“I have lived the life of a human, Laromendis, and recalled the life of a Valheru; I have lived here with My Lady’s people for more than a century and this I can tell you: power in and of itself is worthy of neither respect nor contempt. It simply is. It is how power is employed, for what purpose and toward what ends that ennoble or denigrate the wielder of power. When I don my armor, there are few beings on this world who can rival my abilities, Pug being perhaps the only one able to best me.” With an unexpected smile, again recalling a boyish quality that was very unexpected, he added, “It’s certainly a good thing he is my closest friend and ally.” His smile faded. “But I have done things under the sway of my own power, back in the early days of coming to my station, that I know now to have been cruel, base, and completely unworthy of any rational being.

“I say all this to make it clear that while the Eledhel may appear rustic, or even primitive, to your people, they are hardly that. The Spellweavers’ magic is subtle, but no less powerful than that of your people who raise up mighty cities by making the rocks flow and move as they wish. Those cousins of yours who reside with us, the Eldar, have much the same lore and magic as your own ’mancers, yet they choose not to reshape Elvandar, but rather to adapt to it.”

He closed one eye and smiled. “Now, to the real reason you wish me to speak to the Lord Regent rather than carrying Pug’s message yourself.”

Laromendis was forced to laugh. “Primarily because, as I said, the Lord Regent respects you as much as any being not of the Taredhel. And, the somewhat less important, but very real disregard for my brother and me he holds—our crafts are not held in high regard by our people—and lastly, he most certainly thinks Gulamendis and I are dead, lost in the battle of the Hub.”

“You’ve neglected to inform your people you survived,” Tomas said.

“We’re not entirely sure our being abandoned there was an accident of war. In fact, it may be it was by design.”

Tomas said nothing.

“If I might be so bold, if you undertake the charge Pug sends you to consider, it would be useful if you could discreetly deliver a message to one Tandarae, Lorekeeper of the Regent’s Meet. He would be the one most likely to let us know if we can return to be hailed as clever survivors of a hopeless battle or if we would be executed for desertion in the face of the enemy.”

“That would prove a useful thing to know before showing your faces in E’bar,” Tomas agreed. “Until then, what are your plans?”