“RIDE!” ALESSAN CRIED,    POINtING tOARDS A GAP IN t;theres a village beyond!”

        Devin s tohe sun.

        Be of t eig looked back, after t startled glimpse of tlaed and to .

        t be. t a bone-jarring pace for ired. If to be a flat-out race against fresed outlated eeting of reopened cuts from ains earlier t day.

        tled past urn in co o te attempt at suche wind.

        tic arrohem.

        "t; Erlein rasped, glang back as ;o this village!”

        "ty minutes beyond! Ride!" Alessan did not s again, bending le more speed from o track of tween.

        t get out.

        Just o follo riders ing in a line across t them.

        to rearing s. Devin flung a glance back over laering tc ill embedded.

        Alessan, sae, defiant look in the Princes eye.

        "Dont be a fool!" Erlein snapped. "You t run t kill this many men.”

        "I    try," Alessan said, ing across teep o find a . opped    raise the bow.

        "Straigo a trap.    a splendid ending to t; ter, raion.

        It rue too late. tural place for an ambusriad knelao t.

        On t o go, and .

        It didnt seem as if to get till enoug to make out tla reassure. t be random and carelessly    ten-doures most brigands rode. t of t trap.

        One man rode a fe line. "Release your bo; h easy

        auty. "I dont like talking h armed men.”

        "; Alessan replied grimly, staring at t a moment later    o the same.

        "And t; tlaill softly.    s.    t hid his eyes.

        "I dont carry a bo; Devin said sly, letting fall er at t from t of them.

        "Magian,    laug;You kions. You know his.”

        "I didnt t; came an angry voice betering of rap was closed, before and be; and wind. he was lucky, Ducas.”

        " o be lucky if you had done your job properly. heres Abhar?”

        "took an arrone back t him.”

        "aste," t;I dont like e." ted against t their bows leveled.

        Alessan said, "If e offends you, you    like t all. e o give you beyond our    who kill for pleasure.”

        "Sometimes," t raising tlingly calm, Devin t, and very mucrol of ;ill my two men die? Do you use poisoned arrows?”

        Alessans expressiouous. "Not even against the Barbadians. hy? Do you?”

        "Sometimes," tla;Especially against ter all."    time, a cold,    to his mans memories, or his dreams.

        Alessan said not    Erlein, a se, almost invisible gesture. "too many," ;And besides—”

        "t; came an empic voice from the line beyond Ducas.

        A t even t," inued, looking straig Erlein. "I could bloytried." Startled, Devin gla t at ta oo dark for o see if to be though.

        t hem.

        "And precisely    ake a tracker to find you t; Erlein o this place?”

        "trained on your    and t," terjected, "to e suc     I fess teresting every moment. An arc you afraid of t does the boy do?”

        "Im a singer," Devin said grimly. "Devin dAsoli, lately from t, if t means anyto you." to keep talk going someories—o ;You t    you? From a distas .”

        "A singer. A clever singer," Ducas murmured. "If not clever enougo stay indoors on an Ember

        Day. Of course    you    Barbadians and outlaoday? And all of tlay miles around are part of my band.”

        "tlala; Alessan said softly. "But if you s as ours. I    tell you—and I do not lie, Ducas—t if you    to Barbadior —and to Ygrat    of asking of you." t surprisingly, a sile the growing dark.

        "You    appears," Ducas said at lengtfully. "Per is time for you to tell me exactly w dusk on an Ember Day, and I will draw my own clusions.”

        "My name is Alessan. I am riding . My moto her side.”

        "ed of you," Ducas said. "But one ells me not is a big place, my friend ; time.

        Devin jumped. Berings were drawn back.

        Devin,    pounding, sae. t gone no in o be bloo e after t day of spring.

        t Erlein, and discovered t taring at ing. Alessa spoken. Ducas sed meaningfully in his saddle.

        Devin s    o be easier t igana. igana, and so am I.”

        o look straig tla Ducas or t of t Alessan    to o see t. izards could he name.

        A murmur rose from t lonely place. A voice from them.

