t t track t o t sout t Dia-nora could see temple domes and ts of tle. ts to t,     would be very    by mid-m.

        By ing would have begun.

        Brandin ains, ted from te and Asoli and Cself. Not from Loe, of course, t in t be t as Brandin could not .

        alter, til t geion t kneigana died.

        And srying    to t all.

        Simply to move s s in motion. to accept t of Brandins love for errible uainties of t t meant, but s not to d during ts ; dreams . Sive, botterly divided .

        it be over t- running valley. trees groeeper ridges to teau norto Senzio town.

        Do stirring, men emerging from tents and sleeping-rolls, rings fitted and readied. Metal glinted in to    air. t enougo take t to be seen. tself, picked out against a background of deep blue for t—ting in tern Palm, but truer claim o everyto a united peninsula     ep for t it aken by th.

        tern provinces. Several y in t of the bay.

        itle, trality atters. ed, by Albericos decision to torcaliation for Barbadiay. er R rouble landing t in tion, but ty a full day before Alber-ico.    Brandin co overlook to alig age, t.

        It    m o t oain and golden tiara against te background, and Albericos oo dot tains of blood, ern side of t of to t.

        Dianora ood on tc seemed to take forever. S ao tent and times. to set. It was over be

        above to the valley.

        "to one, pertle better t," Brandin    greyiernoon breeze.

        "Are too many?" sly so no one else would hear.

        ook en did t noo bear not oucime. taken on an urgency t tered and drained aftero form ts of any kind.    ter of ted to numb o still terate t clear, straighe sea.

        On t;too many. It is o judge. I am stronger in my po on the armies.”

        Quietly spoken, a careful statement of relevant facts. Nance, only teady, al y years ago.

        t versation erday. Aftero co t    and glorious,    erious, a moon of fantasy, of magic. Sime to be alo nig in fact Brandis of    of tains after t. DEymon, so remain up omorroo lead tters came to t. If matters came to t they were probably dead, she knew.

        Bot by time Brandin came back to tent on t ing, scerrain to study one last time, but s them down.

        o till fully cloter a moment ed ime. ted a little and looked up at her.

        "I e t man do; ly. "I e everytands for. tion. Notters but t. Noto pity rief but e. Everytool, an instrument. s tiara, everyone kno, but     it for anyts. I doubt anyto feel anything.”

        ing ion. S emples, looking do urned again and oucually eadied and sayed aside t t she world.

        S , because t it    moving for a moment, t up and crus to . S floainly not, s.

        Ss later Se in iff leat of a messenger; lig ie armainst arroo be one of to    t t t would make al omen on sucold o go

        back to this m.

        After , sening to tside. t out of tent into the rising sun.

        ting for    ep or t more t. Soday, s. t of ttened ridge, bot armor, tical sed at to dress today in the simple brown of an ordinary soldier.

        S fooled. None of them were, or could be.

        Not long after t tep alooo see. it a    all, a dazzling blood- crimson flare of lig upt o tnumbered army moved foro meet ttle t    ty years.

        "Not yet," Alessan said steadily, for time, at least. "e ed years,    not be too soon now.”

        Devin    tioning rut until Alessan gave to do but che blazing Senzian sun.

        It tle past it, by t ally . Devin tried to grasp    feel, tering eacreading ttle. tonize anyone, but not so distant t t see men die or heir screams.

        tage point ion of ly as ted togetiless sending of souls to Morian.

        "t; Sandre    deta earlier t m as t;to allo not so broad as to let t serious trouble in to climb out of t; "And if you look, you ; Ducas di tregea ;t Brandin    of    flank, tory t. ttempt to go around.”

        One ti of Barbadians , tried just t an ered and driven back by a rain of arroern Palm. Devin    a quick surge of excitement, but t gealed o turmoil and fusion. tyranny, yes, and all t it meant, yet    in any kind of triumph?

        But s t knoo t as tripped rahe Senzian sky.

        Catriana anding just a to t t from eac    a disoriented, difficult er t, struggling to adjust to t aken tone in t Alais it o find ce smile o

        even keeping up    alo going to be any time to deal     o Senzio.

        In t tiny he summer air.

        On ttle Devin looked bad saer to Rinaldo in tial sed olive tree t g to ted on ing ead of remaining o risk taff up hem before sunrise.

        Devin glanced beyond to roops after ty men: Ducass band, Rovigos brave ary o Senzio in respoo ttered across ty men. It would o be enough.

        "Sandre! Ducas!" Alessan said s of reverie. "Look noell me.”

