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〃Then he is not a churl。〃 Her tone was a frosted dagger。
Dirk shook his head。
Her voice trembled with rage。 〃Why did you bring him？〃
〃I didn't。〃 Dirk looked into her eyes。 〃He brought himself here； and just latched onto me。 For my part； I thought it was better to have him where I could watch him； than to take a chance on his joining the Lords。〃
She glared back at him； then her lips twisted wryly； and she nodded reluctantly。 〃Yes。 I suppose you're right。。。 But now the Lords have him。〃
Dirk nodded。 〃We'll have to do something about that。〃
〃Can he be trusted not to tell what he knows？〃
〃As to that；〃 Dirk said slowly； 〃we should be finding out wry soon now。。。。 I think he can。〃
〃Why should he？ This is not his fight！〃
〃He's made it his。 And there's something about him。。。〃
Her frown turned to brooding。 〃Yes。 He is strange。〃
〃He's no novice with the quarterstaff；〃 Dirk said slowly。 〃You don't expect a rich man's son to be skilled with a churl's weapon。 And he claims to have been here for a month； sure a Sniffer would've found him out in that much time。〃
〃How did he escape them？〃
〃Yes。〃 Dirk leaned back on one elbow； slowly and carefully。 〃And how did he just happen to be near here when I； uh； came down from the sky？ Sure； given that he was around here； I can understand how he could've figured out where to find me…but why was he here； and not fifty miles away？〃
Her brooding sharpened into suspicion。 〃This is a strange visitor you have taken up with； sky…man。〃
〃Dirk；〃 he said absently； turning to look at her。 Then he smiled bleakly。 〃You might want to make yourself decent。〃
She looked down。 Her eyes widened。 She caught up the remains of her blouse and pressed them to her。
But Dirk wasn't watching； he was frowning； looking off into the leaves。 〃I had a strange dream while I was out。。。〃
〃I trust I wasn't in it。〃 She knotted the ends of the rags around her neck。
Dirk shook his head。 〃Just a huge white face； with blue…green eyes and floating white hair。 He said he was the Wizard of the Far Tower。〃
Madelon froze； her eyes widening。
〃Yes。〃 Dirk turned to her； nodding gravely。 〃DeCade's Wizard。〃
〃Who shall return；〃 she whispered； 〃when the time has e to tear down the Lords！〃
They were both silent； the words of the Lay running through their minds；
For when my far towers drop down from the skies；
And DeCade calls you out； then all churls； arise！
Dirk shrugged off the mood。 〃Only a dream。 We can't hope for magical help； we'll have to do it ourselves。〃
〃Per…〃 Her voice broke； she moistened her Ups。 〃Perhaps not。 There have been rumors…〃
〃Of what？ You're not going to try to tell me the Wizard's been seen； he's been dead for five hundred years。 I should know。 His name was Nathaniel Carlsen； he founded our pany； and…〃 He broke off； his eyes widening。 〃Of course。。。〃
For when my far towers drop down from the skies。。。
Towers from far away； dropping down…our gigs and ships！
Flareships dropping down from the skies！〃
〃You see；〃 she whispered； 〃the rumors are true！ He is moving again！〃
〃Only his spirit；〃 Dirk said irritably； 〃his Dream and his Plan。 The man himself is dead！〃
〃But rumor says he walks again among us。 And DeCade is dead； too； but he shall rise again； to lead us。〃
Dirk clenched his jaw in anger； it gave him the strength to force himself to his feet in spite of the pain。 〃Your living； human leaders are quite capable of running a successful rebellion by themselves； without supernatural aid…and it's my job to find them and find out what they want us to do！〃
Madelon started to answer； but the underbrush rustled； and they both whirled around。
A Fanner stepped out from the leaves； broad and massive…but with a lurking apprehension in his eyes； and something like awe。 〃You were dead；〃 he whispered。
Dirk stared。
Then he leaned back on his staff； head cocked to the side。 〃Oh； were we； now？ Seems nobody bothered to tell us！〃
〃The Soldiers felt for your pulse； they held the feather to your lips；〃 the Farmer said doggedly。 〃You were dead。〃
Dirk suddenly got the point。 〃But Gar…the big man who was with us…he was alive？〃
The Farmer nodded。 〃Alive； and awake…though he was bleeding badly。 They took him away to the castle； and the Soldiers bade us throw your bodies on the dunghill。 But we did not。 We bore you away to the forest； here； to e back and bury you properly； at night。。。〃
Madelon nodded。 〃That was fortunate for us。 You did well。〃
〃Very；〃 Dirk agreed。 〃And thanks for the offer； but we don't really need the burial。〃
〃But your friend must be rescued。〃 Madelon stood； turned to the Farmer。 〃How can we get into the castle？〃
The Farmer stood impassive； only his eyes widening at the impudence of her words； and the danger。
Then he nodded slowly。 〃My sister's husband's cousin's son is a Butler； he is a footman there。 I shall ask a man who shall ask。〃
Madelon nodded curtly。 Then she remembered her manners and gave him a dazzling smile。 〃Do so。〃
The Farmer nodded； turned away。
〃And good Farmer…〃 She boosted the smile a few degrees Kelvin。 〃Thank you。〃
The Farmer looked back； nodded。 〃The word shall run；〃 he whispered。 〃It has begun。 The dead have e alive。。。〃
Then he was gone。 Dirk stood staring after him； stupefied。
Then he turned angrily on Madelon。 〃There！ You see how rumors begin？ In two days it'll be all over the kingdom as some sort of supernatural miracle！ And all it was； was。。。〃
Madelon raised her eyebrows politely； waiting。
〃Just a simple case of suspended animation；〃 Dirk finished weakly。 〃Uh 。。。 Just that。。。〃
〃And pray； sir； how was this done？〃
Dirk turned away with a snarl。
〃You dreamed of the Wizard；〃 she reminded。
〃Coincidence；〃 Dirk snapped。
She watched him a moment； then turned away； smiling gently。
But Dirk didn't notice； he was carefully avoiding her eyes。
Damn it； there was no reason for him to feel like a fool。 Suspended animation was a mon phenomenon； it happened to billions of animals every winter！ It even happened to people occasionally； they called it 〃catalepsy；〃 or something like that。
But it didn't happen to two people at the same time in the same place…did it？
He shrugged it off。 It was just a coincidence…but why did that word have a superstitious ring to it； suddenly？
Somehow； without any reason for it he had a hunch Gar would answer that question。
The Farmer came back as dusk was blurring the forest。 〃He is in the dungeons；〃 he explained； 〃and had not yet been harmed； an hour ago。 The Question waits for a visiting lord。〃
Dirk frowned； that had a very ominous ring。 〃You mean they won't start till the guest gets there？〃
The Farmer nodded。
〃Lord Core；〃 Dirk said thickly。 〃Name your odds…it's Lord Core。〃
Madelon frowned。 〃Why should it be？〃
Dirk shrugged。 〃He's Privy Councilor…and he was at the field where the sky…ships land； warning us not to try dropping any