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She sent Finn a significant look of triumph。
〃I do not stay。 I go home。。； with Carillon。〃
Finn scowled blackly up at mem。 Carillon； smiling oddly； tapped his sword hilt。 〃Another time； shapechanger。〃 He spun the chestnut and sent him leaping back the way he had e。
Alix； clinging to him； saw with horror me carnage as they passed； liveried guardsmen lay scattered through me forest； some displaying me marks of beasts。 She shuddered and pressed her…self against Carillon's back； sickened by the results of me forest battle。
Carillon's horse broke into a clearing and galloped across a
lush meadow。 The edge of the forest fell behind them； and with it die grim toll of dead。
**I said I would e；〃 Carillon said above the sound of pounding hooves。
〃So many are slain。。。〃 she said。
〃The MuJhar's vengeance。〃
Alix swallowed and put a hand to her tangled； blood…matted hair。 〃I saw only slain guardsmen。 Carillon。 There were no Cheysuli。〃
She fete him stiffen and expected a curt reply； but the prince said nothing。 The golden hilt of his sword pressed against her left arm as she hung on； and she stared at its huge ruby and the golden Homanan lion crest in wonder。
Hole's sword。。。 she whispered within her mind。 My father？
A hawk broke free of the trees and flew to catch them。 It circled over mem； drifted a moment； men drove closer。 The warhorse； shying as me bird neared his bead； plunged sideways。
Alix saw me hawk as it streaked by mem； circling to return； it was me smaller one she had conversed with in the forest； and she nearly fell from me plunging horse as her grip loosened in shock。 Carillon； cursing； tried to rein the stallion into control。
The hawk drove close again； wings snapping against the horse's head。 Alix felt me smooth hindquarters bunch and slide from beneath her； though she grabbed at Carillon's leather doublet。 She cried out and tumbled awkwardly to me ground。
Carillon called her name but the frightened horse would not allow him to approach。 The prince wrestled with the reins； muttering dire threats under his bream； but Alix saw no good e of his words。 She sat up dazedly and fingered the lump on me back of her head。
Stay with me； the bird said。 Stay。
〃Let me go！〃 she cried； getting unsteadily to her feet。
Stay。
〃No！〃
/ ask； small one。 I am not Finn； who takes。 The bird hesitated。
/ ask。 〃
Realization flooded her。 〃Duncan！'
Stay with me。
〃Duncan。。。 let me go with him。 It is what I want。〃
It does not serve the prophecy。
〃It is not my prophecy！〃 she cried； lifting a fist into the air。
〃It is not mine！〃
And the tahlmorra？
Alix was conscious Carillon had calmed the warhorse somewhat。
Tile prince jumped off Die chestnut and dragged him behind； crossing to her with long steps。
〃Alix！〃
She stared at the hawk drifting idly in the sky。 〃It is not my
prophecy；〃 she said； more quietly。 〃Nor is it my tahinwrra。1'
But it is mine。；。
Alix turned to Carillon； shoving tangled loose hair out of her face。 〃I go with you。 If you can keep your horse in check； I will stay aboard。〃
She saw questions in his eyes but he did not ask mem。
Eloquently； silently； he gestured toward the hawk。
Alix stared up at it； aware of a sensation of regret。 〃If you would stop me； shapechanger； you must do as your brother… And to do mat earns you my enmity。〃
The bird paused in mid flight。 That； it said after a moment； is not entirely what I seek。
〃Then let me go。〃
The hawk said nothing more。 It circled a last time； men soared higher into the sky and flew away。
CariUon touched her shoulder。 〃Alix？〃
Strangely defeated and somehow bereft； she turned to him。 She spread her hands。 〃You may take me to Homana…Mujhar； my lord； and to my grandsire。〃
His hand tightened on her shoulder。 〃I have warned you what he may feel when he sees you。〃
She smiled grimly through her dirt and blood stains。 〃I will take that chance。〃
Carillon caught her waist and swung her up on me quieted horse。 He put her in the saddle and she clutched at it； surprised。 He mounted behind her and took up the reins； setting his arms around her waist。
〃I think the Mujhar may find his granddaughter is no simple crofter's child。〃
Alix smiled wearily as me stallion moved on。 〃He raised a willful daughter。 Let him see how that spirit serves Undir's child。〃
BOOK II
〃The Mei jha〃
Chapter One
Carillon took Alix first to the croft so she could see Torrin and show him she was well… As they rode down the hills into tfae valley Alix had known all her life； she felt a strange sense of bomeing mixed with loneliness。 Her relief at seeing the lush valley again was tinged with sadness and regret； for she realized her few days with the Cheysuli had altered her perceptions forever。
〃It seems odd；〃 Carillon said quietly as he guided the chest…nut toward the stone crofter's cottage built along the treeline。
〃Odd？〃
〃Torrin lived among the halls of Homana…Mujhar。 privy to much of Shaine's confidences。 Yet he gave it up to work the land like a tenant…crofter owing yearly rents to his lord。〃
Alix； slumped wearily in the saddle； nodded。 〃My father＋〃 She broke off； then continued in a subtly altered tone。 〃Torrin has ever been a man of deepness and dark silences。 I begin to see why； I think。〃
〃If the story is true； he has carried a burden on his soul for many years。〃
Alix straightened as the whitewashed door of the croft squeaked open。 Torrin came out and stood staring as Carillon took the horse in to him。
〃By me gods。。；〃 Torrin said hoarsely； 〃I thought you taken by beasts； Alix。〃
She； seeing him through different eyes； marked the seams of age in his worn face and the dunning of his graying hair cropped close against his head。 His hands； once so powerful； had callused and gnarled with crofter's work over the years； so different from an arms…master's craft。 Even his broad shoulders had shrunk； falling in as if the weight of me realm rested on mem。
What manner of man was he before he took me from the Mujhar？ she wondered。 What has this burden done to him？
Alix slid free of the horse as Carillon halted him。 standing straight and tall before the man she had called father all her life。 Then she put out her hand。 palm up； and spread her fingers。
〃Know you what this is？〃 she asked softly。
Torrin stared transfixed at her hand。 Color leached from his
weatber…bumed face until he resembled little more than a dead man with glistening eyes。
〃Alix。。。〃 he said gently。 〃Alix； I could not tell you。 I feared to lose you to them。〃
〃But I have e back。〃 she said。 〃I have been with mem； and I have e back。〃
He aged before her eyes。 〃I could not tell you。〃
Carillon stepped off his horse and walked slowly forward； skin stretched taut across the bones of his face。 〃Then it is true； this shapechanger tale。 Lindir went willingly； forsaking the betrothal because of Shaine's liege man。〃
Tomn sighed and ran a gnarled hand through his hair。 〃It was a long time ago。 I have put much of it away。 But I see you must know it； now。〃 He smiled a little。 〃My lord prince； when last I saw you； you were but a year old。 It is hard to believe that squalling infant has bee a man。〃
Ali