        "I    to," Sandre said e of excitement in ;It is as    outnumbered after all. oo muger t no ter before t.”

        "Soo," Ducas said in ;.”

        Devin moved foro see more clearly. ter of t if    seemed, even to utored eye, t Brandins men ill more numerous by far.

        "; tered, almost to himself.

        "; a voice to    said.    Erlein. &qu to defend t I t righe Barbadian is weakening as we speak.”

        Baerd and Rovigo came quickly up from woo had been looking down.

        "Alessan?" Baerd said. Only the name, no more.

        turned and looked at ;I kno; ;e    t is time. I t ; ; hem spoke.

        t to three wizards.

        "Erlein," ly. "You kno be done.”

        "I do," said tated. "Pray for triads blessing upon three of us. Upon all of us.”

        "ever yoing to do, you ter ; Ducas said bluntly. "ter is starting to give.”

        "e are in your ; Alessan said to Erlein.    to say somet did not.

        Erlein turo Sandre aino tle, to leave them alone.

        "Link!" said Erlein di Senzio.

        On t t o t—because distatered in magic—Alberico of Barbadior    the Empire had

        abandoned    last. Even t-riding Queen on her Mare.

        s, sucs as o coly form u of t seemed to    c.

        It    iend discipline, and if ies, any virtues at all, ty years ion.

        But nos zenit and began its dest toy t    at t and    t. inning ttered, but losing it meant losing everyto run, or hide.

        tally, stupefyingly strong. , .    as a co as one ly    is.

        At daer t crimson bea , Alberico o o exult. o defend    times as strong and trained soldiers of Ygrath.

        t of tern Palm ogetisans and traders, fishe provinces.

        o blunt t of Brandins sorcery from t heir work.

        o pus o resist. Only defend.

        If only    to itself like a smot o flatten and bend ue, steady, numbing insistence of Brandins attack. Endlessly tigue and er ireless as the surf.

        And Alberico o block to absorb and s t on, unafraid, unsapped iering    of too.

        ell before noon some of to leak t    all. It just kept ing and ing, monotonous as rain or surf,    alteration in rh.

        Soon—far too soon, too early in to feel as if ting upually , as if t t poured from thing and armor.

        Only t of numbers kept t t Senzian plain in balance all m long. ting in t, opied c for    inuously er-soaked clot Brandin of Ygrat m o which he could lay claim.

        But sly after noon, cursien soul of Scalvaia dAstibar o be killing oo long as a useless, se, emaciated sed tiless reality t all reaming back from t ranks of h.

        the miracle happened.

        At first, oo punistered,    even grasp aking place. Only t t of magic p doening. It ion, a    it    before. Alberico could sustain it. Easily! t level of magic    t, instead of only defending. tack! If t    Brandin , if the end of his reserves . . .

        ildly mind-sing trix of magid abruptly realized— of t—t t after all, and t Queen in her riding.

        ted tever inpre tever    pretend to call himself now.

        "I am ; ed to ;tell tains at t, revive ts. tell ting then back!”

        o see messengers sprinting for tte heir power.

        But in t ly    t let    still be afraid of w o wizards whem.

        o wizards? arved, pinchey would see!

        No matter t t open to    truly mattered not. So long as tayed, ao e. togetco do cill    ther had.

        But even as o s,    t beginning to return. Unbelievably, tically ill    Brandin ill pusrong! So accursedly, unimaginably strong. Even against all of ting , tapping deeper into his wellspring of sorcery. how deep could he go? how much more did he have?

        Alberico realized, t of t    all.     ttle had begun.

        ter to focus and trate, and    o resist again. to resist, to o keep tact.

        "By ters of t; Rely. "t!”

        "Somet; Brandin rasped in t. ted a opy above    a co sit upon. anding t at times—tter to look dotle below.

        Dianora anding close to er or fort, for anyt all t s srying not to look do to see any more men die. About to fly upward and sself in her like a knife made of sound and human agony.

        been like tal o be aining this

        kind of pain uhe vengeful blades of Brandins men?

        It    be    images ually smell the age below.

        "Somet; Brandin said again, and y came bato trom of t, Dianora rain he was enduring.

        Ser in o    his brow.

        ook ter, seeming almost oblivious to o toued o side, as if blindly seeking something.

        ted. "Over t; Dianora followed ummocky ground, a number of figures could be dised.

        "t; Brandin said flatly. "Ro take ter them.

        t me. I dont kno this.”

        his eyes were a dark, clouded grey.

        " you matc; It ely ral, masking any    of .

        "I am about to try," Brandin said. "But I am gettio t of tap.

        And I t turn my magi to get take everyone here.”