        "By t; t voice cried from t. Devin riding quickly foro stand in front of t t mucy years old or a little more, and t h Alessans arrow in his arm.

        Ducas    ;Sertino, ; ;I do not—”

        "Sorcery," tly.

        "? ; Duodded towards Erlein.

        "No, not ; It ;Not t is real sorcery, t is t keeps you from he name.”

        ition Ducas s    off, revealing a balding dome    red ;And you, Naddo? , then?”

        teadily on    before replying. "Because I oo, and so Im immuo tim of it, ness in o rol.    Alessan. "You . ill you tell us t?

        ill you tell me?" It ory.

        Alessan ting on er a day in t seemed to deny

        even ty of ension of    angled ure, kne he man he followed.

        And tillness of t pass, le    of t;My name is Alessan di tigana bar Valen-tin.

        If you are as old as you appear to be, Naddo di tigana, you will know who I am.”

        it trol, Devin sao    words were spoken.

        "O; t.

        "Prince?" said Ducas, very softly. tive movement among tla;Sertino, you o me!”

        Sertino to Erlein, and t t a frightened, expression crossed his pale, round face.

        ;te. It    name before Brandin of Ygrato take t name arue    is w is happening here.”

        "And Prinaddo called .”

        Sertino .    Erlein, and till t odd, uneasy look on ;Is it true?”

        And Erlein di Senzio, ;Just do    your her.

        Unless you like being bound into slavery.”

        Sertinos mout. "No," ;I do not uand at all. too muderstand. I    explanations, from all of you!"    look at Alessan though.

        "I uand it ain of t o turo look at ;I uand t oake    to Fort Forese across turn o there.

        ito boot. And woo. Singing boys.”

        he shadows.

        ;there will be rewards. Land. Perhaps even . . .”

        . Ever. In rigid disbelief Devin sao fall ter of she ground beside Erlein.

        there was a long-handled dagger in his back.

        One of tla    all, dismounted and pulled t carefully    on t before s again at .

        "Not a good idea, Magians," ly, straigo look at Ducas. "Not a good idea at all.

        e arent informers    serve tyrants.”

        Ducas slapped    ba ing for trol. ook a deep breat;As it    as it also     eacher.”

        Arkin all, almost gaunt, and e, Devin sa;I kno, Ducas. It is eful. I know. You will ive me.”

        Ducas said notime.    eache shadows.

        Arkin ill looking at Ducas.

        ;You are fortu I agree ; he said.

        Arkin s;e    ayed togetherwise.”

        Alessaly dismounted from oill trained on ;If you are ing Barbadians," ly, "I o ed. "You    do as your dead man suggested: turn me in to Ygrat t us go our o te different thing you    do.”

        "; Ducas seemed to rol.     the beginning.

        "Join me. In o do.”

        "hich is?”

        "to drive botyrants from t.”

        Naddo looked up suddenly, a brig;Really, my lord? e    do this? Even now?”

        "t; Alessan said. "Especially no time t;    Ducas. "here were you born?”

        "In tregea," ter a pause. "In tains.”

        Devin    to t ely ted    Alessan sions n hin him, of hope renewed and of pride.

        t;I t it migories of a red-ain Ducas    in tregea duri fell." ated. "I could not    notice the color of your hair.”

        For a moment tionless as in a tableau, one on ther on his horse.

        te suddenly, Ducas di tregea smiled.

        " is left of my ;    again ure.

        Releasing riding foro Alessan.    both his own.

        Devin found    s over    top of y outla dark Certandan pass.

        iced t ing. Erlein aino sat very still, almid on trating on something.

        t eacically grim.

        And because iced, because o be being t of man o fall silent, and inctively raised a o quiet turo t the wizards.

        " is it?" Ducas said.

        Sertino turo ;tracker. Nort of us, quite close. I just felt t fiime.”

        "I ; said Erlein di Senzio. "Earlier today, in t spell, a s for someone. Evidently it s.”

        "t al; Sertino said flatly.

        "," Ducas said, "he Braccio Pass?”

        "Gat; Alessan said. "Ill tell you later. Rigo deal h.

        racker?”

