s and a few leagues； or so he hoped。 We would leave this day； if I wished。 Assuming I still wanted a fool and a sloth for pany。 I laughed。 As if I myself had never been confronted with and rejected a good idea at an 。。。 inappropriate moment。
Now I could sense the Far Kingdoms； taste their perfume； and feel their riches run through my fingers like a crazed miser with his bags of gold。
Two days later； carrying light packs and dry provisions； Janos Greycloak and I struck out for the Fist of the Gods。
CHAPTER TWELVE
The Fist of the Gods
OUR MARCH LASTED longer than the few hours and leagues that my friend had led me to believe。 Janos laughed and said this was a valuable lesson for me； one any good leader of soldiers should learn。 You must never tell a ranker any distance is greater than five leagues； to avoid ruining his spirit。 Five leagues at a time； he told me； and you can conquer the world。
We traveled fast； much faster than we had even at the beginning of our journey when we struck out from the Pepper Coast。 But we moved as circuitously as possible； skirting open areas if we could； and if we could not； we carefully checked for signs of danger before leaping from cover to cover。 Our night camps were fireless…our cooking was done with dry wood at midday； and the food eaten cold for supper that night and breakfast the next morning。 Our travels were also slowed by my insistence on mapmaking。 For Janos； it would be enough to discover the Far Kingdoms。 I must be able to return time and again； and； more importantly； instruct my traders as to the routes they would follow。
The rolling hills became foothills； leading toward the mountains in the distance； mountains that never seemed to be any closer。 Cassini had reluctantly taught Janos the spells necessary to evoke the Watcher's talisman； and we took our first 〃sighting〃 three days' travel beyond the Rift。 That was our first mistake。 The talisman showed we were exactly on the route we wished； and the Fist of the Gods lay directly in the line of march。 But it was less than two hours after the incantation that I suddenly felt someone 。。。 or something； was looking for me。 It was a feeling； I realized； that had been with me since before the Shore People had abandoned us； and even Cassini's spell on the river had not shaken it。
The only time it had been absent was in the Rift。 I felt I was thinking foolish thoughts； and so Janos was the first to bring it up。 He； too； had the sensation。 At first； he pared himself to a rabbit； somehow realizing a hungry hawk is soaring overhead； or Cassini's idea of a great fish drifting in its pool。 Then he corrected himself…he did not feel that the Searcher； if it was anything beyond a figment； was necessarily evil。 But neither did he feel any benevolence。 Whatever it was； was just 。。。 interested in us。
It was that day we saw the Watchers again。 Two of them sat astride their mounts on a hillcrest not far away。 When we saw them； we were just ing out of a grove of trees。 I might have continued on； ignoring them as we had earlier； but Janos stopped me。 Without a word； he motioned me down； onto the ground； hidden by some brush。
〃You are a deer；〃 he whispered。 〃Think like one。〃 I thought he was sun…touched； but did my best； not sure what he meant。 I knew little about the life of a stag； so remembered the ones I'd seen on the trail and tried to think of their possible concerns。 My thoughts kept straying to the horsemen on the hillcrest； and somehow I knew this was not good； although not to think of the Watchers at this moment was like telling someone not to think of the color red。 A few moments later Janos tapped me to sit up。 He indicated the hillcrest…the Watchers had gone。
〃I do not like this；〃 he said。 〃We do not know what； if any； intent the Watchers have。 Nor do I know that we are their targets。 But I fear the worst…we have not seen them lately； but just after we used the talisman； they reappear。 I am hardly forgetting the relict belonged to one of them； and like will always attract like； in sorcery or in life。 We must use the talisman as little as possible； if I am correct。 We do not wish to draw any attention to ourselves now。〃
I personally thought it to be too late and hardly coincidental that the Watchers appeared on a hill athwart our route just before we passed； but Janos' caution could do no harm。 From that moment we exerted even greater care when we moved； and for the next day or so afterward； tried never to show ourselves on the meanest skyline； to make sure we crossed any stream using rocks rather than leave prints in the muck of the bank； and never to choose the natural and easiest path。
We encountered ruins。 The first was a circular stone fort。 It had not been abandoned； but had fallen by storm…the huge timbered gate had been torn away and lay many feet from the entrance。 All timbering； whether roofs or support beams； was charred。 The fort had been put to the torch by its conquerors。 Now I understood why Janos had insisted on Cassini's potential importance…I would have liked to have known whether the soldiers who held the post were taken in fair battle or by sorcery。 However； since neither vines nor weeds had overgrown the outpost； and the battle looked to have been fought many years ago； I felt the presence of a wizard on that grim day。 At least it was clear from the dimensions of portals and stairs that this land had been settled by people of human size； rather than giants。 We did not use the ruins for shelter； but passed on quickly。
That fort might have been a border outpost； since the ruins became more mon。 I asked Janos how long it had been since war came to these hills。 He said he did not know exactly； but he thought not in his lifetime。 Outside one burned village we heard baying； and saw； across a hill； a pack of dogs chasing a multistriped antelope。 The dogs were of many varieties； which indicated they were feral； not truly wild。 A farming tribe； such as these people would have been； do not abandon their dogs willingly。 Next I found； just inside one ravaged hut； a small； hand…carved horse； the sort of thing a father might carve for his son。 No child will ever abandon a plaything unless it is ruined…or unless he is dragged away from it。 I felt soldiers had e to this hamlet and taken away everything of value； including its people。 No one had time to flee； unlike our friends of the Rift。 The Disputed Lands； if we had indeed entered them； were well named。
We slept not far beyond the village that night； and were wakened by the sound of horses' hooves。 We shrank down against the ground； hoping we were invisible。 From the sound； there would have been many riders…Janos flashed the fingers of one hand three times。 I thought I saw plumed helmets against the night； less man a spearcast away； but was probably deluding myself。 The next morning； when we cautiously investigated； there were no droppings or prints where the riders had passed。
〃Now the Watchers ride in groups； like half…pany patrols；〃 Janos said。 〃We are close。〃
An hour or so later； we entered a thick forest whose trees climbed far overhead； long uncut。 We lost sight of the sun and depended on our pass for direction。 By nightfall we were still in the depths of the wilderness。 We slept uneasily。 Not only were there strange sounds from unknown creatures hunting or being hunted in the blackness； but I felt closed in by this； the first real jungle I'd been in。 Once I heard wing beats as some huge night bird flew overhead。 The next morning we ate hastily and hurried on； forcing our way through the vines and thick brush。
Quite suddenly the forest came to an end。 We stood on the outskirts of a great plain； a rugged plain now turning brown as the Month of Smokes drew near； but whose grasses earlier would have been as yellow as mustard in bloom。 There was the green of forests； and the silver of running waters。
Beyond was the mountain range。 There were four peaks in the range； and a fifth that twisted like a huge thumb。 We had reached the plain that stretched to the Fist of the Gods。 It was yet too early for snow； and we appeared closer than in my vision； so I could tell there were striations in the peaks beyond just black volcanic rock。 But by a