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But the other faces all of males in black or Cadda Noyer-colored
clothing wereeither blank with astonishment, or set with anger.
Climbing to his feet, Doug looked around him. There was a dull throbbing in
his head. His wings felt bruised and heavy.
Magi? he asked, gazing at the black-clad men.
Who else serve the Brotherhoods? answered one, a thin and elderly man with
a pinched, frowning face.
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Sirs, I told you, just now! broke in Anvra urgently. He can t know that
you re Magi. He doesn t even know how to use his wings. Didn t you see how he
landed?
The thin man s frown became a scowl.
To chambers, he said, and swung about on his heel.
An elevator took them down to a room somewhat larger but otherwise resembling
the room in the Cadda Noyer tower from which they had escaped.
There was even a similar if unoccupied table at one end of the room. Doug
shut his eyes, trying to will his headache out of consciousness. It faded, but
would not go away completely.
The thin Magus who had answered Doug walked behind the table. He sat down,
passed his hand across the bare surface directly in front of him,then stood
up. Instantly a silence and a quiet shuffling of position took place in the
room.
Doug found himself and Anvra, with a black-clad Magus beside her, standing
before the table. The Cadda Noyer official was standing beside another Magus a
little to Doug s left.
Well? demanded the thin Magus behind the table. Obviously he was a man of
authority.
Elector, sir, said the Cadda Noyer official, our Brotherhood has already
entered a claim to the body of this individual. He belongs to us.
The Magus now had his head cocked on one side, listening to murmured sounds
that seemed to come from the table top. The sounds were completely audible to
Doug s ear, but they made no sense. It was as if they were words in some
foreign tongue.
When the murmurs ceased, the Elector raised his head.
I see, he said to the Cadda Noyer. We also have a report of the individual
in this body defendinghimself so well against two of your bullies that he
disabled both of them without leaving the ground. A hearing was set on the
rights of that encounter. Because of your claim, the hearing has been put off
until two days from now.
Why a hearing? demanded the Cadda Noyer. Kathang du Lein gambled his body
to us and lost
There s no question that the body is yours, interrupted the Elector.
Then what is at issue?
The question concerns the body right of the soul of Kathang duLein. I assume
the Cadda Noyer are planning on dispossessing the duLein soul and replacing it
with the first Cadda Noyer soul that needs a new body?
Yes, said the Cadda Noyer. Why not?
Because a question of inherent justice concerns itself here, said the Magus
dryly. You may be entitledto the body, but not to the right of dispossessing
the soul currently inhabiting it. The evidence seems to show that the body was
considered lost at the time duLein was transferred to it and that it survives
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now only because of his efforts.
The Cadda Noyer stared.
Even if so he said. What of it?
Kathang duLein may be entitled to lifetime tenancy of the body, said the
Magus, in which case, you could take possession of it, and put it to use
say, as a wingless slave. But you would not be entitled to give the body for
use by another identity.
That s ridiculous The Cadda Noyer began, then changed his tune. What are
the alternatives? His voice was strained.
If you don t deny and if evidence appears at the hearing to show the Cadda
Noyer guilty of any criminality against the associated Brotherhood Aeries then
the punishment can be no greater than a fine on the Cadda Noyer and their
surrender of responsible members, such as yourself, for slavery or execution.
And if we deny and evidence of criminality appears?
Then the Cadda Noyer must be declared outlaw, its members unprotected from
death at the hands of any lawful individual, and its Aeries shall be cast down
and destroyed.
The Cadda Noyer official stiffened.
Self-obligation gives me no choice, he said. I must put my Brotherhood
first. We shall accept the hearing.
Very well, said the Elector. In two days, then.
He turned toward the Magus standing with Doug.
Lock up this individual he began, pointing at Doug. But Doug spoke before
the sentence could be finished.
I m not Kathang duLein, he said.
Quiet, said the Magus. You ve got no voice in this matter. Take him
Doug felt something hard jammed against his right side.
I repeat, said Doug steadily, ignoring the weapon and staring back at the
Magus behind the desk. I am not Kathang duLein.
He s insane, said the Cadda Noyer swiftly.
No, snapped Anvra.
The Magus turned to look squarely at her for the first time.
What do you know of this, mistress? he asked.
I was Kathang s contract-mate, said Anvra hastily. This man is not
Kathang.
Sir, blurted the Cadda Noyer, the woman has nothing to do with the case
Be quiet, said the Elector without turning his head. To Anvra he said, If
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this man this identity isn t your contract-mate, what interest have you in
him?
Oh, he is my contract-mate I mean, he s my new contract-mate, now that
Kathang s dead. Sir, Anvra pleaded, I ve seen proof he s not Kathang duLein.
Let me speak.
If you re now the contract-mate of the identity within the body of this
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