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She frowned at him。 〃Then why are you here？ Should you not be with your lord？〃
〃My lord is slam。 Keough of Atvia； Bellam's foul acplice； overran me army twenty days ago like a pack of savage dogs。〃 His eyes narrowed angrily。 〃It was night； moonless and dark。 We slept； wearied from a three…day battle。 The Atvian host crept upon us in all stealth； and routed us before UK dawn。〃
Alix wet her dry lips。 〃Where； Oran？ Mujhara？〃
He laughed。 〃Not Mujhara。 I am not one of the Mujhar's fine guard。 I am a mon soldier who once was a tenant crofter for Prince Fergus； the Mujhar's own brother。〃
〃Fergus。〃 She eased herself away from the rocky wall； kneeling before him。 〃Then it was Fergus you served in the field？〃
〃Aye； aeven days* ride out of Mujhara。〃 He hawked and spat； turning his head from her。 He wiped the spittle from his lips and looked at her bleakly。 〃Prince Fergus was slain。〃
〃Why did you not stay？〃 she demanded。 〃Why did you forsake your lord？〃
His grimy； stubbled face was ugly。 〃I sickened of it。 I was not meant to slay men like beasts on the order of a man who keeps himself safe behind die ensorcelled walls of Homana…Mujhar。〃 Oran spat again… 〃Shame has set wards； lady； instruments of sorcery to keep the Ihlini out。 He keeps himself safe； while thousands die in his name。〃
Alix drew a trembling breath； clenching fists against her knees。
〃What of Carillon？ What of the prince？〃
Oraa's mouth twisted。 〃Carillon is prisoner to Keough himself。〃
〃Prisoner！〃
〃Aye。 I saw him slay two who sought to take him； fighting like a demon； but it was Keough's own son who broke his guard and disarmed him。 Thome。 The Atvian prince took Carillon's sword； then Carillon himself； and marched him to his father。〃 Oran stared at her narrowly。 〃They will slay him； lady； or take him to Bellam in Mujhara。〃
〃No。。。〃
He shrugged。 〃It is his lot。 He is me Mujhar's heir； and valuable。 Keoogh will keep him close until he is in Beilam's hands。 OrTynstar's。〃
Alix closed her eyes and summoned up his face； recalling his warm blue eyes and stubborn jaw。 And his smile； whenever he looked on her。
Oran shifted and she opened her eyes。 He grinned； displaying broken； yellowed teeth； and took up the leather pouch。 He undid me pin and spilled OK contents across the blanket。
It was a stream of gems glowing richly in the shadowed cave。 Brooches； rings of delicate gold and silver； and a wristband of copper。 Oran prodded the cache with a finger。
〃Solindish； lady。 And fine； as you can see。〃
She frowned at mem。 〃Where did you get mem？〃
He laughed crudely。 〃From men who no longer had need of such things。〃
She recoiled。 〃You stole them from dead men？〃
〃How else does a poor soldier make his way？ I am not one of your rich lonflings； like Carillon； nor am I a Mujhara noble born to silks and jewels。 How else am I to get such dungs？〃
Avarice glinted in his eyes。 She saw them travel her body expectantly。 She wore the golden /ir…torque Duncan had given her and delicate topaz drops hung at her ears。
〃So；〃 she said on a long bream； 〃you will slay me fix my wealth as well。〃
He grinned。 〃There need be no slaying； lady。 You have only to give them to me。〃 He stroked his bottom lip。 〃1 have never aeen your like before。 Are you some lord's light woman？〃
The insult did not touch her。 Oran； in his monness； did not recognize it as such。 And me Cheysuli had begun to change her perceptions of such things。
AUx slowly tensed。 〃No。〃
〃Then how came you by such things？〃
Enlightenment flared within her mind。 Carefully she damned the sudden realization of her power and looked at him calmly。
〃My cheysul gave them to me。〃
He scowled at her。 〃Speak Homanan； lady。 What do you say？〃
〃My husband； Oran。 He made me these tilings。〃
He grinned。 〃Then he can make more。 Here； lady； give mem tome。〃
〃No。〃 She looked at him levelly。 〃It is not wise for a
Homanan to seek that fashioned by a Cheysuli… **
〃Cheysuli！〃 His brows slid up。 〃You live among the。 shapechangers？〃
〃I can one。〃
For a moment fear flashed in his eyes。 Then it faded； replaced with determination and greed。 〃The shapechangers are under the Mujhar's death decree。 I should slay you； and then all you have would be mine。〃
It angered her past caution。 〃I doubt you could acplish it。〃
His hand flashed to his knife。 〃Can I not； shapechanger witch？ You do not frighten me with your sorcery。 Only your warriors shift their shape； so you offer little threat。〃
He grinned and lifted the knife。 〃What do you say now； witch？〃
Alix said nothing。 He effectively blocked the cave entrance with his mailed bulk； and as he moved slowly toward her she saw she had no chance to avoid him。 The wall curved snuggly against her back。
〃Do not；〃 she said softly。
Oran laughed silently and put his hand on the torque at her throat。
Alix summoned the magic and blurred herself into a wotf。
He gaped at her； then fell back with a cry of terror。 The knife
fell from limp fingers as he scrabbled on the floor。 The wolf…
bitch snaried and leaped over him； avoiding his body； but forc…
ing him flat on his back as she moved。 She heard his scream of horror as she drove past his trembling body and into me darkened forest。
She paused a moment； free of the place； and sent an exultant howl soaring to me dark heavens。
Then she went on in tir…shape…
The wolf…bitch； silvered by moonlight； sifted out of the trees into the Cheysuli camp。 She saw me huddled forms of blanketed； sleeping warriors and the shadowed lumps of iir scattered through…out the camp。 She sent soothing patterns to the animals so they would not give me alarm and moved smoothly toward the fire。 She heard Cai； perched in a tree； send a single word to his Iir。
Duncan rolled over instantly and sat up。 His movement awoke Run； next to him； and they got to their feet in silent unison。 They parted smoothly； unsheathing knives； watching the wolf…bitch carefully。
Alix； realizing they thought her some wild creature； laughed within her mind。
And Duncan named me helpless。。。
She sensed his attentiveness。 Finn* moving silently； stepped closer to her。 She considered leaping at him mock attack； but gave it up as she realized he would very likely slay her。
Instead； she blurred herself into human form。
Duncan blinked； men frowned。
Finn laughed。 〃Well； rujho； 1 have not given you proper credit。 You are powerful indeed if she cannot even part with you for two days。〃
Alix； suddenly chilled and wearied by the exertion and tension of me past hours； ignored him and walked to the glowing bed of coals。 There she dropped to her knees and stretched her hands over me embers。
Duncan slid his knife home in its sheath。 He said nothing。
Finn laughed again and gathered up his blanket； dropping it over her shoulders as be moved softly to her。 〃There； rujholla^' he said mockingly。 〃If he will let you freeze； at least I will not。〃
She slid him a resentful glance and gathered the folds about her。 Finn shrugged eloquently and returned to his sleeping place； settling himself cross…legged on the flattened earth。
Duncan stepped behind her； so close she could feel his knees against her back。 *'I suppose yo