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.Doves were drinking and bathing there, too, but scattered as severalpeople walked into view in thecovered portico.He expected the children and their nurse, but it was twoPage 105 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmltaller, veiled figures.Theypassed from view, then reappeared on one of the paths leading to thefountain. Alec! The breath locked in Seregil s chest as he lurched unsteadily tohis feet, clutching at the barsfor support.There was no question; even with the veil and shapeless robe, hislover s build and gait, andthat braid hanging down the back of his cloak were unmistakable.He s alive! He s alive and he s here, in this house! Alec! he shouted.When Alec gave no sign of hearing, Seregil reached through the bars,pounding at the thick window.Itwould not give, and even that sound did not seem to reach the men in thegarden.That didn t stop himfrom shouting himself hoarse.Caught between relief and frustration, he saggedagainst the bars, tearsrolling unnoticed down his cheeks as he drank in the sight of his talí aliveand apparently well.He s alive! Thank the Light, Alec is alive! The words throbbed in hishead in time to his franticheartbeat.I didn t get him killed!He d paid scant attention to the other man, but he scrutinized him now andsaw that he had Alec on achain like a dog, fastened to some sort of collar around his neck.He silentlyvowed to cut off the hand ofthe man who d put it there.Though Seregil couldn t make out their faces, it appeared that they wereon friendly terms.That gaveSeregil hope.If there was one thing Alec excelled at, it was charming peopleand disguising his ownmotives.The other man wore a golden collar around his neck, just visible under theedge of the veil.He alsohad the dark hair and build of a faie.Well done, talí.Perhaps you ve foundus an ally!Alec and his companion walked together, arm in arm, while Seregil watchedlike a drowning mansighting land across the waves.As they reached the fountain, both of them pulled down their veils.For amoment Seregil only hadeyes for Alec; he looked well-better than well, actually.Even through thewavy glass, Alec had neverlooked more beautiful.It made his heart ache to be this close and yet sohopelessly apart.Just then,however, Alec s companion looked up in Seregil s direction and smiled.Seregil s elation curdled in his throat.He knew this face, this man.He dhaunted Seregil s memories allthe days of his exile, and his dreams, too, since he d been here.TopPage No 69Ilar í Sontir.First lover.First betrayer.The man who d engineered Seregil sdownfall all those yearsago.He slammed his fist against the window again. You whoreson bastard! Page 106 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlIn the garden below, Ilar took Alec s arm as if they were the best offriends.Seregil shuddered, feelinglike he was caught in a horrible dream when he saw the way Alec smiled athim.Seregil clutched the bars that kept him from kicking out the window andleaping down to kill Ilar forputting hands on Alec.Just one more reason to kill you, Ilar!Ilar looked up again, almost as if he d heard Seregil s thoughts.You meant for me to see, didn t you, you bastard? You had Zoriel put mehere, to be certain I dbe watching.What followed took on the feel of a staged performance, which it probablywas.Ilar touched Alecoften, and they stood close together, talking like friends as they threw breadto the fish.Alec actuallyreached out and took Ilar s arm.Seregil stood there, fingers going numbaround the bars, hating Ilar witha passion so strong it made black spots swim in front of his eyes.He stayed there until Alec and Ilar passed from view again, then sank downin the chair and put hishead between his knees, feeling sick.When the nausea had abated he fell back in the chair, staring out thewindow at the grey-backed gullscircling above the house
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