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the mare forward and alongside the squad leader. Ayrlyn rode on Tonsar s other
side, the gray trailing. The remaining armsmen eased their mounts behind the
three.
They rode nearly a kay before Tonsar spoke. Many from Lornth died on the
Roof of the World.
That s true, Nylan admitted, spreading his fingers for Weryl to grab,
then trying not too hard to jerk away.the index finger Weryl had seized. But
we never attacked first, and we had nowhere else to go.
You could not return to Heaven?
No, answered Ayrlyn. Our ship failed.
You are angels. Angels, repeated Tonsar, as if that answered everything.
Our ship was destroyed in crossing the stars, and we were lucky to land on
the Roof of the World, Nylan explained. Few of the angels can live for long
where it is lower and hotter. Our worlds are colder.
Hmmmm& reflected Tonsar. That be what Kurpat and Jegel said, fore they
left for the last battle. Jegel-he was wearing heavy leathers and he near
froze, and he said the angels were in thin clothes, and they all were sweating
like it was high summer in the Grass Hills.
For a time, only the sound of hoofs was heard.
Be true that most angels cannot live where it is hot, then why are you
here? asked the squad leader.
I can live where it is warmer, Nylan admitted, but it is not
comfortable. The trader here is the only angel from a warmer place, and the
Roof of the World is too chill for her. All the others would suffer greatly if
they tried to live in Lornth. Nylan wondered whether he was right in
concealing that Ayrlyn was a healer& but he hadn t lied.
Yet many of our women fled to that cold. That I do not understand. Tonsar
turned to Ayrlyn. Can you tell me?
Nylan was glad Ayrlyn had to explain.
All who fled to Westwind-the Roof of the World-had been mistreated, often
hurt badly, and they had no place else to go.
A place for women and angels who have no other place- that be odd.
& odd indeed& for many fled to Lornth from Cyador years past& came a
murmur from an armsman who rode behind the three.
Nylan frowned. He didn t like the way Cyador kept coming up, or the
business about Cyadoran women fleeing to Lornth. He wasn t getting the most
favorable impression of Cyador. Now, the regents of Lornth wanted to meet
them. Again, that might be good, and it might be the worst possible situation.
Weryl grabbed the front of the saddle and tugged again. Nylan disengaged
his son s fingers and looked ahead toward Lornth, no more than a fair-sized
town from what he could see, then to Ayrlyn.
She smiled enigmatically, and shrugged.
Great insight, thought Nylan. Great help.
Waa-daaa? asked Weryl.
Nylan eased out the water bottle. Water he could provide.
XXXVII
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THE BLACK-BEARDED man stepped into the long room.
From the rocking chair, Zeldyan held up a hand and shook her head, then
patted Nesslek on the back as she continued rocking. Fornal closed the door
gently, but stood, waiting, shifting his weight from one foot to the other and
back again. His eyes were cold as he regarded the boy.
In time, Zeldyan slipped from the chair, carrying the child, and walked
through the narrow door into the small adjoining room where she eased her son
into his railed bed, then knelt and patted his back. The boy murmured softly,
then gave a sigh.
Fornal watched from the doorway, still shifting his weight from one foot to
the other.
Finally, Zeldyan stood and walked to the doorway to the adjoining sitting
room. After listening for a moment, she closed the door, then crossed the
antique Analerian carpet and reseated herself in the rocking chair. Fornal did
not sit, but paced to the window.
You got a message about these angels, and you didn t tell me? he said,
each word said precisely and separately.
You were out with the lancers. How was I supposed to find you? asked
Zeldyan reasonably. She lifted her goblet and sipped.
Genglois tells me that you intend to make them welcome. You didn t consult
with me or father.
Father is at Carpa. I sent him a message. I was going to talk to you as
soon as I got Nesslek down-if you were back.
I cannot believe you. You re going to receive them, when they killed your
consort? demanded Fornal. How will the holders feel?
I don t care how they feel. Listening to the holders killed Sillek. Do you
know, Fornal, that those women, and their mages or whatever, never attacked
anyone first? She smiled coolly. Every time they were attacked they
destroyed the attackers, but they never attacked. Besides, we have an
agreement with them. What do you want me to do-give them real grounds for an
attack?
You know I would not wish that. He frowned. But& Relyn?
Relyn is alive& and if he happened to be misled, it wasn t by the angel
women.
There s no sense in starting on that again. Fornal turned to the window.
We can t undo what the Lady Ellindyja did.
Fornal. She paused. I think we can use them. The messenger said one is a
man, and he looks like the mage Sillek described. The two have a small child.
That could be deception. After all that has happened, I would be wary of
any black angels. Fornal did not leave the window.
That is possible, dear brother. But why would a mage bring a small angel
child-the child has silver hair-into Lornth after he has expended so much
effort to create Westwind? There s another thing, too. I talked with Terek s
page. He says that the big armsman who led Hissl s attack on the Roof of the
World was a male angel. There were only three men that came from Heaven, and
Lord Nessil killed one. The second attacked his own folk and was killed, and
the third, who has to be the mage, is traveling through Lornth with a consort
and a child. What does that tell you?
He s going to try to get us to do something. Fornal turned and spread his
hands. How will we know until it s too late?
If he is the mage who destroyed three white wizards, why is he here?
Should I care, sister dear? Rather we should send them on their way, since
we dare not kill them under our& agreement.
Zeldyan stood, and her eyes blazed. If you do not care, Fornal, then you
are a bigger fool than Hissl and all of the holders together. You and they are
right about one thing. The angels do not like men. They have driven out one of
the most powerful mages in Candar, or he has left because he does not wish to
remain. We face a renewed Cyador, and we have little enough in the way of
resources to withstand the white legions. We had three white wizards. We have
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none. Would it not be worth something to enlist the support of the mage who
destroyed them?
My sister, I know you wish the best for Lornth and for Nesslek, but is it
wise to bring in a dark angel whose folk have brought us naught but death and
grief?
Zeldyan pursed her lips, and her brows furrowed. Can it harm us to talk to
them? We know so little.
There is some risk, but, so long as we have cold steel nearby, I would
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