Ignoring that, I went on, "So, to you, yes, and okay, are not the same thing?"

"Truth."

Silently thanking every god who ever existed on this planet or any other, I said to Leo, "I think we're making some real progress here. Now if I can just live long enough, I might actually be able to learn to talk to him without wanting to tear my hair out."

"You will live long," Leo reminded me. "And I hope that even if you do not ever understand Craynolt, you do not tear out your hair. I am very fond of it."

"Like to have it tickling your face when I'm on top, huh?" I teased.

"Very much," he replied. "And I will like it just as well when it turns gray."

"Sweet," I said, grinning at him. "No one would ever guess we were, you know, running for our lives here, would they?"

"We are not running," he said sensibly. "The horses are."

"Yes, but have you ever noticed how winded you can get riding a fast horse, even though you aren't running, yourself?"

"Yes," he replied. "But I am not now."

"Want to keep talking?"

"Yes," he replied. "I want to tell you how I long to be back at the cottage with you, making love by the fire with no one hunting us."

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"Longing for the good ol' days, are you?" I said approvingly. "Me, too. Except, once this kid's born, I doubt we'll be doing much of that."

"I will find a way," he said.

"I'll bet you will," I laughed. "After all, sex is your middle name."

"It is not," he said stiffly. "I have no middle name."

"Figure of speech there, Leo," I chuckled. "Don't take everything I say so literally-although sometimes, it is kinda funny when you do."

"You enjoy laughing at me?"

"Nope," I replied. "I like laughing with you. And what a hoot it is to think I can do it for the rest of my-and you did promise me it would be long, didn't you?- natural life."

"It will be long," he promised.

I found this difficult to believe when, a moment later, I took an arrow in the shoulder. Craynolt had been right, apparently, for Brandon was obviously much closer than we'd been led to believe. Royillis had some explaining to do.

*275 *50*.

Chapter 13.

I might have guessed that having a pack of vultures as your lookout was a bad idea. Royillis had said once that it was a pity we weren't more warlike, and I was beginning to suspect that he was doing his best to make us more so. I don't believe he intended that anyone in particular should die, but it was looking more and more like he'd be feeding on one of us before long, rather than any of Brandon's troops. No doubt I should have killed more men in the last battle, so Royillis wouldn't have felt the need to start another one in order to get a few new bodies to munch on.

I managed to hold on to Morgana's mane as she ran, but, unlike the last one that had barely gotten beneath my skin, this arrow had driven in deeply. I managed to get off a few fireball rounds before I passed out, but that's about all, and I have no idea if I actually hit any of our pursuers. The last thing I saw was Leo being surrounded by horsemen and pulled from Calla's back.

When I came to, my shoulder was throbbing, my hands were bound tightly behind my back, and I had a blindfold on that was so tightly padded against my eyes that I couldn't open them at all. Obviously, Brandon didn't want to have to deal with any more fireballs.

They'd gagged me, as well, which was okay, because I could still talk with any animals nearby, but what I *276 *50*.

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really wanted to know was whether or not Leo was hurt-or dead.

We were still on the move. Someone's arms were around me, holding me upright in the saddle, but whose they were I couldn't have said. I put a call out to Morgana, and, having received no reply from her, tried Calla and still got nothing. The reply from Gerald was faint, but pursuing. Obviously we were leaving him behind. That left Royillis-who didn't respond-and Craynolt, who did.

"Where's Leo?" I asked desperately. "Is he alive?"

"Truth," Craynolt replied. "But where there was speech, there is now silence."

Gagged as well, I assumed. At least that meant he was well enough to need a gag to keep him quiet- though I suppose it could have also meant that he was unconscious. "Did they leave him behind, or is he riding with us?" Then I remembered I'd best stick to yes or no questions. "Is Leo on a horse?"

"Truth," Craynolt replied.

"Is he hurt?"

"No."

I was glad to hear he was okay, but I felt pretty terrible myself. Dizzy, nauseated, and in more pain than I could ever remember being in my life, I wondered what would happen if I vomited while I had a gag in my mouth. Probably drown in it, I decided. What a way to go! Guess it wouldn't be one of those fabulous Leo-induced orgasms that did it after all. Too bad, I was almost looking forward to that...

I mulled over our situation and decided that outrunning Gerald would have been easy enough for a mounted *277 *50*.

278.

Cheryl Brooks troop, but Morgana and Calla? Surely they weren't dead!

Why would anyone kill a horse, if they didn't have to?

I asked Craynolt where they were, and all he said was something about darkness and light, which I figured meant that he didn't know. Hopefully, they'd both taken off in Rafe's direction and would somehow warn him that trouble was following close behind.

"Keep out of range of those arrows!" I told Craynolt.

"I don't want you getting killed!"

"The heart of the wind soars," Craynolt replied. "The witch heart is true."

"You're welcome, and thank you, too," I said, unsure of which response was expected there. "Is Royillis still with us?"

"No," Craynolt replied. "The purple heart is no more."

"Dead?"

"Swift arrows have taken many hearts."

So, they went for the birds, then-and me. Leo posed no real threat, one man against a whole troop, so they'd simply disarmed him and taken him prisoner. Brandon was being much kinder than I would have thought, given the circumstances. Of course, we now had his sons. I knew Rafe wouldn't kill them just to keep Brandon from taking them back, but the thought must have crossed Brandon's mind or he would have been more ruthless. For example, if I'd been him, I believe I'd have killed a witch who could shoot fireballs from her eyes, rather than take her prisoner, though he might have thought to use me as a bargaining chip. It wouldn't work, for the boys meant far more to Rafe than I did, but Brandon might not know that.

