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ith the pale moon lost to sight； like hope。
ing back through the forest； Blaise felt the same rippling sensation as before through the soles of his boots； as if the earth here on the island had an actual pulse； a beating heart。 They went faster now； having done what they had e to do； aware that the priestess by the garden might be missed and found at any time。 Blaise had dropped back to let Hirnan； carrying the unconscious poet； guide them once more； with a sense of direction seemingly unerring in the darkness of the woods。
They left the forest path and began to twist their way north again through the densely surrounding trees； small branches and leaves crackling underfoot as they went。 No moonlight fell here； but they had their night vision now； and they had been this way before。 Blaise recognized an ancient； contorted oak； an anomalous sight in a strand of pine and cedar。
Shortly afterwards they came out of the woods onto the plateau。 The moon was high overhead； and Maffour's rope was still tied around the tree； their pathway down to the sea and escape。
But neither Vanne nor Luth was anywhere to be seen。
His pulse prickling with a first premonitory sense of disaster； Blaise strode quickly to the edge of the plateau and looked down。
The sailboat was gone； and the two bound clerics with it。 Their own skiff was still there； and Vanne's body was lying in it。
Beside Blaise； Maffour swore violently and made his way swiftly down the rope。 He sprang over the boulders and into the skiff； bending quickly over the man lying there。
He looked up。 〃He's all right。 Breathing。 Unconscious。 I can't see any sign of a blow。〃 There was wonder and the first edge of real apprehension in his voice。
Blaise straightened； looking around the plateau for a sign of Luth。 The other corans stood in a tight cluster together； facing outwards。 They had drawn their swords。 There was no sound to be heard； even the forest seemed to have gone silent； Blaise realized； with a tingling sensation along his skin。
He made his decision。
〃Hirnan； get him into the skiff。 All of you go down there。 I don't know what's happened but this is no place to linger。 I'm going to take a fast look around； but if I can't see anything we'll have to go。〃 He glanced quickly up at the moon； trying to judge the hour of night。 〃Get the skiff free and give me a few moments to look。 If you hear me do a corfe cry start rowing hard and don't wait。 Otherwise； use your judgment。〃
Hirnan looked briefly as if he would protest but said nothing。 With Evrard of Lussan slung over his shoulder like a sack of grain； he made his way to the rope and down。 The other corans began following。 Blaise didn't wait to see them all descend。 With the awareness of danger like a tangible presence within him； he drew his sword and stepped alone into the woods on the opposite side of the plateau from where they'd entered and returned。
Almost immediately he picked up a scent。 Not of hunting cat or bear； nor of fox or badger or boar。 What he smelled was the drifting fragrance of perfume。 It was strongest to the west； away from where they had gone。
Blaise knelt to study the forest floor in the near…blackness。 He wished Rudel were with him now； for a great many reasons； but in part because his friend was the best night tracker Blaise had ever known。
One didn't have to be expert； though； to realize that a pany of people had passed here only a short time before； and that most if not all of them had been women。 Blaise swore under his breath and stood up； peering into the darkness； uncertain of what to do。 He hated like death to leave a man behind； but it was clear that a large number of priests and priestesses were somewhere ahead of him in the woods。 A few moments； he had told Hirnan。 Could he jeopardize the others in an attempt to find Luth？
Blaise drew a deep breath； aware once again now of that pulsing in the forest floor。 He knew he was afraid； only a plete fool would not be afraid now。 Even so； there was a core truth at the root of all of this for Blaise of Gorhaut； a very simple one： one did not leave a panion behind without an attempt at finding him。 Blaise stepped forward into the darkness； following the elusive scent of perfume in the night。
〃mendable；〃 a voice said； immediately in front of him。 Blaise gasped and levelled his blade； peering into blackness。 〃mendable； but extremely unwise；〃 the voice went on with calm authority。 〃Go back。 You will not find your fellow。 Only death awaits you past this point tonight。〃
There was a rustling of leaves and Blaise made out the tall； shadowy form of a woman in the space in front of him。 There were trees on either side of her； as if framing a place to stand。 It was very dark； much too black for him to see her face； but the note of assured mand in her voice told its own grim story about what had happened to Luth。 She hadn't touched Blaise； though； no others had leaped forth to attack。 And Vanne had been unharmed in the skiff。
〃I would be shamed in my own eyes if I left and did not try to bring him out；〃 Blaise said； still trying to make out the features of the woman in front of him。
He heard her laughter。 〃Shamed；〃 she echoed； mockingly。 〃Do not be too much the fool； Northerner。 Do you truly think you could have done any of this had we not permitted it？ Will you deny feeling the awareness of this wood？ Do you actually believe you moved unknown； unseen？〃
Blaise swallowed with difficulty。 His levelled sword suddenly seemed a hapless； even a ridiculous thing。 Slowly he lowered it。
〃Why？〃 he asked。 〃Why； then？〃
Her laughter came again； deep and low。 〃Would you know my reasons； Northerner？ You would understand the goddess on her own Island？〃
My reasons。
〃You are the High Priestess； then；〃 he said； shifting his feet； feeling the earth's deep pulsing still。 She said nothing。 He swallowed again。 〃I would only know where my man has gone。 Why you have taken him。〃
