AARM NIG on trees, on tones of tanding in the high window.

        Devin o    and quickly turns. Rovigo running up, to stid h Alais.

        "; to tones beside Devin. raught, he has a knife in his hand.

        "?" Devin gasps, unpre; do you . . . ?”

        "My fingers! No t; And Sandre dAstibar slaps t of to Devins palm and curls    one i. Only eo the Palm.

        "Sandre . . ." Devin begins, stammering.

        "No    me, Devin!”

        Devin does as old. ing, gritti pain against grief,    do.

        Alais, not the Duke.

        But in t ts    to grind against sto and dazzling flased by a a of ar about    in ter-image of its glow.

        Alais is on to quickly    his bleeding hand.

        Sandre lifts t , silent in t a word spoken, Alais ing his arm.

        From ant crasing. Silted in tall riana bees suddenly taut. Soo far ao make out too terribly far. turn to to t.

        "O t; Alessans voice is a ragged w.

        too late. Far, far too late.

        On y road, Devin sees her fall.

        Not o deat graceful as s dos forand. t blur in t, a sural    in traig t stops for a moment, seizing at this wild, impossible hope.

        t starts beating again, ever Sandre ried, it is not enougoo far, it is too oo riana falls. Unstayed, unciful as a moonlit fantasy of a woman wo a broken, crumpled ending behe garden wall.

        Alais bursts into desperate sobs. Sandre covers ears in ood, to the garden.

        "e o move a; Rovigo croaks, telligible. "they will be searg.”

        It is true. Devin kno is. And if t, anyt all to Catriana noo c is t    have been meaningless

        or in vain.

        Devin forces o rise. turns to Alessan.    moved, nor taken ill men standing auring.

        Devin remembers ternoon    urns to: "e are too many to stay togetake Alais. Be very careful. triana w you in our rooms.”

        takes Alessan by turns    resist, folloart soutumbling do ake tle, from till    into .

        t o s familiar tricks ime and memory—a nig fall.    nig old t take tomasso out of the wizards binding.

        And no o no good at all. t s so muasso is nine montigana whe Deisa years ago.

        for old le. ain, uo stop    later he feels Alessans hand upon his shoulder.

        "tle longer yet," t eroget; he hand on Devins shoulder.

        tores.

        treets of Senzio as t some    tle. ts feverising    t from a avern. Sreets yet; t stopped by anyone.

        t er, Devin realizes t never, not for a single moment, did    t Catriana he Barbadian before she jumped.

        Back at Solinged noto go upstairs to umult of t as tient , running sly to of to side.

        Devin and Alessan exged a glance. Music.

        t to tform in took up ood beside ing. testing, tuning notes and t a he song Devin had known he would begin.

        As t es of t;Lament For Adaon" spun out into ted murmur, and to ing . But not for time, t c for Adaon falling from    for Catriana di tigana fallen from hers.

        Men said after t tillness, suc attention among tables in Solings ing on patrons and tcopped ood listening. No one moved, no one made a sound. tary voice singing t song of m in the Palm.

        In a room upstairs Alais lifted ear-soaked pillo up. Rinaldo, tending to Sandres maimed urned oill. And Baerd, idings t smas in a    could ever o eo Alessan and Devin beloo fly t-of his way.

        Out i ing voice carried, people stopped in t of rumor or tless cs pleasures and tood outside tening to tes of grief, t in the spell of a music shaped by loss.

        For a long time after it    ing, breaking, utterly ued    of t;Lament" on t nig marked the beginning of war.

        t iles of ly open: Alaiss, t rianas too. Baerd ing in tepped foro the hallway and Alessan embraced him.

        For a long time tood locked togettle. o there and Rovigo. San-dre.

        Rinaldo, Ducas and Naddo. Sertino to t o them.

        "Did a ; Rinaldo asked in a faint voice.

        "I did," Devin said, going over to ted. Devin gla Sandres left    topped. o one of ttles and t boto ask flass. Devin gave ttle to Ducas, whe same.

        Sertino    Sandres ;Yoing to o get in t of masking t;    eness.

        "I kno; Sandre said. "I feel very weak righough.”

        "Doesnt matter," Sertino replied. "t be stant. Do it. Now.”

        Sandre looked up at    tandan     seem to stop t tomasso, dead in a dungeon in Astibar.

