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s and a few leagues； or so he hoped。 We would leave this day； if I wished。 Assuming I still wanted a fool and a sloth for pany。 I laughed。 As if I myself had never been confronted with and rejected a good idea at an 。。。 inappropriate moment。
Now I could sense the Far Kingdoms； taste their perfume； and feel their riches run through my fingers like a crazed miser with his bags of gold。
Two days later； carrying light packs and dry provisions； Janos Greycloak and I struck out for the Fist of the Gods。
CHAPTER TWELVE
The Fist of the Gods
OUR MARCH LASTED longer than the few hours and leagues that my friend had led me to believe。 Janos laughed and said this was a valuable lesson for me； one any good leader of soldiers should learn。 You must never tell a ranker any distance is greater than five leagues； to avoid ruining his spirit。 Five leagues at a time； he told me； and you can conquer the world。
We traveled fast； much faster than we had even at the beginning of our journey when we struck out from the Pepper Coast。 But we moved as circuitously as possible； skirting open areas if we could； and if we could not； we carefully checked for signs of danger before leaping from cover to cover。 Our night camps were fireless…our cooking was done with dry wood at midday； and the food eaten cold for supper that night and breakfast the next morning。 Our travels were also slowed by my insistence on mapmaking。 For Janos； it would be enough to discover the Far Kingdoms。 I must be able to return time and again； and； more importantly； instruct my traders as to the routes they would follow。
The rolling hills became foothills； leading toward the mountains in the distance； mountains that never seemed to be any closer。 Cassini had reluctantly taught Janos the spells necessary to evoke the Watcher's talisman； and we took our first 〃sighting〃 three days' travel beyond the Rift。 That was our first mistake。 The talisman showed we were exactly on the route we wished； and the Fist of the Gods lay directly in the line of march。 But it was less than two hours after the incantation that I suddenly felt someone 。。。 or something； was looking for me。 It was a feeling； I realized； that had been with me since before the Shore People had abandoned us； and even Cassini's spell on the river had not shaken it。
The only time it had been absent was in the Rift。 I felt I was thinking foolish thoughts； and so Janos was the first to bring it up。 He； too； had the sensation。 At first； he pared himself to a rabbit； somehow realizing a hungry hawk is soaring overhead； or Cassini's idea of a great fish drifting in its pool。 Then he corrected himself…he did not feel that the Searcher； if it was anything beyond a figment； was necessarily evil。 But neither did he feel any benevolence。 Whatever it was； was just 。。。 interested in us。
It was that day we saw the Watchers again。 Two of them sat astride their mounts on a hillcrest not far away。 When we saw them； we were just ing out of a grove of trees。 I might have continued on； ignoring them as we had earlier； but Janos stopped me。 Without a word； he motioned me down； onto the ground； hidden by some brush。
〃You are a deer；〃 he whispered。 〃Think like one。〃 I thought he was sun…touched； but did my best； not sure what he meant。 I knew little about the life of a stag； so remembered the ones I'd seen on the trail and tried to think of their possible concerns。 My thoughts kept straying to the horsemen on the hillcrest； and somehow I knew this was not good； although not to think of the Watchers at this moment was like telling someone not to think of the color red。 A few moments later Janos tapped me to sit up。 He indicated the hillcrest…the Watchers had gone。
〃I do not like this；〃 he said。 〃We do not know what； if any； intent the Watchers have。 Nor do I know that we are their targets。 But I fear the worst…we have not seen them lately； but just after we used the talisman； they reappear。 I am hardly forgetting the relict belonged to one of them； and like will always attract like； in sorcery or in life。 We must use the talisman as little as possible； if I am correct。 We do not wish to draw any attention to ourselves now。〃
I personally thought it to be too late and hardly coincidental that the Watchers appeared on a hill athwart our route just before we passed； but Janos' caution could do no harm。 From that moment we exerted even greater care when we moved； and for the next day or so afterward； tried never to show ourselves on the meanest skyline； to make sure we crossed any stream using rocks rather than leave prints in the muck of the bank； and never to choose the natural and easiest path。
We encountered ruins。 The first was a circular stone fort。 It had not been abandoned； but had fallen by storm…the huge timbered gate had been torn away and lay many feet from the entrance。 All timbering； whether roofs or support beams； was charred。 The fort had been put to the torch by its conquerors。 Now I understood why Janos had insisted on Cassini's potential importance…I would have liked to have known whether the soldiers who held the post were taken in fair battle or by sorcery。 However； since neither vines nor weeds had overgrown the outpost； and the battle looked to have been fought many years ago； I felt the presence of a wizard on that grim day。 At least it was clear from the dimensions of portals and stairs that this land had been settled by people of human size； rather than giants。 We did not use the ruins for shelter； but passed on quickly。
That fort might have been a border outpost； since the ruins became more mon。 I asked Janos how long it had been since war came to these hills。 He said he did not know exactly； but he thought not in his lifetime。 Outside one burned village we heard baying； and saw； across a hill； a pack of dogs chasing a multistriped antelope。 The dogs were of many varieties； which indicated they were feral； not truly wild。 A farming tribe； such as these people would have been； do not abandon their dogs willingly。 Next I found； just inside one ravaged hut； a small； hand…carved horse； the sort of thing a father might carve for his son。 No child will ever abandon a plaything unless it is ruined…or unless he is dragged away from it。 I felt soldiers had e to this hamlet and taken away everything of value； including its people。 No one had time to flee； unlike our friends of the Rift。 The Disputed Lands； if we had indeed entered them； were well named。
