"Well, that it's warm, and beautiful, and seldom snows." The child sighed as if that in itself was a won- der. "And we can make lots of gold selling male dieren down there."
"But no female dieren?"
"Oh, no," the boy said, as if he'd uttered something incredibly stupid. "Then you could breed your own."
Naitachal burst into laughter. The boy was charm- ing the shoes off him. The child's eyes widened, but in delight, not fear.
This boy can be helpful, in many ways, he thought, his mind turning to the practical side of their mission.
Ironic how the only information we've been able to obtain on this country has been from their youths.
He grinned, and the boy grinned back, now su Naitachal's harmlessness. "Tell me your name, lad."
"Erik," the boy replied, proudly. "Son of E House of Lieslund."
"And I am Naitachal," the Bard replied, with a courtly bow. "Now what does your father do?"
Erik hesitated for a moment, then replied. "He's a teacher at the school. I wanted to be a teacher too, but my father says it's a great honor to serve the King, even if it's only cleaning the rooms for his guests." Erik looked around the room, and shrugged. "Doesn't look like there's much to do here. Nothing like the other rooms I've seen."
"I recall a late party," Naitachal replied, absently.
"Perhaps you can help me. The King's liaison has asked me to appear at the Swords of the Magic Association Hall. I need to be there in an hour I haven't the faintest notion where it might be."
The boys fresh innocence became a mask of horror.
"Oh, you don't want to go there! Are they going to punish you for something?" He started walking back- wards towards the door, as if proximity to Naitachal would somehow taint him.
"It's quite all right," Naitachal said, somewhat puz- zled by his reaction. "We have a similar instituti Althea. They just wanted to show me how their system works."
"You didn't work magic without paying the gold?"
"Of course not," Naitachal said, crossing his arms and looking away stubbornly. "I don't look that stupid, do I? They wanted to explain exactly how the Associa- tion enforces the laws. In my own land, I am a kind of law-maker myself."
This seemed to make only a slight difference; Erik's gaze fell to the floor. "Then I guess I can tell you." He walked over to the window. "Over here. You can see it from here, outside the palace walls."
Erik pointed to a short, squat building, surrounded by barren trees, but plainly visible in the winter sun, just beyond the palace grounds. "Over there, near the south wall. Don't look like much. But it's where they keep -- " He was about to say something else, but evi- dently thought better of it.
"Where they keep what?" Naitachal asked casually.
"The Prison of Souls, perhaps?"
"I can't say. I mean, I'm not supposed to say. I've already said too much." Erik turned, and made ready to leave. "Is there anything I can fetch for you?
Clean sheets? A blanket?"
"Well," Naitachal said, wondering if he'd finally run out of useful information. For the time being. This boy is receptive and curious. At another time, I think he could tell me many things about this palace the adults never would. "We seem to be a little short on wood.
But before you leave, I just wanted you to know. I won't be telling on you. What we talked about is a secret. If you shouldn't talk about something, then I never heard it." He gave the boy a wink that he hoped was reassuring.