remembered Geloe's words on that night； weeks back； when they had first met her in the forest：
〃Sometimes you men are like lizards； sunning on the stones of a crumbled house； thinking： 'what a nice basking spot someone built for me。' 〃 The witch woman had frowned as she spoke。
She told us we were in Sithi lands； he recalled。 Now we are again entering their fields； that is all。 That is why things seem so strange。
Somehow this did not dispel his unsettled feeling。
They made camp in a meadow。 The low grass was dotted here and there with fairy…rings； as the woman Ielda had called them； perfect circles of small white toadstools that shone faintly against the dark turf as twi… light came on。 Duchess Gutrun did not like the idea of sleeping so near to these rings； but Father Strangyeard sensibly pointed out that the people of Gadrinsett said the whole of this land belonged to the 〃fairies；〃 so the proximity of a mushroom ring meant little。 Gutrun； more concerned for the safety of the child Leieth than herself； gave in with reservations。
A small fire； made with willow branches they had gathered during the journey； helped to dispel some of the strangeness。 The prince's party ate and talked quietly long into the evening。 Old Towser； who had been sleeping so long and so deeply during the journey that he hardly seemed one of their pany anymore； but more like a piece of baggage； awak… ened and lay staring at the night sky。
〃The stars aren't right；〃 he said at last； so quietly that none heard him。 He repeated himself more loudly。 Josua came to kneel beside him； taking the jester's trembling hand in his。
〃What is it； Towser？〃
〃The stars； they aren't right。〃 The old man pulled his fingers free from the prince's grip and gestured upward。 〃There's the Lamp； but it's got one star more than it should。 And where's the Crook？ It shouldn't be gone 'til harvest time。 And there's others there I don't know at all。〃 His lip quivered。 〃We're all dead。 We've gone through into the Shadow Land like my grandmother used to tell of。 We're dead。〃
〃e； now；〃Josua said gently。 〃We are not dead。 We are simply in a different place； and you have been in and out of dreams。〃
Towser fixed him with a surprisingly sharp eye。 〃It is Anitul…month； is it not？ Don't think I am crazy…old yet； no matter what I have been through。 I have stared at summer skies for nearly twice your lifetime； young prince。 We may be in a different place； but all Osten Ard shares the same stars…does it not？〃
Josua was silent for a while。 A thin babble of voices rose from the campfire behind him。 〃I did not mean to say you had lost your wits； old friend。 We are in a strange place； and who knows what stars may shine upon us？ In any case； there is nothing to be done about it。〃 He took the old man's hand again。 〃Why do you not e and sit closer to the fire？ I think it would be forting to have us all together； at least for a little while。〃
Towser nodded and let Josua help him rise。 〃A little warmth would not go amiss； my prince。 I feel a growing cold in my bones。。。 and I don't like it。〃
〃All the better； then； to sit near the fire on a damp night。〃 He led the old jester back。
The fire had dimmed to embers and Towser's unfamiliar stars were wheeling in the sky overhead。 Josua looked up when a hand touched his shoulder。 Vorzheva had a blanket draped over her arm。
〃e； Josua； 〃she said。 〃Let us go and make our bed by the riverside。〃
He looked around at the others； all sleeping but Deornoth and Strangyeard； who talked quietly on the far side of the fire。 〃I do not think I should leave my people alone。〃
〃Leave your people？〃 she said。 There was an edge of anger in her voice； but a moment later it gave way to a quiet laugh。 She shook her head and her black hair fell across her face。 〃You will never change。 I am your wife now； do you remember that？ We have gone four nights as if our marriage had never happened because you feared pursuit by the king's soldiers and wished to be close to the others。 Do you still fear？〃
He looked up at her。 His lip curled in a smile。 〃Not tonight。〃 He rose and put his arm about her slender waist； feeling the strong muscles of her back。 〃Let us go down by the river。〃
Josua left his boots by the fire circle and together they went barefoot through the damp grass until the glow of the coals had disappeared behind them。 The murmur of the river grew louder as they made their way down to the sandy verge。 Vorzheva unfurled the blanket and sank down upon it。 Josua joined her； pulling his heavy cloak over them both。 For a while they lay in silence beside the dark Stefflod； watching the moon holding court among her stars。 Vorzheva's head rested on Josua's chest； her river…washed hair against his cheek。
〃Do not think that because our wedding was foreshortened； it meant any less to me；〃 he said finally。 〃I promise you that one day we will have our lives back as they were meant to be。 You shall be the lady of a great house； not an exile in the wilderness。〃
〃Gods of my clan！ You are a fool； Josua；〃 she said。 〃Do you think that I care what kind of house I live in？〃 She turned and kissed him； wriggling closer against his body。 〃Fool； fool； fool。〃 Her breath was hot against his face。
They spoke no more。 The stars gleamed in the sky and the river sang to them。
Deornoth awakened just after dawn to the sound of Leieth crying。 It took him a moment to realize why that seemed so strange。 It was the first sound he had heard the child make。
Even as the last shreds of dream fell away…he had stood before a great white tree whose leaves were flames…he was clawing for the hilt of his sword。 He sat up to see Duchess Gutrun holding the little girl on her lap。 Beside her； Father Strangyeard had poked his head tortoiselike from beneath his cloak； the priest's wispy red hair was dew…dampened。
〃What is it？〃 Deornoth asked。
Gutrun shook her head。 〃I don't know。 She woke me up with her crying； the poor thing。〃 The duchess tried to cradle Leieth against her breast； but the child pulled back。 She continued to cry； her eyes wide open； staring at the sky。 〃What's the matter； little one； what's the mat… ter？〃 Gutrun crooned。
Leieth tugged her hand free from the woman's embrace and tremblingly pointed toward the northern horizon。 Deornoth could see nothing but a black fist of clouds in the most distant part of the sky。 〃Is something out there？〃 he asked。
The child's cries died away to hiccoughing sobs。 She pointed again at the horizon； then turned away to huddle in Gutrun's lap； face hidden。
〃It's just a bad dream； that's all；〃 the duchess soothed。 〃There now； little one； just a bad dream。 。。。〃
Josua was suddenly standing before them； Naidel unsheathed in his hand。 The prince wore nothing but his breeches； his slender frame gleamed pallidly in the dawnlight。 〃What is it？〃 he demanded。
Deornoth pointed to the darkened horizon。 〃The child saw something there that made her cry。〃
Josua stared grimly。 〃We who saw Naglimund's last days would do well to pay attention。 That is an ugly knot of stormclouds。〃 He looked around at the wet grasslands。 〃We are all tired；〃 he said； 〃but we must make a faster pace。 I do not like the look of that storm any more than did the child。 I doubt we will find any shelter on these open plains until we reach Geloe's Stone of Farewell。〃 He turned and shouted to Isorn and the others； who were just waking up。 〃Saddle up。 We will break our fast as we travel。 e； there is no longer such a thing as a simple storm。 If I can help it； we will not be caught by this one。〃
The river valley continued to deepen。 The vegetation began to grow thicker and more lush； the sparse meadowland now broken by freestanding groves of birches and alders； as well as thickets of strange trees with silvery leaves and slim trunks deep…furred in moss。
The prince's party had little time to admire this new greenery。 They rode at a fierce pace all day； stopping only for a brief rest in afternoon； then continuing on until long after the sun had dropped behind the horizon and twilight had sapped the brightest colors from the land。 The threatening stormclouds