“You know your way about, I think,” the Weaponsmaster said. “Tomorrow we will meet, and you will begin your training with me, and with others.”

Then, with no other word of farewell, Alberich rose and stalked out, his Companion falling in at his side like a well-trained drill partner.

“You’ve been mighty quiet,” Skif said to Cymry in the silence.

:You were doing perfectly well without me,: she replied, with a saucy switch of her tail. :Well. Here you are, left perfectly alone on the Palace grounds. You can go and do whatever you want; no keeper, no guardian. You could go climb to the Palace roof if you wanted to, bearing in mind the Queen’s Guard might catch you. Or hasn’t that occurred to you yet?:

It hadn’t, and the revelation hit him like a bucket of cold water.

“You sure?” he gasped.

:As sure as I’m standing here.: She switched her tail again, but this time with impatience. :They trust you. Isn’t it time you started to trust them? Just start, that’s all.:

An odd, heavy feeling came into his throat. Once again, the sense that something portentous had happened, something that he didn’t understand, came over him.

It was more than uncomfortable, it was unsettling, in the sense of feeling the world he knew suddenly shift into something he no longer recognized.

“I’m hungry,” he announced, hastily shunting it all aside. “An’ I reckon I saw some ham an’ bacon in that pantry.”

Cymry whickered; it sounded like a chuckle. :I reckon you saw more than that. Go on, come back and meet me here once you’ve stuffed yourself.:

Skif got up, and now that he was moving again, he felt every single bruise and strain from yesterday’s ride.

Was it only yesterday? It felt like a lifetime ago. . . .

As he got up, he actually staggered a little with stiffness. Cymry moved quickly to give him a shoulder to catch himself on, and after he’d steadied himself, he gave her a self-conscious little kiss on her forehead.

:Go on,: she said playfully, giving him a shove with her nose. :Just don’t eat until you’re sick.:

You didn’t become a successful thief without learning the layout of a place on the first time through it. Nevertheless, Skif couldn’t help but feeling a little self-conscious as he made his way across the grass, overshadowed by the silent building. And he couldn’t help looking for those who might be looking for him. But there were no watchers; Cymry had been right. And when he left the heat of the outdoors for the cool of the great kitchen, he discovered it just as deserted as it had been when Teren brought him.