Van tried, very hard, to keep himself physically relaxed. Since not only his own future but the fate of every sensitive in the domain rested on what the five Elders concluded, it didn't work very well.

"They're going to find in your favour," Andreas said quietly.

"You sound very sure of that."

"Oh, I think Vladislav is going to persist for a while yet, but realistically, the overwhelming majority of mages are never going to be comfortable with even a watered-down version of Olaf's techniques. Why do you think everyone lets hunters do initial training? So we can all pretend it isn't so bad and that our own hands are clean. The alternative is going to have mages terrified and bewildered, but most would prefer that to savagely and constantly disciplining their sensitives, if those are their only options." He ran his hand through his sensitive's hair affectionately, glanced down. "And for the average mage, who is more thoughtless than actively abusive, I think there might be less ground to surrender than it appears at first glance. But they're going to need some idea of what to do, especially with this newest revelation about sensitives. I suggest you get started on a new book that includes practical recommendations for how to relate to one's sensitive if one is forced to acknowledge them as individuals. And that you do so quickly. And I'd appreciate a copy as soon as you do."

Van glanced over his shoulder; Oblique was still too shaken to look up, but he caught Rich's eye, tilted his head in the direction of Andreas' sensitive. Rich gave him a smile, a quick wink, and a very small shrug.

"You don't need it," Van said. "Your sensitive's already happy. As long as he feels safe telling you if that changes, you're fine."

"Now you're psychic?" Andreas asked archly.

"Much better. I pay attention to sensitive information gathering. Give them an inch, and they'll know everything there is to know before their mages can pick up the phone. I just wish they had an answer for how this is going to turn out."

"Kalindi and Santiago are both going to rule in your favour, for different reasons. So is your matriarch. Ingemar I'm uncertain about. She was wavering even before Elena's theatrics, and now she's frightened. Vladislav is going to rule against you. Van. Trust me. I rarely get involved directly, but advising on legal issues and attending significant hearings is what I do. I can't read everyone, but I keep track of who has taken what stance in the past and I can tell which way a verdict is swinging."

"Honestly? I want to take your word for it, but I'm bloody terrified."

"Stop worrying and start planning your next book. Teodor should have some interesting material for you. There's an Alexeiev by name of Lera, also in Enville, who would, I think, love to help in any way she can." He glanced down again. "If the experiences of another sensitive might be of use, and of a mage who lost one sensitive to an accident and needed a second, I think we might be able to help with that. If Topaz decides he's comfortable talking."

"For that, of course, my Lord," his sensitive said softly.

If that was the case, then his sensitive might actually be as young as he looked.

And a situation like that, an unusual one since a mage could heal pretty much anything wrong with a sensitive and tame sensitives usually had lives of minimal risk of harm from anything but their own mages, could include some valuable clues about the bond between mage and sensitive, how it formed and the consequences of it being forcibly severed...

"Damn it, you do have me thinking about what to write," he sighed.

They waited quietly for the Elders to return. Van heard ripples of quiet conversation behind him, but nothing clear enough to understand.

The temptation to leave his chair, or at least to turn around and invite Randi close so he could hold her, or make sure Oblique and Jonathan were both all right after their respective ordeals, was a powerful one, but so were the lifelong lessons in self-control in public. He tried Andreas' advice, doing his best to distract himself with planning a new book, though worst-case scenarios kept trying their best to intrude.

Andreas said his name, just loudly enough to draw his attention to the return of the Elders.

Elspeth, though to all appearances suitably sober, caught Van's eye long enough to give him the briefest of reassuring winks.

"Rory Donovan," the Kalindi Patriarch said, as soon as they were seated.

Van, respectfully, rose, though he kept both hands on the table, not sure of his own steadiness. "Elders."

"Four issues were raised, with all other charges dismissed as secondary. We cannot find any reason to question your qualifications as an observer of behaviour, and therefore you are within your rights to write about those observations, obviously with the assumption that you do so in a professionally unbiased and factual manner. We cannot, therefore, challenge the right of any interested mage to read your book, although you might consider a warning that it will very likely have a profound and possibly uncomfortable effect on the reader's perception of mages and sensitives and the relations between. The choice to do so is the responsibility of the reader. We cannot challenge the right of any mage to determine what information sources they permit their own sensitives access to. The choice to allow it, or for that matter the carelessness that allows it without permission, is the responsibility of the mage. There appears to be reasonable grounds that distributing your book to free sensitives is at least not detrimental to mage society and may in fact be beneficial in the long run. Unless evidence appears to the contrary, you are free to continue to do so. However. We have all been confronted not only by a new and unsettling perspective in your book, but a new and even more unsettling revelation about basic sensitive nature, which we assume you were also unaware of and have no doubt you will be among those investigating. We're acutely aware that we've just set a precedent that will have long-term and widespread ramifications, although we stand by that decision. While we can't label your work as seditious or immoral, we can ask for you to please keep in mind that an overnight dismantling of mage society as we know it is not going to be beneficial for anyone. Please try to limit the social earthquakes until we've all had a chance to come to terms with and pick up the pieces from this one. You are free to go."