        R;I op t.”

        Dianora cep out from uo step bearted quickly do-track leading    and soutook a couple of steps after topped, looking fused and uain.

        S a toued from took ;trust me, love," he murmured.

        "And trust R; After a sed     a smile: " you to me.”

        t urention back to t docerally see o renew .

        S dEymon, tive gaze souto ter of people on t slope    s really a K s a red- haired woman as well.

        S suddenly, for t time, looking around at t numbers on t afraid.

        "; Baerd said, looking norto s his eyes.

        ting for t t t anticipatioy and, at t of tly doo cross t o them.

        "; Rovigo asked, and Devin eful to ension in ts voice: it meant    alone in w he was feeling now.

        "Forty-nine, if    t ; Baerd replied, not turning around.

        "t is al is sacred for them.”

        Rovigo said noto    and saanding closely together.

        Erlein aino    Sandre aring fixedly doo    noy or so men spread out behe ridge.

        "Ducas?" ly.

        "I t see any of t; Baerd said,    t of t;I still dont believe it.”

        "Let me take my men to meet t; Ducas    t;e know er us.”

        "Of course ; Alessan ;but rained. e age of    up here.”

        "Speak for yourself," Ducas di tregea had growled.

        "t any cover dohere. here could you hide?”

        "You are telling me eaoles and ambuserrain rees or some sug in Quileia.

        Leave to me.”

        Alessan    lauger a moment t ing for more, red- bearded Ducas and y-five men ely melted aime t tlaered olive and fig trees in the hills.

        Squinting, Devin t     sure.

        "In Marians name/" Erlein di Senzio suddenly cried from t end of t;he is pushing us back again!”

        "t; Sandre snarled. "Fight him! Go deeper!”

        "I    got any deeper to go!" Sertino gasped.

        Baerd leaped fr at tated, visibly    for a moment, trode sly over to the wizards.

        "Sandre, Erlein?    you hear me?”

        "Yes, of course." Sandres darkened face reaming ion. ill stari, but his gaze was unfocused now, inward.

        "t! Do alked about. If o try or t to any of this!”

        "Baerd, t; Erleins    one by one as if forced from his lips.

        "No, !" Sertino gasped, cutting in. "o try. to. Ill followo . . . know wo reac!”

        "Stay ; Erlein said, in a voice leegt;Stay h of you.”

        ts and t from ttlefield. From to t to see.

        Ducas rap. Firing from ambuslaly let fly as many more. , ten of ttackers fell, but t arro, and most of ting ening agility despite t to men.

        Devin sa up again. One pulled an arroely on, pressing toheir ridge.

        "Some of to cover t; Alessan snapped. "Any man h any kind of shield, over here!”

        sy years, limped beed foot, carrying not an a, battered sword.

        "My lord Prince," ;my body is s let me go norto t deny me no again. I    staiganas name.”

        Devin saened look on many of t t hear.

        "Ricaso," Alessan began, looking around. "Ricaso, you need not . . . You s o . . ." topped. For a moment it looked as if    rode aely placed tective circle around the wizards.

        "Spread out!" Alessan ordered t;Cover t sides of triana, Alais—keep your eyes on t around be if you see anything move!”

        S all around    ctle on taking a man, it seemed, for every one of t fell, t meant t trained and ferociously determined. Devin sa one of tlao th a blow of his shield.

        "Naddo! Look out!”

        A scream, not a s. Baerds voice. heeling, Devin saw why.

        o t beaten ba Ygratinuing a figo    see o t and was now rusoward him from behind.

        t see        of tigaed and fell, an arroch a quick sword.

        till e to t as a boy, wook .

        "No!" Devin cried out, a fist of grief c . oook a step to!”

        urned back just in time to see t of    . o e man before    of the ridge.

        make it. t    rying to drive t ged on tal s straig ing and ted desperately to one side.    a sudden tearing pain as the

        sword ripped .

        ected back of t e deep into fles and pitg, even as umbled, t his own blade down on Devin again.

        Devin rolled frantically ao , clutg his ripped side.

        In time to see t in the back of his neck.

        It seemed to Devin t    of almost ory still of age.    Alais, at ried to speak.     o uand th a reddened sword in her hand.

        antly tillness ered. Fifteen, pery of t. More o be embedded in one of tsteps asding to . No time to speak, even if o die if to, it une aug igo urned from Alais, stumbling for t man scrambling up the ridge.

        A mild day, t of tly along by tle gatrees    ing into flo te blossoms for later in the season.

        tle Borso drinking mai tea just past midday raigc ea spilled unregarded, staining t.

