'That's asking a lot,' objected Risala.

'You don't have to kill them outright.' Dev looked at Kheda. 'Just get an arrow in them that's tipped with whatever poison you used to stifle my magic. That should slow them down long enough for one of you to get a second arrow through their head.'

'That's not so tall an order.' Kheda rubbed a thoughtful hand over his chin.

'As long as we can get a clear shot at them all.' Risala was still dubious.

'Will the loss of their magic help you defeat the dragon-hide wearer?' Kheda asked Dev.

'No idea.' The mage shrugged. 'That would just be a windfall, anyway. I've my own notions for killing him.'

And you're anticipating this a little too keenly for my peace of mind. 'Never trust a man too eager for a fight.' That's what Daish Reik always said.

'Which are?' Kheda fixed him with a stern eye.

'Meaningless, to anyone who isn't a wizard,' Dev said with more than a suggestion of smugness.

Kheda swallowed his irritation with difficulty. 'What about the wild men? What if they come after us, after you?'

'I really don't think that'll happen; minions fight minions, wizards fight wizards and minions get out of the way sharpish. Anyway, once I've dealt with Dragonhide, I'll be scaring them out of their painted skins,' Dev promised with a vicious grin. 'Just till your allies can come and skewer them.'

Risala was thinking about something else. 'You said we had to get all these wizards together. How do we do that without being caught and killed?'

'I show them something so disturbing that they all go running to Dragonhide.' Dev sorted through his papers, pulled out a leaf and thrust it towards Kheda. 'If we sail this course, we'll pass close by each of their current camps. Once we've stirred them all up, we have to get to Dragonhide's island ahead of them. Can you and the girl manage the Amigal between you?'

'I think so.' Kheda looked up from the precisely delineated map. 'What will you be doing?'

'Gathering my strength,' Dev said frankly. 'Working magic tires a wizard more than anything else in the world. If I'm going to defeat Dragonhide, I need to be fully rested.'

'What if you don't defeat him?' Risala asked sharply.

'He'll be your problem, because if he's not dead, I will be, torn to bloody rags all over the deck most likely.' Dev smiled sweetly at her.

And you can't wait to test yourself against him, to see if you can win the ultimate wager.

Kheda shivered involuntarily. 'Is there anything to be gained by waiting?'

'No,' said Dev with abrupt seriousness. 'We have one day to do this or it won't work.'

'We had better get going, if we're to have light enough for shooting these mages.' Kheda tucked the map into the breast of his tunic for safekeeping. He found his hands were clumsy.

Then Dev won't be the only one tested. We'll see if I've been reading the omens aright or following delusion to lead us all to disaster.

Dev raised an elbow and sniffed at his armpit. 'I need to bathe and shave now you two can keep an eye out for random savages stumbling across us. Find me some food as well, girlie. My belly's been thinking my throat's been cut regardless.'

'Where are we supposed to find bows?' Risala demanded.

'Behind the wine barrels,' answered Dev with a sly smile. 'You didn't think all I peddle is vices?'

'We'd better make sure they're still usable,' Kheda said with a qualm of uncertainty.

When he and Risala returned to the deck with long oilskin-wrapped bundles that they found in the straw-packed chests in the hold, Dev was stripping off his rancid clothes. As Kheda untied the thongs around the bundles, the wizard disappeared over the Amigal's side with a splash.

The oilskin protected fine, supple leather, which in turn covered thickly woven, soft cotton cloth. Kheda studied the weapons within carefully. 'The bows are sound enough. They're just straight staves, not so easy for the damp to damage as a composite bow. Some of the arrows want attention though. Did your father teach you how to fletch?'

Risala shook her head. 'That was a job for Shek Kul's armoury.'

'Don't worry; my father insisted I learn, thankfully.' Kheda rapidly assessed which arrows needed work and which were beyond salvage.

'Throw me a rope!' Dev yelled.

Risala moved to comply, stepping back as the naked, dripping wizard clambered back on deck. 'Those aren't hunting arrows,' she accused him.

'No, indeed.' Kheda held up an arrow with a broad-shouldered flat head with vicious barbs. 'For cutting flesh and ripping sinew. And here, for penetrating armour, mail or plate.' He picked up an arrow with a long, square-hammered, chisel-ended head. 'I can't think of a warlord who wouldn't have your head, just for carrying these, never mind trading them to his islanders.'

'He'd have to know I was carrying them first. You keep my secrets, Daish Kheda, and I'll keep yours.' Dev's glance took in both of them. 'What are you complaining about? You've a sight more chance of killing a wizard outright with those than using some game arrow' Dev grabbed his discarded clothes and swiped at the water running down his muscular torso. 'Get me something clean to wear, girlie.'

'Get it yourself,' she retorted without heat.

Kheda looked up, a couple of arrows shedding feathers in his hand. 'The sooner he's dressed, the sooner we get under way'

Risala sighed as she lifted the trap door to the stern cabin. 'Don't think I'm waiting on you hand and foot, Dev, whether or not you need to coddle your magical strength.'

Rapidly reappearing, she threw a bundle of well-worn cotton at Dev and then started rigging the Amigal's sails. Kheda laid the weapons carefully aside and went to help. As soon as the sails were raised, Risala took the tiller and Kheda used the heavy stern sweep to shove at the banks on either side, to stir the little ship. The onshore breeze held them back regardless.

'Just a little magic,' murmured Dev, dragging trousers and tunic over his damp limbs. 'Just to get us moving.'

The sails billowed obediently and the Amigal slid out into a wider channel where a natural breeze pushed the ship through the water.

'Think you can handle the tiller, girl?' Dev challenged Risala.

'Of course.' She didn't rise to his bait.

'Make sure you keep a watch out while you're at that.' Dev gathered up his discarded clothes and disappeared into the stern cabin. He reappeared with the bowl he'd used for scrying now holding a tightly stoppered jar of liquid soap, a battered razor and a highly polished metal mirror.

Kheda looked up from sorting through the arrows. 'Do you have any glue?'

'Down in the main hold, third box back from the prow.' Dev dipped a little fresh water from the cask fixed by the mast and sat down. Rubbing soap into his stubble, where it lathered reluctantly, he fixed Kheda with one speculative brown eye. 'So what exactly will you be putting on those arrowheads to slow Dragonhide's pals down?'

'It's what I'll be showing to Redigal Coron and Ritsem Caid, to explain how I managed to defeat these wizards.' Kheda wound salvaged silk thread carefully round an arrow shaft. 'So no one comes hunting you, to contain the taint of magic by turning your freshly flayed skin inside out.'

Dev chuckled, unabashed, before taking his razor carefully to his cheek. 'That's all I need to know, is it?'

'For the present.' Kheda concentrated on smoothing a ragged quill.

'Where did you get the hateful stuff?' Dev asked idly, nose in the air as he scraped beneath his chin.

'In the north.' Kheda stood up and went to find the glue.

If I can put all our success down to the powder, and Shek Kul can vouch for that, if needs must, then that should answer the most immediate questions. We can turn any others aside as intruding on Daish secrets. I'll still have to find some purification and a powerful one at that, for Janne and Sirket's sake, never mind my own, but we can keep that between ourselves.