It AS StRANGE,  DIANORA t,  StILL MOVING t filtered do from tained- glass s of youtime into ties of adult life.

    Sipping from ernative. t so become nuanced and difficult. t trutly t all s s s yet done.

    It ral question of  ao t today. Not in any daytime. ts belonged to nigo by  knoears along o wake he morning.

    Nigs, and t day, in a very public place.

    So so ce to tly, soberly dressed personage  his neck.

    quot;Greetings,quot; sraig;t is rare indeed t to spare a moment from o visit old friends.”

    Unfortunately Ro ruffle or disconcert as rying to get a rise out of   of treet in front of to the river galley.

    Noerly, ies, but unmistakably t her here.

    One of th she genuinely liked.

    quot;Not so muc; ;It is not for idle  to criticize tern and arduous tasks t sen our nig grey in our hair.”

    Dianora laug a trace of grey. S her gaze linger expressively on his dark locks.

    quot;Im a liar,quot; Rroubled equanimity, leaning forward so only she could hear.

    quot;Its been a dead-quiet er. Not muco do at all. I could o visit but you kno court. My buttons pop when I bow.”

    Dianora laugo eous and friendly ever since, even orious one—in t tribute Sain  and a fair administrator.

    S ting four years ago. It  ts of Cself. It o judge from Rly ttle too near t of poo be extracted.

    tongue against eet Brandin teased .  al or a suggestion. ened  least as muc did anything else.

    quot;t t,quot; so Rly, quot;but  at

    all in living in nort t I  to get rid of you. Its a dreadful place, everyone kno, but tunities and Id as soon a decent man reaped tc are  here.”

    quot;taxing office?quot; ly.

    Sly but, sco discretion, erest or surprise.

    ant later, urning by t an antenna, ed her.

    So s by time taff rapped t loudly, and Brandin came into ts, and tess of Adaon. Ro stand near by, dressed identically to t for his cap.

    truer measure of poy  attention t esting course, truer measure, o enter unobtrusively and observe w happened.

    al ten minutes, ing. No as collectively, t plummeted into obeisance. Not one person in till speaking by time ted staff of office proclaimed t raps on thunder.

    Brandin  from   from R ing very fast. It alill, and despite everyto or from togetertwined, in him.

    o dEymon first, as alcurned and smiled at Solores.

    t Dianora. Braced as sried to be, sill could not quite master w o ouch—as Brandin was.

    And all this from a look across a very crowded room.

    Once, in bed, years before, so ask ion t roubled her.

    quot;Is t meet in a public place?”

    S knoo expect by ion. S  be flattered by tion, or at least amused. You could never be sure oo many different coo muclety. ions, especially revealing ones, ant to o try to use t to kindle o  range  he Island.

    urned on o regard h level brows. he shook his head.

    quot;Not in any  I control or ster of c .quot; S; all his women did.

    er a pause, carefully, quot; o you?”

    For a second s sainty in  one could never be sure of suc;too muc; s;too muc; And s one time, trut . te understanding in his

    clear eyes. ened o slide over against  t it mig: betrayal and memory mixed riad o drink— too potent for mortals to taste.

    quot;Are you truly serious about t posting in Asoli?quot; R. Brandin  gone to t  of th his lopsided smile, shambled in his wake.

    quot;I confess I  a t,quot; tribute captain added.

    it Dianora forced s back to ten  to   a good t. For many reasons it  a good thing.

    Surned again to R;Im quite serious,quot; s;But Im not sure if you  tion—even if it us  I t ters to you, Rhamanus?”

    It ly put tesy h a friend.

    he blinked, and fingered one of his chains of office.

    quot;Is t  comes doo?quot; antly. quot;Is t ? Can a man not per of a neo serve his King?”

    urn to blink.

    quot;You s; ser a moment. quot;R; Silled ests ;Sometimes I riguing t goes on here.”

    Ssteps approac s o t of ;Sometimes I  is doing to me.”

    quot;S; asked Brandin of Ygrath.

    Smiling,  toucoucion. their lives were shaped by his rules.

    quot;My lord,quot; surning and sketcation. S ive. quot;Do you find me more cynical terrible man brought me here?”

    Brandins amused glance  from o R  as if ribute captain  , and   of telligence stretco s, and t ts were.

    Siced, per  there was as much grey in his beard now as black.

    ing a deep concern over tion. quot;I would o say so, yes.

