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g quietly。
When she had done the best she could with the knots； she took up her knife again and began to trim his hair。 As she had suspected； merely taking off the ragged ends was not entirely satisfying。 Moving quickly in case Simon should begin to plain again； she began to cut in earnest。 Soon the back of his neck came into view； pale from the long months hidden from the sun。
As she stared at Simon's neck； at the way it broadened at its base； at the line of red…gold hairs gradually thickening toward the hairline； she was suddenly moved。
There is something magical about everyone； she thought dreamily。 Everyone。
She ran her fingers lightly up his neck and Simon jumped。
〃Hoy！ What are you doing？ That tickles。〃
〃Oh； shut your mouth。〃 She smiled behind his back where he could not see。
She trimmed the hair up over'his ears as well； leaving just a little bit to hang down in front where the beard began。 She lifted the front and shortened that as well； then stepped to the side to make sure it would not fall down into his eyes。 The snowy streak was as vivid as lightning。
〃This is where the dragon's blood splashed you。〃 The white hair felt no different than the red as it trailed across her fingertips。 〃Tell me again what it was like。〃
Simon seemed about to make some flippant remark； but paused instead； then spoke softly。 〃It was 。。。 it was not like anything； Miriamele。 It just happened。 I was frightened； and it was like someone was blowing a horn inside my head。 It burned when it touched me。 I don't remember much more until I woke up in the cave with Jiriki and Haestan。〃 He shook his head。 〃There was more to it than that。 Some things are hard to explain。〃
〃I know。〃 She let the strands of damp hair fall； then took a breath。 〃I'm finished。〃
Simon raised his hands to pat at the back and sides。 〃It feels short；〃 he said。 〃I wish I could see it。〃
〃Wait until morning； then have a look in the stream。〃 She felt herself smiling again； stupidly； for no reason。 〃If I had known you were so vain； I would have brought one of my mirrors。〃
He turned a look of mock contempt upon her； then sat up straight。 〃I do have a mirror；〃 he crowed。 〃Jiriki's！ It's in my sack。〃
〃But I thought that it was dangerous！〃
〃Not just to look at。〃 Simon rose and headed for his saddlebags； in which he began to rummage energetically； like a bear seeking honey in a hollow tree。 〃Found it；〃 he said。 A frown crossed his face。 He withdrew the hand that held the mirror； then reached back into the saddlebags with the other and continued to search。
〃What is it？〃
Simon withdrew his drawstring bag and brought it over to the fire。 He handed her the Sithi mirror； which she held carefully； almost fearfully； while he scrabbled with increasing desperation in the large sack。 At last he stopped and looked up at her； his eyes wide； his face a picture of loss。 〃It's gone。〃
〃What's gone？〃
〃The White Arrow。 It's not in here。〃 He took his hands out of the sack。 〃Aedon's Blood！ I must have left it in the tent。 I must have forgotten to put it back that time。〃 His face then registered a deeper shock。 〃I hope I didn't leave it up on Sesuad'ra！〃
〃You took it back to your tent； didn't you？ That day you wanted to give it to me？〃
He nodded slowly。 〃That's right。 It must have been in there somewhere。 At least that means it's probably not lost。〃 He looked down at his empty hands。 〃But I don't have it。〃 He laughed。 〃I tried to give it away。 It didn't like that； I guess。 Sithi gifts； Binabik told me； don't take them lightly。 Remember on the river； when we were first traveling together？ I was showing off with it and 1 fell out of the boat。〃
Miriamele smiled sadly。 〃I remember。〃
〃I've done it this time； though； haven't I？〃 he said morosely； and sighed。 〃Still； it can't be helped。 If Binabik finds it； he'll take care of it。 And it's not like I need to have it to prove something to Jiriki。 If I ever see him again。〃 He shrugged and tried to smile。 〃May I have the mirror back？〃
He held it up and carefully examined his hair。 〃It's good；〃 he said。 〃It's short in the back。 Like Josua's or someone like that。〃 He looked up at her。 〃Like Camaris。〃
〃Like a knight。〃
Simon looked down at his hand for a moment； then reached out and took Miriamele's； enfolding her fingers in his warm grasp。 He did not quite meet her eyes。 〃Thank you。 You did it very handsomely。〃
