DEVIN AS hAVING A BAD DAY.

        At een    pletely reciled o o triad o go . It ime since    of    from trees in triving to stretctle more    out of his frame.

        to    a number of t came    . e o be able tet terno ing    ree upside doer it still rankled    use, ely grasped o do.

        "ell tle one!" Povar    , ac good    of Devins precociously profane vocabulary.

        ell, t    time ually tried to make aller. Very late t same nigo t of pig slop over eag like Adaon on ain e almost before tarted.

        ayed ao ed to o olidly good-natured, ten t.

        Devin, cursed or blessed . t impossible, in fact—but t did noto lessen    farm in t    long after t i Devin    iced as a sio Menico di Ferraut hird spring.

        Devin    been back siaking a    spring. It    t reated on t    t    fit in, and all four of t. Farming in Asoli imes grim tling to y against tant encroacs of t, ony of the days.

        If    mig, but te aken able perureless spaces of tlands, but no source of nurture or ive you cs,    turn out to be,    the land.

        After t t Devins voice ry ballads it ain collective relief t tanding in table greyness and rain. urning back to c of t before ting o ale, odd brothe shoulder.

        "If t treat y; ;you    e heres a place.”

        Devin remembered botle bloure s he

        trut everyt for e.

        But ing doaken h.

        Si everything was held in his mind.

        And if ,    muco put a    do t    recall feeling trated in years. Since, if trutold, t looked as if    all.

        , Devin dAsoli asked o do to get a drink in Astibar? And on tival, no less!

        tively laug not so infuriating. It    inn t refused to serve ed flask of Senzio green tocked, joy-killing priests of Eanna. t fervently, deserved better of s.

        It appeared t a year ago, in t of terminable jockeying for asdancy s yrants token cil t too muciousness among tibar and t, more to t of course, sud si    taverns and khav rooms bred lise . . .

        It akeo promulgate and begin enf a la no youteen years could buy a drink in Astibar.

        Eannas dust-dry priests celebrated—in ic fased—tty triumps of Morian and t priestesses of ties ed ably, wine.

        tavern-keepers ly un didnt do to be loudly unibar) t so mucrade as for ted laavern, or k time, if any of tous Barbadian meraries so drop by, and srarily—to decide t a given patron looked too young . . .    avern closed for a montavern-keeper locked up for time.

        All of een-year-olds in Astibar truly out of luck. Along    gradually became evident teen-year-old singer from Asoli.

        After tions along t side of treet of temples, Devied to go across to tasy, and atic. As anotional, option emplated breaking a ing if any of tc.

        o do so, as muc of genuiion to Eanna of to an oppressive areets of As- tibar. tern Palm of course, but no as it ibar where Alberico had based himself.

        In t tounately still-funing sense of smell, toannery Lane. And t ill by tanners craft, tle of green, no questions asked, in a tavern called te to tablis.

        Even t, evil-smelling ely full. Astibar o overfloomorroart of tival of Vi    in Cer-

        tando, Devin kney of people ins or co spend, and in a mood to spend too.

        tainly no free tables to be o a er    took a judicious sip of ered but not unusually so, oation upon the perfidy and unreasonableness of women.

        As embodied, specifically, by Catriana dAstibar t two weeks.

        ed t ime before te-afternoon re before t at ty ate oomorroo muse    of a bottle and still srouper any indignantly.

        ner. ines like a ra re of troupe.

        Including impossible Catriana. o be tormed out of t o call to a . o react    m?

        Cursed ed ba on triana, and . t;Song of Love," a piece ratably requested by ts wife, a piece Devin upor, a a, sound asleep.

        And so pertle bored, a little distracted, tle closer tely necessary to t, red-ting per so    still, even so ...

        "Devin, in triad," riana dAs-tibar, breaking up tirely, "do you t your mind a    a difficult song!”

        tion of a fair plexion led Devins face all tion—was laughem.

        Uo to promise tattered sy by yielding to ial impulse to reac.

        Menico as    but    assuaged: troupe-leaders ample pauncer as ears from his round, bearded face.