    You ive in almost exactly tion as terrible man .”

    quot;So muc; Dianora protested. quot;My lord, !”

    Botted ionately.

    quot;t; ;is  for ty years at sea and to ts of ty.”

    quot;ell t; said Brandin, quot;we may o send you away somewil you are sleek as a seal again.”

    quot;My lord,quot; said Rantly, quot;I am yours to command in all t; ense.

    Brandin registered t and one c;I kno,quot; ;I  I  court. At bots. Portly or sleek, R unmindful of you, hink.”

    Very s, and a dismissal for t. Brighdrew. Brandin walked a couple of paces away, Rhun shuffling along beside him.

    Dianora folloo. Once out of ears of anyone but turned to o see, suppressing a smile.

    quot; did you do? Offer h Asoli?”

    Dianora felt sigration. time. quot;No,quot; sested, quot;is unfair. You are using magic.”

    t people c t eacher.

    quot;; Brandin murmured. quot;I  e it or drain myself on sometransparent.”

    quot;transparent!quot; she bridled.

    quot;Not you, my cynical manipulator. But Roo serious too quickly  posting ion of significance currently available is north Asoli and so . . .”

    tence trail off. Laughter lingered in his eyes.

    quot;ould ; Dianora asked defiantly. It ing o d sened again.

    quot; do you t; he asked by way of reply.

    quot;I? t; Sed ed arc; of ture to ters?”

    quot;No,quot; said Brandin nodding briskly, quot;is an intelligent observation. I so consult Solores, instead.”

    quot;If you get an intelligent observation out of ; Dianora said tartly, quot;I so the sea.”

    quot;All t; said Brandin mildly.

    quot;So,quot; s;is an intelligent observation for Solores.”

    And at t  ening. Everyone  to, sed, o receive discreet contributions from sources ot.

    quot;I saeresting on tain t; Brandin said,  subsiding.

    quot;Somete unusual.”

    ted to speak to  morning; s it. Brandin kept ture quiet, in case o tease  it.

    At t as to c snoed in Certando and tregea and t igana, came t marked turning of the year.

    No fires not already burning  anyed for at least t of triad temples . Men stayed  niger darkfall on t day whe Dead.

    tumn as regea, ryside, because so muc ers passing, to come.

    In Cual, different from anythe Palm.

    On tale old t Adaon and Eanna  come togets on t of Sangarios. t in t Eanna of ts ed tars of rehe dark.

    And tale old t nine monter—riad ed  same mountain.

    And o tal man to ars, ts he sun of day.

    And for ted its preeminence among ts destiny.

    Morian of Portals, o t to come to an island o come to anotrutars and moons, if not al of day.

    Every t t of time Ember Days, to t of San-garios, to pluck a blood-dark sprig of sonrai, toxicating berries of tain, under tcs of Morian  long among ts of t man doain ed Lord of Sangarios until t sucime.

    In ted doer on t of the Ember Days of fall.

    Not anymore. Not for a long time. Noo find  sort of , Dianora o Brandin once.

    laug find tual amusing. In fact, six years ago ted to run tual race.  again t. No small ac, really, for a man of rained for t knoo find more  Brandin  masculine pride  botimes  up to t of Sangarios and down again.

    In tion sed to ask: quot; did you see, then?”

    S knoals seldom do knoion urning of her days.

    quot;Somet; Brandin repeated. quot;I stripped th me.”

    quot;Of course,quot; she murmured, giving him a sidelong glance.

    ;I  of trees ill very tain asly, some sejoias.”

    quot;eresting,quot; she said.

    time  ifully.

    quot;I looked over to my rig; Brandin said, quot;and sa like a platform at the

    edge of trees. And sitting on ture. A woman, I would swear, and very nearly human.”

    quot;Very nearly?”

    S teasing anymore. itual arcal of Morian imes do kno a tance is happening.

    quot;ts  entirely  e I s srick of ligering trees. But s move, or copped to look at her.”

    And noly where she was.

    t creatures of er and  back in time as far as triad did almost, and from tion s hings as well and was suddenly afraid.

    quot; did you do?quot; she asked, as casually as she could.

    quot;I  sure o do. I spoke; s ansook a step torees. I  my open palms, but so be startled by t, or offended, and a moment later she fled.”

    quot;Did you follow?”

    quot;I  to, but by t up to me.”

    quot;Did ; soo quickly.

    Brandin gave ;I asked.  way, regardless. hy do you ask?”

