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He caught her before she reached the handle； grasping her arm and pulling her smoothly around。 The heat of him was very close。 She averted her face； conscious of how foolish she must look； eyes red…rimmed and cheeks wet。 〃Please； my lord。 Let the monk go。〃
〃I know you must feel quite lost； pretty Marya；〃 Aspitis said softly。 〃Do not fear。 I promised that I would keep you safe。〃
She felt herself yielding； being pliant。 Her strength seemed to be draining away。 She was so tired of running and hiding。 She had only wanted someone to hold her； to make everything go away。。。
Miriamele shivered and pulled away。 〃No。 It is wrong。 Wrong！ If you do not let him go； I will not stay on this ship！〃 She pushed out through the door； stumbling blindly。
Aspitis caught her long before she reached the ladder to the deck。 The sea watcher Gan Itai was crooning quietly m the darkness above。
〃You are upset； Lady；〃 he said。 〃You must lie down； as you said yourself。〃
She struggled； but his grip was firm。 〃I demand that you release me！ I do not wish to stay here any longer。 I will go ashore and find my own passage from Vinitta。〃
〃No； my lady； you will not。〃
She gasped。 〃Let go of my arm。 You're hurting me。〃
Somewhere above； Gan Itai's song seemed to falter。
Aspitis leaned forward。 His face was very close to hers。 〃I think there are things that must be made clear between us。〃 He laughed shortly。 〃As a matter of fact； there is much for us to talk about…later。 You will go to your cabin now。 I will finish my supper and then e to you。〃
〃I won't go。〃
〃You will。〃
He said it with such quiet certainty that her angry reply caught in her throat as fear clutched her。 Aspitis pulled her close against him； then turned and forced her along the passageway。
The sea watcher's song had stopped。 Now it began again； rising and fading as Gan Itai murmured to the night and the quiet sea。
27
The Black Sledge
〃THEY are getting close；〃 Sludig gasped。 〃If your Farewell Stone is more than half a league from here； little man； we will have to turn and fight。〃
Shaking the water from his hood； Binabik leaned forward across Qantaqa's neck。 The wolfs tongue lolled and her sides heaved like a blacksmith's bellows。 They had been traveling without a stop since daybreak； fleeing through the storm…battered forest。
〃I wish I could be telling you that it is near； Sludig。 I do not know how much distance remains； but I fear it is most of a day's riding。〃 The troll stroked Qantaqa's sodden fur。 〃A brave run； old friend。〃 She ignored him； absorbed in drinking rainwater from the hollow stump of a tree。
〃The giants are hunting us；〃 Sludig said grimly。 〃They have developed a taste for man…meat。〃 He shook his head。 〃When we make our stand at last； some of them will regret that。〃
Binabik frowned。 〃I have too little size to be a satisfying morsel； so I will not waste their time by being caught。 That way； no one will be having regrets。〃
The Rimmersman steered his mount over to the stump。 Trembling with the cold； parched despite the pelting rain； the horse was heedless of the wolf a handsbreadth away。
As their steeds drank； a long rumbling howl lifted above the wind； blood…freezingly close。
〃Damn me！〃 Sludig spat； slapping his palm against his sword…hilt。 〃They are no farther behind us than they were an hour ago！ Do they run fast as horses？〃
〃Near to it it is seeming；〃 Binabik said。 〃I am thinking we should move deeper into the forest。 The thicker trees may slow them。〃
〃You thought getting off the flatlands would slow them； too；〃 Sludig said； reining his reluctant horse away from the hollow stump。
〃If we live； then you can be telling me all my incorrectness；〃 Binabik growled。 He took a tight grip on the thick fur that mantled Qantaqa's neck。 〃Now； unless you have been thinking of ways to fly； we should ride。〃
Another deep； coughing cry came down the wind。
Sludig's sword swished from side to side； clearing the brush as they pushed their way down the long； wooded slope。 〃My blade will be dull when I have greatest need；〃 he plained。
Binabik； who was leading the string of balking horses； tripped and fell to the muddy earth； then slid a short way down the hillside。 The horses milled nervously； confined to the path。 Sludig had hacked in the swarming undergrowth。 Struggling to keep his balance in the mud； the troll got up and tracked down the bridle of the lead horse。
〃Qinkipa of the Snows！ This storm is never…ending！〃
They took most of the noon hour to make their way down the slope。 It appeared that Binabik's reliance on the forest cover had been at least partially correct： the occasional howls of the Hunen became a little fainter； although they never faded pletely。 The forest appeared to be growing thinner。 The trees were still huge； but not as monumental as their kin that grew closer to Aldheorte's center。
The trees； alder and oak and tall hemlock； were garlanded in looping vines。 The grass and undergrowth grew thick； and even m this queerly cold season a few yellow and blue wildflowers lifted their heads up from the mud； bobbing beneath the heavy rain。 Had it not been for the torrent and the biting wind； this arm of the southern forest would have been a place of rare beauty。
They reached the base of the slope at last and clambered onto a low shelf of stone to scrape the worst of the mud from their boots and clothing before riding once more。 Sludig looked back up the hillside； then lifted a pointing finger。
〃Elysia's mercy； little man； look！〃
Far up the slope but still horribly near； a half…dozen white shapes were pushing their way through the foliage； long arms swinging like Nascadu apes。 One lifted its head； the face a black hole against the pale； shaggy fur。 A cry of thundering menace rang down the rainy hillside and Sludig's horse pranced in terror beneath him。
〃It is a race；〃 Binabik said。 His round； brown face had gone quite pale。 〃For this moment； they are having the best of it。〃
Qantaqa leaped from the shelf of stone； bearing the troll with her。 Sludig and his mount were just behind； leading the other horses。 Hooves drummed on the sodden ground。
In their haste and ill…suppressed fear； it was some while before they noticed that the ground； while still overgrown； had bee unusually flat。
They rode beside long…empty riverbeds that were now filled anew with rushing； foaming rainwater。 Here and there bits of root…gnawed stone stood along the banks； covered with centuries of moss and clinging vines。
〃These look like bridges； or the bones of broken buildings；〃 Sludig called as they rode。
〃They are；〃 Binabik replied 〃It means we are nearing our goal； I hope。 This is a place where once the Sithi had a great city。〃 He leaned forward； hugging Qantaqa's neck as she leaped over a fallen trunk。
〃Do you think it will keep the giants at bay？〃 Sludig asked。 〃You said that the diggers did not like the places that the Sithi lived。〃
〃They do not like the forest and the forest does not like them；〃 the troll said； gentling Qantaqa to a halt。 〃The giant Hunen seem to be having no such