        So Devin tle of Senzio green and a dark place to drink it in on a brilliant autumn m in Astibar. enuous fort of sed to figure out, about tle from nant red-maned creature ba the rehearsal room.

        If only s so depressingly tall, . Morosely    templated imes sake.

        "S; someone said.

        ituro cope able aspects of being small and looking very young while drinking alone in a sailors bar.

        reassuring. ioner er radiating at emples. Even so: "t; Devin said, "but Ive most of my otle left and I prefer o being one for sailors. Im also older than I look.”

        t;In t case," ;you    give me a drink if you like    my t age sooibar, master of t in from do in tregea.”

        Devin grinned and stretcoo croo b to catg to signal the man.

        "Ill be o stle ; o, "to be well pleased if you press your daugraveling musi.”

        "My ; said Rovigo feelingly, "urn ponderous cart one.”

        Devin ;t bad?" ;A least drink to your safe return frea, and in time for Festival by a fingernail. Im Devin dAsoli bar Garin, at your service.”

        "And I at yours, friend Devin, not-as-young-as-you-look. Did you rouble getting a drink?”

        Rovigo asked shrewdly.

        "I    of more doorals kno; Devin rase tannery stencside ill painfully disible. "t    or my tenth choice as a place for drinking a flask of wine.”

        Rovigo smiled. "A sensible attitude. ill I seem etric if I tell you I alraigo me. tells me Im back.”

        "You dont like the sea?”

        "I am quite vi any man ; ending to ruck by a t. "e to t . . ." ed reflectiveness. then he winked.

        Devin laug;hen?”

        "trade is good,&quo said frankly. "to slip into ports do or around on tern side of Senzio or Ferraut t traders never boto make it    tains to Quileia. It isnt saned, of course, rade embargo do if you acts in a remote enoug da your business it isnt too risky and t to be made. I    take Barbadian spices from t    to places in Quileia t s, or Quileian imes casks of buinato sell to taverns— a good price. I t do volume so I o c t as long as insuraays do. I go from o temple before heading home.”

        "But ," Devin smiled.

        "." touch.

        "s ne; he asked.

        "As a matter of fact, I    t; Rovigo said. &quea op on tidings, actually. Marius his summer.”

        "I did    t," Devin said, sion. "A crippled man, and    be fifty years old by no make it—six times in a row?”

        "Seven,&quo said soberly. ing a rea.

        "Im sorry," Devin said. "Is to t?”

        "Marius decided t annou test triump declared    of tess.”

        "?" Devin exclaimed, loudly enougo cause some o turn. ; triarchere.”

        "So," said Rovigo, "did te ess.”

        traveling across tain village to remote castle or manor, to ties t ers of affairs, musis could not     events.

        Alalk : a o ease ters nigando, or to try to impress a traveler in a tavern in Corte    a pro-Barbadior party o be f in t Ygrathen province.

        It alk, Devin    and    across tly in    Senzio not formally occupied by eiter bots Governor remained paralytically uo decide ill    ty years, eaco expose itself by moving first.

        to Devin to e from time of    ail one of to live a very long time—not ter.

        Quileia, tter. One far beyond Devins limited experieo sort out or define.

        even guess range try soutains.    migransitory King, oually maimed, and unarmed, meet to slay ake    been slain, times    been slain.

        And noess    possible to miss t. A little overawed, Devin shook his head.

        ance aring at h an odd expression.

        "Youre a tful young man, arent you?" t said.

        Devin s;Not unduly. I dont knoainly not . I dont ernoon.    do you t will mean?”

        One anso receive.

        tavern-keeper, ly succeeded in ign Rovigos itent signaling for anottle of rode to tures even in the darkened room.

        "You!" ;Your name Devin?”

        taken aback, Devin nodded reflexive agreement. tavern-keepers expression gre.

        "Get out of ; ;Your triad-cursed sisters outside. Says your fat you bot o turn me in for serving an underage. You gutter- spa, Ill teaco put me at risk of being s doival!”

        Before Devin could move, a full pitging like fire.    reaming eyes, swearing furiously.

        o observe araordinary sight.

        Rovigo—not a big man—unic. it apparent effort op, feet kig iually in mid-air. ted to a degree suffit to cause tavern-oo begin turning a mottled shade of crimson.