    S;It would ; she lied.

    Brandin s;S,quot;   occurred to ;she reminded me of you.”

    quot;it ? Green skin and blue ; sting  instincts guide o urmoil s. quot;I talked to Scelto and Vencel es you so dramatically . . .”

    did not laug;Green  blue,quot;  absently. quot;And she did, Dianora,”

    ed, looking at ;S sucures?”

    quot;I do not,quot; s;In Certando ; S. S s  he had seen.

    Brandins good ill h him.

    quot; mountain tales do you ando?quot; antly.

    quot;Stories of  ree stumps and eat goats and virgins in t.”

    ;Are there any?”

    quot;Goats, yes,quot; sraig;Feites are not an incentive to city. Are you sending out a party to searcure?quot; A question so important sing his reply.

    quot;I t,quot; Brandin said. quot;I suspect suc to be.”

    , ely true.

    quot;I  told anyone but you,quot; edly.

    t come over  t. But over and above everytidings. So be alone to t get t cime yet today; best to pusory as far back as so the edges of her mind.

    quot;t; s talking privately for some time.

    Arued.

    quot;In time,quot; Brandin suddenly said, in a quite different tone, quot;you still  yet asked me o tell you, made it  question.”

    o familiar ground.

    quot;Very ; s;Do tell me. ers?”

    A glint of royal indignation nickered in t;You are presumptuous sometimes,quot; ;I indulge you too muc, if you please, all to t and came doer of sonrai berries. I remely interested to see if any of tomorrows runners are up and down as quickly.”

    quot;ell,quot; s;t o hem.”

    quot;Dianora, have done!”

    And t tone soo far. As al sucs s gaping at .

    S Brandin needed from ed o be outrageous and impertinent. Sood o tant to erbalance to Soloress soft, unquestioning, undemanding ser. turn, balancing dEymons ascetic exercise of politics and government.

    And all t around tar t Brandin arily exiled sun, removed from t kneo this alien peninsula by loss and grief and revenge decreed.

    S. S often stray across t  inviolate.  o be over sometly trivial as t e ic commentary on court and colony—and yet bridle like a boy ed pride if seased about y to run up and doain in a morning.

    At sucimes o say ain he Audience Chamber.

    Sive esan, at t of a tyrant. Sor, living an ongoing lie o kill tal blood.

    Curned.

    And noing back o so arco bland unconcern.

    quot;t; s ;You profess to be pleased, even touclessly agitated query about your mountain run. t t  you succeeded! And yet w you

    treat it lig . . . o  tell me, my lord, in all fairness, wruly, has honored you more?”

    For a long time  and s t  s, or er on tainside. t began and ended in t were now searching her own.

    voice again, but tone so knoe of everyt  been said, and in spite of  not h fear now.

    quot;I could take you,quot; said Brandin, King of Ygrat;on t no.”

    ter beneat. y.

    quot;Peronig; srying to keep one lig not really managing it, unable to  response in o spark like t of a blaze. trembled in , and s

    o self-control.

    quot;Better tonig; s  t, in tate t and emissaries from home.

    S, looking iculating carefully: quot;After all my lord, at your age you srengtway up a his morning.”

    An instant later, for time, t of Brandin of Ygrat. Not far away, Raneous glee.

    quot;Isolla of Ygrath!”

    time trumpets and a drum, as aff resounding as it struck t the Audience Chamber.

    Standing most of toime to observe tately progress of t musician in Ygrat of Co the King.

    quot;A ill,quot; murmured Neso of Ygrat;and sy years old if shes a day.”

    Someo end up next to  row.

    uous tone irritated  sried not to let it s possible robe of dark blue, belted at t s of grey,  unfas—alt cer today, Dianora t. took its cue in tters from Ygrath.

    Isolla ly, not iers. Brandin s made ten dangerous, sea voyage to .

    Several steps bee in its case as if it ifact of immeasurable  Camena di Cous triple- layered cloak. t t off guard by this.

    Instinctively so er.

    Sime to see te and fear t flickered across ant later t Camenas vulgar loer for an Ygrathen.

    Still, Dianora considered, t. Camena, suition,  to music. If Isolla  to sing a song of  . More t to explain  Isolla—and Ygratists—by serving as a bearer for her.

    tics of art, Dianora decided,  least as complex as t of provinces and nations.

    Isolla opped, as  fifteen steps from to wood.

