“And I,” Lothair said, and the others echoed their best wishes. Then the Shadow Princes left Kaliq. They had done their duty this day.

For a moment he sat quietly enjoying the silence. The bowl with its clear liquid looked innocent enough now. Lara would not be pleased to see the twin sons she had borne the Twilight Lord Kol those many years ago, but she would not be particularly surprised that despite the lack of their natural father they had become quite like him. He called out to her in the silent language. Domina, hear my plea. Cease all else and come to me.

She appeared in an instant. “What have you learned?” she asked him.

“Come, and see for yourself. We have found Kolbein in the family of a Wolfyn lord called Thorolf. He has your golden hair, but looks exactly like his twin otherwise.”

“They both had dark hair when they were born,” Lara noted. “Have they any redeeming qualities, or are they totally Kol’s get?”

“Their sire would be proud of them,” Kaliq said dryly, “although Kolgrim does have beautiful manners. Both of them seem to enjoy painful passions.”

Lara walked to the table containing the bowl. “Show me Kolgrim,” she said. Then she peered into the crystal as the liquid darkened, then cleared. The boy who slept amid the tangle of bed-clothing, the two young women curled next to him, was beautiful, but he did have his father’s features despite his golden hair. “Show me Kolbein,” Lara said, and then she shuddered. This boy who also slept with two women was, with his ebony hair, Kol’s image. He lay upon his back, his manhood flaccid now, the second manhood hidden beneath the dominant one. His mouth had a spoiled twist to it, and Lara saw one of the young women slept with a dildo still embedded within her. That alone bespoke his cruelty. “I can make no judgments now,” Lara said.

Kaliq put a comforting arm about her. “Nay, you cannot. You need to see far more than you have seen, my love. But the Darkling Ciarda has plans for her half brothers. We have set a watch upon her so she does not trump us.”

“Will the bowl let me see her?” Lara asked.

He nodded. “Show us Ciarda,” Kaliq said.

The liquid revealed a beautiful young woman with long ebony hair that fell to her hips. She sat before a mirror brushing her long tresses. The face was Kol’s in female form. It was intelligent, and when she stared deeply into the glass Lara saw that she had black eyes just like her father. Suddenly the girl looked directly into her mirror, and smiled a small, knowing smile.

“She knows she is being observed. Bowl clear!” Lara said. “Her magic is strong, Kaliq. Let us hope she does not know who it was who watched her just now.”

“You did not linger, but left her quickly enough,” Kaliq said. “She will think it was her imagination, a momentary sensation. She is a highly excitable creature. We will be more careful next time and use a shielding spell.”

“How long do I have to make my decision?” Lara asked him.

“Until Alfrigg visits each family. He believes he but goes to observe the twins, and make a decision as to which will serve the Dark Lands best. But both of the boys have recently become curious about their heritage, and have asked their foster parents to reveal their true heritage. The Wolfyn lord and his giant counterpart have told their fosterling almost the same thing. That when the chancellor visits he will reveal the truth to them about their parentage.”

“If he does it will cause civil strife in the Dark Lands, which usually would be to our advantage, but not now,” Lara replied.

“He has no intention of telling them until he chooses Kol’s successor,” Kaliq said. “One boy was to learn who his parents were. The other would be lied to by the chancellor, and given a false parentage so that he be satisfied, and the plot could move forward. Ciarda, however, has become an ingredient that this stew did not need.”

“Have you learned what she means to do?” Lara was frankly curious.

“She means to reveal the truth to the twins, and set them against one another. She plans to mate with the victor, have the son he must create and then do away with him.”

“And she will rule for her son even as I rule for mine,” Lara said. “What an interesting juxtaposition of fate. But the twins are her blood, Kaliq.”

“It is unusual, but not unheard of for half siblings to mate,” he replied.

“I can but imagine the child of such a mating,” Lara said with a shudder. “Give me your bowl, Kaliq. I must go home. I will observe the twins for the next few days, and see if I can make a decision in this matter.”

“You will not stay?” He looked disappointed.

“I have a kingdom to rule, my lord,” Lara told him softly.

With a reluctant sigh the Shadow Prince put his hand, palm down, over the oblong bowl and said, “Bowl empty.” Then he handed the vessel to her with one hand while drawing her to him for a kiss with the other.

