The Shadow Roads

Forty-two

Hafydd did not concern himself much with the beauty or thewonder of the chamber, but Beld found himself staring like a peasant in apalace. The room was vast, yet not a single pillar supported its dome, whichcurved overhead like an ivory sky. Across the floor spread a great mosaic, thepattern eight-sided like the chamber itself. The walls were highly decorated,but the faint light of the torches barely touched them, and Hafydd wouldn’thave much patience for him wandering off to admire the art. Near the far side,the floor was bisected by a narrow channel that ran with water, and on theirside of the channel, was a small, round pool, faintly aglow and half-obscured beneathcurling vapor wraiths.

“He will ask you to kill me, now,” A’denne whispered, slippingquietly up beside Beld.

Beld looked over to Hafydd, who stared into the steamingpool. No guards were within hearing. “I cannot,” he whispered.

“You must,” A’denne said softly. “Only you might get closeenough to murder him, but if you refuse to”-the man swallowed hard-“end my lifehe will never trust you.”

“How do you know I would want to kill him?”

“Because I have watched you, Beldor Renne. I don’t know whathappened, but some … understanding has come over you …” He struggled tofind more words but could not. In his face, Beld saw resignation and a visiblestruggle to control his fear.

Beld touched the stone beneath his shirt. “He’s too careful.”

“With me, yes, but he suffers you to come near. When youkill me show not a trace of remorse. Strange to think that he would trust sucha man more, but I believe it’s true.”

“Lord Beldor …!” Hafydd called out, his harsh voicedistorted and eerie in this place.

Beld hurried over. Hafydd stared into the pool, his handsclasped behind his back. White light streamed up from below, and an intensecold knifed through his clothes and into his skin. Hafydd didn’t look up, andBeld found himself gazing into the pool, wondering what so fascinated the oldwarrior.

“Do you see him?” Hafydd whispered.

Beld bent a little closer. The veils of steam swirled slowlyover the surface, and the light from below caused him to squint. There …! What looked like a face-raven-haired and bearded-eyes closed, lips so faintthey were all but colorless.

“I think I do see … a man’s face.”

“The great enchanter,” Hafydd said softly. “Wyrr, encased ina coffin of perpetual ice.”

“What will you do now?” Beldor heard himself ask.

“We have bargains to keep, Beldor Renne. Bring the book, theearthenware jar, and Lord A’denne. You’ve kept your blade sharp?”

“It is always sharp, Sir Eremon.”

Hafydd turned and looked suddenly into his eyes. “Then haveit ready. You will kill A’denne for me. I will tell you when and how.”

Hafydd summoned his guard captain. “Have someone bring metwo of those chairs,” he ordered.

Beld stood frozen to the spot. He had killed many men-hisown cousin, even-and felt no misgivings before, nor any guilt after … But nowhe felt suddenly light-headed, strange, as though it were he about to die. Beldfingered the green gem beneath his shirt. Had he fallen beneath a spell? Wasthis what others felt when they went into battle? He was flushed, hot, breakingout in a sweat. He watched Hafydd with a growing sense of horror.

The knight opened the wooden box containing the book, andBeld noticed that everyone took a step away, as though they could feel themalice, the coldness-colder than the ice that encased Wyrr. Laying the box overthe backs of the two chairs, Hafydd opened the book. Beld felt a sudden weightinside him, like a stone dropped into the winter river. There was no cheatingDeath. You could only pass through the gate with your honor intact or withoutit. He saw that now. Toren had always understood it instinctively. Even Deaseknew it in his way. It was the only thing one took from this world. Nothingelse passed through the gate-not even love. Beldor knew. He had groveled beforethe entrance to Death’s kingdom, stripped of all pride and property … and ofhis honor, as well. That had been his deepest regret. He would go honorlessinto that dark place, to be remembered for nothing else.

