He’d be able to get out of his room easily enough; no one checked beds to see that people were in them around here. The trouble was, how was he to get out of—and more importantly, back inside—the Palace walls?

:Me, of course,: Cymry replied in his head. He jumped; then smiled sheepishly. :Nobody is going to stop a Companion and her Chosen.:

:You don’t mind?: he asked, hesitantly. After all, this wasn’t precisely going to be a sanctioned excursion.

:Mind?: he felt her scorn.

:You just try and do it without me! You wouldn’t have a chance.: Well, she was probably right.

:But what do I do with you while I’m sneakin’ around?: he asked.

She chuckled. :I’ll take care of that. Trust me, I can always insinuate myself into someone’s nearby stable. But I’m not having you so far away that I can’t come to your rescue if I have to.:

He was both touched and a trifle irritated. Did she think he couldn’t take care of himself? He’d been taking care of himself for the past year and more! She hadn’t been around then!

Now she sounded contrite. :Of course you can take care of yourself, I never doubted that. But your uncle might have guards—:

He laughed, silently. :Londer? Old cheap Londer? Not a chance. What he has got is dogs—but he’s too cheap to get trained ones, so he just gets nasty ones and keeps ’em hungry to keep ’em mean. Which means—?:

Cymry knew; bless her, she got it at once. :They’ll eat anything you throw in front of them.:

He grinned. :And I know where to get plenty of poppy syrup. Put ’em right to sleep inside a candlemark, then I slip inside and give old uncle a surprise.:

:Then what will you do?: she asked soberly. :When you leave? You aren’t—: :I’m gonna make him drink poppy hisself,: Skif reassured her.

:No way I’m taking a chance on hitting him hard enough to make sure he stays knocked out. Besides, with that thick head of his—I’d probably break what I hit him with before I knocked him out.:

He felt her sigh gustily. :Good. Then this will all work. And what then?:

:Then—: He closed his eyes, but couldn’t yet see a direction for himself. :It’s early days to make any plans. I’ll figure on what to do after I hear what old Londer has to say.:

And that would have to do, for now.

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