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Inside the tent； hidden from the prying stars； they wrapped themselves tightly around each other； clutching； drowning together。 The wind plucked at the tent cloth； the only sound beside the rustle of clothes and the urgent hiss of their breathing。
For a moment the wind tugged the tent door open。 In the thin starlight； her skin was pale as ivory； so smooth and warm beneath his fingers that he could not imagine ever wanting to touch anything else。 His hand slid across the curve of her breast and ran down her hip。 He felt something catch inside him； something almost like terror； but sweet； so sweet。 She held his face between her hands and drank his breath； murmuring wordlessly all the while； gasping quietly as his mouth moved down her neck and onto the delicate arch of her collarbone。
He pulled her closer； wanting to devour her； wanting to be devoured。 His eyes overspitled with tears。
〃I've loved you so long；〃 he whispered。
Simon awakened slowly。 He felt heavy； his body warm and boneless。 Miriamele's head nestled in the hollow of his shoulder； her hair pressed softly against his cheek and neck。 Her slender limbs were wrapped around him； one arm splayed across his chest； the fingers tickling beneath his chin。
He pulled her nearer。 She murmured sleepily and rubbed her head against him。
The tent flap rustled。 A silhouette； a slightly darker spot against the night sky； appeared in the gap。
〃Simon？〃 someone whispered。
Heart pounding； suddenly ashamed for the princess； Simon tried to sit up。 Miriamele made an unhappy sound as he slid her arm lower。
〃Binabik？〃 he asked。 〃Is that you？〃
The dark shape pushed in； letting the flap fall shut behind。
〃Quiet。 I am about to light a candle。 Say nothing。〃
There was a muted clinking as flint met steel； then a tiny glow sprang up in the grass near the tent door。 A moment later a flame bobbed at the end of a wick and soft candlelight filled the tent。 Miriamele made a groggy noise of protest and buried her face deeper in Simon's neck。 He gaped in astonishment。
Josua's thin face hovered above the candle。
〃The grave cannot hold me；〃 said the prince； smiling。
34
Leavetaking
Simon's heart thumped。
〃Prince Josua。。。 ？〃
〃Quietly； lad。〃 Josua leaned forward。 His eyes widened for a moment as he saw the head pillowed on Simon's chest； but then his smile returned。 〃Ah。 Bless you both。 Make her marry you； Simon…not that it will take much coaxing； I think。 She will make a splendid queen with you to help her。〃
Simon shook his head in amazement。 〃But 。。。 but you 。。。 surely 。。。〃 He stopped and took a breath。 〃You're dead…or everyone thinks you are！〃
Josua seated himself； holding the candle low so that the gleam was mostly shielded by his body。 〃I should be。〃
〃Tiamak saw your neck broken！〃 Simon whispered。 〃And no one could have gotten out of that place after we did。〃
〃Tiamak saw me struck；〃 Josua corrected him。 〃My neck should indeed have been broken…as it is； it still hurts fiercely。 But I had my hand up。〃 He extended his left arm and the tattered sleeve pulled back。 Elias' manacle still hung on the swollen wrist； the metal flattened and scarred。 〃My brother and Pryrates forgot the gift they had given me。 There is some poetry in that…or perhaps God wished to send a message about the value of suffering。〃 The prince's sleeve rustled back into place。 〃I could barely use the hand for two days after I awoke； but the feeling is ing back now。〃
Miriamele stirred and opened her eyes。 For a moment they widened in dread； then she sat up； clutching the blanket to her breast。 〃Uncle Josua！〃
Smiling crookedly； he lifted his finger to his lips。 She pulled the top part of the blanket around her…leaving most of Simon exposed to the cold air…and threw her arms around him； weeping。 Josua； too； seemed almost overe。 After a few moments Miriamele pulled away； then looked down at her bare shoulders and colored。 She hurriedly lay back on the bedroll again and pulled the blanket up to her chin。 Simon took back his half of it with gratitude。
〃How can you be alive？〃 she said； laughing and dabbing at her eyes with the blanket's edge。
Josua explained again； showing her the dented manacle。
〃But how did you escape？〃 Simon was anxious now for the story to continue。 〃The tower fell！〃
The prince's head moved from side to side。 Shadows flittered on the tent wall。 〃That is one thing I cannot know for certain； but my guess is that Camaris picked me up and carried me down in the first moments。 I have e close to many campfires in the past nights； and heard many things。 It sounds as though the confusion and smoke and flames were such that he could have gone down the stairwell ahead of you。 We first came into the tower from beneath； through the tunnels； I believe he