        Alienor quickly laid ;It ; s;t    I do?”

        Elena s    even on ts. But Baerd , ranger    of darkness and che Ember wars.

        uro te in t folloer . o Donar and Mattio and to na and Elena and said t    alkers so be a kind of magic, if not ts, t    t of day, t altered uo the Palm.

        And Donar    told t    of o e to Castle Borso until summers end. In case,    o be tapped in this cause.

        ould t diffidently, but tation in Elena as so    so t least too yranny in t heir own.

        Elena di Certando? Are you tle?

        S kno s clarity sion; to be chaos all around him.

        Yes. Yes, I am, Im    . . .    I do?

        I dont believe it! A sed voice joiive. Erlein, you have reached her!

        Is Baerd ttle desperately umult all around; s fell. S and put botle Borso o fade for    have even heard.

        man said quickly. errible need of        you link to your friends? to them!

        Sried suc by dayligs.

        S s ting in tio     c for training to focus o focus, and to call. to summon.

        Elena, tio. She had him.

        Join me! s quickly. there is war.

        ions. Seadying presen o ered ed s to there as well.

        Elena,    e? ? Donar in    truto his hand.

        I am , exactly t must we do?

        o eaco us! to ans if    break t fe our minds into a sibar and I never died. e to us now!

        Elena opened o . And in t moment s as tirely gone, as if s, like a very unlike ly s it back. ibar tling against tyrants.

        o to er t. S fail o hway of her mind and her soul.

        it ibar on a oma. t steadied and Elena sa like beasts in a vulsive embrace. S thing else.

        Sorcery. Nort    moment Elena and t alkers uood    to resist.

        Ba Castle Borso, Alienor stood by, ainty, uanding not all, only kno it     last. Sed to pray, to reaco t or spoken in almost ty years. So cover her face.

        "O; s. "S! how an

        be s?”

        Aliene. Sed, desperately seeking a clue to o t go.

        S, could not ibars reply to Elena: rong yes, but ronger! O rong enough!

        Alienor did see ive terror leaving aring eyes.

        "Yes," s;Yes.”

        t room in Castle Borso uside, te clouds across t and a passing of ligains.

        In fact, t man scrabbling up tregea. Devin ually begun to swing    was.

        Ducas rea tood beside .

        o    on errible red look of battle-lust and rage.

        "You are !" o Devin.

        "I    talk," Devin grunted, pressing    o orn side. "e on!”

        Quickly turned back east. More teen of till on t, pressing for trained band of men Alessan    back to defend t even, but t realm.

        Even so, eveing t, Devin realized ation in , rising high over pain and grief.

        t, because fag togettle after all ting years t igana, and Baerd bar Saevar, te and deadly, and eveiful, if killing could be so.

        Devin and Ducas rus by time t t, to lay doness from t, Rie up to tay ed blade in a passionate, scyto bury itself in t.

        to    of him.

        one of t ed man Devin ered flat to    and exion, sug     Alessan.

        "Are you fools?" ;Figead of    to be slaves?”

        Slo is ty years too late for Brandin of Ygrato join t oo late t to kill you. ill you give us an oath in your own name and lay down your sword in surrender?”

        Beside Devin, Ducas snarled angrily. But before tregean could speak, t;My

        name is R to you in pride, for no distaco t name. You old op you or die. It is an oath I will keep.”

        oured—t seriously, Devin realized aftero strike at t even move to    o bite y into to the ground.

        "O; t;Oh, Brandin, I am so sorry.”

        till, less eyes staring straig the burning sun.

        t as aken a young serving-girl for tribute doevanien, so many years ago.

        Dianora sa. o be a slave.

        Sent to claim tribute for Brandin, e and Asoli. o t,    in t battle by the Deisa.

        he had been her friend.

        One of    and loyal all o , ill-at- ease in a subtle court . . . Dianora realized t sree by t strangers desding sword.

        "t; It est    of emotion. Of sorro;All of till there.”

        From    turn. Dianora sa e norain, even in t of t ears:    not see o look.    need ever strengto give.    not be distracted ing so many.

        And more, in fact, t alkers iando by noo Albericos defense.

        From teady noise of battle. Cs from te-clad messengers sprinting for tern Palm opped in their advance.

        till outnumbered; terribly so. If Brandin could not hen all was done, all over.

        So    doo curse t s.

        t iless dome.

        S dEymoeps on to stumbled up, figh.

        "My lord," o ;. t is    barely. I am ordered ... to ask if you    us to fall back.”

        And so it had e.

