"Joy," Kartauk said softly. "He didn't let Pachtal and Abdar win. He beat them."
"But you said the poison was excruciating."
"I'm sure it was. But I don't think he felt it. He looks as though he had just beheld a miracle."
"The light . . ." She felt the hard core of grief begin to melt within her. "I forgot about the light."
"Never forget it again." He paused. "Even if you have to keep this mask to remind you."
She stared at the mask, and then slowly shook her head. "I don't need anything Abdar sanctioned to remind me of Ian." She got to her feet and dropped the mask into the kettle with the others. Her eyes were shimmering with tears as she turned to him with a tremulous smile. "Make something beautiful, Kartauk. Make something so beautiful it will shake the heavens and light the heart of everyone who sees it."
"A great challenge." He smiled back at her. "It's fortunate you've chosen an artist great enough to meet it." He picked up the lid and placed it over the mouth of the kettle. "We'll have to keep the fire burning hotly all night to maintain a melting temperature." He sat back down. "Naturally, as a lowly apprentice it will be your duty to fetch sufficient wood for the task."
"While you sit on your backside and supervise?"
"But of course."
She sat back down beside him. "It does not surprise me. Heathen laziness."
"Exactly."
They tended the fire all night, most of the time sitting in comfortable silence. It was near dawn when she said haltingly, "I have something to say."
"I thought you would."
"Even though /Ian is dead, I can never—" She stopped and then said, "I cannot feel for you as I did."
"I know."
"Everything is different. Changed."
"Everything always changes. Seasons pass, children are born, men die." He nodded to the kettle. "Those masks are no more. Another change."
"I mean I cannot—"
"Hush." He met her gaze. "I know what you are trying to say. I always know." He reached down and stirred the fire. "I believe we need more wood, apprentice."
"That big crate goes down to the ship, Tamar," Jane said as she briskly walked down the palace corridor. She pointed to a large alabaster vase in the corner of the foyer by the front door. "And pack that too. It's always been a particular favorite of—"
"You are going somewhere?" Li Sung stood in the doorway, his gaze wandering over the three servants trailing behind Jane, carrying boxes and articles of furniture.
"Of course not," Jane said. "Margaret is taking Ian back to Glenclaren for burial. She's sailing two days from now and I thought she'd like to have a few pieces of furniture to brighten up that huge barn of a castle."
"They will not be suitable," Li Sung said. "Glenclaren is not Cinnidar."
"Beauty is always suitable." She gestured toward the servants to go ahead and led Li Sung out to the terrace. "How is the work on the docks coming?"
"Not too bad. There was much damage to the warehouses and Medford is going to have to replace five miles of his track. We were lucky that Abdar was in too big a hurry to get to Ruel to do equal damage to the canyon tracks."
"Very lucky," she agreed. "I judge once we've finished with the repairs here it should take us only another month to complete the line."
He shook his head. "Two months."
She frowned. "Why? I don't perceive any problems."
"You have a very great problem. You're going to lack my remarkable self at the helm as second in command."
"What?"
"I'm going away. Ruel can wait for his railroad."
"Away? Where are you going?"
"Dilam says this is a splendid time for me to visit the High Council."
"Why would you want to do that?"
He grinned. "I believe it's time this matriarchal society was forced to admit a few male leaders."
"Can't it wait?"
He shook his head. "The battle against Abdar gave me much respect. I must strike while the iron is hot." He added, "Besides, I must meet Dilam's children. It is time."
She smiled faintly. "Nesling?"
"Much more than nesling," he said softly.
"She's a fine woman. Good fortune, Li Sung." The happiness she felt for him was free of the wistfulness she had known before. How foolish she had been not to realize that though they were going different ways, the bond between them would always be there, too strong to break. "So you came to tell me I must complete the railroad without you?"
His smile disappeared. "No, I came to see Ruel."
"Why?"
"To tell him he is a fool."
She stiffened warily. "A fool?"
"A blind fool. He believes you ordered the rails that caused the wreck at Lanpur Gorge, doesn't he?"
She stared at him in bewildered horror. After all this time, how could he have learned—
Medford. She should have realized this would happen with Li Sung and Medford working so closely together during these last weeks. "Medford told you?"
"You should have been the one to tell me. Are we not friends?"
"I didn't want—"
"I know why you did not tell me." He met her gaze. "But why did you not tell Ruel? Why did you not tell the rest of the world?"
"I didn't have the choice," she said wearily.
He studied her for a moment and then nodded slowly. "Patrick. I thought as much. A promise?"
"And a debt paid."
"Well, I made no promise. I will tell Ruel."
"No!"
Li Sung stared at her incredulously. "You wish him to continue to think badly of you?"
"That's all in the past."
"He should know you were innocent."
"I was not totally innocent. I deliberately blinded myself to—" She saw his jaw set stubbornly and hurried on. "Ruel now feels more guilt than I do about Ian. I won't let him be alone in this."
He nodded slowly. "I should have known it was something of that nature. But carrying this burden is beyond the realm of caretaking, Jane."
"It's no burden." Jane smiled, eager to make him understand. "Don't you see? I want to do it. Ruel loves me in spite of what he thinks I did. It takes a great deal of love to overcome an obstacle like that. He's given me a great and wonderful gift."
"You will never tell him?"
She shook her head. "And you must not either."
"You cannot keep such a thing a secret forever. He could not live with you and not come to realize you could never do this."
"Promise me you won't tell Ruel." steps. "More bad news, Li Sung? I thought the construction was going well."
Jane tensed, her gaze flying pleadingly to Li Sung's face.
"It is." Li Sung hesitated and then said, "Jane wanted to break the news to you herself."
"What news?"
"I'm going away for a while. You may have to wait to see your railroad completed."
Jane's breath expelled in a sigh of relief.
"I must go." Li Sung started down the terrace steps. "She will tell you the rest."
Ruel watched him enter the palace before turning back to Jane. "What's the problem?"
"No problem." She linked her arm in his. "But as Li Sung said, we're going to have a delay. He and Dilam are planning a strategy to make him a member of the High Council."
"A delay is a big problem."