Sarbo cleared his throat. "I never said that. You must have heard me wrong."

"No, that is what you said, Master Sarbo." Yonk squeezed past him and came out on the porch. "In fact, all the way across the desert you talked about being buried and the songs you wanted."

Sarbo made a face. "As you can see, I still have not figured out a way to get the runt to shut up. Even giving him his freedom did not work. Now he thinks he can talk all the more."

Mark turned. "I'll be back, Sarbo. There is someone else I need to see."

"Who is that, Kakon? Can I come too?" Barow trotted down the street after him.

"I suppose. After all, we are going to your house."

"My house? Oh, you want to see my father. think he is in the field today."

Mark didn't comment. He turned off the main street and rode up the dirt path to Dagon's cabin. He slid down and handed his reins to Barow. "Take care of my mount. It's had a long hard trip."

Mark waited until Barow led the animal to water and then knocked on the front door.

It opened wide.

"Kakon!" Megaan exclaimed as she stepped outside. "I am so glad to see you. Sarbo led us to believe you could be gone for quite some time."

"Are you really glad to see me?"

A soft look came into her eyes. "Of course I am. I was not sure if I would ever see you again."

"And would that have bothered you?"

Megaan frowned. "Did you come back just to fight with me?"

"Actually"a"Mark stepped closer and put his arms around hera""I came back for this." He leaned down and kissed her.

chapter 51.

"Is it true that you are going to marry my sister?" Barow had a look of disgust on his face.

"Who told you that?" Mark measured off one corner of his land and pounded a stake into the ground.

"Everybody in the village has been talking about it for weeks. Is it true?"

"To tell you the truth, have been thinking about it. See, if I marry Megaan then you and I will be brothers. I thought it might be worth it just for that. What do you think?"

"I think you are crazy. Nothing would be worth marrying Megaan. She is too bossy and mean."

"Did I hear someone talking about me?" Megaan said, coming up behind them.

Mark turned. He put down the rest of his stakes and wiped his hands on his pants. "Barow here was just giving me a rundown of all your faults. He thinks it would be a big mistake to marry you. You being so hardheaded and all."

Megaan folded her arms. "Barow, Grandmother wants you at the cabin. She needs help with the vegetables."

Barow's lip went out. "You made that up just to get rid of me."

"Get going," Megaan ordered.

They watched him climb onto the gray and ride away. Mark faced Megaan and took one of her hands. "Barow says everyone in the village is talking about us."

Megaan flushed. "It is the way of the Tsook. They look forward to all celebrations."

"And ours is going to be the greatest." Mark took her other hand. "I just wish I had some crops planted. Things might be a little tough for us for a while."

Megaan's chin went up. "I am not worried. You are a good hunter. We will not go hungry."

Her compliment filled him. He had thought himself too young for this, too young for marriage or being with another person, but it all seemed so ... so right. According to the Tsook customs, both of them were already past marriage age. "Speaking of hunting, your grandmother asked me to bring back some fresh meat for her today. If I don't get started it will be dark before I get back. Why don't you come with me?"

Megaan pulled her hands away. "You know I cannot leave the village and be alone with you. It is not done."

"You're alone with me now." His arm went around her shoulders. "And I remember a time not so long ago that you rode out to look for me when I was wounded. We were alone then too."

"That was different. We were younger then." She tried to pull away. "Kakon. You will embarra.s.s my family."

Mark gave her a quick kiss on the forehead. "We can't have that, now, can we?" He untied his beast and swung on. "Tell your grandmother I will be back soon. If I don't find anything for her stew pot today I will keep looking until I do."

"Kakon."

"Yes?"

"I think it would not be good for you to be gone too long."

Mark sat back. "And I think Barow was right. You are bossy." He kicked his mount into a run.

The dirt clod missed him by only a few inches.

chapter 52.

Mark settled down next to his small fire. He was wishing he hadn't been so greedy but had gone ahead and taken the two rabbit creatures he had seen earlier. Because he had wanted to impress Megaan and her family he'd let them go and searched for larger game. But he hadn't found any.

Close to dark he had come upon the fresh tracks of a tragg, a large elklike animal. But now it was too late to track it. He would have to try to pick up the trail again in the morning.

He leaned back on his elbows. Life in this world wasn't so bad. He did what he wanted and went where he pleased. He was a Tsook warrior and in a few months he would have a wife. They could start a family.

