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lhouetted against one of the watchfires； twin hooded shapes that seemed oblivious to the humans around them。 They slipped from the light of the fire and vanished once more。
This was something unexpected。 Norns！ The White Foxes； here in the Hayholt itself！ Things were worse even than he had imagined。 But hadn't Geloe and the others said that the immortals couldn't e back here？ Perhaps they had meant that Ineluki and his undead servitors couldn't return。 But even if that last was true； it seemed little solace just now。
So the Middle Bailey was full of soldiers； and there were Norns moving freely around the keep； silent as hunting owls。 Simon's skin prickled。 He had no doubt that the Outer Bailey was also full of Black Rimmersmen； or Thrithings mercenaries； or whatever cutthroats Elias had bought with Erkynland's gold and the Storm King's magic。 It was hard to believe that many of the king's own Erkynguard； even the most ruthless； would remain in this haunted place with the corpse…faced Norns： the immortals were too frighteningly different。 It had been easy to see in just a brief instant that the soldiers in the Middle Bailey were frightened of them。
Now I have a reason to escape besides just my own skin。 Josua and the others need to know what is going on in here。 He felt a momentary surge of hope。 Maybe knowing the Norns are here with Elias will bring Jiriki and the rest of the Sithi。 Jiriki's kin would have to help the mortals then； wouldn't they？ Simon tried to think carefully。 In fact； I should try to escape now…if I can。 What good will I do Josua or anyone else if I don't get out？
But he had barely learned anything。 He was exactly what any war leader most valued…an experienced eye in the middle of the enemy camp。 Simon knew the Hayholt like a farmer knew his fields； like a blacksmith knew his tools。 He owed it to his good fortune in surviving this far…good fortune； yes； he reminded himself； but his wits and resourcefulness had helped him； too…to take all he could from the situation。
So。 Back to the Inner Bailey。 He could last a day or two without food if necessary； since water seemed to be abundantly available。 Plenty of time to spy out what useful things he could； then find a way out past the soldiers to freedom。 If he had to； he could even make his way back under the castle and through the dark tunnels again。 That would be the surest way to escape undetected。
No。 Not the tunnels。
It was no use pretending。 Even for Josua and the others； that was something he could not do。
He was approaching the bridge to the Inner Bailey when a loud clatter made Simon pull back into the shadows once more。 When he saw the group of mounted shapes riding out onto the span； he silently thanked Usires for not bringing him to the bridge a few moments earlier。
The pany seemed made up of armored Erkynguardsmen； strangely dispirited…looking for all their martial finery。 Simon had only a moment to wonder what their errand might be when he saw a chillingly familiar bald head in their midst。
Pryrates！ Simon pushed back against the wall； staring。 A choking hatred rose up inside of him。 There the monster was； not three score paces away； his hairless features limned by faint moonlight。
I could be on him in a moment； he thought wildly。 If I walked up slowly； the soldiers wouldn't worry…they'd just think I was one of the mercenaries who 'd drunk too much wine。 I could crush his skull with a rock。。。。
But what if he failed？ Then he would easily be captured； any use he might be to Josua finished before it had begun。 And worse； he would be the red priest's prisoner。 It was just as Binabik had said： how long would it be until he told Pryrates every secret about Josua； about the Sithi and the swords…until he begged to tell the alchemist anything he wanted to hear？
Simon could not help shuddering like a taunted dog at the end of a rope。 The monster was so close。。。
The pany of horsemen stopped。 The priest was berating one of the Erkynguards； his raspy voice faint but unmistakable。 Simon leaned as far forward as he could without losing the shadow of the wall； cupping his hand behind his ear so that he could hear better。
〃。。。 or I will ride you！〃 the priest spat。
The soldier said something in a muffled voice。 Despite his height and the sword he wore sheathed on his hip； the man cowered like a terrified child。 No one dared speak sharply to Pryrates。 That had been true even before Simon had fled the castle。
