Holder of Lightning

Jenna knew that the gardai on watch that night had been imprisoned, and the sentry assigned to the north side of the keep nearest Jenna's room had been executed in front of the others as an example. The punishment had been exacted before she could protest and without her consent. She suspected that it never occurred to the Ri to inquire about her feelings-it was his domain, and he did as he wished.

It's also true that dead men don't talk, if they'd been told to look the other way and their knowledge of who gave them the order was now a danger. The Ri Gabair has the money and the knowledge and the desire, as much as anyone here.

She smiled blandly back at the Ri. "I appreciate your efforts, Ri Mal-laghan. Your concern for my well-being is gratifying."

The Ri laughed at that, his body shaking under the fine clothing. There, you see, Nevan-as fine a response as any Riocha could have fashioned.

Tiarna Mac Ard has taught the girl well."

Jenna gave the Ri the expected smile, resisting the impulse to retort. Tiarna Mac Ard may have helped, but I taught myself more by listening to the

lies I hear around me every day, she wanted to say. But she curtsied instead, as a Riocha would, and continued to smile.

"The RI Ard is also concerned with your well-being," O Liathain said before Jenna could escape. "I have put the Ri Ard’s garrison here in Lar Bhaile at Ri Mallaghan’s disposal."

"That is kind of you, Tanaise Rig," Jenna answered. "Some good has come of this incident, though. I’ve discovered that the stone I hold has greater and more varied powers than I’d thought. I may be able to dis-cover who my enemies are on my own." She touched Lamh Shabhala with the scarred, patterned flesh of her right hand, looking from O Liathain to Ri Mallaghan. "And I’m certain the Ri and the Ri Ard would allow me to exact my own retribution. Wouldn’t that be interesting?"

The smile on O Liathain’s face wavered and for a moment Jenna won-dered if she’d gone too far, but Ri Mallaghan also frowned. "The laws are the laws," Ri Mallaghan intoned. "An accusation would need proof-and proof that I as Ri can see."

Jenna inclined her head. "I’ve heard that the Ri Mallaghan has excellent methods for obtaining proof when it’s needed," she responded.

The Ri snorted. "Taught well, indeed," he commented to O Liathain. Cianna drifted over to them before he could say more, with Tiarna Galen Aheron of Tuath Infochla accompanying her. Cianna touched Jenna’s shoulder and nodded to O Liathain’s abbreviated bow.

"The servants tell me we should begin moving toward the table soon, my husband," she said, her voice too fast and colored with a slight wheeze. "Let me take the Holder for a few minutes before we sit. Here, Tiarna Aheron wishes to speak with you."

"Certainly," the Ri answered. "Holder, I will speak with you later." Jenna curtsied to the Ri and O Liathain again, and let Cianna guide her away. O Liathain’s head moved toward the Ri’s ear before they were a step away, as Galen Aheron bowed to the Ri..

"What did you say to the Tanaise Rig?" Cianna asked quietly as they moved through the crowd. "Poor Nevan looked as if he’d swallowed a fish bone."

"I simply suggested to him that Lamh Shabhala might have ways of uncovering treachery," Jenna said. Cianna laughed at that, the laughter trailing away in a cough. She stopped, drawing Jenna into a corner of the hall.

"I would be careful with what you claim, Jenna," she said. "It's not good to put an enemy on alert with a bluff."

"I don't know who my enemies are, Banrion," Jenna answered. "I thought that I might find out-and I wasn't entirely bluffing."

"Ah," Cianna said thoughtfully, nodding. She gestured at the room. "They're all your enemies, every one of them here," she said. "Even me, Jenna. Any of us would take the cloch and become the Holder, if we thought it would gain us power."

"I think I can trust you, Banrion. Or you wouldn't have said what you just said."

Cianna smiled. "Thank you, Jenna. But look at them. There are more plots there than leaves in the forest, and many of them concern you. In the last cycle, my husband was nearly killed himself when one of the ceil giallnai decided that he might increase his standing by allying with one of the Connachtan families. He managed to actually draw his blade at the table before he was cut down, not five feet from the Ri. Trust is a rare commodity here, Jenna. Don't take it lightly, and don't believe that it's eternal, either. Allegiances shift, friendships fade, love is ephemeral. Be careful."