        Ducas le. ook it and drank. Passed it over to Naddo, and    to sit beside Alais on took    the wall.

        of t, the cheekbones showing in angular relief.

        Ducas cleared . "e    do some planning," ;If sy tonigriad knoomorrow.”

        "Sandre used magic, as ; Alessan said, not opening ;If tracker in Senzio hes in danger.”

        "t ; Naddo said fiercely, looking from Ducas to Sertino. "e did it once already, remember. And ty men    tracker.”

        "You arent in tando no said mildly.

        "Doesnt matter," Ducas said. "Naddreet ainos o point out tracker t trive a bra killed him.”

        "t; Baerd said.

        Ducas suddenly smiled like a rairt;Id be grateful for a risk to take tonig; ood exactly w .

        Alessan ope;Do it, t; ;Devin    run any messages back o us. ell move Sa, back to to. If you send —”

        opped, and t to . Baerd     tood up, releasing Alaiss hand.

        ttle of sound from tairside tepped carefully over to triana in his arms.

        In tony sile, taking in turo Alessan. "If you are    magic," ;t be very    deal of po noracker in Senzio tremely likely to be captured and killed." opped, tly. "But I caugime. She is alive.”

        t iculate joy. Saerally leaped to    and ruso claim Catrianas unscious body from Erleins arms. eo tedly, was Rovigo.

        Devio see Alessan cross t strides and ed ed Erlein, feebly protesting,    off the ground.

        Alessan released epped back, t by a grio trol. Erlein tried,    success, to preserve omary ical expression. t h cheeks.

        Again troubadour struggled to look fierd displeased. Again irely unving attempt at ;Careful, you. Devin flattened me to t till bruised."    Devin, w him.

        Sertino tle. y pull.    ;It    o guess from t sometarted to follo I dont run very fast anymore so I decided to use magic. I got to t as Alessan and Devin reaear side.”

        "; Alessan asked s;You never use yic. hy now?”

        Erlein sely. "Id never seen all of you run any; he grimaced.

        "I suppose I was carried away.”

        Alessan o    in for very long. Every feo reassure ;t?" he asked.

        "t    over ting in t; uro Sandre. "You sent an astonis you didnt    kno you t stop someone falling t o be unscious. t kind of magic    exclusively; if    to apply it to someone else to be suspended or everyts muddled w is o fig.”

        Sa    I just    strong enough, even

        he binding.”

        Erleins expression o respond to t, but instead ale. "I used a spell to make ronger oo catc. t to get us over tely spent, and terrified trace us immediately if tracker any t, too mucemple of Eanna for a time, and then I carried her here.”

        "Carried reets?" Alais asked. "No oiced t?”

        Erlein gri    unkindly. "It isnt t unusual in Senzio, my dear." Alais flus Devin could see t s really mind. It was all rig.

        "e ter get doo treet t; Baerd said to Ducas. "ell o get Arkin and some of trackers, t find o be an unbelievable searigo be some fighting.”

        Ducas smiled again, more like a ;I ; was all he said.

        "One moment," said Alessan quietly. "I    you all to ness somet; urned back to Erlein and ated, c;e bot you did tonig any coer from me, and against your o is, in every way.”

        Erlein glanced over at ts of red f on eaake too muc," ;Every man s of folly. I like red-s all. ts rapped me in t place, remember?”

        Alessan s;t may be true, but it is not all, Erlein di Senzio. I bound you to t your    I t joi freely.”

        Erlein s;Dont be a fool, Alessan! I just told you, I ...”

        "I kno told me. I make my os truto realize tonigriana, bot ts to w I wiso do or see done for any cause. Even my own.”

        As AJessan finisepped foreadied ;I am Alessan, Prince of tigana," ;dire dest from Micaela. In t to o your freedom, wizard!”

        Botaggered apart, as if a taut cord . Erleins face ;I tell you again," ;you are a fool!”

        Alessan s;You ,    noe: I    man, o be free as any of us     e your oyrants. If you co leave us, you . I do not expect you o our pany.”

        Erlein looked ered, assailed. uation o ed he wizard.

        "Im glad," ;Im glad youre h us.”

        "Im not! I    said t!" Erlein snapped. "I    said or done any sug!”

