moment later we heard another splash； then another。 The sound came from where the ancient warrior had fallen。 No sooner had we puzzled this out than a most wondrous odor arose； sweeter than any flower； richer than any courtesan's perfume。 We walked tentatively toward the sound and scent。
The warrior's body lay broken across a large； flat stone。 His corpse could be clearly seen in the light of Cassini's purifying fire。 Janos muttered something； and although I couldn't make out his words； I knew he was reacting to the shape of the armor and helm the corpse was wearing。 It was exactly as he had described the horsemen of his childhood。 The warrior had been a large man； taller even than Janos； with wide shoulders and thick chest。 He had a beaked face； like a bird of prey； with deep…set； still…open eyes that seemed permanently set to peer into vast distances。 There was a sword strapped to his waist； and a broken spear lay to one side。 His body shone a deep； earthen brown； as if he had been daubed with many layers of paint。
Cassini pointed upward； and we saw a thick drop of heavy liquid form on a rock that hung above the corpse。 It gathered into a bead and splashed down on the warrior。 As it broke； the sweet odor rose again； and we watched in fascination as the drop spread across the warrior； leaving a brown trail like heavy oil。 Janos motioned us closer； and we could see that the body had been covered and preserved by the liquid falling over many generations。 The man grimaced up at us； his look as painfully fresh as the moment he'd died。
〃I've seen insects preserved like this；〃 Janos said； 〃but only in old forests。 The local people said they were trapped in the sap running from the trees； they sell them as talismans when the liquid dries。 It's called amber； I believe。〃 Janos touched the preserved body； curious。 〃A warrior in amber；〃 he mused。
〃I don't see any trees here；〃 I said。 〃Only stone。〃
〃It is obviously a spell his panions cast；〃 Cassini said； 〃to preserve their rade from the elements。 Since he could not be properly laid to rest； they did what they could to fort his ghost。〃
Cassini filled a gourd with coals from his purifying fire and shook it over the corpse。 Sparks and smoke showered as Cassini moved around the stone； chanting soothing words to placate the warrior's ghost。 He promised a handsome shrine； with many gifts from the Shore People to honor him。 In the shadows I heard a long sigh。 The warrior's eyes seemed to glitter； then went blank。 We took this as acceptance； and the three of us lifted the corpse free of the killing stone。 He came up so easily； I nearly fell。 The body was lighter than a child's； empty of all the fluids and flesh that give a living thing weight。 As we laid the warrior on the canyon floor； a purse fell and shattered； spilling its contents。 There were a few old coins； pierced for trading stock； a whetstone for the sword； and what appeared to be a roll of writing linen。 My hand reflexed for it。 〃Wait；〃 Janos warned。 But one finger touched before I could snatch my hand back。 A corner of the linen crumpled into dust。
〃I'm sorry；〃 I said。 No one heard me。
〃It looks like some type of map；〃 Cassini said。
Janos' eyes lit with excitement。 〃Can you reconstruct it？〃
Cassini didn't answer； but excitement gripped him as well。 He fished in his pack for a small vial of black fluid and an herbalist's knife。 He shook a few drops of the liquid in the blade's measuring trough； then sprinkled a pinch of the linen dust over it。 I couldn't hear the words of his enchantment； he said them so quickly and smoothly； you could see he had long practice at this sort of task。 I remembered all young Evocators were put to work in the library； turning scraps of scrolls or manuscripts into dozens of duplicates each day。
While he worked； I glanced at the pouch the map had fallen from； marveling that the leather it had been cut from had also been preserved by the amber。 I saw something on its face that I took at first to be discoloration； then realized it was too regular。 I leaned closer； but did not touch the pouch； having learned my lesson。 Worked into the leather was an emblem： a serpent coiled across a tooled star。 I saw bits of pigment clinging to the emblem； blue on the serpent's coils and yellow on the star； which I realized was actually a sunburst。 I pointed it out to Janos； and he scrutinized it as carefully as I had。
〃A family crest；〃 I hazarded。
He shook his head。 〃Not likely for a soldier serving in an organized formation。 I would guess it is the crest of those he Watched for。 Perhaps a prince； perhaps a sorcerer； perhaps a king。 Perhaps that is the emblem of the Far Kingdoms themselves。〃
I was about to wonder as to the certainty of his words when Cassini announced that the spell had begun to work。 He breathed over the mixture。 A speck of goo congealed to another； and that small lump bonded to its brother as well。 In a moment we could see a sliver of linen begin to grow； and Cassini quickly dumped the knife's contents onto the mother roll。 There came a crackle and a hiss as if a fire were being fed； and the roll of linen began to move。 In a blink； all traces of antiquity fell away； and the linen spread out before us as fresh and white as the day it was made。 The quill scribblings had turned into deep lines of black ink； glistening as if just dipped up from a bottle。
Cassini lifted the light beads； and the three of us leaned forward to see。 It was a map； as he had guessed。 But it was a most unusual map； for where a human mapmaker would mark perils such as swamps； canyons； or thick jungle； the linen was blank。 What was marked were mountain peaks； each crag carefully delineated； rivers that could be seen from the air； and certain high points where a Watcher might have his post。 〃A map；〃 I murmured； 〃meant for birds。〃
〃Or；〃 Janos said； 〃men who can fly； or at least transport themselves from peak to peak with magic。〃
There was the outline of the Pepper Coast； as if this marked the limits of the Watcher's area of concern； then the map sprawled east。 At the easternmost edge of the map was a great lump of a mountain range； a big； black fist knuckling up from the linen。
We heard a sigh； and we spun to see the warrior's eyes all a…glitter again。 He seemed to be looking at me。 I'm sure the others felt the same； but for a moment I believed that long…dead warrior was trying to speak to me。 Then I heard a terrible rattle from his throat； as if he had been clinging to life all these years and was only now being released。 The eyes went blank again； but now his rictus grimace was more like a smile。
Janos spoke； voice rough。 〃Is that omen enough for you； Cassini？ What more do you need？〃
Cassini was silent； but I could feel the tension building and saw great emotion twitching at the muscles in his face。
〃Well？〃 Janos prodded。 〃Do we still return home？ Or do we go？〃
Four days later we marched east。 We left L'ur and his crew in the pany of Black Shark's people； who had vowed eternal gratitude for our releasing them from that ancient curse。 He even sold us small asses to help carry our burdens and assigned some of his people to go along as hostlers and guides； 〃until the ends of the world； if you so wish。〃 Furthermore； after the Shore People built the promised shrine for the Warrior in Amber； they promised to help L'ur construct a new ship to take us homeward when we returned。
L'ur himself was now a firm friend of the Antero family。 If we met disaster and did not return within six months； L'ur held a note to my father with a pledge of payment for all the time he would have waited； as well as for a replacement of the Kitthvake。 I had no doubt L'ur would wait； and it wasn't just because of the small fortune I had pledged。 He had bee as gripped by the fever as any of us when I unrolled the map to the Far Kingdoms。
〃For the first time in my life；〃 the old sailor said； 〃I wish to the gods I had been born a walking man。〃
CHAPTER NINE
Nomads at World's End
THE RIVER LED inland through rolling countryside that the eye sought hard to fill with farms and villages and people； but there was little sign of humanity in that wilderness。 We passed close to a few hamlets； their ragged