    Neatly so perform triple obeisance. Very graciously—a mark of o  to bid o .

    For no reason sero name or explain Dianora turned from monarco t bearing te. Camena opped a furt on the marble floor.

    detracted from tableau ion of antly. ion on ts bro  he Audience Chamber.

    quot;You are most ; Brandin ;It oo long since we have seen you, or heard you play.”

    Dianora sament in te. S o open t did not look like an ordinary lute t— Afterainty: it ory of t made o see. tory, and t t Brandin  certain if t.

    One man meant a fork in t a death.

    Eito  did.

    All eyes but  cover off te. Only Dianora sa it , in fact, a lute. And only sale of the riselka.

    quot;Die, Isolla of Ygat; Camena screamed  ahe crossbow he carried.

    itning reaction of a man  o cast a sorcerers sened singer.

    Exactly as ed to, Dianora realized.

    quot;Brandin, no!quot; s;Its you!”

    And seizing to the aisle.

    t, aimed meticulously to t of Isolla on a line for Brandins , buried itself instead in tupefied Neso. he shrieked in pain and shock.

    um drove Dianora stumbling to  of  t in the singers eyes.

    Surned a. tion, tred oo raerso stand; s Brandin.  even loective barrier around Isolla.

    all.

    to . Dianora e. Even e, from t s o faint, but th, as if in agony.

    quot;C; ;Freedom for C; before tally.

    time. tillness  absolute. No one dared to move. Dianora  t  even breated test attention drao them.

    On tableau. t to tend to ill afraid so be sick; s make op trembling. Isolla of Ygrat moved.

    S move, Dianora realized: Brandin ed Neso and epped back een very proper paces away.

    quot;Camena ool,quot; Brandin said softly. quot;Cually noto do  t I am una, I can offer you not an easier deat tell me reaking orted features.

    Brandin lowered o move and speak.

    tred left ures. In its place  pride. Dianora  tion er ted to —if s expected to do so— mean?

    raig of an ans;I am dying,quot; so Brandin. quot;t y years.”

    quot;I am sorry to ,quot; said Brandin formally, esy so perfect it seemed a violation of ure. ;All of us die, Isolla. Some very young. Not all of us plot to tell me before I may grant you release from pain.”

    For t time Isolla seemed to  did s;You o  t you did.”

    quot;Exactly  t I did?”

    ;You exalted a dead che living one, and revenge above your wife.

    And more , a fraction of a t, for any of tural vengeance for Stevan?”

    Dianoras  t  spoken in Cigimes. But wrolled as before.

    quot;I judged t I o . Dorotea I invited imes a year for t several years.”

    quot;Invited  s  yourself young. A t t impiety. But for Ygrat, did you? And Girald?  is your title, not his.

    does to a sais t reality? o die before you, Brandin, unless you are slain. And ural! It is all unnatural, and to be paid.”

    quot;t; ly. quot;A price for everyt expected to pay it in my o; t;Isolla, I must extend my years to do w I am o do.”

    quot;t,quot; Isolla repeated, quot;and Girald pays and Dorotea. And Ygrath.”

    And tigana, Dianora t, no longer trembling, her own ache come back like a wound in her.

    tigana pays too; in broken statues and fallen towers, in children slain and a name gone.

    Sched Brandins face. And Rhuns.

    quot;I ; t lengto t;I o say. I need only one t tell me  .

    Rigured h a random helplessness.

    quot;And o lose, quot;so be at odds in t; ,  bore.

    Sloood and spoke, rolled  even need to look at Rhun.

    quot;Very ; Brandin said. quot;And you, Isolla?  could to make you do thing.

    Can you really e me so much?”

    tated only for an instant. tly as before, s;I can love the Queen so much.”

    Brandin closed ;how so?”

    quot;In all t you forsook he bed of your wife.”

    In any normal, any ime tion to t.

    to be. Dianora  many people breato look doriumphen womans face.

    quot;Sed ; ed almost fully. quot;I could  I c to do so. S to  it ion. It  my sin lies in not o take shis peninsula.”

    So many different griefs and so be hin Dianora.

    Be ant ter s to use t rig only pity for to resign tonigo kill er t after te the same.

    For a great many reasons.

    Brandin said, quot;I told me w I o know.”

    quot;ted alone,quot; Isolla volunteered unexpectedly. Sured at Camena, in t;ed Ygrato marcogethis far.”

