She didn't understand sworn brotherhood, or blood-oaths. And he didn't want to offer anything that could be misconstrued.

It was just too bad that she couldn't have chosen Shadow for her infatuation. She seemed to like him well enough, and he liked her, or so he had confessed to his older cousin. But she made him nervous, and it often appeared that she was just as nervous around him.

If they just got to know each other, they might take to each other. Then she wouldn't even think about leaving. How could he make her stay?

Then he had it- Handfasting. The dragons had something like it; she'd understand that. If he handfasted her to Shadow, that would bring her into Valyn's family, and protect everyone. It was a perfectly good arrangement-better than most elven marriages, really, since she knew Shadow and there seemed to be some friendship and affection there. He'd put it to her as a Clan alliance. If she'd been watching the elven lords, she'd understand that. If she accepted, she might even start to transfer some of that infatuation to Shadow; but at the least she'd have an obligation to teach him adequately. She'd take that duty seriously-and she wouldn't be distracted by Valyn as much. She wouldn't be quite so ready to run off and leave them.

He felt terribly pleased with himself for coming up with such an elegant solution; elven training made him preen a little for arriving at a solution that wouldn't involve him him . And after all, she . And after all, she liked liked Shadow, she'd told him that more than once. If she were to be handfasted to him-and if Mero would just exert himself to be as charming as Valyn knew he could be-she just might find that infatuation of hers not only turning from Valyn to Mero, but into something more than just infatuation. That would be good for everyone. Shadow, she'd told him that more than once. If she were to be handfasted to him-and if Mero would just exert himself to be as charming as Valyn knew he could be-she just might find that infatuation of hers not only turning from Valyn to Mero, but into something more than just infatuation. That would be good for everyone.

If Mero could charm half the women of the harem, experienced as they were, he could certainly charm one young girl with no real experience whatsoever.

He sighed, and relaxed, feeling the tension flow out of him. Across the fire he saw Shana look up at him; he smiled at her, and she smiled in return.

Yes, I think that- will work, he thought to himself.

think that definitely will work. And I'll ask her tomorrow.

Shana was not entirely certain she'd heard Valyn correctly. This was not what she had expected to hear from him when he took her aside from the others at their midday break, off to the bank of the brook they'd halted beside, where the sound of the water would cover their voices. There were plenty of other worries; Cheynar and his trackers seemed to have figured out how to follow them, Cheynar was closing in from the rear, though he was several days' worth of travel behind them, and there were two other groups coming in from either side. And they were running out of places to hide. There was only so much wilderness left before they either had to double back and risk running into Cheynar, or they would come out in some lord's estate. Shana knew vaguely where they were, but only vaguely; they'd been traveling blind for some time now. Shana had been confident and secure in her own abilities when this trek started; now she was shaken.

The weather had continued to be bad, though today was pleasant enough-one of these days they were going to have to decide where they were going to go to ground. Right now the Citadel was still out of the question.

So of all the times to pick this particular subject, this was not the one Shana would have reasonably expected.

"You want what?" she asked incredulously. "You want me to what! what! With Mero?" She raked her hair behind her ears, and stared at him. With Mero?" She raked her hair behind her ears, and stared at him.

Valyn sat on a protruding root with his back to an enormous willow trunk, and waved at a similar root just opposite where he sat, as if they had all the time in the world. He had on his best "patient older man" look, the one she'd seen all too often with the wizards when they were about to treat her like a child.

Shana stood there with her mouth hanging open, feeling too stunned to close it.

"Please, sit down," Valyn said, smiling with incandescent charm. "It's giving me a cramp in my neck to have to look up at you."

Shana sat, or rather, dropped down on the root like an alighting hawk, as if any moment she might take alarm and fly off. She definitely felt that way.

