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I will even prove it to you。〃
She moved as if to get up。 Duncan； rising rapidly from his
cross…legged position as he dropped this tools； reached her bed
and stood over her。 〃You go nowhere； cheysula。 until you are
*I am better。〃
〃Better than you are now。〃 He grinned； 〃it will not be long； I think。〃
She settled back against the furs。 〃I am not lying。 Ask； Cai。
He and Stem taught me bow to do it。〃
Duncan dropped to his knees beside her。 〃Is this true？ Alix； you are unique enough that you converse with the lir。 Can you truly assume Jir…shape as well？〃
〃Aye；〃 she said softly。
He sank back OB his heels。 〃But this has not been done for centuries。 Our history says once all Cheysuli could assume any fir…shape； but since before my grandsire's time this was only done by men。 And then only when bonded by a single Ur。 It was the Firstborn who had the old abilities。〃
〃Those who made me prophecy。〃
〃Aye；〃 he said absently； eyes clouded with thought。 〃The Firstborn took any fir…shape at will； and conversed with them all。 But their blood has been gone from us for a long time。〃 He looked at her sharply。 〃Unless； somehow； you have a measure of it。〃 Duncan got to his feet rapidly； startling her。 〃I will be back。〃
Alix stared after him； baffled by his sudden withdrawal； but she assumed he knew what be was doing。 She pulled the blanket higher around her shoulders and snuggled down against me pallet； drowsily content。 But part of her was still amazed at roe new course her life had taken。
Duncan returned with a Cheysuli Alix did not know； a much older man whose hair was pure white and held back by a slender bronze fillet。 Alix； struggling to sit upright again； saw be did not wear the leather of me warriors； instead he clothed himself in a fine white wool robe。 clasped with a leather belt mounted with bronze platelets。 Like Raissa。 he wore silver bells at his belt dial seat a shiver of sound through the pavilion whenever he moved。
Alix sent a puzzled glance at Duncan； who gestured with all deference for the man to seat himself on a brown bear pelt placed before the small fire caim。 The man did so with great dignity； carefully settling brittle bones into a fortable position。 He put a rolled deerskin on me pelt before him and waited。
Duncan sat down at Aim's side。 〃This is me shar tahi。 He keeps me rituals and traditions for the clan； and passes me history down to each generation。 Each child born learns his ancestors and what has gone before from this man。 You have e late to your clan； but you are here now； and he will tell you what you must know。〃 He smiled faintly。 〃He may also nave the answer to my question。〃
The shar tahl nodded to her； then untied the rolled deerskin。 &
soft and supple； bleached white as snow； and as it unrolled re him Alix saw the runic symbols and lines twisting on the of the pavilion like a snake。 He tapped me deerskin with a rted finger。
**Your birthline；〃 be said。 〃You are here as surely as your
Xturn； and his jehan before him。〃 The finger moved。 **AH the wy back to the Firstborn。〃
〃But what does it mean？** she asked softly。 His finger moved off the main line of runes and traced a BCond line； like the branch of a tree。 Alix followed the move…lent until it stopped。 The finger tapped again。 〃There。〃
〃Where？〃 she asked。
He looked at her sternly from rheumy yellow eyes。 〃There。 be answer lies there。〃
She looked helplessly at Duncan。 He maintained his solemn tan…leader demeanor； though she had e to know he had ashes of Finn…like irreverence。 He simply kept it quieter。 〃If you know so little of your clan； you had best e to me w instruction。〃 the shar tahl intoned。
Alix nodded meekly。 〃I will leam。〃
The shar tahl touched a red symbol gone dark with age。 〃It is
ere in the birthline。 Five generations ago the Mujhar took a
Cheysuli mei jha； whose clan was so pure it could name mem…
bers of the Firstborn as direct ancestors。 AU could assume fir…
ahape。 even the women。〃 His thin shoulders stiffened。 〃That
dan has since been destroyed by roe qu'mahlin。〃
Alix ignored his controlled bitterness； counting back in her
head。 Then she shot the shar tahi a startled glance。 〃Shame's
great…great grandsire？〃
〃The woman who was mei jha to a Mujhar bore trim a
daughter。 She was raised at Homana…Mujhar and wed to a for…
cagn princeling； from Erinn… Shaine the Mujhar first took an
X'Erinnish princess to wife； and so the blood came back。〃
I… 〃Then I am Cheysuli on both sides。〃 Alix sat upright。 〃There
is Cheysuli blood in Shaine！'*
〃it has been thinned；〃 the shar tahl said firmly。 〃Marriage； with foreigners has overe any Cheysuli traits left。'* He pushed。 a wisp of white hair from this brow。 〃it is roe women who have done this。 It is in their blood。 EUinda bore Lindir； who has gifted； you with the Old Blood long lost to us all。〃
Duncan touched her shoulder and pressed her down upon the
fitts。 〃Perhaps Lindir； unknowing； had her own tahlmorra。 Per
haps Hale did not forsake his face for a Homanan princess； but
followed what the gods have set for us。〃 He smiled。 〃If Lindir has passed this gift to you； you can bring it back into our dan。〃
She sank back。 〃I do not understand。〃
The shor tohl； surprising her； smiled。 〃It is time you learned me prophecy。 If you will be silent； I will tell it to you。〃
She felt Duncan's silent amusement and shot him a grimace of resentment。 But she settled herself upon the pallet and nodded at the old man。
〃I am more than ready。〃
He sat upright before her； aged yellow eyes taking on me brightness of youth and wisdom。 〃Once； centuries ago； Homana was a Cheysuli place。 This land was gifted to us by the Firstborn； who were sired by the old gods。 Do you hear me？〃
〃1 hear；〃 she said softly。
〃The Cheysuli ruled Homana。 it was they who built Mujhara and the palace of Homana…Mujhar。 It was die Cheysuli who held sovereignty over all men。〃
〃But the Mujhars are Homanan！〃
He fixed her with a stem glare。 〃If you will hear me； you must listen。〃
She subsided； chastened。
〃Mujhar itself is a Cneysuli word。 So is Homana。 This was our place long before it came into the hands of the Homanans。〃
Alix nodded reluctantly as he looked at her。 A feint smile curved his creased lips。
〃The mlini rose up in Solinde and began to move against us。 The Cheysuli were forced to use their own arts to defend the land。 The Homanans； ever doubtful of such sorcery； began to fear。
〃Within a hundred years the fear fumed to hatred； the hatred to violence。 The Cheysuli could not convince the Homaoans of meir foolishness。 We gave up the throne to them so they might know peace and security； and took up the bond of service to die Homanan Mujhars。 Nearly four centuries ago。〃
Alix groped with the knowledge； unable to absorb it all。
Finally she nodded to him； silently bidding him continue。
〃Until Hale took Lindir away； the Mujhar had ever kept Cheysuli advisors and councilors； and warriors who protected this land in battle。 A Cheysuli liege man dedicated his life to die Mujhar。 Such was Hole's service。〃
〃And Shaine ended it；〃 she whispered。
〃He began me qu'mohUn。〃 The sfwrtohi's face tightene