"You are. If not you, then none."

"Nae, go. Or Cru will shoot."

Padrec dismounted and stood by the horse's head.

"But hear me. You believe in the magic of Mother and Lugh. The magic of my God is shown only to strengthen the faith of the believer. I have told fhain of this magic, which is greater than the parting of the seas or riving of rock. Now I must show it. It is all 1 can give you."

"What magic?"

"When I have shown it to Gern-y-fhain, let her send me awav if she will. I wished only to bring fhain to the true God, the Father of Lugh himself." Padrec's voice softened with the admission. "That's all I am, Dorelei. all any priest is. A messenger. My message delivered, I'm not important, but Gern-y-fhain is."

in a different tone, Dorelei said, "Thee knows that now?"

Padrec nodded. "God offers his magic to Salmon gern if she will take it."

Dorelei cursed him silently, disturbed by the chal- lenge of him she felt from the first day.

"If she has the strength to dare as Mabh dared. To change, to hazard what she has for what can be."

"None be braver than my sister," Neniane piped loy- ally. "Like to our mother."

"And do know it, Neniane. So it is to thy gern I bring this magic." Padrec held up the broken arrow- "The power over Blackbar. Now and forever."

Dorelei made the ward-sign, keeping her face stiff to hide the fear. With a staying gesture to Cru, she stalked forward to within a pace of Padrec, averting her eyes from the Blackbar.

141.

"Will nae leave here if thee harms Dorelei," Cru promised.

"Would harm my friend?"

"What dost speak?" Dorelei demanded in a low, tense voice that only Padrec could hear. "Thee troubles me, Padrec. Have always troubled me."

"And you me, fool that 1 am. But have seen what evil magic did to you and will always do until you know the stronger magic ofJesu Christ."

"Why did nae show't before among Taixali? Why did thee let this happen"-she held up her marked arm-"when could fend it off?"

"There were many things 1 did not know, Dorelei. I thought of my needs, not yours."

"Speak of it."

"It will take courage, Dorelei."

She turned her arm toward him with the obscene mark like a gob of filth. "Dost think would suffer this again?" Not the sick fear that coursed through her when the curse touched her skin, not the nauseous feeling when the mark of it began to swell on her flesh, but the rest of it: her lessening in the eyes of fhain. She was their center, like a queen bee in a hive. She had lo dare. "Will see this Jesu magic."

"Then look at Blackbar."

"Nae.. ."

"Look, Dorelei," Padrec coaxed. "Was any danger averted by refusing to see it? Look."

Doreiei did. Behind her, Neniane squeezed her cou- sin's hand and held on tight. Purposefully, Padrec held the arrowhead pointed away from her, his voice low and sure, and in it Dorelei heard what she'd always loved, the music, often blurred with anger or vehemence, but music when he allowed it.

"Water has always been stronger than Blackbar. See where just the night's dew has rusted it. Water tempers it when a's first taken from the fire for shaping. Water blessed with the magic of God will make it thy friend and servant. If you believe."

"Thee . . . troubles me."'

"If you believe. Gern-y-fhain knows the part of belief in weaving magic."

142 Send him away. Let Cru kill him. Mother and Lugh, what does he drive me to, what does he ask? Am I Mabh that I can cut past from present? Blackbar will kill me. Can I not feel it alive there in his hand, waiting to poison me with a touch?

Dorelei felt the hollowness in her stomach again, but she dare not show the merest sign of it now. She flinched in the village for all to see, that was damage enough- She was grateful there was enough will in her to ward off the piddling boy with his painted arrow. She glanced back to reassure her folk with a smile more forced than felt.

"Did once think to make thee second husband, Padrec.

Be past. Now do wonder only if Cru should kill thee."

"That is why my heart was divided with you, Dorelei.

I wanted very much to be your husband, and I cannot; As thee said, be past."

/ knew it, felt it. 1 lied, Padrec, and thee as well. Nothing is past. I feel you now.

"Dorelei, God knows I'm the weakest, most stupid of His messengers. But let me give you this. One moment's courage or a lifetime of fear and running. When it is no longer an evil, can be a friend, Dorelei. Believe that Jesu can save thee. Call on Him as Mabh called on Mother.

Trust me. Blackbar will be as much friend to fhain as I

am.

Great shaggy lump with his soft-singing Briton-man's voice, cajoling her. She wouldn't tell him what the sound of it did to her. And yet-if she could master this magic for all of them. Almost too big, too impossible to think.

But if she could, as Mabh parted land from sea, as Jesu . . .

"Did say that Jesu died for ail men?"

"Aye."

"Saved them for all time?"

"If they believed."

"So Prydn?" She was bargaining like a gern now. "For all time free of Blackbar?"

"And masters of it- Even Mabh was not so."

But I could die as Jesu did.

"For all time, Doretei. And tallfoik will deal with thee as queen, as gern, eye to eye."

Mother, I am afraid. None has ever dared so. Can he see my fear? He sees so much.

143.

"If thee has Mabh's courage for one moment."