With the utmost care, Hafydd laid a rope in a circle,perhaps thirty feet across. A small sackful of gray dust he emptied evenly overthe rope’s entire length. In the center of this, the sorcerer made anothercircle, two yards in diameter, and from it, eight lines were marked on thefloor with gray dust, cutting the circle evenly.

“Bring the earthenware jar and your sword, Lord Beldor. Stepnot on the lines! And Lord A’denne … We will need you as well.”

Beldor took up the jar, surprised by its weight. A’denne approachedthem, as if in a daze. Beld had seen men go to the gallows before, and theylooked much as A’denne did now-disbelief mixed with grief and horror.

Beld tried to concentrate on the actions of thesorcerer-anything to keep his mind off A’denne and what he was about to do.

Hafydd took the jar from Beld, his face betraying nothing.Two guards had followed A’denne, and stood behind him to either side. Thenobleman struggled to control his fear. Many, Beld knew, broke down at thispoint.

Hafydd took out a dagger and cut away the wax seal aroundthe large cork that stoppered the jar. Using the dagger’s point he levered thecork slowly out, and the smell of strong spirits touched Beld’s nostrils-mixedwith something more bitter.

Hafydd pulled up his sleeve and reached into the liquid,drawing out a dripping, stillborn infant by its tiny feet. A’denne choked backa sob, earning a disdainful glance from Hafydd. The tiny creature was set inthe center of the circle, where it lay in a puddle of spirits, eyes closed,waxen, as still and silent as morning.

“Lord A’denne …” Hafydd beckoned with a finger.

The nobleman took three measured steps and stopped withinreach of the sorcerer, his black honor guard close behind. His eyes blinkedrapidly several times, perhaps stung by the smell of spirits.

“Lean over the stillborn child,” the sorcerer said, and theguards took A’denne by the arms, as he leaned forward from the waist. Hafyddnodded to Beld, who drew his sword. He could feel his heart hammering in hischest, his face flush red.

“Cut his throat, Lord Beldor,” Hafydd said, backing away,out of sword’s reach. “Quickly!”

A’denne glanced up at him, ashen with fear, but even so hegave the smallest nod. Beldor hesitated only a second, the eyes of the guardson him. One swift cut and A’denne went limp, held up by the guards, his bloodpouring out, a crimson stain overspreading the tiny infant. The salt smell ofblood, like the distant sea, assaulted his senses, and Beld reeled away,nauseated and unsteady.

“Your part is done, Lord Beldor,” Hafydd said. “Be carefulwhere you place your feet as you leave the circle.”

Beldor backed away, the scene burning into his vision like aflame; Lord A’denne bleeding out his life onto the stillborn child, which lay,half-human, half-maggot, in the center of Hafydd’s web. The dead and the dying,and the life not yet born.

Turning away to hide his reaction, Beld stepped out of thecircle as Hafydd opened the book, using the box over the chairs for his readingstand. He began immediately to murmur, then to chant. Beld covered his ears,but the words did not stop. They beat upon his eardrums like drops of water-oneby one by one.

The guards dropped the body of Lord A’denne and retreatedfrom the ring, escaping just before Hafydd set it afire. Beld turned away, buta dark fascination drew his gaze back. Among the lines and circles of flame hesaw the smallest movement-the fingers of the stillborn child opened and closed,then it threw back its head and opened its mouth as though to scream.

Elise did not hesitate at the bottom of the stair but rushedout, cutting down the first of two guards. The second guard Orlem ran through,but not before the man called out a warning.

The giant and Elise raced toward a ring of fire thatflickered and smoked, across the floor of a massive chamber. Toren forced himselfto keep pace, his feet hammering the hard surface. A step behind and to hisleft, Gilbert A’brgail matched his pace, sword glowing green in the smoky air.

