The Keeper of the Mist (40 page)

His manner forbade too much sympathy. Keri said, “You can be a playwright, then. That's what you like best anyway, isn't it? Nimmira is a small land, but I hope you will be able to content yourself here. And I'm glad you're staying. Brother.” But, though Lucas smoothly assured her that he had every intent of assiduously avoiding Eschalion for the future, she understood the sorrow in his tone. Because she knew without asking that his mother would not stay in Nimmira. Players never stayed anywhere for long. And she was a woman of Eschalion, in the end.

Even so, Lucas had his mother back, at least for a little while. Keri refused to be jealous. But she spoke to Cort herself about the players' coming and going.

“Lucas is right,” he told her. “Players have their own ways into and out of every country and across every border. But I promise you, after this, no one will open any involution, no matter how tiny, through our boundary. Most certainly not unless I'm right there, watching. And I won't lightly allow it.”

Keri nodded, then hesitated. “Did you actually forbid Lucas to come and go?”

“He had to choose,” Cort said gently. “Whether to be a player and his mother's son, or Lucas Ailenn and your brother. Eline is one thing, but it's not safe for us if anyone belonging to your father's lineage puts himself under the Wyvern King's eye, and far less wise for such a man to draw attention as he steps back and forth across the boundary, and so I told him. He already knew it. He's no fool, for all he likes the role.”

Keri nodded. She realized Lucas would have understood Cort's warning immediately. “He needs something important and useful to do. As it happens, I think I could use someone clever to help me deal with the people of Tor Carron. Between Lucas and Tassel, I don't think Osman—or even his grandmother—will be able to get away with much.”

Cort gave a short crack of laughter. “Once those two put their heads together, we won't have to worry about Osman buying Nimmira, no matter who our new Bookkeeper proves to be. If he's not careful, he'll find he's sold us Tor Carron. And for a very fair price.”

“Exactly. You don't mind the idea of Lucas crossing between our Nimmira and Tor Carron?”

“He won't go to Tor Carron. They'll come here. And none too often, unless they do succeed in flinging up a new boundary between themselves and Eschalion. Maybe they will. I wouldn't bet against Osman and Tassel managing even that.” Cort put his arm around Keri's shoulders. He touched her much more freely these days. He seemed so much less impatient, somehow, though no whit less stubborn. But he said, “I hope they succeed. I know we can't close Nimmira off
completely,
not forever. That never works, and even if it did, it wouldn't be wise. That's what Aranaon Mirtaelior's done, you know. Stepped into his own dream of summer and closed himself away behind a mask and a dream and a monster….”

“Yes,” Keri agreed seriously. “I mean, no, we can't close every single gap forever. But I didn't know you knew that.”

“Well, I do. There are
some
kinds of mistakes I don't need to make. Or keep making, at least. That seems to be one of them.” Then he gave her a wry, teasing look and took her hand. “Who knows what the future might hold? I don't need our new Timekeeper to tell me we must live in this day.”

Keri smiled, and laid her other hand over his, and knew exactly who he was, and who she was, and where they stood, rooted to the earth of Nimmira.

R
ACHEL
N
EUMEIER
is also the author of the young adult novels
The Floating Islands
and
The City in the Lake,
as well as several adult fantasy novels, including the Griffin Mage Trilogy. She lives in rural Missouri, where she has a large garden, a small orchard, and a gradually increasing number of Cavalier King Charles spaniels. Learn more about Rachel and her books at
RachelNeumeier.com
.