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arillon。
Finn kneed his horse out of the shadows。 〃Duncan； I hope this is what you have wanted so long；〃 he said obscurely。
Alix frowned at him。 〃What do you say？〃
Finn stared at his brother。 〃He has ever warned the clan against unrestrained retribution for the qu'mahlin。 It has ever been Duncan； swaying the Council； who kept us in the forests of Ellas； when we would strike against Shaine's patrols and any other serving the Mujhar。〃 Something glinted wickedly in his eyes。 〃You do not know； meijha； what it is to fight a Cheysuli in all extremity。 We might have slain many more who sought to slay us； had Duncan allowed it。〃
〃The prophecy does not speak of utter annihilation； Finn；〃 Duncan retorted… 〃It speaks of a final peace between warring lands and races。 Should it not begin with our own realm？〃
〃Shaine would sooner see us dead。〃
〃Shaine will see us； rujho； but we will not be dead。〃 Duncan kneed his horse forward。 〃Do you e with us？〃
〃No。〃 Finn gathered his reins。 〃I fight alone； Duncan； as ever。〃 His eyes flickered over Alix。 〃You are a foolish woman； meijha。 You should be at the Keep； with the others who wait。〃
〃I could not bear it；〃 she said quietly。
Finn stared harshly at her a moment longer； then wheeled his horse and rode into the shadows。 A silver wolf loped silently at his side。
Alix wrapped her arms around Duncan and pressed herself against his back as they rode through the streets。 〃Duncan； 1 am afraid。〃
〃There is no dishonor in fear。 It is only when you fail to do what you must that the dishonor es。〃
She sighed and put her forehead against his shoulder。 〃Do not
speak to me as a clan…leader； Duncan。 I am in no mood to listen。〃
Carillon； riding abreast； grinned at her。 〃Have you ever been in the mood to listen？ No。 Else you would not be here； and afraid。〃
She shot him a dark glance and refrained from saying anything for fear it would not be seemly。
They rode through streets unfamiliar to her； and even Duncan at last gave way to Carillon； who knew the city better than any。 The people who passed them went cloaked and hooded； saying nothing。 Carillon rode silently but Alix saw the tension in his body and realized what the knowledge of what had happened did to him。
Duncan pulled his horse to a halt at a large recessed stable opening of a deserted dwelling… Alix waited； unprehending； as he slipped from the saddle and turned to help her down。 When she stood on the cobbles she stared into his face and opened her mouth to speak。
Duncan put gentle fingers across her lips。 〃I would have you remain here； cheysula； out of harm's way。 That you have e so far with me is risk enough。 I will not have you e farther into the enemy's trap。〃
She pried his fingers away。 〃Do you leave me here？〃
〃Aye。 The street is empty； the buildings deserted。 I think you will be safe here； if you do as I say。〃
Alix glanced briefly past him and saw Carillon's silhouette against the shine of moonlight。 He had halted his horse near the end of the street； giving them privacy。
〃Then I will be waiting again； unknowing；〃 she protested。
〃It will be no different than at the Keep。〃
His hands clasped her belted waist possessively。 〃Alix； I understand what you fear。 In your place； I could not do it。 But I cannot have you by my side as I go into war。 It would divide my concentration； and that is deadly to any warrior。〃
〃By myself？〃 she whispered。
〃I will leave Cai。 I would not have you go unattended。〃 He smoothed back her tousled hair。 〃Cheysula； say you will do as I ask。〃
〃Duncan； how am I to deal with this？ You leave me in the middle of a fallen city and say I must not worry。 That is the cruelest torture I could know。〃
He glanced over his shoulder and saw Carillon returning。 He sighed and left his horse in the street； taking Alix into the building half…destroyed by Ihlini sorcery。 Before she could protest； Duncan lifted her and set her on a tumbled wall。
〃You will stay here； with Cai。〃
〃Without your Ur you cannot shapechange。〃
〃There are Ihlini here。 I cannot seek；ir…shape anyway。〃
〃Duncan＋〃
〃Do as I ask。 Keep yourself safe here； away from fighting。〃
He sighed and one broad； long…fingered hand slid to cover her stomach。 〃I must name the child； cheysula。〃
〃Name it。。。 now？〃
〃Aye。 It is a warrior's custom to name an unborn as he goes into battle。〃 He shrugged。 〃So mat it is gods…blessed； regardless of Qiejehan's fate。〃
Cold slid through her bones as she grabbed at his hands。
〃Duncan； I would sooner have you stay with me！〃