Hafydd, it could be no other, stood beyond the flame,chanting. His guards formed a line between their master and his sorcery and theonrushing company. Elise and Orlem raised their luminous swords and bellowedlike animals as they struck the line of black guards. Toren threw himself on aman who tried to circle to Elise’s left, and then all order was lost in thefrenzy of battle. Evading this stroke, countering that, cutting a man’s legsout from under him, the feel of his blade slashing into flesh. As he fought alarger opponent, Orlem stepped back into him and sent him sprawling at hisenemy’s feet. He could feel the sword rise above him for the final blow, thenthe man toppled onto him, twitching and writhing. The weight came off andsomeone dragged him up, and Toren found himself facing his cousin-Beld-who hadbeen swept up into the air by Death’s servant.

“You’re too late,” Beldor shouted over the clamor. “He isdone.”

A tongue of flame flared out among them, setting cloaksafire and chasing both guards and their enemies in all directions. Toren feltthe floor shiver, and he was thrown off his feet. Among the ring of flamesomething hideous rose. It spread out its arms and bellowed, shaking the Isleto its very roots.

A giant leapt the line of flame, bounding into the circle, agreat blade raised. He struck the creature a blow that shook the air andshattered his sword, but the monster brushed him aside with a single swipe andturned its back on the pitiful scuffling of mortal men.

“We should never have left the stairwell,” Eber said. Heclutched his son’s hand tightly and gave it a little shake. “Don’t leave myside again! Look at the danger you’ve put us in!”

Theason glanced over at the small man, who was trying toshield his son from the battle, as though his ancient body might stop a blade.The fighting ranged over the floor of the great chamber, careening this wayand that. It drove them around two sides of the left wall, where they slunkalong at the edge of the floor, hoping to go unnoticed.

“What is going on, Eber?” Theason whispered. “Do you see?”

In the center of a flickering ring of red flame, somethinglarge was moving just perceptibly.

“It’s feeding,” Eber said, his voice flat, frightened.

“On what?”

“The carcass,” Eber whispered, “of a man-”

“River save us.”

The light was poor, and the tide of the battle could not beguessed. Hafydd collapsed suddenly and was supported by two of his guards. Theothers fought a ferocious battle against Elise and her company, Orlem drivingthe black guards back wherever he went. The giant leapt the flame and attackedthe soul eater, but it sent him tumbling back through the flames.

And then a tongue of fire struck out at the fighters,scattering them this way and that.

“You have lost, Sister!” a voice cried over the fighting. “Goback while you can.”

The fighting seemed to waver, the black-clad guardsgathering about their master, Elise and her company standing defiantly acrossthe floor. Theason could see her there, tall and straight-backed, undaunted andproud.

“I shall bring this cavern down upon us first!” she calledout.

Raising her sword she struck the ground with it, a blow thatshook the walls and threw them all down upon their bellies. Theason scrambledup and helped Eber to his feet.

“Where is Llya?” the old man said, looking aroundfrantically. “Where is Llya!”

A second blow, greater than the first, and Theason wasthrown hard against the wall and lay for a moment, dazed. A deafening rending,and he opened his eyes to see massive broken blocks of stone tumbling down fromthe ceiling.

The shock of their landing buckled the floor, throwing thelittle man into the air for a moment, then slamming him down. He thought heheard someone whimpering and realized the voice was his. Something fell soclose that he was tossed up again, and again smashed down. Smoke stung his nostrils,then darkness fluttered over him, like a fall of black snow.

Beldor felt something jerk around his neck, and then slideover his hair. He thought he moaned. He slipped away for a moment, then wokeagain, darkness, but not far off, a little light. His vision was blurred, andhe tried to shake his head to clear it. The murmur of a soothing voice.

A rubble of stones ranged around him, and Beldor lay in somespace between. He moved his arm and felt down his side. There was no feelingthere, as though the flesh belonged to someone else. He struck his hip but feltit only in his fist.

“What has happened to me? I can’t move.”

His vision blurred, darkness bleeding in around the edges.But there, in the center of the darkness, he could see a figure hunched down ina faint light. A voice, very distant, murmured, like water running over stones.

