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itch had been taken in the fabric of the Wrannaman's vision。 Then the night was whole again。
The owl circled slowly for a moment where Geloe had been； then flew off； close above the wind…tossed grasses。 Its movements were stiff and awkward； and several times it seemed that it must lose the wind and fall tumbling to the earth； but its lurching flight continued until the night sky had swallowed it。
His head still full of murk and painful clangor； Tiamak slumped back。 He was not sure what he had seen； but he knew that something terrible had happened。 A great sadness lurked just out of his reach。 He was in no hurry to bring it closer。
What had been the thin sound of voices in the distance became a raucous shouting。 Legs moved past him； the night seemed suddenly full of movement。 There was a rush and sizzle of steam as someone threw a pail of water into the flames of what had been Camaris' tent。
A few moments later he felt Aditu's strong hands under his arms。 〃You will be trampled； brave marsh man；〃 she said into his ear； then pulled him farther away from the conflagration； into the cool darkness beside some tents untouched by the blaze。 She left him there； then returned shortly with a water skin。 The Sitha pressed it against his cracked lips until he understood what it was； then left him to drink…which he did； greedily。
A dark shadow loomed； then abruptly sank down beside him。 It was Camaris。 His silvery hair； like Aditu's； was scorched and blackened。 Haunted eyes stared from his ash…smeared face。 Tiamak handed him the water skin； then prodded him until he lifted it to his lips。
〃God have mercy on us 。。 。〃 Camaris croaked。 He stared dazedly at the spreading fires and the shouting mob that was trying to douse them。
Aditu returned and sat down beside them。 When Camaris offered her the water skin； she took it from him and downed a single swallow before handing it back。
〃Geloe。。。 ？〃 Tiamak asked。
Aditu shook her head。 〃Dying。 She has gone away。〃
〃Who 。。。〃 It was still hard to speak。 Tiamak almost did not want to； but he suddenly felt a desire to know； to have some reasons with which to balance off the terrible events。 He also needed something…words if nothing else…to fill the emptiness inside of him。 He took the skin bag from Camaris and moistened his throat。 〃Who was it。。。 ？〃
〃The Hikeda'ya；〃 she said； watching the efforts to quell the flames。 〃The Norns。 That was Utuk'ku's long arm that reached out tonight。〃
〃I 。。。 I tried to 。。。 to call for help。 But I couldn't。〃
Aditu nodded。 〃Kei…vishaa。 It is a sort of poison that floats on the wind。 It kills the voice for a time； and also brings sleep。〃 She looked at Camaris； who had leaned back against the tent wall that sheltered them。 His head was thrown back； his eyes closed。 〃I do not know how he stood against it for the time he did。 If he had not； we would have been too late。 Geloe's sacrifice would have been for nothing。〃 She turned to the Wrannaman。 〃You； too； Tiamak。 Things would have been different without your aid： you found Camaris' sword。 Also； the fire frightened them。 They knew they did not have much time； and that made them careless。 Otherwise； I think we would all be there still。〃 She indicated the burning tent。
Geloe's sacrifice。 Tiamak found his eyes filling with tears。 They stung。
She Who Waits to Take All Back； he prayed desperately； do not let her drift by！
He covered his face with his hands。 He did not want to think any more。
Josua ran faster。 When Isgrimnur caught him at last； the prince had already stopped to make sure that the fires were being mastered。 The original blaze had spread only a little way； catching perhaps a half…dozen other tents at most； and all but some in the first tent had escaped。 Sangfugol was one of them。 He stood； clothed only in a long shirt； and blearily watched the proceedings。
After assuring himself that everything possible was being done； Isgrimnur followed Josua to Camaris and the other two survivors； the Sitha…woman and little Tiamak； who were resting nearby。 They were all bloodied and singed； but Isgrimnur felt sure after looking them over quickly that they would all live。
〃Ah； praise merciful Aedon that you escaped。 Sir Camaris；〃 said Josua； kneeling at the side of the old knight。 〃I feared rightly that it might be your tent when we first saw the blaze。〃 He turned to Aditu； who seemed to have her wits about her； which could not quite be said of Camaris and the marsh man。 〃Who have we lost？ I am told there are bodies inside the tent still。〃
Aditu looked up。 〃Geloe； I fear。 She was badly wounded。 Dying。〃
〃God curse it！〃 Josua's voice cracked。 〃Cursed day！〃 He pulled a handful of grass and flung it down angrily。 With an effort； he calmed himself。 〃Is she still in there？ And who are the others？〃
〃They are none of them Geloe；〃 she said。 〃The three inside the tent are those you call Norns。 Geloe has gone to the forest。〃
〃What！〃 Josua sat back； stunned。 〃What do you mean； gone to the forest？ You said she was dead。〃
〃Dying。〃 Aditu spread her fingers。 〃She did not want us to see her last moments； I think。 She was strange； Josua…stranger than you know。 She went away。〃
〃Gone？〃
The Sitha nodded slowly。 〃Gone。〃
The prince made the sign of the Tree and bowed his head。 When he looked up； there were tears running on his cheek； Isgrimnur did not think they were caused by the smoke。 He； too； felt a shadow move over him as he thought of the loss of Geloe。 With so many pressing tasks he could not dwell on it now； but the duke knew from long experience in battle that it would strike him hard later。
〃We have been attacked in our very heart；〃 the prince said bitterly。 〃How did they get past the sentries？〃
〃The one I fought was dripping wet；〃 said Aditu。 〃They may have e down the river。〃
Josua swore。 〃We have been dangerously lax； and I am the worst miscreant。 I had thought it strange we had escaped the Norns' attentions so long； but my precautions were inadequate。 Were there more than those three？〃
〃I think there were no more；〃 Aditu replied。 〃And they would have been more than enough； but that we were lucky。 If Geloe and I had not guessed something was amiss； and if Tiamak had not somehow known and arrived when he did； this tale would have had a different ending。 I think they meant to lull Camaris； or at least to take him。〃
〃But why？〃 Josua looked at the old knight； then back to Aditu。
〃I do not know。 But let us carry him； and Tiamak； too； to some warm place。 Prince Josua。 Camaris has at least one wound； perhaps more； and Tiamak is burned； I think。〃
〃Aedon's mercy； you are right；〃 said Josua。 〃Thoughtless； thoughtless。 One moment。〃 He turned and called some of his soldiers together； then sent them off with orders for the sentries to search the camp。 〃We cannot be sure there were not more Norns or other attackers；〃 Josua said。 〃At the very least； we may find something to tell us how these came into our camp without being seen。〃
〃None of the Gardenborn are easily seen by mortals…if they do