"I think you and Mero ought to be handfasted, Shana," Valyn said earnestly, leaning forward a little. "Call it a Clan alliance-you know what that means. It's not as if any of us believe believe in any of the romantic ballads-we all know the ways alliances are really important-in leverage and power. It could mean a great deal, not only to the four of us, but to humans and halfbloods in general. Look, Mero in any of the romantic ballads-we all know the ways alliances are really important-in leverage and power. It could mean a great deal, not only to the four of us, but to humans and halfbloods in general. Look, Mero knows knows elvenkind; he knows them incredibly well, he's been in the middle of one of the Clans all his life, with his mind-powers intact. He can be so much help, not only to the halfbloods at the Citadel, but in moving against the elven lords for the sake of halfbloods and humans with wizard-power." elvenkind; he knows them incredibly well, he's been in the middle of one of the Clans all his life, with his mind-powers intact. He can be so much help, not only to the halfbloods at the Citadel, but in moving against the elven lords for the sake of halfbloods and humans with wizard-power."

"But what about you?" she managed. She She leaned forward as well, and he edged back nervously. "You can be just as much help. Maybe more! And you're an elven lord-" leaned forward as well, and he edged back nervously. "You can be just as much help. Maybe more! And you're an elven lord-"

"Which is precisely why your wizards would never accept me on my own," Valyn replied, a slight frown appearing as he tried to impress on her the importance of his idea. "But if you're handfasted to Shadow-well, Shadow is my cousin. That's a blood-tie. They'll understand and accept that."

"a.s.suming they give you a chance to explain yourself," Shana said sharply.

Valyn shook his head confidently. "Oh, they will. And they'll listen to me-just, without knowing I'm bound by blood-ties, I don't think they would be nearly as ready to believe me."

Shana stared past him, at the churning waters of the brook. "So say they let you in-or even near near the Citadel. Then what?" the Citadel. Then what?"

"Then I tell them that it's time to start working to overthrow the elven lords," Valyn replied-though he didn't sound nearly as confident. "I'll show them that if they don't, one of these days the Clans will decide they're real, and they're more than just a minor nuisance and move to get rid of them. And I can prove that part. I think that when I tell them that they will have have to work against the Clans, and I tell them what the Clans are doing to strengthen their hold on humans, the way that they are catching the ones with the power and killing or sterilizing them, then they might believe me. So long as you've thrown your lot in with me and Shadow." to work against the Clans, and I tell them what the Clans are doing to strengthen their hold on humans, the way that they are catching the ones with the power and killing or sterilizing them, then they might believe me. So long as you've thrown your lot in with me and Shadow."

"But-" she protested.

"And this handfasting is for your protection too, Shana," he continued. "After all, you've got no guarantee we wouldn't just run off and leave you in this wilderness."

She stayed silent, seething a little. Why should she worry? She could get along perfectly well without any of them-in fact, if she didn't have them along, she could probably go right back to the Citadel.

"And Mero is much better than either you or your foster brother at self-defense-physically, I mean, not magically."

Better than a dragon four times the length of a horse? How could he possibly be better than that? And it hadn't been Mero who'd been driving away the big predators- In all honesty, she had to admit that if they found themselves in a situation where Keman couldn't couldn't shift, Mero truly was the expert. Keman couldn't possibly defend himself in a hand-to-hand situation, and she wasn't all that good. Neither she nor Keman could use any weapon other than a knife; the game shift, Mero truly was the expert. Keman couldn't possibly defend himself in a hand-to-hand situation, and she wasn't all that good. Neither she nor Keman could use any weapon other than a knife; the game she she caught she generally snared, or lulled to sleep and slit its throat painlessly, and the game Keman caught he hunted in dragon-form. Both Mero and Valyn were experts with bows, at least to her eyes, and Mero had hinted he knew other things as well. Maybe there was something to this idea, after all- caught she generally snared, or lulled to sleep and slit its throat painlessly, and the game Keman caught he hunted in dragon-form. Both Mero and Valyn were experts with bows, at least to her eyes, and Mero had hinted he knew other things as well. Maybe there was something to this idea, after all- But what was wrong with her handfasting to Valyn instead?

Valyn continued with his little speech, ignoring or simply unaware of her reactions. "He could teach both of you so much, not only about that, but about how to live live among the elven lords, in case the two of you ever have to. You know, he's really incredibly lucky he never got caught. Pretending to a rank higher than your real one carries some very stiff punishments. If you ever have to hide among the elves, you'd among the elven lords, in case the two of you ever have to. You know, he's really incredibly lucky he never got caught. Pretending to a rank higher than your real one carries some very stiff punishments. If you ever have to hide among the elves, you'd better better have Mero with you." have Mero with you."

