。。。 brave soldiers 。。。 dangling limp； dangling loose； and none of you will be able to honor your women 。。。 dangling loose 。。。 dangling limp 。。。〃 The soldiers stirred and their protests were audible； in spite of a barked mand from Maeen。
Cassini slid from his horse and walked forward。 He glanced up 。at where the sun shone through branches 。。。 then； smiling gently 。。。 at the witch； 〃Ah woman； ah woman； you see that tree 。。。 you see that shadow 。。。 the shadow of that tree is that tree 。。。 that tree's roots reach deep； deep into the soil 。。。〃 he chanted。 〃Like that tree you shall stand； you will stand； stand you must。。。 and you will not be seen by any traveler 。。。 and the next by shall be an axe to that tree； as an axe to your tree。〃
The woman was a stark statue。 I could see her lips try to move。
Cassini made a cruel laugh and said； 〃You may speak； you may speak； you have my blessing； oh tree。〃
〃Your pardon； your pardon；〃 the words came。 〃I knew not that there was one with Power among you。 I beg forgiveness。〃
〃Not from me； oh tree；〃 Cassini said。 〃Beg pardon from these men you called brave soldiers。〃
〃Men of iron； men of iron； you are like iron when you love； the rope is gone； the string is gone； the yarn is gone； it was never woven 。。。 you are iron； you are steel。〃
〃We thank you； woman；〃 Cassini said。 He walked back to his horse and remounted。 〃Amalric；〃 he asked； 〃is there a reason we cannot leave her to her fate？〃 A wail keened from her lips。
〃You are tree； oh tree；〃 the Evocator snapped； and there was silence。 I looked at the petrified woman。 No。 There was no reason。 I took three gold coins from my purse and dropped them in the road。
〃She can go free；〃 I said。
〃You have heard； oh tree；〃 Cassini said； reluctant。 〃You shall be free； but you shall stand； you will stand； stand you must； until the shadow of that tree you became no longer touches you。〃
I nodded to the drivers； and they tapped reins against the backs of the oxen。 They guided the charabanc around the witch； and we continued on。 I turned as we rounded a bend and looked for the last time back at the woman； standing in the middle of the road as if she were one of the figures of doomed men in a frieze along the Street of the Gods。
Janos rode up beside Cassini。 〃An interesting spell。〃
〃It is；〃 he agreed。 〃A simple one 。。。 and it helps immensely if there is a simple mind for it to work upon。〃
I puzzled： Cassini did not make sense； spells worked the same on all； Magistrate to peasant； lord to slave 。。。 Did they not？ My thoughts came back to the present as the wheels of the charabanc clattered and my horse's shoes rang。
We were no longer on the dirt track； but on a stone…paved road。 There was a log barrier across the road； and； beside it； a low building。 Out of the building ran five soldiers。 They stopped beside the road and stood to attention。 They were smartly dressed； clean； and handled their weapons as if they were familiar with their use。 One of them； I guessed their officer or sergeant； shouted for us to stop。 Customs。
〃Who are your passengers？〃 the man asked。
〃Lord Amalric Antero。 A merchant of Orissa。 And his retinue。〃
A scowl flickered on the man's face。 〃Pass 。。。 wait。〃 He walked to Janos and looked at him carefully。 He started to say something； then stopped； and stepped back。 〃Pass。 Wele to Lycanth；〃 he said； his tone as weling as the one used to the tax collector。
The charabanc moved on； and I kicked my horse forward until I rode close to Janos。 〃What was that all about？〃
〃The fellow recognized me；〃 he said。 〃He was about to question me as to what a Lycanthian officer was doing in the retinue of an Orissan slimeworm。 Then he thought better…perhaps I'm a spy； returning from an assignment。〃
〃So he would not have heard that you left the Lycanthian Army。〃
〃Sometimes Lycanthian soldiers are discharged or even drummed out dishonorably to begin a secret assignment。〃
Now I blush at my naivete； but on that day I actually gaped and asked； 〃Lycanth does things like that？〃 To Janos credit he merely nodded soberly； instead of showing any scorn for someone so innocent。 Buildings rose up around us。 We were in Lycanth。
