Deornoth looked around at the ragged party； at the white； frightened eyes in the dirt…streaked faces。 〃That is a good idea； Father；〃 he said。 〃We shall do that。〃
They made a tiny fire in a hastily…dug pit surrounded with stones； more for light than anything else。 Heat would have been most wele…with nightfall； the forest air was turning bitterly cold…but they could not risk so much of a display。 There was nothing to eat； in any case。 Their pace had been far too hurried for any hunting。
Together； Father Strangyeard and Duchess Gutrun were cleaning Sangfugol's wound and rewinding the bandage。 The white and black feathered arrow； which had knocked the harper down late yesterday afternoon； seemed to have struck the bone。 Despite the care taken with its removal； not all the arrowhead had e out。 When Sangfugol could talk； he plained that the feeling in his leg was nearly gone； at the moment； he was in shallow； uneasy sleep。 Vorzheva stood nearby； looking on sorrowfully。 She had been pointedly shunning Josua； who did not seem much bothered。
Deornoth silently cursed his thin cloak。 If I had only known we would be tramping the open woods； he lamented； I would have brought my fur…hooded riding cloak。 He smiled grimly at his own thoughts and suddenly laughed aloud； a short bark of amusement that caught the attention of Einskaldir； squatting nearby。
〃What's funny？〃 the Rimmersman asked； frowning as he worked his hand…axe up and down a small whetstone。 He held it up； testing the blade with his callused thumb； then laid it back against the stone once more。
〃Nothing； really。 I was just thinking about how stupid we've been… how unprepared。〃
〃Waste of time； crying；〃 Einskaldir growled； his eyes never leaving the blade as he lifted it to the red firelight。 〃Fight and live； fight and die； God waits for all。〃
〃It's not that。〃 Deornoth stopped for a moment and considered。 What had begun as an idle thought had grown into something more； suddenly； he was afraid to lose his grip on it。 〃We have been pushed and pulled；〃 he said slowly； 〃driven and drawn。 We have been chased for three days since we escaped Naglimund； with barely a moment free from fear。〃
〃What is to fear？〃 Einskaldir said gruffly； tugging at his dark beard。 〃If they catch us； they will kill us。 There are worse things than to die。〃
〃But that's just it！〃 Deornoth said。 His heart was pounding。 〃That's just the point！〃 He leaned over； realizing that he had raised his voice almost to a shout。 Einskaldir had stopped scraping his axe…blade to stare。 〃That is what I wonder；〃 Deornoth said more quietly。 〃Why haven't they killed us？〃
Einskaldir looked at him； then grunted。 〃They tried。〃
〃No。〃 Deornoth was suddenly sure。 〃The diggers 。 。 。 the Bukken as your people call them 。 。 。 they tried。 The Norns haven't。〃
〃You are mad； Erkynlander；〃 Einskaldir said in disgust。 Deornoth bit back a retort and crawled around the fire pit toward Josua。
〃My prince； I need to speak with you。〃
Josua did not answer； again in one of his faraway moods。 He sat； staring at Towser。 The old jester slept with his back against a tree； bald head bobbing on his chest。 Deornoth did not see anything particularly interesting about the old man's slumber； so he interposed himself between the prince and the object of his attention。 Josua's face was almost invisible； but enough of a glow escaped the fire pit that Deornoth thought he saw Josua's eyebrow lift in mild surprise。
〃Yes； Deornoth？〃
〃My prince； your people need you。 Why are you so strange？〃
〃My people are very few now； aren't they？〃
〃They are your people still…and they need you all the more； since our danger is so great。〃
Deornoth heard Josua take a breath； as if in surprise or in preparation for some angry remark。 Instead； when the prince spoke； his voice was calm。 〃We are in bad times； Deornoth。 Everyone faces them in their own way。 Was this what you wished to discuss with me？〃
〃Not all； my lord。〃 Deornoth crept a little closer； until he sat within arm's reach of the prince。 〃What do the Norns want； Prince Josua？〃
