tER At SUs and Deviered tigana for t time since her had carried him away as a child.

        Only t struggling musis came into Loe, te fagements of any kind,    ter tyrants i performers of t Loe meant bad lud    t.

        It    as if tory    knoeans ally . It did not make for a genial setting, tists of talking it over in taverns or    or Corte. Only tured to take t sad provin t. By time Devin    raveling for a very long time and ation to be able to esc particular one of the nine provinces.

        too; no one really uood it, but travelers of titious lot and, given an alternative, feure into a place    e. Everyone kneories.

        So t time for Devin. t ing for t of passage, kno si Sinave nortime ago, to be near, knoher side.

        And no pale ligo t stretcs, and    t of t it, o tigana.

        And o     to to respond.    scattered and fused. rollably a fe ligiolessly at work. I’ll be old he land where I was born.

        No past t claimed tops of rees and finally batime world as far as he could see.

        It    tains visible beyond.    its    a stream. It froze for a minute, co flee.

        tando, too.

        told    s and ried to picture it: , one of t beside    aken turns—in t goods t darkened by smoke and fires on the horizon.

        It seemed a false picture in some     exactly false, it    migrue, it migly true, but Devin didnt knos, no ory. t it . It    really even tigana they rode. he had never

        even    il    alone any stories, legends, cs past.

        te; so    all his life.

        tled. Beside    able. Ahem Alessan was riding alone.

        said a he border.

        ed    be. ted and absolute and sruly his home.

        ever Alessan . It ally actual, trampled fabric of ried, riding to imagine    be feeling.    t    only just: a guess more t of all to a place w speaking now.

        itled, Devin t, craigained in front of titled to ude,    even kno.

        And t ling adjustment to o to w ill e.

        And somes of a long er of t, and of listening in silence as older and     t and    be t person to find in a single man ts for tra or a dream.

        It    t Devi somet trings of    as if it    be seemed to Devin t t drumming rings as they galloped.

        tiny ing for t in riad Games t took place every t ttered, it could make a differe ter of events in time. Devi someting and bearing o tide, trom of ture. Into as over.

        ime Devin smiled back at ual, reflexive irony leave t. Devin almost felt sorry for the man again.

        Impulsively o Erleins broo squeeze ther mans shoulder.

        &quoing to do it!" ly, almost gaily.

        Erleins face seemed to pioget;You are a fool," ersely. "A young, ignorant fool."     vi tinctive response.

        Devin laughed aloud.

        Later    too. er u, blue cloudless sky. Forests and tains on t and in tance before t glimpse of ting ribbon floly norts curve    to find the

        sea.

        tuary of Eanna lay in a    ering and isolating circle of    of t     far from t rade bad fana and Quileia the Sfaroni Pass.

        In all nine provinces Eannas priests and Morians, and tesses of Adaos.

        Founded in out-of-ts of times dramatically so—ters of learning and teaciated clergy, repositories of riad, and as places of s and priestesses side for a time or for a lifetime.

        And not just ty imes do t;tributions" t e s for tering for a space of days or years    of treats.

        Many    led people to tuaries. It    t tesses of Adaon    birtors in ters of distinguis elected to sojourn at one of treats at times t mig for t    an ierminately age of ters left beuro tayed    to Morian. te-robed priests of Eanna    to do    tories belying t, as well.

        Little of tyrants came. o stir up triad against ts and tesses o do as ted tive as it migo the new rulers from overseas.

        botyrants did do, er or lesser success, emples against eac    to see—tensions and ilities t rippled and flared among triad. t, in ea, to turn ting tion to . Many patterns mig c all reition, and some mig or fotteirely, but not t te, reciprocal dance of state and clergy.

        And so temples still stood, and t important oill flourisatuary, and tments for services. Save in one plaly: in Loe, ues and ted and bur    of somet after t years of tyrants. Even in ted provio tiy and touaries.

        And to treats came a great variety of men and ime to time. It    only to ride or be carried aurbulence of times of strife, uaries ous eyries or    in ty valleys.

        And t—for a price—suco ted reats sucs valley, could be time. For a lifetime.    ies beyond the hills.

        have been.

        For a time, for a lifetime, t, looking out t the valley in

        sunlig springs return. So keep s from going back. ting for    and so little    of ter season falling to t birds, arros, time t was her own, and her only one.

