m by the agreement between Vendaka and Wikuna.
	After witnessing that interesting exchange, and formally being introduced to Kishaa, they all gathered in the throne room for a formal midday feast to celebrate the birth of the crown prince, and to formally present him to all the noble houses.  It was a feast without much of the wrangling and political gossiping that usually came when noble houses gathered, and they all looked just a trifle sulky.  Now that Keritanima had produced an heir to the throne, the noble houses seemed to understand that there was virtually no chance of getting things back to the way they used to be, when the nobles had all the power and used it to enrich themselves at the expense of the common Wikuni.  Keritanima would train and teach her son to make him just as formidable as she was, and they knew that there was virtually no chance of taking power away from the Eram dynasty.
	It was originally written in the constitution that there would be no monarch after her, but after much debate and feedback from the commoners, Keritanima had been forced to change that, because the concept of a monarch on the throne was so deeply ingrained into the Wikuni culture that to take that away would create tremendous unrest and uncertainty.  The way it read now, heirs to the throne could take it after her, but only heirs that were her direct blood descendents.  There was also a clause that would allow Keritanima to take that throne back from any sitting monarch at any time, in case that particular king or queen was weak or incompetent, playing on the fact that Keritanima was essentially ageless, and would live until something or someone killed her.  Keritanima was now the ultimate matriarch of a constitutional monarchy, and no king or queen would sit on the Sun Throne who could not prove Keritanima was a direct ancestor.  So long as the Eram line persevered, there would be an Eram on the Sun throne for the rest of Wikunas existence.  This was all but guaranteed, because Keritanima--and Faalken, since he too was a Sorcerer--would not die of old age.
	After the feast, as the bells outside still tolled, Keritanima took the baby up to a high balcony and showed him to the large throngs of Wikuni who had gathered outside the palace, gathered of their own volition just for the chance to see their new prince.  They all went wild when she held up the tiny bundle, rejoicing the birth even if they couldnt see anything but a little bundle wrapped in heavy blankets to stave off the biting Wikuna winter.  Binter, Sisska, and now Kishaa were right there with her and Rallix, standing behind her and ready to leap to her defense at any moment.
	That evening was marked by a formal ceremony where the High Priest of Kikkalli formally anointed Faalken as the Crown Prince, a little ceremony filled with stately speeches in High Wikuni, the ancient form of their language, which sounded hauntingly like ShaKar.  Keritanima had never taught Tarrin that, because she didnt know it.  Only the Priests used it, and then only during religious ceremonies.
	The surprise wrapped up in that ceremony came after Faalkens anointment, when Keritanima told the High Priest quite seriously that she wanted Tarrin and Allia declared a Prince and Princess, since they were her brother and sister.  This startled both Tarrin and Allia, since Keritanima had never told them anything about this little idea, and it could possibly cause friction with the Wikuni.  But it was an empty title and everyone knew it, since the constitution of Wikuna stated that only the direct blood descendents of Keritanima could hold the throne, and for that reason, the High Priest agreed.  So, first Allia and then Tarrin knelt in front of the bull Wikuni and had pungent oil rubbed on their temples, and they were officially declared to be a Princess and a Prince.
	Keritanima didnt seem to be finished with her surprises.  She stood up and informed everyone after those little ceremonies that Jenawalani and Veranika were hereby reinstated to title of Princess, but their oaths to never take the throne were still binding.  She told her assembled nobles and guests that it was only just and proper for Jenawalani and Veranika to be recognized for who and what they wereKeritanimas sisters and directly related to the sitting Queen.