    Brandin nodded. quot;t; ly. quot;I t t mig,quot; he added gravely.

    t;You promised me an easy deat; Isolla said, raight.

    quot;I did,quot; Brandin said. quot;I did promise you t.quot; Dianora stopped breat Isolla  expression for ime.

    quot;You can ;  last, in a voice little above a w; you

    o make music for me again.”

    t ly ture o dismiss a servant or a petitioner.

    Isollas  smas from anding too near; ttered tumbled backures ing in to a formless, oozing pulp.

    t backed aumbling, almost falling in its e, t a s clumsy the singer.

    orted corso. Someto undulate from tump of Isollas srail of glistening black slime. Beh horror.

    quot;Stevan!quot; serror, an overically laboring Fool, clad exactly like ttle flew from h.

    quot;Music! Stevan! Music! Stevan!quot; Red obsessively, and iculation of t s up and doing brilliantly in treaming lig.  ing on to alks appeared to attacself like a bloodleeco his knee.

    quot;Music,quot; R time, softly, ed clarity. t in a puddle of blood beside tilated corpse of to one side, e-and-gold court garments  was broken.

    Dianora turned to Brandin. tionless, standing exactly as ,   t of ening detac.

    quot;t; ly, almost to  screaming and tumult t filled took one ant step to the dais.

    iture tures immediately disappeared, but not tiful, crumpled figure of to be alone near to  w had landed on her skin.

    People ripping and pusic e to quit t tling Camena di C to cover Isollas body. to move Ro do it;  seem to understand w was ill weeping, esquely screwed up like a  childs.

    Dianora moved a o  reaked  over t under t as o be blood all over rol she looked around for help, any kind of help.

    quot;Come, my lady,quot; said a desperately needed voice t  me take you back to the saishan.”

    quot;Oo,quot; s;Please. Please do t, Scelto.”

    tinder of tting it afire ion attempt from Ygraticipation.

    And it had very nearly succeeded.

    Scelto led Dianora doo ling protectiveness slammed ttering cro clung and inuously o  robe. Srollably, unable to speak.  t before it.

    In docile submission si tea ive. t, one after tually trembling stopped. Sill found it difficult to speak. ay in t  to leave it anyway.

    battered, numb. So be utterly incapable of marsanding, of se response to w  happened.

    One t only kept driving taff on t so impossible, so disabling, t sried, o block it out. S. through, again and again: she had saved his life.

    tigana  ao t of Brandin t the crossbow would have ended.

    erday. A place oains, by a river, on curving s the sea.

    e dream, a name in ernoon so bar t name from to lock it into a dream. Until all too, died.

    o deal ?  it meant? So kill Brandin of Ygrato end  lost tigana migead . . .

    tarted once more. Fussing and murmuring, Scelto built up t yet anot for . ears on ress. Someone knocked loudly on ime later and so driving to use before.

    Gradually, very slo t gently drifted do ternoon oo the saishan.

    So find t eadier. Scelto rusesting, but  o ttendants t ruck t act. Not since  his own manhood.

    S t ted oils soften  t afternoon.

    ters sendants o painted toes. A soft sy rose. Far from the color of blood, far from anger or grief.

    Later s ed t back to o  for the summons.

    From t so Scelto outside, to receive t came.

    A s time after old  Brandin  for Solores.

    Anger flamed  exploded like . . . like t anyte  caldron in . After tigana fell, after red rolled, c so burn a long time.

    tering, s like a lava flo moment s out eetore Adaon on tainside. So take an involuntary backep a an observation t mattered now.

    mattered, all t mattered, t soday, trampling into muck and spattered blood ted ted  upstairs room in Certando.

    And in return? In return, Brandin  sent for Solores di Corte, leaving o spend tonight alone.

    Not, not a thing he should have done.

    It did not matter t even  of and le need onig or intelligence, for sparkle, for questions or suggestions. Or desire. , untleness t Solores gave. t sly did not. tenderness, ter tonigand: it ely, after w had happened.

    But s from him.

    And so it came to be t, alone in  nigered by no one and by noto  came whe fires of rage finally died.

    S and t marked off triads of t before t hin her.

    t urn of trand of memory so block out from among all tigana  sruly  Ember Niging terribly far from wever moorings her soul had found.

    e, Dianora lay as in an open space and alone, unable to deflect any of t no oo keen—too icy keen a —to be allo any normal time.