        A lifetime of remembering, by curle dao prayer, by dlelig dusk, by sigraigo ers ers end, by t nigo prayer again, by drone of priests at prayer, by a star falling    in tern cold dark of tion of t borne by t    t oo te-robed priests es and ttiness, and tance of hem all.

        is o Danoleon—-p say about growt.

        tions and a flus    doion tled and ouceady and t unpleasant weariness.

        ed grief in    , not g    be dying.

        "It ; ly. "It oo far. I    save you. thing I    do.”

        "; she had asked. her only words.

        she was.

        rong? Srong. More so t by far. S to leave, and t ts o tate nortevanien.

        As it ually knoity s for a time. A fair-o laugh.

        Melina bren tonaro. A . She Sea when word came of Sed Deisa.

        tion y: Danoleons suggestion. Almost een years ago. t aking away, heir dreams carried in his person, a hope living so long as he lived.

        S ime ago. Sonaro and o tuary of Eanna in its high valley above Avalle.

        Above Stevanien.

        ed. ted for t boy to groo a man suc a desdant in direct line of Micaela and to do.

        ed. Season after season; s birds falling from the sky.

        Until last autumn, w.

        S t at trees. t once; e season for riding. As a girl, as a    o    t fall leaves she would ever see.

        Surned s and o calculate. Days and montic time to be sure of it. So Danoleon, not t oo soon.

        Not until ter,    beginning to melt from t and instruct o tter sed sent to ts— began this spring.

        Sions. Many times.

        Simed it very    by g to protest, to dissuade, to speak of dangers and circumspe. But t from under , s in tless and t t on ted patiently for o meet    last, as sance.

        o reaty to t e bid o Morian. Especially o w so    dreams of her people?

        Danoleon promised to e tter and    sent. Ser    out. S    to see o her.

        ttle t ill cold t day. Outside, tle drifting folds in t upon it but s, uedly,     since everyt onot ever, so break and fall on te sands of ts along the curving beach.

        So Pasitigana bren Serazi. Once a princess in a palace by ting, as er ains tur in t year.

        "t, ; said Alessan. "A ne use my name. Not ; aken on t nighis had all begun for him.

        t in t of afternoon. ts    point. And norees and grass touc green-gold of spring. A tributary stream, s-running ing snoed nort out of t. temple dome in t of tuary gleamed silver in tance.

        " ; Erlein asked quietly. one or t know.

        "Adreano," ter a moment. "I am Adreano dAstibar today. I    for triump, joyous homeing.”

        Devin remembered t deat er, after t;Sandreni Elegies."    t and t a day to probe. If    o try, someo make t kno doing t t badly out of h again, his

        earlier rusement fading before the Princes manner.

        Soutoains above Castle Borso. ter did not retreat so sly toured footered east running of trees. A grey    for a moment, almost motionless, before    against tuary seemed to lie s y, he world.

        Devin kne    so.

        t     o tigana.    Brandin of Ygrato Alessan if trayed and taken after so many years. ain pass: Do you trust this message?

        Devin rusted ts of Eanna in oo s subtle of t apt to steer events to t lie out of sigions as of a goddess,    find it easier to take t everyone kne all across triad riple uanding yrants from abroad: tive sileacit plicity, bougo preserve tes t mattered more to t seemed, the Palm.

        Even before meeting Alessan, Devin s about t. On t of t speaking s of    o t it, to be a great many nuao ts of to olid fat time to    path.

        rack finally s o ting touary in t oer rees began oo early leaf. Beyond ts and some of ts, clad not in te of ceremony, but in nondescript robes of beige, beginning t t ers end. One man , clear tenor voice.

        tern gates of tuary plex ar-symbol of Eanna. tes    enclosed tuary oervals around t, o and adversity. Set emple s as to tes and passed hin.

        Just inside Alessan pulled o a . From aance over to t ted sound of cer. In an open, grassy field set beyond a stable and a large residenics icks and a ball, supervised by a young priest in the beige work-robes.

        Devin calgia. o to cut and carry    maracco stick. And tes more often —snatcicks and one of ttered succession of balls Nico iently oget of layers and layers of cloto    the

        barnyard, pretending team at triad Games.

        "I scored four times one game in my last year of temple sc; Erlein di Senzio said in a musing voice. "Ive never fotten it. I doubt I ever will.”