	The effect this had on Jenawalani was quite dramatic.  Shed been standing on the dais with the other direct relatives of Keritanima--Tarrin, Allia, Rallix, and the bundle that was Faalken that was in Keritanimas arms--and on hearing this she covered her face with her hands and started crying.  Tarrin had come to know Jenawalani in the times he visited Keritanima in her palace, and he knew that she truly and sincerely loved her sister.  That Keritanima would stand up and all but publicly announce that she loved her in return, loved and trusted her enough to give her back what she had relinquished out of terror of the then vengeful Queen, said just about everything that needed to be said.  Tarrin put his paw on her shoulder gently, and she buried her face in his chest.  Tarrin didnt see it as a restoration of an empty title, he saw it as an official recognition of their relationship, and a public announcement of the feelings that existed between them now.  Jenawalani had grown up quite a bit after Keritanima banished her to Wildwater, had come to understand just how empty her life had been, and had been very lonely.  He remembered Kikkalli telling her that the seed shed put inside Jenawalanis heart had bloomed, a hint that Kikkalli had shown the mink Wikuni the error of her ways.  The result was that the Jenawalani that came back from Wildwater to expose her fathers plot was much more mature, and that maturity had been the chord that had caught Keritanimas attention.  The two sisters has joined together to put down Damons rebellion initially out of mutual desire to punish their father for what he had done to them as children, how he had raised them to be heartless monsters, but it had developed into a strong mutual bond of friendship that the two of them had to keep carefully hidden from the other nobles.  And now, it was again a bond between sisters, filled with love and respect, a bond that was officially summed up in one word.
	Princess.
	Tarrin had never met Veranika, but he knew a great deal about her from listening to Keritanima.  She received daily status reports on her sister at the school to which she had been sent after Keritanima took the throne, and Veranika was the top student at the school.  She had tremendous motivation to be so, because Keritanima threatened to cast her out of the house if she wasnt.  Veranika was going to be the matriarch of House Eram, for the house that held the throne often did not serve as both monarch and house ruler, and Keritanima was ensuring that she was schooled properly and motivated to take the job quite seriously.  Keritanima had Rallix looking after the interests of House Eram at the moment, and though he split his time between that, the duties as Minister of State, and the trading company they owned jointly, the Twenty Seas, the house fortunes had been steadily increasing.  Even a quarter of Rallixs time was worth more than a room full of economists and merchants.  He was that good.  Had Rallix been born a noble instead of a commoner, Keritanima had no doubt that whatever house to which he would have belonged would be the richest of them all.  Keritanima had not yet relented to let Veranika come home, not even during the school holidays, but he had the feeling that the next time her school had a holiday, Veranika would indeed be coming home.  He also had a sneaking suspicion that Kikkalli had also done a little tampering with Veranika, to show her that being loved was more important than being powerful, a lesson that Jula could teach anyone in a single afternoon of frank education.
	After that, they all gathered again in Keritanimas apartment for a private gathering, which was the first meeting between Shiika and Sapphire.  It went much as Tarrin expected, for Sapphire wasnt all that impressed by Shiika, and Shiika had the sense to treat Sapphire with a great deal of respect and deference.  After those two got through the pleasantries,  Shiika sprung her little surprise on Dar and Tiella.  She had the male Hellhound come in from Keritanimas study and sent it over to sit at Tiellas feet without explanation.
	I didnt know you gave Keritanima two of them, Tiella told her, a little uncertainly.  Tiella was still a little nervous around the truly exotic people in their group, such as Triana, Sapphire, and Shiika.
	Hes not hers, Shiika told her with a sly smile.  Hes yours.
	Mine?  Why are you giving me a Hellhound? she asked in confusion, but Dar suddenly started laughing, his eyes bright.
	Havent you noticed that I give a Hellhound to every member of Tarrins family that has a baby? she asked in a serious tone, but her expression was impish.  Its how I make sure that they grow up safe and sound.
	But I dont-- she started, then she saw the knowing smile on Julas face.  Im pregnant? she gasped, touching her belly tentatively.
	Only just, girl, Triana told her.  To those who can smell it, its obvious.
	Tiellas face scrunched up as if she was about to start shouting, then she squealed in delight and hugged Dar fiercely.  Were going to have a baby! she announced ecstatically.
	I say, congratulations, Dar and Tiella! Phandebrass called happily, raising a goblet of wine.  To another member of the family!
