hope you weren’t offended by our humble efforts in portraying your vocation?”

The man was quietly charming, but Thero was almost certain he felt another hint of the odd sensation again, though he couldn’t be certain.

After seeing the royals into their magnificent carriage, Thero and the others accompanied the actors to a local tavern that everyone else seemed to be familiar with. The host saw to them personally and Thero found himself seated between the dark-haired beauty, Merina, and the pretty young woman named Ta

“You must dine out every night with one admirer or another,” Palmani remarked.

“Not every night,” Merina replied. “We’d never get any

work done if we accepted all invitations. But yes, we are in demand lately.”

“Even if we do have to perform for our supper now and then,” the old actor named Zell said with a laugh.

“Aren’t you worried about the plague in the city?” asked Palmani.

“If we were still in Basket Street, I would be,” Atre replied. “Fortunately, through the generosity of our patrons, we feel quite safe where we are.”

“Who have you entertained lately?” Seregil asked.

“Let’s see,” said Atre. “Duke Almand, Marquis Dorander, and Marquis Kyrin, to name a few.”

“Don’t forget us!” chided Reltheus.

“Of course not, my dear Duke. Who else? The late Duke Laneus, Lady Ethia… And at a few of the houses in the Street of Lights, too. Your friend Eirual’s among them. Lovely woman, quite the hostess. I saw her at your party, didn’t I, Lord Alec? And with another beautiful young lady, too. Now, what is her name? I’ve quite forgotten it.”

All the merriment fled from Alec’s face. “It was Myrhichia. You visited her at Eirual’s house, as I recall.”

“Did I? It’s all such a whirl!” He paused. “But you said ‘was.’ Did she-?”