        Surprised and amused, Devin glanced over at turned in o look back as er a moment tas and laug    trangers    er ting of the snow.

        t    ts and    pens on tral avenue. Some distan front of trao temple and beside it on t and a little beory— for in all uaries ts of Eanna tracked and observed tars she had named.

        t    many priests and servants moving about tering and leaving temple itself, able gardens Devin could see beyond tory. From t dire as akable ging of a blacksmito be caug one, cirg lazily against the blue.

        Alessan dismounted and Devin and Erlein did t as ts came up to t almost exactly t. tured at himself and his colleague.

        "Not mug party, Im afraid. e    expeg visitors t admit. No one even noticed you riding do o Eannas Sanctuary, o us. May t; he had a cheerful manner and an easy smile.

        Alessaur;May so be ,    ain o deal ing. e    actually    our entrance routines yet. And as for early in to get moving sooabliso starve.”

        "You are musical performers?" t asked eet to have been.

        "e are," said Alessa at a grand manner. "My name is Adreano dAstibar. I play tregean pipes, and     tell you truly, you    il youve listeo our young panion Devin dAsoli.”

        t laug;Oo ter sco give a lesson to my coric.”

        "Id do better to teac; Alessan smiled. "If music is part of your program here.”

        ts moutal music," ;t Morian, after all.”

        "Of course," said Alessan ily. "Very formal music for t for ts of t; he arched one of his dark eyebrows.

        "I ," said t, smiling again, "to a preference for Rauders early music myself.”

        "And no one plays it better t; Alessan said smoot;I    see    place. So t?”

        "You s; said t smiling. ying trings at ;Ill take you to    to it assault upon eacrol at all over them?”

        Savandi spun to look, se uly fasoing imprecations. From ta did indeed seem to Devin t ticks ly at variance ed rules of the game.

        Devin saw Erlein grinning as che wizards lean face ged when he smiled.

        rue one, not teo indicate a sour, superior disdain.

        t, grim-faced, pulled    ly, and draped it over one of t s make out and anot time—ily emerged from tables on t.

        "take t; t ordered bluntly. "See t t to t house.”

        "Ill keep my pipes," Alessan said quickly.

        "And I my ; Erlein added. "No lack of trust, you uand, but a musi and rument...”

        t able manner. "As you ; was all he said.

        "e. My name is torre, I am ter of tuary. You must be brougo t." urned a off    ing for to t of temple.

        Devin and Erlein looked at eacorre and Alessan, passing a number of ots and lay servants, most    making up for ted guide.

        t up to temple. torre opped, Alessan beside er looked around, quite casually, t as casually:

        420 tIGANA "trust no one. Speak truto    Danoleon or myself. ted. e t it , per s oday.”

        "t. ifying," said Alessan in an odd voice.

        Devi suddenly cold. Off to t, in ter a ly, ting. ternoon invocations. ts in formal e dire, arm in arm, disputing animatedly.

        "tc; torre said clearly, pointing as ;Over t.”

        "Of course ely, as Alessan said nothing.

        ts sloered trangers and truments, and    on. "Just over ts ; torre tinued, "beyond tcer school.”

        ts, resuming t, s briskly around t led to t of temple.

        torre fell silent. tly, ;Eanna be praised fracious love. May all tongues give    last.”

        Devin sorre to Alessan. An untrollable sears, brig sunligers eyes.

        Alessan made no reply.    see er, tes of a sung prayer.

        "Sill alive t; Alessan asked, looking up at last.

        "S; said torre emotionally. "Sill alive. S;    finisence.

        "t in to spill tears like a c; Alessan said s;Enoug, unless you    me dead.”

        tulped. "Five me," ;Five me, my lord.”

        "No! Not my lord. Not even ; Alessans voice ake me to Danoleon.”

        ter    raig;;    managing one again. rode up th.

        "Good," Alessan murmured to t, from be;Very good, my friend." trailing torres    at t Erlein but time tful, did not return the look.

        tcer scs, sent o be educated—udy and sleep. All across teac of tion of tuaries vied o draudent boarders—and thers money.

        It    udents in tuary in Loe    doing very well.

        On t, e could afford Sanctuary sc se or C up d o be educated? Loe ants, but it    a place to put

        dos. ed to be rooted in te?

        torre led teps of a covered portid ts o be open to ter ttered    past.

        tood in a large, ting-room. A ed tern end and a number of fortable cables . Crystal deters on a sideboard y of    no books. t to stand, discertingly empty. tigana old about t.

        Ar and ern    to porc could be caug eve.

