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The hawk fixed her with a bright eye。 So is the child you carry。
She slid off the shattered wall and straightened her creased leathers。 〃Cai； I will carry this child to full term。 It is a part of my own tahlmorra。〃
He sounded oddly amused。 You have only just e to us； Uren； yet you speak as a learned one who has the magic of the shar tahls。
I Alix walked from the dwelling into the cobbled street and stared down the empty alley。 〃Perhaps I have a measure of that
； magic； Cai。 Now； do you e？〃
The great hawk mantled and took to the air。 / e； Uren。Alix moved softly； mimicking Duncan's stealth。 She was very
aware of the knife in her boot； wishing she had better but knowing she would be incapable of using it against another
anyway。 She was no warrior。
Cai winged overhead silently； saying nothing to her as she walked carefully through the empty streets and alleyways。 The
night sky was clear save for stars； but she felt a heaviness in her bones as if the buildings of the Mujhar's city leaned in on her。
And she smelted the stench of death； unable to escape its cloying touch。
Occasionally she passed a tumbled wall still smoldering； still caressed by odd purple fire。 She swallowed heavily as she re…
called Tynstar and his odd method of departing her presence。 A shiver of foreboding coursed through her body as she stepped
carefully through the broken fragments of a dwelling； and her right hand dropped instinctively to shield her unborn child。
Alix froze suddenly as a shadow streaked across the street before her； hissing malevolently。 Instinctively she pressed her…
self against the nearest wall； hoping the bricks might provide protection。 Then she saw it was only a cat； fur raised and ears
flattened as it fled the night terrors。 For a moment she held herself against the wall； eyes closed… tightly as she tried to still
her lurching heart。 Cai； drifting over her； sent a burst of his own confidence。
Alix pushed away and moved on； releasing a breath that rasped through her dry throat。 After a moment she paused；
bending； and took me knife from her boot。 The feel of it in her hand gave her a measure of renewed confidence； and she walked
on softly。
You can go back； Cai said。 You can wait for my lir； as he wished。
No； she said silently。
Uren。。。
No。
Alix felt better for her determination； recalling the urge that had originally driven her into the streets… For all she was frightened of what might befall her； she was more frightened of what might happen to Duncan。 She would far prefer being with him； in danger； than without him in parative safety。
A stone rattled on the cobbles before her。 Alix slipped into a recessed doorway； knife drawn up to her chest in readiness。
Another stone skittered across the uneven street and came to rest near her foot。 She followed its path with her eyes until she saw the figure move silently through the street。
It was a man； 'she thought； for the cloaked form was tall and moved with me subtle grace of a warrior。 She had seen its like in warriors of the clan； marveling at the body's ability to take on the aspect of animal suppleness while maintaining human form。 For a moment she thought the man Cheysuli； then recalled none had gone cloaked on this mission into Mujhara。 Alix drew in a breath and waited。
He moved past her； half…hidden in the shadowy folds of his cloak。 For a moment he paused； very near her； and she feared discovery。 A hand rose and pushed the hood free of his face； sliding me draped material to his shoulders。 Alix； certain he somehow knew her presence； waited for him to speak。
But the man said nothing。 He glanced into the sky； marked the hawk's idle flight； and smiled to himself。 Then he moved on。
Alix waited until he was gone。 Then she slipped out of the doorway and hastened from the street； fearing belated discovery。 When she reached for Cai's soothing pattern she felt an odd current pushing against her； almost as if it sought to prevent munication with the hawk。 She strengthened her call and relaxed as the bird's tone came to her。
Ihlini。 liren。
Alix paused； frowning against the effort it took to hear him。
Ihlini？
Aye； the cloaked man。
She stared into the darkness。 Then why do I hear you at all？
Perhaps it is the blood in you； liren。 Perhaps whatever power it is that prevents other Cheysuli from seeking their HR does not block you from it。 His shadow drifted over her。 Liren； you are fortunate indeed。
But she felt the strain within the pattern and sensed a draining of her resources。 It frightened her； for she dared not risk me child。 She broke off me link to Cai and decided to keep it broken； for fear it might harm the unborn。 Cai seemed to approve； and she went on in greater solitude than before。
Alix knew herself lost。 Her visit to Mujhara with Carillon had not accustomed her to the twistings and turnings of the narrow streets； and she realized she might be moving farther from Homana…Mujhar instead of going to it。 Frustrated and fearful； she turned yet again and kept her steady pace。 She longed to question Cai； knowing he could tell her。 but fought down the in…stinct。 She would not involve the hawk unless forced to。
She heard a child crying in the distance。 As she drew closer
the piteous wail drove into her spirit tike a shaft； beckoning her。 Alix broke into a trot； then a run as the crying seemed to weaken。 She was breathless as she rounded a er and tripped over a body in the street。
It was a woman； clothed in a soiled and torn gown。 Alix got to her knees and replaced her knife as she put a trembling hand toward the woman's face。 Then she saw the staring eyes were blank； bulging in death； and something elemental curled deeply within her soul。 She hesitated； then put gentle fingers to the eyelids and closed them。 The cold stillness of the flesh shot a convulsive shudder down her spine。
The crying renewed itself。 Alix jerked her head around and stared wide…eyed into me darkness。 After a moment she located the focus of the sound and rose； moving quietly to the broken wall of a charred building。 Behind the scattered stone； placed carefully beneath a sheltering piece of broken door； lay a naked baby。
Soundlessly Alix cried out。 Then her hands were on the infant； lifting it free of its protection。 It was a boy…child； cold to the touch； and his chest rose feebly in an attempt to breathe。 Alix knelt and cradled him to her breast； feeling a mixture of longing and pain in her soul as she sensed the ambiance of her own unborn child。
She crooned to him softly； smoothing his silken head。 He was no more than a few weeks； she knew； and helpless as a blind； newbom rabbit。 His slender limbs trembled from exposure and unknown fear； and after a moment Alix lay him down in the street and stripped out of her supple Jerkin and belt。 The leather was not much； but she realized some wrapping was better than none。 Carefully she lifted the child and folded the jerkin around his body。 snugging the belt over it to swaddle him as warmly as possible。 Chill nipped through the loose weave of her improvised shut； but she ignored it as she lifted the baby and walked on。
At last Alix turned a corner an