The next three days passed uneventfully. Kevlin met with Harafin each morning, but the sessions were short. The time was spent practicing concepts Harafin had already taught. In each session, Kevlin searched for hints that Harafin knew he had overheard the discussion with Ah'Shan, but detected nothing.

The regular immersion in magic helped keep the Trembling Madness at bay, but the Tai Pari proved a more difficult challenge. On the morning of the third day of the voyage, the magic fought his control with a ferocity that left him gasping and trembling.

The rogue magic swarmed his fortified defenses just as the Makrasha had stormed the keep at Il'Aicharen. Kevlin tried to reinforce his shields, but Harafin had to step in to prevent his mind from becoming overwhelmed again.

"You must practice," Harafin said. "I won't always be around to save you." He looked worried, and that terrified Kevlin. Was Ah'Shan right? Was all this some twisted sort of torture that ended in blood sacrifice?

Kevlin spent much of the day seated at the bow, eyes closed, practicing his shielding. The others soon learned to leave him alone, even though he wouldn't tell them what he was doing. By the next afternoon, he discovered some valuable insights.

The first big breakthrough came with the realization that the walls around his mind didn't have to be round. He discussed the benefits and liabilities of different types of fortifications with his swordbrothers and then with Gabral. Gabral commanded an exhaustive knowledge on the subject and, after an initial moment of cautious hesitation, spoke eagerly about it.

Kevlin practiced with various mental structures, raising mental fortifications in seconds. He eagerly waited to test them out against Harafin, but the next morning, Harafin looked exhausted and suggested Kevlin practice with Leander.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just tired. I spent several hours yesterday in Mindlink conversations with Felix, helping him develop new ways to hold the curse at bay."

"It's really that bad?"

"This is the most complex curse I've ever heard of. I believe we will have only one chance to defeat it."

Kevlin sought out Leander, but the Stalwart refused to summon his Sentinel powers. He had renounced them when he took the vows to become a Stalwart. During the battle at Il'Aicharen, the shock of learning Tanathos' secret name had driven him to draw upon those long-unused powers, but he would not do so again.

"I cannot risk it," Leander said. "Those powers are too closely tied to destruction. If I unleashed them upon you . . ." He paused, looking grim. "I don't know if I could stop until you were destroyed."

Kevlin decided shields could wait.

Leander smiled the old, jovial smile Kevlin knew. "Don't worry, lad. I've had a few days now to regain my composure. Chasing Tanathos proved taxing spiritually as well as physically. For a time, I opened the door to the uncontrolled fury that consumed me after the murder of my family."

"I'm glad you feel better." Kevlin had caught a glimpse of Leander's fury and never wanted the Stalwart angry with him. "So am I. Uncontrolled anger is a force of chaos, and too often it results in destruction far beyond what may be intended."

It was good to see Leander's indomitable good humor returning and that he was back in control.

Kevlin tried to speak privately with Indira, but couldn't get her alone. He saw her on deck and during meals, but Ceren and Lady Miren always hovered nearby. Lady Miren had a quick wit and a ready laugh, and she helped keep the company's spirits high, but every time Kevlin tried to draw Indira aside, Lady Miren would insist on joining them.

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"I have to protect the virtue of every lady in my company," she insisted. Then she laughed at Kevlin's shocked expression.

Indira made it clear she wanted to speak with him too. She said, "Let's play a hand of Sailor's Grief. If I win, we get some alone time at the bow."

Lady Miren just laughed.

Kevlin appreciated her concern for the ladies, but her insistence on chaperoning them was becoming irritating.

Adalia, who shadowed Indira at all times, tried to help. "Let 'em alone, m'lady. If'n Kevlin tried nothing on Indira, I'd shoot him in parts wot would calm him down real fast."

Kevlin retreated at that point. He'd get time with Indira once they docked. He turned to his brothers, and they were happy to help him pass the time.

He sparred with both Drystan and Jerrik and spent hours getting beat up by them. He poured his frustration into the matches, and his swordbrothers beat it all out of him.

For half a second, Kevlin longed for the battle prowess Savas had bestowed upon him while trying to possess his soul. He'd stood against both Jerrik and Drystan, had fought like a god.

Better to get beat up.

He had fought like a puppet of a god, moved by Savas' invisible strings. Had he accepted Savas' control, would he have retained any shred of self?

"We have to try something different," Jerrik said as he helped Kevlin rise from getting knocked flat.

Drystan nodded from where he sat against the wall of the quarterdeck, sharpening the head of his spear. "You're right. Kevlin's got to adapt his style."

Kevlin wiped sweat out of his face. He fought with the Taiseluz style, which already provided tremendous flexibility. What he needed was to be faster, or stronger.

These men were masters of their fighting styles as much as Harafin was a master of magic. He needed to learn what they could teach.

"What do you suggest?"

Drystan rose smoothly to his feet. He put down his spear and drew one of his long-knives. "I'm glad you asked."

Kevlin soon wished he hadn't.

That night at dinner, he could barely sit upright. Every muscle ached with fresh bruises, and he nearly fell asleep in his dinner plate.

Ceren grinned across the table at him. "Kevlin, you look terrible. What happened?"

Jerrik grinned. "Kevlin enjoyed a little brotherly kindness today."

"If that's kindness, I'd hate to see you argue," Lady Miren said.

Kevlin ate without talking much and had just decided that he could fall asleep leaning against the bulkhead and no one would ever notice when Harafin spoke.

"Tomorrow morning we will arrive in Tamera."

"We made good time," Lady Miren said.

Captain Sankar, who was joining them in the cramped dining room said, "Aye. We might just beat the record."

Kevlin roused himself. This ship recently broke the record for fastest time from Parthalan. He had his suspicions that Sentinel Ah'Shan had tampered with the winds during that trip, which should disqualify it. He couldn't allow them to unfairly claim a second record without verifying it.

"Has anyone . . . helped us along?" Kevlin asked.

Harafin said, "I have not."

"There," Captain Sankar said quickly. "All well and good and above board."

Kevlin was too tired to argue further.

Harafin said, "You all know the import of our mission. However, I want to impress upon you that even after we break this curse, the danger will be far from over."

"Is there another curse?" Lady Miren asked.

"No, but I am convinced this curse, despite how great a threat it poses directly, is but the first strike. This is the opening move designed to draw this company to Tamera."

"How can you say that?" Gabral asked. "The emperor's life is in danger. Are you so arrogant that you think yourself more important than he is?"

"I do not."

Kevlin reached for a glass of water to try to clear his mind. He wished he had room to splash it on his face but Sitara, who again sat pressed against him, would surely not appreciate that. He needed to think. He wanted to argue with Gabral. How could the short colonel decry arrogance in others?

Harafin continued, outwardly unperturbed. "It is not arrogance that makes me think there is more at stake here, but logic. If the emperor's life was really the target, why is he not dead?"

While Gabral frowned over that, Leander spoke. "Perhaps it is the ultimate goal of the curse. Whoever created it knew that to kill the emperor immediately would remove any obstacle to Felix or another Sentinel immediately destroying it. From the reports you've been receiving, it is causing great disruption in the palace despite the best efforts to contain it."

"Perhaps," Harafin said, "but that is a short-term gain. They have to know we'll break it eventually."

Leander repeated, "Perhaps. Unless there is a timeframe embedded in the curse in which the emperor's life will be forfeit anyway. Can the enemy really ignore such a prize as the emperor's life?"

"That depends on what they're trying to accomplish. However, your point is valid. Yet another reason to reach Tamera with all speed."

Harafin regarded the rest of them. "Be on your guard tomorrow. There are many questions to be answered before I would consider Tamera a safe haven."