〃One for one；〃 she said quietly。 〃You were not consecrated to this place； any of you。 You came here to take a man who was。 We have allowed this for reasons of our own； but Rian exacts a price。 Always。 Learn that； Northerner。 Know it as truth for so long as you are in Arbonne。〃
Rian exacts a price。 Luth。 Poor； frightened； bumbling Luth。 Blaise stared into the darkness； wishing he could see this woman； struggling to find words of some kind that might save the man they'd lost。
And then； as if his very thoughts were open to her； as if she and the forest knew them intimately； the woman lifted one hand； and an instant later a torch blazed in her grasp； illuminating their small space within the woods。 He had not seen or heard her striking flint。
He did hear her laugh again； and then； looking at the tall； proud form； at the fine…boned； aristocratic features before him； Blaise realized； with a shiver he could not control； that her eyes were gone。 She was blind。 There was a white owl； a freak of nature； resting on her shoulder； gazing at Blaise with unblinking eyes。
Not really certain why he was doing so； but suddenly aware that he had now entered a realm for which he was terribly ill equipped； Blaise sheathed his sword。 Her laughter subsided； she smiled。
〃Well done；〃 Rian's High Priestess said softly。 〃I am pleased to see you are not a fool。〃
〃To see？〃 Blaise said； and instantly regretted it。
She was undisturbed。 The huge white owl did not move。 〃My eyes were a price for access to a great deal more。 I can see you very well without them； Blaise of Gorhaut。 It was you who needed light； not I。 I know the scar that curves along your ribs and the colour of your hair； both now and on the winter night you were born and your mother died。 I know how your heart is beating； and why you came to Arbonne； and where you were before。 I know your lineage and your history； much of your pain； all your wars； your loves； the last time you made love。〃
It was a bluff； Blaise thought fiercely。 All the clergy did this sort of thing； even Corannos's priests at home。 All of them sought control with such arcane incantations。
〃That last； then；〃 he dared say； even here； his voice rough。 〃Tell me that last。〃
She did not hesitate。 〃Three months ago。 Your brother's wife； in the ancient home of your family。 Late at night； your own bed。 You left before dawn on the journey that has brought you to Rian。〃
Blaise heard himself make a queer grunting sound as if he'd been punched。 He could not help himself。 He felt suddenly dizzy； blood rushing from his head as if in flight from the inexorable precision of what he had just heard。
〃Shall I go on？〃 she asked； smiling thinly； the illuminating torch held up for him to see her。 There was a new note in her voice； a kind of pitiless pleasure in her power。 〃You do not love her。 You only hate your brother and your father。 Your mother for dying。 Yourself a little； perhaps。 Would you hear more？ Shall I tell your future for you now； like an old crone at the Autumn Fair？〃
She was not old。 She was tall and handsome； if no longer young； with grey in her dark hair。 She knew things no one on earth should ever have known。
〃No！〃 Blaise managed to say； forcing the word out。 〃Do not！〃
He feared her laughter； her mocking voice； but she was silent and so was the forest around them。 Even the torch was burning without sound； Blaise realized belatedly。 The owl lifted its wings suddenly as if to fly； but only settled itself again on her shoulder。
〃Go then；〃 Rian's High Priestess said； not without gentleness。 〃We have allowed you the man for whom you came。 Take him and go。〃
He should turn now； Blaise knew。 He should do exactly as she said。 There were things at work here far beyond his understanding。 But he had led seven men to this place。
〃Luth；〃 he said sturdily。 〃What will be done to him？〃
There was a strange； whistling sound； he realized it had e from the bird。 The priestess said； 〃His heart will be cut out while he lives。 It will be eaten。〃 Her voice was flat； without intonation。 〃His body will be boiled in a vat of very great age and his skin peeled from his bones。 His flesh will be cut into pieces and used for divination。〃
Blaise felt his gorge rising； his skin crawled with horror and loathing。 He took an involuntary step backwards。 And heard her laughter。 There was genuine amusement； something young； almost girlish in the sound。
〃Really；〃 the priestess said； 〃I hadn't thought I was so convincing as all that。〃 She shook her head。 〃How savage do you think we are？ You have taken a living man； we take a living man from you。 He will be consecrated as a servant of Rian and set to serve the goddess on her Island in redress for his transgression and yours。 This one is more a cleric than a coran in any case； I think you know as much。 It is as I told you； Northerner： you have been permitted to do this。 It would have been different； I assure you； had we chosen to make it so。〃
Relief washing over him like a stream of water； Blaise fought a sudden； uncharacteristic impulse to kneel before this woman； this incarnated voice of a goddess his countrymen did not worship。
〃Thank you；〃 he said； his voice rough and awkward in his own ears。
〃You are wele；〃 she said； almost casually。 There was a pause； as if she were weighing something。 The owl was motionless on her shoulder； unblinking； gazing at him。 〃Blaise； do not overvalue this power of ours。 What has happened tonight。〃
He blinked in astonishment。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃You are standing at the very heart of our strength here on this island。 We grow weaker and weaker the further we are from here； or from the other isle in the lake inland。 Rian has no limits； but her mortal servants do。 I do。 And the goddess cannot be pelled； ever。〃
She had built up a veil of power and magic and mystery； and now she was lifting it for him to see behind。 And she had called him by his name。
〃Why？〃 he asked； wonderingly。 〃Why do you tell me this？〃
She smiled； almost ruefully。 〃Something in my own family； I suspect。 My father was a man prone to take chances with trust。 I seem to have inherited that from him。 We might need each other； in a time not far from tonight。〃
Struggling to absorb a