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A horse。 I could steal a horse。 I kept telling myself that； concentrated on that； damning the stitch in my side； till shadows loomed before me and imperials began to shout； and I hared off into a wheat field with the Lady's hounds abay behind me。
I nearly gave them the slip。 Nearly。 But then the shadow descended from the heavens。 Air whistled past a carpet。 And a moment later darkness devoured me。
I weled it as the end of my miseries； hoping it was permanent。
It was light when I regained consciousness。 I was in a cold place； but all places are cold in the north countries。 I was dry。 For the first time in weeks； I was dry。 I harkened back to my run and recalled the sliver of moon。 A sky clear enough for a moon。 Amazing。
I cracked one eye。 I was in a room with walls of stone。 It had the look of a cell。 Beneath me； a surface neither hard nor wet。 How long since I had lain on a dry bed？ Blue Willy。
I became aware of an odor。 Food！ Hot food； on a platter just inches from my head； atop a small stand。 Some mess that looked like overcooked stew。 Gods； did it smell good！
I rose so swiftly my head spun。 I almost passed out。 Food！ The hell with anything else。 I ate like the starved animal I was。
I had not quite finished when the door slammed inward。 Exploded inward； ringing off the wall。 A huge dark form stamped through。 For a moment I sat with spoon halfway between bowl and mouth。 This thing was human？ It stepped to one side； weapon ready。
Four imperials followed； but I hardly noticed； so taken was I with the giant。 Man； all right； but bigger than any I'd ever seen。 And looking lithe and spritely as an elf for all his size。
The imperials paired to either side of the doorway； presented arms。
〃What？〃 I demanded； determined to go down with a defiant grin。 〃No drumrolls？ No trumpets？〃 I presumed I was about to meet my captor。
I can call them when I call them。 Whisper came through the doorway。
I was more startled by seeing her than by the dramatic advent of her giant thug。 She was supposed to be holding the western boundary of the Plain 。 。 。 Unless 。 。 。 I could not think it。 But the worm of doubt gnawed anyway。 I had been out of touch a long time。
〃Where are the documents？〃 she demanded； without preamble。
A grin smeared my face。 I had succeeded。 They had not caught the others 。 。 。 But elation faded swiftly。 There were more imperials behind Whisper； and they bore a litter。 Raven。 They dumped him roughly onto a cot opposite mine。
Their hospitality was not niggardly。 It was a grand cell。 Plenty of room for the prisoner to stretch his legs。
I found my grin。 〃Now； you shouldn't ask questions like that。 Mama wouldn't like it。 Remember how angry she became last time？〃
Whisper was always a cool one。 Even when she led the Rebel； she never let emotion get in the way。 She did remind me； 〃Your death can be an unpleasant one； physician。〃
〃Dead is dead。〃
A slow smile spread upon her colorless lips。 She was not a lovely woman。 That nasty smile did not improve her looks。
I got the message。 Down in the dark inside me something howled and gibbered like a monkey getting roasted。 I resisted its call to terror。 Now； if ever there was one； was a time to act as a brother of the Black pany。 I had to buy time。 Had to give the others the longest head start possible。
She might have read my mind as she stood there staring； smiling。 〃They won't get far。 They can hide from witchery； but they cannot hide from the hounds。〃
My heart sank。
As if cued； a messenger arrived。 He whispered to Whisper。 She nodded。 Then she turned to me。 〃I go to collect them now。 Think on the Limper in my absence。 For once I have drained you of knowledge； I may deliver you to him。〃 Smile again。
〃You never were a nice lady；〃 I said； but it came feebly and got said to her departing back。 Her menagerie went with her。
I checked Raven。 He seemed unchanged。
I lay on my cot； closed my eyes； tried to push everything out of my mind。 It had worked once before when I needed contact with the Lady。
Where was she？ I knew she was near enough to sense last night。 But now？ Was she playing some game？
But she had said no special consideration 。 。 。 Still。 There is consideration and consideration。
Chapter Thirty…Eight： THE FORTRESS AT DEAL
Bam！ The old door trick。 This time I had heard the man…mountain stomping down the hall； so I did not react except to ask； 〃Don't you ever knock； Bruno？〃
No response。 Till Whisper stepped inside。 〃Get up； physician。〃
I would have made a crude remark； but something in her voice chilled me beyond the chill due my straits。 I rose。
She looked terrible。 Not that she was much different physically。 But something inside had gone dead and cold and frightened。 〃What was that thing？〃 she demanded。
I was baffled。 〃What thing？〃
〃The thing you were traveling with。 Speak。〃 I could not； for I hadn't the slightest notion what she was blathering about。
〃We caught up。 Or my men did。 I arrived only in time to count the bodies。 What shreds twenty hounds and a hundred men in armor； in minutes； then disappears from mortal ken？〃
Gods； One…Eye and Goblin must have outdone themselves。
Still I did not speak。
〃You came from the Barrowland。 Where you were tampering。 Did you call something forth？〃 She sounded as though she were musing。 〃It's time we found out。 It's time we found out how tough you really are； soldier。〃 She faced the giant。 〃Bring him。〃
I gave it my best shot by playing my dirtiest。 I pretended meek for just long enough to let him relax。 Then I stomped his foot； running the side of my boot down his shin。 Then I spun away and kicked at his crotch。
Guess I'm getting old and slow。 Course； he was a lot faster than a man his size should be。 He leaned back； caught my foot； and threw me across the room。 Two imperials got me up and started dragging me。 I went with the satisfaction of seeing the big man limp。
I tried a few more tricks； just to slow things up。 They did little more than get me knocked around。 The imperials strapped me down in a high…backed wooden chair in a room where Whisper had set up to practice her magicks。 I saw nothing especially villainous。 That only made the anticipation worse。
They got two or three good screams out of me and were working themselves up to get unpleasant when the tableau suddenly broke up。 The imperials ripped me out of the chair； hustled me toward my cell。 I was too foggy to wonder。
Till； in the hallway a few yards short of that cell； we encountered the Lady。
Yes。 So。 My message had gotten through。 I'd thought the brief touch I'd made a response in wishful thinking at the time。 But here she was。
The imperials ran。 Is she that terrible to her own people？
Whisper stood her ground。
Whatever passed between them did so unspoken。 Whisper helped me to my feet； pushed me into the cell。 Her face was stone but her eyes were asmoulder。
〃Curses。 Foiled again；〃 I croaked； and fell onto my cot。
It was plain daylight when the door closed。 It was night when I wakened and she was standing over me； wearing her guise of beauty。 She said； 〃I warned you。〃
〃Yes。〃 I tried to s