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guess where I was along this road？〃
〃You left a trail across the realm for a blind man to follow。 I suspected you would go to Hed； and I even tracked you there； but。。。〃 His uplifted hand checked Morgon's sudden movement。 〃You had e and gone。 I have no war with farmers and cows； I disturbed nothing while I was there。〃 He regarded Morgon silently a moment。 〃You took the wraiths of An to Hed。 How？〃
〃How do you think？ You taught me something of land…law。〃
〃Not that much。〃 Morgon felt his mind suddenly； probing for the knowledge。 The touch blinded him； brought back memories of terror and helplessness。 He was helpless again； with Raederle beside him； and tears of despair and rage gripped at his throat The wizard； exploring the mind…link he had formed at Anuin with the dead； grunted softly and loosed him。 The morning light drenched the ground again； he saw the harpist's shadow lying across the charred leaves。 He stared at it； its stillness dragged at him； wore even his bewilderment into numbness。 Then Ghisteslwchlohm's words jarred in his mind and he lifted his eyes。
〃What do you mean？ Everything I know I learned from you。〃
The wizard gazed at him conjecturingly； as if he were a riddle on some dusty parchment。 He did not answer； he said abruptly to Raederle； 〃Can you change shape？〃
She eased a step closer to Morgon； shaking her head。 〃No。〃
〃Half the kings in the history of An have taken the crow…shape at one time or another； and I learned from Deth that you have inherited a shape…changer's power。 You'll learn fast。〃
The blood pushed up into her white face； but she did not look at the harpist。 〃I will not change shape；〃 she said softly； and added with so little change of inflection it surprised both Morgon and the wizard； 〃I curse you； in my name and Madir's； with eyes small and fiery； to look no higher than a man's knee； and no lower than the mud beneath。。。〃 The wizard put his hand on her mouth and she stopped speaking。 He blinked； as if his sight had blurred for a moment。 His hand slid down her throat； and something began to tighten in Morgon to a fine； dangerous precision； like a harp string about to snap。
But the wizard said only； drily； 〃Spare me the next ninety…eight curses。〃 He lifted his hand； and she cleared her throat。 Morgon could feel her trembling。
She said again； 〃I am not going to change shape。 I will die； first。 I swear that； by my。。。〃 The wizard checked her again。
He contemplated her with mild interest； then said over his shoulder to Deth； 〃Take her across the back…lands with you to Erlenstar Mountain。 I don't have time for this。 I will bind her mind； she won't attempt to escape。 The Star…Bearer will e with me to Lungold and then to Erlenstar Mountain。〃 He seemed to sense something in the stiff； black shadow across the bracken； he turned his head。 〃I'll find men to hunt for you and guard her。〃
〃No。〃
The wizard swung around to one side of Morgon so that Morgon could not move without his knowledge。 His brows were drawn； he held the harpist's eyes until Deth spoke again。
〃I owe her。 In Anuin； she would have let me walk away free before Morgon ever came。 She protected me； unwittingly； from him with a small army of wraiths。 I am no longer in your service； and you owe me for six hundred years of it。 Let her go；〃
〃I need her。〃
〃You could take any one of the Lungold wizards and still hold Morgon powerless。〃
〃The Lungold wizards are unpredictable and too powerful。 Also； they are too apt to die for odd impulses。 Suth proved that。 I do owe you； if for nothing but your broken harping that brought the Star…Bearer to kneel at your feet。 But ask something else of me。〃
〃I want nothing else。 Except a harp strung with wind； perhaps； for a man with no hands to play it。〃
Ghisteslwchlohm was silent。 Morgon； the faint overtones of some riddle echoing through his memory； lifted his head slowly and looked at the harpist。 His voice sounded dispassionate as always； but there was a hardness in his eyes Morgon had never seen before。 Ghisteslwchlohm seemed to listen a moment to an ambiguity： some voice he did not quite catch beneath the voice of the morning wind。
He said finally； almost curiously； 〃So。 Even your patience has its limits。 I can heal your hands。〃
〃No。〃
〃Deth； you are being unreasonable。 You know as well as I do what the stakes are in this game。 Morgon is stumbling like a blind man into his power。 I want him in Erlenstar Mountain； and I don't want to fight him to get him there。〃
〃I'm not going back to Erlenstar Mountain；〃 Morgon said involuntarily。 The wizard ignored him； his eyes； intent； narrowed a little on Deth's face。
Deth said softly； 〃I am old and crippled and very tired。 You left me little more than my life in Hel。 Do you know what I did then？ I walked my horse to Caithnard and found a trader who didn't spit when I spoke to him。 I traded my horse to him for the last harp I will ever possess。 And I tried to play it。〃
〃I said I will。。。〃
〃There is not a court open to me in this realm to play in； even if you healed my hands。〃
〃You accepted that risk six centuries ago；〃 Ghisteslwchlohm said。 His voice had thinned。 〃You could have chosen a lesser court than mine to harp in； some innocent； powerless place whose innocence will not survive this final struggle。 You know that。 You are too wise for recriminations； and you never had any lost innocence to regret。 You can stay here and starve； or take Raederie of An to Erlenstar Mountain and help me finish this game。 Then you can take what reward you want for your services； anywhere in this realm。〃 He paused； then added roughly； 〃Or are you bound； in some hidden place I cannot reach； to the Star…Bearer？〃
〃I owe nothing to the Star…Bearer。〃
'That is not what I asked you。〃