        I e t man, o    nigter ands for.

        t seemed to Dianora as if sbeat y of t even above to o be groer every sed.

        Brandin stood up.

        "No," ly. "e do not fall back. to retreat, and not before the Barbadian.

        Not ever."    over Sceltos kneeling form, as if rate tance o strike at Albericos .

        But tion and ting pride. Dianora se, but s uand. turaze a bottomless .

        Somet was rag wildly. S o shake.

        "My love," Brandin said. Mumbled, slurred it. S seemed to be leaving    blind, stripping ;O; ;    t they make me do!”

        "Brandin!" serrified, not uanding at all. Beginning again to ically.

        Grasping only t    to, tohe valley below.

        "All rig; said Rinaldo ted opped. t of it made ural speed of till expected to find a fres;Yoing to o kno; Rinaldo added drily. Ducas gave a bark of laughter.

        Devin ing Alaiss eye. S beside orso to bind t Ducas instead, ed and sticky ure out of c terrors.

        "Is t too tig; Alais asked softly.

        Deviing breat, but o be all right.

        "You saved my life," o ying up topped for a moment and then resumed.

        "No I didnt," s;    you. All I did ; Catriana, standi;I ... I ; Alais said- And began to cry.

        Devin sried to turn, to offer fort, but Catriana    tterly    to offer on t of war.

        "Erleinl Noanding!" Alessans cry k suddenly t quickly tohe wizards.

        "It is upon us t; said Erlein, in a    voice to t;I    noo track    for my signal, but move w!”

        "e ; Sertino gasped. "triad save us all." S rain.

        "Erlein," Alessan began urgently, " use it all. You know w you—”

        "ly    do. Alessan, you    tion, yo Senzio, every single person, t is up to us. Be still, unless you    to pray.”

        Devin looked norto Brandins ep forward from under his opy.

        "Oriad," ;Adaon, remember us.

        Remember your c; to ;Please," ;Please, let me !”

        On o tretche burning sun.

        Dianora sa from to te blaze of t. Scelto scrambled aern Palm    and rigaken on a quality of triump malice t fell like blo.

        Brandin lifted     a up    beside it so t tou fingers pointing togeting straigo he rear of his army.

        And Brandin of tern Palm, o t seemed to flay and s;Oevan, five me w I do!”

        Dianora stopped breat so fall. S a    and didnt even realize it was dEymon who braced her.

        tand. Only ty of w was happening.

        So brace    followed.

        "No; Erlein di Senzio screamed. "Bot t! Cut free now!”

        "t; Sertino cried. "Im out!" o t never rise again.

        Somet sun, to be co be darkening    smoke, not ligure of to be p from    and doing to tural, like a rushing doom.

        Erlein suddenly turned h horror.

        "Sandre, ;    t;Get out, you fool! In Eannas name, get out!”

        "Not . . . yet," said Sandre dAstibar, in a voice t carried its own full measure of doom.

        to     kind of magic of t even kno, didnt uand. But it didnt matter. to o read foro assert rengt the enemy.

        er all uering vista of triumpraigo tiara.

        his

        y or in Barbadior. ed,    oxig    p fort tern Palm, and riump to be suddenly as light as summer grass.

        o sing, ttle-song of turies ago. And t    meraries; t. It was    was she blazing day.

        tepped to tant figure alone u    later, Alberico, ion t Brandin spoke, and er night.

        "," ;Not after so long!    do this!”

        But t stilla of    even t ai    ying o shape a sorcery such as had never been wielded before.

        Desperately, still    for to tell to brace, to be ready. g t t of t t t all to do    and Brandin e, for h no magi him anymore.

        t ill though, and defending, braced.

        O Queen ,    still . . .

        t. t h him.

        For in t instant Alberico felt t loose, melting a errifying suddenness, to leave erating presen toward him.

        And the wizards were gone! he was alone.

        Or almost gone, almost alone. One man ill linked, one of t one mind opened up to Alberico like tting light flood in.

        t of trut moment Alberico of Barbadior screamed aloud in terror and ion came at last and ood, too late, royed.

        In tibar, ion of er    ridge, terly merciless. eet summo. In tibar, die now, forever cursed.

        t free, oo    blue-grey deatstretg speed, and Alberico, still reeling ically up deatidal ake a sapling in low-lying fields.

        It s    and sundered ill screaming, from    far Peninsula of t last one m to wake from a dreamless sleep.

        Albericos army    scream, and tation turo panic-stri    magi t a fear sudure sand uprigouced, u dread, sun-bligo carve and h.

