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erstand；〃 the wizard said softly； 〃where I have been for seven hundred years。 Ask him your questions。 Then； if you die； or if you let him escape； I will kill him or die。 You understand revenge。 As for the stars on your face。。。 I do not know how to begin to place any hope in them。 I don't understand all your actions。 If we survive to walk out of Lungold alive； I will find a need to understand them。。。 especially the power and impulse that made you tamper with the land…law of An。 But for now。。。 you freed us； you dredged our names out of memory； you found your way down here to stand with us among our dead。。。 you are a young； tired prince of Hed； with a blood…stained tunic and a crow on your shoulder； and a power behind your eyes straight out of Ghisteslwchlohm's heart。 Was it because of you that I spent seven centuries as an oak； staring into the sea wind？ What freedom or doom have you brought us back to？〃
〃I don't know。〃 His throat ached。 〃I'll find you an answer。〃
〃You will。〃 His voice changed then； wonderingly。 〃You will； Riddle…Master。 You do not promise hope。〃
〃No。 Truth。 If I can find it。〃
There was a silence。 Nun's pipe had gone out。 Her lips were parted a little； as if she were watching something blurred； uncertain begin to take shape before her。 〃Almost；〃 she whispered； 〃you make me hope。 But in Hel's name； for what？〃 Then she stirred out of her thoughts and touched the rent in Morgon's tunic； shifting it to examine the clean scar beneath。 〃You had some trouble along the road。 You didn't get that in crow…shape。〃
〃No。〃 He stopped； reluctant to continue； but they were waiting for an answer。 He said softly； bitterly； to the floor； 〃I followed Deth's harping one night and walked straight into another betrayal。〃 There was not a sound around him。 〃Ghisteslwchlohm was looking for me along Trader's Road。 And he found me。 He trapped Raederle； so that I could not use power against him。 He was going to take me back to Erlenstar Mountain。 But the shape…changers found us all。 I escaped from them〃 … he touched the scar on his face … 〃by that much。 I hid under illusion and escaped。 I haven't seen any of them since we began to fly。 Maybe they all killed each other。 Somehow I doubt it。〃 He added； feeling their silence like a spell； pelling him； drawing words from hurt； 〃The High One killed his harpist。〃 He shook his head a little； pulling back from their silence； unable to give them more。 He heard Iff draw breath； felt the wizard's skilled； quieting touch。
Talies said abruptly； 〃Where was Yrth during all this？〃 Morgon's eyes moved from a splinter of bone on the floor。 〃Yrth。〃
〃He was with you on Trader's Road。〃 〃No one was。。。〃 He stopped。 A hint of night air found its way past illusion； shivered through the chamber； the light fluttered like something trapped。 〃No one was with us。〃 Then he remembered the Great Shout out of nowhere； and the mysterious； motionless figure watching him in the night。 He whispered incredulously； 〃Yrth？〃
They looked at one another。 Nun said； 〃He left Lungold to find you； give you what help he could。 You never saw him？〃
〃Once。。。 I might have； when I needed help。 It must have been Yrth。 He never told me。 He may have lost me when we began to fly。〃 He paused； thinking back。 〃There was one moment； after the horse struck me； when I could barely hold my own illusion。 The shape…changers could have killed me then。 They should have。 I expected it。 But nothing touched me。 。。。 He may have been there； to save my life in that moment。 But if he stayed there after I escaped。。。〃
〃He would have let us know； surely；〃 Nun said； 〃if he needed help。〃 She passed the back of a workworn hand over her brow worriedly。 〃But where is he； I wonder。 An old man wandering up and down Trader's Road looking for you no doubt； along with the Founder and shape…changers。。。。〃
〃He should have told me。 If he needed help； I could have fought for him； that's what I came for。〃
〃You could have lost your life for his sake； too。 No。〃 She seemed to be answering her own doubt。 〃He'll e in his own tune。 Maybe he stayed to bury the harpist。 Yrth taught him harp songs once； here in this college。〃 She was silent again； while Morgon watched two battered faces of the dead against the far wall shift closer and closer together。 He closed his eyes before they merged。 He heard the crow cry from a distance； a painful grip on his shoulder kept him from falling。 He opened his eyes to meet the hawk's stare and felt the sudden； cold sweat that had broken out on his face。
〃I'm tired；〃 he said。
〃With reason。〃 Iff loosened his hold。 His face was seamed with a network of hair…fine lines。 〃There is venison on a spit in the kitchens … the only room left with four walls and a roof。 We have been sleeping down here； but there are pallets beside the hearth。 There will be a guard outside the door； watching the grounds。〃
〃A guard？〃
〃One of the Morgol's guards。 They provide for us； out of the Morgol's courtesy。〃
〃Is the Morgol still here？〃
〃No。 She resisted every argument we gave her to go home； until suddenly about two weeks ago； without explanation she went back to Herun。〃 He raised his hand； pulled a torch out of air and darkness。 〃e。 I'll show you the way。〃 Morgon followed him silently back through his illusion； through the broken rooms； down another winding flight of stone steps into the kitchens。 The smell of meat cooling over the embers made even his bones feel hollow。 He sat down at the long； half…charred table； while Iff found a knife and some chipped goblets。 〃There is wine； bread； cheese； fruit： the guards keep us well…supplied。〃 He paused； then smoothed a feather on the crow's wing。 〃Morgon；〃 he said softly； 〃I have no idea what the dawn will bring。 But if you had not chosen to e here； we would be facing certain death。 Whatever blind hope kept us alive for seven centuries must have been rooted in you。 You may be afraid to hope； but I am not。〃 His hand rested briefly against Morgon's scarred cheek。 〃Thank you for ing。〃 He straightened。 〃I'll leave you here； we work through the night and rarely sleep。 If you need us； call。〃
He tossed his torch into the hearth and left。 Morgon stared down at the table； at the still shadow of the crow on the wood。 He stirred finally； said its name。 It seemed about to change shape； its wings lifted to fly down from his shoulder。 Then the outer door to the kitchens opened abruptly。 The guard entered： a young； dark…haired woman so familiar yet unfamiliar that Morgon could only stare at her。 She stopped dead； halfway across the room； staring at him without blinking。 He saw her swallow。
〃Morgon？〃
He stood up。 〃Lyra。〃 She had grown； her body was tall and supple in the short； dark tunic。 Her face in the shadows was half the child's he remembered and half the Morgol's。 She could not seem to move。 So he went to her。 As he neared； he saw her hand shift on her spear； he paused midstep and said； 〃It's me。〃
〃I know。〃 She swallowed again； her eyes still startled； very dark。 〃How did。。。 how did you e into the city？ No one saw you。〃
〃You have a guard on the walls？〃
She gave a little jerky nod。 'There's no other defense in the city。 The Morgol sent for us。〃
〃You。 Her land…heir。〃
Her chin came up slightly in a gesture he remembered。 〃There is something I stayed here to do。〃 Then； slowly； she came toward him； her expression changing in the wash of the firelight。 She put her arms around him； her face bowed hard against his shoulder。 He heard her spear clatter to the floor behind him。 He held her tightly； something of her clear； proud mind brushing like a good wind through his mind。 She loosed him finally； stepping back to look at him again。 Her dark brows puckered at his scars。
〃You should have had a guard along Trader's Road。 I went with Raederle； searching for you last spring； but you were always a step ahead of us。〃
〃I know。〃
〃No wonder the guards didn't recognize you。 You look。。。 you look like。。。〃 She seemed to see the crow for the first time； motionless； watching from under his hair。 〃That's。。。 is that Mathom？〃
〃Is he here？〃
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