implanted in Coryn years earlier will prevent Coryn from acting against him. Coryn is able to overcome Rumail, and Tramontana tower crumbles. Neskaya begins to crumble also. Book Five In battle, Taniquel takes Belisar Deslucido prisoner. She demands to know if he, also, has the ability to lie under truthspell. He confirms that he does. She learns that his father, Damian, has also been captured. Taniquel recommends to King Rafael that both be executed to wipe out the laran trait for lying under truthspell. After an audience with both men, Rafael comes to agree with Taniquel, and has them hung. Taniquel learns that contact with Neskaya has been lost. She and her men ride to Neskaya and learn that the tower has collapsed. The surviving tower workers tell her that Coryn is trapped in the Overworld. Taniquel enters the Overworld in an attempt to free Coryn. She encounters what's left of Rumail Deslucido, and he tries to kill her, but fails. She finds Coryn but learns that he cannot leave the Overworld with his laran intact. She asks him to choose, and he chooses to return to the world with her. Taniquel returns to Acosta, as regent for her infant son, with Coryn at her side as consort and paxman. Epilogue A ragged man, apparently Rumail Deslucido, arrives in a small village along the Kadarin River, with vengeance on his mind. Characters Coryn Leynier, third son of Lord Beltran Leynier of Verdanta, laranzu. Taniquel Hastur-Acosta, niece of King Rafael Hastur II. Damian Deslucido, king of Ambervale-Linn. Rumail Deslucido, nedestro brother of Damian Deslucido, laranzu, dismissed from Neskaya Tower. Belisar Deslucido, son of Damian Deslucido. Rafael Hastur II, king of Hastur. Publication history 2001, USA, DAW Books , pub date July 2001, hardback 2001, USA, Science Fiction Book Club #39176, pub date September 2001, hardcover 2002, USA, DAW Books , pub date July 2002, paperback References Darkover books 2001 American novels Novels by Marion Zimmer Bradley American science fiction novels DAW Books books Novels published posthumously Novels by Deborah J. Ross