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ld insist on it。 It's a matter of honor。〃 The prince drew himself up； glanced around at the two girls； and posed。 Bubbles burst into giggles； Raffa merely looked scornful。 Ronnie could not decide whether to laugh or scream。
〃Look；〃 he said； trying for reasonableness； 〃that whole thing is over。 Past。
Gone。 She's all yours； and I'm sorry I said anything； and I'll never bother you again； but …〃
〃You're not going to back out of a duel； are you？ That's …〃
Ronnie felt anger roll up from his gut to the top of his head in one refreshing wave。 〃I am not going to pretend to stick holes in you with a holographic sword because of a stupid quarrel over a stupid opera singer who is probably sleeping with both our younger brothers right this moment！ Can you get it through your skull that we are being hunted； by people with real weapons who want to kill us really dead？ We are … Bubbles and Raffa and George and I … and I am not playing your silly games any more。〃
〃Honor；〃 the prince said； 〃is not a game。〃
〃No；〃 said Ronnie more quietly。 〃You're right； it's not a game。 But my honor doesn't depend any more on the kind of things we got into in the regiment。 I have other claims on it now。〃
〃But what will I tell them when I get home？〃 the prince asked。
〃If you get home；〃 Bubbles said； 〃tell them you grew up。 If you did。〃
The prince shook that off and stroked his moustaches。 〃Well … if we're to rescue George； we'd better get on our way。 If you're convinced Lepescu is dangerous to you； how do you propose to get to Bandon？〃
〃Now what？〃 Cecelia asked。 〃We don't know where the captain is； we don't know where the cave is； and we don't have a flitter any more。〃
〃Now。。。 we think。〃 Heris rubbed the knot on her head。 She felt stupid； and she didn't like feeling stupid。 〃We can be reasonably sure Dussahral didn't put us down near the captain； but he might have put us down near Lepescu； if Lepescu needed a flitter to escape in。〃
〃Fine。〃 Cecelia looked thoroughly annoyed。 〃So now we've provided the villain a machina for his deus to e out of。〃
〃Not if we get back to it and use it ourselves；〃 Heris said。 〃Of course； explaining how all this happened might be tricky later … but we can worry
about that when the time es。 Nemesis； as well as helpful gods； arrived by air。〃
She led the way back downslope。 The streambed； she noted this time； had a lot of boot tracks in it or alongside。 Some went upstream； and some … not as many； she thought … went down。 She wasn't enough of a tracker to know when they had been made； though they looked fresh。
Cecelia stopped； and looked more closely。 〃Expensive boots；〃 she mented。
〃Look … that pair's Y and R。〃 That meant nothing to Heris； who let her expression speak for her。 〃Custom； high quality； and even higher prices；〃
Cecelia said。 〃These won't be the designated victims； nor even Ronnie's。 I saw most of his things； and his boots are Fierce…Simons。 Also expensive； but not quite as exclusive。 Might be George's； but the tracks are too fresh。〃
〃You can tell？〃 Heris asked。
〃I hunt；〃 Cecelia said； not looking up。 Her fingers hovered above first one print； then another。 〃Not the girls' boots； and not Ronnie's … that means a hunter's up there somewhere。〃
〃The way Dussahral was leading us；〃 Heris said。 〃Lepescu； I would bet。〃
〃You've noticed that two matching sets go that way and back … 〃 Cecelia pointed。 Heris hadn't noticed that； exactly； but she didn't explain her own ignorance。 〃Expensive； from hunting outfitters； but not as unusual as the Y and R pair。 One pair of Y and Rs going up； and not ing back； and an even fresher set of Dolstims going up。。。 two hunters； but not together。 Not long ago； either … within an hour。〃
〃So we go upstream？〃
Cecelia pursed her lips。 〃I'd say so。 Assuming that the men who went downstream wanted our flitter； they'd have it before we could get back。 And upstream。。。 I'm really curious。 I thought Y and R put this symbol〃 … she pointed at what looked to Heris like a squashed bug … 〃only on boots they made for the royal family。 Does your Admiral Lepescu have a habit of stealing shoes from princes？ Or does he pretend to be one？〃
〃It wouldn't surprise me；〃 Heris said。 She was past being surprised； she thought； who would have expected someone like Lady Cecelia to know much about tracking？ 〃Let's go find out。〃
She led the way upstream； weapon ready； all senses alert。 Was this another stupid idea； following the tracks so openly？ What they should be finding was the cave Ronnie and Bubbles might be in； or the militia captain。 But she went on； because after all the hunters were the danger here。 Anticipation shivered in her stomach。 Hunters all； she thought。 We're all dangerous。
All the hunters but two were safely dead： no threat。 He touched the canisters in his pocket lightly； careful not to depress the switches。 One only still menaced him； and that the most difficult to kill without reprisal。 But it had to be done； unless the man could somehow be made to kill the others； after that； blackmail would be easy。 It would be easiest to kill； and not attempt that … but he had always found the most difficult hunts the greatest pleasure。 Worth a try； anyway； and if he had to kill even that one； he would have no witnesses。
That broadcast from Bandon had startled him … shaken him； he would even admit to himself。 He wondered if the guards he'd left with the boy had turned against him。 One of them could be difficult。 At least his name had not been mentioned。 Perhaps the prisoner didn't know about him。 Soon no one would。
The prince led the way back to the cave entrance。 They hadn't been able to talk him out of it； although they had tried。 The argument had gone on longer than he'd expected。 The girls seemed to think their opinion should weigh equally with his own。 Bubbles had even threatened to shoot him； but when he pointed out that shooting a member of the royal family could be a serious offense； she had looked at Raffa and shrugged。 Of course she would not shoot him； now that she knew who he was； any more than he would have shot her。 One did not prey on one's own class。 And he was the right one to decide what to do； he was the prince； after all。 He felt only slightly nervous with the girls behind him carrying their weapons； he had insisted that they not carry loaded weapons； in case they stumbled。 He didn't want them to get in trouble for shooting him by accident； either。 Once they were outside； in the light； they could reload … though he hoped to dissuade them。 If Ronnie hadn't been so shaken （he felt sure that he； in a similar situation； would not have been a wet； shivering mess） he'd have had Ronnie carry one of the rifles； but as it was the girls were actually less dangerous than Ronnie。 As for any danger … he was sure there wouldn't be any real danger； not once he told Lepescu who they were … he could protect them himself。
Light shimmered and bounced from the surface of the pool； already it had gone down a few centimeters。 He squinted against what now seemed like glare； and never saw the figure that waited until it stepped out of the shadows to confront him。 He stared。 Who could that be； in a protective suit almost like a spacesuit； with a hunt