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As if guessing h my stomach had also rumbled loudly), Deka went to a cabinet and opened a drawer, taking out several flat loaves of bread and a chub of dry sausage He began slicing this on a board "So why have you come? It can’t just have been to see an old friend"

He still thought of me as a friend I tried not to let him see how this affected me "I did just want to see you, believe it or not I wondered how you’d turned out"

"You can’t have wondered all that hard, since it took you two years to come"

I winced "After Shahar, what happened with her, I mean … I didn’t want to see you, because I was afraid that you would be … like her" Deka said nothing, still working on the food "I thought you would be back in Sky by now, though"

"Why?"

"Shahar Sheyou hoo as soon as ers?"

I faltered silent, confused As I sat there, Deka turned back toit before ristle-and-scraps here, I found when I took a slice The sausage eet and redolent of cinnaht yellow in color per the local style The Litaria ht make Remath Arameri’s son serve his own food, but the food was at least suited to his station He’d brought a flask of wine, too, light and strong, of equal quality

"Mother sent a letter shortly after you left Sky, inquiring as to when Iin the chair across fro a slice of h "I responded with a letter ofthat I intended to re at his audacity "You told her you’d coood and ready, is that it? And she didn’t force you home?"

"No" Deka’s expression darkened further "But she had Shahar write to "

"Nothing?"

He sat back in his chair, crossing his legs and toying with the glass of wine in his fingers I didn’t like that pose for him; it remindedShahar’s letter said, ‘I am told the standard course of study at the Litaria is ten years Surely you can finish your research within that time?’"

"A deadline"

He nodded "Two years to wrap up o back to Sky -- or, no doubt, Mother’s willingness to let me return would expire" He spread his hands "This is ht of what he’d told ic he’d developed, his vow to beco back, then"

"I leave in a ed "I should arrive bytin territory within the sleepy agrarian land of Wiru, in southern Senm (That way only a few farmers would die if the place ever blew to the heavens) Sky was not that far "You’re a scrivener Draw a gate sigil"

"I don’t actually need to; the Litaria has a perured to Sky’s But to travel that ould h I was afraid of assault There is the family pride to consider And more i finally allowed back into the house" He sipped frolass of wine Over the rim, his eyes were dark and colder than I’d ever expected to see "Let Mother and the rest of the me here If they will not love me, fear is an acceptable substitute"

For a moment I was stunned This was not at all the Deka I reer a child, and he had never been a fool He kneell as I did what he was going back to in Sky I could not bla himself to prepare for it But I did mourn, just a little, for the sweet boy I’d first known

At least he had not becoh: a lanced up, gazing atDid he sense my unease? Did he want ht the urge to staed "I infor overland and made note of the route Then I sent it by standard courier, with only the usual privacy sigils in the seal"