No time for Croaker. He was gone. I was walking a swords edge. Neither tears nor self-pity would bring him back.

During the journey north Id realized that Id done more than lose my talent at the Barrowland. Id given up. So Id lost my edge during the year-plus since.

Croakers fault. His weakness. Hed been too understanding, too tolerant, too willing to give second chances. Hed been too optimistic about people. He couldnt believe there is an essential darkness shadowing the human soul. For all his cynicism about motives hed believed that in every evil person there was good trying to surface.

I owe my life to his belief but that doesnt validate it.

Narayan came, sneaky as a cat. He gave me his grin.

Weve gained ground, Narayan. They took that well enough. But we have a long way to go.

The religion problem, Mistress?

Some. But thats not the worst hurdle. Ive overcome such before. I smiled at his surprise. I see doubts. But you dont know me. You know only what youve heard. A woman who abandoned a throne to follow the Captain? Eh? But I wasnt the spoiled, heartless child you imagine. Not a brat with a pinch of talent who fell heir to some petty crown she didnt want. Not a dunce who ran off with the first adventurer whod have her.

Little is known except that you were the Captains Lady, he admitted. Some think as you suggest. Your companions scarcely hinted at your antecedents. I think youre much more, but how much more I dare not guess.

Ill give you a hint. I was amused. For all Narayan seemed to want me to be something untraditional he was startled whenever I didnt behave like a Taglian woman. Sit, Narayan. Its time you understood where youre placing your bets.

He looked me askance but settled. The crow watched him. His fingers teased at that fold of black cloth.

Narayan, the throne I gave up was the seat of an empire so broad you couldnt have walked it east to west in a year. It spanned two thousand miles from north to south. I built it from a beginning as humble as this. I started before your grandfathers grandfather was born. And it wasnt the first empire I created.

He grinned uneasily. He thought I was lying.

Narayan, the Shadowmasters were my slaves. Powerful as they are. They disappeared during a great battle twenty years ago. I believed them dead till we unmasked the one we killed in Dejagore.

Im weakened now. Two years ago there was a great battle in the northernmost region of my empire. The Captain and I put down a wakening evil left over from the first empire I created. To succeed, to prevent that evil from breaking loose, I had to allow my powers to be neutralized. Now Im winning them back, slowly and painfully.