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So I went onto the pinnacle once more to watch the pact circle of wagons near the cinereous walls。 The animals were unhitched and led away to a patch of tall meadow grass near the bottom of the long slope。 Mavin watched the animals with curious intensity。 Until that moment I had given no thought as to what guise my cousins had taken in Nap's train。 Now her focused gaze told me where they were and in what shape。 A pair of oxen grazed away from the others； toward a stony place heavy with obscuring shadows； grazed around； behind them； and was gone。 A rustle among small trees marked their passage。
〃They will be here momentarily；〃 she said with satisfaction。 〃Perhaps we may learn something There was the sound of plodding on the trail； silence； and then they appeared around the high stone； precisely as I remembered them。 Broad…faced； red…haired； with grins of the same width on lips of the same shape。 One of them had an interesting scar over one eye。 Otherwise they were identical。 The scarred one pointed to his identifying mark。
〃Swolwys；〃 he said。 〃I keep the scar to make it easier for others to address me by name。 It is easier than Shifting into something unique。〃
〃Our similarity is uniqueness enough；〃 said the other。 〃Why should we not be known for that fact as well as any other？ I am Dolwys。 Those mental midgets in the wagon train did not even notice that they had two identical water oxen。 We did it to see if they were alert。 They are not； or at least； not very。 They even believed you dead； Cousin Peter。〃
I swallowed。 They looked very young to be so insouciant； younger even than I。 〃I take it you were not convinced。〃
Swolwys considered this。 〃Ah； had we not known who and what you are； it is possible we would have been taken in。 It was very well done。 Except that we could not figure out why you did not simply Shift and slide away。〃
〃There was a woman in the train；〃 I said。
〃Ah；〃 said Dolwys。 〃Izia。〃
〃Lovely Izia；〃 mented his twin。 〃Not a type attractive to me； but still； fair。 Very fair。〃
Mavin's head had e up like a questing fustigar's。 〃A woman？ What is she to you？〃
〃She is nothing to me。〃 I laughed； somewhat bitterly。 〃Why this concern？ She is a pawn； a servant。 She is in durance； held unwillingly； captive by some device I have not seen or heard of before。 Boots。 Metal boots； high on the leg； which grow hot at Nap's will。 Had I simply vanished； Nap might have thought the woman involved in my disappearance； for I had been stupid enough to let him see me watching her。 As you say； she is very fair。〃
〃But she is nothing to you？〃
I began to bridle at this repeated question。 〃Not quite nothing； no！ She is a captive。 As were those in Castle Lament。 I have told you my feelings about such matters。〃
〃Ah。 Well。 Perhaps we can do something about it。〃
At that moment； I was glad there was no Demon among them。 I had not been able to say she was nothing to me with an honest heart。 She was a good deal to me； and the fact that she was now almost within reach of my voice made me tremble。 Izia。 I could not leave her to Nap's malevolence。 I would have to find a way to free her。 I did not understand the pulsion； for it was not merely pity； but I weled it as I now supposed I had weled Sylbie and Castle Lament。 They were all problems； problems to be solved； wrongs to be righted。 I thought again of Windlow's curious word： Justice。 It was odd how many satisfying things could be done under that rubric。 So； I ruminated while my cousins and mother leaned upon the stone to watch the wagons below。
'There；〃 whispered Mavin。 〃Nap has decided to wait until morning to enter the Blot。〃 It was true。 The camp had settled； Nap was seated beside his fire as others moved about the endless duties of the train。 I saw Izia at once； moving among the animals； searching for the missing pair； her skirted figure plain among the trousered ones of the men； all walking with that strange hesitation which I now； too well； understood。
〃Is there some way we can free them？〃 I asked the twins。 〃From Nap； or from the boots？〃
〃If it bees important； we must find a way；〃 said Swolwys。 〃However； those boots are locked on in a way we do not understand。 I have heard Nap say that an Elator in those boots could not move out of them。 A Tragamor could not move them from himself。 A Shifter could not change out of them。 They transcend Talent； so says Nap。 Nap controls them； but he must return to the Blot every season to have that power renewed。 It is growing weaker even now； and I think it is only that which brings him back to the Blot。 Without his power； control of his servants wanes。 The last day or two we have seen indications of rebellion among the pawns； particularly the newest ones。 We went far to the south； you know； looking for you； I suppose； cousin。 We stopped near the Bright Demesne。 You were not there； but Nap bought pawns from a pawner； young； strong ones who look at him with mutiny in their eyes。〃
〃Izia？ Is she likely to mutiny？〃
〃No。 Nap has had her since she was a child。 He taunts her with that fact。 He tells her that she was sold to him by a Shifter because she was worthless； that only Nap's kindness and forbearance have kept her alive these years。 He has had her in the boots since she was seven or eight years old； for ten years； at least。 Those years have bent her。 She does not mutiny。 She scarcely lives。〃
〃Why does he hold her so？ Why？〃
The twins gave me a curious look； and Mavin speared me with one of her imperious stares； but Swolwys replied readily enough。 〃She es of a line of horsebreeders and farmers from the South。 Skill with animals is bred into that line as Talent is with us。 She can do anything with horses； with almost any animal； and she is worth a thousand times her price to Nap。 Also； she is fair。〃
I did not want to hear about that。 The thought of her in Nap's sleazy embrace was more than I could bear。 〃What now？〃 I asked。
'Now you will take Swolwys' place；〃 said Mavin。 〃You will go down to Nap's camp。 We need to know what happens inside those walls on the morrow。〃 She gave me another look； daring me to disagree； but I had no thought of that。 No； I would have begged to go。 I needed to see that Izia still lived 。。。 as I remembered her。
7。 The Blot
I was accepted among the water oxen as a water ox； that is； after I had laid hands upon the real beast enough to know how one was made。 I had already learned it was easier to bee something entirely imaginary than to bee something which had a recognized form and movement of its own。 Thus； for the first few hours of wateroxship； it was necessary to admonish myself to keep my head down； my tail in motion against the flies； my floppy feet out from under one another。 Being a fustigar had been easier for me； once； but then I had seen fustigars every day of my life。 Water oxen were more rural animals； certainly smellier ones。 Dolwys whispered to me that I could stop monitoring my own behavior when the smell no longer seemed foreign。 It did not take as long as I had expected。
I learned in the transformation to pick up bulk； a thing I had not known before。 At first inert； as one maintained a form the excess bulk became incorporated gradually