El gave us an amused look over his shoulder before turning to listen to Pive as they walked off.

Gilla gave me a wry smile. “I am sorry, Warprize. Pive meant no offense.”

“I took none.” I slid down from Greatheart’s back.

Gilla gestured to the fire. “Please come and sit. Have you eaten?”

Greatheart ambled down to the edge of the pond for a drink. I kept an eye on him, not wanting to lose my mount. Gilla poured kavage, and offered me a mug.

“No, thank you, Gilla.” I walked to the edge of her fire. A childish voice rose in a long warbling cry behind us.

“They call the other children in, for the evening meal,” Gilla explained. “You are more than welcome to spend the night.” She looked in the direction that I’d come from. “Do you travel alone?”

I had to admire her subtlety. “Yes.”

She gave me an intent look. “Something has happened, hasn’t it. In the Heart? We’ve had no news.”

I nodded. “Can you tell me how to get back there?”

She raised an eyebrow. “Warprize, I’d offer to guide you myself, but I cannot leave. I have duties—”

“The children and the herds.”

“Just so.” Gilla may have been all of twelve or thirteen, but she acted like a woman my age. “I could guide you in the morning.”

I shook my head. “No. I can’t wait. And it might be dangerous to be seen with me.”

She sighed. “Very well. You’ll need to make good time, to get to the Heart before dark.”

Greatheart walked back to my side, and stood next to me. I checked the wrappings on my hands and then mounted. She eyed me closely as I settled onto his back. “At least let me give you gloves, Warprize, to protect your hands.”

I shook my head. “No. I take nothing except from my Warlord’s hands. Just tell me how to get there.”

“Follow that ridge, until it meets with a river.” She pointed off to the left. “Then just follow the river downstream. You will mount a rise and see the Heart laid out before you, Warprize.” She looked up into my eyes. “May the skies favor you.”

“And you as well. Thank you for your courtesy, Gilla of the Snake.”

She inclined her head, and I urged Greatheart into a trot. I’d demands to make, and a Warlord to claim.

The Heart looked different somehow.

Greatheart and I paused at the top of the rise, to get our bearings. And to give me a chance to work up my courage. It looked different, and this time, it wasn’t the size, or the shifting of the tents. There, beyond the herds, it looked like the place was buzzing with activity. People moving everywhere.

There were pyres burning by the lake shore.

My heart started to race within my chest. I tucked my satchel up close to my body. Nervously, I checked the bandages that I’d wrapped around my hands. Then I took a deep breath and wrapped Greatheart’s coarse hair between my fingers.

Greatheart was prancing slightly, my nervousness affecting him. I leaned in close, and whispered in his ear, “Easy, boy. Nothing is going to come between me and my Warlord.”

Greatheart snorted, then shook his head as if in agreement, pawing at the ground.

I sat back up, and took a quick look behind me. The dead had not appeared since I’d left the children, but the way my skin crawled, I felt their eyes on me.

I turned back, taking a last long look at the tent city below me. It teemed with activity, warriors everywhere, tents being taken down. Best to do this before we were seen and stopped.

Or killed.

I took a deep breath, crouched down and then cried out, digging my feet into Greatheart’s ribs. “Heyla!” I urged Greatheart on with my legs. “Run, Greatheart! Run!”

Greatheart leaped forward, down the rise. The grass flew under us, and within a few breaths we were down into the herds that were between us and the Heart.

Horses parted to let us through, some even running briefly alongside. Greatheart galloped, his hooves tearing at the ground, running full out. I leaned forward, staying low, trying to be less of a target. “Heyla! Go! Go!” I urged.

The horses’s muscles bunched and flowed under me as he ran. I tried to remember to breathe, and tightened my grip on his mane.

That quickly, we were through the herd and in the tents, still running hard. I saw brief glimpses of gaping faces, astonishment frozen there for the instant before we passed. No brandished weapons.

Yet.

No matter. I wasn’t stopping for anything or anyone.

Shouts rose behind us, but we were moving too fast for any to interfere. Greatheart seemed to know where we were going, since he headed straight for the large Council tent. He ran right up to the entrance, sliding and rearing to a stop. I slid from his back, and then hesitated. I didn’t want to lose him now. I kept my hand on his mane, and started to walk. I needn’t have worried. The wonderful horse followed me right into the tent.

I had to blink, to let my eyes adjust to the dimness. The tent seemed full of people, the Elders on their tiers, warriors milling about. I took a few more steps and my presence cut through the noise like a knife. There was complete silence as Greatheart and I walked between the two fire pits.

Essa was there, seated on a stool. Battered and bruised, but he appeared whole. He was gaping at me, the Eldest Singer at a loss for words. Wild Winds was next to him, also looking worse for wear. “Xylara, Daughter of Xy, we thought you—”

“Stop.” My voice was hard, and only I knew how brittle it was. I was afraid I’d start sobbing, but my anger was white hot. “Your words are as nothing to me.”

Essa blanched, and dropped his eyes. Wild Winds closed his mouth.

I glared at them all, letting my eyes roam the tiers. “Your words hold no truth, no meaning, and I will not hear them.” I paused to take a breath. My knees were starting to tremble. Greatheart stood silently next to me, swishing his tail back and forth.

“I demand,” my voice cracked, but I kept talking. “I demand that you give me the body of Keir of the Cat, my Warlord.” Essa’s head came up and his mouth opened, but I cut him off. “I will take his body, and return to the Kingdom of Xy, with any who wish to travel with me.” I drew a shuddering breath. “I’ll give him to the earth, where the Plains meet the borders of Xy, so that he will be of both lands, forever.”

I straightened my back, and found the strength to continue. “I share Keir’s dream. I will heal any who ask it, be they of Xy or of the Plains.” My rage flared within me. “But I will not come before this Council again. Ever.”

Wild Winds stood, a bit unsteady on his feet. “Xylara.”

I focused my rage on him. “Give me my Warlord, you arrogant bastard.”

There was a commotion from behind me, the sound of running feet. I tensed, sure that I was about to be attacked.

“Lara!” It was Simus. He caught me in a hug. “Lara, we thought you dead!”

That did it. The barriers I’d built about my pain started to crumble. I wrapped my arms around Simus’s neck and clung for dear life. “Simus, I saw him die. I saw Keir die.”

Simus pulled back a bit, head down to look into my eyes. He looked exhausted, as if he hadn’t slept. “Lara? But—”

I didn’t want to break down in front of the Council, but I couldn’t stop my tears. “I was on Greatheart, and he was running, but I looked back and saw Keir die. Then he and Epor and Isdra were there, and they helped me escape.”

“You saw the dead?” Essa’s voice was hushed. The tent was so silent, I heard Wild Winds gasp. “They aided you?” Essa continued, his voice filled with wonder.

“Gils too. Keir rode with the dead, Simus.” I ignored everything else except Simus’s kind dark eyes. “My beloved is . . .” My voice cracked, and Simus drew me in close and wrapped his arms around me. “Simus, take me to him.” I spoke into his leather armor. “Take me to Keir. Please?”

There was another commotion, the sound of warriors running into the tent. I didn’t bother to look, just hugged Simus and waited for him to speak.