	Tarrin managed to sneak away from the festivities for a while, as he and Fireflash ended up on the roof, looking down on the city of Wikuna in the late evening, with the skies cloudy and threatening and an absolutely frigid wind whipping in from the northwest, which made the little drake start shivering almost immediately.  He wove a small spell that kept his drake nice and warm on his shoulder, surrounding him with warmed air that the wind couldnt blow away.  Tarrin stood at the highest crest of the large, rambling rooftop, looking down at a darkening city as the wind whipped his braid over his shoulder to snap like  a pennant in the breeze.  Quite a bit had happened that day, some of it quite revolutionary to his mind, but the grim truths revealed that morning were what were most heavily on his mind.  Faalkens status as a suikun did not bode well to him, for they had brought up a third replacement that would still keep the required two suikun in reserve to protect against another Breaking, and that freed the gods up to kill him without suffering any kind of magical backlash on the Weave.  It seemed to make no sense, given that Ahiriya had come and proclaimed that the gods wanted to try to work something out that would prevent a fight.  It was much like a king quietly preparing his troops for war as he agreed to peace with his intended adversary.
	He wasnt quite sure what to think.  Their telling Shiika not to do anything that might goad the sword into changing him seemed that they were willing to try to coexist with him, but this bringing up a third extra suikun seemed like the first stage in the preparations they needed to make to kill him off.  The other preparations they had to make were to scout out the proper location, set up the support they needed, and then plan the trap.  They needed to find a place somewhere far distant from civilization, where the damage that might come about from the war could be contained without laying waste to tracts of developed land.  They had to make sure that they had all the gods there and ready to deal with him, and they also had to lure him out to that location.  They would strike hard and without warning, try to kill him before the sword could respond and change him, which would give him the power to fight back.
	That brought up a curious question in him.  He had been able to see Shirazis eyes within the sun, but hadnt been able to see Shiikas true form.  Shiika told him that all his divine powers were unusable so long as the wings were retracted they way they were, and their experiment seemed to back up this observation.  But why had he been able to see Shirazis eyes?  Why could he sense gods watching him, even at that very moment?
	Wait, hed seen Shirazis eyes in the desert because the wings were out, but before all this happened, he remembered seeing them, before he talked to his Elementals and learned about the Demons.  Perhaps because that was before he got the wings, whatever minor abilities he had at that time worked differentlyor something.
	This was all uncharted territory to him, and not only did he have no idea how any of it worked, he was half afraid of finding out.  Some analytical part of him kept telling him that if he never learned how to use any of his powers, if he rejected them, then maybe the gods would leave him alone.  Not only was that a bit ridiculous, it also directly went against what Ahiriya told him to do.  She outright ordered him to learn how his power worked, and she wouldnt do that if the gods would feel less threatened by him if he never learned how to use that power.  On the other hand, it seemed illogical to him that Ahiriya would order him to learn how to use power that he might use against her if it came down to a war.  If she forbade him from learning how to use that power, it would make him much easier to defeat.
	And that would have set off all sorts of alarms in his mind, he realized.  The paranoid side of him would have concluded that if they didnt want him to learn how to defend himself, then they were just setting him up for the kill.
	Damned confusing stuff, all this god contemplation.  There didnt seem to be any easy answers to anything.  Every answer was an argument against another subject, which itself led to the answer of the original question.  It seemed illogical, nonsensical to him, and for the first time, he really understood what Triana meant when she told him not to try to outthink the gods.  He was just a mortal, and their motivations and actions would never truly make sense to him, because he just didnt have enough of a mind to comprehend them.  He was the mouse trying to understand the behavior of the human, putting things in an analogy that the Goddess had used for his benefit so long ago.  But to the gods, he wasnt any normal mouse, he was some kind of rabid, maniacal mouse carrying a deadly disease that they would contract if he bit them.  That was making them treat him both with fear and caution, willing to nail shut the hole hed made into their house and let him live inside the wall, because it was easier than risking getting bitten if they tried to stomp on him.
	Maybe.
	Because he didnt understand the gods, he had no idea why they were acting the way they were, behaving in what to him was a contradictory manner.  About the only thing he could do was do his best to ignore them, to go ahead and live his own life, and worry about them only when they showed up.  He would have to make a few plans to prepare for the eventuality of them attacking him, though.  That was only wise.  It wouldnt be easy, but hed figure something out.  After all, he usually did.  Besting smarter and stronger foes was something of a skill of his.  He bested Jegojah on several occasions.  He bested the Glabrezu Shiika had guarding the Book of Ages--and Shiika herself--in Dala Yar Arak.  He bested the six-armed Marilith that he now knew was named ShazBaket, at Suld, who was the same one who later stole Jasana and cut Erons throat to prevent him from chasing after her.  He bested Grand Syllis--well, Keritanima did, actually--and the dragon in ShaKari, and then, in the paramount, mother-of-all-bestings, he outsmarted Val at Gora Umadar.
