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〃Lyra；〃 he said wearily； 〃please just go home。〃
〃No； I'm simply doing what I am trained to do。 And so；〃 she added without a suspicion of irony； 〃are you。〃 Then her eyes moved back to the crow。 〃Is that something I should know to guard？〃
He hesitated。 The crow sat like a black thought on his shoulder； absolutely motionless。 〃No；〃 he said finally。 〃Nothing will harm it。 I swear that by my life。〃 Her dark eyes widened suddenly； going back to it。
She said softly； puzzled； after a moment； 〃Once we were friends。〃
She left him。 He went to the fire； but thoughts lay hard； knotted in his belly； and he could not eat。 He stilled the fire； sent it back into the embers。 Then he lay down on one of the pallets； his face on his forearm； turned to look at the crow。 It rested beside him on the stones。 He reached out with his free hand； smoothed its feathers again and again。
〃I will never teach you another shape；〃 he whispered。 〃Raederle； what happened on Wind Plain has nothing to do with you。 Nothing。〃 He stroked it； talking to it； arguing； pleading without response until his eyes closed and he melted finally into its darkness。
Dawn broke into his dreams as the door swung open and shut with a bang。 He startled up； his heart pounding； and saw the young； surprised face of a strange guard。 She bent her head courteously。
〃I'm sorry； Lord。〃 She heaved a bucket of water and an earthen jar of fresh milk onto the table。 〃I didn't see you sleeping there。〃 〃Where is Lyra？〃
〃On the north wall； overlooking the lake。 There is a small army of some kind ing across the back…lands。 Goh rode out to check it。〃 He got to his feet； murmuring。 She added； 〃Lyra told me to ask you if you could e。〃
〃I'll e。〃 Nun； in a cloud of pipe smoke； drifted into the corner of his eye； and he started again。 She put a soothing hand on his shoulder。 〃You'll go where？〃
〃Some kind of an army is ing； maybe help； maybe not。〃 He scooped water onto his face from the bucket and poured milk into a cracked goblet and drained it。 Then his head swung back to the pallet he had been sleeping on。 〃Where？〃 He took a step toward it； his eyes running frantically over the iron and brass pots on the wall； over the smoky roof beams。 〃Where in Hel's name。。。〃 He dropped to his knees； searched the trestles under the table； then the wood…box； and even the ashes on the grate。 He straightened； still on his knees； stared； white； up at Nun。 〃She left me。〃
〃Raederle？〃
〃She's gone。 She wouldn't even talk to me。 She flew away and left me。〃 He got to his feet； slumped against the chimney stones。 〃It was that news out of Ymris。 About the shape…changers。〃
〃Shape…changers。〃 Her voice sounded flat。 〃That's what was troubling her then？ Her own power？ 〃
He nodded。 〃She's afraid。。。〃 His hand dropped soundlessly against the stones。 〃I've got to find her。 She's foresworn。。。 and the ghost of Ylon is already troubling her。〃
Nun cursed the dead king with a pigherder's fluency。 Then she put her fingers to her eyes。 〃No；〃 she said tiredly； 〃I'll find her。 Maybe she will talk to me。 She used to。 You see what that army is。 I wish Yrth would e； he worries me。 But I don't dare call either him or Raederle； my call might find its way straight into the Founder's mind。 Now。 Let me think。 If I were a princess of An with a shape…changer's power； flying around like a crow； where would I go？〃
〃I know where I would go；〃 Morgon murmured。 〃But she hates beer。〃
He went on foot through the city toward the docks； looking for a crow as he walked。 The fishing…boats were all out on the broad lake； but there were other small craft； mining barges and flat…bottomed trading…vessels nosing out of the docks full of cargo to peddle among the trappers and herdsmen around the lake。 He saw no crows on any of the masts。 He found Lyra； finally； standing at a piece of sagging parapet to one side of a gate。 Much of the north wall seemed to be underwater； supporting the docks； the rest was little more than broad； arched gates； with fish stalls set up against the wall between them。 Morgon； ignoring the glassy…eyed stare of a fishwife； vanished in front of her and appeared at Lyra's side。 She only blinked a little when she saw him； as if she had grown used to the unpredictable movements of wizards。 She pointed east of the lake； and he saw tiny flecks of light in the distant forest。
〃Can you see what it is？〃 she asked。
〃I'll try。〃 He caught the mind of a hawk circling the trees outside of the city。 The noise of the city rumbled away to the back of his mind until he heard only the lazy morning breeze and the piercing cry of another hawk in the distance who had missed its kill。 The hawk's circles grew wider under his prodding； he had a slow； sweeping vision of pine； hot sunlight on dried needles that slipped into shadows； through underbrush； then out into the light again onto hot； bare rock； where lizards under the hawk…shadow startled into crevices。 The hawk…brain sorted every sound； every vague slink of shadow through the bracken。 He urged it farther east； making a broad spiral of its circles。 Finally； it swung across a line of warriors picking their way through the trees。 He made the hawk return to the line again and again； until finally a movement in the full light below snapped its attention； and as it flung itself eastward； he shirred himself from its mind。
He slid down against the parapet。 The sun struck him at an odd angle； much higher than he expected。
〃They look like Ymris warriors；〃 he said tiredly； 〃who have spent days crossing the backlands。 They were unshorn； and their horses were balky。 They didn't smell of the sea。 They smelled of sweat。〃
Lyra studied hun； her hands at her hips。 〃Should I trust them？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃Maybe Goh can tell。 I gave her orders to watch them and listen to them and then to speak to them if she thought it wise。 She has good sense。〃
〃I'm sorry。〃 He pulled himself to his feet。 〃I think they're men； but I am in no mood to trust anyone。〃