And on the other hand, she could get along just fine by reading thoughts to find out what was expected of her.

"Besides," he continued persuasively, "think of what a handfasting with an alliance to an elven Clan would mean to the halfbloods-and the humans! We could become a rallying point for those who want to change the way things are! The four of us together can do so much for them! But we won't convince them without some kind of formal allegiance among us. The younger elves who might be sympathetic will be suspicious that you are using or controlling me, and the humans and halfbloods will be certain that I am controlling you you ." ."

All the while he was delivering this speech, Shana had been staring at him, at first in stunned amazement, then in dismay.

She couldn't believe that he he actually believed what he was telling her. It all sounded like an excuse of some kind. But an excuse for what? He couldn't know how she really felt about him, could he? So why would he be trying so very hard to push her off on Shadow? actually believed what he was telling her. It all sounded like an excuse of some kind. But an excuse for what? He couldn't know how she really felt about him, could he? So why would he be trying so very hard to push her off on Shadow?

Shadow had taught him applications of his magic that mimicked wizard-powers, which included the ability to hide his thoughts; she had never been able to read his mind clearly, but now she could hardly sense what he was thinking at all.

Which forced her to guess what he might be up to; and the sense that he was hiding something, something fairly important, made her immediately suspicious of his motives.

And she was, in her heart of hearts, a little hurt. During the entire speech, she had been watching him very closely. He had been holding himself carefully a little away from her, even when he was trying to make a point of something. As if he didn't want to get too close to her for some reason. Every time she made eye-contact with him, he looked away. Every time she tried to get a little close, he moved.

He didn't want her. He wasn't interested, not even a little. Disappointment followed that realization, then a certain amount of anger. But why not? What was wrong with her? His father liked humans well enough!

Then she was forced to admit exactly how his father "liked" humans-and in what context.

The answer was painfully simple, really. She didn't even have to search for one very far. She was a halfblood, and he was an elven lord. She was far below him-not quite quite an animal, but not far from one. an animal, but not far from one. Certainly Certainly not the kind of creature that he would even consider a physical alliance with, except the most base and basic sort. He was too much his father's son. not the kind of creature that he would even consider a physical alliance with, except the most base and basic sort. He was too much his father's son.

That led her to other conclusions.

He did did know how she felt. But he thought she was beneath him. So he offered her Shadow instead, hoping that would appease the animal in season. No matter how many pretty words he used to describe it, she was sure that was what he was thinking. know how she felt. But he thought she was beneath him. So he offered her Shadow instead, hoping that would appease the animal in season. No matter how many pretty words he used to describe it, she was sure that was what he was thinking.

At first, her only reaction was a white-hot anger. It flared up-and died down as quickly as it rose. It was followed by shame, shame at his having seen her interest, shame at being given a sop to content her... a sc.r.a.p from the dinner table. Just as he'd reward his faithful dog.

She had a terrible thought. And am I supposed to be Shadow's reward And am I supposed to be Shadow's reward ? ?

Then, after the shame, anger again, but this time cold and calculating. She stared at the brook sparkling cheerfully in the sunlight, a complete contrast to the darkness inside her.

She could tell him to go take a long hike, she thought. She could tell him that she and Keman were going one way, and he and Shadow could take any other route they chose so long as it wasn't the same one. She ought to do just that. It would serve him right- But he was right about one thing; the plight of the halfbloods and the humans with wizard-powers. If she went along with this, it would give her her the power to start doing something about the situation. After all, ties did work both ways. If this handfasting tied her to Shadow, it also tied Shadow to the power to start doing something about the situation. After all, ties did work both ways. If this handfasting tied her to Shadow, it also tied Shadow to her her . And by his own admission, tied her to Valyn. She would be constantly in his company, one way or another. He might come to regret having tied her to his cousin, in fact... . And by his own admission, tied her to Valyn. She would be constantly in his company, one way or another. He might come to regret having tied her to his cousin, in fact...

