I am still exhausted. The Black Dragon seems to need more sheer strength over land than it did to fly across the ocean, even more than I had planned for. I was summoned by a minor demon soon after I woke. It seems the Demonlord was angry that its body was going stiff and would need much more power lest it fall from the sky. "Not that those mouldy dragons can hurt me, but I thought you wanted me there swiftly, little demon-spit."

"I do. You have fought them, haven't you?" I asked. I meant only to buy time, and was a little surprised by the answer.

"It was good practice," it replied smugly. "One of them attacked me. I had to do a little more than fly in a straight line. Its not so easy as you might think."

"Fool!" I snarled. "Every beat of your wings is held up by my hand. Do not waste your strength."

"Why, little demon-spit, do you grow weary?" it purred. "If you are so weak, why do you waste your time with me? Release me from the bond, I will find strength enough on my own to fly as I like."

The threat was always there with demons. One moments weakness, true or perceived, and they pounced on it. I laughed.

"Weak? I have defeated nearly every Mage alive, I have brought a golem of stone and fire across the Great Sea to do my bidding, and I have you bound to me as my slave. I have strength in me yet to conquer worlds, witless creature. Here, be filled." So saying, I lifted my arms and sent of my own native power to the thing. It absorbed all I sent and sucked at me, demanding more. I closed the stream and denied it. "You must make do with that, for now," I said. "When you get here, I shall provide you with all you will ever need. In the meantime, fly straight, don't go too high, don't damn well fight the Kantri, and hurry."

"Yes, O great one," the Demonlord sneered. "I come." It cut the connection.

Once I was certain it was gone I collapsed. It had absorbed every drop of my strength. I had not counted on that. I managed to summon a servant to bring me food and wine, and told them that I was not well and to let me sleep. One of them asked me a moment ago where Master Marik was, and I quite truthfully responded that he was resting and was not to be disturbed. No need for him to be put into a cell and arouse the locals, after all. I have arranged for the guards who came with us to look after him and to report to me what he says and does, until I require more of him.

It is annoying that the book of Marik's thoughts lies buried in the rabble of the College of Mages. I will have to get him to tell me what he knows before the Demonlord arrives and I give it his soul.

I really must rest and make my preparations.

Tomorrow is the turning point.

I woke in panic from a dream of war to find myself alone, though I didn't have far to look. Most of them were gathered around the fire having a hurried breakfast. I packed my bedding

and went to join them. Travel rations again, I thought, sighing just a little. Never mind, at least the water was fresh.

Vilkas and Aral still slept. The sun was not long risen, and the tail end of the dawn chorus of noisy little birds fell like sweet refreshing rain from the eaves of the wood as I hurried to join the others.

"Varien, Shikrar, I'm a fool," I began. Everyone laughed at this announcement and I had to raise my voice. "There is much I should have told you yesterday, it's important, especially for you two."

"Yes, love?" asked Varien gently in truespeech.

"Don't!" I cried. He looked startled. "That's the problem. You and Shikrar must not use truespeech if you can possibly avoid it."

"Why, Lady?" rumbled Shikrar. Damn, he looked huge in the morning light. "What do you know?"

"Marik can hear you. Anything you say, either of you, he's been listening for months now." I explained swiftly how Marik had come to have truespeech.

Jamie cursed. "That's one of our greatest advantages gone," he said bitterly.

"Not entirely," replied Shikrar, sounding thoughtful. "Akor and I may not use it, but there is nothing to stop the rest of us, or Lanen, from bespeaking one another."

"I may not be safe either," I responded miserably. "He heard me too, when I was in that prison. He said he hadn't before. I don't know if it was because I was shouting or because I was barely ten feet from him, or if he's getting better." I turned to Varien and clasped his forearms in mine, wanting an anchor, wanting him to have one. I felt distinctly light-headed. "Varien, love, he also learned that I'm pregnant. Berys didn't know before, but I'd wager anything he does now," I said grimly. "I'm so sorry, love. I cried out to you in truespeech and he heard." I looked up to Shikrar. "But as far as I know, that's all. You, me, Varien. Everyone else is safe."

"We cannot so assume," said Varien.

"I was hoping to plan our strategy against the Black Dragon as we flew this day," said Shikrar.

"And so we shall, Teacher Shikrar," said Idai. She turned to me. "Know you if Marik can hear what we tell Shikrar?"

I thought about it. "He said he could hear you two, he reported what you said," I answered. "He didn't mention anything about hearing what you heard. Although," I admitted glumly, "that doesn't mean much. Marik lies as easily as he breathes."

Varien

"Indeed." Idai hissed her amusement. "Perhaps it would be best if we assumed that he can hear, and will report, anything that you hear or say, Shikrar. Very well—then let you consider the most tedious subject you can think of, in great detail and at length, and speak to Marik of it all the day long."

"Lady Idai, I like the way you think," approved Rella.

Idai continued. "The rest of us will consider how to defeat the Black Dragon." She glanced at Lanen and winked. "I know that we have not your years, that we are the merest younglings, but we must needs struggle along this once on our own. No doubt we shall falter without your guidance, O Sage of the Kantri, but think of us in our hardship and have pity . .."

Shikrar laughed, a bright tongue of Fire in the broadening day. "Enough!" he cried. "It is all quite true, of course, and no doubt it will be a terrible struggle for you to manage so trivial a task without my assistance, but you must take courage and remain hopeful. If life and the Winds are merciful, you may one day attain to my years and my wisdom—though my natural modesty forbids my ever saying such a thing aloud."

"Your natural modesty would fit neatly in Lady Lanen's palm with room to spare," said Gyrentikh merrily.

Shikrar snorted. "Very well. I abjure pride from this moment. You kitlings come up with a grand plan to defeat our Doom and I will obey blindly!"

"Ha!" barked Rella, finishing her chelan, shaking the last drops from her cup onto the ground. "Even I know you better than that, Shikrar."

Varien laughed loudly. "Poor Shikrar! Even the Gedri tease you now!"

Shikrar's eyes gleamed in the morning light. "Alas, all my secrets are known, my character discovered, my faults made public, and I have not been here a fortnight! Where shall I hide from such infamy?"

"Please, Lord-Shikrar," growled a deep voice, "have mercy. Waking to the hissing of laughing dragons is bad enough. I beg you, speak lower." Vilkas, groggy and bleary-eyed, poured himself a cup of chelan and drained it at once. Aral, behind him, grinned and drank her chelan more slowly as he was inhaling his second.

"In truth, Idai," continued Shikrar, more quietly out of mercy for Vilkas, "if we look to be drawn into battle before day's end, I think we must chance Marik overhearing what is said."