	Wait a minute.  Maybe that was why the gods were so afraid of him.  Not because of his power, not because of the danger he posed, but the simple fact that he had already proved that he could destroy a god.  Even though he was all but mortal, that one fact must hang over him like the shadow of the cloak of Death Itself--himself, he wouldnt disrespect Dakkuu like that anymore--that he had taken on a god with nothing more than his mortal comprehension and powersand he won.  The mouse had truly defeated the human, with no help from any other mice, not even the help of any other human.  The mouse and the human had battled one on one in a challenge of wits and nerve, and the mouse had emerged the victor.  More than anything else, he was confident that that was the one thing that terrified the Elder Gods more than any other fact, the simple fact that even without his divine power, he was a formidable and tangible threat.  The fact that he now had power made him even more dangerous, for it gave him a direct weapon to wield against any god he decided to challenge.  In their eyes, he was the proof that the gods were not invulnerable, they were not infallible, and they could be defeated by the very mortals they so scorned and looked down upon that they considered them barely worth their notice.  He had to be a dreadful scourge in their eyes, something just below the level of an Entropic, an eternal reminder that even gods could find themselves on the losing side of a battle, even against mere mortals.
	Tarrin realized that it wasnt his power that the gods fearedit was his reputation.  His power merely gave that reputation considerably more weight.
	And what motivation so set them against him?  Nothing more than pride.
	Now he understood.  All he had to do was think of the gods as nothing but a pack of spoiled children, and hed be able to understand them.  But these were very smart spoiled children, cunning and clever and devious.  Just as he did with Jasana, he was going to have to identify their main goal and understand that they had absolutely no reservations about stooping to any dirty trick to achieve that goal.
	Their main goal, so far as he could see, was to get rid of him.  He was a threat to the Balance, a threat to the order of things, and what was most important, he now understoodhe was a threat to their sense of security, superiority, and their towering pride.
	The problem before him:  why did the gods tell him to learn how to use his powers, while bringing up another suikun to replace him?
	Answer:  they wanted to see what he could do so theyd know how to defend against it.  They were getting to know the enemy, learning his powers and limitations, while quietly preparing to get rid of him with a minimum of trouble to the world.
	A trick worthy of Jasana.
	Now it made sense.
	Tarrin crouched down, sitting on the backs of his heels, elbows on his knees, watching the lights of Wikuna flicker into being as streetlamps were lit and torches outside of festhalls were set as the bells continued to peal in celebration.  Now that he understood the basic motive behind everything going on, he felt he could prepare suitable defenses against it.  One certainty, he knew immediately, would be that his family was out of bounds.  The gods wouldnt come after his children or his mates or his friends, because that would be just about the fastest way there was to enrage him, and an enraged Tarrin was a force too unpredictable to want.  Since he knew theyd be safe, it left him free to ponder ways in which he could protect himself from their scheming, and avoid falling into any traps he was certain they were already starting to set up.
	Which wasnt going to be easy, but it was workable.
	He crouched there for a while and pondered on that, then his mind drifted to Shiika.  Strange that he knew her secret now, and in a strange way, it did make him feel a little more secure about dealing with her.  Hed always liked her--somewhat--but his inability to trust her destroyed any kind of relationship that they could have enjoyed.  But he was fairly sure she was telling him the truth when she told him that she couldnt touch him now, and that meant that there really wasnt anything standing between them.  Even if that was a lie, her request to be her friend with no strings or conditions was something that he could forever hold over her whenever she got predatory.