        On t certainly leading to the bedchamber.

        tatues oo ous silver stars of Eanna served for painted decoration on the walls.

        to ts came out.

        t not unduly so, to see ter ing ors. One man -and-pepper ray of    of ed on a t his neck.

        It    t Devin stared, t s staff of office. tention even    it, Devin t, gazing at t o be Danoleon.

        t raige    covered    e as eness    in t taff of office    as if it ch.

        If t, a t of Eanna in tigana    men he fall.

        t    from today;    rationally. It y years ago,     even so, it o feel daunted in turned from Dao Alessan: sligurely silvered c, dusty, road-stained riding clothes he wore.

        But o t    Danoleon    Devin realized,    o pain, rut    prince of tigana, soutains all those years ago.

        And     time. tired man    n to deal . Devin found ing for t about t years t umbled and spun and drifted like leaves or snohen and now.

        and-big. to be so many trutions of late,    ting to be grasped and claimed, just out of reach.

        "e s," torre said in ;three musis, a newly formed pany.”

        "; t ray grunted ;Neo be to venture    remember t time someone of any talent suary.    you t    clear a room of people, eh?”

        "It depends on t; said Alessan mildly.

        Danoleon smiled, to be trying not to. uro t. "Idrisi, it is just barely possible t if ." ted    iny of t placid blue gaze.

        Daurned back to t;You ; ;e ing nely, and rigient in some pain. Idrisi di Corte, ends to be distressed whe case.”

        Privately, Devin doubted if distress o do ean priests rudeness, but    ed Danoleons apology    bow.

        "I am sorry to ," o Idrisi. "Is it possible ients." , Devin ioned. It o be an act t Danoleon    e.

        t;As you please. Sainly not sleeping, and it    do no    out of my        my will.

        Not t I    do very muorian no; uro Danoleon.

        "If tire , fine. If s is a blessing. I onight, unless I have word from you before.”

        "ill you not stay to ; Alessan asked. "e might surprise you.”

        Idrisi grimaced. "I onighe dining hall, perhaps. Surprise me.”

        ed smile, gone as quickly as it appeared, and    past tated strides out the door.

        t silence.

        "; Danoleon said softly, almost apologetically.

        "ean," torre muttered darkly.

        t s;; ed. "It angers ;    back to Alessan. ed a little on aff. o speak.

        "My lord, my name is Adreano dAstibar," Alessan said firmly. "tevanien." ed. Danoleons blue eyes    Devin. "And t; Alessan finis;is our friend Erlein di Senzio, ws of his hands.”

        As     Erlein, and to t t was a very old man.

        "Eanna guard us all," torre whem.

        Alessan looked pointedly around at to t;ticular patient is near deatake it?”

        Danoleons gaze, Devin t, seemed to be dev Alessan. t palpable , tarving man. "Im afraid s; oeady only h an

        obvious effort. "I    s be able to emple. too far away.”

        Alessan nodded o igs and rolled. ed tregean pipes in t them.

        "t sounds as if ternoon prayers are done.”

        ting opped. In ter scill running and laug. Devin could ated, unsure of ;Per like to play alone for hey may help her fall asleep.”

        Danoleon    Ales-san turned back to look at Devin, and t Erlein. his expression was veiled, unreadable.

        "?"    lengt;ould you abandon me so soon after our pany is formed?" And tly: "t you ot kno you should hear.”

        "But s; Devin protested, feeling somet of balance. "S; opped himself.

        Alessans eyes range.

        "S; ;I kno is o be some neer .”

        urned and oanding just before it. Alessan stopped before t and t eac he cheek.

        t past    t and dreeadying breated a o run it t stopped himself. A queer smile crossed his face as if chasing a memory.

        "A bad , t," o no one in particular. t in and they followed him.

        ts bedc as large as tting room in t, but its furnisarkly simple. ts, a ing desk, a trunk for ste, a small privy set apart in tern er. to t room, s, despite tains drao admit some slanting ligicoes to t.

        tar of Eanna    it too s in the four ers, and a pine headboard.

        It y.

        Devin, nervously follo ted to see a dying tle embarrassed, to jumped    from t fall.

        &quers?”

        Alessan urned unerringly to ered t sense, Devin never knew —and so rolled and unsurprised w cold voice

        spoke. Or and by one of t d    all of them.

        Pasitigana bren Serazi, o Valentin t y iy still s t portal of Morian. Sall a of t, clearly, o ting    s to transluce, t into too siff collar self uating ural, ot , so Morian and    ther shore.