Josua chuckled ruefully。 〃I should think that was obvious enough。 To kill us。〃
〃Then why have they not done so？〃
There was a moment of silence。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃Just what I asked。 Why have they not killed us？ They have had many opportunities。〃
〃We have been fleeing them for 。 。 。〃
Deornoth impetuously grasped Josua's arm。 The prince was very thin。 〃My lord； do you believe that the Norns…the Storm King's minions who destroyed Naglimund…could not catch a dozen hungry and wounded men and women？〃
He felt Josua's arm grown taut。 〃And that signifies。 。 。 ？〃
〃I don't know！〃 Deornoth let go of the prince and picked up a stick from the ground； nervously plucking at the bark with his fingernails。 〃But I can't believe they couldn't have brought us to bay if they had wanted to。〃
〃Usires on the Tree；〃 Josua breathed。 〃I am ashamed you have had to take the responsibility that is rightfully mine； Deornoth。 You are right。 It makes no sense。〃
〃Perhaps there is something more important than our deaths；〃 Deornoth said； thinking。 〃If they want us dead； why did they not surround us？ If a walking corpse could be upon us almost before we knew； why not the Norns？〃
Josua pondered for a moment。 〃Perhaps they fear us。〃 Again the prince was silent。 〃Call the others；〃 he said finally。 〃This is too grave to keep between the two of us。〃
When the rest were gathered； huddling around the small fire； Deornoth looked over their numbers and shook his head。 Josua； himself； Einskaldir and Isorn； Towser…groggy from sleep…and Duchess Gutrun； with Strangyeard now finding a place； and Vorzheva tending Sangfugol； they were all accounted for。 Only nine left…could that be？ They had buried Helmfest and the young handmaiden two days ago。 Gamwold； an older guardsman with a gray mustache； had died from a long fall in the attack that felled Sangfugol。 They had not been able to retrieve Gamwold's body； let alone bury him。 Unwillingly； they had left him lying on a ledge of the open ridge； surrendered to the attentions of wind and rain。
Nine left； he thought； Josua is right…it is a small kingdom； indeed。
The prince had finished explaining。 Strangyeard spoke up hesitantly。
〃I hate even to say this；〃 he began； 〃but。 。 。 but perhaps they are only toying with us； as 。。。 as does a cat with a rat it has cornered。〃
〃What a horrible thought！〃 Gutrun said。 〃But they are heathen； so
anything is possible。〃
〃They are more than heathen。 Duchess；〃 Josua said。 〃they are immortal。 They have lived； many of them； since before Usires Aedon walked the hills of Nabban。〃
〃They can die；〃 Einskaldir said。 〃I know。〃
〃But they are terrible；〃 Isorn said。 His wide frame shuddered。 〃Now I know that they are the ones who came out of the north when we were held captive in Elvritshalla。 Their very shadows are cold…like a wind from Huelheim； the land of death。〃
〃Just a moment；〃 Josua said。 〃You have reminded me of something。 Isorn； you said once that when you were captive； some of your fellows were tortured。〃
〃Yes。 I will never forget。〃
〃Who did it？〃
〃The Black Rimmersmen； the ones who live in the shadow of Stormspike。 They were Skali of Kaldskryke's allies…although； as I think I told you； Prince Josua； I don't believe Skali's men got what they bargained for。 In the end； they were almost as terrified as we prisoners。〃
〃But it was the Black Rimmersmen who tortured you。 What about the Norns？〃
Isorn thought for a moment； his broad face pensive。 〃No 。 。 。〃he said slowly； 〃I don't believe the Norns had anything to do with it。 They were just black shadows in hooded cloaks； passing back and forth to Elvritshalla。 They seemed to take little notice of anything…although we did not see them much； for which I was very grateful。〃
〃So；〃 said Josua； 〃it does not seem that the Norns are interested in
torture。〃
〃It does not seem to bother them much；〃 Einskaldir growled。 〃And Naglimund showed that they do not love us。〃
〃Still； I somehow do not think they would follow us all the way through Aldheorte Forest just