Doyle came to laying on the floor of his room.  He carefully 
stood.  He managed the two steps to his chair before falling.  
Frost's words came to him.  'They will challenge you until they hurt 
you.  Then they will kill you.'  Queen Andais had taken care of the 
first part herself.  If anyone challenged Doyle to a duel tonight, it 
was possible he would lose.  
 
Doyle looked around his room.  His bag was on the bed.  Just far 
enough away he couldn't reach it.  He started to push himself back 
to his feet when someone knocked on the door.
 
"Yes?"
 
"I have a message from the Queen, sir."  It was a female's voice.  
Doyle grabbed the knives he had stowed in the bag, as well as the 
small mirror.  Pocketing the mirror, he sat back down.  He held the 
knives ready.  
 
"Come in."
 
The door opened.  A brownie stood in the doorway.  She curtosied 
nervously.  "The Queen orders you to be present at dinner tonight.  
It is in an hour."  The brownie glanced up at Doyle, then back at 
the floor.  "That is how she worded it, sir."
 
"Your Keelan, aren't you?"  Doyle reconized Merry's friend.
 
"Yes."  Keelan started to edge towards the door.
 
"Keelan?  Are you still tied to Cel?"
 
"No," she whispered.
 
"If you could go to Merry, would you?"  Doyle asked.  "I think 
having another woman around, one she could trust, would be good.  She 
can trust you, can't she?"
 
"Yes, sir!" Keelan exclaimed.  "I would never betray Merry."
 
"If you want, I will see what I can do."
 
"I would like that, sir.  Thank you."
 
Doyle nodded.  "You may go now, Keelan."  She started out the 
door.  "Keelan, ask Barthalnew to come see me before dinner, 
please."
 
"Yes, sir."  She closed the door.
 
Doyle sat in the chair for a few minutes.  He wondered why his back 
was not healing.  If anything it was hurting more.  It was 
beginning to make it hard for him to think.
 
There was a sharp knock on the door.  It swung open.  Barthalnew 
stood there for a moment.  When he saw Doyle, he quickly closed it.
 
"I heard you had returned, and have been with the Queen."
 
Doyle nodded.  "I don't like to ask, but you are the only one I can 
trust here.  My back needs attention."
 
The giant seagod nodded.  Doyle stood, swaying on his feet.  He 
nearly fell, but Barthalnew caught him.
 
"What did she do to you?"  Barthalnew knew instantly something more 
than what he could see was wrong.  Doyle's back was nothing but raw 
meat.  He could see bone in some places.  Even so, that should not 
have been enough to take down Doyle.
 
"I'm not sure."  Doyle whispered.  "She has a new lover... as 
viscous as she is."
 
Barthalnew helped Doyle lay down on the bed.  Looking closer at 
Doyle's back, he could see green streaks in the red.  "Damn.  
Poison.  That is why it has not healed."
 
"There are bandages in the top dresser drawer.  Would you please 
wrap my back?  I have been informed that I am required at dinner 
tonight, and we don't have time to deal with cleaning it out now."

Barthalnew did as Doyle asked, then helped him get dressed.  Doyle 
put on every weapon he had with him.  Mortal Death rubbed agianst 
his back, but Doyle could not forget Frost's words.  There were 
knives strapped to each wrist, each thigh, and shoved in both 
boots.    
 
Doyle and Barthalnew walked into the feast hall together.  Then 
stopped in shock.  "It's too soon," whisphered Barthalnew softly.  
 
Cel sat in his chair on the dais.