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treatours. But we've got another visitor, it seems. Lady Moth tellsme that
Lady Triana has come calling."
Rennati's face went dead white; that alone would have beena giveaway
that she had been covertly serving Triana, even if Kyrtian hadn't already
known the whole story. Triana had cho-sen her tool very poorly, on the whole,
if she so readily be- trayed herself by her mere expressions.
But Triana never really thought of humans much, except ascat's-paws.
She probably never once considered that he orGel or anyone that
mattered! would be around to see her re- action if Triana's name was
mentioned.
But Gel immediately put his weathered paw over her slimhand, and said
gruffly, "Now, Rennati she needn't even knowyou're here "
"On the contrary," Kyrtian said firmly, "Iwant Triana toknow she's
here. In fact, I have something in mind it might be a little humiliating for
you," he continued, turning to the girl,"but if you can weather a bit of
humiliation, I think we can turnher attention away from you completely and for
all time, ifyou'll cooperate."
He explained what he wanted her to do, and although the girlflushed
with embarrassment, and Gel growled over the plan, they both eventually agreed
it was the only possible solution. "She'll probably corner you at some point
this evening, if onlyto get her teleson-ring back," he cautioned. "I think we
can manage to interrupt that confrontation before she can do any-thing to you,
but you know, if shedoes take back the ring, itwill effectively sever all
contact with you and show that she's got no more interest in you."
And if what Lashana told me is true, we can also expect to
have a device to completely neutralize the collar she placed onyou in
a day or so, he thought, but did not say aloud. That wasa secret he wished to
keep to himself until Lady Triana waslong gone.
Rennati nodded, and licked her lips. "I think that would bebest, my
lord," she whispered, as Gel squeezed her hand com- fortingly. "I'll go to my
quarters and prepare."
"And I'd better go to mine," Kyrtian said, stifling a groan. He left
the two of them alone; no doubt Gel, who had delivered en-couraging speeches
to fighters in the past, could find the words to put courage into this little
dancer's heart.
He didn't have a great deal of clothing with him suitable for formal
occasions but he had the run of Lady Moth's mansion, and asked her servants to
rummage through the closets of her late husband's wardrobe and select
something appropriate. Heworked a little judicious use of magic to adjust the
fit of thesober, black silk and silver outfit they brought him, and it made
him presentable enough. He descended from the second-floorguest quarters to
Lady Moth's drawing room looking (hehoped) like the successful, but
no-nonsense, military com-mander he was.
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The ladies broke off their conversation as he entered the spa-cious,
pale-pink and gold chamber; Lady Viridina and LadyMoth flanked Lady Triana,
perched on delicate chairs on either side of the sofa that Triana occupied.
If women's clothing served as a weapon and given all that Kyrtian
knew about Triana, there was no doubt in his mind that for her, it did then
Lady Triana had come armed to the teeth. Nothing about her costume was
excessive, there was nothingabout it that any other lady could take exception
to exceptthat the flesh-colored silk of her gown, though it covered her lit-
erally from neck to knee, could not have revealed more of herunless she'd been
stark naked. But the effect was oh! so subtle; the silk was heavy, not thin,
and her charms were disclosed by imperceptible degrees as she moved. The color
contributed tothe effect, and knowing what he knewnow about the lady, Kyrt-ian
couldn't help but admire her tactical expertise on her ownbattlefield.
That did not, however, mean he intended to fall victim to it.
He half-bowed to all three ladies, then took a step forwardand made a
more formal bow over Triana's hand. "Lady Triana, I have heard a great deal in
praise of you," he said, keeping the irony out of his voice.
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