We slept not far beyond the village that night； and were wakened by the sound of horses' hooves。 We shrank down against the ground； hoping we were invisible。 From the sound； there would have been many riders…Janos flashed the fingers of one hand three times。 I thought I saw plumed helmets against the night； less man a spearcast away； but was probably deluding myself。 The next morning； when we cautiously investigated； there were no droppings or prints where the riders had passed。
〃Now the Watchers ride in groups； like half…pany patrols；〃 Janos said。 〃We are close。〃
An hour or so later； we entered a thick forest whose trees climbed far overhead； long uncut。 We lost sight of the sun and depended on our pass for direction。 By nightfall we were still in the depths of the wilderness。 We slept uneasily。 Not only were there strange sounds from unknown creatures hunting or being hunted in the blackness； but I felt closed in by this； the first real jungle I'd been in。 Once I heard wing beats as some huge night bird flew overhead。 The next morning we ate hastily and hurried on； forcing our way through the vines and thick brush。
Quite suddenly the forest came to an end。 We stood on the outskirts of a great plain； a rugged plain now turning brown as the Month of Smokes drew near； but whose grasses earlier would have been as yellow as mustard in bloom。 There was the green of forests； and the silver of running waters。
Beyond was the mountain range。 There were four peaks in the range； and a fifth that twisted like a huge thumb。 We had reached the plain that stretched to the Fist of the Gods。 It was yet too early for snow； and we appeared closer than in my vision； so I could tell there were striations in the peaks beyond just black volcanic rock。 But by all that is holy； I thought； we had found the Fist of the Gods。 Beyond lay the Far Kingdoms。
I turned to Janos as he looked at me。 Both of us went a little mad for the next few moments： mazed shock； imbecile gape； then both babbling； neither hearing the other。
Silence。
〃We found it；〃 I said。
〃We did。〃
〃Did you really believe we would？〃
Neither of us met the other's gaze or made an answer…perhaps there had been too much sorcery and danger and disappointment on this Finding for us both really to maintain self…confidence。 Then the solemnity was broken and we were looning around like a pair of prize fools。 Eventually we collected ourselves。
〃Damnation and ice；〃 I said。 〃I should have found space in my pack for a flagon to celebrate。〃
〃We do not need it； Amalric；〃 Janos said。 〃That stream up ahead will taste better than any vintage。 We can make camp there； and I estimate we are no more than three or four honest days' travel to the foot of the pass。〃
'Three days in the mountains beyond that； perhaps；〃 I murmured； 〃through the pass； and 。。。〃
〃And the Far Kingdoms will lie beneath us；〃 Janos finished。
We shouldered our gear and started toward that stream。 I could have flown or floated the distance。 No longer did I feel where the wilderness's thorns had snagged my skin or my stubbed toes and worn soles。 We had done it。 We had gone where no Orissan or Lycanthian had ever gone。 I knew in that moment not just that we had made history； but we had changed all history to e。 Once we saw the Far Kingdoms on the far side of that pass； and if we returned safely…which I was certain we would…nothing would ever be the same again。
I noted a pair of Watchers far distant to the side； away from the direction we would travel in； but paid little heed。
We were less than a dozen yards beyond the treeline when the trumpet blast sounded。 From a copse a few spearcasts away rode three horsemen。 Then from around its side rode another twenty。 These were not Watchers…we could hear the calloo of their shouts…shouts exactly like Orissan hunters yelp when the boar breaks cover and they couch their spears and go after it。 Nor were these cavalrymen dressed in the immaculate parade…ground armor of the Watchers； but instead in the practical； steel…reinforced leather of earthly soldiers。 I saw men rise up in their stirrups； drawing bows。 Three arrows thudded into the ground just yards in front of us； and we turned and were running。 We darted back into that wilderness； and I have never been so glad to see brambles； tangles； vines； and strangling bushes as in that moment。
I needed no guidance from Janos now to think like a startled hare； ground squirrel； hedgepig； or badger being run by hounds or hunters。 Behind us； as we tore our way through the brush； vines trying to hold us back as if we were in a small child's nightmare； we heard horses crashing into the forest fringes； shouts； orders； and mands。 Now they would lose time； dismounting and following us afoot； or perhaps going back out and riding around the forest to lay an ambush。 Neither course mattered…the two of us could hide in these thickets for years； until they brought up entire armies to b for us。 And we could outwait them here in these woodlands； which were now as precious to me as my own bedchamber had been when winter's storms roared。
My spirit soared and sang。 We had seen the Fist of the Gods。 Now all that we needed to do was lose our pursuers； return to the Rift； and then； moving with great cleverness； reassay the journey。 Our men would have recovered by now； and Sergeant Maeen and our soldiers were more than able to stand off any cavalry patrol we were unable to elude。
There was nothing that could stop us。 We would enter the Far Kingdoms before winter。
Or so I thought。 But when we returned to the Rift； we found only Deoce and Sergeant Maeen waiting。 The others had abandoned us。 Janos and I had traversed the foothills and the rolling country without real incident。 There had been patrols on the land looking for us。 All of them were posed of very materia