I admit the creature you sent is a clever choice. I am guessing it's something you created from your own blood-something like a homonculous. It positively adores Marriana and she it. However, the beast has an unnaturally nasty dislike of me. I hope this is not some product of your own feelings.

You have sent me a challenge I must rise to. I trust you'll find my gift worthy of your sensibilities.

Most Perfect and Absolute Magister Pavish His manor in Tilvum

Torreb,

If this reaches you before you depart, so be it, but I am aware of your scheme. You accuse me of plotting against you so many years ago, only to justify your trickery today. Just as before, you are determined to deprive me of the glory and rewards I justly deserve. I suffered through years of that at the Academy before I finally was able to cast you out.

There's no point in my denying it anymore. Of course your suspicions are correct. Your instincts were always keen. It was a good plan-I became 1st initiate, I rose to the master's wand, and now I serve the court. Only Marriana escaped my grasp, and that, most of all, I will not forgive you for.

There is no point in waving this letter as proof to anyone. I will deny it all, and who would believe you-a cheat and outcast who was not content to destroy himself but also had to drag down the name of a fine woman of a noble house.

Of course I want the staff for myself. The governor's desires are meaningless once I have the artifact. Already I know much of its operations-words and commands gleaned from Greenwinter's notes. Even if you do find it before me, it would be useless in your hands. Only I understand the power it contains and the secrets of wielding it.

What will I do with it? I haven't decided. There are so many choices-enemies who've stood in my way, wrongs to right, titles to claim. Why, I might even assume the imperial mantle, if Greenwinter's artifact is as powerful as I believe.

Did you really think your little parable about lost cantos and strange disappearances would put me off, that I would be so easily outflanked? You are not the only one who saw that scroll. Some of us, however, do not leap to rash conclusions. It was clearly an amateur's hand, no more than a poor attempt by some scribe to immortalize himself in the pages of a great work and quite rightfully excised from future transcriptions. Do not take me for such a fool. I did not become a perfect master of the imperial court without learning the duplicitous ways of others.

It is you who have been the fool, all this time answering my letters, helping my research, aiding me-the one who destroyed you. I know you head for the mountains hoping to beat me to the prize, but what good will one piece of the puzzle do you? You do not know how to interpret the snake-bound pattern or read the map it hides. I do. Because of your careless clues, I am confident I will find the pattern myself.

I no longer need you, Torreb. I will be in the mountains before you, and I will find the staff. There is no prayer that will protect you if we meet.

Your Nemesis,

Perfect and Absolute Magister Pavish

PS. Your last gift reveals your true treachery and your lack of imagination. A bottled and spiteful imp would hardly defeat me, even if it was a nuisance to destroy.

My gift to you this time is more than apt. Do not worry about collecting it. It will find you.

Silverpeak Mountains, entrusted to shepherd

My loving Marriana,

I do not know if this letter will reach you, just as I never know when I post these on my travels. I have given this to a local boy with a promise of payment if it should reach you, so be generous if you read this.

First I must tell you the gods guided Pavish's letter to me up here. From it you know now I did not come to hunt wolves, at least those with four legs. You had foresight to send it on to me, and I had luck that it found me. While it told me little I did not suspect, it has confirmed my fears and warned me of his coming.

Things are as I feared but did not tell you. I did not want you to worry. Pavish, I think, has gone completely mad. Either that or his soul is more corrupt than any ever suspected. He was always arrogant and false-you said once he made women glad they were not men- but now it is clear it was only the mask for a darker immorality. That is why I had to come up here.

I fear what will happen if he lays his hands on Green-winter's artifact. I am not certain why, my love, but I feel it is my duty to stop him. Ever since the Academy, the gods have woven our fates together. Perhaps it was their plan to see me ruined so that I would be here now.

I am well, though hard-pressed. Last night, Pavish's gift arrived-an invisible stalker. Fortunately, I expected something like it and was prepared. He always rates himself more clever than he actually is. The damned thing gave a good fight, though, and tore me up a bit, but it is a threat no more. I am relieved that it came after me here and not to our home. I could not bear it if harm were to befall you. The shepherds have a wood priest among them, so you should not worry. I am not so hurt that he cannot patch me up when this is all done.

This morning, I reached the carving. From the tracks, I am fairly certain Pavish was already here. I may not be a woodsman, but I've spent enough time in the wild to spot something as obvious as his stomping around. I cannot follow the tracks, but I know where he went.

Do you remember the bottled imp I sent him? He mentioned it in the letter. I needed to know what Pavish knew and was certain he wouldn't share the information with me, so I sent him the imp. The little creature was more than a nuisance; it was my eyes and ears. I got a good look at his notes before he killed the thing. It was the night I came to bed bleeding and told you I'd fallen on the stairs. The pain was worth it because now I know where he's going. As soon as I finish writing this, I will go after him.

Dearest, now comes the part that's hard to write. I would tell you not to fear for me, but I have no skill to lie to you. Already you know Pavish's intentions, so you also know there is a chance that from this adventure I may not return. I don't know exactly what Green-winter's staff does, but I know it is powerful. If the artifact falls into Pavish's hands, I've decided I must provoke him to use it.

This is not suicidal folly, my love, for I have a theory, though it is based on only the thinnest of suppositions. I think each time the staff is used, it vanishes-which is why Greenwinter enchanted the snake-bound pattern to find it again.

Whether I am right or wrong hardly matters. Pavish will almost certainly come looking for me. Perhaps that is why I choose to face him here, where the battle will be far from you, our home, and our friends. If I my theory is wrong, remember that I tried.

If I don't return, Marriana, please know that my last thoughts will be of you.

Your foolishly noble husband, Torreb

PS. In my study are all the letters Pavish sent me, along with copies of my own. If you do not hear from me within a month, bundle them up and send them to your father. He has no love for me, but he is wise. I think he will know what to do with them.

Glade Temple, Silverpeak Mountains

Lady Marriana,

Noble lady, I am Garrel, priest of Our Mother, Chaun-tea, in the village of Morpeth-by-the-Stream. Yesterday

Yard-Mas, the son of Vard-Ren the shepherd, came with news for you. Mas cannot write, so I have taken down his words for him.

It is sad news. Your husband, the wizard Torreb, is dead. Mas and his father Vard-Ren are both honest men and would not tell this tale if it were not true. This is how it happened.

Mas had been hired by your husband as a guide to a cave in a valley north of here. It is an evil place the villagers shun, so Mas agreed to point out its mouth but go no farther. Do not blame him for this. It took courage to guide your husband that far. He waited at a safe distance for your husband to come back.