They all saw what had happened, or the illusion of what had happenedHe had cast the spell
An owl suddenly called, short and clear from north along the river, nearer to the treesDevin became aware of a change in the skyBlue Ilarion, waning back to a crescent, had risen in the eastGhostlight, Devin thought, and wished he hadn't
"Honor!" Erlein di Senzio said, scarcely audible
Alessan had not moved since giving his commandHe looked down on the wizard he had bound and said, quietly, "I did not enjoy that, but I suppose we needed to go through itOnce will be enough, I hopeShall we eat?"
He walked past Devin and the Duke and Catriana to where Baerd was waiting by the black chanel handbags fireThe meat was already cookingCaught in a vortex of emotion, Devin saw the searching look Baerd gave AlessanHe turned back in time to see Sandre reaching out a hand to help Erlein rise
For a long moment Erlein ignored him, then, with a sigh, he grasped the Duke's forearm and pulled himself erect
Devin followed Catriana back toward the fireHe heard the two wizards coming after them
Dinner passed in near silenceErlein took his plate and glass and went to sit alone on the rock by the stream at the very farthest extent of the fire's glowLooking over at his dark outline, Sandre murmured that a younger man would very likely have refused to eat"He's a survivor that black chanel quilted bag one," the Duke added"Any wizard who's lasted this long has to be
"Will he be all right then," Catriana asked softly"With us?"
"I think so," Sandre answered, sipping his wine"He'll try to run away tonight though
"I know," the Prince said
"Do we stop him?" It was Baerd
Alessan shook his headHe cannot leave me unless I let himIf I call he must returnIt is a queer feeling
Queer indeed, Devin thoughtHe looked from the Prince to the dark figure by the riverHe couldn't even imagine what this must feel likeOr rather, he could almost imagine it, and the sensation disturbed him
He became aware that Catriana was looking at him and he turned to herThis time she didn't dior saddle look awayHer expression, too, was strange; Devin realized she must be feeling the same edginess and sense of unreality that he wasHe suddenly remembered, vividly, the feel of her head against his shoulder an hour agoAt the time he'd hardly registered the fact, so intent had he been on ErleinHe tried to smile reassuringly, but he didn't think he managed it
"Troubadour, you promised us harp music!" Sandre called out abruptlyThe wizard in the darkness didn't respondDevin had forgotten about thatHe didn't feel much like singing and he didn't think Catriana did either
So, in the event, what happened was that Alessan expressionlessly claimed his Tregean pipes and began to coco chanel earrings make music alone beside the fire
He played beautifully, with a pared-down economy of sound, melodies so sweetly offered that Devin, in his current mood, could almost imagine Eanna's stars and the blue crescent of the one moon pausing in their movements overhead so as not to have to wheel inexorably away from the grace of that music
Then a short while later Devin realized what Alessan was doing and he felt, abruptly, as if he was going to cryHe held himself very still, to keep control, and he looked at the Prince across the red and orange of the flames
Alessan's eyes were closed as he played, his lean face seemed almost hollowed out, the cheekbones showing mulberry leather clearly