forever。 But he will never change。 And if he dies…what is left of me； I'll die； too。 Staring out at the Bay of Emettin's metallic sheen； she thought about her father as he once had been； remembering the time when she had been three years of age and he had first lifted her onto a horse。 Miriamele could picture that moment as clearly as if it had been only days ago instead of her whole life。 Elias had grinned with pride as she clung； terrified； to what seemed a monster's back。 She had not fallen； and she had stopped crying as soon as he swung her back down。
How can one person； even a king； let such ugliness loose on the land as my father has？ He loved me； once。 Perhaps he still does…but he has poisoned my life。 Now he seeks to poison all the world。 The waves slapped as the rocks drew nearer； gold…capped by the late morning sun。
Lenti and the other servitor unshipped the oars； using them to guide the boat between the craggy rocks that thrust up on every side。 As they came close to the shore and the water became more translucent； Miriamele again saw something break the surface close by。 There was a brief shimmer of glossy gray before it vanished with a splash； then reappeared a moment later on the far side of the boat； a long stone's throw away。
Lenti saw her staring and turned to look over his shoulder。 What he saw brought a look of fear to his stolid face。 After a muttered exchange； he and his panion redoubled their efforts； hurrying the boat in toward shore。
〃What is it；〃 the princess asked； 〃a shark？〃
Lenti did not look up。 〃Kilpa；〃 he snapped； rowing hard。
Miriamele stared； but now saw only low waves breaking into spray against the rocks。 〃Kilpa in the Bay of Emettin？〃 she said incredulously。 〃Kilpa never e in so far！ They are deep…sea dwellers。〃
〃Not nowadays；〃 Lenti growled。 〃Been deviling ships all along the coast。 Any fool knows so。 Now be quiet！〃 He panted； pulling at the oars。 Disquieted； Miriamele continued to stare。 Nothing else disturbed the bay's placid surface。
When the keel rasped on sand； Lenti and the other rower leaped out and quickly dragged the boat up onto the beach。 Together they lifted Cadrach out and dumped him unceremoniously onto the ground； where he lay； quietly moaning。 Miriamele was left to shift for herself。 She waded the half…dozen steps with her monk's robe held high。
A man in a priest's black cassock was picking his way down to the beach by the steep cliff path。 He reached the bottom and came striding across the sand toward them。
〃I suppose this is the slave trader I am to be delivered to？〃 Miriamele said in her frostiest tone as she squinted at the approaching figure。 Lenti and his panion； staring nervously at the bay； did not reply。
〃Ho； there！〃 the black…robed man called。 His voice was loud and cheerful above the sea's somnolent roar。
Miriamele looked at him； then looked again； astonished。 She took a couple of steps toward the newer。 〃Father Dinivan？〃 she asked haltingly。 〃Could it be you？〃
〃Princess Miriamele！〃 he said happily。 〃Here you are。 I am so glad。〃 His wide； homely smile made him look like a young boy； but the curly hair around his shaven scalp was touched with gray。 He dropped briefly to a knee before rising to look her over carefully。 〃I wouldn't have known you from much farther away than this。 I was told you were traveling as a boy…quite effective。 And you've turned your hair black。〃
Miriamele's mind was awhirl； but a great burden seemed abruptly lifted from her spirit。 Of all those who had visited her father's households in Meremund and the Hayholt； Dinivan had been one of the few who had been a real friend； giving her truth where others offered only flattery； bringing her both outland gossip and good advice。 Father Dinivan was chief secretary to Lector Ranessin； the master of Mother Church； but he had always been so humble and forthing that Miriamele often had to remind herself of the exalted position he held。
〃But 。 。 。 what are you doing here？〃 she said at last。 〃Have you e to 。。。 to what？ To save me from the slave traders？〃
