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He slept without dreaming and woke a few hours later。 Astrin had covered Raederle； she was barely visible； huddled under fur…lined blankets。 Astrin； lying between them on skins beside the fire； was guarding them。 His sword was unsheathed； one hand rested on the bare blade。 Morgon thought he had fallen asleep； but his good eye opened as Morgon stood。 He said nothing。 Morgon leaned down to touch his shoulder in a silent farewell。 Then he caught at the night beyond the stones。
The night winds snarled in furious contention around him as he flew。 He did not dare use power in the stretch between Caerweddin and Wind Plain。 Dawn broke in sheets of cold； grey rain over hunched trees and lifeless fields。 He flew through the day； fighting the winds。 By twilight； he reached Wind Plain。
He flew low over it； a huge black carrion crow casting a bitter eye over the remains of the unburied warriors of Heureu's army。 Nothing else moved on the plain； not even birds or small animals had e to scavenge in the fierce rain。 A treasure of arms gleamed in the twilight all over the plain。 The rain was hammering jewelled word hilts； pieces of armor； horse's skulls and the bones of men alike down into the wet earth。 The crow's eye saw nothing else as it winged slowly toward the ruined city； but beyond the shield of its instincts； Morgon sensed the silent； deadly warning ringing the entire plain。
The great tower rose above the city； spiralling into night as he winged past it。 He kept his mind empty of all thought； aware only of the smells of the wet earth； and the slow； weary rhythm of his flight。 He did not stop until he had crossed the plain and the south border of Ymris and finally saw the midnight fires of Mathom's army sprawled along the river near Trader's Road。 He descended then and found shelter among the thick； leafless oak。 He did not move until morning。
Dawn crusted the earth with frost and a chin like the bite of a blade。 He felt it as he changed shape； his breath froze in a quick； startled flash in front of him。 Shivering； he followed the smell of wood smoke and hot wine to the fires beside the river。 Dead warriors of An were posted as sentries。 They seemed to recognize something of An in him； for they gave him white； eyeless grins and let him pass among them unchallenged。
He found Aloil talking to Talies beside the fire outside the king's pavilion。 He joined the wizards quietly； stood warming himself。 Through the bare trees； he saw other fires； men rousing out of tents； stamping the blood awake in their bodies。 Horses snorted the chill out of their lungs； pulling restively at their ropes。 Tents； horse trappings； men's arms； and tunics all bore the battle colors of Anuin： blue and purple edged with the black of sorrow。 The wraiths bore their own ancient colors when they bothered to clothe themselves with the memories of their bodies。 They moved vividly and at will among the living； but the living； inured to many things at that point； took more interest in their breakfast than in the dead。
Morgon； finally warm； caught Aloil's attention as he began listening to their conversation。 The big wizard broke off mid…sentence and turned his blue； burning gaze across the fire。 The preoccupied frown in his eyes turned to amazement。
〃Morgon。。。〃
〃I'm looking for Yrth；〃 Morgon said。 〃Astrin told me he was with you。〃 Talies； both thin brows raised； started to ment。 Then he stepped to the king's pavilion and flung the flap open。 He said something； Mathom followed him back out。
〃He was here a moment ago；〃 Talies said； and Morgon sighed。 〃He can't be far。 How in Hel's name did you cross Wind Plain？〃
〃At night。 I was a carrion crow。〃 He met the black； searching eyes of the King of An。 Mathom； pulling his cloak off； said crustily； 〃It's cold enough to freeze the bare bones of the dead。〃 He threw it around Mor…gon's shoulders。 〃Where did you leave my daughter？〃
〃Asleep at Caerweddin。 She'll follow me when she wakes。〃
〃Across Wind Plain？ Alone？ You aren't easy on one another。〃 He prodded the fire until it groped for the low boughs of the oak。
Morgon asked； pulling the cloak tight； 〃Was Yrth with you？ Where did he go？〃
〃I don't know。 I thought he came out for a cup of hot wine。 This is no season for old men。 Why？ There are two great wizards here； both at your service。〃 He did not wait for an answer； he cast a quizzical eye at Aloil。 〃You are linked to him。 Where is he？〃
Aloil； staring down at the fuming oak logs； shook his head。 〃Napping； perhaps。 His mind is silent。 He made a swift journey across Yraris。〃
〃So did Morgon； by the look of it；〃 Tafies mented。 〃Why didn't Yrth travel with you？〃
Morgon； caught without an answer； ran one hand through his hair vaguely。 He saw a sudden glitter in the crow's eyes。 〃No doubt；〃 Mathom said； 〃Yrth had his reasons。 A man with no eyes sees marvels。 You stopped at Caerweddin？ Are Astrin and his war lords still at odds？〃
〃Possibly。 But Astrin is bringing the entire army to Wind Plain。〃
〃When？〃 Aloil demanded。 〃He said nothing of that to me； and I was with him three nights ago。〃
〃Now。〃 He added； 〃I asked him to。〃
There was a silence； during which one of the sentries； wearing nothing more than his bones under gold armor； rode soundlessly past the fire。 Mathom's eyes followed the wraith's passage。 〃So。 What does a man with one eye see？〃 He answered himself； with a blank shock of recognition in his voice； 〃Death。〃
〃This is hardly a time；〃 Aloil said restlessly； 〃for riddles。 If the way is clear between Umber and Thor； it will take him four days to reach the plain。 If it is not。。。 you had better be prepared to march north to aid him。 He could lose the entire strength of Ymris。 Do you know what you're doing？〃 he asked Morgon。 〃You have gained awesome powers。 But are you ready to use them alone？〃
Talies dropped a hand on his shoulder。 〃You have the brain of an Ymris warrior；〃 he said； 〃full of muscle and poetry。 I'm no riddler； either； but living for centuries in the Three Portions taught me a little subtlety。 Can you listen to what the Star…Bearer is saying？ He is drawing the force of the realm to Wind Plain； and he is not intending to battle alone。 Wind Plain。 Astrin saw it。 Yrth saw it。 The final battleground。。。〃
Aloil gazed silently at him。 Something like a frail； reluctant hope struggled into his face。 〃The High One。〃 He swung his gaze again to Morgon。 〃You think he is on Wind Plain？〃
〃I think；〃 Morgon said softly； 〃that wherever he is； if I don't find him very soon； we are all dead。 I have answered one riddle too many。〃 He shook his head as both wizards began to speak。 〃e to Wind Plain。 I'll give you whatever answers I have there。 That's where I should have gone in the first place； but I thought perhaps。。。〃 He broke off。 Mathom finished his sentence。
〃You thought Yrth was here。 The Harpist of Lungold。〃 He made a harsh； dry sound； like a crow's laugh。 But he was staring into the fire as if he were watching it weave a dream to its ending。 He turned away from it abruptly； but not before Morgon saw his eyes； black and expressionless as the eyes of his dead； who had been eaten to the bone by truth。
XVII
MORGON STOOD IN THE TREES AT THE EDGE OF WIND Plain at twilight； waiting as the night slowly drew the empty city and the long； whispering grasses into itself once again。 He had been there for hours； motionless； waiting； so still he might have rooted himself to earth like a bare； twisted oak without realizing it。 The sky spilled a starless black over the world； until even with his night…vision； the jewellike colors of the tower stones seemed permeated with the dark。 He moved then； aware of his body again。 As he took one final step toward the tower； clouds parted unexpectedly。 A single star drifted through the unfathomable blackness above it。
He stood at the foot of the stairs； looking up at them as he had when be first saw them one wet autumn day two years before。 Then； he remembered； he had turned away； uncurious； unpelled。 The stairs were gold； and according to all legend they