And he did have power she doubted he even guessed, power to make a very real difference in the way humans in general were treated, even before any revolt could take place. Valyn was Lord Dyran's son and heir. Valyn could, if he chose, have the ear of many more lords, and as important, their heirs.

The younger elves were far more flexible than their elders, and there were some who had not yet lost their ideals. There were far more who simply disagreed with their elders because because they were older and the ones in power. they were older and the ones in power.

It was possible that the sons could be induced to take up the cause, even threaten to revolt over this issue...

From what Keman had said, that was one of many possibilities. Some of the younger sons-and possibly daughters, from what she'd seen she'd seen -were perfectly ready to take up almost any cause, so long as it meant their own particular grievance might also be addressed. -were perfectly ready to take up almost any cause, so long as it meant their own particular grievance might also be addressed.

With Valyn to act as their spokesman, it was quite likely that they would be able to attract quite a few of these disaffected youngsters... And those that didn't bring their own agenda, might be induced to join from sheer boredom.

The turn of her thoughts astonished her, so much so that for a moment she even forgot her anger at Valyn. Since she'd been in the Citadel, she'd learned politics, she thought wryly. That was certainly something she'd never understood before. An awful lot of what the dragons did back at the Lair had begun to make sense. Their politics never got half as complicated as the machinations in the Citadel. And from everything Keman told her, that that didn't begin to compare to politics among the elves. didn't begin to compare to politics among the elves.

So Valyn wanted to play with politics, did he?

All right. If he could get Shadow to agree to go along with this, she would, too. But this "handfasting" was going to be in name only, no matter what Valyn thought. And before too long, Valyn was going to be sorry he wasn't in Shadow's place.

She turned back to him, clenching her teeth into the semblance of a smile, and gave Valyn her answer.

Chapter 20.

ONLY THE HINT of red where there should have been nothing that color warned Shana that there was something wrong in the valley below and behind them.

And suddenly she had an uneasy feeling, a feeling that it might be better not not to try a mage-sight scan of the valley. Kalamadea had something to say about that, too. to try a mage-sight scan of the valley. Kalamadea had something to say about that, too.

If the elven lords know that someone might be "watching" for them with inner eyes, they invariably lay spell-traps for those with mage-sight. Such traps lie completely dormant until the touch of a probe activates them- then a spell of coercion seizes the watcher in bounds few have been able to break, holding him entranced and unconscious until the elven lord can retrieve his prize at his leisure. Of all our number, only a handful can successfully spring these traps or break the coercion-spell in time to save the victim then a spell of coercion seizes the watcher in bounds few have been able to break, holding him entranced and unconscious until the elven lord can retrieve his prize at his leisure. Of all our number, only a handful can successfully spring these traps or break the coercion-spell in time to save the victim- or themselves. And that was only accomplished with much study and practice. I hope that I never need to put my knowledge of these things to the test or themselves. And that was only accomplished with much study and practice. I hope that I never need to put my knowledge of these things to the test.

:Keman?: she said urgently. :What was that flash of red down in the valley? Can you use heat-sight to see if it was just animals or birds :What was that flash of red down in the valley? Can you use heat-sight to see if it was just animals or birds ?: ?: The young dragon was perched on the rockface above her, shape-changed just enough to look like rock. With the elven lords following them, Shana had deemed it a good idea to check their backtrail from time to time. :Is that what I think it is :Is that what I think it is ?: she asked, hoping he would say "no." ?: she asked, hoping he would say "no."

:-It's elves, Shana,: Keman replied. :At least, I think it's elves. They have horses, and most humans aren't allowed to ride :At least, I think it's elves. They have horses, and most humans aren't allowed to ride .: .: She closed her eyes and tried to remember if she'd muddied the trail down there in the valley enough to confuse their pursuers for a while. Was there a stream down there?

Yes, she decided. There had been. And since they were all already soaking wet, she'd elected to have all of them walk upstream for a good long way to break the trail. So they had a little time.

But not much. And not enough for the bit of a rest she craved...

:I think we should get out of here,: Keman offered. .-Fast .-Fast .: .: :I think you're right,: she said grimly.

