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〃You said that they are dead！ 〃Lena hissed。 〃You said that we would not see them again。〃
At the same time； Covenant croaked； 〃It was you！〃 His apprehensions burst into clarity。 〃You did it。'' In the lurid light of the fire； he caught his first sure glimpse of his plight。 〃You're the one who betrayed all those coverts！〃
Lena's movement triggered him into movement。 He was one step ahead of her as she threw herself at Pietten。
But Pietten was too swift for them。 He aimed his spear and braced himself to impale the first attack。
Covenant leaped to a stop。 Grappling frantically； he caught Lena； held her from hurling herself onto Pietten's weapon。 She struggled for one mute； furious moment； then became still in his grasp。 Her bedraggled white hair hung across her face like a fringe of madness。 Grimly； he set her behind him。
He was trembling； but he forced himself to face Pietten。 〃You want them to watch while you kill us。〃
Pietten laughed sourly。 〃Do they not deserve it？〃 His eyes flashed as if a lightning of murder played in back of them。 〃If I could have my wish； I would place the entire Ramen nation around this hollow so that they might behold my contempt for them。 Ranyhyn servants！ Pah！ They are vermin。''
〃Render！〃 Lena spat hoarsely。
With his left hand； Covenant held her behind him。 〃You betrayed those coverts…you betrayed them all。 You're the only one who could have done it。 You killed the sentries and showed those marauders how to get in。 No wonder you stink of blood。〃
〃It pleases me。〃
〃You betrayed the Ranyhyn！〃 Covenant raged。 〃Injured Ranyhyn got slaughtered！〃
At this； Pietten jerked forward； brandished his spear viciously。 〃Hold your tongue； Ringthane！〃 he snapped。 〃Do not question my faith。 I have fought…I would slay any living creature that raised its hands against the Ranyhyn。〃
〃Do you call that faith？ There were injured Ranyhyn in that covert； and they were butchered！〃
〃They were murdered by Ramen！〃 Pietten retorted redly。 〃Vermin！ They pretend service to the Ranyhyn； but they do not take the Ranyhyn to the safety of the south。 I hold no fealty for them。〃 Lena tried to leap at Pietten again； but Covenant restrained her。 〃They are like you…and that Giant…and the Bloodguard！ Pah！ You feast on Ranyhyn…flesh like jackals。〃
With an effort； Covenant made Lena look at him。 〃Go！〃 he whispered rapidly。 〃Run。 Get out of here。 Get back across the river…try to find Bannor or Foamfollower。 He doesn't care about you。 He won't chase you。 He wants me。〃
Pietten cocked his spear。 〃If you take one step to flee；'' he grated； 〃I will kill the Ringthane where he stands and hunt you down like a wolf。〃
The threat carried conviction。 〃All right；〃 Covenant groaned to Lena。 〃All right。〃 Glowering thunderously； he swung back toward Pietten。 〃Do you remember ur…viles； Pietten？ Soaring Woodhelven？ Fire and ur…viles？ They captured you。 Do you remember？〃
Pietten stared back like lightning。
〃They captured you。 They did things to you。 Just as they did to Llaura。 Do you remember her？ They hurt her inside so that she had to help trap the Lords。 The harder she tried to break free； the worse the trap got。 Do you remember？ It's just like that with you。 They hurt you so that you would…destroy the Ranyhyn。 Listen to me！ Foul knew when he started this war that he wouldn't be able to crush the Ranyhyn unless he found some way to betray the Ramen。 So he hurt you。 He made you do what he wants。 He's using you to butcher the Ranyhyn！ And he's probably given you special orders about me。 What did he tell you to do with my ring？〃 He hurled the words at Pietten with all his strength。 〃How many bloody times have you been to Foul's Creche since this winter started？〃
For a moment； Pietten's eyes lost their focus。 Dimly； he murmured； 〃I must take it to him。 He will use it to save the Ranyhyn。〃 But the next instant； white fury flared in him again。 '' You lie！ I love the Ranyhyn！ You are the butchers； you and those vermin！〃
〃That isn't true。 You know it isn't true。〃
〃Is it not？〃 Pietten laughed desperately。 〃Do you think I am blind； Ringthane？ I have learned much in…in my journeys。 Do you think the Ramen hold the Ranyhyn here out of love？〃
〃They can't help it；〃 Covenant replied。 〃The Ranyhyn refuse to go。〃
Pietten did not hear him。 〃Do you think the Bloodguard are here out of love？ You are a fool！ Banner is here because he has caused the deaths of so many Ranyhyn that he has bee a betrayer。 He needs to betray； as he did the Lords。 Oh； he fights…he has always fought。 He hungers to see every Ranyhyn slain in spite of his fighting so that his need will be fed。 Pah！〃