        "Not less ty. Probably more. e ?”

        "t; Erlein said. " me traced. t least.”

        "I dont muc; Alessan said softly.

        Devin turned quickly to look at o .

        "ly, are your men ; Alessan said, a e and in the grey eyes.

        And in t    full-dark Devin saregean outlaeet;to spare, to deal ackled, but ive voice, "t I too am groired of hiding, suddenly.”

        Devin looked over at t    tures in t Erlein said, in a ;Alessan, tracker ely, or o Alberico.”

        "; said Alessan quietly. And in oo, te. ter    it h.

        Alessans cloak flapped in a gust of ely he drew his hood over his face.

        t Albericos tracker turned out to be twelve years old.

        t Erlein riding    out of tino di Certando, ted on being of use even t figaken t as best t    y, but even more clear t in t about to give o t.

        A s ars and t of Vidomni, tered ty-five of tracker. Six carried torgs easier.

        t for them.

        Alessans arro in trackers breast, fired from slopes on opposite sides of t first rain of arro in he pass.

        to close ter, even as Ducas and nine men sealed off terered from.

        And so on t Ember Niglaando far from    in, Prince of tigana, foug true battle of urn. After t years of maneuvering, a subtle gatelligend te guiding of events,    tyrant in t moonlit pass.

        No subterfuge, no ion anymore from tage. ttle, for time had e.

        Marius of Quileia o    day, against igoniger, in t year ted to die.

        ted ains, ain of tesss guard. A man ering and cealing a young

        Prince from t    een years ago, whe hiding had begun.

        ired of ime of running rue, it    Ygrat t in t he same.

        Botyrants    for all to t ruto sal on t. to take than before.

        And in taking one    in tonig-up passion,    his sword arm free.

        Devin, lab to keep up o    bat ion vying for mastery in .    s as most of tlaing as muc for    augry m lessons t seemed unimaginably remote from ts happenings.

        raigo to put be of direct response all t allowed.

        Frantically, grittihs behind, when a yellow-bearded Barbadian loomed up beside him, enormous on his horse.

        Devin cried out in sind to t, veering for a space o , as loo t uprengt a searing pain in    fell. ty air    later Devi o flesh.

        t as    one o ure. toppling of a mountain tree, o the ground.

        Devin ig to meet Ducas and Arkins group pressing for.

        It    over, Devin realized. to do. iture of emotions t    even try to uand just tcimes and orco tinguiss after to t seemed to Devin —t of t down and slain.

        It        of tracker and realized rampled in t lay ted and splayed unnaturally. Some ually t till embedded in t of one of them had been broken off.

        Devin turned ao it. to ride back to t , old racker e upon    all, as to e would have been.

        It    t hin himself once again, as he gradually became aware

        of ting calm t seemed to ill ble Alessan ly ridden to    tamped and snorted, made restless by t past and the smell of blood.

        "Devin, believe me, I am sorry," Alessan murmured softly, so t no one else    is    t time, and I gave you no co prepare.”

        Devin s drained, almost numb. "You didnt    ter t;    a;Alessan, you o . I c fall. You arent responsible for me.”

        "In a way I am.”

        "Not in a    matters. I made my o;Doesnt friendster?”

        Devin , rendered suddenly diffident. Alessan    to you. After a moment t as an aftert, "I was ye when I came back from Quileia.”

        For a moment    to add somet in t. Devin     tly hin him like a dle.

        For a moment lo t, Vidomnis pale ligill brig pain in his face.

        Devin said, "I d t I dont to get used to this.”

        "I knoed. "Eitter at    alive to do.”

        Devin turrying to read ter a moment ;I never kne o say t I doubt it? truly I doubt it, Alessan." After a moment touc;those who would disagree, Im afraid.

        But theless.”

        And o remember someto somet;e ter ride. I must speak o catc of ground to cover yet."    Devin apprais-ingly. "You must be exed. I should have asked before: how is y?    you ride?”

        "Im fine," Devin protested quickly. "Of course I    ride." Someone beuro discover t Erlein and t, returo the pass.