Valyn reported another hunting party close behind them-but not the one Shana and Keman had spotted. This one had an elven mage with them, it seemed... one who was using his limited powers to "read" their trail. Valyn had only detected him by "feeling" the magic behind them, and going personally to see what it was.

A foolhardy move, or so he knew now now . At the time, it had seemed sensible. . At the time, it had seemed sensible.

"Are you sure they didn't see you?" Keman asked, while Shana tightened her lips and looked annoyed at him. He knew what she was thinking. If he'd been spotted...

But he hadn't been, he thought with annoyance of his own. He was a better mage than the underling on their trail. In fact, now that he thought about it, she should have been glad glad he took the initiative like that. he took the initiative like that.

"I wasn't seen, and I wasn't close enough to be be seen," he replied crossly. "I'm not an infant. I've hunted before-" seen," he replied crossly. "I'm not an infant. I've hunted before-"

"But you've you've never been the quarry," the girl interrupted. "How far behind us are they?" never been the quarry," the girl interrupted. "How far behind us are they?"

"Not by much," he muttered uneasily. "But I covered our trail. He'll never read it through what I laid down."

"But he'll read the fact that someone muddled it with magic," she retorted. "I just hope he won't find it again for a while." She looked up at the leaden sky, and rain dripped down her face from the continual drizzle. "And I hope this stuff takes care of any other kind of trail we leave." Then, without another word, she shoved a dripping branch aside and turned down a game trail that was heading mostly north. Valyn hesitated a moment, then followed her, Shadow right on his heels, Keman bringing up the rear, his feet shape-shifted into deer hooves to confuse their tracks. And hopefully, their trackers.

He had wanted to protest that they needed to rest-but that was two sets of hunters they'd eluded now, and he wasn't sure how many more might be out here. Neither, evidently, was Shana.

This was not just for hunting children. Cheynar would never have committed more than one party for that. This was for wizard wizard hunting-Cheynar knew, or guessed, that the children hadn't escaped on their own. And if he a.s.sumed there were wizards in their full powers out here- hunting-Cheynar knew, or guessed, that the children hadn't escaped on their own. And if he a.s.sumed there were wizards in their full powers out here- Valyn's blood ran cold. There would be no quarter, and no escape, if Cheynar could help it.

Cheynar already disliked humans; where wizards were concerned, "hatred" was not an adequate term for what the elven lord felt. And as for what he'd do when he caught them- Valyn tried to move a little faster.

Shana closed her eyes and thought of the harsh, scorching heat of the desert sun, of the soothing warmth of her bed at the Citadel, trying to conjure up a little of that to ease her wretchedness now. She failed completely.

They huddled together in soggy misery under the meager shelter provided by a fallen tree and a lean-to of pine boughs. All of them except Keman, that is; he had shape-shifted to something very like a small dragon, while Valyn had watched in fascination. Shana was used to seeing him shift; Valyn and Shadow had only seen it once-and at the time, they had been too overcome by shock to think about the mechanics of shape-changing. Neither of them had realized that Keman's "clothing" was part of him until he reabsorbed it this second time, just before the shift itself. They had gawked while she had gathered material for a shelter, and for a little bit her resentment at being the only one working had been enough to keep her warm.

Now Keman lay along the top of the log, watching for predators, keeping a mental eye out for their pursuers, perfectly comfortable, with his metabolism adjusted for the cold, and the rain sliding off his scales. And the three of them huddled together on the ground beneath him.

Wistfully, Shana wished for the same power. As the last into the shelter, she had gotten her clothing completely soaked; she shivered despite the nearness of the other two. In fact, she was too miserable to appreciate Valyn's proximity. She rubbed a nose that felt numb, and coughed, an ominous tickle in the back of her throat heralding more misery to come.

Mero sneezed, and rubbed his his nose with the back of his hand. nose with the back of his hand.

"Are you all right?" Valyn asked his cousin anxiously. Shana suppressed another cough and a glower. But her annoyance rapidly melted beneath her general misery, and she had to fight back tears of self-pity. She didn't want to give way now now . She had spent a great deal of time and effort on appearing tough and capable. There was no point in destroying all that work by resorting to weakness and leaking tears- . She had spent a great deal of time and effort on appearing tough and capable. There was no point in destroying all that work by resorting to weakness and leaking tears- Even though she really wanted to break down and cry right at the moment; she was freezing and wretched and she had the feeling she was about to come down with something awful-and Valyn was worried because his stupid cousin had sneezed once.

