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ornoth shook his head。 〃He never gave up； either…but I don't think he believed we would ever get away。〃
〃We wouldn't have； if not for him；〃 Isorn said。 〃He's another mark on the list。〃
〃List？〃
〃The list of what is owed to our enemies…to Skali and Elias and all the rest。〃 Isorn's broad face was grim。 〃We owe them a blood feud。 Someday； they will pay for what they did。 And when it happens； Einskaldir will be watching in heaven。 And laughing。〃
Deornoth could think of nothing to say。 If Einskaldir could watch battles from heaven； he would be laughing。 For all his piety； it seemed a shame that Einskaldir had missed the old pagan days of Rimmersgard； and would instead be forced to spend his eternity m the quieter environs of Aedon's paradise。
As the others milled about； Vorzheva said a quiet word to Duchess Gutrun； then walked down the short slope and onto the damp meadow。
She moved as if in a kind of dream； her eyes fixed on nothing； her track aimless and elliptical as she made her way through the damp grasses 〃Vorzheva；〃 Josua called； his voice sharper than usual； 〃do not go alone。 The mist is very thick and you would soon be out of sight。〃
〃She would have to go very far before she would be out of earshot； Prince Josua；〃 said Duchess Gutrun； leading Towser with a gentle hand on his elbow。
〃That may be；〃 Josua said； 〃but I would prefer we were not stumbling through the fog； shouting our presence to any listening ears。 Surely you have not so soon forgotten our escort from Naglimund。〃
Gutrun shook her head in dismay； conceding the point。 Vorzheva； seemingly oblivious to the discussion； was now only a dim upright shape slipping through the mists like a ghost。
〃Damn her forwardness；〃 Josua said grimly； staring after her。
〃I will go with her；〃 Geloe turned to Gutrun。 〃Keep the child close to you； please。〃 She pointed Leieth in the general direction of the duchess； then strode off after the fast…fading Vorzheva。
Josua watched her go； then laughed unhappily。 〃If this is the way I mand a kingdom of nine or ten；〃 he told Deornoth； 〃then my brother can rest easily on the Dragonbone Chair。 People used to beg to do my father John's bidding。〃
Even his queen？ Deornoth wondered； but he did not say it。 He watched the dark shape of Geloe catch up to the wraith that was Vorzheva。 If you have a proud and headstrong woman； you would be better off not to judge your success by her obedience。
〃Please； my lord；〃 he said instead； 〃do not speak ill of yourself。 You are hungry and tired and cold。 Let me build a fire。〃
〃No； Deornoth。〃Josua rubbed the stump of his wrist as though it hurt。 〃We will not stay so long。〃 He turned to look back at the forest fringe and the gaping shadows that lined it。 〃We must move farther before we do more than pause to rest。 We will stop somewhere that puts us in open ground on all sides。 At least then； even though we are exposed； anything that stalks us will be exposed as well。〃
〃A happy thought；〃 grunted Sangfugol from his seat on the turf。 〃S'truth； but we are a merry band of pilgrims。〃
〃Pilgrims on the road through hell cannot afford too much merriment；〃 Josua said。 He strode a little way out onto the greensward to stand by himself in thought。
〃Then why don't you tell him？〃 There was exasperation in Geloe's voice； but her hawk…yellow eyes betrayed little emotion。 〃By bough and branch； Vorzheva； you are not a young girl； you are a woman。 Why do you carry on so？〃
Vorzheva's eyes were moist。 〃I do not know。 I cannot understand him。〃
Geloe shook her head。 〃I cannot understand any of you。 I have spent little of my life with human folk； and it is because of this ridiculous uncertainty…'I want this； I do not want that。。。' The animals are more sensible； it seems to me。 They do what they must and do not fret over what cannot be changed。〃 The witch woman laid a callused hand on Vorzheva's arm。 〃Why do you worry so about things that do not matter？ Prince Josua obviously cares for you。 Why do you not tell him the truth？〃
Her panion sighed。 〃He thinks me a foolish wagon…girl。 It makes him cold to me。 If I tell him； it will only be worse。。。 I am sorry。〃 She angrily wiped at her face with her tattered sleeve。 〃It was seeing the Feluwelt again…that is what my people call this place； where the meadow runs in the forest's shadow。 It brought many memories to my mind； and made me unhappy。 〃
〃Valada Geloe？〃 It was Father Strangyeard's voice； sourceless in the mist； but quite near。 〃Are you there？ Valada Geloe？〃
A little frustration showed itself on Geloe's stern face。 〃Here； Strangyeard。 Is anything wrong？〃
The archivist appeared； a lanky； flapping shape materializing from gray obscurity。 〃No； no； I just wanted to。。。〃 He stopped； staring at Vorzheva's tear…stained face。 〃Oh。 Oh； I'm so terribly sorry。 How rude of me。 I will leave you。〃 He turned to lurch off into the mist once more。
〃Don't go！〃 Strangely； it was Vorzheva who spoke。 〃Do not leave us； Father。 Walk with us。 〃
Strangyeard looked at her； then to Geloe。 〃I do not wish to intrude； Lady。 I fear I was thinking only of something I found in Morgenes' book。 〃 Eyepatch askew； thin fringe of reddish hair curling in the damp； he looked like a startled woodpecker。 He seemed about to bolt once more； but the witch woman raised a calming hand。
〃Walk with us； Strangyeard； as Vorzheva said。 Perhaps your need is one for which my talents are better suited。〃 The priest looked at her nervously。 〃e。 We will walk back toward the others as we talk。〃
Strangyeard was still carrying the loose sheaves of Morgenes' book in his hand； after a few silent paces he began to leaf through them。 〃I'm afraid I've lost the section；〃 he said； shuffling the parchments。 〃I thought it might be significant…it was a bit about magic…The Art； that's what Morgenes called it。 I'm amazed by the things he knew； quite amazed。。。 I would never have dreamt。。。 〃 A triumphant smile came to his face。 〃Here it is。 〃 He squinted。 〃Wonderful way with words。 〃
They walked several more paces in silence。 〃Will you read？〃 Geloe asked at last。
〃Oh！ Of course。〃 Strangyeard cleared his throat。
〃。。。In truth； articles useful to The Art seem to fall into two broad categories；〃 the pnest began； 〃those whose worth is bound in themselves； and those whose worth is bound in their derivation。 In contradiction to popular superstition； an herb gathered in a graveyard is not generally useful because it came from such a place； but rather because of the herb itself。 Since a graveyard may be the only place that herb is found； the connection bees established and is then almost impossible to disentangle。
〃The other category of useful objects are usually 'made' objects； and their virtue is in their shaping or their raw beginnings。 The Sithi； who have long possessed secrets of crafting hidden from mortals； made many things whose creation itself was a practice of The Art…although the Sithi would not exactly term it so。 Thus； the virtue of these objects is in their making。 The famous arrows of Vindaomeyo are an example： carved from mon wood and fletched with the feathers of ordinary birds； yet each one is a