He turned to Lenardo, grumbling happily, "These youngsters today-don't see the point in practice or precision. They all want to be heroes."
"It's hard to work together, once battle is joined," observed Lenardo, noticing that Helmuth was standing straight and looking considerably younger as he strove to be a model soldier for his troops.
"You're an experienced soldier, are you?" he asked Lenardo.
"I've fought my share of… battles."
Helmuth laughed and slapped him on the back. "Fought your share of savages, you almost said. Well, now you're a savage yourself, lad, and if you survived those other battles, we'll be glad to have you on our side."
"You trust me?" Lenardo asked in surprise.
"Aradia trusts you," said Helmuth. "I need no more than that."
Aradia herself soon appeared, Wulfston at her side, and called for all troop leaders to join her. Helmuth went off with them to another room. Lenardo did not Read then-conference but went back to his room, where he could Read without trying to carry on a conversation at the same time. At the west end of the field, archers were practicing -but never had he seen such consistent accuracy! During the flight of the arrow from release to target, the bowmen became unReadable, yet they were not Adepts. It was just that one skill, to direct the arrow. Apparently it was required of Aradia's bowmen… and women, he noted.
Just before sundown, what appeared to be an entire army came marching along the road from the north. When they came into the courtyard, Lenardo went to the window and looked down at them. Heralds blew a tribute on trumpets hung with the sign of the blue lion. A woman rode in, surrounded by men in blue livery. Aradia came out to greet.her as she dismounted, the two women bowing to one another. Then they went inside.
This must be Lilith, one of the Adepts Aradia called her allies. Burning with curiosity, Lenardo forced himself not to Read the women, although not long afterward he heard them come up the stairs and go into Aradia's chambers.
A few minutes later, Pepyi knocked at his door. "If you please, my lady asks that you attend her."
The two women were alone hi Aradia's anteroom. As Lenardo entered, Aradia said, "And this, Lilith, is Lenardo, the reason my preparations for battle are so far advanced."
The other Adept looked him over, and he had the strange feeling she could tell as much about him as if she had Read him. If Aradia was like the wolf she chose as her symbol-cunning, dangerous, sometimes deceptively playful-Lilith was indeed the regal lion. Her skin was golden, her eyes a golden brown, looking out at him from under a noble brow. She was slightly taller than Aradia, and a headdress of blue veiling gave her additional height, hiding her hair except for a dark widow's peak that accentuated the smooth planes of her face. While Aradia's face was mobile and expressive, Lilith's was aloof, secretive.
"So," said Lilith hi a dangerous voice, "this is your mysterious exile." "Hron told you?"
"Yes. He said his people returned a man of this description to you-one who bore the mark of an Aventine exile." The loose sleeve of Lenardo's shirt moved of its own accord, to reveal the brand on his arm. Annoyed, he tugged the sleeve back into place and had the satisfaction of seeing Lilith blink. She had been working against gravity to lift it in the first place; they both knew it was not worth the waste of strength to work against Lenardo's muscle as well.
Watching Lilith's expression, Aradia said, "Lenardo does not take well to being treated as a possession. On equal terms, however, he is of immense value."
"Equal terms? How can you trust him, Aradia?"
"You have just confirmed my trust in him," she replied. "Lenardo, the Lady Lilith has brought me this." She handed him Drakonius' message-one of the originals, bearing the now broken dragon seal. "And, Lilith, yesterday Lenardo gave me this." Lenardo's version. "I received Drakonius' message before you did."
"He must have known I would bring it to you."
"Hron did not," Aradia pointed out.
"My watchers report troops massing at Hron's castle," said Lilith.
"As do mine," agreed Aradia, "but he has made no move in this direction."
Lilith paced to the door. "Hron has always had doubts about our alliance-he fears Drakonius' retaliation and does not wish to believe Drakonius will turn on us if he succeeds in taking the empire."
"The fool! Does he think Drakonius will trust him now?"
"Oh, come, Aradia," said Lilith, "we all know Hron is loyal as long as he thinks he's on the stronger sidel You sought his alliance too soon. You expect everyone to act on reason and honor."
"Hron is a Lord Adept-he has his people to think of."
"Drakonius gave bun his lands," Lilith replied. "He did not give you yours," she added significantly.
Aradia drew herself up to her full height. "If you are suggesting that Drakonius gives power only to those he can manipulate, I might remind you that he gave these lands to my father."
"I'm sorry," said Lilith. "I did not mean that Nerius could be intimidated-in fact, I believe Drakonius gave him his own lands because he feared that Nerius had the power to take them." She paused. "Your father still lives?" she asked gently.
"Yes," replied Aradia. "But let us not discuss Father now. I have brought Lenardo here to demonstrate the use he can be to us."
Lilith looked again at the paper in her hands. "Indeed- most useful. Lenardo, how did you intercept this message?"
"I was Reading Drakonius when he wrote it." "Reading Drakonius? But his stronghold is two days' hard ride from here! Can you Read that far?"
"Not right now, standing here and telling you about it. I must… seek a trance state," he equivocated. "I could not communicate with you at the same time. Normally, I would have another Reader to relay my message to you."
"His powers decrease with distance, as ours do," said Aradia.
"Can you Read Drakonius' Reader?" asked Lilith.
"Yes, I can, unless he shields his thoughts from me."
"And will he know you are Reading him?"
"Yes. However, that is not how Drakonius found out about me."
Her eyes snapped to his. "Are you Reading me?"
"No, Lady," Lenardo replied.
At the same time, Aradia laughed. "Give Lenardo credit for following a train of thought as easily as you or I. He cannot Read an Adept."
"Ah," said Lilith, "but you would Read me if you could?"
"You are the Lady Aradia's guest," Lenardo replied. "I would not attempt to Read you unless she requested it."
"Yes," murmured Lilith, "I am Aradia's guest. What are you to her, Lenardo?"
"We have… an agreement," he replied. "If you understood the Reader's Code, you would not fear my betrayal"
"Lilith," said Aradia, "I hope before we leave here to show you that an Adept and a Reader can work together for a common good. But for now… Lenardo, will yon please Read Drakonius' stronghold again and tell me whether he is ready to move out?"
"Yes, my lady."
He bowed and left the room, half hearing Lilith's question to Aradia, "Are you his lady?" Deliberately, he did not Read them, and so did not hear the answer.
Drakonius, Lenardo found, was not yet ready to move. In his stronghold Lenardo could locate only one other Adept, a young woman-twenty at most, he judged. As he had learned that Adepts, like Readers, did not come into their full powers until midlife, this could not be one of Drakonius' powerful allies. An apprentice, perhaps-he could have overlooked her on the other Readings. It was only too easy for a Reader to miss an Adept amid the clutter of other thoughts. Avoiding Galen, he Read room by room through the entire stronghold.