“There, granddaughter,” it said softly. “Death shall nothave you this day-you or the poor girl who bears you.”

The figure rose, a woman. Gracefully, she slipped down a narrowpassage between fallen stones. He could almost see her face.

“Can you help me?” he whispered, his words poorly formed.

The woman hovered over him an instant, as though weighinghis request.

“You made your bargain with Death,” she said at last. “Iwill not interfere.” And she turned away.

“Please,” Beld heard himself say. “At the end, I forsook mybargain.”

“Too late, man-at-arms,” she said. “Too late.”

“No,” Beldor whispered. “Not too late … Not for me.”

Darkness dribbled across the scene, like ink over glass, andBel-dor felt a sudden warmth spread through him. He exhaled a long breath-anddid not draw it in again.

Tam held his torch aloft. A rubble of boulders, half thesize of houses and greater, spread over the floor of the cavern. Smoke waftedabout the place as though it could not find an escape, and a burble of waterechoed eerily.

“What happened here?” Fynnol asked.

“We came too late,” Alaan said, and cursed. “Caibre …Hafydd and Elise fought.”

“Who survived?” Tam said.

“Perhaps no one. Come let’s look.”

A crash shook the chamber, and Tam flinched, almost burningFynnol with his torch. A great chunk of the ceiling had fallen, breakingboulders beneath. They began to search among the rocks, ducking down as theywent, fearing the ceiling would collapse at any moment and bury them all.

Tam dropped down a crack between two boulders and foundhimself in a narrow passage.

“Are you all right?” Fynnol called down from above.

“Yes. Stay up there, Cousin. I might need your help to getout.”

“Easy for you to say. The ceiling will kill me first.”

“Yes, but it will kill me second. I will trade places withyou if you wish?”

“No, Tam. Go on as you are. We’ll search together.”

Tam wormed his way between the stones, getting down on hisbelly here and there to push himself through small openings. Every few momentshe met a dead end and was forced to find another way, but Fynnol proved usefulscouting the route from above.

“Fynnol? I thought I heard something-like a voice.”

They both stopped and tried to quiet their breathing.

“A moan. Yes! This way, I think.”

Tam tried to follow his cousin, who leapt from boulder toboulder, quickly finding his way. A tight squeeze, then he tripped oversomething soft.

“I found someone!” Tam pushed himself out of the cleft betweenthe stones and crouched, holding the torch so that he might see.

“Who is it?”

“A man-dead, I fear.” Tam turned the man’s head a little,the eyes staring at him vacantly. “You know, Fynnol, I think this is Bel-dorRenne.”

“No. He was taken by the servants of Death in theStillwater. Don’t you remember?”

“Nevertheless, I think this can be no other.”

“Tam?” came a faint whisper.

“Well, Tam, if you thin-”

“Fynnol! Quiet!”

“Tam?” came the voice again.

The Valeman held his torch aloft and swept it this way and that,throwing its light down the narrow crevices between the fallen ceiling.

He leapt up. “Elise? Elise?” He forced his way between twoclose stones, tearing away cloth and flesh. And there he found her, lying in avoid between the fallen boulders.

“Elise! Fynnol! Call Alaan!”

He dropped down, wedging the torch into a crack, and tookher head in his hands.

“Can you move? Where are you hurt?”

“It is all right,Tam. I’m unharmed … or at least healedfrom all my hurts. Give me a moment,” she whispered, close to tears, “and I’llget up.”

“Oh, Elise,” he said, unable to contain his feelings. “Ithought never to see you again.”

Her hand slipped, small and warm, into his. “Something keepsthrowing us together, Tam,” she said softly, “no matter the distances between.”

Alaan appeared above. “Ah, there you are! How badly is sheinjured, Tam?”

“I’m unharmed,” Elise said, though she did not open hereyes.

“That is a miracle,” Alaan responded, leaning over theopening, his face appearing in the flickering light of Tam’s torch.