    But ted on Brandin of Ygrat day, and s aeering t t portal of Morian, and tonig, a nigs and s could not be anytime, and it .  came to Dianora, terribly, one after anot memories of  away.

    oo young to figeen, Prince Valentin ernly norto  caken a of Eanna, hem.

    t er Stevan er tory. the weary men who

    and survived, and t be Brandins coming hey had lived in and loved.

    t knoerally true t  o learn in t follo greumor and tered in those who survived.

    t en, in he dying.

    Dianora and  ring idings of Second Deisa. Even as tered ty itself, occupying treets and squares of tigana, tely colored Palace by to let slip  ao e and gentle, travel to h her.

    Sometimes s invisible t amid tyard t summer, ers  would acer.

    Dianora set o run t ss and apprentices  long after truction began. S even blame t of tices stayed hem.

    ice ed until tion  ed rebuilding started under Ygrato return toy. Or y in a city noe in a province of t name.

    In a  be opped using it in public places. too great: ting feeling inside t came raders and bankers from Corte  ty. It here was no name.

    Dianora could remember, y, t time se. t  t year.

    Sco a bitter maturity t first summer and fall, grieving for er lost, too soon gone, not knoe summer, urned fifteen in tice, ts; assembly of any kind  t year.  Dia-nora o do hem.

    too. Preternaturally grave er, and  into t. It o be abroad after nig somet driving  to reets, past t still smoldered on almost every corner. It o catco puniseen in the season of war.

    t fall. ty deated in s response.

    Six o die. Dianora kne of t so very many people left in ty, ter from in s forever after.

    No more soldiers were killed.

    inued to go out at nigil sely, so so fall asleep. Somehough she had never said a word.

    been so t s a great deal of food t first er—most of t  confiscated—but Dianora did t so feed t t look t year. S in her mirror.

    t. It able t t sprang from the deep-sown seeds of Brandins vengeance.

    Dianora remembered being at an upstairs  began. Scice—no longer an apprentice, of course—ened early morning across to te e side and accosted tc all.

    quot;; one of ted ;ere lost,quot; he ribs.

    quot;; the soldier begged.

    Eyes carefully los leading from it.

    quot;ts no good!quot; t; good are street names to me? I dont even knoo; ter; Dianora  w s.

    quot;Loe,quot; tice muttered quickly, as  silent. ticed though.

    quot; toell me,quot; the shoulder.

    quot;I just told you. Loe,quot; tice intervened loudly. One of taggered and almost fell; o lift a o touch his head.

    , Dianora sarike t t blo errible silence in t.

    quot;Loe,quot; he words.

    Laug them go.

    For t morning.

    te victims of t company, rict beter of toood. None of temples of triad atuary t stood outside and wo hers work.

    A young, seductively graceful Morian, and a retco make tars.

    taking roundabout routes in an attempt to avoid t mornings, till found. ts to elude t.

    Dianora used to go to t same upstairs  t of t by cever , she pain among

    t t for t aled t as tco something worse.

    It ernoon t time. A riad  of termato time Ember Days. to t,  to tamper riad and ter t out to do an afternoons work.

    to tire of t.

    But t afternoon, just as tany of being lost a group of four mercs came trudging up tion born of s malice.

    quot;Stop!quot; s did, very abruptly. One obeyed Ygrate, w be from.

    quot;Come ; ts to stand in front of the boys.

    A premonition of sometouc moment like a cold finger on her spine.

    traders reported t t hing.

    quot;Good,quot; t;I knoen to me. ts are going to name ty and to you. If you can tell me  man y gold ygras.”

    It une. Even from . t o . Sed  moment e s .

    ed tears and opened ched.

    quot;You,quot; said to tice—tarted ;your province ell t it was.”

    Se s, oblivious to t irrelevance, leaned forraining icipation. Dianora sa ion.

    t;None of t!quot; ;For your life, say t; Naddo, very clearly, said, quot;tigana.”

    And of course not one of ts could say back t for ty golden ygras or ty times so many. Dianora could read t, t confronting sorcery al.

    tled eacer. turned to her.

    quot;No,quot; ly before t;You . t —  to prove?”

    een, and mucoo too long over   it for o do so all   off to c  otreet and across topped doering of men, sensing tension t aken shape.

    o clearly establisy.  e ed to turn ain back and alive, her

    back from ry shrough.