WE FOUND AN inn and began our final preparations。 The soldiers were told nothing about our direction of travel and certainly not of our dreamed goal of the Far Kingdoms。 Their duties would be to guard our gold and give any assistance needed。 Eanes was to be our majordomo； and Cassini would be charged with gathering charms and other magical supplies； such as our wind spirits。 I was to secure a ship to carry us across the Narrow Sea to the most distant Valaroian port Janos was familiar with。 Examining his chart； I was once more shocked by how little was known about this region： our intended destination； the port of Redond； was but two finger…breadths east of Lycanth across the sea； just east of the port was the Pepper Coast； of evil rumor。 All else was a mystery： there were no markings on that portion of the map； no cities； no demarcations for tribes or nations； and beyond the Pepper Coast was a great mountain range that Janos had sketched on the map。 It was a mountain range known but to him； since his homeland of Kostroma lay somewhere in its fasts。
〃There are stories I heard in Lycanth；〃 he'd told me； 〃that claim the Archons have secretly sent explorers east； beyond Redond； beyond even the Pepper Coast。 But I never found a man who truthfully laid claim to having been on such an expedition； so I discounted the tales。〃
Sergeant Maeen was in charge of securing our weaponry； guided by Janos； so that we would not appear ostentatiously Orissan。 The rest of our supplies…horses or mules； provisions； tenting； and the like we would buy or have made in Redond。
Janos told me privately he had other matters to arrange to assure the success of our expedition…matters that someone of my station would be unwise to involve himself in。 He said I was not to take alarm at his irregular ings and goings； or some of the people he might be doing business with。 It was well he warned me； if he hadn't； I would have bellowed for Maeen and the Lycanthian watch when I first saw the man shamble into the inn's courtyard。 I have learned over the years that the man or woman to be wariest of may have the features of a god or goddess and the benevolent manners of a holy one； whereas the real saint may have the outward semblance of a monster。 But Greif looked the villain he was。 Eanes was the first to notice him。 He whistled softly and asked me to take note of the man below us。 〃Surely；〃 Eanes said； 〃he is rich。 Mothers must reserve his services months in advance to frighten their babes into good behavior。〃 Greif was but an inch or so taller than me； but twice the mass。 He had the solid； heavily built body of a porter or brewer。 But if he'd worked either trade； the reasons for his discharge were obvious： Greif's ears had been cropped…& sign here； as in Orissa； of a thrice…convicted thief。 His arms were misshapen； bent。 At first I thought he'd been crippled； then I saw； below the rolled sleeves of his soiled silk finery； the seared scars that came from the rack's bindings。
I shouted down； asking him his business。 He said he was seeking a Captain Janos Greyctoak； a man who once served Lycanth。 His voice was a mellow bass that might have served a prayer caller well。 Eanes asked his name。
〃Greif。〃
〃Well chosen；〃 my bodyslave murmured。 〃And your business？〃
〃Private 。。。 with the captain；〃 the man said。
Janos came out of his chambers onto the balcony。 〃I am Greycloak。 Who sent you？〃 The man did not answer…at least not verbally。 Instead his hand moved in front of him； secretively； in three fast motions。
〃Up here； fellow；〃 Janos said。 〃Eanes。 We'll have wine。〃 The villain may have seen the torture chamber…but he was hardly a cripple。 He went up the stairs like I'd seen great apes from the north scramble up their cages in Orissa's gardens。 His tunic flipped up momentarily； and I saw the sheath of some hidden weapon。 Janos called him into his chamber； where they stayed for two hours。 Then Janos came out and asked me for a double measure of gold coins。 I hesitated； liking little any business with this Greif； but realized