Delek frowned. "It's not necessary for you to leave us, my dear."
She shook her head, smiling slightly. "I think Gryph would be more comfortable if I went inside. I'll see you both later." She walked through the garden, the skirts of her yellow gown lightly brushing the heads of some of Delek's beautiful flowers.
Gryph saw the expression on Delek's face as Alana left. Love and pride and quiet satisfaction were clearly evident. Gryph raised his glass of ale.
"To your lady," he said formally.
"I'll drink to that." Delek took a long swallow from his own glass. "Now, let's get the business over with. Tell me what brings you so unexpectedly to Little Chance."
Gryph put his glass down and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. "I think someone has found a crystal ship, Delek."
Delek stared at him. "There hasn't been a ship found for over fifty years."
"I know. But someone has stolen a prisma cutter. Two men have died because of that cutter. One of those men was an informant I occasionally use in Serendipity. Before he died he told me there were rumors of the cutter being taken north to Little Chance. Little Chance is the last town before one heads into the region that contains the Gorge of Storms."
Delek sat forward, watching Gryph carefully. "The last few crystal ships were found in the gorge."
"I know."
"Shields searched the region thoroughly after they neutralized those ships to determine if there might be any more."
"That was over fifty years ago. It's possible a ship was missed."
Delek nodded slowly. "Possible. Not probable, but possible. The terrain of the gorge is tricky. The rock formations there can conceal prisma rays. Have you sent word to the frontier towns?"
"No. I haven't dared. For one thing, I don't think I have enough time to get a message to the borders and wait for the arrival of other Shields. For another, I'd have to trust the message to someone outside our class and I can't do that."
"Why not?"
Gryph sighed. "Because," he said carefully, "I think there's a rogue behind all this."
Delek stared at him. "Are you certain?"
"No. But my informant, the one who died, thought there was a Shield involved. Brinton's information
was invariably accurate."
"I see your problem," Delek said. "This is truly Shield business, then. The possibility of another prisma crystal ship having been found is bad enough. But if a Shield has gone rogue, we're all in very serious trouble. Remember Targyn?"
"I remember." Gryph gazed at the flowers around him, remembering the tale he had once told Luri. "Luckily he's become pure legend."
"Had he lived, he would have been a very dangerous man," Delek said. "He had delusions of grandeur, I'm afraid. He dreamed of controlling prisma, you know. He wanted to test the old theories. He used to talk about it all the time. When no one supported his ideas he started spending more and more time alone in the mountains hunting bandits all by himself. He was crazy. No doubt about it. A real rogue Shield. Everyone was relieved when he met a glorious end. Saved us from having to send someone into the mountains to take care of him."
"Don't remind me," Gryph muttered. "I got the impression I might have been elected to do the job." "Oh, no doubt about it," Delek assured him cheerfully, "There aren't many men who could have taken
Targyn. You're one of the few who might have been able to do it. He was good. Damn good."
"Luckily for the Targyn passed into legend all by himself." Gryph paused, thinking. "Is there any other Shield in the area right now?"
"Not as far as I know. There haven't been many Shields through Little Chance during the past few months. No reason. Their work is out on the frontier and if they're looking for wives, they usually head for Serendipity or one of the bigger towns to the south."
"I couldn't find anyone in Serendipity and I haven't got time to-search any other towns along the way." "I'll come with you," Delek said flatly. "I may not be of much use because of this game leg, but it looks like I'm all
you've got in the way of backup. I assume you're going into the gorge?"
"It's the only lead I've got. But I've given this some thought, Delek. I've decided it would be better if you took care of contacting the frontier clans. You know as well as I do that it has to be done in person. We can't take the risk of letting outsiders know a Shield may have gone rogue."
Delek nodded. "We'll have to take care of everything ourselves. I'll leave at once. It will take a few days, even with the fastest dragonponies."
"Good. We'll leave for the gorge this afternoon."
"We?" Delek asked quickly.
Gryph permitted himself a small, satisfied grin. He lifted his glass. "Congratulate me, Delek. I've found a Shield-mate."
Delek smiled and raised his glass. "A cause for congratulations, indeed. Your clan will be pleased. What is your wife's name?"
"Sariana Dayne. She's from the eastern provinces."
"Interesting," Delek mused. "I have not heard of any mates being found among the women of the east, but I suppose it's reasonable to assume there are some potential Shieldmates there. That should be good news to the clans."
"There are some complications with an eastern Shield-male," Gryph admitted.
"Such as?"
"As far as she's concerned, the First Generation Pact between Shields and the colonists doesn't apply to her. After all, her people did not make any treaty with the Shields."
Delek gaped at him in amazement. "By the Lightstorm, Gryph, I hadn't thought about that. She's right." Delek grinned slowly, a very feral smile that reminded Gryph of the hunter Delek had once been. "But by the same token, she is not protected by the Pact."
"Nevertheless," Gryph stated proudly, "I followed the rules." "But did she know the rules before you took her to bed?" Delek asked slyly. "Things were rather confused that night," Gryph admitted. "There wasn't time or opportunity to give
her an education on the history of Shields and colonists."
Delek roared with laughter and slapped his thigh. "I'll just bet there wasn't time. Did she open your kit
the next morning?"
"Easily." Gryph smiled with pride. "As easily as if she were a Shield trained in working prisma and had her own kit. It was amazing."
"What does she think of this whole affair?"