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breath。 The thief gripping him； wrenching him straight； shouted hoarsely in shock and shambled away in the trees。 The man behind Raederle dropped her wrists with a sudden gasp。 She whirled； touching him； and his beard flamed。 Morgon got a glimpse of his face before he dove toward the river。 The horses were beginning to panic。 He caught at their minds； fed them a bond of moonlit stillness until they stood rock still； oblivious to the men pulling at them。 They were cursing ineffectually。 One of them mounted； kicked furiously at the horse； but it did not even quiver。 Morgon nicked a silent shout through his mind； and the man fell backwards off the horse。 The others scattered； then turned on him again； furious and uneasy。 He cleared his mind for another shout； picked up threads of their thoughts。 Then something came at him from behind； the man out of the river； drove into his back and blocked him to the ground。 He twisted as he hit the earth； then froze。
The face was the same； yet not the same。 The eyes he knew； but from another place； another struggle。 Memory fought against his sight。 The face was heavy； wet； the beard singed； but the eyes were too still； too calculating。 A boot drove into Morgon's shoulder from behind。 He rolled belatedly。 Something ripped across the back of his skull； or across his mind； he was not sure which。 Then a Great Shout broke like a thunderclap over them all。 He put his face in the bracken and clung to a rocking earth； holding his binding over the horses like the one firm point in the world。
The shout echoed away slowly。 He lifted his head。 They were alone again； the horses stood placidly； undisturbed by the turmoil of voices and squealing animals in the darkness around them。 Raederle dropped down beside him； her brows pinched in pain。
He said； 〃Did they hurt you？〃
〃No。〃 She touched his cheek； and he winced。 〃That shout did。 From a man of Hed； that was a marvellous shout。〃
He stared at her； frozen again。 〃You shouted。〃
〃I didn't shout；〃 she whispered。 〃You did。〃
〃I didn't。〃 He sat up； then settled his skull into place with his hands。 〃Who in Hel's name shouted？〃
She shivered suddenly； her eyes moving through the night。 〃Someone watching； maybe still watching。。。 How strange。 Morgon； were they only men wanting to steal our horses？〃
〃I don't know。〃 He searched the back of his head with his fingers。 〃I dont know。 They were men trying to steal our horses； yes； which was why it was so hard for me to fight them。 There were too many to fight； but they were too harmless to kill。 And I didn't want to use much power； to attract attention。〃
〃You gave that one man boar bristles all over his body。〃
Morgon's hand slid to his ribs。 〃He earned it；〃 he said dourly。 〃But that last man ing out of the water。。。〃
〃The one whose beard I set on fire。〃
〃I don't know。〃 He pushed his hands over his eyes； trying to remember。 〃That's what I don't know。 If the man ing back out of the river was the same one who ran into it。〃
〃Morgon；〃 she whispered。
〃He might have used power； I'm not sure。 I don't know。 Maybe I was just seeing what I expected to see。〃
〃If it was a shape…changer； why didn't he try to kill you？〃
〃Maybe he was unsure of me。 They haven't seen me since I disappeared into Erlenstar Mountain。 I was that careful； crossing the realm。 They wouldn't expect me to be riding a plow horse in broad daylight down Trader's Road。〃
〃But if he suspected。。。 Morgon； you were using power over the horses。〃
〃It was a simple binding of silence； peace； he wouldn't have suspected that。〃
〃He wouldn't have run from a Great Shout； either。 Would he？ Unless he left for help。 Morgon！〃 She was trying suddenly to tug him to his feet。 〃What are we doing sitting here？ Waiting for another attack； this time maybe from shape…changers？〃
He pulled his arm away from her。 〃Don't do that； I'm sore。〃
〃Would you rather be dead？〃 〃No。〃 He brooded a moment； his eyes on the swift； shadowy flow of the river。 A thought ran through his mind； chilling him。 〃Wind Plain。 It lies just north of us。。。 where Heureu Ymris is fighting his war against men and half…men。。。 there might be an army of shape…changers across the river。〃 〃Let's go。 Now。〃
〃We would only attract attention； riding in the middle of the night We can move our camp。 Then I want to look for whoever it was that shouted。〃
They shifted their horses and gear as quietly as they could； away from the river and closer to a cluster of traders' carts。 Then Morgon left Raederle； to search the night for a stranger。
Raederle argued； not wanting him to go alone； he said patiently； 〃Can you walk across dry leaves so gently they don't stir？ Can you stand so still animals pass you without noticing you？ Besides； someone has to guard the horses。〃
〃What if those men return？〃
〃What if they do？ I've seen what you can do to a wraith。〃
She sat down under a tree； muttering something。 He hesitated； for she looked powerless and vulnerable。
He shaped his sword； keeping the stars hidden under his hand； and laid it in front of her。 It disappeared again； he told her softly； 〃It's there if you need it； bound under illusion。 If you have to touch it； I'll know。〃
He turned； slipped soundlessly into the silence between the trees。
The forest had quieted again after the shout。 He drifted from camp to camp around them； looking for someone still awake。 But travellers were sleeping peacefully in carts or tents； or curled under blankets beside their firebeds。 The moon cast a grey…black haze over the world； trees and bracken were fragmented oddly with chips and streaks of shadow。 There was not a breath of wind。 Single sprays of leaves； a coil of bramble etched black in the light seemed whittled out of silence。 The oak stood as still。 He put his hand on one； slid his mind beneath its bark； and sensed its ancient； gnarled dreaming。 He moved towards the river； skirted their old camp。 Nothing moved。 Listening through the river's voice； his mind gathering its various tones； denning and discarding them one by one； he heard no human voices。 He went farther down the river； making little more noise than his own controlled breathing。 He eased into the surface he walked on； adjusting his thoughts to the frail weight of leaves； the tension in a dry twig。 The sky darkened slowly； until he could scarcely see； and he knew he should turn back。 But he lingered at the river's edge； facing Wind Plain； listening as if he could hear the shards of battle noises in the broken dreams of Heureu's army。
He turned finally； began to move back upriver。 He took three soundless steps and stopped with an animal's fluid shift from movement into stillness。 Someone was standing among the trees with no discernible face or coloring； a broad half…shadow； half…faded； as Morgon was； into the night。 Morgon waited； but the shadow did not move。 Eventually； as he hovered between decisions on the river bank； it simply merged into the night。 Morgon； his mouth dry； and blood beating hollowly into his thoughts； formed himself around a curve of air and flew； with an owl's silence； a night hunter's vision； back through the trees to the camp。
He startled Raederle； changing shape in front of her。 She reached for the sword； he stilled her； squatting down and taking her hand。 He whispered； 〃Raederle。〃
〃You're frightened；〃 she breathed。
〃I don't know。 I still don't know。 We'll have to be very careful。〃 He settled beside her； shaped the sword； and held it loosely。 He put his other arm around her。 〃You sleep； I'll watch。〃 〃For what？〃
〃I don't know。 I'll wake you before sunrise。 We'll have to be careful。〃
〃How？〃 she asked helplessly； 〃if they know where to find you： somewhere on Trader's Road； riding to Lungold？〃 He did not answer her。 He shifted； holding her more closely； she leaned her head against him。 He thought； listening to her breathing； that she had fallen asleep。 But she spoke after a long silence； and he knew that she； too； had been staring into the night。 〃All right；〃 she said tightly。 〃Teach me to change sh