        "Goro, I do not like my friends being abused,&quo said calmly. "t er."    Devin wly.

        "As I say,&quo tinued, not eve;er ently not underage—as so any tavern-o blinded by ss of er e me a little by apologizing to Devin dAsoli, my les of corked vintage Certando red, by ion? Iurn I may be persuaded to let you s sitting on t an appropriate price or course, given ort for t stuff at Festival-time.”

        Goros face ruly dangerous    as Devi obliged to cautio, tavern-o ule. Gored fetid tavern air into    ed ain tainflotered a to Devin.

        "And t; Rovigo reminded him kindly.

        ill    any evideion— enougo fumble belotles of ainly appeared to be Certandan red.

        Rovigo let slip anotcightened collar.

        "Vintage?" iently.

        Goro tched his head up and down.

        "ell t; Rovigo declared, releasing Goro pletely, "it appears s. I suppose," urning to Devin, "t you sending to be your sister outside.”

        "I kno; Devin said grimly. "to figtles, but its pleasant to have an ally now and again.”

        "It is al to amended. "But it seems obvious to me t you arent keen on dealing er, so Ill leave you to do it in private. Do let me once more end my oe well broughings sidered.”

        "I    of t at all," Devin said. "If I    do you a servi return I    and her of our public performances, free of charge.”

        "I ty leads you sout of toer in t five miles along t-emple of Adaon just before and my gate    . One of t. t; ;very talented.”

        Devin laugoued back to reclaim t -bro, ains splotcside clutctles of Certandan red.

        ed oing Catriana dAstibar on t , a h her nose.

        Devin strode briskly into t collided anners cart. A brief and satisfying exer rumbled on and Devin, vo to be put on time, crossed to wriana he

        altercation.

        "ell," ically, "I do appreciate your ing all to apologize, but you mig urated o washem for me, of course.”

        Catriana simply ignored all of t;Yoing to need a ed on t mu inside. But not ins to spend on bribes I couldnt tter o get tavern-oo bot; It ion, Devin noted, but not an apology.

        "Five me," ed trition. "I must talk    seems    paying you enougion to all our ressions. You must be used to better things.”

        Sated for t time. "Must annery Lane?" she said.

        it a cured for o lead tarted ride beside    for several minutes, until out of tannery smells. it sigriana put away her handkerchief.

        "aking me?" Devin asked.

        Anression, it seemed. th anger.

        "In triad ; Catri-anas voice dripped ;e are going to my room at t the dawn of days.”

        "O; Devin snapped, ; o e play Morian —just so I do bored, you uand.”

        Catriana paled, but before so face reet. Looking up into t t o do t) ;Catriana, ly o you?    sort of ans to you from t isnt alroupes on t kno friend in tando. I could    and Im not. I did let you kno t I found you attractive. Im not a t if it is done esy.”

        ly scious t    very    tremely public place, even ernoon lull. Instinctively    tig, as of turn of pain, t al of Marra. t true friend of his life.

        ted c s of Eanna, telling eaig lover. First death.

        Catriana, released, remained    made ly revise imate of    s sure.

        ed, breater burst, and at lengtly, "You sing too well.”

        Devin blinked. It    at all w ed.

        "I o ; s on,    time. "Rauder is    even t it, amusing trying to co trate w people when Im nervous.”

        Devin drey sunlit street for a moment, thinking. he

        said, "Do you kno it is possible and even useful to tell to people—especially to h you?”

        S;Not for me. Ive never been able to talk like t, not ever.”

        " no; ;er me?”

        A longer pause ter of artisans apprentices s around ting    t of tanding toget t by    causing any trouble. A fehe breeze.

        "Somet; Catriana dAstibar said, "and Menico told us all t you are to our ces.”

        "Menico sent you after me?" It    pletely improbable, after nearly six years together.

        "No," Catriana said, quickly s;No, ime, t you al stake. I couldnt just    around. Youd left a little, urn, upset, after all.”

        "A little," Devin agreed gravely, noting t so look apologetic.    even more secure if    tio find tractive.    stop    s iffness of    bodice.

        Marra    for eacales after, traveling t last year on tando where she died.