His lips on hers were both tender and passionate. Lara kissed him back. Then before he might say another word she evaporated from his arms, and was gone. She reappeared in a small windowless room within her castle where she came to work on spells and other magical pursuits. Carefully she set the bowl upon a shelf. It would not be disturbed for the door to her chamber always locked behind her, and would open to no hand but hers. As she walked toward her own apartments she could see the sun had already set, and she was glad. It had been an exhausting few days.

Taj was waiting for her. “Where have you been, Mother? I was worried,” he said.

“I had business to discuss with Prince Kaliq,” she answered.

“You are always with him,” the young Dominus replied, and she heard the jealousy in his voice.

“Kaliq is my mentor, and has been for many years,” Lara said quietly.

“What business did you discuss?” he demanded to know.

“Magical business, my son, of which you are unfamiliar,” Lara replied. “And of which you will remain unfamiliar. I may have birthed you, Taj, but you are pure mortal as was your father. I am glad of it. Being magical is a great burden to bear.”

“I hate being alone,” Taj told her, and they sat together. “I miss my sisters!”

“You always complained about your sisters,” Lara said with a small smile. “You said Anoush was too dreamy, Zagiri too vain and Marzina too magical.”

“They were!” Taj insisted. “But they were here, Mother. If my head hurt Anoush always had a remedy for it. And Zagiri always helped me when my lessons were too hard. And my twin sister could make me laugh with her magic when she would turn a servant into some creature, and then turn it back again. The creatures always looked like the person, too, Mother. I miss her.”

“I know, Taj. The castle seems empty to me, too, now, but Anoush wanted to remain with her father’s people for she is happiest with them. And Zagiri ran away from us, and it was time for Marzina to go to your grandmother Ilona. It was necessary she learn the strict discipline that someone with great magical powers needs. It is those magical beings who have not that discipline who fall into the darkness,” Lara told him.

“We will go to The Gathering this year, won’t we, Mother? And my sisters will be there, won’t they?”

Lara ruffled her son’s dark gold hair. “Anoush will be there, and I know your grandmother will send Marzina to be with us. As for Zagiri, Taj, I do not know when you will see her again,” Lara said.

“Could I not send a message to the Lord High Ruler of Hetar demanding that he send my sister to The Gathering?” Taj asked. “I am, after all, Dominus of Terah.”

“And Jonah is Lord High Ruler of Hetar, Taj,” Lara replied. “He believes his status is equal to yours, my son.”

“My lands are vaster, and richer,” Taj bragged.

“Which is why Hetar covets Terah,” Lara pointed out. “You must learn not to be boastful, Taj. Envious people will stop at nothing. You should remember that. A wise leader is gracious, and has no need to vaunt himself above others.”

“You should remain home, Mother,” Taj said. “I learn much from you.”

Lara laughed. “You sound like your father,” she teased him. Then she grew serious. “Your father knew I had a destiny, Taj, which is why he never held me too closely. You will have to learn that lesson, too, my darling. It is part of your growing up.” Then she kissed his brow. “Go to bed, Taj. I can already see Belmair glowing brightly in the night sky. I will be here in the morning when you awaken, I promise.”

He returned her kiss, and then went off to his own chamber. What a difference, Lara thought, between Kolbein, Kolgrim and her son Taj.

The other two are your sons, too, Ethne reminded her.

Lara’s hand went to the crystal star resting above her heart that was now glowing. How can I think of them as mine? she said. They are Kol’s, not mine. He forced his seed on me, Ethne. Only in having my memory restored was I able to thwart him by dividing that seedling into two. But I did not want them!

And Marzina? Ethne asked. She is Kol’s child yet you love her with all your heart, Lara.

I have never considered Marzina his. She is Magnus’s daughter, and Taj’s twin!

Who came from the Twilight Lord’s seed as did Kolbein and Kolgrim, Ethne said. Now you are being asked to choose one over the other, my child. It will not be easy.

You must help me, Lara responded.

I am always here for you, Ethne replied. And then the magical spirit’s flickering flame dimmed as it always did when she had said what she must.

For the next few days Lara would go to her little privy chamber to view the twin sons she had borne the Twilight Lord. She kept the bowl filled with the clear liquid so she might quickly view them. As Kaliq had said, they were Kol’s get without a doubt. Selfish and cruel, ignorant, libidinous and vicious. She could find few redeeming qualities in either of them. Kolbein and Kolgrim lived for themselves. Though they were not quite two and a half years older than Taj, their maturity was far greater than the young Terahn Dominus. And then word came that Chancellor Alfrigg had left the Twilight Lord’s castle and taken to the road leading to the home of the renegade Forest Giant, Arild.