“Perhaps. Someone healed my hurts, or so I dreamed. What ofthe others?”

Alaan did not answer, and Elise suddenly rose to a sittingposition.

“Tell me,” she demanded.

“We found Slighthand … crushed beneath a stone.”

Elise covered her face, tears running out between herfingers, like blood from a wound, but there was no sound.

“Who else?” she whispered.

“Some Renne men-at-arms. Knights wearing gray cloaks.”

“Toren? A’brgail?”

“We have not found them yet.”

Her silent tears continued. “He had survived for so long,”she whispered, haltingly, “and given up the sword. If Kai had not found him,and sent him after you-”

“We might all have perished in the Stillwater,” Alaan said,interrupting her gently.

“He saved me when Death’s servant had me in its claws,”Fyn-nol said sadly.

“Slighthand saved many from death,” Alaan said, “but we haveno time to mourn him now.”

A distorted shout from some distance silenced them all.

“Can you climb up?” Alaan asked, reaching down as far as hecould. “I think they’ve found some others.”

Alaan and Fynnol pulled them both up. Elise swayed, supportingherself on Tam’s shoulder.

They made their way across the rubble, jumping from boulderto boulder, until at last they reached a place where the ceiling had notfallen, though the floor was buckled and broken. Here, a small company huddled,some lying, others sitting propped against the wall. A channel ran with water,and a small distance off, a round pool steamed, glowing faintly white.

Some of the gathering were wet through, and others laystill, injured, or dead, or sleeping.

“Thank the river,” Elise said with feeling, “not a few havesurvived.”

Baore rose as he saw them approaching over the rubble. Hiscarriage was bent to one side as though he favored an injury there. Threegray-clad Knights also found their feet, raising weapons as though ready todefend themselves, though they looked like they could hardly stand. There weretwo in Renne blue, neither of whom could rise, little Theason, and Eber, hisback against the wall, knees up, and a hand over his face.

“You need not fear us,” Alaan called out. “It is Alaan. Andwe have found Elise unharmed amid the rubble.”

One of the gray-robed Knights came forward, and one of thetwo in Renne blue.

“Sir Gilbert,” Elise said. “I am heartily glad to see you unharmed.”

“None of us have gone unharmed,” he said, as they drew near,then nodded to the old man leaning against the wall, “though none of us havereceived so great a hurt as Eber.”

Elise had climbed down onto the buckled floor, but there shestopped. “Llya …” she breathed as though the wind had been knocked from herlungs.

“Gone,” Eber said, the word coming out as a sob. “Washedinto the channel by a wave formed when the floor was broken. It rose up andswept him off. Gone before I could even gain my feet.” He began to sob, hisface hidden by his knees and a bent gray hand.

Elise went forward, crouching down on one knee before theold man. “Eber. I’m so sorry …. I said I would protect him-”

“And you did not!” the old man said, pulling his hand awayfrom his face, fierce with grief. “What kind of father lets a child-hardly morethan a baby-lead warriors in search of a monster?”

“Eber,” Elise said, drawing back a little, “there was no oneelse to lead us. Hafydd had to be stopped.”

“But we did not stop him. I gave up my son’s life fornothing! His precious life!” Again he was overcome by grief and sobbed asthough there were no one there to see.

None of the others would look directly upon Eber, but allturned a little away, their faces filled with sorrow and pity and guilt. Elisecame slowly to her feet, tears running down her cheeks. Tam could see theaccusation had cut her deeper than a blade ever could. She hesitated, as thoughseeking something to say, something to do, and turned away.

Theason caught her eye with a gesture. “Theason saw it happen.Hafydd’s terrible creature leapt into the pool and broke through the ice,dragging the limp body into the river, his master close behind.”

“His master?” Elise said.