        "tell me," to Alessan, s; o say?

        Of course ell you , ;—ured too s of men?”

        Ducas    oo dark nuiso make out anyones features clearly. One o judge by tions given them.

        Alessan said quietly, "I to t. In any case, Im uo too o point t to me." ;triad for-fend you eer to ride all nig your own.”

        "I," said Erlein flatly, "ter anymore. Or ten?”

        "I . But Ive no mind to repeat t quarrel no t risk to save your own. If you—”

        "to save my oo—”

        "Erlein, enoug many to do and I am not of a mind to debate.”

        In tc;I most ; ed tone. "You really must let me knoe.

        Youll cede it is an issue of some importao me.”

        Alessan    for ime. t;I t is beand. It is meeting anot it? itino    o you the more.”

        "Dont pretend you uand me, Alessan!" said Erlein furiously.

        Still calmly, Alessan said, "Very . In some and you and old you t t. But for noo discuss it tyrants are gone from t before.”

        "You . e h be dead.”

        "Dont touc; Alessan said sedly Devin sao strike tly t;If s     deal to do togeto e.”

        Ducas coug;As to t," ;er speak. t Id like to knos work, muc has pleased me.”

        "I kno; said Alessan, turning to ated. "ill you ride tle.

        Only as far as the village. You and Naddo, because of his arm.”

        " uand," Ducas said. "You s    muche village. For obvious reasons.”

        "I    guess. It    matter. Not on an Ember Nigand here. e.

        I    my good friend Erlein di Senzio to see sometino ter join us too.”

        "I    miss tibar," said tandaing, at anotime it migo note o keep bet one was deadly serious.

        "e on t; said Alessan brusquely. urned    Erleins, almost brus tarted    out of to folloerse ands to Arkin, too loo ated for a moment, clearly torn, ing to e    t speaking, urned    later,    tlahe Barbadians bodies for ons.

        uro look over s later but try by to t and a grassy plain rolling nortrao t soon, Devin kneher one a child.

        t and tion. Far from sleep, eo tside and to toning tany over and over.

        "Eanna love us, Adaon preserve us, Morian guard our souls. Eanna love us, Adaon preserve us, Morian guard our souls. Eanna love us . . .”

        ion most of time, but sometimes—as to icularly insidious kind. She was using

        ell ting tanc of time s ring, but not on t back to    of ts.

        In t years    ts in turb    s suc to s and endured    he could.

        "Eanna love us always, Adaon preserve us from all perils, Morian guard our souls and ser us.

        Eanna love us . . .”

        time of trition and ato, but time    and give ts.    and varied reasons, but    , in fact, e t two decades. o power.

        too    first, a diversion, it    in they had e here.

        t of skill, t.    been oto s life in t life ial because ill.

        t of less journey all t ty of s. to stay ed to stay.

        t young nor s any lo-room floor in t small farm in t years, but in t, as gratefully as for anything he had ever been given himself.

        Eit s, to escape t    presume to ask so mu ts, not on any nig e, and besides, he passing years.

        "Eanna love us as her children, Adaon preserve us as his children . . .”

        , clearly, going to be able to fall asleep.    about getting up to polisaff or a bo    ery pe, sour wine, hem down.

        "t; s meat, undrinkable kter bread. For a    least. Menna ting    mattered to er all tacit uandings muchough of course he had never married her.

        e, even in tate, far from     long, blind journey seventeen years ago, sure t a murderous pursuit was riding close behind.

        o tumn long ago: strangers arriving in a dark time. A time ed all across tyrants ing. But to make t fortandos bad years latterly

        o deplete     for, at t?

        Really,    be for? Menna and t t t still came in s.

        deal in ter, in a different     so burdened by irony as to defeat    of    t.    being unique in this.

        "Eanna love us, Adaon preserve us from—triad save us!”

        Menna fell silent, very abruptly. And for t suddenly uprig a sest from : a sound outside in t. In t, when no one should be abroad.

        Listening carefully    it again: te and faint, of pipes playing in tside, passing by trating, t footsteps. ed them.

        t beating dangerously fast,    of bed as quickly as o dress.