        But t , a style long out of fase certainty t current faso t    t, uling appraisal, before moving on to Erlein, and ting, finally, upon her son.

        t seen since een years old.

        ttering and cold, one    a just beloed, fierd c of t before s even ing for an anso    question—Devin realized t hose eyes was rage.

        It    face, in t o the arms of her chair.

        An inner fire of a        ale.

        Devin so e. A moment later     bothing.

        even tion    bee to be ansh.

        For a long time, a sequenoments t seemed to    speaking, e, imperious features quite unreadable. At last, sloher was such a handsome man.”

        Devin fline, but Alessan seemed scarcely to react at all. . "I knorain must    just before it got to me.”

        read a message turn, murmured someto torre he room.

        to stand guard in front, Devin realized, feeling a ce t been spoken    could kill t Erlein and sa t of its case. ook a positioern ly began tuning rument.

        Of course, Devin t: Erlein kneo play for a dying     muow.

        "Musis," tempt to ;o play a jingle for me noo sant to ease a mot; t unbearable in one.

        Alessan did not move, too ray ension t too casual staed simulation of ease.

        "If it ; ly. "time I    remember w of music would indeed    you pleasure.”

        ttered coldly. "time for music. han name.”

        "O; said Alessan, a little s;true men and ormed ts of C terror at termination. Mot let it rest, even no of our family and een years." ened, greedly a;Must ,    our speecters en so many times?”

        t and grim, implacable as t had e for her.

        "No, not t," s;I    so muco e. I summoned you o receive a mothers dying curse upon your blood.”

        "No!" Devin exclaimed before op himself.

        In took a long stride for;My lady, no indeed," ;t—”

        "I am dying," Pasiterrupted s ural color in ;I do not o listen to you anymore, Danoleon. to anyone. ait, you told me, all tient, you said. ell, I ime for patience. I s for me. I ime to liies at rustic weddings.”

        t jangling s.

        "t," said Erlein di Senzio from tern ;is ignorant and unfair!" opped, as if startled by burst. "triad kno is noo me rying to kill Brandin of Ygrato be perfectly frank, does not surprise me at all in this province!”

        t no one. In t followed Alessan finally moved. illness ural, now o hers chair.

        "You ; ;Remember? I . In many    rying to kill tyrant in Cervention. Do you knoo speak of it at nig, ion on ter deats name restored because of us.”

        i its ces. Devin sao till as marble, as expressionless and cold. Devin moved quietly totempt to quell t ill by tly, sies and random c quite a tune.

        "But ; Alessan    on, and an urgency, a terrible o be uood o ;And one Midsummers Eve Marius became Year King in Quileia, er t . Baerd and I began to learn some true t po    time, building and building, a t, a dream, larger and deeper trying to kill a tyrant. e came back to to travel. As musis, yes. And as artisans, mercs, ates oime in a triad Game year, as

        masons and builders, guards to a Senzian banker, sailors on a dozen different merc-s even before tains, it    ask in life o be. About ried. You kno, Danoleon knoe you years ago anding . It o take botyrants toget t again be free.”

        eady passion t;I remember. I remember t letter came. And I ell you again e you to t s castle iando: you es freedom, and Astibars and tregeas at tiganas name. Of our very existen t t of everyt the price of vengeand our pride.”

        "Our pride," Alessan eo;O our pride, motaug I learned someter, as a man. In my exile. I learned about Astibars pride. About Senzios and Asolis aandos. I learned yrants came.”

        "t; Pasit; is ter.    is a peninsula t we s?”

        " is tigana?" Erlein di Senzio asked bluntly,    in his hands.

        Pasit;I ; so    tion; no one old    Erlein, s in minutes from a scattering of clues.

        S;tigana is t of poo t cer. And no nig desdant of t union is in tire past of ; Sment. "Falling tion at stake in this!”

        S in    up from urn    t beside her Alessan bowed his head.

        Erlein di Senzio, from too far to see t;And sell you tibars? ill you ory of Eanna on tars from tandos claim to be t and soul of t alkers in two hundred years ago?”

        traig ing errible to    he face of so much ce and such a force of will.

        "But t is t," sly, spari;t is t of t see it? I do remember tories. Anyone ion or a library, any fool imental y different songs of Eanna and Adaon on Sangarios. Not us, t you see? Not tigana anymore. ars by to sing, wion he world?”

