Paul Kemp - Twilight Falling

"Of course," Vraggen said.

To his relief, Cale learned quickly that all of the members of the family were unharmed. As he had suspected, the infiltration team had put down only those house guards whose identities they had taken or who had gotten in their way. They had never even ventured upstairs to the Uskrevrens' personal suites. Professional work. Impressive really. Had Cale not escaped the ambush at the Stag and returned to the manse, they would have been in and out before anyone knew of it.

The attack had exacted a high toll on House Uskevren: nine guards dead and one missing-Ren. And all for nothing more than a piece of art, albeit a piece of magical art, which Cale had cloven in two and about which he knew virtually nothing.

After seeing to the security of the house, Cale, Tamlin, Tazi, and Shamur-Talbot was away on family business-gathered in the main dining hall. It was sometime in the small hours of the night, but everyone was fully alert and awake. Tamlin sat at the large, polished dining table with a hastily donned cloak thrown over his nightclothes. The light from the twin candelabras set on the table danced on the lord of Stormweather's young face. He did not wear a weapon, of course, because he no longer needed one. Since the events in the otherworld, Tamlin had become a sorcerer of no small ability. His spells protected him, protected the family, protected the manse. But that night, his wards had not been enough and the realization obviously troubled him.

Shamur and Tazi sat opposite Tamlin. They could have been sisters. Both had changed into their leathers, both had pulled back their hair, and both wore slim swords at their belts. They sat closely beside each other, as though for comfort-something that would not have occurred a year earlier, when they could hardly be in the same room together. Thamalon's death had brought all of the Uskevren closer together, including Tazi and Shamur, while at the same time pushing Cale away from them.

Cale paced near the head of the table, Thamalon's traditional seat at family meetings. Tamlin deliberately had not taken the head chair, and the vacant seat was conspicuous. Thamalon's absence was conspicuous. Were Thamalon still alive, his bass voice would be barking orders.

Still, Cale fancied that he could feel the Old Owl's presence in the room. It inspired him, comforted him, brought him some much-needed calm. He had not yet taken the time to clean himself. Dried blood, Halthor's blood, Dolgan's blood, caked his trousers and vest. He reached into his vest pocket and rubbed his holy symbol between his fingers while he paced.

The half-sphere Cale had recovered from the courtyard sat in the middle of the table. It looked like nothing more than an unusual chunk of translucent gray quartz, albeit shaped as a perfect hemisphere. Cale's sword had sheared it as clean as razor. The innumerable gems within it sparkled silver in the candlelight. At Cale's urging, Tamlin had already cast a spell on the half-sphere that would prevent divination spells from locating it.

"They attacked this house-my father's house-for this?" Tamlin asked, gesturing at the half-sphere.

"Indeed, my lord," Cale replied. "The sphere seemed their only target. They knew the house and they moved straight for it. Other than the attempted ambush on me, they appeared to have no other interest in Stormweather or the family."

Tamlin drummed his fingers on the table and asked the question everyone was thinking: "What is it?"

"I don't know, my lord," Cale answered, "but I intend to find out."

Tamlin leaned forward in his chair and looked up at Cale with hooded eyes.

"And why did they single you out for an attack, Cale? Are you withholding something from us?"

"Tamlin!" Shamur exclaimed.

"It is a fair question, my lady," Cale said. Rather than make him angry, the question actually pleased Cale. At least Tamlin was thinking through the problem. He chose his next words with care. "I know only what I've already told you, my lord."

That he guessed much more than he knew was a fact that Cale kept to himself.

"Then why the ambush?" Tamlin repeated.

Before Cale could frame another answer, Thazienne spoke up in that patronizing tone of voice she sometimes took with Tamlin when he frustrated her: "Because they wanted him away from the house, brother. Isn't that obvious?"

Tamlin nodded and said, "Of course. But why Cale? Why not you? Or me? Or mother?"

Thazienne gave an audible sigh. She had never had patience for her brother's lack of acumen.

"Because he's the most dangerous," she said, "and they know it. We all know it, but no one ever says it. Gods, everyone in the city knows what he did with the … demon." When she said those words, Cale could feel her eyes on him. "They knew he'd stop them if he was here. He almost did anyway."

For the first time that night, Cale met Tazi's gaze and tried with his eyes to apologize for their unfortunate parting. The corners of her mouth softened. In that moment, Cale felt his love for her grow but at same time felt his spirit separate from hers. He thought he could wish her happiness, even if it was not with him. He turned to Tamlin.

"My lord, it may also have to do with the fact that I was with Lord Usk-your father, when he purchased the sphere."

At that, Tamlin looked thoughtful. That was something he could grab onto. He folded his hands before his face.

"Possible," said Tamlin. "From whom did you buy it?"

"A street vendor," Cale replied. "Alkenen is his name. An itinerant peddler."

"Father always did have peculiar tastes," Tamlin muttered, and pondered.

"How can we not know what this is?" asked Shamur. She reached out and brushed her fingers along the half-sphere. "It must be valuable, or highly magical for them to have dared attack our house for it. Have you examined it, Tamlin?"

"Of course. It detects as only moderately magical-warded with minor protective spells-but nothing to indicate its purpose. Nothing to indicate what happened in the courtyard. I'll send for a sage in the morning."

"Perhaps the explosion expended its magic," Thazienne offered.

She looked at the sphere with wide eyes. Magic had always intrigued her.

"Perhaps," Tamlin agreed.

Cale did not agree but kept his thoughts to himself. Whatever the sphere was, its magic was buried deep. The split from his blade was too clean, too … contrived. He saw Mask's hand in it, but then he seemed to see Mask in everything. Still, he was certain that the sphere was not destroyed, it was merely in two pieces. He knew that he had not seen the last of the half-drow and his allies.

Tamlin pushed back his chair from the table and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Will they come back for this half of the sphere? Cale?"

"They will, my lord," Cale replied, "if it remains here." He let that sink in. "But they will not return tonight. And probably not tomorrow. They are methodical and plan extensively. That takes time. And they would expect us to be prepared for another attack."

Indeed, the house was prepared for another attack, if it came. Cale had seen to that himself. The off-duty reserves had been contacted and guards patrolled the grounds outside and stood at every exterior door, always in teams of not less than four. Cale had informed the guard leaders of the attackers' use of illusions to disguise themselves. They were to respond with force to any suspicious activity.

In addition, Tamlin had placed several alarm spells at strategic areas of the grounds. The attackers would not be able to teleport in again without triggering a magical alarm.

Cale went on, "Besides, they don't need to attack. They have a hostage. They can negotiate."

Tamlin frowned and asked, "A hostage? He's only a guard."

"Tamlin!" Shamur and Thazienne exclaimed at once. Both wore looks of surprise and disgust.