        Everyt Brandin of Ygratern Palm, o t    and notoo mug for his people here.

        o do, kne prid    noil evans name, aloud and in t poy years of vengeance for t too-soon stered life    was over.

        ting under reat for t plain. Nor for    retreat. o t, like a bear to a rocky cliff by a pack of cer of Barbadians.    idal evan.

        , adrift in an o of loss, far from any scered intments, srying    any    all, to ceive of o s could possibly go forhis hill.

        t t, fotten something he alone could possibly have known.

        And so time,    stop, frief or pity or love, carried to t no sorcerer or wizard or piper on his ridge had foreseen.

        t    of mountains crusely judged to leave    fai spark of self-aorture lay. t    ally terly uo trol    uains.

        raigur. Of ried to lift    could not. ood: too many years in tion. times, carefully.     turned o in t darkness long ago. ly ed on his mind.

        t didnt matter noains , reaco speak, s,    had ged.

        Rhun did was draw his sword.

        Of course ever , the Fool.

        . ly     delicately measured scrap of a ttom of ains. t , t and t t only two knew

        and only they would ever know.

        tent probing of to bo dim flickering of ity so carefully left beer everyt ly trived, to his vengeance.

        No one living otrue name and u of mountains oo speak it    to cry for o e perfe of it, of t revenge.

        But tains t had buried him were gone.

        And on t t, Valentin, Prince of tigana, lifted his sword on a hill in Senzio.

        ligcelling o tigana even as t o o e.

        A mutilated body, ures sorcerously imposed upon it, er t o astered to the winds.

        In trying not to scream at first. er Brandin came and began and ended    of t careful patient orture of a different kind; muountains in his mind.

        Late in t same year ture in tly aftery years of night.

        It . Brandin    ahe girl was holding his hand.

        ter.

        s brougo be preseo tly c, but ly, and Valentin c first day, as a ando, t so do.

        ts, as terrible intero everyto Brandin unimaginably and    o be a part of it, by ture of tionsh.

        It o    of time o admit even to a soul and a life s    Dianora, at Saevars dark-er, her mans soul in his eyes.

        No more, not ever again. t     ep foriced iced    name, o for tood. Per terrible tood.

        epped uhe hill. he had never

        struck a man from beo one side, stumbling a little, and came up on t    him. he was Rhun.

        .

        "You s; urned    noin ed until t and o t, t migake,    o be endured before su ending was allowed.

        Dianora could not even scream sunned, so unprepared. Sagger back clumsily free and so much blood followed.

        Brandins eyes onis and pain, but t;Bot; ill on . "Fat a . Prince of tigana.”

        Dianora e burst of sound in ime seemed to co sloo take forever for o fall. Sried to move toorted sound of anguisark agony in dEymons face as to and through Rhuns side.

        Not R Rin the Prince.

        Brandins Fool. All t o    suffering. All ted to scream. S make a sound, could scarcely breathe.

        Soo, to till on . And    of rol ook her hand.

        "O; s;It is as I told you. e s in Finavir.”

        Sried again to speak, to ansears reaming doo    when he died.

        Sed igana, on t    possibly endure. Not from        s s    bear it. So speak, to one side.

        A sed in raised a o .

        "ait!" s.

        And dEymon, almost mad    stayed for in loy of o t, s a cry, only t else could it o know.

        And Dianora sa dEymon of Ygrat. t    t all men no tin operut kno the Prince of

        tigana s great    and drove into .

        Even ierribly afflicted face. And t o Dianora to be    and spreading outhe Barbadians were all dying now.

        S t stop ears. In Finavir,    han dream.

        And , as so many many times . t to , if ty at all for t    it    it    enoug here.

        Surned in time to see dEymon slump for Brandins c of    t-back of t. S and sied    s prrieve. t    matter no    s grieve for any but t now.

        Not ever, she realized.

        So, still on oo    for    tears o be far ae. Except Brandin. Except Valentin.

        For t time s trayed    remained of Brandin of Ygratenderly, Dianora lo; s;My love." tin and sood.

        Looking sout to sly cross to Scelto oo    sake a was her own.

        "In a ; s at t;it    be better if no one ever k. tell to. Stay, a here.

        to know.”

        "O; ;Must it end like this?”

        S . Of course s dissemble    the woman.

        A brown-wo.

        "Yes," so Scelto, c;Yes, I t must.”

        And so surned a    o    for t t all ttle and pain,    of tracks as it    along t of sight of everyone.

        te, and t one. In tregea t flower he blood of Adaon where he fell.

        t slope to see o stay , nor ance very far to level ground and to to there were gulls wheeling and g overhead.

        ts. S o ter —it    not nearly so cold as t sloil it came to , , to doo end tauger a dream sin to their cove. Long ago.

        lengto tire s    seemed to    do tion appearing in ter, a kind of pathe sea.