I was very sorry to lose Royillis, for he'd come to our aid more than once during this adventure. It might have *278 *51*.

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been a gamble on his part, or it might have been that Craynolt was simply better at spotting our pursuers than the vultures, but whether he'd truly betrayed us or not, I would still miss him and think of him kindly.

Then I remembered Gerald. "Craynolt," I said.

"Would you please go back and get Gerald? We can't leave him behind. You've flown with him before without eating him. Do you think you could do it again?"

It took a few moments for Craynolt to reply. Obviously going back for a squirrel and not eating him was a difficult task for an otterell. But he had done it before.

"I'll give you something else to eat just as soon as I can," I promised. "Please?"

"The witch heart is great," Craynolt said finally.

"The wind is strong, and the desert will not fail."

"Thanks, Craynolt," I said gratefully. I was actually beginning to like the way Craynolt talked. It was downright poetic sometimes.

I didn't even know where he'd been when he'd been talking with me. I could only assume he'd been flying nearby, but I heard no flap of wings as he left; the only sounds I heard were the creak of leather and the hoofbeats of the horses we rode. I felt so alone without anyone to talk with. Leo was there, but, not being able to see or hear him, I had to keep reminding myself of that fact. At least it wasn't too cold, but my arms were killing me-and tied the way they were, they probably wouldn't have felt very good, even if I hadn't taken an arrow in one of them.

Deciding it might be useful, as well as a distraction from my discomfort, I struck up a conversation with the horse I was on. His name was Alton, and, not *279 *51*.

280.

Cheryl Brooks surprisingly, he was very tired and also a little miffed at having to carry the extra weight-which gave me an idea that might slow us down.

"If you're tired, why don't you stop?" I suggested.

"Stop?" Alton echoed in disbelief. "Without being told to stop?"

So, he was one of those born obeyers who didn't take a step without being told what to do. I wasn't sure at that point whether I could turn this to my own advantage or not, for he was obviously used to doing exactly what his rider-the man behind me-told him. Suggesting that he do otherwise might be seen as rebellion, but most horses will rebel when the requests on them are unreasonable and unrelenting.

"Yes, you know," I went on encouragingly, "just stop and refuse to move any further. And when your rider starts whipping you to make you go on, then you can rear up and let us slide off backward-but pick a nice, thick, snowdrift to do it in, will you? I've already been banged up enough as it is."

This was apparently an option that Alton had never considered, though I'd seen a good many horses plant their feet and refuse to budge. This guy must have been among the most willing horses I'd ever run across. I hoped that meant he would be willing to take orders from a complete stranger-especially one who seemed so sympathetic to his complaints.

"You could use a break," I reasoned. "And I'm sure the other horses would be grateful for a short rest, too." I had an idea the men would, as well-except for Brandon, perhaps-but they probably wouldn't admit it.

"Oh, and act like you're scared of something," I added, *280 *51*.

warrior 281.

"-like there's some horrible monster lurking behind a tree up ahead. And you might tell the other horses that, too."

"You're sure about this?" Alton asked warily. "It sounds very disobedient to me."

"That's why you all need to act frightened," I replied.

"That way, no one can blame you too much."

"Okay," Alton said, obviously willing, though he still didn't seem convinced it was a good idea. "There's a big pile of snow beside a tree up ahead. Would that be okay?"

"Sure," I replied. "I can't see a thing, so I'll have to take your word for it. And, like I said, do it gently. I'm going to have a baby."

"Really? Why, that's wonderful!" Alton exclaimed.

"But they should not be hunting a mare in foal! It is very wrong of them to do so! And even more wrong of me to throw you off!"

"Generally speaking, I couldn't agree more, but I don't think they know anything about it. I'm not what you'd call obviously pregnant yet."

Alton obviously thought that my being pregnant was a very good reason to not make me slide off backwards, so I had to encourage him.

"And I'll be much better off for having had some rest," I said reasonably. "Besides, I'll probably fall on top of this man behind me-and it'll be in the snow, too-so I don't think I'll get hurt." I'd already taken two arrows-what was one little jump into a snowdrift?

Then something else occurred to me. "And please, Alton, whatever you do, don't fall over backward and land on top of us."

*281 *51*.

282.

Cheryl Brooks "You think I might?" Alton asked, horrified that this might actually happen. "I've never thrown anyone before. I'm afraid I won't do it right."

"Come on, now, Alton," I said soothingly . "You can do it. It's easy. I've seen lots of horses get rid of their riders, and I'm sure you can, too." The fact that he never had was obviously the reason Alton had been chosen to carry me. Brandon was at least making sure I made it to the stake alive, which was so thoughtful of him..." How about if you just spook at the monster, and I'll try to go off sideways?"

"That might be better," he said fretfully . "I'll jump to the right, and you fall to the left, okay?"

"Sounds great!" I said, trying to sound as enthusiastic as I could about getting dumped off a horse. "That way I won't land on my bad arm. Go for it!"

"All right," Alton said. "We're almost there...almost there...okay, jump!"

I'll say this much for Alton, he was quick on his feet.

Even if I hadn't known it was coming and taken a dive, I think I'd still have gone off sideways, because one minute he was right there beneath me, and the next, he was gone. Unfortunately, our original plan might have been better, because that way I might have at least landed on my captor. Going off sideways-and jumping first because I knew it was coming-meant that he wound up landing on me-at least partly. Unfortunately, it was the part that hurt the most, because he hit my right arm when he fell. You know, it's really hard to scream out in pain when you've been gagged, but I managed to do it anyway.

I heard the man swearing at Alton, and Brandon *282 *51*.