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that were caught。〃
〃The Benden Healer was not as lucky；〃 F'lar said； 〃though his journeywoman says he'll recover。 Our wings will search until full dark。〃
〃Sintary got just a glimpse of the vandals；〃 K'van said； and added in an apologetic tone； 〃The jungle's too thick to hope we'll find them easily。〃
〃We've got this lot；〃 Groghe said with great satisfaction as his fist came down on the table in emphasis。
〃That leader looked an obstinate sort；〃 Sebell remarked。 〃The kind who might die for a principle。〃
〃I doubt the others are of similar fortitude；〃 Sharra said wryly。 〃Scalp Wound is a moaner。〃
〃Itch's rash is going to spread all over her body；〃 Keita said； passing around a tray of tiny； hot Gather rolls。
Sharra tsked…tsked in mock pity。 〃Let them get thirsty； too？〃
〃Thirsty； Itchy； Scalp Wound？〃 Lessa asked pointedly。
Sebell explained and Lessa's grin of understanding turned into a wide yawn。
〃My apologies； but we didn't get much sleep last night；〃 she said。
〃There are guest quarters here； Lessa；〃 Oldive offered quickly。
〃We're not that decrepit；〃 F'lar said stiffly。
〃Maybe you're not； F'lar；〃 Lessa said； rising slowly to her feet； 〃but I was looking forward to a good night's sleep eight hours ago。 And I would be grateful for some of it。 Anywhere。〃
〃Of course； of course；〃 Groghe said。 〃You're always wele at Fort。〃
〃And Ruatha；〃 Jaxom and Sharra said in unison； knowing how much Lessa liked to visit at her birthplace。
The Benden Weyrwoman shook her head with a rueful smile。
〃Ramoth and Mnementh are already ensconced in the sun on Fort's fire…heights；〃 she said； rising。 〃I'm for a quiet room。 Here。〃 She pointed downward。 〃No Gather noise。〃
〃Shards！ I have to get back to the Gather。 Explain this mess and collect petitions；〃 Groghe said； getting his feet under him to stand。 〃Those Abominators can bloody wait。 Do them good。〃
〃If anything will do that wretched lot any good；〃 Sharra added bleakly。
Keita hurried forward； to escort the Benden Weyrleaders to guestrooms。
〃I must return to report to Lord Toric；〃 K'van said ruefully； pushing back from the table。 〃I doubt he'll appreciate that he's only one of many targets。〃
〃Toric does indeed prefer to be singular；〃 F'lar said； lifting a hand to acknowledge K'van's uneasy truce with the Southern Holder。
〃We'll keep him informed；〃 Groghe promised with a curt nod of his head。 He had his own quarrel with the testy man。 〃Landing； Benden； Boll； Southern？ How； ah； many targets could there be？〃
〃I wonder did they count on blizzards at High Reaches？〃 Lessa asked drolly and followed Keita out of the dining hall。
F'lar paused briefly。 〃F'lessan； are you ing with us？〃
〃No； sir； though I'm tempted。 I want to see if that green rider's all right。 They messed her about before her dragon arrived。〃
As the meeting broke up； no one was tactless enough to voice the customary Turnover good wishes。
Before Groghe； Sebell； and N'ton reached the Gather Square； more drum messages came rolling in。
〃Alert；〃 Sebell said； translating the initial beat and setting himself to hear more bad news； 〃from the Smithcrafthall。〃
〃Not Fandarel； too？ He's been extraordinarily conscientious in locking his Halls and stores against incursions。 Ah； yes； I see。。。〃 Groghe's face relaxed into a pleased expression as the drumrolls ended。 〃They tried！ I wonder what he'll find out from them。 Oh； shards； everyone's waiting！〃
They could all hear the harpers playing a sprightly tune to a sparsely populated dance square。 Around all four sides； knots of people were warming their hands at the braziers； murmuring among themselves； and anxiously watching the progress of their Lord Holder on his big mount。
〃Father！〃 Horon's shout reached their ears as he came down the wide hold steps at an almost dangerous clip。 He rushed over； waiting till Ke was close before he gasped out his message。 〃Father； we've found something you have to see！〃
〃Later； Horon； later。〃
〃It's extremely important。〃
〃Sharding Abominators！ Thought we'd seen the last of their kind；〃 Groghe said impatiently。 〃Sebell； go see what's so bloody important。 I'd better deal with them。〃 His gesture indicated the waiting Gatherers。 〃Damnable way to start Turnover。〃 With that he kneed his mount to a trot all the way to the harpers' platform。 The tune was brought to a conclusion with a flourish that Sebell wryly approved； and the crowd flowed forward to hear what the Lord Holder had to say。
Sebell caught the eye of the nearest person in harper blue； an apprentice girl who rushed up to him。
〃Worla； I'll be at the Hold with Lord Horon。 Bring me the text of all the messages ing in。 I'll send any replies directly to the Drummaster。〃 He summoned his gold fire…lizard； Kimi。 Holding her to his shoulder； he and Horon jogged up the wide staircase to the freezing expanse of Fort's upper court。 He heard the cheers as Lord Groghe stepped up on the harpers platform。
〃So what is so important； Horon？〃 Sebell asked once they were out of the wind。
Horon gulped。 〃The most ghastly。。。 〃 His face contorted with revulsion。
〃Abominator cant？〃 Sebell was surprised。
Horon gave a shudder。 He opened the door into the Lord Holder's five…sided office。 A table had been set up on which the vandals' gear was spread。 Grainger； the trusted steward of Fort Hold； was busy searching a saddle pack。
〃That！〃 Horon pointed to a thin pamphlet with a dirty cover； its pages roughly fastened by crude stitches。 His nostrils flared and it was plain he wanted nothing more to do with it。 Grainger's expression was similarly revolted。
Sebell bent over to examine the pamphlet： obviously a very amateurish effort。 Why； Tagetarl's youngest apprentice could have done a neater job。 In bold block letters…similar to the single letter on the vandal's map…the title of the pamphlet read Tortures of the Abomination。 Yes； the same hand had made the B。
〃Just…just look inside； Sebell！〃 Horon flicked his fingers； his mouth contorted with revulsion。
Sebell lifted the cover and only stern self…control kept him from slapping it shut。 He could see what had made Horon squeamish。 The picture was； indeed； revolting to look at。 It depicted shapes； indecently colored； of unusual appearance and what looked like knives holding flesh back from what could be a long incision。 A caption had been blacked out。 Underneath； again in the black block lettering： 〃A body laid bare； pulsing in torture。 It could be yours。〃
〃It's all like that。 Revolting pictures；〃 Horon said。 〃Where could they。。。 get such things？〃
Impassively； Sebell flipped several more pages and found one picture he actually recognized。 The pound fracture of a human tibia； the flesh colored an unrealistic pink against which the ivory bone nauseatingly contrasted。 He'd seen such an injury in a hill hold； Turns before。 The printed caption read 〃Shattered by blows。〃 Sebell made out page numbers； almost obscured by the dirty finger marks； and； right by the margin of the picture； 〃Fig。 10〃 and 〃Fig。 112。〃 Checking； he found none of the pages were sequential and realized that the pamphlet was prise