"I think two is more likely," Illyth replied. The hour had grown late. The party was breaking up, with masked nobles and players gracefully making their exits in pairs and small groups. "The Yellow Lord's tournament is in three days' time. Will you be there?"
"I cannot contemplate the thought of failing you," Jack said. "Of course I will be there." They drifted toward the robing room to turn in their masks and depart, waiting patiently as the players before them unmasked in secret and exited the other side of the room. "Should we meet beforehand in order to examine our clues together and build a solution?"
"An excellent idea," Illyth said. "Why don't you come to Fleetwood Manor an hour or so early, and we'll compare notes."
Jack grinned. The carriage rides to Illyth's estate were costing him an arm and a leg, but he couldn't possibly let her know that. "Consider it done-" he started to say, when he looked past Illyth's shoulder and noticed Lady Mantis watching the two of them like a hawk preparing to swoop down on a pair of field mice. Her green gown and glittering mask concealed malice so intense that Jack could almost feel it where he stood.
"Jack? What is it?" Illyth watched him for a moment, then glanced over her shoulder. "It's that lady you met earlier tonight, isn't it?"
"Yes," he said, "although I wouldn't really say that I have the pleasure of her acquaintance." He looked around for her companion, Lord Tiger, and failed to spot him. Ahead of Jack and Illyth, two Game attendants opened the door to the robing room and ushered in another pair of players, closing the doors behind them. The line advanced a couple of steps. "I don't see her escort anywhere, do you?"
Illyth looked around the ballroom. "He wore a tiger mask, right? I don't see him."
Jack tugged at his chin, thinking. "Tell me, Illyth, if you were discussing the details of some nefarious plot and discovered that a masked player had overheard your conversation, what would you do?"
"Why, I would try to identify him, so that I could confront him later and determine whether or not he heard anything important."
"And how would you do that? Might you resort to unpleasant tactics to ascertain what had been discovered?"
Illyth glanced over at Lady Mantis. "Jack, this is just a game. This is the way the Game of Masks works-plots within plots within plots. The Riddle of the Seven Faceless Lords is simply the plot device against which the real Game is played, a game of acting out parts and making alliances, a game of innuendo and intrigue that the players themselves create as they go along. That's the Game of Masks."
"It's also a regular gathering of the wealthiest and most powerful people of Raven's Bluff," Jack said. "If I were not the very soul of honesty, I might be tempted to use the Game as a convenient tool in furthering my own ambitions and designs outside the Game events. Perhaps by embarrassing or eliminating rivals."
"You have a sinister and suspicious mind, Jack."
"Every day I regret that I am not more generous and trusting, dear Illyth, but I suppose I must make the best of the talents I have been given." The line advanced again; Jack and Illyth were next in line to remove their masks in secret and leave the party. "Humor me for a moment: where is Lord Tiger?"
"Who knows?" Illyth said crossly. "The washroom? Drunk under a table? Perhaps trysting with a secret lover in a private room of the house?"
"Good answers all," Jack said. "I think he's outside, watching the entrance to the foyer. Lady Mantis will note when we go inside to remove our masks, and then she'll send someone-that servant there, by her side-to tell Lord Tiger that we are inside. When we leave, Tiger will identify us. Lady Mantis and Lord Tiger desperately want to know who Lord Fox and Lady Crane really are, and they mean to find out in just a few more moments."
"He might not know who we are, even if he does mark our appearance," Illyth said.
"True, but he could have us followed, or he might be able to ask anyone standing outside awaiting a carriage who we are. I might be difficult to identify, but I suspect you will be more easily recognized."
Illyth hugged her arms and suppressed a shiver. "Damn it, Jack. Now you have me thinking the same nasty and suspicious thoughts you're thinking. Should we delay removing our masks?"
"They'll simply wait as long as they need to. The longer they wait, the more players leave, and the easier it is to be certain of our identities."
"We can probably identify them in turn," Illyth pointed out.
"To what end?" Jack asked. "All we know is that they talked of something that sounded very suspicious. Who would move against a Game player based on that information?"
"So what should we do?"
"Fox them, of course. We'll leave without allowing ourselves to be observed." Jack drew Illyth out of the line for the robing room and led her across the ballroom to one of the antechambers. Lady Mantis watched them go and made a show of casually strolling in their direction, keeping an eye on them without following too closely. Jack and Illyth slipped behind a curtained alcove; then Jack turned to Illyth. "I know a little magic," he said. "I'll work a spell of invisibility on us both, and we'll walk right by Mantis and Tiger."
Myth stared at him. "You are a mage?"
"Merely one of my many talents, dear Illyth. I consider myself a renaissance man, well versed in a variety of skills and exploits. Now, I will cast the spell first on you. Take hold of my sleeve so that we don't lose each other when I make myself invisible too." Jack mumbled the words of the spell and worked the gestures and passes necessary to form the emerald energy into the shape he needed; Illyth, looking both surprised and delighted, faded from view. He waited until he felt her hand on his arm and then worked the spell for himself.
"You're invisible," whispered Illyth's voice in his ear.
"As are you, my dear. Now, stay close to me and try to move quietly."
"What of our masks?"
"We'll take them with us tonight. I don't think the Game attendants will mind too much, provided we bring them back for the Yellow Lord's Tournament." Jack set his hand on hers, and they strolled back into the ballroom arm in arm. Lady Mantis and her servant stood there, waiting and watching. Few Game players were left, a handful of handfuls scattered about the floor, laughing and gossiping as the attendants began to clean the room.
Jack altered their course so that they passed right in front of Lady Mantis. Illyth gasped in alarm and tugged at his arm, but he grasped her hand firmly and carried her along.
"Good evening, Lady Mantis," he said aloud. "I do hope you have enjoyed the party. Perhaps we'll see you outside. Good night!"
Mantis nearly jumped out of her shoes. "Who's there?" she snapped. Jack simply laughed and walked off, leading Illyth away.
"Are you insane?" Illyth hissed in his ear. "Now they'll know how we eluded them!"
"True," Jack admitted, "but Mantis and Tiger will spend days wondering whether or not invisible spies are listening in on their conversations and reporting their every action to the proper authorities. It should cause them no little worry."