	He found the idea of being friends with Shiikaappealing.  She was bright, clever, she had a sense of humor, she wasnt squeamish, she accepted him for the truth of him, and she was an insightful look into a world that he knew nothing about, yet had now been involuntarily thrown into.  Shiika could teach him things that he couldnt learn anywhere else.  She was certainly worming her way into the groups good graces.  After just hours, Keritanima was already quite happy with Shadow, and Tiella and Dar seemed quite acceptable to the idea of their Hellhound, which they named Blackfire.  And much to his chagrin, Tara and Rina all but jumped up and down in excitement when Shiika offered one to Kimmie, both as a companion and a chance to study one of them up close.  Kimmie seemed unsure about taking her up on her offer, but he knew that Tara and Rina--and Jasana, for that matter--would have her worn down by morning.  She wasnt completely opposed to the idea, and her daughters would use that to nag her until she agreed.  Tarrin was a little irritated with Shiika that she would ask Kimmie when Tarrin already declined, but then again, he should have known that she would do something like that.
	Fireflash bit him on the neck in irritation.  What? he asked shortly.
	The drake hissed at him several times, slapping his tail against Tarrins back.
	Alright, well go get something to eat, he relented as the clouds above seemed to darken enough to cause the bells of the city to fall silent, to make them assume that the sun had set.  I hope you dont mind Hellhounds, Fireflash, he mused as he padded down the angle of the roof, his claws and pads having no trouble finding traction on the snow-covered tiles.  I get the feeling that ones going to be taking up residence in the house.
	The drake chirped its diffidence.
	Good, he said as he dropped down onto a balcony.  If the Hellhound bothers you too much, you can always come tell me about it.  Ill fix it.  And youll always be first in my eyes, he assured the gold drake, reaching up and patting it on the winged flank fondly.
	Fireflash gave a sound that was almost like a purr, rubbing his head against Tarrins neck and jaw affectionately as they moved into the palace and towards the kitchen.
 
Chapter 19

	Although Tarrin enjoyed being with all of his friends and family, gathered together to celebrate the birth of Keritanimas son, the dark pall that had happened to Tarrin could not help but to cast a shadow over their celebration.  Tarrin did everything he could to keep the focus of the gathering on Keritanima, not on him.  Unfortunately, this was not easy, and the root of the problem began and ended with Phandebrass.  The Wizard absolutely would not leave him alone.  Every moment of every day, he endlessly harassed Tarrin about experimenting with his power, learning from it, studying it.  Tarrin didnt want to do that in Wikuna, he didnt want to take anything away from Keritanimas moment, but Phandebrass just would not leave it alone.  His zeal for discovering the knowledge surrounding Tarrins unique condition overrode everything else, even such things as eating and sleeping.  Tarrin had once mused that there was no solution that could hide from the usually scattered mage once it piqued Phandebrass curiosity, and unfortunately, that observation was proving to be entirely correct.  Phandebrass followed him everywhere he went.  When he wasnt allowed in the same room with him--a fact that caused him nearly to lose a finger to Jesmind--he would stand outside the door and, if he thought Tarrin was within hearing range, shout out question after question until one of the females threatened to gut him if he didnt leave.  But he was never very far away, having Chopstick and Turnkey keep an eye on him and report back any time he left his rooms, when he would swoop down with his journal and a million questions.
	He had no idea how many times he nearly got killed in the two days after Shiikas arrival.  Tarrin almost killed him, Jesmind almost killed him, Jula almost killed him, Allia almost killed him, Triana nearly killed him about ten times, Sapphire nearly killed him, Dar almost killed him, and Keritanima almost had Binter execute him on the spot about five times.  He was almost mindlessly persistent, until Camara Tal clubbed him on the back of the head with her fist, knocked him out, and had Koran Tal truss him up and stick him in a broom closet to give Tarrin a few hours of peace.
	Despite that endless aggravation, however, Tarrin did manage a little quiet, quality time with his sister and his new nephew, but that wasnt the only new member of the family he had to get used to.  True to his prediction, Kimmie relented the next morning and accepted a Hellhound from Shiika, which she delivered almost a minute after she agreed.  Shiika had obviously already brought the Hellhound to Wikuna and fixed it in anticipation of the proficiency of the nagging skills of Kimmies daughters.  The Hellhound Shiika delivered up to Kimmie was a truly monstrous specimen that was virtually the same size as Shadow, and Tarrin had been quite surprised to see it.  This Hellhound was the alpha male of the pack, just as Shadow was the alpha female.  He was the size of a small pony, a huge animal that looked proportional standing beside Tarrin, but looked grotesquely oversized when standing beside nearly anyone else.  The Hellhounds head came up to Kimmies chest, and it weighed even more than she did.  Tara and Rina could walk underneath the massive animal by simply ducking their heads.