        "It is t; Menna ;Adaon preserve us from vengeful gs, from all als guard our souls!”

        Despite ation to    Menna, even in ill included     moment    t t— o be s domestient.

        side, of course. ly ick by tly as    t as good as    in trying to slip out un he price.

        Because ts and ots for almost ten years no io t door and used ick to roll back t out. Menna ;Eanna love me, Adaon preserve me, Morian guard my soul." try smile. t least. atery pe in t, tasteless kter mai tea. ood still for a moment, still smiling faintly, breattle,    fine. Lifting o t breeze    taste to e.

        apping ick along toick imes    in tation at a dissolute court. ed to    in ts ailed, .

        Perime in    nig oter just past, in Astibar.

        t. Only t rao admit traools along tly laid and stacked.

        In fact, if    careful, take    er: back to tried o t. ired tired, after ted it on tain. It o ts normal size and sive to touot to limp.

        No one spoke. No one skirts of ty    fes after teto oo—a certain nursery melody from Avalle.

        ill playing, as gently as before. tune    seemed to be trying to carry Devin back to ed: if    t ion    now he would probably end up g.

        Devin tried to imagine ing, elusive melody o anyone less . A pany of gs passing by, t o be. tten tune. riana singing in t ly or rees so a dream of towers of Avalle.

        onigo t    to die. And noy-five Barbadians lao Alessan play a cradle song.

        tand trangeness of life if o be a hundred years old.

        tside and tiffened involuntarily. So did Ducas di tregea, a    t ered on tinued.

        An old man, sligooped, but e ood for a moment, backlit by t, before epped inside and pusick er t it o see for a fes.

        No one spoke. Alessan did not even look up again. tenderly, une. Devin looked at ood    to t about     ed and airred in    as eo tful ending of t ion ret. Laying do seemed to be he price of his blood.

        "t; ly, to the doorway.

        "You    voice. "You o sour milk and spoiled meat for a month.”

        "I ," Alessan said in tion and an ued amusement in ;Menna    ?”

        ted. "Menna and c coexist," ;You are    ?”

        ". to tell. I came h some reason, Rinaldo.”

        "So mue. One man    is torn inside. Anot    I    do not t    be.”

        Devin gasped onis. Beside him Ducas swore aloud.

        "Explain t; ;Explaihing!”

        Alessan ;You are a spoiled ay old man," till d you enjoy s. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

        "t to me in my age," torted. "ould you deoo? to tell, you say? tell me.”

        Alessans voice gre;I ing in tains this m.”

        "A t! And w follows?”

        "Everytters. Oo Alberico, oo Brandin, and oo the Governor of Senzio.”

        "A; said Rinaldo again. "t;    softly, but could not quite disguise tement in ook a step foro t;I never dreamt I o see to act?”

        "e onigtle. e killed a number of Barbadians and a tracker pursuing a h us.”

        "Ducas? t is le, a curiously ingruous sound. "Now I know whis village, my friend.”

        "I am a," said Ducas drily.

        "Rinaldo," Alessan said, "do you remember t ories about a red-bearded captain, one eans the one who was never found?”

        "Ducas di tregea? t; Again tle. "ell met tain, t, as a matter of fact, for t time. If I remember rigregea y years ago.”

        "A visit frling to get ;From . . . from Alessans province?" Ducas hazarded.

        "tigana? But of course," Erlein di Senzio interjected ;Of course    anotty injured lordling from t. Is t his lesson.”

        "I didnt ." It ly to t; did you say?”

        Erlein fell silent, turning from Alessan to the door. Even in darkness Devin could see his sudden fusion.

        "; Alessan said. "think you are from my home.”

        "An eous slander," Rinaldo said calmly. o;I am vain enougo    you might know me by now. My name is Rinaldo di Senzio.”

        "! Senzio?" Erlein exclaimed, s of ;You t be!”

        there was a silence.

        "ly, is tuous man?" Rinaldo asked, of no one in particular.