        "You ter tell me o t. tasies and in memories, both.

        "t nig; Catriana said. S treet y again. "For some reason—no one is sure ate at tonigomorrohen . . .”

        S. Devin,    for ;A funeral? Full rites? Dont tell me!”

        "Full rites! And Devin, Menicos been asked to audition ternoon! e o do t talked-about performan t; Se ulingly beautiful. her eyes were shining like a childs.

        "So you came to get me," ;before I drank myself into a useless stupor of frustrated desire."    time. It    turnabout, especially coupled ement of o fall in stride h him. For a ge.

        "It isnt like t," sested. "Its just t tant. Menico said your voice o our    you    your best in tes.”

        "I dont knotered by t, or insulted t you actually t Id be so unprofessional as to miss a reival.”

        "Do; Catriana dAstibar said,    of returning asperity. "e dont ime for eit be good ternoo youve ever been.”

        to resist it, Devin kne s were suddenly mucoo high.

        "In t case, are you sure    going to your room?" he asked blandly.

        More t t folloriana dAstibar laug time.

        "No," said Devin, grinning, "is mucter. I ly    sure if you had a sense of

        humor.”

        S. "Sometimes Im not sure eit; s absently. t voice: "Devin, I    tract more tell you.”

        "ell of course," ;It could make our careers.”

        "ts rig; Catriana said. Souced, "I    than I    say.”

        a promise in t touctle less perceptive, and    not been for t, not all of ambition in t tone, nor of desire in t Devin o know desire.

        reacohere.

        "Ill do ; er a moment, tears hed shed.

        On ted e early but it ed plad none of to properly judge or measure sugs.

        One of Devins first memories of    en because it    image of a une of some old cradle song to    when he was feverish.

        tuo    pit on t Devin er learn to associate    m t cime Devin could remember t happening.

        tune became a to a limited intimacy. t togetutored attempts at er Garin b syrenya for    crips to t in Asoli toer t tually a feo remember,    nig flatness of Asoli.

        o sing for some of t raveling priest of Morian erpoint during tumn Ember Days on t;o Morian of Portals." t ed to bed er, but by to avoid sucs    giving offense.

        Later yet, o be called upon in taverns. t bled.

        And it avern called toself on a market day t Devin, just turned fourteen, ;to Corte" and ly, bearded man    to be a troupe-leader named Menico di Ferraut and waken    week and ged his life.

        "ere ," Menico said, nervously smoot satin doublet over     cradle song on one of t his employer.

        ner noually.

        Devin    been an apprentice since een. Menico, tired of refusing offers to buy tract of enor atus in ter first making clear y e o repay suc of gratitude. Devin kne, in fact, and he liked Meniyway.

        A year later, after anotroupe-leaders during te, Meni-pert partner in ter making t    time.

        tandarings, and erm tract. Especially noroupe in t of bodies and scrambling to fill emporary musis, dancers, or singers.

        A ing ttention arag tregea it sounded urange.

        Alessan, black- temples,    ogetenor voice.

        "I fully as t;My fataug tune as a c .”

        Alessans lean, mobile face ive. Devile about tregean after traordinarily good on te reliable. As Meniccs part    ster to side of practice- time, but ual for ted.

        "I mige t about it," eristic gesture. "Its been a long time but I kne; he smiled.

        "Dont    it," Devin said. "Ive survived t ts just an old song, a memento of my fatay    a er project to try to track them down.”

        Menico    last bit, roupe-leader regea to be a find, and c the wages hed asked.

        ttle ;Old songs and memories of fatant," ;Is yours dead then?”

        Devin made t and two fingers curled down.

        "Not last I    seen    six years. Menico spoke to    t time, took    go back to the farm.”

        Alessan sidered t. "Dour Asolini stock?" ;No place for a boy ion and a voice like yours?" one was shrewd.

        "Almost exactly," Devin admitted ruefully. "t ious.

        Restless, more. And    inally from Asoli in fact. Came te when I was a small child.”

        Alessan nodded. "Even so,"    of a kno-all manner, Devin decided, but regean pipes. t even ain in th.

        In any case, time to pursue tter.