        "I ; said Devin,    his sides.

        uro fix ;e all ; he

        said, as firmly as    to t;t song again, my lady. Because your son is not a c for to do it. Somet o do o the world.”

        later,    ification. Pasiter turned into a of coug    deal of blood stain. Sc to steady herself.

        "You are a c; s;And my son is a c t Baerd bar Saevar is exactly ts her had.

        Somet; ser ice: "Do you infants     he Palm?”

        Sloand before ;e s. e idings.    is it?”

        "I told you t; Danoleon said quickly. "But I o give you the—”

        "I am pleased," Pasiterrupted. "So very pleased. It seems I still o tell my son before I leave    learned or t out all by ; S again in t like frost under blue moonlig in rying to break terrible fear, and of more t;A messenger came yesterday at su, at tevanien    Brandin    it by o all rus to spread tidings.”

        "And tidings are?" Alessan o receive a blow.

        "tidings? tidings, my feckless c Brandin    abdicated as King of Ygrath.

        o stay    bee citizens of tern Palm. Ce, Asoli, Loe. Four provinces under Brandin on t axes are to be s in half.

        Beginnierday. Cut by siderably more te. Our burden    treets of Stevanien.”

        Alessan, moving very carefully, as if    mig and fall, turoward Danoleon. ho was nodding his head.

        "It seems t tion attempt on t; t said.

        &quinating in Ygrat. It apparently failed only because of one of ribute ando arted a , teen years ago? It seems t in t    staying in t tigana and    about    be done in Ygratinues here.”

        "And o tinue ; Pasit;tigana ill be lost forever to    our people yrants name as it dies. ther.”

        Alessan o be listening, as if irely inside    in t, looking at

        greill in tside, far arolled ss and laugo teo t distant mirtried to slo, to attempt to deal    t heard.

        Erlein, o troubled and ried desperately to to gattered ts, but t    ted,    it? Except t it . Brandin aying, t free of    of igana?    of tigana now?

        And te uedly, t. A distrag, niggling augging at telling hing he should know, should remember.

        t o place. In fact . . .

        In fact, ly rong.

        Devin closed , figly as ern anding all time.

        Alessan    to ;t c deal. Im going to ime to t t I believe it may actually ruly be a gift not a curse.”

        "; ;tyrants name is of Avalle!”

        Devin    te pain at t of t cry, but o keep moving. A terrifyiainty hin him.

        "I and. But dont you see?" Alessan dropped to    again, close to ;to fig    feay    ... o do you tibar will do whis?”

        "; Pasitly. "Alberico is a timorous man spun neck-deep in o tiara. At least a quarter of tay    oppressed people in t do you t imagine an army    be raised in d Asoli to fig Barbadior for a man whis peninsula?”

        Shan before.

        Devin didnt kno even begin to guess.    tely sed, t and played hing else.

        s ledge    t of .    for t time ted it. tions, offered a quick prayer to Eanna and,    on t to tico. ill coug.

        umbled and fell, craso a pillar o    in time to see a figure in beige robes leap up from a crouc a , a blind, t-obliterating rage rising in    oo uproarious in t    them alone.

        Only time t    this room.

        Alessan    t behind him.

        "Savandi!" Devin gasped. "ening!"    ter ting moment of tever Rinaldo to    Certandan barn. t over e o catcher man.

        ed tone balustrade at tico    breaking stride. Savandi, sprinting for all     trounds. In tan t Devin could see tted eets!    g, even now?

        If Alessans identity became knole doubt ly t kno all about w would hen.

        And t, oerrified o eveer speed, legs pumping,    if Savandi could link to t if Brandins spy could directly tact him in Chiara now?

        Devin cursed in t but not aloud, sparing    a small building on t and cut s, about ty strides a of temple itself.

        Devin sped around to be seen. , seized by paniple    ing into green on t.

        t spot. to g his arms and face.

        ered area, large, beautifully serene, gracefully laid out, ain at ter. ime to value suc t er ter gave onto anotid a long building    t noing up teps to tid to t one sed-story    cloister.

        Running flat out for temple for t t of Eanna but could not venture doo her larger dome.

        ook teps to ti one flying leap and burst the doorway, knife in hand.

        follet for an ambuso lie in .

        t would hough—whily increased his deeper fear.

        to be rag aself, tcory or t t    expect     really be o escape.

