that he was too dangerous to live. Arunis was hanged on the Prison Isle, cursing his captors, the Gods, the universe entire. His body was left nine days on the gibbet, then cut to pieces and tossed into the sea-and yet he lives. Somehow, he lives.'
Pazel looked from one ixchel to the other. 'This Arunis… is aboard the Chathrand?'
'No,' said Taliktrum bluntly.
'Yes,' said Dri. 'Or he was until she landed yesterday, and he began his journey here. Rose, Ott, Drellarek, Uskins-not one of those villains suspects him. Nor did we ixchel. By great efforts we discovered Ott's plan, and a monstrous discovery it was, like a pit beneath a banquet hall. Yet my heart tells me there is a pit beneath the pit.'
'What do you mean?' Pazel asked. 'Doesn't Arunis want the same thing as Ott and the Emperor-to start a war?'
'Oh yes,' said Diadrelu. 'But I think he wants a different ending.'
'Arunis the sorcerer, risen from the dead,' sneered Taliktrum.
'Or never dead at all,' said Diadrelu.
'Diadrelu,' said Pazel, 'Mr. Ket saved Hercуl's life. If he's such a wicked man, why would he risk his own life for a stranger?'
'We saved Hercуl together,' said Diadrelu with a sigh. 'The arrow that made the cutthroat stumble was mine. Mr. Ket appeared moments later, and fought the man quite viciously-too viciously for a well-fed merchant. But I have asked myself the same question a hundred times since that night. Does Arunis need Hercуl alive for some reason? Could they possibly be allies?'
'Absolutely not!' said Pazel. 'Hercуl loves Thasha like a younger sister. And he's a good man, damn it-you can just tell.'
'No,' said Diadrelu, 'you cannot. I hope you never learn that the hard way, Mr. Pathkendle. Still, I'm inclined to agree with you about Hercуl. Otherwise I should not have tried so hard to save him.'
'Tried unwisely,' said Taliktrum, 'and failed ultimately. The valet is surely dead.'
'He is a Tholjassan warrior,' said Diadrelu, 'and such men are hard to kill.'
'Suppose you're right about Ket,' said Neeps. 'If he is a sorcerer, what's this shipwreck-raid all about? What's he trying to find?'
Diadrelu shook her head. 'I thought I knew. I feared he sought the Nilstone. For once I am most glad to have been wrong, if wrong I am, for that cursed rock might indeed bring doom to this world in the hands of the Shaggat. But these men speak only of finding gold in that wreck-gold, silver and a certain iron wolf, red in color, with a forepaw raised. They are very keen on that wolf.'
'A red wolf!' said Pazel. 'The man in Thasha's garden said something about a red wolf, just before he was killed. Hercуl said it was connected with great evil. And it vanished-Neeps! That's it! It vanished at the end of the last war!'
'If you really believe this nonsense,' Taliktrum demanded, 'why did you say nothing to my father-to any of the clan?'
'I wanted proof,' Diadrelu said. 'And I thought it would only be found when Arunis left the ship behind awhile, along with his disguise.'
'What disguise?' roared Taliktrum. 'He is a greedy merchant, not a mage! He is plundering a wreck, not making war on Alifros!'
'None will be happier than I should that be so.'
'That mad wagon-ride from Ormael,' said Taliktrum, his voice rising. 'Daylight use of the swallow-suits, one of which you have destroyed, the pointless rescue of beggar boys-'
'Well!' said Pazel and Neeps together.
Taliktrum pointed furiously at Diadrelu. 'I revered you once, Aunt. You were never my father's equal, but I admit I thought you wise. But when we return I shall ask the clan to consider your fitness to lead.'
'That is your right,' said Diadrelu quietly, but anger crackled behind her calm.
'You did not tell me,' Taliktrum went on, 'because you knew I would oppose this ludicrous excursion, and without my vote-'
'Be quiet!' said Neeps.
'Dog!' exploded Taliktrum, drawing his sword. 'How dare you interfere!'
'I see torches! Quiet, fool, they'll hear you!'
Swift as mice, the ixchel scaled the boys' bodies. It was true: someone was on the Fens road, coming their way. 'Off the road, off!' whispered Dri from Pazel's shoulder. 'And be silent, if you value your lives!'
The boys crept back into the swamp. It was hard to be silent in that darkness of logs and vines and mudholes, but somehow they managed it. After thirty feet Dri pointed to a thicket of sedge, and there they crouched and looked back.
A horse's neigh was the first sign, and then the creak of wooden wheels.
'It is he,' said Diadrelu.
There were four wagons, each pulled by a pair of sturdy mules. The men driving them were Volpeks-even from this distance Pazel could see their short beards and iron armbands. There were dozens of them, marching on either side of the wagons. Some carried spears, like Druffle's men; others bore war-hammers or cruel axes. Huge and grim as they were, they moved uneasily, casting nervous glances at the Fens.
But the light did not come from torches. Pazel felt a chill that had nothing to do with the damp: floating and bobbing before the wagons flew three blue-green orbs, like pale lanterns held by ghostly hands. Other lights of the same sort glided above the wagons themselves. All appeared to have minds of their own.
The ixchel leaped from the boys' shoulders to a low-hanging limb. 'Those are bog-lamps,' said Dri softly. 'Trickster spirits that dwell in fens and salt marshes. They lure men to their graves in quicksand and feed on their dying souls. I did not know they could be tamed.'
By the eerie light, Pazel saw that the first two wagons were heaped with work materials: rope, pulleys, saws, iron hooks. The next looked like a wooden cage on wheels, of the sort used for taking prisoners to jail. To his horror Pazel saw that it was full of young people-boys' faces, and even some girls', were peering out at the night. They looked both frightened and resigned, as if after so many shocks they lacked the strength to worry about what would come next.
The third wagon, finer than the rest, was enclosed by a hooped canopy. Pazel could see nothing of its contents except a little white dog that ran in and out of the canopy, its corkscrew tail wagging-the one eager member of the party. The final wagon was jammed with canvas sacks and other bundles.
Now and then a sharp rasping noise came from the third wagon. It reminded Pazel of a man trying to clear his throat.
'Blast me,' whispered Neeps. 'I've seen that dog before!'
There was no danger of being seen themselves, hunkered down in the bush. Still the boys held their breath as the strange procession passed. Some of the men carried heavy crossbows. None of them said a word.
Then the lead wagon stopped. The bog-lamps buzzed in circles, then whirled forward, and Pazel saw a good-sized tree lying across the road.
'Strange!' whispered Diadrelu. 'Arunis' men have been passing this way for days. That tree must have fallen within the last hour or two.'
Still wordless, the Volpeks climbed down and began trying to tug and hack at the tree, now and then glancing back fearfully at the covered wagon. Then the ixchel gave a sharp hiss of surprise.
'What is it?' Pazel whispered.
'Can you see nothing?' said Taliktrum. 'Someone is in the last wagon, under the wares.'
The final wagon stood momentarily abandoned, its drivers having joined the struggle with the tree. But then Pazel saw it: a figure squirming beneath the piled sacks. A slim arm worked its way free, and then the figure raised its head and looked around, bewildered.
'Thasha!' cried Pazel.
Incredibly, it was her: he would recognize that golden hair and defiant look anywhere. He felt suddenly lighter, stronger-and then appalled by the sheer madness of what he was seeing.
'The idiot!' he said. 'What in Rin's name is she up to? Where is she going?'
'To her own death, if she is discovered,' said Diadrelu. 'Arunis will show no mercy.'