        S expected t. S t any suc after all t    s t defining it. Sired no. S see very clearly to be a kind of mist ing do t be t ear, or even Adaon, t all upon t t seemed to Dianora t t gatness in    t fell back a little, and s for    er all, not the god.

        It    her home.

        Alone of to stood and posed    ing for to climb the slope.

        all     deat t kill .    sure t he cared.

        tigana. Loe. If ime later, Scelto se tory migo e toget in    upon t ory. So muche dead.

        Ser by noime.    expected o return on tried to , but    day.    uood w    so die.

        Sain of it; someters edge t day.

        It    ge again.

        "You are?”

        temples,    h a clear grey gaze. Eyes curiously like Brandins had been.

        "I am Scelto. I    in today.”

        "You were hey died?”

        Scelto    in t, as if rying oo superimpose some pattern of order upon the day.

        "ill you tell me wh?”

        "; Scelto said quietly, trying to matce belotle    last.

        " Brandins request?" It h dark eyes and a sword in his hand.

        Scelto s overwhelmingly weary all of a sudden. She would be swimming. She

        by no;No. It tack. I t; he lowered his head, fearful of presuming.

        "Go on," said t maly. "You are in no danger from us. I oday.

        More than enough.”

        Scelto looked up at t, ;I t ent on t about R spell t he Fool from his binding.”

        "," tly. tall and beside iful.

        S among t er so many years. Despite o c;May I kno;    even sure w;may I know who you are?”

        And quietly,    arrogance or even any real assertion, t;My name is Alessan bar Valentin, t of my line. My fat ty years ago. I am tigana.”

        Scelto closed his eyes.

        In al igana. And R before    same name uhe sky.

        hen.

        "; t;ando w here?”

        It        rest, at peace.

        Scelto looked up.    even try to stop, or ears no;She was here,”

        ;So to an ending in the sea.”

        t t t, any of t    ly still and turned, almost as oo look    past to er.

        "I am deeply sorry to ," said t;I saw he Ring Dive in Chiara.

        Siful and astonishingly brave.”

        tepped fored ation in    as stern as    seemed, Scelto realized, and he was younger as well.

        "tell me," t;as s; opped, in fusion. t h passion in his eyes.

        "Sando, Baerd. Everyone knoory.”

        Slo    o look out to seem like querors, Scelto t. t seem like men in t of a triump looked tired, as at the end of a very long journey.

        "So it    me, after all," t to ;After all my years of dreaming. It ;    toget Scelto. "he Fool? Do we know?”

        S rest. And Scelto ired. tired of grief and blood and pain, of tter cycles of revenge.    o o this man

        t he spoke.

        t to kno rue, of course it rue. Scelto looked up at the grey-eyed man.

        "R; ;An Ygrato tant, my lord.”

        tigana nodded ed irony.

        "Of course," ;Of course. No one very important.    it herwise?”

        "Alessan," said t of t;I t is over. Dohe Barbadians are all dead.”

        ted o. Men of tanding beside eac valley.

        "Are you going to kill us all no; Scelto asked him.

        tigana s;I told you, I    deal to be done, but I am going to try to do it    any more killing now.”

        to ted o the men on his e.

        t over and stood beside    an arm around    later tes of a    over tiful, sounding ao battle.

        Scelto, still on     tried to ask ill gazing out to sea. t uand. today t in o speak truth and unleash so much more.

        t tern edge of t dEymon of Ygrat, and o rest on touchey been alive.

        . .

        EPILOGUE to t. tance, flo of tains, not far from s long curve    to find t and cool, umn in t peaks of tains he pass.

        In tranquil green of temple flas. Beyond tuary    make out trail t across t seems a lifetime ago. urns in the rolling, gradually subsiding hills.

        "ill o see it from er?”

        Baerd glances over and t;, Avalle and to me ime and youll see my green-and-ower, I promise you.”

        "ting t; Sandre asks.

        "Same place as Orsaria did for toill available, believe it or not, about t of us .”

        "And youll    carried here?”

        "By sea to tigana, t back t; Baerd hinking.

        " it?" Sandre asks ;I t all you kneo fall on your face he dark.”

        Baerd smiles. "I o be a builder. I one if not . Im a craftsman to look at t    oo tell you w passages are?”

        Sandre laug;Dont boast, you presumptuous mason. On t    ty years since I    palace, you may o remind me of whey are.”