“Hafydd,” Theason said. “It grew very dark then-a cloud ofdust thrown up by the falling ceiling-but Theason thought he saw a woman. Atfirst Theason believed it was you, Lady Elise, covered in dust and dirt, but itwas a dark-haired woman.” He looked suddenly a bit hesitant, even embarrassed.“She went into the river. It will sound mad, but she seemed to change as shewent. Certainly it was only the poor light, the dust in Theason’s eyes-”

“She appeared to turn into a swan,” Alaan said.

Theason looked at him, surprised. “A black swan, yes.”

Alaan nodded and walked to the pool, where he crouched, staringinto the water.

Toren Renne came forward and embraced his cousin. “Wethought you dead,” Toren said, pounding Dease on the back.

“I don’t know how I survived. The fire tried to burn me, thesmoke to choke me, and then I was found by Alaan, a coal spat out of the fire,stumbling along the bank.” The two pulled apart.

“I cannot tell you how glad I am to see you. How your losshas preyed upon my mind when I should have concentrated upon other matters …”Toren ran out of words.

Dease met his eye, moved by this show of feeling. “I amhere, Toren, and largely unharmed.”

Toren nodded, pulling himself up a little and trying tosmile. “Yes, we have other matters to concern us. Other losses.”

Elise picked her way across the broken floor to Alaan’sside.

“He’s gone,” Alaan said. “Theason is right.”

“We failed utterly-and murdered poor Llya in the bargain.”She dropped down to her knees, staring into the steaming pool. “Would Elise Willshave used a child so, I wonder? Or is it only the part of me that is Sianonthat would do such a shameful thing?”

“We have no time for remonstrance. Hafydd and his monsterare escaping.”

“What can we do against that thing?” Baore asked. He, Tam,and Cynddl all had come to stand a few paces off. “It tossed Slight-hand asidelike a child.” He winced at his choice of words.

Alaan stood. “The soul eater begins to weaken soon after itis born. If we could catch it before it passes through Death’s gate … It is avain hope, but I would not want to see Llya die for nothing.”

Elise looked up at Alaan. “Is there any chance at all?”

“A slim chance. Sainth can take shorter paths than the souleater.”

“Then while we have breath we must try,” Elise said firmly.She scrambled to her feet. “If nothing else, we might have revenge for Llya’sdeath.”

“Spoken like a true Wills,” Alaan responded.

“It will take us hours just to reach the surface again,”Cynddl said.

Alaan pointed down the channel, which disappeared into a roundtunnel. “We will go this way.”

“But not everyone can swim.”

Alaan turned to make a quick head count. “There are enoughof us who can to get the others out. We have a boat hidden near the end of theisland to bear us on.”

Cynddl glanced back at the others. Eber had lapsed intosilent tears, his face hidden again. “Everyone is injured and exhausted beyondmeasure.”

“Only those who can still travel with speed need join us.”Alaan looked down. At his feet, carved into the floor, were words in a tongue Tamdid not know.

“What does it say?” he asked on impulse.

“‘Here sleeps Wyrr, son of Tusival, until the ending ofthe world! “

“Nothing turns out as planned,” the Fael said, crouchingdown to run his hand over the letters, “not even for the great and powerful.”

“Especially for the great and powerful,” Alaan responded. “Come,let us make haste.”

No one complained or even muttered when Alaan roused them.Elise went into the water first and returned a few moments later.

“It empties into the river not far off, and, though it’sdark, there is air all the way but for the last twenty feet.” Her skin hadbecome as white as snow, and the color seemed almost washed from her eyes. Tamfound her appearance disturbing and looked away.

“Tam?” Elise called out. “Would you bring me Slighthand’ssword. No one else could bear it out. It’s too heavy.”

“It’s broken,” Alaan said. “Perhaps it should stay here?”

“No, I will have the hilt at least, so never to forget himand all that he did.”

Tam brought the hilt of the heavy sword to her, and she tookit, its weight not seeming to affect her at all as she floated in the channel.