〃Are you going to leave the city？〃
〃I don't know。 Yrth is still missing； and now Raederle is gone。 If I leave； she won't know where I am。 If you sight nothing more dangerous； we can wait a little。 If they are Ymris warriors； they can deploy themselves around this travesty of a defense wall and everyone here will feel much easier。〃
She was silent a moment； searching the breeze； as for a shadow of dark wings。 〃She'll e back；〃 she said softly。 〃She has great courage。〃
He dropped his arm around her shoulders； hugged her briefly。 〃So do you。 I wish you would go home。〃
'The Morgol placed her guard in the service of the Lungold merchants； to watch over the welfare of the city。〃
〃She didn't place her land…heir in the service of the merchants。 Did she？〃
〃Oh； Morgon； stop arguing。 Can't you do something about this wall？ It's useless and dangerous and dropping apart under my feet。〃
〃All right I'm not doing anything else worthwhile。〃
She turned her head； kissed his cheekbone。 〃Raederle is probably somewhere thinking。 She'll e back to you。〃 He opened his mouth； she shrugged out of his hold； her face suddenly averted。 〃Go fix the wall。〃
He spent hours repairing it； trying not to think。 Ignoring the traffic passing around him … the farmers and merchants eying him uneasily； the traders who recognized him … he stood with his hands and his face against the ancient stones。 His mind melded into their ponderous silence until he sensed their sagging； their precarious balance against the buttresses。 He built illusions of stone within the archways； buttressing them with his mind。 The blocked gates snarled carts and horses； started fights； and sent crowds to the city council chambers to be warned of the impending dangers。 The traffic leaving through the main gate increased enormously。 Street urchins gathered around him as he circled the city。 They watched him work； followed at his heels； delighted； marvelling as non…existent stones built under his hands。 In the late afternoon； laying his sweating face against the stones in an archway； he felt the touch of another power。 He closed his eyes and traversed a silence he had learned well。 For a long time； his mind moving deep into the stones； he heard nothing but the occasional； minute shift of a particle of mortar。 Finally； edging onto the sunwarmed face of the outer wall； he felt wedged against it a buttress of raw power。 He touched it tentatively with his thoughts。 It was a force pulled from the earth itself； rammed against the weakest point of the stone。 He withdrew slowly； awed。
Someone was standing at his shoulder； saying his name over and over。 He turned questioningly； found one of the Morgol's guards with a red…haired man in leather and mail beside her。 The guard's broad； browned face was sweating； and she looked as tired as Morgon felt。 Her gruff voice was patient； oddly pleasant。
〃Lord； my name is Goh。 This is Teril Umber； son of the High Lord Rork Umber of Ymris； I took the responsibility of guiding him and his warriors into the city。〃 There was a faint tension in her voice and in her calm eyes。 Morgon looked at the man silently。 He was young but battle…hardened and very tired。 He bent his head courteously to Morgon； oblivious of his suspicions。
〃Lord； Heureu Ymris sent us out one day before。。。 the day before he lost Wind Plain； apparently。 We just heard the news from the Morgol's land…heir。〃
〃Was your father at Wind Plain？〃 Morgon asked suddenly。 〃I remember him。〃
Teril Umber nodded wearily。 〃Yes。 I have no idea if he survived or not。〃 Then beneath the drag of his dusty mail； his shoulders straightened。 〃Well； the king was concerned about the defenselessness of the traders here； he sailed on trade…ships once himself。 And of course； he wanted to put as many men as he could spare at your disposal。 There are a hundred and fifty of us； to aid the Morgol's guard in defending the city； if there's need。〃
Morgon nodded。 The lean； sweating face with its unfortable fringe of beard seemed beyond suspicion。 He said； 〃I hope there's no need。 It was generous of the king to spare you。〃
〃Yes。 He did exactly that； sending us out of Wind Plain。〃
〃I'm sorry about your father。 He was kind to me。〃
〃He talked about you。。。〃 He shook his head； running his fingers through his flaming hair。 〃He's e out of worse；〃 he said without hope。 〃Well； I'd better talk to Lyra； get men situated before nightfall。〃
Morgon looked at Goh。 The relief in her face told him how worried she had been。 He said softly； 〃Please tell Lyra I'm nearly finished with the wall。〃
〃Yes； Lord。〃
'Thank you。〃
She gave him a brief； shy nod； smiling suddenly。 〃Yes； Lord。〃
As his work around the wall progressed and the day burned toward a fiery end； he began to feel enclosed by power。 The wizard working with him silently on the other side of the wall strengthened stones before he touched them； sealed broken places with grey； grainy illusions； balanced cracked walls against a weight of power。 The walls lost their look of having grown battered by sunlight and hunched under winter winds。 They stood firm again； patched； buttressed； rolling without a break around the city； challenging entrance。
Morgon wove a force from stone to stone to seal one last crack in some ancient mortar； then leaned against the wall wearily； his face in his arms。 He could smell the twilight riding over the fields。 The stillness of the last moments of the sunset； the peaceful； sleepy bird songs made him think for a moment of Hed。 A distant crow call kept him from falling asleep against the wall。 He roused himself and stepped into one of the two front gates he had left open。 A man stood in the archway at the other end； with a crow on his shoulder。
He was a tall old man； with short grey hair and a battered； craggy face。 He was talking in crow…language to the crow； Morgon understood some of it。 As the crow answered； a hard fist of worry around Morgon's heart eased until his heart seemed to rest on some warm place； on the hand