Dinivan laughed。 〃I am the slave trader； my lady。〃 He tried to pose a more serious expression； but had little luck。 〃 'Slave traders'…Blessed Usires； what did old Streawe tell you？ Well； time for that later。〃 He turned to Miriamele's captors。 〃You two。 Here is your master's seal。〃 He held up a parchment with an 〃S〃 mark in red wax at the bottom… 〃You
may go back and give the count my thanks。〃
Lenti inspected the seal in a cursory way。 He looked worried。
〃Well？〃 said the priest impatiently。 〃Is anything wrong？〃
〃There's kilpa out there；〃 Lenti declared mournfully。
〃There are kilpa everywhere in these evil times；〃 Dinivan said； then smiled charitably。 〃But it is midday； and you are two strong men。 I think you have little to fear。 Are you armed？〃
Streawe's servant drew himself up to his full height and stared imperiously at the priest。 〃I have a knife；〃 he said sternly。
〃Ohe； avo stetto；〃 his panion echoed in Perdruinese。
〃Well； I'm sure you'll have no problems；〃 Dinivan said reassuringly。 〃The protection of the Aedon be on you。〃 He made a desultory sign of the Tree in their general direction before turning his back on them to address Miriamele once more。 〃Let us go。 We shall stay here tonight； but then we must hurry。 It is a good two days journey or more to the Sancellan Aedonitis； where Lector Ranessin is anxious to hear your news。〃
〃The lector？〃 she said； astonished。 〃What does he have to do with this？〃
Dinivan waved a placating hand； looking down on Cadrach； who lay on his side； face shrouded in his sodden hood。 〃We will talk about this and many other things soon。 It appears that Streawe told you even less than I told him…not that I am surprised。 He is a clever old jackal。〃 The priest's eyes narrowed。 〃What's wrong with your panion…he is your panion； am I right？ Streawe said there was a monk traveling with you。〃
〃He almost drowned；〃 Miriamele said flatly。 〃I pushed him overboard。〃
One of Dinivan's thick eyebrows shot up。 〃You did？ The poor man！ Well； then your Aedonite duty is to help get him on his feet…unless you fellows would like to lend a hand？〃 He turned back to the two servants； who were wading gingerly back to the boat。
〃Can't；〃 was Lenti's sullen reply。 〃Got to get back before night。 Before dark。〃
〃I thought as much。 Oh； well； Usires gives us burdens out of His love。〃 Dinivan bent； catching Cadrach under the armpits。 Dinivan's robe tightened across his broad； muscular back as he wrestled the monk into a sitting position。 〃e now； Princess；〃 he said； then stopped as the monk groaned。 The priest stared at Cadrach's face。 An unrecognizable expression crept onto Dinivan's thick features。
〃It's 。 。 。 it's Padreic；〃 he said quietly。
〃You； too？！〃 Miriamele exploded。 〃What has this idiot been doing？ Did he send a crier to every town between Nascadu and Warinsten？〃
Dinivan was still staring； as if quite dumbfounded。 〃What？〃
〃Streawe knew him also…it was Cadrach here who sold me out to the count！ So he told you of my leaving Naglimund as well？〃
〃No； princess； no。〃 The priest shook his head。 〃This is the first I knew about him being with you。 I haven't seen him for years。〃 Reflectively； he made the sign of the Tree。 〃Truth to tell； I thought he was dead。〃
〃Usires in His suffering！〃 Miriamele swore。 〃Will someone tell me what this is all about？'〃
'〃We must get to shelter…and privacy。 The beacon tower on the cliff top is ours tonight。〃 He pointed to a stone spire on the headland west of where they stood。 〃But it will be no festival game getting him there if he cannot walk。〃
〃I'll make him walk；〃 Miriamele promised grimly。 Together they bent to hoist mumbling Cadrach onto his feet。
The tower was smaller than it looked from the beach； a squat pile of masonry with a wooden hoarding cobbled around the uppermost story。 The door was tight…swollen by the ocean air； but Dinivan wrenched it open and they entered； supporting the monk between them。 The circular room was empty but for a rough…hewn table and chair and a ragged carpet that had been rolled and tied； then left to lie at the