went out that way as well。 All I know for certain is that I woke up beneath the stars； alone on the beach beside the Kynslagh。 But who except Camaris would have had the strength to carry me so far？〃
〃If he went down before us； then Cadrach must have seen。〃 Miriamele fell silent； pondering this。
〃It's a miracle；〃 Simon breathed。 〃But why have you told no one？ And what did you mean when you said Miriamele would be queen？ Won't you。。。 ？〃
〃You do not understand；〃 the prince said quietly。 There was a strange edge of merriment in his voice。 〃I am dead。 I wish to stay that way。〃
〃What？〃
〃Just as I said。 Simon； Miriamele； I was never meant to rule。 It was a pain to me； but I saw no other course but to try to push Elias trom the throne。 Now God has opened a door for me； a door that I believed forever shut。 To die or to take the crown were my only choices。 Now； I have been given another。〃
Simon was stunned。 For a long while he said nothing。 Miriamele was silent； too。 Josua watched them； a smile playing across his mouth。
〃It is shocking； I know。〃 The prince turned to his niece。 〃But you will be a far better ruler than I ever would…as will Simon。〃
〃But you are John's true heir；〃 Simon protested； 〃even more than Miriamele！ And I'm just a kitchen boy you knighted！ They say I'm a descendant of Saint Eahlstan； but that means nothing to me。 It doesn't make me fit to rule Erkynland or anything else。〃
〃I heard that tale； Simon。 Isgrimnur and the others keep secrets poorly； if they ever meant to keep your heritage secret。〃 Josua laughed quietly。 〃And I was not at all surprised to hear that you are of Eahlstan Fiskerne's blood。 But as to whether that makes you more or less fit than me； Simon…you do not know all； even so。 I am no more John's heir than you are。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 Simon moved slightly so that Miriamele's head found a more fortable position on his breast。 She was not looking at Josua now； but up at Simon； her brow furrowed with worry or deep thought。
〃Just as I said；〃 the prince replied。 〃I am not John's son。 Camaris was my father。〃
Simon sucked in his breath。 〃Camaris。。。 ？〃 Now Miriamele did look at the prince； as startled as Simon。 〃What are you talking about？〃
〃John was old when he married my mother； Efiathe of Hernysadharc；〃 Josua said。 〃A measure of the distance in their years is that he felt no qualms about giving her a new name； Ebekah； as though she were a child。〃 He frowned。 〃What happened after that is not particularly surprising。 It is one of the monest and oldest stories in the world； although I do not doubt she loved the king and he loved her。 But Camaris was her special protector； a young man； as great and fabled a hero as John。 What began as a deep respect and admiration between them grew into something more。
〃Elias was John's child； but I was not。 When my mother died birthing me； Camaris went mad。 What could he think but that his sin had sentenced his beloved； who was also the wife of his closest friend； to death？〃 The prince shook his head。 〃His agony was such that he gave away everything he had； as one who knows he will die… and he must have felt he was dying； since every breath； every moment； was so full of pain and terrible shame。 At last he took the horn Ti…tuno and went in search of the Sithi； perhaps to expiate the sin of participating in John's persecution of them； or perhaps； like Elias； he hoped the wise immortals could help him reach his beloved beyond death。 Whatever the aim of his pilgrimage； Amerasu brought him secretly to Jao e…Tinukai'i； for reasons of her own。 I have not discovered all that happened： my father was so distraught when he told me it was hard to make sense of everything。
〃In any case； Amerasu met with him and took the horn back； perhaps to keep it for him； perhaps because it had belonged to her lost sons。 Exactly what passed between them is still a mystery to me； but apparently whatever she told him was no fort。 My father left the forest deeps； still grieving。 Soon after； when his despair finally outweighed even his terror of the sin of self…slaughter； he cast himself over the side of a ship into the Bay of Firannos。 He survived somehow…he is fearfully strong； you know； that trait his blood certainly did not pass on to me！…but his wits were shadowed。 He wandered through the southland； begging； living