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Hastings's reaction, but confused by his words. “What do you mean?
Why?”
    Hastings didn't respond
immediately. He sat thinking, drumming his fingers on the tabletop, green eyes
glittering in the firelight.
    “We'll take this lot to
Trinity,” he announced finally. “It's the safest place, because we're
already maintaining a boundary around the sanctuary, and no one will ask
questions about increased security.”
    “Trinity?” Jason
squinted at Hastings. “I thought you and I could use some of this stuff to
go after D'Orsay. And the Covenant.”
    “Claude D'Orsay is not
our first priority,” Hastings said, biting off each word. “I want
Nick Snowbeard to take a look at these things. And Seph, since he's involved in
maintaining security in Trinity.”
    Seph. Of course. Jason fought
down a surge of jealousy.
    “I thought maybe we could…”
Jason began, but Hastings raised a hand to shut him up.
    “I'd like to see the
sword, but I don't think we can risk being seen together. Go straight back,
collect the sword, and catch the first plane back to the States.”
    Jason's weary mind stumbled.
“You want me to carry this stuff back to Trinity myself?”
    “Well, yes,”
Hastings replied, as if Jason was impossibly slow. “It has to be you. The
fewer people who know about this, the better.”
    “But I don't want to go
back,” Jason protested. “Give me another chance, and I know I can get
into the ghyll on my own. If I can't find the Covenant, I'll look for the
hoard. Maybe I can get back into the cave.”
    “You'll never get in
again, especially not after a failed attack.”
    “Who else is going to do
it? You? Everybody knows who you are. Everybody knows your face. You won't get
within miles of the ghyll. The Roses will murder you, even if you're supposed
to be their ally against D'Orsay.”
    “I am not allied with the
Roses,” Hastings said stiffly. “Even if our interests temporarily
coincide, we'll end up fighting them in the end.”
    “So this is what I get
for failing,” Jason said bitterly. “I'm out.”
    Hastings drained his glass and
slammed it back down on the table. “This is what you get for taking a foolish
chance for no good reason. Do you think your face isn't known? D'Orsay's
no fool. Do you think I advise a nondescript appearance because I'm a bloody conservative?You're
overconfident, Jason, and you're flamboyant and careless, and that combination is
going to get you killed. I don't want to be responsible for the mess you leave
behind.”
    This was ironic coming from a
man who had one of the most memorable faces and personages of anyone Jason had
ever known. Whose daring escapades were legendary.
    Jason leaned across the table.
“Listen to me. I'll lose the earring.” He touched his earlobe.
“I'll lose the plumage.” He sluiced his fingers through his bleached
hair. “I'll wear a bloody tweed and ascot if that's what you want. Just let
me stay and work with you.”
    Hastings sighed. “Don't
think this means it's all gone wrong.” He rested his hand on the backpack.
“This is a tremendous find. Sometimes I'm not very…liberal with
compliments.”
    “I don't want
compliments. I want to stay here. I want to do something.”
    “And I want someone I can
trust to take these things back to Trinity before D'Orsay manages to track us
down. Do you think he's not looking?” Hastings sat back, extending his
long legs. “It's not enough to do something. It's important to do
the right thing.”
    “I know it is,”
Jason said, trying not to sound sullen. “But nothing's going to happen in
Trinity.”
    “Don't be too sure. I
have a feeling that the pieces you found are important. The battle may well
turn on them.”
    “Then why take them to
Trinity? You'll put the whole town in danger.”
    “That is exactly why no
one must discover where they are. And, bear in mind: if we lose this war,
Trinity will be destroyed along with' everything else.”
    Jason stood and began pacing,
pivoting