Robot Adept

Bane heard no more key remarks. But he had already heard enough. This effort of spying had been worth it!

He returned to his body. Fleta had changed back to girlform, and was lying with his body under her cloak.

“They be setting a trap for Bane, when he returns,” he whispered. “Tan be behind it.”

“Then mayhap will they conjure Tania to eye thee, in the moment thou dost return unguarded,” Fleta whispered back. “That must they do just then, for thou wouldst be else caught not. With Mach loving me, and thou loving Tania, then have they both.”

“Then have they both,” he agreed. “But how can I foil their plot?”

“An thou dost, will not they then know how thou didst know?”

Excellent point! “But an I foil it not, I be trapped, for I fear Tania’s power. She could not hold me long, but she might coerce me into what would compromise me.”

“Such as making love to one thou dost love not?” Fleta asked.

“Such can happen, on occasion,” he said wryly.

“An I be not in a position to know better, I could have thought thy words to me, a day agone, were true,” she said.

Did she suspect? “Just so the Adverse Adepts think so.”

“Aye.” Did she sound disappointed?

“But whate’er I said about thy body, that were true,” he said. “It be sheer delight.”

“Aye.” This time she sounded satisfied.

They did not resume their effort of love-making; the purpose of that had been accomplished. Bane relaxed, relieved on two accounts, concerned on the third. One: he had finally justified his spying effort by uncovering an enemy trap. Two: Fleta did not suspect his true feeling. Three: how could he withstand Tania, if his love for Agape was not secure?

Fleta made good time, and on the third day they reached the Red Demesnes. The goblin party continued to track them, falling behind by day, catching up in early evening, evidently assisted by magic, for no goblin could keep pace with any unicorn otherwise. Apparently the goblins had to keep close enough to be able to pounce the moment Mach exchanged with Bane.

They had, it seemed, tried to capture Agape before; failing that, they were taking no chances with Bane.

A bat flew out to meet them as they approached the castle. In a moment lovely Suchevane stood before them. Fleta changed to girlform, giving Bane barely time to dismount. The two young woman forms embraced.

“Be thou Fleta?” the vampire asked.

“Dost know me not?” Fleta asked, laughing.

“Last I met Agape, in thy body. I owe her.”

“I know naught of this.”

Suchevane cast down her gaze, coloring slightly. “I be resident at the Red Demesnes, now. To assist the Adept.”

Fleta surveyed her, comprehending. “Thou dost have a thing for…?”

“Aye. It were Agape put me on it, speaking the common sense I saw not for myself. And now—”

Fleta hugged her again. “O, Suchy, how glad I be for thee!”

“And not for him?” Bane inquired. He knew the Red Adept to have been the strongest and most lonely of creatures, surely eager to have a creature like Suchevane near, if she but showed the slightest inclination.

They laughed. Then Suchevane escorted them into the castle.

Bane had not been here for some time, but he recognized improvement. Suchevane had evidently wasted no time in setting the castle in order. Even the old troll looked better; his red robe was clean, and he stood with a certain pride he had not evinced before, despite his enormous magic. A woman could do that for a man; Bane was in a position to know. He had never anticipated such a combination, but it seemed that Agape had engineered it.

“We come on business,” Bane said. “I be Bane, not Mach; we have maintained a masquerade to ascertain the threat posed against thy side by the Adverse Adepts. But Mach promised, and so did I, to seek a way that Fleta might breed with a man and bear a foal. Fleta has helped me in my mission; now I would help her in her desire, and for this I ask thy help.”

“Thou shallst have it,” Trool said. “What be the threat against us?”

“They mean to smite me with the evil eye, and enamor me of the Tan Adept’s daughter, that I may change sides and work with Mach for them. They know not that I be not Mach, at the moment.”

“Thou hast practiced deception,” Trool said. “That were a violation of thy truce.”

“I think not,” Bane said. “I be on thy side; I made no deal with Translucent. Mach still honors that.”

“Thou art on my side, agreed,” Trool said. “Therefore to me falls responsibility for this abridgement o’ the truce.”

“But they be abridging it also, by setting a trap for me!” Bane protested.

“Aye.” Trool walked in a circle, pondering. “I had thought not Translucent would do that.”

“Translucent agreed only to let Tania test me,” Bane said. “I think he be not part o’ this scheme.”

“If I may comment?” Suchevane said cautiously.

“Always,” Trool told her, not bothering to conceal the delight he had in her presence.

“Methinks it best to know exactly where the guilt lies,” she said. “An Bane go into the trap, and spring it, then mayhap those behind it will be revealed. Then will we know who keeps the truce, and who does not.”