        , in turn, t to try to do, if Devin gave ime.

        to a long corridor and a stair of sig Devin, glang doo Eanna: running across ter t rail akable on tone floor and it    do up tairs.

        Devin sped in pursuit, flying doo a left turn around a er at t intervals all along and an arple at te end. Most of t of ty.

        But t s corridor o one closed door; Savandis trail led topped.

        Devin clutc the heavy wood. Locked. Immovable.

        Sobbing for breato    for t of    since Marra aug locks. ed and tried to s rembling. S streamed into    furiously a t t roy them all.

        Aerior door opened beeps the hallway.

        it looking up, Devin said: "touchis door!”

        "It is done!" came a voice ;It is open. Go!”

        Devin flung a glance over anding th a sword in his hand.

        Springing to    Devio truments on tables. Savandi    emples, visibly straining to trate.

        "Plague rot your soul!" Devin screamed at top of o snap awake. able beside him.

        .

        Still screaming, Devin s eyes.    in a , grinding against bone ion. ts moutonis. , ward from hen he died.

        Devin released ing for breat emple.    and    ill shaking.

        Erlein o stand beside Devin.

        "Did . . . did ; Devin found t    even speak properly.

        "No." t;You came in time.    link. No message .”

        Devin stared d eyes and t o betray this?

        " ; ill ster on tabletop.

        "I follo until I lost you around temple. traced Savandis aura here.”

        "e came ter. rying to shake me.”

        "I    see t. Youre bleeding again.”

        "Doesnt matter." Devin took a deep breatsteps in tside. "his for us?”

        Erlein looked defensive for an instant, but quickly regained ;For you? Dont be a fool, Devin. I die if Alessan does. Im bound, remember? tion. Nothing else.”

        Devin looked up at ing to say sometant, but just tsteps reacered quickly orre close beaking in the se.

        &qu to mind-link ; Devin said. "Erlein and I got to ime.”

        Erlein made a dismissive sound. "Devin did. But I o use a spell to foll enougo dratention, but in case tracker any moving before m.”

        Danoleon seemed not to    Savandis body. tears on his face.

        "Dont e yrief on a carrion bird," torre said harshly.

        "I must," t said softly, leaning upon aff. "I must. Dont you uand? he was born in Avalle. he was one of us.”

        Devin abruptly turned    siac by a resurgence of te fury t o kill so violently. One of us. ibar in trayed by o be ill. One of us.

        Erlein di Senzio laugo fists. And t h.

        t silence.

        Danoleon dreo be dealt ory    raced tuests. torre, er dark, wh him.”

        " dinner," torre said.

        "No . You are ter. You e ternoon. o see    fits, just after t often enoug alo unately for Savandi, time o be killed by someone on t outside our valley.”

        to ts voice t Devin     t t. t to to do. Loyal to ture, true to t cause.     ogethem.

        Savandi . Devin searc    grieve for s corrosive treaco , apped some violence of passion Devin    knohin him.

        Almost exactly,    suddenly, t Alienor of Castle Borso    sphere of life.

        Or, per t of t so very different after all. But t oo oo dangerous a knot to try to untie just n presence of deat Danoleon.

        "; ; he follow?”

        But even before    e.

        t looked do ;ill in my c may be over by now.”

        "No," Devin said. "O; And rose, and    to to t tern dooro ting lige afternoon, and began, again, to run.

        Along temple dome, past ttle garden    noticed ing o ts o tico bets like a ball of o ttle    Savandi, past t all t longing, to s came.

        But time    re nor in t. It moved on, and tter or for    by, darkness fell and lingered and gave o lig daer eacriads grace, and they died.

        And they died.

        Alessan ill in till on , but beside t by time    along the curving sky.

        Devio somes t    Alessan mig    alone, not    day in tigana since ime y years ime had run and he was home again.

        And s bed. Alessans tly as one mig    but would fly away forever if released.

        Devin must    t.

        Devin ac felt bruised, besieged.    e to time as t Baerd o do better than he.

        ; ime." Alessan nodded, ao doo     been before. As it very likely    been for t long years of ime, moving inexorably foraking pride. taking love.

        "Im sorry," Devin said. "Alessan, Im so sorry.”

        t terribly far a. Instead, after anot, ion of acceptance, of s they all knew so well.

        Devin suddenly felt as if    bear it anymore. Alessans quiet acquiesce orn open, ruto t like a coe for y.

        In t in silence by ternoo lig to fall upon    covered her grey eyes.
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