“What, you’re going to complain of me to the king, Sarn? You know better than that!”

“Royal Guard’s not that far away, and if I can smell your jug, so might they. You know the rules.”

“Pfaugh!” Tamnis said, and spat. But he put a plug in the jug, took up a waterskin, and drank heavily from that. Then he grinned at the boys and turned back to the others. “We’ve the pleasure of the prince’s company all to ourselves, I suppose. Nothing to complain of there. Was only thinkin’ of others.”

By the time they had worked their way to the front wagon, Camwyn no longer thought the job quite as boring, or midday meals with the teamsters worse than lunch at the royal table. From the fourth day on, he and Aris had been allowed to exercise their mounts in the evening, riding up and down the road with four Royal Guards blocking either end. At night, Mikeli and Aris watched as Camwyn tried to bring his magery under some control. It was not hard to make his hand give light; Mikeli provided candle after candle for him to light and Aris to snuff. Sometimes he could rise off the stool or rug as high as the seat of Mikeli’s chair. And this exercise kept him from waking to an unexpected light later on.

On the evening before they expected to make Harway, Mikeli relented. “Tomorrow you will ride with me. I am pleased, both of you, with the way you accepted your punishment and performed your duties. But mark it well: there will be no more secrets from your king, Camwyn and Aris. Camwyn, your duty to me is as both brother and subject. Aris, your duty to me outweighs your duty of friendship to Camwyn. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir king,” Camwyn said. Aris followed.

“And neither of you will speak of this without my command. Clear?”

“Yes, sir king.”

“Well, then. Tonight we will do our best to exhaust Camwyn and prevent any untoward displays of that power he must not have. Once we get to Duke Verrakai’s domain, we will consult her … that part of your plan, Cam, showed sense.”