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She was silent； her fingers trailing up and down his backbone。 〃Well；〃 she said softly； 〃then maybe you can trust him。〃
〃I have tried；〃 he whispered。 Her hand stilled。 He lay back down beside her； listening to the pine keen as it burned。 He put his wrist over his eyes。 〃I'm going to fail。 I could never win an argument with him。 I couldn't even kill him。 All I can do is wait until he names himself； and by then it may be too late。。。〃
She said something after a moment。 What it was he did not hear； for something without definition in the dark of his mind had stirred。 It felt at first like a mind…touch he could not stop。 So he explored it； and it became a sound。 His lips parted； the breath came quick； dry out of him。 The sound heaved into a bellow； like the bellow of the sea smashing docks and beached boats and fishermen's houses； then riding high； piling up and over a cliff to tear at fields； topple trees； roar darkly through the night； drowning screams of men and animals。 He was on his feet without knowing it； echoing the cry he heard in the mind of the land…ruler of Hed。
〃No！〃
He heard a tangle of voices。 He could not see in the whirling black flood。 His body seemed veined with land…law。 He felt the terrible wave whirled back； sucking with it broken sacks of grain； sheep and pigs； beer barrels； the broken walls of barns and houses； fenceposts； soup cauldrons； harrows； children screaming in the dark。 Someone gripped him； crying his name over and over。 Fear； despair； helpless anger washed through him； his own and Eliard's。 A mind caught at his mind； but he was bound to Hed； a thousand miles away。 Then a hand snapped painfully across his face； rocking him back； out of his vision。
He found himself staring into Yrth's blind eyes。 A hot； furious sense of the wizard's inprehensible injustice swept through him so strongly he could not even speak。 He doubled his fist and swung。 Yrth was far heavier than he expected； the blow wrenched his bones from wrist to shoulder； and split his knuckles； as if he had struck stone or wood。 Yrth； looking vaguely surprised； wavered in the air before he might have fallen and then vanished。 He reappeared a moment later and sat down on the rim of the firebed； cupping a bleeding cheekbone。
The two guards in the doorway and Raederle all had the same expression on their faces。 They seemed also to be bound motionless。 Morgon； catching his breath； the sudden fury dissipated； said； 〃Hed is under attack。 I'm going there。〃
〃No。〃
〃The sea came up over the cliffs。 I heard。。。 I heard their voices； Eliard's voice。 If he's dead … I swear； if he is dead … if you hadn't hit me； I would know！ I was in his mind。 Tol。。。 Tol was destroyed。 Everything。 Everyone。〃 He looked at Raederle。 〃I'll be back as soon as I can。〃
〃I'm ing；〃 she whispered。
〃No。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Morgon；〃 Yrth said。 〃You will be killed。〃
〃Tristan。〃 His hands clenched； he swallowed a painful； burning knot。 〃I don't know if she's alive or dead！〃 He closed his eyes； flinging his mind across the dark； rain…drenched night； across the vast forests； as far as he could reach。 He stepped toward the edge of his awareness。 But an image formed in his mind； drew him back as he moved； and he opened his eyes to the firelit walls of the tower。
〃It's a trap；〃 Yrth said。 His voice sounded hollow with pain； but very patient。 Morgon did not bother to answer。 He drew the image of a falcon out of his mind； but swiftly； even before he had begun to change shape； the image changed to light； burned eyes that saw into his mind。 They pulled him back into himself。
〃Morgon； I'll go。 They are expecting you； they hardly know me。 I can travel swiftly； I'll be back very soon。。。〃 He stood up abruptly as Morgon filled his mind with illusions of fire and shadow and disappeared within them。 He had nearly walked out of the room when the wizard's eyes pierced into his thoughts； breaking his concentration。
The anger flared in him again。 He kept walking and brought himself up against an illusion of solid stone in the doorway。 〃Morgon；〃 the wizard said； and Morgon whirled。 He flung a shout into Yrth's mind that should have jarred the wizard's attention away from his illusion。 But the shout echoed harmlessly into a mind like a vast chasm of darkness。