〃You asked me that question before。 In Hel。 Do you want another answer？〃 He checked； as if the sudden anger in his voice were unfamiliar even to himself； and he continued more quietly； 〃The Star…Bearer is the pivot point of a game。 I did not know； any more than you； that he would be a young Prince of Hed； whom I might e dangerously close to loving。 There is no more binding than that； and it is hardly important。 I have betrayed him to you twice。 But you will have to find someone else to betray Raederle of An。 I am in her debt。 Again； that is a small matter： she is no threat to you； and any land…ruler in the realm can serve in her place。〃
〃The Morgol？〃
Deth was still； not breathing； not blinking； as if he were something honed into shape by wind and weather。 Morgon； watching； brushed something off his face with the back of his hand； he realized in surprise that he was crying。
Deth said finally； very softly； 〃No。〃
〃So。〃 The wizard contemplated him； hair…thin lines of impatience and power deepening at the sides of his mouth。 〃There is something that is not such a small matter。 I was beginning to wonder。 If I can't hire you back into my service； perhaps I can persuade you。 The Morgol of Herun is camped outside of Lungold with two hundred of her guard。 The guard is there； I assume； to protect the city； the Morgol； out of some inprehensible impulse； is waiting for you。 I will give you a choice。 If you choose to leave Raederle here； I will bring the Morgol with me to Erlenstar Mountain； after I have subdued； with Morgon's help； the last of the Lungold wizards。 Choose。〃
He waited。 The harpist was motionless again； even the crooked bones in his hands seemed brittle。 The wizard's voice whipped at him and he flinched。 〃Choose！〃
Raederle's hands slid over her mouth。 〃Deth； I'll go；〃 she whispered。 〃I'll follow Morgon anyway； or I will be foresworn。〃
The harpist did not speak。 He moved finally； very slowly toward them； his eyes on Ghisteslwchlohm's face。 He stopped a pace away from him and drew breath to speak。 Then； in a swift； fluid movement； the back of his crippled hand cracked across the Founder's face。
Ghisteslwchlohm stepped back； his fingers driving to the bone on Morgon's arm； but he could not have moved。 The harpist slid to his knees； hunched over the newly broken bones in his hand。 He lifted his face； white； bruised with agony； asking nothing。 For a moment Ghisteslwchlohm looked down at him silently； and Morgon saw in his eyes what might have been the broken memories of many centuries。 Then his own hand rose。 A lash of fire caught the harpist across the eyes； flung him backward across the bracken； where he lay still； staring blindly at the sun。
The wizard held Morgon with his hand and his eyes； until Morgon realized slowly that he was shaken with a dry； tearless sobbing and his muscles were locked to attack。 The wizard touched his eyes briefly； as if the streak of fire torn out of his mind had given him a headache。 〃Why in Hel's name；〃 he demanded； 〃are you wasting grief on him？ Look at me。 Look at me！〃
〃I don't know！〃 Morgon shouted back at him。 He saw more fire snap through the air； across the harpist's body。 It touched the dark harp and flamed。 The air wailed with snapping strings。 Raederle shimmered suddenly into sheer fire； the wizard pulled her relentlessly back into shape with his mind。 She was still half…fire； and Morgon was struggling with an impulse of power that would have doomed her； when something in him froze。 He whirled。 Watching curiously among the trees were a dozen men。 Their horses were the color of night； their garments all the wet； rippling colors of the sea。
〃The world；〃 one of them mented in the sudden silence； 〃is not a safe place for harpists。〃 He bent his head to Morgon。 〃Star…Bearer。〃 His pale； expressionless face seemed to flow a little with the breeze。 From him came the smell of brine。 〃Ylon's child。〃 His lucent eyes went to Ghisteslwchlohm。 〃High One。〃
Morgon stared at them。 His mind； spinning through possibilities of action； went suddenly blank。 They had no weapons； their black mounts were stone still； but any movement； he sensed； a shift of light； a bird call on the wrong note； could spring a merciless attack。 They seemed suspended from motion； as on a breath of silence between two waves； whether by curiosity or simple uncertainty； he did not know。 He felt Ghisteslwchlohm's hand grip his shoulder and was reassured oddly by the fact that the wizard wanted him alive。
The shape…changer who had spoken answered his question with a soft； equivocal mockery； 〃For thousands of years we have been waiting to meet the High One。〃
Morgon heard the wizard draw breath。 〃So。 You are the spawn of the seas of Ymris and An？〃
〃No。 We are not of the sea。 We have shaped ourselves to its harping。 You are careless of your harpist。〃
〃The harpist is my business。〃
〃He served you well。 We watched him through the centuries； doing your bidding； wearing your mask； waiting。。。 as we waited； long before you set foot on this earth of the High One's； Ghisteslwchlohm。 Where is the High One？〃 His horse snaked forward soundlessly； like a shadow； stopped three paces from Morgon。 He resisted an impulse to step backward。 The Founder's voice； tired； impatient； made him marvel。
〃I am not interested in riddle…games。 Or in a fight。 You take your shapes out of dead men and seaweed； you breathe； you harp and you die： that is all I know or care to know about you。 Back your mount or you will be riding a pile of kelp。〃
The shape…changer backed it a step without a shift of muscle。 His eyes caught light like water； for an instant they seemed to smile。 〃Master Ohm；〃 he said； 〃do you know the riddle of the man who opened his door at midnight and found not the black sky filling his doorway but the black； black eye of some creature who stretched beyond him to measureless dimension？ Look at us again。 Then go； quietly； leaving the Star…Bearer and our kinswoman。〃
〃You look；〃 the Founder said brusquely。 Morgon； still in his hold； was jolted by the strength that poured out of him： energy that slapped at the shape…changers； flattened an oak in its way and sent frightened birds screaming into the air。 The silent thunder of the fire streaked towards their minds； Morgon felt it； but as at a