laughed, and Andiene answered merrily. “I have never seen her—I have never seen either of them use power except when life was at stake. There is no harm in that. When you are stronger, you will worry less.”
“One more day, and I will walk, whether you give me leave or not,” Ilbran said. He thought for a while. “We needed golderlings to lick our wounds.” Seeing Kallan’s amazement, he told the story. “My back was healed as though it had never been torn, and the arrow wound, through my shoulder side to side, healed cleanly and gave me no pain.”
“I have never heard stories like that of the little golden ones, that they were gentle to mankind. You must tell them to our minstrel.”
Ilbran shook his head. “In some year to come, perhaps.”
“I have business of my own with our minstrel, then,” and Kallan walked across to where Lenane tended the fire.
“My lady, this is our last evening for a fire, I think.” She looked up at him and nodded, still mistrustful.
“Let me stir the kettle for a minute, while you see if you can find my signet ring. I lost it today. It fell from its string, and I did not pick it up at once. Though I do not wear it, I value it.”
Color rose up in her face. She walked swiftly away. Kallan did not turn to watch her delve into her pack, but stirred the kettle and whistled a tuneless melody.
Lenane returned quickly. “I found it.”
“Thank you.” He took the carved gold ring and reknotted it on the thong that hung around his neck. “Let me ask you something.” He caught her wrist and pulled her close to him. Her brown eyes were abashed, fearful, and defiant all at once. He was on his guard against her uncertain temper, but she did not try to use her claws. Across the room, Syresh watched them.
“What village were you born in?” he asked.
“Saverland, south of Oreja.”
“What did they teach you there? Do companions thieve from companions?”
“No.”
“Remember it well.” He released her wrist, and looked at her curiously. “Why did you leave your village?”
She spoke cautiously, trying to spy out any trap. “There was one who came. I followed him.”
“And he left you?”
“I left. After my child … ” Lenane’s eyes were shadowed with pain. She turned her back abruptly, and went back to her cooking.
The next day, they rose early and walked far, through avenues and archways of gold. Though the air was very still, a few yellow leaves floated down. They carried water in every bag and bottle that they had, and drank frequently. Kare ran at Andiene’s side, frolicking like a half-grown courser.
Syresh lagged behind, to speak to Kallan. “Do you know what her plans are?”
“She would not tell me. She does not trust me.”
The younger man’s face was eager and confident. “The land lies within her grasp. If she wants it, she can reach out and take it.”
“Are you ready to fight?”
“Ready? Ready and eager!”
“You alone, against Nahil’s armies?”
“Think of the songs that will be sung of such an undertaking. Our names would be written in the minstrel’s lore.”
“My name already is,” Kallan said, “but not for as good a reason. What of her magic? You have traveled with her. What have you seen of that?”
“She lived these last seven years in the land beyond the sea. Dragonsland, she called it, though she did not speak of what she saw there.” The younger man shivered, though the sun was golden hot on their back. “I have had strange dreams, such strange dreams.”
“Of dragons?”
“How did you guess?” Syresh asked.
“This whole company has, I think, though I would not dare to ask her what her dreams are. What were yours?”
“He was gray, lying on ridge-top like a crest of boulders. His bones were made of stone. He breathed out fire, and it changed to grievers, the cruel ones, running like wildfire in the summer, and this time you did not come to rescue us.”
“Think of it no more,” Kallan said. “Your wounds are but newly healed, and the memories still trouble your spirit. We were raised to face death by the sword, but these creatures of the forest are something different, that any man may fear without shame.”
But for all that he said, he was troubled, for the Gray One haunted his dreams also, as massive as the bones of the earth, with breath as fierce and sudden as lightning, and eyes as cold as a friendless