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.Locke.drawn exactly the same way as Freda's Trump had been.In fact, I realized with some dismay, this could be Freda's Trump.But they couldn't both be inleague with hell-creatures.could they?I knew one fact that might help: Aber had created this card.I'd ask him who it belonged to assoon as we got back to Jumper.If he could identify it.I left my horse with the grooms and went looking for Aber.I found Freda standing in theaudience hall with Pella, Blaise, and a couple of women I didn't recognize.The warning bell must havebrought everyone out looking for news or rumors.I joined them."Did you find anything?" Freda asked me, once suitable introductions had been made.As I hadsuspected, the women I didn't recognize were the wives of two of Dworkin's chancellors."I'm afraid not," I said.I didn't mention the Trump I'd found."It was just a camp site.They hadbeen spying on us for a couple of days.""Too bad.Are you all back now? Safe?""I'm a little ahead of the others," I said, glancing toward the door."Locke wants to clear thebrush at the edge of the forest, and I'm sure he's going to stop and detail those duties before reportingback.He and Davin shouldn't be too long."She nodded thoughtfully, then took my arm and drew me aside."And how did you find Locketoday?" she asked more softly."Less." I searched for the right word."Less upset by my presence.I think he's begun to acceptme.Who knows, we might even end up friends.""Davin gave him a complete report about what Father said about you last night."I smiled lightly."Yes, I got the feeling he knew about it.He has nothing to fear from me now.Icannot take his place without the Logrus.""Do not place too much trust in him yet.He may not view you as an enemy, but you are still arival.""I won't," I promised.What would she think if she knew he wanted a private chat with metonight? "Trust must be earned.He certainly hasn't earned any yet."And he wont earn it as long as there's a chance he's our traitor, I added silently."Good." She smiled, the small lines at the corners of her eyes and mouth crinkling, "I hope youboth make an effort at it.You can be of great help with the army, I know.""I hope so," I said.Deliberately changing the subject, I asked, "Have you seen Aber?" "Aber? Not since you left.You might look in his rooms.That's where he spends mostafternoons.""Thank you," I said.I gave her and the chancellors' wives a polite nod, then headed for the stairs."Until dinner."Today I felt more comfortable navigating the castle's seemingly endless stairs and corridors, andfound my way safely to my rooms.I found Horace in my bedroom.My bed was covered with heaps ofclothing."What's all this?" I asked, staring."Mattus's clothing, Lord," Horace said, folding a shirt deftly and placing it in the wardrobe."LordAber said I should bring it in for you."'Thoughtful of him.""Yes, Lord,"I realized I hadn't had a chance to change yet from my workout, and now I stank not just ofsweat, but of horse."Pick out new clothes for me," I said, heading for the washbasin."Then get the rest of them putaway." I'd clean up before going to see Aber, I decided.Five minutes later, I went to Aber's room and knocked sharply.He called, "Enter at your own risk!" in cheerful tones.I went in and found him sitting at a drafting table by the windows.Small bottles of coloredpigments sat all around him, and he held a tiny horsehair brush in one hand.He paused in his work."What news from the woods, brother?" he asked."Nothing more than we already heard," I said with a shrug."Trie hell-creatures were long gone.""A pity," he said.I came closer, looking at the half-dozen Trumps sitting out on the table."What are you doing?""Making a Trump."He picked it up and turned it so I could see.and though only half finished, it clearly showed aman standing with feet spread and sword raised, ready for battle.He was dressed all in deep blues withblack trim, and his cloak ruffled faintly as though from a steady breeze.In the white spaces of theunfinished background, ever so faintly, I noticed a lacework pattern of thin black lines.curves andangles that seemed to reach deep into the card, somehow, like a three-dimensional puzzle.Arepresentation of the Logrus? I suspected so.Aber had just begun coloring the face when I walked in.With some surprise.I realized it was aminiature portrait of me."What do you think of this one?" he asked."I'm making it for Freda.She told me she wanted itlast night, after dinner.""No more candles?"He chuckled."Actually, that one was supposed to be Mattus.I finished it up this morning withyour face." He shrugged apologetically."I was in a hurry.""And a good thing you were.You probably saved my life.""Ah, how ironic! The artist saves the warrior." I laughed."It was still a good likeness, even if it started out as a picture of Mattus.And I'm evenmore flattered by this one.""Really?" He seemed honestly delighted."You know, I think you're the first person who's eversaid that to me!"I regarded his new card carefully."Blue is not really my color, though," I said."How about rednext time?""The colors don't matter, it's the person and how the image is drawn." He set it back in the last ofthe dying sunlight."Have to let it dry now, anyway," he said."So, what brings you here?"I hesitated.Trust no one, Freda had said.But this was something I couldn't do alone
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