Besides, though I have the highest respect for your judgment, I do

not know the man.”

“You don’t know this Kobayashi, either, ” Merlin said. “And I

can’t believe that you would sooner accept help from a gangster

than from one of the most highly respected adepts in the world!”

“I may not know Kobayashi, ” Modred said, “but I know what to

expect from him. And our dealing with a man like Kobayashi would

not attract as much attention as would our seeing a man as

celebrated as your former pupil. Not that I doubt for a moment that

Yohaku would be discreet, but to a man like Kobayashi, discretion

is the soul of his profession. Aside from that, there is another

consideration that you seem to have overlooked. When was the last

time you saw your former pupil?”

Billy’s face frowned. “Well… it’s been years. But what does that

have to do with it? He will certainly remember me. If you think my

being in Billy’s body will—”

“Billy has nothing to do with it, ” said Modred. “I have no doubt

that Yohaku will accept you for who you are. But can we accept

Yohaku for who he is?”

“What do you mean?” Then Billy’s eyes grew wide as Merlin

realized what Modred meant. “Surely, you don’t believe—‘’

“At this point, I don’t believe anything, ” said Modred. “But I

suspect everything. And everyone.”

“I can’t believe it!” Merlin said.

“Even a mage would not be invulnerable to Leila’s influence, ”

said Modred.

“But if Yohaku was Leila’s acolyte, the runestones would reveal

that to us immediately, ” said Wyrdrune.

“True, ” said Modred, “but that would also force our hand and

reveal our presence here to Leila. We failed to stop her once before.

This time, I want no mistakes. I want us to be sure of our ground. I

want us to have every advantage.”

“But then Kobayashi could be under Leila’s influence, as well, ”

said Kira. “This whole thing might have been a trap to lure us

here.”