	Wow! Tara had said in excitement, jumping up onto the Hellhounds back and sitting down, as if he was some kind of horse.  The Hellhound endured this indignity with a proudly raised head, though his ears were twitching.  Can we keep him, Mama? she asked in excitement.
	Get down! Kimmie admonished the cub sharply, then she knelt before the Hellhound and put her paw on his neck.  Hello there, she said gently.
	Tarrin still smiled a little at the thought of that memory.  The austere Hellhound then grinned like a misbehaving child and licked Kimmies face, grating his tongue all the way from the base of her jaw to her orange tabby-furred ear.  The act caught Kimmie by surprise, making her sit down on her rump, which made the twins collapse into laughter.
	He needs a name, Shiika had prompted her.
	Forge, Kimmie then declared as she got up off the floor.  Your name is Forge.
	The Hellhound then nodded to her gravely and sat down.
	He understands Sulasian, ShaKar, and Torian, Shika then told her.  Hell only obey you and Tarrin for right now, Kimmie, she added.  Hes as much Tarrins Hellhound as he is yours, just to warn you.
	I wouldnt have it any other way, Kimmie told her, giving Tarrin a loving smile.
	And you told me no, Shiika said to him with a delightfully wicked little smirk as she sauntered away, leaving Kimmie to get to know her new pet.
	Tarrin couldnt help but chuckle at that memory.  In the end, she managed to stick him with a Hellhound after all.
	Forge was a serious animal, with a highly refined sense of dignity.  Tarrin had observed him as he got to know Kimmie and her children, how he endured the roughhouse play of the twins like a tolerant parent, those glowing red eyes of his always alert, always watching.  Forge understood that he was a guardian as well as a companion, and since the twins were the children of his owners, that made them his children too.  He let them play with him, occasionally played back just to keep them happy, but he always watched them and watched out for them.  When Tara started climbing up the back of a chair, Forges teeth clamped onto her black furry tail and pulled on it until she let go.  Not satisfied with that, he picked her up by her tail and carried her back to Kimmies feet, then dropped her on the floor and sat down.
	Kimmie looked like he was a gift from the gods at that particular moment, threw her arms around his neck, and hugged him with the most profound appreciation.
	Needless to say, Tara was not as excited about the idea of having a Hellhound for a pet after that.
	What surprised him was the immediate and unusual relationship that Forge struck up with Fireflash.  The little drake scampered down Tarrins arm and perched on his wrist and leaned forward to sniff at the Hellhounds nose, and it snuffled the drake back in return.  Then, to everyones surprise, Fireflash hopped over and seated itself on top of Forges head like it was Tarrins shoulder, and the Hellhound did not mind at all.  Forge seemed very fond of the drake, and the drake seemed equally fond of the Hellhound.  It seemed a very strange combination, but Tarrin did not mind at all.  It meant that there wasnt going to be any kind of friction between them.
	No friction from the other females who lived in the house either.  Jesmind and Jula liked the big brute, and Jasana was just as excited about him as the twins, repeating over and over that Eron was going to be so jealous that they had a Hellhound, but all he had was a desert fox.  That was so typically Jasana.  It was unfortunate that she didnt seem to comprehend the fact that the Hellhound belonged to Kimmie.
	When Kimmie introduced Forge to the others during lunch, he immediately went over and laid down beside Shadow, and Tarrin was certain then that Forge and Shadow had been the alphas of the pack.  The litter that Shadow had had last year were probably sired by Forge.  Tarrin asked Shiika if it was wise to take both the packs alphas like that, but she assured him that there wouldnt be too much trouble.  A fight over the new order had already begun, but they wouldnt be fights to the death.  And it was the size of the pack that triggered that homicidal response, since Hellhound packs were usually only around seven to ten members, not counting cubs and adolescents.  Her pack had had fifteen adult members, too many for them to cope with it.  One had been killed in a fight, she had given away one before coming to Wikuna, and with the three shed given away in Wikuna, that dropped the packs size down to ten.  That made the pack much less apt to violent, fatal fights.
	Forge was a pleasant distraction to the endless wrath of Hurricane Phandeb