Covenant tried to interrupt； protest； but Pietten rushed on： 〃Do you think the Giant is here out of love？ You are anile…sick with trust。 Foamfollower is here because he has betrayed his people。 Every last Giant； every man； woman； and child of his kindred； lies dead and moldered in Seareach because he abandoned them！ He fled rather than defend them。 His very bones are made of treachery； and he is here because he can find no one else to betray。 All his other panions are dead。〃
Foamfollower！ Covenant cried in stricken silence。 All dead？ Foamfollower！
〃And you； Ringthane…you are the worst of all。 You surpass my contempt。 You ask what I remember。〃 His spear point waved patterns of outrage at Covenant's chest。 〃I remember that the Ranyhyn reared to you。 I remember that I strove to stop you。 But you had already chosen to betray them。 You bound them with promises…promises which you knew they could not break。 Therefore the Ranyhyn cannot seek the safety of the mountains。 They are shackled by mitments which you forced from them； you！ You are the true butcher； Ringthane。 I have lived my life for the chance to slay you。〃
〃No；〃 Covenant gasped。 〃I didn't know。〃 But he heard the truth in Pietten's accusation。 Waves of crime seemed to spread from him in all directions。 〃I didn't know。〃
Bannor？ he moaned。 Foamfollower？ A livid orange mist filled his sight like the radiance of brimstone。 How could he have done so much harm？ He had only wanted to survive…had only wanted to extract survival from the raw stuff of suicide and madness。 The Giants！…lost like Elena。 And now the Ranyhyn were being driven down the same bloody road。 Foamfollower？ Did I do this to you？ He knew that he was defenseless； that he could have done nothing to ward off a spear thrust。 But he was staring into the abyss of his own actions and could not look away。
〃We're the same；'' he breathed without knowing what he was saying。 〃Foul and I are the same。〃
Then he became aware that hands were pulling at him。 Lena had gripped his jacket and was shaking him as hard as she could。 〃Is it true？〃 she shouted at him。 〃Are they dying because you made them promise to visit me each year？〃
He met her eyes。 They were full of firelight； they pelled him to recognize still another of his crimes。 In spite of his peril； he could not refuse her the truth。
〃No。〃 His throat was clogged with grief and horror。 〃That's only part… Even if they went to the mountains； they could still reach you。 I…I〃…his voice ached thickly…〃I made them promise to save me…if I ever called them。 I did it for myself。〃
Pietten laughed。
A cry of fury and despair tore between her lips。 With the strength of revulsion； she thrust Covenant from her； then started to run out of the hollow。
〃Stop！'' Pietten barked after her。'' You cannot escape！〃 He turned as she ran； following her with the tip of his spear。
In the instant that Pietten cocked his arm to throw； Covenant charged。 He got his hands on the spear； heaved his weight against Pietten； tried to tear the spear away。 Pietten recoiled a few steps under the onslaught。 They wrestled furiously。 But the grip of Covenant's half hand was too weak。 With a violent wrench； Pietten twisted the spear free。
Covenant grappled for Pietten's arms。 Pietten knocked him back with the butt of the spear and stabbed its point at him。 Covenant threw himself to the side； managed to avoid the thrust。 But he landed heavily on one foot； with the ankle bent under his weight。
Bones snapped。 He heard them retorting through his flesh as he crashed to the ground； heard himself scream。 Agony erupted in his leg。 But he made himself roll； trying to evade the jabs of the spear。
As he flopped onto his back； he saw Pietten standing over him with the spear clenched like a spike in both hands。
Then Lena slammed into the Woodhelvennin。 She launched her slight form at him with such ferocity that he fell under her； lost his grip on the spear。 It landed across Covenant。
He grabbed it； tried to lever himself to his feet with it。 But the pain in his ankle held him down as if his foot had been nailed to the ground。 〃Lena！〃 he shouted wildly。 〃No！〃
Pietten threw her off him with one powerful sweep of his arm。 She sprang up again and pulled a knife out of her robe。 Rage contorted her fragile face as she hacked at Pietten。
He evaded her strokes； backed away quickly for an instant to gather his balance。 Then； fiercely； he grinned。
〃No！〃 Covenant shrieked。
Whe