        Grinning, Devin looks over at t akeo adjust to seeing Sandre    ;You er t;    t of anoting ahead.

        "I t, t Im torn. I feel too old f anyone no isnt as if I o groom.”

        After a moments stillness, Saakes t t;to be , t is me m Ive been doing igana. tino and to find.”

        "And t alkers?" Devin asks.

        "Indeed, Baerds Carlozzini as    say Im pleased t to the wedding.”

        "Not as pleased as Baerd is, Im sure," Devin adds slyly. Baerd gives ends to be absorbed in sing tant line of them.

        "ell, ; Sandre agrees. "t of time so ctitude of to magic tter time to start t you say?”

        "Oainly," Devin says, grinning broadly.

        "S my Elena," Baerd murmurs, keeping he road.

        "S?" Sandre asks in mock surprise. "to relay messages to? ould you knohe fellow?”

        "Never ; Baerd says laically. raig loo laug;Im beginning to remember    Devin, if youre on t subject? You dont think Alais would be sending him messages if she could?”

        "Devin," says t;is a mere coo young and io be getting involved    guileful, experienced creature from Astibar." tempts to look stern and fails; boter.

        "tibar," Baerd retorts. "And besides, tle scar on o show her.”

        "S already," Devin says, enjoying t;Saped it up after Rinaldo ; ily as bot;No t; ries and fails to ceive of Alais as guileful aive. to e ticular smile on umbled along tside landing to his own room.

        "t t; t;It occurs to me t I could sail h Rovigo.”

        "t; Devin firms. "t heyd have arrived by now.”

        "I see you are intimately versed in timing," Baerd says raig;Just o do after the wedding?”

        "Actually," Devin says, "I en different t about." ly sounds more serious t to, for boturion fully to him.

        "Suc; Sandre asks, Devin takes a breats it out. arts ting on ;Find my fattle    and put togetracked me. Stay riana in tigana and ever to do. Learn o    sea; dont ask me o; ates; t;Spend anot    Borso. Spend my life art c. Go over tains to Quileia and find ty-seven tree in tart training for t ra    summers triad Games. Learn o s a bow—w, Baerd!”

        ops, because ttle breat;You must    ten some," Baerd chuckles.

        "t; Devin says. "Do you    them?”

        "I dont tand it," Sandre says. "You remioo painfully of how old I am and how young you are.”

        Devin sobers at t;. I dont t last year o keep up ."    a t "You arent old, Sandre, youre t he Palm.”

        Sandres expression is wry.    wo missing fingers.

        "truto t. And I may be t to break t of sing    into t.”

        "Youre serious about dropping t; Baerd asks.

        "Utterly serious. If o survive in tion in to

        need magiatco t. And I dont even kno oo many years since     afford to be as ignorant as     uand anyt to learn ic, value it, seard train to trol too. to disciagic    did ty years ago.”

        "You t first t; Devin asks. "Make a nation    of the nine we are?”

        "I kno no Alessan di tigana is named King of t triad Games    year.”

        Devin turns quickly to Baerd, ?" ;ould , Baerd?”

        Baerd looks at Sandre and to Devin. "; ;I dont even tting togeteen years old.    pat o do is find Menico riana, and some dancers, and someone whe syrenya.”

        "But?" Sandre asks.

        "But , everyone knoter in ea anyone else.

        of us tigana, too, and in ;— t;I dont see ed to. I t is just beginning now.”

        t a moment.

        " about you?" Devin asks. "ill you go    do you ?”

        Baerd smiles. " do I ? Noto find my sister, but Im beginning to accept t s I may never kno    to do is build temples, bridges, a palace, os part of t I    to start a family. e need any people died."    toains and t;You and I may be the lucky ones, Devin.

        e arent Princes or Dukes or o start.”

        "I told you ing for Elena," Sandre says gently. Not a gibe, tion. Baerd smiles, looking into tance again. And in t moment    gro;Look!" ing. "here he es!”

        From t of tains and t    been used id a, donkeys and    least fifty banners flapping in tunes drift up to t and gay, and all t as Marius, King of Quileia es riding doain pass to the wedding of his friend.

        o spend t in tuary een-year-old boy to ains long ago. ting in Avalle to take to tigana in the m.

        But t of first greeting is Baerds, in Alessans name, and o ride

        h him.

        "e on!"    ea to follow.

        "I and," Devin ss, as tco Baerd, "o see a man wwo!”

        Sandre gives a cackle of glee. Baerd laug Devin. till laugo ser of sonrai bus a rail.

        And it is t tting on a rock beside t pathe freshening breeze.
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