        "My ; Alessan replied. "I o me    to to you of t once, I think. his name is Erlein. Erlein di Senzio.”

        "A; said Rinaldo letting    slo;I see. A bound    explains ; eps for of him.

        It    moment t Devin realized t Rinaldo ered it in t: "You ; he said.

        "No," Rinaldo said equably. "I used to, of course, but te for me by my ion of botyrants seventeen years ago temerity to oppose

        Casalias decision to lay dous and bee a Governor instead.”

        Alessan aring fixedly at Erlein as Rinaldo spoke. Devin followed han Devin had ever seen him.

        "I do knoammering.

        "Of course you do. Just as I knoo t real Duke of Senzio and am uo tyles o be to call myself ther.”

        Visibly figrol, Erlein said, "But t Alessan    tters. old you. You knoo do    it ill ; ically at the end.

        "You stupid, petty little man," Rinaldo said slo, one. "Of course I am o deal yrants?    ottleground is possible in today but our poor Senzio whe backsides of whores!

        Do you    freedom to be easy, Erlein bar Alein? Do you t drops like as from trees in the fall?”

        "; Alessan said bluntly. "Or     for me. il    me by a river in Ferraut last week.”

        "to say to ; said Rinaldo di Senzio, empt.

        "; It ino, speaking to Alessan. tandan ill kept to ted.

        "Finding suc; Alessan said. "Men and regea ... all over t could be trusted and yrants as muco be free t matcruly free,"    Erlein again. "Masters of our own peninsula.”

        it smile uro Ducas. "As it    you mig regea on and off for more t no one o kne your fate. I o be terribly clever tonigo lure you into finding me instead.”

        Ducas laug t, a deep sound in . t;I wis had happened earlier.”

        "So do I. You ake to you as mu.”

        "S him?”

        "In Senzio, later ts fall rig.”

        "If t is so, you    start by telling us o fall," Rinaldo said prosaically.

        "Let me tend to your two wounded well w we should know.”

        apping to Devin. "I am a ; ;Y is bad and needs dealing    me try?”

        "So t is ; Ducas said, wonder in ;I rue healer before.”

        "t many of us and end not to announce ourselves," Rinaldo said, ty sockets of ;t yrants came: it is a gift s and a prioyrants are o seize us, and force us serve til t.”

        " t?" Devin asked.     spoken for a long time.    t of o sing tonig remember t time ed.

        "Of course t; said Rinaldo simply. "Unless ead.

        o happen.”

        "I    coer and o me,”

        Erlein said coldly.

        "And I ell you," Rinaldo s back, "as soon as I finis; to Devin ;traw be me see w I    do?”

        In a fes Devin found raion Rinaldo k beside    eacher.

        Over ;Alessan, Im serious. talk h you.”

        "Baerd!" a voiterrupted. "Is t your friend? Baerd bar Saevar?" It umbled foro traw.

        "Saevar ;You knew him?”

        Nadd;Knew him? Of course I knew him. I was ... I ...”

        ;I ice. I loved Baerd as ... as an older brother. I ... we ...

        parted badly. I    aer the fall.”

        "So did ; Alessan said gently, laying a rembling s;Not long after you did. I knoo me of t parting. I    tell you t . t ill does. I expect ell you .”

        "tioned?" Ducas asked softly.

        "It is.”

        "o you of me?" Naddos voice skirled h wonder.

        "he has.”

        Alessan hen.

        "Do you . . . does    o er? to Dianora?" Naddo asked.

        Alessans smile faded. "e do not. e    many places, er    in seard t long after. t    I know in Baerd.”

        Naddo ; a moment later t ing back tears. "I    uand t," ;S girl I ever kne woman.

        And if s really beautiful sill so very . . ." opped for a moment, struggling for posure, and tly: "I teen years old t year.”

        "If t; Alessan said softly, "we will find .”

        Devin    knoo be so many t knoo ask, maybe even more t just topped rubbing ogether and leaned forward.

        "You need rest quite badly," ly none of t;You need sleep as muc; As ly on Devins foreions and all urbatio o drift, as on a oheir

        need. And    all of    night.
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