She nodded； desperately wanting to pull her hand free； to be not so close； but at the same time happy to feel his touch。 〃You are wele； Simon。〃
At last； almost reluctantly； he let her go。 〃I suppose we should try to sleep if we're going to get up at midnight；〃 he said。
〃We should；〃 she agreed。
They packed away their few goods' and unfurled their bedrolls in friendly； if slightly uneasy； silence。
Miriamele was awakened in the middle of the night by a hand over her mouth。 She tried to scream； but the hand clamped even more tightly。
〃No！ It's me！〃 The hand lifted。
〃Simon？〃 she hissed。 〃You idiot！ What are you doing？〃
〃Quiet。 There's someone out there。〃
〃What？〃 Miriamele sat up； staring uselessly into the darkness。 〃Are you sure？〃
〃I was just falling asleep when I heard it；〃 he said into her ear； 〃but it wasn't a dream。 I listened after I was wide awake and I heard it again。〃
〃It's an animal…a deer。〃
Simon bared his teeth to the moonlight。 〃I don't know any animals that talk to themselves； do you？〃
〃What？〃
〃Quiet！〃 he whispered。 〃Just listen。〃
They sat in silence。 It was hard for Miriamele to hear anything over the pounding of her own heart。 She sneaked a glance at the fire。 A few embers still glowed： if there was a person out there； they had demonstrated their presence quite thoroughly。 She wondered if it would do any good now to throw dirt on the coals。
Then she heard it； a crackling noise that seemed a good hundred paces away。 Her skin tingled。 Simon looked at her significantly。 The sound came again； a little more distant this time。
〃Whatever it is；〃 she said quietly； 〃it sounds like it's leaving。〃
〃We were going to try to make our way down to the road in a few hours。 I don't think we should risk it。〃
Miriamele wanted to argue…this was her journey； after all； her plan…but found that she could not。 The idea of trying to make their way along the tangled riverbank by moonlight； while something followed along after them 。。。 〃I agree；〃 she said。 〃We'll wait until light。〃
〃I'll stay up for a while and keep watch。 Then I'll wake you and you can let me sleep for a while。〃 Simon sat himself cross…legged with his back against a stump。 His sword was across his knees。 〃Go on； sleep。〃 He seemed tense； almost angry。
Miriamele felt her heart slowing a little。 〃You said it was talking to itself？〃
〃Well； it could be more than one person；〃 he said； 〃but it didn't seem to make enough noise for two。 And I only heard one voice。〃
〃What was it saying？〃
She could dimly see Simon shake his head。 〃I couldn't tell。 It was too quiet。 Just 。。。 words。〃
Miriamele settled back onto her bedroll。 〃It might just be some cotsman。 People do live in the forest。〃
〃Might be。〃 Simon's voice was flat。 Miriamele suddenly realized that he sounded that way because he was frightened。 〃There are all kinds of things in these woods；〃 he added。
She let her head fall back until she could see a few stars peeping through holes in the forest roof。 〃If you start to feel sleepy； don't be a hero； Simon。 Wake me up。〃
〃I will。 But I don't think I'll be sleepy for a while。〃
Neither will I； she thought。
The idea of being stalked was a dreadful one。 But if someone was following them； someone her uncle had sent； why would the stalker go away again without doing anything？ Perhaps it had been forest outlaws who would have slaughtered them in their sleep if Simon had not awakened。 Or perhaps it had only been an animal after all； and Simon had imagined the words。
Miriamele at last drifted into an uneasy sleep； a sleep haunted by dreams of antler…headed； two…legged figures moving through the forest shadows。
It took them a good part of the morning to make their way out of the forest。 The reaching branches and foot…snagging undergrowth almost seemed to be trying to hold them back； the mist rising from the forest floor was so treacherously dense that if they had not had the sound of the stream to keep them on track； Miriamele felt sure they might just as easily have gone in the wrong direction。 At last； sore and sweaty and even more tattered than they had been at dawn； they emerged onto the sodden downs。
After a short ride across the uneven meadowland they reached the River Road late in the morning。 There was no snow here； but the sky was dark and threatening； and the thick forest mist seemed to have followed them…the land was shrouded in fog as far as they could see。
The River Road itself was almost empty： as they rode along they met only one wagon； which bore an entire family and its belongings。 The d