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had made to the kitchen wench； the promise to save her； or even the silent vow he'd made to Chemoise and her father。 And； somehow； he felt； these mitments might offend the herbalist。 He glanced at the kitchen wench； who stood with hands folded； as if afraid to touch anything。
〃I'm a Runelord。 An Oath…Bound Lord。〃
〃Hmmm。。。〃 Binnesman muttered。 〃Good enough； I suppose。 You serve something greater than yourself。 And why are you here？ Why are you in Castle Sylvarresta now； instead of next week； when your father was scheduled to arrive？〃
Gaborn answered simply。 〃He sent me ahead。 He wanted me to see the kingdom； to fall in love with its land； with its people； as he had。〃
Binnesman nodded thoughtfully； stroking his beard。 〃And how do you like it？ How do you like this land？〃
Gaborn wanted to say that he admired it； that he found the kingdom beautiful； strong and almost flawless； but Binnesman spoke with a tone in his voice； a tone of such respect for the word 〃land；〃 that Gaborn sensed they were not speaking of the same thing。 Yet perhaps they were。 Was this garden not also part of Heredon？ Were not the exotic trees； gathered from far corners of the earth； part of Heredon？ 〃I have found it altogether admirable。〃
〃Humph；〃 Binnesman grunted； glancing around at the bushes； the trees。 〃This won't last the night。 The flameweavers； you see。 Theirs is a magic of destruction； mine a magic of preservation。 They serve fire； and their master will not let them resume human form unless they feed the flame。 What better food than this garden？〃
〃What of you？ Will they kill you？〃 Gaborn asked。
〃That。。。is not in their power；〃 Binnesman said。 〃We have reached a turning of the seasons。 Soon； my robes will turn red。〃
Gaborn wondered if he meant that literally。 The old man's robes were a deep green； the color of leaves in high summer。 Could they change color of themselves？ 〃You could e with me；〃 Gaborn offered。 〃I could help you escape。〃
Binnesman shook his head。 〃I've no need to run。 I have some skill as a physic。 Raj Ahten will want me to serve him。〃
〃Will you？〃
Binnesman whispered； 〃I've made other mitments。〃 He said the word 〃mitments〃 with that same odd inflection he used when speaking of the land。 〃But you； Gaborn Val Orden； must flee。〃
At that moment； Gaborn caught the sound of a distant barking； the snarling and raucous baying of war dogs。
Binnesman's eyes flickered。 〃Do not fear them。 The dogs cannot pass my barrier。 Those that try will die。〃
Binnesman had a certain sadness in his voice。 It pained him to kill the mastiffs。 He grunted； climbed up out of the stream； his shoulders sagging as if worried。 To Gaborn's surprise； the wizard stooped in the near total darkness； plucked a vine at the water's edge； and told Gaborn； 〃Roll up your right sleeve； I sense a festering wound。〃
Gaborn did as asked； and Binnesman set the leaves on the wound； held them in place with his hand。 Immediately the leaves began drawing out the heat and pain。 Gaborn carefully unrolled his sleeve； letting his shirt help hold the poultice in place。
As if making small talk； Binnesman asked both Gabon and the kitchen maid； 〃How do you feel？ Tired？ Anxious？ Are you hungry？〃
Binnesman began strolling through the meadow； and as he walked； he would stoop in the shadows and pluck a leaf here； a flower there。 Gaborn wondered how he could find them at all in the darkness； but it was as if the wizard had memorized their positions； knew exactly where each grew。
He rubbed Gaborn's feet with lemon thyme one moment； something spicier the next。 He stopped to pick three borage flowers； their blue leaves glowing faintly in the darkness； and gently took each five…petaled flower between his fingers； then pulled so that the black stamens remained with the petals。 He told Gaborn to eat the honeyed flower petals； and Gaborn did； feeling a sudden rush of calmness take him； a perfect fearlessness he'd never thought he could experience under such duress。
The herbalist fed several more borage flowers to the kitchen wench； gave her some rosemary to help fight fatigue。
Binnesman then strolled to a grassy slope； reached down and broke the stem of a flowering bush。 〃Eyebright；〃 he whispered； taking the stem。 A fragrant oily sap was dripping from it； and Binnesman drew a line over Gaborn's brows； another high up on his cheek。
Suddenly； the night shadows did not seem so deep； and Gaborn marveled。 He had endowments of sight to his credit； and could see fairly well in the dark； but he'd never imagined anything like this： it was as if the herbalist had added another half…dozen endowments in the matter of a moment。 Yet Gaborn recognized that he was not actually seeing more light。 Instead； it was as if； when he glanced at something that he might have been able to recognize after minutes of study and squinting in the darkness； he felt no strain； yet instantly discerned shapes and colors。
He looked off to the woods； saw a dark shape therea man hiding among the trees。 A tall man； in full armor。 Powerful。 If not for the eye…bright； he'd never have seen the man at all。 He wondered what the fellow might be doing； and yet。。。knew the fellow belonged。
When Binnesman finished administering the herb to the kitchen maid； he said softly to her。 〃Keep this stem in your pocket。 You may need to break it and apply fresh sap again before dawn。〃
Gaborn realized now that the herbalist was not just chatting about idle matters when asking how they felt； that perhaps this wizard never chatted about idle matters。 He was preparing Gaborn and the maid to flee in the darkness。 The ministrations of leaves rubbed over his skin would change his scent； throw off his trackers。 Other herbs would magnify his abilities。
This took less than three minutes； then the herbalist began asking more penetrating questions。 To the maid he asked； 〃Now how tired are you？ Did the borage make your heart race too fast？ I could give you skullcap； but I don't want to overtax you。〃
And sometimes he spoke quickly； gave Gaborn mands。
〃Keep this poppy seed in your pocket； chew it if you are wounded。 It will dull the pain。〃
He took them next to the edge of the wood； where three dark trees with twisted branches reared up like great beasts with twiggy fingers and mossy limbs； forming a dark hollow that enclosed a small glade。 Here； Gaborn felt smothered； constricted。 Something about the closeness of the trees gave a sense that he was being watched and judged and would shortly be dismissed。 The earth was all around him here； he feltin the soil beneath his feet； in the trees that surrounded him and nearly covered him。 He could smell it in the soil； in leaf mold； in the living trees。
Among many small shrubs that huddled on a hummock near the glade's center； Binnesman stopped。 〃Here we have rue；〃 he said。 〃Harvested at dawn； it has some medicinal and culinary value； but if you harvest just after the heat of the day； it is a powerful irritant。 Gaborn； if the hunters e at you from downwind； toss this into their eyes； or into a firethe smoke from such a fire is most dangerous。〃
Gaborn dared not touch it。 Even going near the bushes made his lungs feel constricted； his eyes water。 But Binnesm