        "Of course you ; It ion and pain still vivid in ;You did it tonig. ter tter, in some roubadour. ried to make yourself believe t nottered

        to you but your o rue? Im one. Baerd and Devin. Perriana. Not Alessan, Erlein.    set you free to prove us all wrong.”

        ting from treets belosteps. Erlein turo Alessan and t eacrusions of memory: t campfire in Ferraut, Alessan playing songs of Senzio for Erlein, an enraged shere were so many layers here, so many charges of meaning.

        ion of five fi to Alessan.    it    so touched.

        "I suppose I am ; Erlein said. "After all.”

        "I kno; said Alessan.

        "e!" said Baerd, a sed later. "e o do." Devin follooairs beyond the window.

        Just before stepping turo look back at ticed, and followed his gaze.

        "S; tly. "S fine. Do o us.”

        Devin glanced up at    s;t; Devin said, meaning a number of to tumult of treets.

        Sually as before s and uedly familiar, and ting to    first s quite make t. So open her eyes.

        "I t; someone ;ill you all do me a great courtesy and leave me alone s?”

        S voice the room.

        A door closed. t voice was Alessans.

        s be dead. t Morians er all, he dead surrounding her. She opened her eyes.

        ting on a co w in bed. Someone    ained from .

        the rush of memory was dizzying.

        Quietly, Alessan said, "You are alive. Erlein ing in t you    you back.”

        S    again as sruggled to deal    of life, t as s of , t-ion, as if s drift aest of breezes.

        But s. So leave. Surned    remely pale.

        "e t you ; ;e saside t Erlein did,    you ; ed after a moment.

        S about t. t;Did I ag happening?”

        ;It is too soon to tell for certain. I t deal of otion is. If you listen you    .”

        trating, s ting and runni passih

        the window.

        Alessan seemed unnaturally subdued, struggli being. Sed, looking at ing t.

        ;Catriana, I ot tell you ened I onig listen to me nory to t is somet matters very muc;    quite pin down.

        and laid    lay upon t. "Catriana, I do not measure your    stop doing to yourself. to redeem. You are w you are, in and of yourself.”

        t ground for    difficult of all, and s beat ched him, blue eyes on his grey ones. his long, slender fingers were c her own.

        S;e arrive , a ory. Families matter. he was a coward and he fled.”

        Alessan sill sometrained in ;e o be so careful," ;So very careful    daug co stay ry to keep t aheir children.”

        Sears starting noo blialking about this.

        It    the core of all she did.

        "But it ; s; before ttles. Even the one we won.”

        Again    t of ress. ed    to    remember    before. tely strange about all of this.

        "Parents and c; ly s missed t;It is so o judge." ated. "I dont knoold you, but my motraitor and a coward.”

        So sit up. too suddenly. Serribly old    to not t day.

        "; s t;You? A co . . . didnt s . . .”

        "S all of it," ly. "So    is rying to say, Catriana: it is possible to differ on sucters, and to reacerrible as t one e. In think, or we are all alone.”

        Sime to pus    day, t so    nig    ly out of to till been out there somewhere, alone, when she had gone away.

        S;Did it ... did it end like t    how she died?”

        "S s me take    t meant . . .”

        "Of course it did!" s;Of course it did, Alessan. e all do t. e do    o say." S known shing.

        o will covered    herself c. he

        said, "trut noriana. Perer all.”

        t ill beating very fast. S    after     sed not uanding    time to be traordinary ion of liger the room should have allowed.

        Figo trol    absurdly afraid of    migammered, "I ...    to me? Please?”

        Scime, dled in hey moved.

        "; ill ;I realized t I ood, too late, , even ts possibility, ill go . . . s oriana, and trutrut you are t    before you leaped I kne I loved you. Brigar of Eanna, five me t you are the harbor of my souls journeying.”

        Brigar of Eanna. , from tly, easily, a name among oteasing for werm of praise whe harbor of his soul.

        So be g, silently, tears o slide slowly down her cheeks.

        "O; co ;I am so sorry. I am a fool. too sudden, toniger onig even know if you—”

        opped just t only because so make op.

        Sill g, but to be t amazing brig like to rise beyond the rim of darkness.

        S    say. Sill said not speak. Srembling. S earlier tonigtle time ago sood in a castle o die. ears fell on    ot falling. S as t rialla, only neo give voice to ts days.

        ttempt at smoot. It seemed to be someted to do for a long time.    a never known, never aowledged or allowed?

        "; s needing to speak, "I used to dream of this. Alessan, have I died and e back? Am I dreaming now?”

        s ted o be o offer t    t .

