aye

" He turned to Isgrimnur. "Four should be enough to carry them, even though Camaris is large." He shook his head. "Aditu is right—we have made these brave ones wait too long." The duke had been in such situations before, and knew that too much haste was as-bad as too little. "I think we would be better to find something to carry them on," he said. "If one of those outer tents has been saved from the fire, we might use it to make a litter or two." "Good." Josua stood. "Aditu, I did not ask if you had wounds that needed tending." "Nothing I cannot care for myself, Prince Josua. When these two have been seen to, we should gather those that you trust and talk." "I agree. There is much to talk about. We will meet at Isgrimnur's tent within the hour. Does that suit you, Isgrimnur?" The prince turned aside for a moment, then turned back. His face was haggard with grief. "I was thinking that we should find Geloe to come nurse them... then I remembered." Aditu made a gesture, fingers touching fingers before her. 'This is not the last time we shall miss her, I think." "It is Josua," the prince called from outside the tent. When he stepped inside, Gutrun still had the knife held before her. The duchess looked fierce as an undenned badger, ready to protect herself and Vorzheva from whatever danger might show itself. She lowered the dagger as Josua entered, relieved but still full of worry.

"What is it? We heard the shouting. Is my husband with you?" "He is safe, Gutrun." Josua walked to the bed, then leaned forward and pulled Vorzheva to him in a swift embrace. He kissed her brow as he released her. "But we have been attacked by the Storm King's minions. We have lost only one, but that is a great loss." "Who?" Vorzheva caught his arm as he tried to straighten. "Geloe." She cried out in grief. "Three Norns attacked Camaris," Josua explained. "Aditu, Geloe, and the Wrannaman Tiamak came to his aid. The Norns were killed, but Aditu says that Geloe took a fatal wound." He shook his head. "I think she was the wisest of us all. Now she is gone and we cannot replace her." Vorzheva fell back. "But she was just here, Josua. She came with Aditu to see me. Now she is dead?" Tears filled her eyes. Josua nodded sadly. "I came to see that you were safe. Now I must go meet with Isgrimnur and the others to decide what this means, what we will do." He stood, then bent and kissed his wife again. "Do not sleep—and keep your knife, Gutrun—until I can send someone here to guard you." "No one else was hurt? Gutrun said that she saw fires." "Camaris' tent. He seems to have been the only one attacked." He began to move toward the door. "But Josua," Vorzheva said, "are you sure? Our camp is so big." The prince shook his head. "I am sure of nothing, but we have not heard of any other attacks. I will have someone here to guard you soon. Now I must hurry, Vorzheva." "Let him go, Lady," Gutrun told her. "Lie back and try to sleep. Think of your child." Vorzheva sighed. Josua squeezed her hand, then turned and hastened from the tent. Isgrimnur looked up as the prince strode into the light of the campfire. The cluster of men waiting for the prince stepped back respectfully, letting him pass. "Josua ..." the duke began, but the prince did not let him finish.

"I have been foolish, Isgrimnur. It is not enough to have sentries running through the camp looking for signs of invading Norns. Aedon's Blood, it took me long enough to realize it—Sludig!"' he shouted. "Is Sludig somewhere nearby?" The Rimmersman stepped forward. "Here, Prince Josua." "Send soldiers through the camp to see if everyone is accounted for, especially those of our party who might be at risk. Binabik and Strangyeard were with me until the fire started, but that does not mean they are safe still. It is late in the day for me to realize this might have been a diversion. And my niece, Miriamele—send someone to her tent immediately. And Simon, too, although he may be with Binabik." Josua frowned. "If they wanted Camaris, it seems likely it was about the sword. Simon carried it for a while, so perhaps there is some danger to him as well. Damn me for my slow wits." Isgrimnur made a throat-clearing noise. "I already sent Freosel to look after Miriamele, Josua. I knew you would want to see Lady Vorzheva as soon as you could and I thought it should not wait." "Thank you, Isgrimnur. I did go to her. She and Gutrun are fine." Josua scowled. "But I am shamed you have had to do my thinking." Isgrimnur shook his head. "Let's just hope the princess is safe." "Freosel has been sent after Miriamele," Josua told Sludig. "That is one less to hunt for. Go and see to the rest now. And post two guards at my tent, if you would. I will think better knowing that someone is watching over Vorzheva." The Rimmersman nodded. He commandeered a large portion of the soldiers who were milling aimlessly around Isgrimnur's camp and went off to do as he had been bid. "And now," Josua said to Isgrimnur, "we wait. And think." Before the hour was too much older, Aditu reappeared; Father Strangyeard and Binabik were with her. They had gone with the Sitha to make sure Camaris and Tiamak were resting comfortably in the care of one of New Gadrinsett's healing-women—and also, apparently, to talk, for they were all three deep in conversation when they reached Isgrimnur's tent. Aditu told Josua and the rest all the details of the night's events. She spoke calmly, but Isgrimnur could not help noticing that, although she chose her words with as much care as ever, the Sitha seemed profoundly troubled. She and Geloe had been friends, he knew: apparently the Sithi felt grief just as mortals did.

He liked her better for it, then dismissed the thought as unworthy. Why should immortals not take hurt like humans? From what Isgrimnur knew, they had certainly suffered at least as much. "So." Josua sat back and looked around the circle. "We have found no trace of anyone else being attacked. The question is, why did they single out Camaris?" "There must be something to this Three Swords rhyme after all," said Isgrimnur. He didn't like such things: they made him feel as though the ground beneath his feet was unsolid, but that seemed to be the kind of world he found himself in. It was hard not to yearn for the clean edge that things had when he was younger. Even the worst of matters, like war, terrible as it was, had not been so shot through with strange sorceries and mysterious enemies. 'They must have been after Camaris because of Thorn." "Or perhaps it was Thorn alone they were seeking for," Binabik said soberly. "And Camaris was not of the most importance." "I still do not understand how they were able almost to overcome him," Strangyeard said. "What is that poison you spoke of, Aditu?" "Kei-vishaa. In truth, it is not just a poison: we Gardenborn use it in the Grove when it is time to dance the year's end. But it can also be wielded to bring a long, heavy sleep. It was brought from Venyha Do'sae; my people used it when they first came here, to remove dangerous animals—some of them huge creatures... whose like have long passed from Osten Ard—from the places where we wished to build our cities. When I smelted it, I knew that something was wrong. We Zida'ya have never used it for anything except the year-dancing ceremonies." "How is it used there?" the archivist asked, fascinated. Aditu only lowered her eyes. "I am sorry, good Strangyeard, but that is not for me to say. I perhaps should not have mentioned it at all. I am tired." "We have no need to pry into your people's rituals," said Josua. "And we have more important things to speak of, in any case." He turned an irritated look on Strangyeard, who hung his head. "It is enough that we know how they were able to attack Camaris without his raising an alarm. We are lucky that Tiamak had the presence of mind to set the lent ablaze. From now on, we will be absolutely rigid in the arrangement of our camp. All who are in any way at risk will set their tents close together in the very center, so we all sleep within sight of each other. I blame myself for indulging Camaris' wish for solitude. I have taken my responsibilities too lightly." Isgrimnur frowned. "We must all be more careful." As the council turned to talk of what other precautions should be taken, Freosel appeared at the fireside. "Sorry, Highness, but the princess be not anywhere 'round her tent, nor did anyone see her since early." Josua was clearly upset. "Not there? Aedon preserve us, was Vorzheva right? Did they come for the princess after all?" He stood up. "I cannot sit here while she may be in danger.