        "ere on!" Menico said, ily re-entering ting amid t and covered furniture of the long-unused Sandreni Palace.

        "e do t for Adaon first," elling t. "Devin t ones yours—make me proud, lad." andard exation. "togetriana my love you are sure you    go ch down?”

        "Ill go ; Catriana replied tersely. Devin t one spoke to simple nervousness,

        but    reacowards a s know.

        "Id very muco get tract," Alessan di tregea said just then, mildly enough.

        "remely surprising!" Devin snapped, disc as    oo er all. Alessan laugoo muany years of t to ever be made edgy by a mere audition. it saying a    on Devin.

        "Ill do t I ," Devin said after a moment and for time t afternoon, not really certain to w, or why.

        In triad or in spite of to say— was enough.

        tor ely sted, extravagantly dressed s of te ties, Devin guessed—, in ure and tificially exaggerated s ringed yrant didnt appear to be muc ts of Sandre dAstibar.

        Ranged being personage s of Eanna and Morian in rast, sat a priestess of Adaon in crimson, .

        It umn of course, and t surprised by her hair.

        o see tion. table—anot t a situation o affect s.

        son, ttered no inside himself.

        Menico cued Nieri and Aldi translut, c later, after t linked pass across t Devin.

        And Devin gave    for Adaons autumnal dying among tain cypresses, as he never had before.

        Alessan di tregea -pierg grief of togeto lift and carry Nieri and Aldine beyond teps of tly s floor and into ticulation of ritual t t;Lament”

        demanded and ed.

        raveling slea    Sandre dAstibars son racks of ears , Devin realized abruptly, t     for any of them.

        Marra, young and ily professional errupted or marked by displays from trons.

        Devin ern back tely fig di Corte es iando as a gesture of courtesy to Menico.

        Devin also kneransparent glance from Morians fat-fingered priest— riad so ill-served!—t t    he Sandreni

        tract o o be careful in tomorroe t his knife.

        tract. ttered, ." Afterroduced Devin as ner    urned out to be tomasso. tige to co so august an occasion as es.

        Devin, used to tely retrieved eful for Menicos experieact: presented as a partner    immunity from overly aggressive y. roduced to t, and promptly k before Adaons priestess in red.

        "Your san, sister-of-t I sang, and for o do tomorrow.”

        Out of t of Morian c his sides.

        ed te of Adaon—tesss index firag t s burgeoning desire. urned, it o cat and among t pany—from Alessan di tregea, at t not ingly perceptive.

        Menicos first price ely accepted by tomasso dAs-tibar bar Sandre, firming in Devins mind ure o bear suame and lineage.

        It ed ep or tourity—to learn t Duke Sandre ed t quite ty times    tory    ed even more tortionate sum    received in full.

        Only Egly drumming trestle table, said, "Leave it eacemples tomorro back erest whe Ember Days.”

        Menico, in ly t iion to ito t of Morian instead. Egootinued    drumming.

        Menico ordered to bed not long after tart t to important performance of tly as Aldine led Nieri from t nig time, ed.    toget afternoon and also kno o    could spill over into te night in bed.

        riana but sairs already. S after Menicos fierce embrace ba t art; it migart.

        to t up to t our budget after Marra had died.

        ed to dream of es, because of unslaked desire, because    of    nigead he god.

        ainside in tregea, naked and magnifit. orn apart in frenzy and in floumn

        m of every turnio ter, bride, all tars.

        S on t o e, of ers end. tain orn and slain, to be put into o bee tured in turn by tears and t sorroreams ting in to be reborn and so loved aneime of dying on ts. Slain to be lamented and to rise as a god rises, as a man does, as t of summer fields. to rise and ter and er, ars and the silver.

        Devi, terribly, t primal se of aireami orrent of Casadel.

        orn from to t. Sarees, of spiny, bristling ss aely naked freater speed to to intoxicate t ers of Casadel.

        urn at last, ood at tag at bay at to teetheir nails.

        And t t to eacasy uisrained desire or madness or bitter grief, but in    all to tead, pierg t airegean sune of his own childhood fever, high and far away.

        And at t t, Devin sa    uro    of Alessan.
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