〃I cannot；〃 he said gently。 〃It is not my tahlmorra to turn my back on Homana's need。〃
〃You will e back for me！〃
〃Of course； cheysula。 Do you think so poorly of my warrior skills？〃
〃But I am not a warrior。 I cannot judge。〃
〃You are warrior enough for me。〃 He silenced any protest with a kiss of such longing and poignancy she could say nothing when he at last released her。 She stared into his face beseechingly； and saw the pride and strength she had ever loved。
〃He shall be Donal；〃 he said softly。 〃Donal。〃
Perversely； she scowled at him。 〃And if I bear a girl？〃
Duncan grinned。 〃I think it will be a boy。〃
〃Duncan＋〃
〃I will e for you； when it is done。〃
Anguish filled her。 〃Cheysuf＋〃
〃It is tahlmorra； small one；〃 he said firmly； and left her in the darkness。
Chapter Two
Alix paced through the rubble like a madwoman。 For a long time
she saw nothing of me place in which Duncan had left her；
feeling only the turmoil and anger of her spirit； until at last she
stopped in the middle of the tumbled building and stared into its
shadowed depths。 The emptiness of the place oppressed her until
she wanted to run screaming from it。 Then she realized it was not
the tumbled wreckage that beat at her so much； but the acknowledgment of her own futility。
She wrapped both arms tightly around herself as if they would lend her warmth and security。 She attuned her senses to her surroundings and heard the skittering of rats in dark ers； and me creaking of weakened timbers。 Slowly she lifted her eyes to the broken roof and stared into the black night sky with its scattered stars。
I am here。 liren。 Cai said softly。 / am here。
Her mouth twisted。 / respect you； Cai； but you are not Duncan。
You are not the father of this child I carry。
The bird shifted somewhere above。 He has left me to make certain you fare well。 Not to take his place。
She smiled into the blank open doorway。 Cai。。。 sometimes I forget you are a hawk and think of you almost as a man。
A tiny pebble fell from the timber over her head。 / am not so different； liren。 Because I have wings and talons does not make me insensitive to a woman's fears。 His tone warmed。 He is a brave warrior； liren。
〃But they die；〃 she said aloud。 〃Even the bravest die。〃
The hawk seemed almost to sigh。 / cannot say if he lives or dies this night； liren。 Only that he fights for his beliefs。 Should he die； I wilt be lirless and you without a cheysul。 But he would be content he had done what he could for the prophecy。
〃Prophecy'〃 she cried aloud； clutching at the abdomen that carried Duncan's child。 〃I think it is more like a curse！〃
Cai shifted overhead and scattered another handful of pebbles to the floor。 Atix stared blindly at the invisible fall。
The prophecy is your tahlmorra； the hawk said at last； gently…As it is mine； and my lir's。 Even。 I think； your child's。
Alix jerked her head up and stared at his shadow…shrouded form。 〃What do you say？ Do you tell me you know what will e to all of us？ Do you say we are only game pieces the gods move as suits their will？〃
Liren； he said softly； we were the first。 The gods made lir before they made men。 We know many things。
She wrenched her hands from her abdomen。 〃Then will you not tell me？ Will you not say what road lies before me？〃
I cannot； liren。 The prophecy unveils itself in the fullness of time。 The lir cannot precipitate it。
〃Cai！〃
No； he said calmly。
〃It is not fair！〃 she cried。 〃If he should die； you will tell me
it is his tahlmorra and I should not grieve。 Yet if he lives； and
returns to me to see his child when it is born； you will say that is
meant also！ Cai； you speak to me in tangled words and snaried threads… I cannot say I like this tapestry you weave！〃
The hawk was silent a long moment。 It is not my tapestry； he said at last； but that of the gods。 They have said what will e。 It is up to the shar tahls to show you what has gone before； and what may follow。
〃It is not fair；〃 she repeated。
No。 he agreed； nor ever shall be。
Alix stared blindly into the darkness and cursed her soul for its unquiet depths。 After a moment she went to the wall Duncan had perched her on and climbed up to seat herself on it gingerly。
Repeating the action did no good。 Duncan was not there； and she felt only the emptiness of her heart。
〃Cai；〃 she said at last； hearing the whisper of an echo in the
shattered dwelling； 〃I am not meant to wait so patiently； or so
silently。*'
You are never silent； Uren。
She did not smile。 〃I will not remain here。〃
He wished it。
〃I wish to be with him。〃
Silence crept into the ruin。 Then Cai shifted on the beam and sent a bri