He stood still； then； his hands flat on the illusion； a fine sweat of fear and exhaustion forming on his face。 The darkness was like a warning。 But he let his mind touch it again； form around it； try to move through its illusion to the core of the wizard's thoughts。 He only blundered deeper into darkness； with the sense of some vast power constantly retreating before his searching。 He followed it until he could no longer find his way back。。。。
He came out of the darkness slowly； to find himself sitting motionless beside the fire。 Raederle was beside him； her fingers locked to his limp hand。 Yrth stood in front of them。 His face looked almost grey with weariness； his eyes were bloodshot。 His boots and the hem of his long robe were stained with dry mud and crusted salt The cut on his cheek had closed。
Morgon started。 Danan； on his other side； stooped to lay a hand on his shoulder。 〃Morgon；〃 he said softly； 〃Yrth has just e back from Hed。 It's mid…morning。 He has been gone two nights and a day。〃
〃What did you。。。〃 He stood up； too abruptly。 Danan caught him； held him while the blood behind his eyes receded。 〃How did you do that to me？〃 he whispered。
〃Morgon； forgive me。〃 The strained； weary voice seemed haunted with overtones of another voice。 〃The Earth…Masters were waiting for you in Hed。 If you had gone； you would have died there； and more lives would have been lost battling for you。 They couldn't find you anywhere； they were trying to drive you out of your hiding。〃
〃Eliard！〃
〃He's safe。 I found him standing among the ruins of Akren。 The wave destroyed Tol； Akren； most of the farms along the western coast。 I spoke to the farmers； they saw some fighting between strange； armed men； they said； who did not belong in Hed。 I questioned one of the wraiths； he said there was little to be done against the shape of water。 I told Eliard who I am； where you are。。。 he was stunned with the suddenness of it。 He said that he knew you had sensed the destruction； but he was glad you had had sense enough not to e。〃
Morgon drew breath； it seemed to burn through him。 〃Tristan？〃
〃As far as Eliard knows； she's safe。 Some feebleminded trader told her you had disappeared。 So she left Hed to look for you； but a sailor recognized her in Caithnard and stopped her。 She is on her way home。〃 Morgon put his hand over his eyes。 The wizard's hand rose； went out to him； but he drew back。 〃Morgon。〃 The wizard was dredging words from somewhere out of his exhaustion。 〃It was not a plex binding。 You were not thinking clearly enough to break it。〃
〃I was thinking clearly；〃 he whispered。 〃I did not have the power to break it。〃 He stopped； aware of Danan behind him； puzzled； yet trusting them both。 The dark riddle of the wizard's power loomed again over his thoughts； over the whole of the realm； from Isig to Hed。 There seemed no escape from it。 He began to sob harshly； hopelessly； possessing no other answer。 The wizard； his shoulders slumping as if the weight of the realm dragged at his back； gave him nothing but silence。
XIV
THEY LEFT ISIG THE NEXT DAY： THREE CROWS flying among the billowing smoke from Danan's forges。 They crossed the Ose； flew over the docks at Kyrth； every ship moored there was being overhauled for a long journey down the river to the heavy autumn seas。 The grey rains beat against them over the forests of Osterland； the miles of ancient pine were hunched and weary。 Grim Mountain rose in the distance out of a ring of mist。 The east and north winds swarmed around them； the crows dipped from current to current； their feathers alternately sleeked and billowed by the erratic winds。 They stopped to rest frequently。 By nightfall they were barely halfway to Yrye。
They stopped for the night under the broad eaves of an old tree whose thick branches sighed resignedly in the rain。 They found niches in it to protect themselves from the weather。 Two crows huddled together on a branch； the third landed below them； a big； dark； windblown bird who had not spoken since they left Isig。 For hours they slept； shielded by the weave of branches； lulled by the wind。
The winds died at midnight。 The rains slowed to a whisper； then faded。 The clouds parted； loosing the stars cluster by cluster against a dazzling blackness。 The unexpected silence found its way into Morgon's crow…dreams。 His eyes opened。
Raederle was motionless beside him； a little cloud of soft black plumage。 The crow beneath him was still。 His own shape pulled at him dimly； wanting to breathe the spices of the night； wanting to bee moonlight。 He spread his wings after a moment； dropped soundlessly to the ground； and changed shape。
He stood quietly； enfolded in the Osterland night。 His mind opened to all its sounds and smells and shapes。 He laid his hand against the