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Thanks a bunch； friend。 There was Croaker in her shadow with his puny bow and arrows。
Guards all in position； entrenched； behind low palisades； ditches； and artillery。 Pennons all in place； to guide Darling's carefully surveyed ride。 Tension mounting。 What more was there to do？
〃Stay behind me；〃 the Lady reminded。 〃Keep your arrows ready。〃
〃Yeah。 Good luck。 If we win； I'll buy you dinner at the Gardens in Opal。〃 I don't know what possessed me to say that。 Frenzied attempt at self…distraction？ It was a chilly morning； but I was sweating。
She seemed startled。 Then she smiled。 〃If we win； I'll hold you to that。〃 The smile was feeble。 She had no cause to believe she would survive another hour。
She started walking toward the Great Barrow。 Faithful pup； I dogged her。
The last spark of light would not die。 She would not save herself through surrender。
Bomanz gave us a head start； then followed。 Likewise； the Limper。
Neither's action was in the master plan。
The Lady did not react。 Perforce； I let it go； too。
Taken carpets began to spiral down。 The windwhales seemed a little bouncy； the mantas a little frenetic in their search for favorable air。
Edge of the Barrowland。 My amulet did not tingle。 All the old fetishes outside the Barrowland's heart had been removed。 The dead now lay in peace。
Moist earth sucked at my boots。 I had trouble maintaining my balance； keeping an arrow across my bow。 I had one black shaft set to string； the other two gripped in the hand that held the bow。
The Lady halted a few feet from the pit whence we had dragged Bomanz。 She became oblivious to the world； almost as if she were muning with the thing underground。 I glanced back。 Bomanz had halted a little to the north； about fifty feet from me。 He had his hands in his pockets and wore a look that dared me to protest his presence。 The Limper had set down about where the moat was when a moat surrounded the Barrowland。 He did not want to fall when the null swept over him。
I glanced at the sun。 About nine。 Three hours margin if we wanted to use it。
My heart was setting records for carrying on。 My hands shook so much it seemed the bones ought to rattle。 I doubted I could put an arrow into an elephant from five feet。
How e I got lucky and got picked to be her buttboy？
I reviewed my life。 What had I done to deserve this？ So many choices I might have made differently 。 。 。 〃What？〃
〃Ready？〃 she asked。
〃Never。〃 I pasted on a sickly grin。
She tried to smile back； but she was more scared than I was。 She knew what she faced。 She believed she had only moments to live。
She had guts； that woman； going on when there was nothing she could win but； perhaps； some small redemption in the eyes of the world。
Names flashed through my mind。 Sylith。 Credence。 Which？ In a moment a choice might be critical。
I am not a religious man。 But I sped a silent prayer to the gods of my youth asking that it not be me required to plete the ritual of her naming。
She faced the town and raised an arm。 Trumpets winded。 As though anyone were not paying attention。
Her arm dropped。
Hoofbeats。 Darling in her white； with Elmo； Silent； and the Lieutenant all three dogging her； galloped the lane defined by the pennons。 The null was to e sudden； then freeze。 The Dominator was to be allowed to break out； but not with his power intact。
I felt the null。 It hit me hard； so unaccustomed to it was I。 The Lady staggered too。 A mewl of fear fled her lips。 She did not want to be disarmed。 Not now。 But it was the only way。
The ground shuddered once； gently； then geysered upward。 I retreated a step。 Shivering； I watched the fountain of muck disperse 。 。 。 and was amazed to see not a man but the dragon 。 。 。
The damned dragon！ I hadn't thought about that。
It reared fifty feet high； flames boiling around its head。 It roared。 What now？ In the null the Lady could not shield us。
The Dominator fled my mind entirely。
I drew a shaft to its head； aimed for the beast's open mouth。
A shout restrained me。 I turned。 Bomanz pranced and shrieked； calling insults in KurreTelle。 The dragon eyeballed him。 And recalled that they had unfinished business。
It struck like a snake。 Flames surged ahead of it。
Fire masked Bomanz but did not harm him。 He had taken his stand beyond the null。
The Lady moved a few steps to her right； to look past the dragon； whose forelegs were now free and scrabbling to drag the rest of its immense body loose。 I could see nothing of our quarry。 But the flying Taken were into their attack runs。 Heavy fire…carrying spears were in flight already。 They roared down； burst。
