Fifteen minutes later, with Tace carrying Danid and Kyndran carrying all the packs, the little group arrived at a run-down house set in a clump of trees.

Tace motioned for Rynere to knock on the door, and she did so. It was opened instantly, and a head poked out.

"Tace!" the door opened wider. "Come right in, sir! What brings you here?"

Tace led the way indoors.

The building had three rooms -the main room, the one they had entered, which seemed to serve as a dining room and living room. The wooden floor was fairly clean, and a few cots lay in a corner next to a fireplace.

"Who is this?" Rynere whispered fiercely to Tace.

He grinned as he set Danid down on one of the cots.

"My brother."

Rynere stared at him.

"Your brother?"

"That's what I said."

"What -how -"

Tace straightened and motioned to the man who was standing nearby.

"Rynere, my twin Kace. Kace, this is the soon-to-be-Princess Rynere."

Kace half-smiled at Rynere's wary, scrutinizing look.

"Don't worry. It always happens."

"How do you know that?" she suddenly snapped. "Apparently Tass doesn't 'always' die -"

"Tass?" Kace turned to Tace. "What's this?"

"Matthan," Tace said shortly.

"Matthan's finally gained what he thinks -"

"Why did Tass have to die?" Rynere interrupted. "Why? If he's lived for over a thousand years, why can't he live just a few more?"

"That's not something I can answer," Kace shook his head. "Death comes to everybody. No one can say when."

"Why Tass?"

"Why are we here?" Kyndran interrupted. "Can we find a place to sleep?"

"Well certainly," Kace turned to him with a wide smile. "The lady gets the best place available, and then you and Tace can fight over what's left. The mice are really quite friendly, so don't worry if you lose."

"What are you talking about?"

"There's not that much room in here. Would you rather sleep outside?"

Kyndran muttered something under his breath, dropped the packs he had been carrying, and sat down in the nearest corner.

"So those stories Tass told us finally paid off?" Kace said to Tace as he watch Rynere settle down among a few blankets close to the fire.

Tace half-grinned.

"Each one. And the best part is, my friends here still don't know what's happening."