〃Are you mad or just stupid？〃 Pryrates' voice rose。 〃I cannot ride a lame horse for days； all the way to Wentmouth。 Give me yours。〃
The soldier got down； then handed the reins of his mount to the alchemist。 He said something else。 Pryrates laughed。
〃Then you will lead mine。 It will not hurt you to walk； I think； since it was your idiocy that 。。。〃 The rest of his mocking remark was too soft to hear； but Simon thought he heard another reference to Wentmouth； the rocky height in the south where the Gleniwent River met the sea。 Pryrates pulled himself up into the guardsman's saddle； his scarlet robe appearing for a moment from beneath his dark cloak like a bloody wound。 The priest spurred down off the bridge and onto the mud of the Middle Bailey。 The rest of the pany followed after him； trailed on foot by the soldier leading Pryrates' horse。
As they passed by his hiding spot； Simon found that he was clutching a stone in his hand； he could not remember picking it up。 He stared at the alchemist's head； round and bare as an eggshell； and thought about what pleasure he would feel to see it cracked open。 That evil creature had killed Morgenes； and God Himself alone knew how many others。 His fear mysteriously fled； Simon struggled against the almost overwhelming urge to shout his fury and attack。 How could the good ones like the doctor and Geloe and Deornoth die when such a beast was allowed to live？ Killing Pryrates would be worth the loss of his own life。 An unimaginable vileness would be gone from the world。 Doing the necessary； Rachel would have called it。 A dirty job； but one as needs doing。 But it seemed his life was not his to give。
He watched the pany troop past。 They circled around the tents and vanished； moving toward the Lesser Gate that led to the outermost bailey。 Simon dropped the rock he had been clutching into the mud and stood； trembling。
A thought came to him suddenly； an idea so wild and mad that he frightened himself。 He looked up at the sky； trying to guess how much time remained until dawn。 By the chill； empty feel of the air； he felt sure the sun was at least a few hours away。
Who was most likely to have taken Bright…Nail from the mound？ Pryrates； of course。 He might not even have told King Elias； if that suited his purposes。 And where would it be if that was true？ Hidden in the priest's stronghold…in Hjeldin's Tower。
Simon turned。 The alchemist's tower； unpleasantly squat beside the pure sweep of Green Angel； loomed over the Inner Bailey wall。 If there were lights inside； they were hidden： the scarlet windows were dark。 It looked deserted…but so did everything else at the center of the great keep。 The whole of the Hayholt's interior might have been a mausoleum； a city of the dead。
Did he dare to go inside…or at least try？ He would have to have light。 Perhaps there were extra torches or a hooded lantern he could use somewhere in Green Angel Tower。 It would be a fearful； terrible risk。。。。
If he had not seen Pryrates leaving with his own eyes； if he had not heard the red priest talk of riding to Wentmouth； Simon would not even have thought of it： just the idea of making his way into the…ill…omened tower when hairless； black…eyed Pryrates might be sitting inside； waiting like a spider at the center of his web； made his stomach heave。 But the priest was gone； that was undeniable； and Simon knew he might never have such a chance again。 What if he found Bright…Nail？！ He could take it and be gone from the Hayholt before Pryrates even returned。 That would be a satisfying trick to play on the red…robed murderer。 And wouldn't it be fine to ride into Prince Josua's camp and show them Bright…Nail flashing in the sun？ Then he would truly be Simon； Master of the Great Swords； wouldn't he？
As he moved quickly and quietly across the bridge； he found himself staring at the bailey wall before him。 Something about it had changed。 It had grown 。。。 lighter。
The sun was ing up； or at least as much of the sun as would appear on this gray day。 Simon hurried a little。 He had been wrong。
A few more hours； eh？ You've been lucky。 What if you'd been rattling around outside the door of Hjeldin's Tower； when the sun came up？ Mooncalf； still a mooncalf。
Still； he was not entirely unrepentant。 Knights and heroes had to be bold； and what he was considering now was a bold plan indeed。 He would simply have to wait until tomorrow night's darkness to acplish it。 It would be a marvelous； brave thing to do。
But even as he hurried back toward his hiding hole in Green Angel Tower； he wished his friends were around to talk him out of it。
The sun had set a