A thunderous voice announced； 〃Headed for the river。〃 The Lady hurried forward。 Darling resumed moving； carrying the null toward the water。 Ghosts cursed and pranced around me。 I was too distracted to respond。
Mantas dropped in swift； dark pairs； dancing between bolts of lightning loosed by windwhales。 The air went crackly； smelled dry and strange。
Suddenly Tracker was with us； muttering about having to save the tree。
I heard a rising bray of horns。 I dodged a flailing dragon leg； ducked a hammering wing； looked back。
Scores of ill…clad human skeletons poured from the forest in the wake of a limping Toadkiller Dog。 〃I knew we hadn't seen the last of that bastard。〃 I tried to get the Lady's attention。 〃The forest tribes。 They're attacking the Guard。〃 The Dominator had had at least one ace in the hole。
The Lady paid me no heed。
What the tribesmen and Guard did were of no consequence to us at the moment。 We had prey on the run and dared concern ourselves with nothing else。
〃In the water！〃 that voice thundered from above。 Darling moved some more。 The Lady and I scrambled over earth still rippling with the dragon's efforts to break free。 It ignored us。 Bomanz had its entire attention。
A windwhale dropped。 Its tentacles probed the river。 It caught something； dropped ballast water。
A human figure writhed in the whale's grasp； screaming。 My spirits rose。 We had done it 。 。 。
The whale lifted too high。 For a moment it raised the Dominator out of the null。
Deadly mistake。
Thunder。 Lightning。 Terror on hot hooves。 Half the town and a swath to the edge of the null shattered； scattered； burned； and blackened。
The whale exploded。
The Dominator fell。 As he plunged toward both water and null； he bellowed； 〃Sylith！ I name your name！〃
I loosed an arrow。
Deadeye。 One of the best wing shots I have ever made。 It got him in the side。 He shrieked and clawed at the shaft。 Then he hit water。 Manta lightning made the river boil。 Another whale dropped and shoved tentacles beneath the surface。 For a long moment I was terrified the Dominator would stay under and escape。
But up he came； again in a monster's grasp。 This whale； too； went too high。 And paid the price； though the Dominator's magic was much enfeebled； probably by my arrow。 He got off one wild spell which went astray and started fires in the Guards pound。 The Guards and tribesmen were closely engaged nearby。 The spell slew scores from both forces。
I did not get another arrow off。 I was frozen。 I had been assured that the naming of a name； once suitable rituals had been observed； could not be stilled by the null。 But the Lady had not faltered。 She stood a step short of the edge of land； staring at the thing that had been her husband。 The naming of the name Sylith had not disturbed her at all。
Not Sylith！ Twice the Dominator had named her wrong 。 。 。 Only one left to try。 But my grin was hollow。 I would have named her Sylith。
A third windwhale caught the Dominator。 This one made no mistake。 It carried him to shore； toward Darling and her escort。 He struggled furiously。 Gods！ The vitality of that man！
Behind us； men screamed。 Arms clashed。 The Guards had not been as surprised as I。 They were holding their ground。 The airborne Taken hastened to support them； flinging a storm of deadly sorceries。 Toadkiller Dog was the center of their attention。
Elmo； the Lieutenant； and Silent jumped the Dominator the moment the windwhale dropped him。 That was like jumping a tiger。 He threw Elmo thirty feet。 I heard the crack as he broke the Lieutenant's spine。 Silent danced away。 I put another arrow into him。 He staggered； but did not go down。 Dazed； he started toward the Lady and me。
Tracker met him halfway。 He set the son of the tree aside； grabbed hold of his man； started a wrestling match of epic scale。 He and the Dominator shrieked like souls in torment。
I wanted to rush down and tend to Elmo and the Lieutenant； but the Lady gestured for me to stay。 Her gaze roved everywhere。 She expected something more。
A great shriek shook the earth。 A ball of oily fire rolled skyward。 The dragon flopped like an injured worm； screaming。 Bomanz had disappeared。
To be seen was the Limper。 Somehow he had dragged himself to within a dozen feet of me without my noticing。 My fear was so great I nearly voided my bowels。 His mask was gone。 The devasted wasteland of his bare face glowered with malice。 In a moment； he was thinking； he would even all scores with me。 My legs turned to jelly。
He pointed a small crossbow；