shouted as he tightened his grip on her hand. And then he was gone and Klia was alone by the river. Hope, Alec had said. As she turned and began the long walk back to the tower, she had a hard time conjuring any of that. Alec came out once again in the long corridor in the palace. He could still feel the warmth of Klia’s palm on his skin, but he was alone. It hadn’t worked. He leaned against the wall in a shaft of waning sunlight, feeling sick in the pit of his stomach. It wasn’t nausea; it

You came up out of that tunnel pretty fast.” Seregil snorted. “All I need is to dry out.” “Me, too,” said Alec. “I think I’m actually getting used to ghosts.” They set off the way they’d come and Seregil found himself riding beside Zella, who still looked shaken by Thero’s remonstrance. “Tell me, what was the state of the innermost cave when it was first opened?” he asked. “Just as you saw, I suppose. I went down once, but I didn’t like the feel of the place,” she replied. “Really? I found

cold ones. They sat in tense silence as the drysian continued her examination. “He’s had a nasty blow to the head, in addition to the broken arm,” Yana said at last. “Was he attacked?” “He fell and struck his head on a rock,” Thero told her. “Well, it certainly does look like a mild concussion, and he has a chill. We must get some warm stones tucked around him right away.” “I’ll see to it.” Klia went to the door to give the order, then rejoined Thero on the bed. The drysian’s boy arrived

back his long dark hair, Seregil hung a dangling ruby earring from his right earlobe. With a bit of sleight of hand, he produced a matching one set with a sapphire for Alec. “It’s not my name day.” Alec laughed as he put the bauble on. Seregil gently touched Alec’s ear, admiring the way the jewel matched his lover’s eyes. “We have to put on a proper show. We are about to be barons, after all.” Downstairs they found Micum dressed for court as well, though not so resplendently as they were. He

long a shot to chance. Wheeling her horse, the woman galloped back into the town, hair streaming like a black banner on the wind, and the gates closed after her. Alec fell to his knees. He didn’t know if Mika was alive or dead but now he was beyond reach and Alec felt too weak to go after him. It’s this place! he thought. It’s sucking the life out of me. The thirst was unbearable and his belly felt like it was wrapped around his backbone. Groping in his pocket, he pulled out one of the turnips