        But tedly, o rest it against t c er, o o ood; it seemed— o goddess could old t so offer er all. Sed o

        seemed to Catriana in t moment as if t nerialla in o sing. Of trials endured and trials to e, of doubt and dark and all tai defier boundaries of mortal life, but    at t all, like lig stone of a rising tower.

        tracker in Senzio, Devin learned later t nig not by to deal y t ime tory together.

        It seemed t the Barbadians had gone wild.

        Finding t to all the murderously obvious clusions.

        ty of to ter in upon Cullion of Ygratative, as ruggled into ook time about killing le.

        t back doairs and tyard to t gates and o deat t a proper searc    tain of tle Guard came into tyard o lay doheir arms.

        to most reports later, about to do so, e purposes,    ttly dead, one mortally racker.

        to-torc courtyard of tle, soon slippery h blood.

        tered to t man, taking some ty or forty Senzians hem.

        No one kneily doairs screaming    to stop.

        In t follo deat to going doo tarted it all. ty as t. A errified croside tle. Sly after midnig long after t ty in Senzio rode aiger u nortoward Farsaro w was anchored.

        Catriana roubled, almost cs peace.

        Alais could not fioo mucumult is and sever was happening.

        Even after Rovigo came ba and stopped at to look in on t t to be no immediate danger, Alais ill uo sleep. too muig none of it to    riana ed and uled in oddly distinuous ways. S even    were w upon her.

        Eventually s on t t and    to sit on the open window.

        It e by t, do see too far inland—but s    anc breeze. treets even noion of tavern quarter, but noty    a curfeo be a night.

        So da ay ao see t s    for it. t a nig for her, Alais

        amended, glang back at Catriana. Sime them had shared a room.

        home.

        S , receiving Rovigos letter of carefully p-explanatio by courier across Astibar from t of Ardin too Senzio. S in anotrust saining, defining elements of her own world.

        S t ill dark, tars over no tting; it probably lacked several    till daion t t     nigumult is. In a curious, quite ued    served to reassure    of all else, ill tinue as they always had.

        tstep on tairside. Alais leaned backedly realizing she could probably be seen from below.

        "?" sly, so as not to disturb Catri-ana.

        "Only me," Devin said, ing up to stand on tside t umbled or rolled someoo dark to properly see ;; he asked.

        Sured, not sure o say. "too many t once, I suppose. Im not used to this.”

        Seet;None of us are," ;Believe me. But I dont tonigo bed.”

        "My fat seemed to ed down.”

        Devin nodded. "For nole. Catriana did kill to    tracker. I t was w saved us.”

        Alais s;My fat tell me about t.”

        "    to disturb y;    o;how is she?”

        "S, really. Asleep." Sered t Catriana    , t g, tonigonighin her mind.

        "And ; Devin asked, in a different tourning back to    altered, deeper voice t made it difficult for o breathe.

        "Im fioo, ly.”

        "I kno; ;Actually, you are a great deal more t, Alais." ated for a moment, seeming suddenly aand t, until o kiss ime, if you ted tairs, but te amazingly u. For o     in her hair.

        eadily. Alais opened ened, steps    past in t running as before. t, looking at eac. ;It is ... till t. You sry to sleep, Alais. t deal o e.”

        Sated anot, turo er landing toh Alessan and Erlein.

        Sting    tness of tars, letting    gradually sloy and o o someone s, t voice    deal. And it ouc o o t it and relive t of t kiss, a most astonishing.

        Sill smiling uro er all, for t fely altered    long night.

        All t day everyone ed. A pall of doom like smoke y treasurer attempted to assert trol in tle, but to take orders from ed frontations    on all day. By time someoo go doaken away; no one knew where or by whose orders.

        ty ground to a . Men as, feeding on rumor, c every er a different story    Rinaldo, t Dukes broto ty to take and in tle; by tale, but no one he man.

        A restless, nervous darkness fell. treets remained o one in Senzio could sleep. t hrough a clear sky.

        Outside Soling all io . Songs not sung since Casalia o o be called Governor instead yrants to advise ed out from Solingo ted summer nigoars.

        Just after da. Before noon t ed anch a favorable wind.

        ar had e.

        All to t taverns and treets and began tedly, to temples of triad.

        In t deserted front room of Soling afternoon one man tio play tregean pipes, faster and faster and    fotten tune.
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