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[Thrax]

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Although he was keenly eager to implement his goal to kidnap and supplant his brother, Thrax, Anthraxas knew the time was not right, and would not be for a while longer. The new venture his brother had embarked upon, the upcoming opening of the Academy of Alderglen, had greatly hindered progress. He had to wait until after classes started lest he overlook something important. There were things, he knew, that Thrax had told his wife, particulars of the plan concerning dates, times, topics and teachers, that likely only she would know about. Yes, he could feign interest and ask lots of questions of his counterpart, but to do so might arouse suspicion and therefore tip his hand. No, he had to wait a good while longer.

As he was completing the patrol circuit around Alderglen, his thoughts turned back to Umbra, his home away from home. He visited there only rarely now as he had to keep up pretenses in Alderglen and to continue garnering and updating information to carry out his designs. But when he did go, he saw very few of those he knew, including Ceinwyn.

His thoughts drifted to her. His feelings for her had not changed, nor would they. He admired her candor and sharp wit; the way she reveled in her independence and aloofness from all those who sought her favors. True power over others, he knew, began first with power over self and one's passions. He knew that now. All desire must be carefully regulated or, if too strong to contain, effectively masked. Others must never know what you really felt about them, for if they ever did, you at once ceded to them a powerful weapon that could be turned on you, or, at the very least, enable them to influence your path and destiny according to their own designs.

Rumors had come to him of a possible liaison between her and King Sid of Yew. So what if the rumors were true? It only meant she was "broadening her horizons" and enjoying life. He would never begrudge anyone of that. Still, he looked forward to seeing her again, as he always did and always would. He hoped she felt likewise.

He considered his own future. Although his brother had apparently retired from public life, he had not surrendered his own dream of figuring prominently in the affairs of Yew, not as a rebel, but as one who could be trusted to keep order and get things done. Perhaps, if rumors were true, the connection between Yew and Umbra, between the King and Arch Matriarch, might prove coincidently useful to him.

Time, and events, would tell just how much.