"I think I'm getting another cold," Mero replied in a gluey voice; and under other circ.u.mstances Shana might have felt some sympathy for him, for he sounded as if he felt just as awful as she did.

"Shana-" Valyn said without turning (mostly because he couldn't; they were wedged in so tightly that none of them could move). "Shana, can't we do better than this? We can't afford for Mero to get sick, not now, not with Cheynar practically on top of us."

That again. As if she wasn't fully aware of it every waking moment and most sleeping, with a feeling of claws and fangs closing in and ready to rend her in pieces if she once closed her eyes. Fear was such a constant presence at her shoulder that she tasted the metallic flavor of it in her food, and her heart raced every time she heard a noise she couldn't readily identify. The equal fear in Valyn's voice was not enough to mollify her-he wasn't thinking of anyone but Mere, he wasn't even paying any attention to the fact that she she was sick, too. was sick, too.

"No," she said shortly, her temper finally shattering and falling to bits. "No, we can't. This is the best I could do. Everything I've learned has had to do with attack and defense. I'm sorry, but n.o.body ever taught me how to conjure up shelter out of nothing."

She would have said more, but a coughing fit interrupted her, and Valyn craned his head around to look over his shoulder at her, his expression of annoyance turning to concern.

"Are you you all right?" he asked. She shook her head, and shivered even harder as a trickle of cold water ran through the pine boughs and down the back of her neck. Despite her determination to show no weakness, to her complete mortification, she all right?" he asked. She shook her head, and shivered even harder as a trickle of cold water ran through the pine boughs and down the back of her neck. Despite her determination to show no weakness, to her complete mortification, she did did start leaking tears out of the corners of her eyes. start leaking tears out of the corners of her eyes.

Maybe they'll look like rain, she thought hopelessly. "I'm probably coming down with the same thing," she said around the lump in her throat. "And I don't think the weather is going to break for a while." Now she couldn't keep resentment out of her voice. "You elves are to blame for that-every time you muck around with the weather patterns somewhere, it throws something else off. This place has no business turning into a rain forest, but that's what's going on, and we're stuck in the middle of it." Valyn looked startled at her sudden outburst; she recollected herself, and softened her voice, putting an effort into sounding a little less accusatory. "At least Cheynar's not going to get around very fast in this mess."

She managed a tremulous smile, and got the tears stopped. Valyn frowned as she coughed again, her chest tightening painfully.

"We can't afford to have you you sick either," he pointed out, gently. "Cheynar's not that far behind us. If you're sick, who's going to hunt, find the camps, and guide us through this place?" sick either," he pointed out, gently. "Cheynar's not that far behind us. If you're sick, who's going to hunt, find the camps, and guide us through this place?"

"I don't think anybody's going to have a choice," she retorted. "And if I could magic up a big house with warm beds and hot drinks, don't you think I would?"

The thought started another tear down her cheek-its path was the only part of her that felt warm.

Valyn's jaw clenched, and he stared at her closely. "You look awful," he said. "And my guess is that Shadow's fevered. You're both both going to be ill before nightfall." going to be ill before nightfall."

And just what am I supposed to do about it? She retorted in thought. And what difference is it going to make And what difference is it going to make ? ?

Apparently it made some difference to Valyn. "That's it," he said decisively. "We don't have a choice, we need to get out of here and back to someplace civilized."

"Right," she replied, with an edge of sarcasm to her voice. The rain increased marginally; just enough to send another cold spill down through the branches onto the back of her neck. "I'll just stroll up to Lord Dyran's door and ask him if he'll please take us all in. After all, he should be overjoyed to see us; his renegade son, two halfblood wizards and a dragon."

To her surprise, Valyn half smiled. "That's not exactly what I had in mind," he said, his sweetly reasonable tone setting her teeth on edge. "But it is close. There's an old saying about the best place to hide being in the enemy's territory. So-let's try it."