    Sco s. to bear ness and remember, kno suco matter, if anyttered in to come.

    tip of it very carefully against . ternoon sunliged from it. It he square.

    tle desperately, quot;t . You royed us. Is it necessary to go on causing pain? Is it necessary?”

    een, Dianora prayed, gripping too young to fig allowed. Forgive his. Please.

    traders, as one man, stepped quickly out of range. One of ted uncomfortably, as if regretting o. But there was really no choice now.

    tely fororn blue tunic a  broke and slid doaining the blue.

    quot;t; said tly. ty in o kill, Dianora realized.

    A ness, a memory, s to anco fists at ing tohe sky.

    And then she heard his cry.

    t not sullenly or diffidently, and not in sed in tanding before to a name burst forth from his soul.

    quot;tigana!quot;  all s: quot;tigana!quot; And t time, at t of ing, unredeemed defiance of t.

    quot;tIGANA!”

    t cry rang, along treets, up to tco to temples, and far beyond all of tness of the air.

    And ts could not cling to t , t ted stone-still in street and square could  clearly, and clutc to t t spiraling cry.

    And t mucand. It ten in t to do, but turned inside out, it urned out  dimly comprehend.

    t him of course.

    its and feet and s of too—for being t of it. t disperse ting took place. tcural for so many people. t of t and t speak.

    tered tions. Croo form. In a fes everyone here were

    only faces beains at upstairs y save for ttling dust, blood brig. t had happened. Dianora could remember.

    So remain o run doo to let t. And at lengtated movements of a very old man. So Naddo and to . And t  a backoe  day.

    Scurned t t did se- claains drao fall: in love, and for s, and terrible pride.

    nig-er and dreer  they could.

    Later, over dinner, Naddo told t same nig oo mucing in , speaking to Dianora, for urned  Naddos first announcement.

    to be made e urgency torn and s axes. If a young man, a young man suco o get aely  anding.  glancing nervously over to wurned hem.

    here will you go, Dianora had asked him.

    Asoli, old   to t. o Corte or Cigana did not go t t but did not turn; Naddo glanced over at .

    to Dianora. Plans to slip out from ty tonig it for some time,  been sure.  knoo do.  his morning had made up his mind for him.

    Eanna lig. ice and time. te ime. Naddos left eye ely sernoon.

    Later, urned back again, still crying.

    quot;Goodbye,quot; o taring stonily into t-room h.

    Seeing tly urn around. .

    Deliberately  and laid anothe fire.

    Naddo stared at  longer, turned to look at Dianora, failed to acremulous, tearful smile, and slipped out into the dark and away.

    Mucer,  as  and c to bed.  seemed to  a er.

    Sep loudly on t, to let  s  sound, which should have been

    the opening and closing of his bedroom door.

    It e. Sill for anot, surrounded and mastered by all t a candle. S to .

    anding in tside. And by t sears t  surcease doed face. o shake.

    S speak.

    quot; I say goodbye to ; srangled voice. quot; you make me say goodbye to ; S in  even he river.

    ac t once rait bust of ance and took  so  togetime. S have said how long.

    side. A bird sang, and anot from across tuary of nigunic over  ing like t of a captured forest creature. Souc. Bot. tside. And so.

    And so in all t darkness, dark over and about and close-gat and t a pitiful illicit ser in eacheir world.

    quot; are ; her whispered once.

    And time later errifying need, le in ; have we done?”

    And all ter, alone in t hidden memory came back, Dianora could remember her reply.

    quot;O; s; o us?”

    It lasted from t first nigo t o er at time, and Morian heir child.

    Dianora didnt feel like a goddess, and oo taring eyes. S errified , and t  frig as muconis misgave antly, even as tive joy: too brigness  or not allowed.

    o . t doairs; t—and woke—in o eache knowledge of wrong in search of innocence.

    ill driven to go out some nigo y streets. Not as often as before, for ification for  after curfe spring. If  lay in  for her in Morians halls.

    S keep  times a need s sruly understand o explain. y  under tars. er lig  as tigana again. ly doo could some in o had been before.

    , ed t even  to see to ted.  needed to be abroad inside y t imes, Baerd told ening to the sea.

    By day  a strong mans job, o rebuild ted to rebuild. Rics from Corte—t enemies—o settle in ty, to buy up tial palaces very inexpensively, and to set about restoring their own purposes.

    Baerd imes  if one company of soldiers  o pick it up. It o consolidate  Barbadior.

    In Loe they had killed his son.

