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the Labyrinth.’ ”
    “He’s talking about Omaxin,” Reithan said.
    “I gathered that much. But honestly, I think the idea that Neris is going to blurt out his secret is a futile hope.”
    “So that’s it, then?” Tia asked. “We just give up and let Antonov have Dhevyn?”
    “That might be your only alternative,” Dirk said.
    Tia glared at him. “I can’t believe you have the gall to sit there and suggest that!”
    “You have four choices, Tia,” Dirk replied. “You can fight Senet head on and lose. You can discover when the next Age of Shadows is due and bring Senet down through their religion, but Neris won’t tell you the secret, so that’s not going to work. You can decide to throw everything you have into making Dhevyn so hard to govern that it becomes easier for Antonov to let it go than to hold it. Or you can give it up and get on with your lives here in Mil, where at least you’re safe and you have some chance at a normal life.”
    “He speaks a plain but bitter truth, Tia,” Lexie agreed. “Johan thought the same.”
    “Well, I’m sorry I don’t agree that rolling over and dying is our best option.”
    “The reality is that it may well be your
only
option, Tia,” Dirk said.
    “Giving up is the coward’s way out.”
    Dirk didn’t answer her. He just shook his head and looked out over the balcony.
    “I don’t think we should do anything until the
Makuan
and the
Orlando
get back,” Reithan suggested. “Porl or Dal may have more information. And I’d like to see what Rainan has to say after we’ve been to Grannon Rock.”
    “She gave up her throne and agreed to hand it over to Kirshov Latanya with barely a whimper,” Tia reminded them. “What makes you think she has any interest in stopping the Lion of Senet swallowing up Dhevyn?”
    “She’s managed to stall the abdication for nearly two years,” Dirk pointed out, his eyes still fixed on the view. “Just because she managed to do it without shedding any blood doesn’t lessen the achievement.”
    “You’re a fine one to talk about bloodless coups,” Tia snapped.
    Lexie turned to her with a horrified expression. “Tia! Please! I’ll ask you not to behave so gracelessly while under my roof. If Dirk has done something to warrant such anger, then tell me what it is and I will deal with it. But unless you can justify this continuous litany of snide remarks and savage jibes, I will ask you to behave in a more civilized manner.”
    The scolding wounded Tia more than she thought possible. She turned to Reithan for support, but he would not meet her eyes. Dirk also avoided her gaze, but at least he had the decency to look a little uncomfortable. Lexie stared at her expectantly, waiting for her reply.
    “I’m sorry,” she muttered, then rose to her feet and fled the balcony, almost overwhelmed by a feeling of helpless rage.

Chapter 8
    Eryk saw the
Wanderer
sailing toward the village from high up on his perch near the goat hut. He had been working with the goats for about a year now, delighted that Lexie considered him responsible enough to be given such an important job.
    Eryk liked the goats. He liked feeding the orphaned kids. He liked the sound of their clunking bells. He liked helping with the milking and watching old Dragili make her pungent cheeses. She let him watch sometimes as she gently ladled the curds into the molds. He even got to help pull up the cloth occasionally to reduce the wrinkles that would set creases into the finished cheese. In fact, Eryk was happier in Mil than he could ever remember. He did not miss Elcast the way Dirk did. The life he had left behind held little attraction for him. Here in the Baenlands he had an important job. He had real friends. He had Mellie.
    For a moment, Eryk wished he could go down to the village to greet Reithan and Dirk, but decided against it. He had a much more important task to take care of, and anyway, Dirk would be up at the house with Reithan and Tia and Lady Lexie