"Make sure this man gets some rest," Lynan told Terin. "As soon as the prisoner arrives, I want to question him."

Terin nodded and left, walking his horse and talking earnestly with Igelko. The young chief was smiling broadly.

"Terin will add a bull each to your five cattle," Korigan told Lynan. "He knows how much esteem Igelko and his brother have won for the South Wind clan."

"Can you do me a favor?" Lynan asked.

"Of course."

"Lend me ten cattle?"

As she did most days, Jenrosa was down by the furnaces watching and listening to the Chett magickers weave their spells to make the fires run hotter. She tried to read their lips, but nothing she thought she could decipher made any sense to her theurgia-trained mind. She found it deeply frustrating, and more and more she realized she would have to go to Korigan and ask to be assigned to one of the White Wolf magickers for training. The thought of asking Korigan for anything made her hackles rise, but the alternative, to be the only one of Lynan's original companions without a purpose or place during their exile, was unthinkable.

Someone called to her, and she recognized Lasthear, the Ocean clan magicker. "I see you here every day."

"I want to learn," Jenrosa said simply.

"You will not ask the queen for help."

Jenrosa sighed. "I will have to, but it is not something I want to do."

Lasthear studied her carefully. "I will not ask why, it is not my place. You are aware of the changes in my clan's fortunes?"

'"I'm aware Ager is now your chief."

"If he asked me, I would feel compelled to take on your training myself."

"I thought-"

"Ager could ask Korigan for dispensation to let me teach you. I do not think she would say no."

"I will ask Ager right away," Jenrosa said excitedly.

"There is no hurry. I cannot take you on while I am working so hard here at the furnaces. But later, when we leave the High Sooq, we will have time."

"Thank you." It was all Jenrosa could think of saying.

"It will be an interesting exercise, Jenrosa Alucar."

Jenrosa blinked. "How do you know my name?""All Chetts know of Prince Lynan's companions. You have become heroes to us."

"I'm not sure why," Jenrosa said bluntly. "Kumul and Ager I can understand, but I am no warrior."

"You saved the life of the White Wolf."

"That was no magic," she said grimly.

"But it took great courage. And if you truly wish to learn the way of our magic, you will need great courage."

No one asked him his name. He would have given that as willingly as he had all the other things he told them. The crazy-looking Chett sitting in front of him, slowly testing the edge of his sword, never took his eyes off him.

"I don't want to die," he said for the tenth time.

"You're going to die," said the tall female Chett who walked around him. "It's only a matter of how quickly."

The mercenary had long run out of tears, and all he could manage was a jerky breath.

"How many Haxus regulars will Rendle be taking with him?"

"I don't know, not exactly. A brigade I was told."

"You must have seen them."

"Not all of them. We left to scout the pass before they'd all arrived."

"Two thousand? Three?"

"I don't know."

"How many were there when you left?"

"A lot. Maybe two thousand."

"Maybe more?"

"Maybe."

There was a pause, and the Chett on the ground eagerly looked up at the female. She shook her head, and the Chett looked disappointed.

"So Rendle has a thousand riders himself now?"

"I already told you."

"And at least another two thousand regulars?"

"I think so. Maybe more."

"When are they moving into the Oceans of Grass?"

"I told you before, I don't know. They don't tell me those sorts of things."

"You must have heard rumors."

The mercenary closed his eyes. He had given away so much already, if only he could hold on to some of his secrets, the Chetts might yet pay for what they were going to do to him.

"No."

"All right," the female said. At first the mercenary slumped in relief, but then realizedshe had been talking to the Chett with the sword who was advancing on him. Just then the tent flap parted and another Chett walked in.

At least, the mercenary thought, he dressed like a Chett. But he was shorter than any Chett he had ever seen. The man's hat was low over his face and he could not see what he looked like.

"Have you got what we need?" the newcomer asked.

"All except when," Korigan said.

"Leave me with him."

The two other Chetts left. The mercenary sat up straighter, struggled uselessly against his bonds. The short Chett just looked at him.

"I told the woman everything I know."

Still the man said nothing.

The mercenary licked his chafed lips, but his mouth did not have enough spit left to do any good. "Just kill me. Get it over with."

The man removed his hat, and the mercenary got his first glimpse of his face. He used his heels to push himself away.

The man crouched down and his right hand shot out to grasp the mercenary by his cheeks. The mercenary yelped but could do nothing against the strength of that grip. He was forced to look again at the scarred, ivory-white face.

"What are you?"

"You do not know me?"

"You're hurting me."

"I'm going to kill you," the man said. The mercenary closed his eyes, waiting for the worst. "Unless you tell me what I want to know. Let's start with your name."

"Arein," the mercenary said. He opened his eyes again, feeling a slender thread of hope for the first time since his capture.

"Arein, I need to know when Rendle is coming over the mountains."

"I don't know."

"Do you know who I am?"

Arein tried to shake his head. "No," he said pitifully.

"I am the White Wolf."

"Oh God, oh God ..."

"I am going to eat you alive."

"... oh God, oh God ..."

"Tell me what I need to know, and I promise you will live."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Because the White Wolf never lies."

"I don't know any white wolf."

"You know me, Arein. You know Prince Lynan Rosetheme." The man took an amulet from beneath his poncho."The Key of Unity!" Arein looked up surprised. "No, you can't be the prince."

The man grinned mirthlessly. "I have changed. But I am Prince Lynan. I told you the White Wolf never lies. I have no need to. Now, tell me when Rendle is coming over the mountains."

"Before ..." Arein stopped himself. No. He was going to die. This mad thing was going to kill him, he was sure. The grip on his cheeks tightened and he cried in pain. "Before winter is over!" he blurted, and the pain went away.

The man straightened. "Before winter is over. Are you sure?"

"Rendle wants Prince Lynan to help Salokan invade Grenda Lear." Arein looked up at the man's face and again saw the Key of Unity. "He wants you."

The prince turned on his heel and opened the tent flap. "We have what we want," he said to someone, and the woman returned, this time accompanied by a man who was as huge as the prince was small.

"Good," the giant said. "We can kill him now."

"No," Lynan said.

Kumul looked as if he was about to argue, but remembered they were in front of the prisoner. He glanced at Korigan, who seemed as mystified as he was. "Your Highness, can we talk outside for a moment?"

As soon as they were outside, Kumul asked Lynan if he had other questions he wanted to ask.

"I've no more questions," Lynan admitted.

"We can't just let him go-" Kumul started.

"I didn't say we would let him go. At least not yet."

"We can't keep him with us," Korigan said. "The clan has no one to look after a prisoner."

"He will stay here, at the High Sooq, after we have gone.

There will be no need to set a guard on him because he cannot go anywhere. When it is time to release him, we will send a message to Herita."

Kumul scratched his head. "I don't understand your reasoning, Lynan. Why not just kill him?"

"First, because I told him if he told the truth I would spare his life. Second, because I want our enemies to know that if they surrender to us, they will not be butchered out of hand."

"The Red Shields never took prisoners," Kumul said gruffly.

"Nor have the Chetts," Korigan added.

Lynan thought it ironic they were on the same side at last, but in opposition to him. "I will be fighting my own people," he said. "I cannot help it. Sooner or later, I go up against the armies of Grenda Lear. You will be with me, Kumul. Both of us will almost certainly be facing people we once knew."

"War can be like that," Kumul said.

"We don't kill those who surrender to us. I will not have my own people butchered by my own soldiers."