Part of the sudden wave of sound was cheering, part of it protest; Van didn't even try to work out the percentages, just stayed where he was, head bowed and letting the table take his weight.

"Congratulations," Andreas said. "I believe Pride might squirm entirely out of her own skin if you don't give her a hug."

Van turned around, though still leaning against the table, and held out a hand to Randi; she bolted to her feet and across the short distance to him instantly, hit him with enough impact that he was grateful for the table behind him. He wrapped both arms tightly around her, not caring she was hugging him back so fiercely she was making it harder to breathe. And, a few heartbeats later, Oblique was there as well, though oddly hesitant until Van freed one arm to include her. Propriety could go find a cliff to jump off, right now. Andreas, tactfully, left his things for his sensitive to gather up and moved away to talk to someone, Van didn't waste attention on who.

"Since when do you hang back from hugs?" he asked Oblique.

She shrugged, gave him a shaky smile. "Keeping secrets, my Lord. Wasn't sure you'd forgive me."

"I love you and I trust you. And it's a big concept to introduce, even just to us, let alone everyone."

Brennan's hug enclosed all three.

Van gave Randi and Oblique each a quick kiss. "Where's Chance? I think he saved my ass."

Brennan and the two sensitives let go; Catherine and Neely were waiting, their respective sensitives a step behind to either side. Van knew Lila well enough to see that she was all but twitching, trying to contain her joy; Jonathan looked tired, but there was still a smile there—and still enough presence of mind to keep his eyes below Van's in public.

"Thank you," Van told him quietly. "I'm really not sure the outcome would've been the same without you."

"I'm fairly sure I wouldn't have much of a life without you," Jonathan retorted. For just a heartbeat, his control slipped and his eyes met Van's, before he caught himself and lowered them again, adding belatedly, "My Lord."

"Chance was a very important and unexpected part," Catherine said. "So was Teodor Alexeiev. However, you very much need to thank Andreas. He and I took a look at Elena's full list of charges. As she had them listed and phrased, it would have been difficult for the Elders to clear you on any of them even if they unanimously wanted to. Andreas found logical and legal grounds to dismiss most of them and twisted the phrasing on the rest into a form that turned the burden of proof around and made it very difficult for the Elders to reach any other verdict."

"He promised me, my Lady," Andreas' sensitive Topaz said quietly, stacking his mage's notes and book neatly into Andreas' briefcase, his gaze never leaving his task. "Because my Lord believes this is very important, but also because Sable and I have a long history and it mattered to her so it mattered to me, he promised me he'd find a way to make sure the verdict was the right one."

There were mages who would have been furious that a sensitive spoke up uninvited, or that a sensitive believed it made any difference what he felt; obviously he'd learned enough about the Donovans to know he wouldn't get his mage in trouble, though.

"He definitely kept that promise," Catherine said. "Sometimes having personal reasons gives you extra inspiration. Without him, we would have lost."

"Yes, my Lady. Thank you for writing that book, my Lord. Sometimes understanding, even with no other changes, can make a big difference." He snapped shut the built-in combination locks on the case and caught hold of the handle. "Excuse me, my Ladies, my Lords." He left, presumably in search of Andreas.

"Obviously he got hold of a copy of the book," Van said. "Cryptic comment of the week. You know him, Sable?"

"We were best friends for a long time, my Lord," Lila said. "Until the hunters caught him. I'm glad he belongs to someone who values him." The faint tremor in the word belongs suggested she hadn't exactly embraced that particular detail. "I think we've both changed. But Lady Catherine and Lord Andreas promised we can stay in touch."

Mages broke promises to sensitives every day, but Catherine wouldn't, and Van had a feeling Andreas would keep it as well. "Good. I don't suppose we can go home now."

"Are you kidding?" Neely said. "You really think you're going to escape without five dozen people wanting to talk to you? But I want Chance out of here, now. And it might not be a bad idea to get Oblique and Sage out of here, too."

"All of you go," Catherine said. "Van, you're exhausted, quite understandably. I'll stay, I can answer questions and collect contact information."

"And how are you going to get home?" Van objected.

"I've been staying in your old room since Andreas arrived. I'm sure I'll be able to get a ride there with someone. I'll call you tomorrow. Go on, off you go."

Van considered resisting, but the thought of home, of being able to hug Randi and Oblique as much as he wanted with no rules to worry about, was just too strong. "I need to go get my stuff. It's pretty much packed up already. I figured if I was leaving, I wouldn't want to waste time, and if not, I wouldn't care about the time to unpack it again."

"I'll go get it, my Lord, and meet you out front," Randi said, and dashed off.

Andreas spotted them near the door; he only flashed them a smile and a nod, never really interrupting his discussion with someone Van didn't recognize. Topaz was a step behind and to one side, his eyes low, but keeping track of what his mage might want or need.

Outside wasn't really any quieter; good-byes and thanks had to be brief and formal. Thanking Jonathan properly would have to wait.

A lot of things would. They'd won this step, and it was hugely important, but there was still so much to do.

But the first thing was going to be an extended period of holding Randi, preferably with some intermittent hugging of Oblique involved.