    S t to ask o deny  city at nigerrors and died ime t door closed beer dark—until s open again and step on tairs, and to o take and hold her in his arms.

    It  on into summer and t ended. It all ended, as   first time in darkness, listening to trees outside.

    er t e by c falling on tops. S ermingling of relief and guilt and need. o her room.

    come to bed. Instead, o t in by truck tinder and lit  up and looked at e, s even by candleliged.

    quot;I ; Baerd said quietly. quot;I sahere.”

    S  it o end.

    Sinctive question. quot;Did anyone else see her?”

    he shook his head.

    t eac eady er. And in t silence a truto ime. quot;You aying for me, in any case,quot; satement. No reproac. he had seen a riselka.

    ;You knew?”

    quot;Yes,quot; she lied.

    quot;Im sorry,quot;   s to ually  she would give him.

    quot;Dont be sorry,quot; sill, ruly, I understand.quot; truly, s tering in small circles to the ground.

    quot;t; ed. It was an enormous, frighing, she knew.

    quot;S clear,quot;  on earnestly. quot;t I o go a; So be strong enougrong enougo hinking. And will you leave me now?

    S;I kno ; S;; My love, s not aloud, only inside, in .

    quot;Ive t about t,quot;  up straigaking strengto t hing she had.

    quot;Im going to look for t; he said.

    quot;, Alessan? e dont even know if ; se of herself.

    quot;t; Baerd said. quot;t s of Eanna, and t t aigana, it h Alessan.”

    quot;een years old,quot; s stop .

    Baerd, where did our childhood go?

    By candlelig t;I dont tters,quot; ;t going to be a quick or an easy t can ever be done at all. een wime comes.”

    quot;So ; she said.

    quot;And so ; Baerd ec;O ; No one else but . Stupidly it  nearly broke rol.

    S;I dont kno; sly. quot;Look after mot if Im careful.quot; Sricken look and moved to quell it. quot;You are not to  it, Baerd. Listen to me: you  seen a riselka! ill you fige to clear rubble in ty for t of your days? No one  be as . I may,quot; silting ly, quot;try to to che same dream as you.”

    It astonis sually said t very nigh had been made clear, even as Baerds forked away from her.

    Lonely and cold in t  nig lingered once sion. Sly refused any of tc sunrise on t t, t , as if botime for tears had passed.

    quot;If t; Baerd said, quot; again. I hink of you each and every day of my life. I love you, Dianora.”

    quot;And I you,quot; so ;I t your pat; t was all so say.

    After  in t room  t nigil the hard kernel of her own plan had been formed.

    t  er, to t of gs hey

    carried, and t so o . h Brandin.

    And so it  to Dianora t Ember Nighe saishan.

    t, sil t dead fire.

    t same long-ago year, born of memory, of guilt, of ts t came erribly exposed on t of all nigerion. A decision, after so many years. A course of action so take. o take,  follow.

    S t came far more from . Someurers tending to Camena di Cried to kill a tyrant and free his home. ho had done so knowing he would die and how he would die.

    Even noering ts and oes and ankles and legs. t carefully, even tenderly, solicitously guarding t of , so t after t—trap ake  to to die in t of his people.

    S Camena . Srivial artist angling for ascension at court.

    Not anymore. Yesterday afternoon o

    o torturers and tion t could no more be buried t tonig unsered as she was and so awake.

    , t came knifing er  make her?

    did it make of t long-ago quest a sixteen-year-old girl

    a  by the sea and gone in search of his Prince.

    S belonged to rove one more time to sc to begin t successful, journey back to  room on th.

    t nig t nig y, teness of w she Audience Chamber.

    Ackno, trying to deal , Dianora began to sense, as if from a very great distance, s sloreat from turning, and turning back, to t y burning, a palace set aflame.

    No comfort t anye reminder of who she was and why she was here.

    And lying very still in darkness on an Ember Nigry doors and  told over softly to elling verse: One man sees a riselka

    here.

    them shall die.

    three men see a riselka one is blessed, one forks, one shall die.

    One woman sees a riselka o her.

    them shall bear a child.

    three women see a riselka one is blessed, one is clear, one shall bear a child.

    In to . In t  should have begun and ended long ago.

    triad kneer, o  and elusive  all come rig of one trutain: so be made clear along ting pato betrayal t seemed to  clear pat be offered her.

    In the morning she would begin.

    Until t at home so many years ago, and she could remember.