The healer caught his breath. "You are the one," he said, and as if triggered by the sharp intake, began to cough again. The deep coughs wracked his thin frame.

"It sounds like you need a healer yourself," Kiara observed as she resheathed her sword.

Sakwi shook his head. "It is something no healer may mend. I fear it is the touch of the Goddess, perhaps to keep me humble," he said with a half smile. "Maybe it will take me to her someday, hmm? But not yet I think. Not yet. Come, sit with me by the fire. I have something for you."

Curious, Kiara followed him to a log near the fire, and sat as he motioned her to join him. Jae fluttered to land beside her. Sakwi looked into the fire. "A fortnight ago, I had a dream of the Goddess. She was holding a sword, entwined with roses, and told me to take a message to Margolan. She said to wait among her lost children, for the one for whom the message was sent. I found this camp," he said, gesturing toward the bedraggled refugees around him, "and here I waited. This is the sword from my dream. So the message must be for you."

"And what message is that?" Kiara asked cautiously.

"This," Sakwi replied, reaching under his robe to draw out a star-shaped gem set in silver, about the size of her palm. The pendant hung from a sturdy chain.

"What is that?" she breathed.

Sakwi's deep-set, dark eyes seemed older than his years. "It was given to me for safekeeping, many years ago. I was told to share it with no one until the Goddess herself told me otherwise. Now, you have come. The Library at Westmarch is where you will find that which you seek." The star-shaped amulet in his hand pulsed with a warm glow like the beating of a heart. "The Library at Westmarch was spelled against intruders," Sakwi went on. "I am told that this amulet will allow you to enter."

Sakwi motioned for Kiara to incline her head, and he gently dropped the star pendant's chain around her neck. The gem glowed once more, then went dark.

"What do you know of the Library?"

"For those the Lady sends, it still exists," Sakwi said cryptically. "And to the rest, it might not exist at all. For you, it will give its secrets."

Kiara gingerly lifted the heavy pendant and tucked it carefully into her tunic. "Can you tell me anything more?"

Sakwi shook his head. "About the Library, no. But look," he said with a barely perceptible nod. "Someone else seems to be looking for you."

Kiara looked up and felt her heart sink. On the far edge of the crowd, barely visible in the firelight, were five Margolan guardsmen. Lady, what have I done? Kiara groaned inwardly, knowing the guards were looking for her. Or worse—planning a reprisal against the camp and its ragtag inhabitants.

"Don't be afraid," Sakwi said quietly, without taking his eyes from the guards. "It will take them a while to circle the camp. They don't dare cut through. These refugees have nothing to lose." He turned to her. "Go there," he pointed to a thicket just beyond the fire, where several sparse bushes grew beneath a weeping tree. "Hide yourself."

"There?" Kiara wondered aloud. "That couldn't hide a rabbit."

"I will hide you," the healer replied, and something in his tone, his complete confidence, overcame her better instincts. Keeping low, Kiara dodged for the thicket and hunched down, one hand close to her sword and a dagger in the other.

The soldiers circled slowly, eyed in silent defiance by the refugees. Even from her hiding place, Kiara sensed the tension rise, saw a deliberate movement among the stragglers that told her any action by the guards was likely to lead to a fight.

Sweet Chenne, don't let these people die for me! She tensed as the guards came closer. Sakwi tended his fire, paying no heed to the newcomers. But Kiara sensed a change around her. The closer the guards drew to her hiding place, the thicker the bushes appeared, and the lower and denser the weeping fronds of the tree.

"You there," one guard hailed Sakwi. The healer rose unhurriedly, stretched, and looked toward him blankly. "We're looking for a woman, a fighter. She was injured. Have you seen her?"

Sakwi did not speak, and gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head. The guard frowned. "I think we'll just look around," he said in a bullying voice, and took a step toward where Kiara hid. Just then, a flock of bats rose in a flurry of wings, like a living dark cloud. Dozens of bats flew straight toward the guards. Cursing, the guards threw their arms up to shield their faces and backed off quickly, stumbling in their haste. They were still cursing when they reached their horses, and turned at a gallop into the night, swatting at an occasional low-flying bat.

Kiara did not move until Sakwi motioned her to stand. She looked at her hiding place in wonder. It was, once more, a thin thicket of nearly leafless bushes and a spindly weeping tree, poor cover for a fox, let alone a fugitive. "You are a mage," she said.

"A land mage," Sakwi replied. "I will confess that I am not truly a healer," he continued with a self-conscious smile. "My magic does help me grow the herbs," he went on, "but what I know, I have learned to doctor myself," he said, and began coughing once more, so hard that a fleck of blood reddened his lips. He reached into his robe, withdrew a small folded square of paper, and shook a powder under his tongue. Within a few moments, the coughing subsided, and he looked up once more.

"Capsaicin and garlic," he explained, tucking the empty paper away. "Stops bleeding in the lungs. At least, for now."

"Thank you," Kiara said. "I will leave you to your work," she continued, "but one thing more. Can you tell me where we are, so that I can get my bearings from the map?"

Sakwi smiled, and looked at her with an unnerving gaze that seemed to see through her. "I can do better than that," he said, and made a low, strange sound deep in his throat. From the darkness beyond the camp walked a dark gray fox, its head held high and bushy tail gliding behind it, unconcerned at the bustle of humanity or the fires of the camp. A pace from Kiara, the fox stopped.

"Here is your guide," Sakwi said. "His name is quite unpronounceable for you, but you may think of him as Grayfoot."

"You called him?" Kiara said in wonder, looking at the stately animal, which appeared amused at her interest.

Sakwi smiled. "It is part of my gift," he said. "He knows the safest paths to the border. And he is the most cunning of his den, so he will not lead you into ambush or danger."

Jae squawked in protest from where he perched nearby, and in response, Grayfoot made a little noise in the back of his throat. To Kiara's amazement, the gyregon and the fox made several verbal exchanges, which ended with Jae resuming his preening, and Grayfoot looking quite pleased with himself.

"It's almost as if they could..." she stammered.

"All things are possible, my lady," the mage replied. "You can communicate with Grayfoot as you do with Jae," Sakwi continued. "He understands you, and he can make himself understood to you. Trust him, and he will take you to the border."

Kiara was rapidly finding that there was much Tice had not prepared her for. She nodded, humbled that the fox was clearly taking the responsibility for communicating, given her limited skills. "I understand," she said finally. "Thank you," she added, looking first to Sakwi and then glancing to Grayfoot, who inclined his head.

"This is going to take some getting used to," she admitted sheepishly.

Sakwi nodded. "The Goddess chose your quest well, lady swordbearer. Now rest. You will be safe here tonight. In the morning, look for Grayfoot, and he will start you on your way."

Kiara thanked him once more and then followed Jae back through the tangle of the camp to Lessel and Tadrie's fire. She was touched to find that the grateful farmer had indeed saved her the best spot, closest to the fire, and made a bed of pine branches, covered with a ragged sheet. None of them, not even the children, could be persuaded to exchange their places with her, but insisted that she take the spot of honor. Humbled by their gratitude, Kiara gracefully accepted their generosity, but lent her cloak to Lessel's haggard wife to wrap around her two poorly clad youngest ones. Then before she could be the recipient of any further favors Kiara bedded down, and found that sleep came almost immediately.