death.
The sound of Andiene’s laughter drew his attention. Kare laughed in response to what she said. Truly, the child loved her well, and she in turn, was changing. Evening by evening, he could see the difference. Her laughter was easy and frequent. Little things provoked it.
It seemed to Kallan that though she had kept her queenly aura, she had more of the look of an earthly queen, one who would wed, and bear children, and die as all do. She seemed less dangerous.
Ilbran watched her almost constantly, a wary and doubtful look when she spoke to his daughter, a look of eagerness when she turned to him.
Syresh and Lenane walked together and sat close together that evening, doing their customary bickering in undertones. The night creatures sang outside, but all of them had grown accustomed to that song. It did not trouble their slumber.
They woke on the morning of the eighth day. Ilbran was on his feet and walking at last, heavily, and using a fallen branch for a cane. The leaves fell thick as rain. The wind blew from the east, and dust and death filled the air, choking them.
They passed one safehold and went on. Kare had tired and had to be carried, and a wound on Ilbran’s leg had opened and was bleeding, but Lenane urged them on, and Kallan did also. “When the trees stand bare, then no ways are safe,” he said.
It was late in the afternoon when they rounded a bend in the path, and waded knee-deep through drifts of russet and golden leaves to pass out into the open plains.
Chapter 19
Lenane and Syresh joined hands and laughed out loud like children, to see the wide blue sky, the horizon again. The others were quieter. “Remember,” Kallan said, “the forest shielded us from the full weight of the summer heat. We must rest by day now, and travel by night.”
The next days proved him right, as the heat grew like flames leaping up through dry kindling. They marched by night, and tried to rest and sleep by day, but there was no rest to be found, nor even any shade. The wind choked them with dust, and the smoke of a far-off burning clouded the horizon.
They lay in the grass and covered their heads with their cloaks. They wet their hair down with their precious water. The stream that they followed grew more shallow and scummy every day, and though the nights were a joyous relief from the day, yet they grew hotter. The little group of travelers walked stumbling along the path, their way lighted by the remnants of the stars.
Kallan carried the child and brought up the rear, where he could watch how his companions were faring. Andiene and Ilbran leaned on each other for support, and spoke little. Syresh and Lenane, walking together, leading the group, still had energy to provoke each other. Their long-running squabble over who should glean blaggorn for their morning meal had gone on long and endlessly by the time that Syresh said, “A job fit for you. Cannot thieves see in the dark?”
Kallan held his breath, but Lenane showed no sign of resorting to her claws to avenge the insult. He laughed to himself then. A pity that their strength could not be given to some who needed it more!
They traveled like that for three nights. The stars had become mere broken wisps of light, making their traveling hard and slow. They stumbled frequently. Weary feet can trip over a smooth road.
At the end of the third day, Andiene turned to Ilbran. “You have traveled this road. How far are we from the city?”
“Not far. This night’s travel, or two nights, might bring us to the gates.”
“What kind of a man is the king of this land?”
Ilbran hesitated, glanced at Kallan, who said, “You can answer as well as I.”
“I saw him only at a distance. We gave him little thought, but he seemed thin and cunning and greedy. We did not stay long in the land.”
“Why?”
“I had grown to have pleasure in traveling, and no place seemed good enough to stay. And Kallan seemed in no hurry to choose his hearth and home, either.”
“Except in the forest village,” the other man said.
Ilbran laughed. “You will have to go back and see what came of that, in six or sixteen years.” He glanced at Andiene, and color rose in his face. “The forest people are … generous and gentle with travelers. We spent part of the