“Been meddling, have you?” Royce asked, looking around at the hive of activity.“You must admit they didn’t have much in the way of a defense plan,”Hadrian said, pausing to wipe the sweat from his forehead.Royce smiled at him. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”

“There you are!” he shouted at them. “Father has half the castle turnedout looking for you.”“Us?” Hadrian asked.“Yes.” Fanen nodded. “He wants to see the two thieves in his chambersright away.”“You didn’t steal the silver or anything, did you, Royce?” Hadrianasked.“I would bet it has more to do with your flirting with Lenare this afternoonand threatening Mauvin just to show off,” Royce retorted.“That was your fault,” Hadrian said, jabbing his finger at him.”

“How's your foot?” Hadrian asked.“It hurts.”“He had a good hold.”“Bit right through my boot.”“Yeah, that looked painful.”“So why exactly didn't you help?”Hadrian shrugged. “It was a dog, Royce. A cute, little dog. What did you want me to do, killan innocent little animal?”Royce tilted his head, squinting into the light of the late evening sun to focus on his friend.“Is that a joke?”“It was a puppy.”“It was not a puppy, and it was eating my foot.”“Yeah, but you were invading his home.” ....“You know, you didn't have to throw it out the window,” Hadrian said as they walked.Royce, who was still preoccupied with his foot, looked up. “What did you want me to dowith it? Scratch behind the little monster’s ears as it gnawed my toes off? What if it started barking?That would have been a fine mess.”“It's a good thing there was a moat right under the window.”Royce stopped. “There was?”

“You think he’s still alive?” Royce asked, nodding his head toward Alric.“Sure,” Hadrian replied without bothering to look. “He’s probably sleeping. Why do you ask?”“I was just pondering something. Do you think a person could smother in a wet potato bag?”Hadrian lifted his head and looked over at the motionless prince. “I really hadn’t thought about it until now.”

“Wait a minute,” Hadrian said. “Was it a beat-up brown leather notebook?About this big?” He gestured with his hands.“Yes,” the Patriarch said.Arista looked back and forth between them. “How do you know that?”“I know it because I have lived in the Crown Tower,” the Patriarchsaid.“And you?” Arista looked at Hadrian, who hesitated.“Ha-ha! Of course, of course. I knew it!” Cosmos DeLur chuckled andclapped his hands together in single applause while smiling at Hadrian.“Such a wonderfully delightful rumor as that had to be true. That isan exquisite accomplishment.”“You stole it?” Arista asked.“Yes, he did,” the Patriarch declared.“Actually,” Hadrian said, “Royce and I did, but we put it back the next night.”

“What were you thinking about justnow while you were looking out the window?" To his surprise, the question flustered her. "I—wasn't thinking.""Then what were you doing?" he asked, his curiosity aroused.A rueful smile touched her inviting lips, and she shot him a sideways look before turning back to thewindow. "I was… talking to God," she admitted. "'Tis a habit I have."Startled and slightly amused, Royce said, "Really? What did God have to say?""I think," she softly replied, "He said, 'You're welcome.' ""For what?" Royce teased.Lifting her eyes to his, Jenny solemnly replied, "For you.”