She gestured with a hand. “It is a fitting burial chamberfor Orlem Slighthand, though not as grand as it was.”

A cracking sound reached them, and a massive boulder tumbledfrom the ceiling, crashing down on the stones below, spraying dust and debris ahundred feet.

“We must be gone from this place,” Alaan said.

He and Tam took Eber between them, and Toren and Dease Rennehelped A’brgail, who had already learned much of swimming in the tunnels ofthe Stillwater. Mail was shed, and they climbed stiffly into the water. The currenttook hold of them, and Tam looked back once at the ruined chamber. What pridethese sorcerers had to make themselves such places to lie in death. But thenWyrr had not seemed wholly dead. Some part of him had been half-awake … untilHafydd came.

They went from the dim light of the Wyrr’s chamber into thedarkness of the tunnel, though some of Elise’s party had blades that glowedfaintly green and offered a little light.

“Stay together,” Alaan warned, his voice echoing hollowly inthe tunnel. In a few moments they came to a place where the stream disappearedinto rock. Alaan bore Eber through and Elise took A’brgail. The others managedon their own, the current speeding them along and spewing them out into thenight river.

Tam surfaced to summer air-warm water around him. Thecrescent moon was high, and the stars sharp and bright. The storm had blownover. Was that last night or this? Tam didn’t know. He had lost all sense oftime in the caverns.

“It is like a warm bath after being out in the snow,” Fynnolsaid nearby.

“Yes,” Tam said. “You talked to Baore; how is he?”

Tam could just make out his cousin’s face in the moonlight,and his look was not happy. “He has not been himself since the nagar began tohaunt him, far up the river. His silence … has changed. It is brooding anddark now. I worry for him.”

Tam felt himself nod as he treaded water. None of them hadbeen the same since they were hunted down the river and traveled theStillwater, but Baore had turned inward, his mood too despairing.

“Our boat is not far,” Alaan said from a few yards away, “butit won’t carry us all. Some will have to stay.”

A log floated by, and the swimmers all took hold of it. Theydrifted on the current, a human raft, faces haunted and ghostly in themoonlight. Spinning slowly, they ranged down the side of the island, the warmthof the river restoring them. Tam thought he could put his head against the logand go to sleep, bobbing on the water beneath a blanket of stars.

He was roused from his reverie by Alaan, who led them to aspine of rocks curving up into the trees. It was not easy climbing in the dark,and Eber was passed from hand to hand, until they all found themselves on thegrass above.

Alaan and Elise were conferring as the Valemen began loweringthe boat that had been left hanging in the trees. Toren Renne and Gilbert A’brgailapproached Alaan.

“We are ready to go with you, for you will need skilled fighters,”Toren said.

“We will need skilled watermen first,” Alaan said. “I’msorry, Lord Toren, but there is not enough room in the boat, and though you tryto hide it, I can see you are injured. We’ll take the northerners. They grewup on the water and traveled the great river all the way from its source.”

“But what will you do when you find Hafydd? These young menaren’t trained men-at-arms.”

“They are more formidable than you know, and I’ll nevercatch the soul eater without them. There is no time to argue. If we don’treturn, you will have to build a raft and go south. The river here is verystrange … But Crowheart will lead you. Good luck to you,

LordToren.” He gave a nodding bow and turned away. “Tam? Areall of you ready?”

“We’re short of arrows, but otherwise, yes.” Tam went to theedge of the embankment to begin the climb down, but as he went to swing overthe edge he saw Elise crouched before Eber.

“Eber …?” she said softly, caressing the man’s cheek. “Iwill get him back, if I can.”

“And how will you do that, Lady Elise?” Eber asked. “He haspassed through the gate into Death’s kingdom, from where none return.”

“Perhaps, but I will try all the same. He gave voice to ariver-much should be sacrificed for such a child.” She hesitated a second thenrose, turning quickly away and striding purposefully toward Tam, and the waydown to the river.