He had deliberately squeezed out all thoughts of his other life. He calculated that he was somewhere close to seventeen now. In this world that was a grown man. Sarbo still teased him but treated him with more respect than he had before.

Dagon had seemed pleased that Mark had chosen to ask long talk about Mark's run-in with the Merkon and decided that if the Overlord or any of his men ever came to the village again they would simply be told that Mark had never returned.

Mark closed his eyes and was about to drift off to sleep when he heard a branch break. Silently he reached for the crossbow near his fingertips and rolled away from the fire into the shadows.

"Ho, the fire. I am a weary traveler looking for food and a place to spend the night."

Mark stayed in the shadows. "Come forward and lay down your weapons."

A man wearing armor walked out in the opening and leaned down to place his sword on the ground. When he did there was a rustling in the brush behind Mark.

He rolled but it was too late. A large man jumped on him and wrestled the crossbow out of his hands. Mark struggled but it was no use. He was pinned solidly to the ground.

The other man. picked up his sword and walked over. "Well, well, what have we here? It appears to be our young outlaw. Let him up, Francle. I think we know this one."

"Roan?" Mark scrambled out from under his attacker. "Is that you? And Francle? What are you doing way out here?"

"Looking for you." Roan helped him to his feet and Francle patted his shoulder apologetically. "Of course we never expected to find you camping out in the hills. Why are you not in your village keeping company with your girl? Did she throw you over?"

"No. In fact, we're getting married in a few months. I'm just out hunting."

"Not having much luck, by the looks of things."

"Never mind about that. You said you were looking for me. Why?"

Roan walked to the fire and sat down. "I am afraid we come with bad news. Jod and the others are all dead. Mordo caught them at the trader's on the other side of the river. He killed everyone, including the old trader and his family. Francle and I were guarding the camp or we would have been with them."

"I'm sorry, Roan." Mark sat beside him. "Look, the two of you can come live with me. I have a good cabin in the village."

"There is more, Kakon. Mordo has taken his father's place. You wounded the Merkon so severely that he stays in his rooms now. Mordo has vowed revenge on you. He burned the forest looking for you and now he and most of his father's army are on their way here to find you."

Mark swallowed. It took a few seconds for the impact of Roan's message to sink in. Mordo was determined to kill him. And he would stop at nothing to see that it was done.

"I have put my village in danger, Roan. I never should have come back." Mark began kicking dirt on the fire. "I have to warn them and then I will leave ... forever."

"Where will you go, Kakon? The Merkon's son will hunt you no matter where you run."

Mark stopped. "I will run only so long as it pleases me. When the Merkon's son is in my territory, then I will fight."

"Now that sounds more like it!" Roan said. "It just so happens that at the moment Francle and I are homeless. We would be more than happy to come along."

Francle nodded vigorously.

Mark shook his head. "It is my fight. I can't ask you to risk your lives."

"Who is asking? Besides, I owe Mordo. He is the one who turned me in. Remember?"

"You are a good friend, Roan." Mark's voice was dangerously cold and even. "But this is something I have to do alone."

chapter 53.

"Please try to understand, Megaan. I'm leaving because I care for you and your people. As long as I am here you are all in danger. Mordo will burn the whole village and kill everyone in it. He doesn't care whom he hurts as long as it gets him closer to me."

"But our warriors will fight for you. They have taken a blood oath. My father says we will fight to the last man if necessary."

"Don't you see? If I leave here no one else has to die. There's no other way."

"Let him go, Megaan." Leeta stepped out on the porch. "Kakon has chosen the right way. If you care for him you will not hold him back."

Megaan buried her face in his chest. "When this is over..."

Mark held her close. "When it is over."

Barow brought up the silver mount. "You have much food and supplies, Kakon. Your pouch with the black exploding powder is wrapped to keep it dry."

"Thank you, Barow." Mark took the reins. "I'm going to need you to take care of things for me again. Especially watch out for your sister. Even if she is a little hardheaded and bossy." He smiled down at Megaan.

Dagon stood up from the bench where he was sitting with Sarbo, Roan and Francle. "I wish you much luck, Kakon. And remember, this will always be your home."

Mark nodded. "I'll remember."

"Good-bye, infant," Sarbo bellowed. "I have decided I do not care for funerals much. Come back alive."

"I'll see what I can do."

Roan c.o.c.ked his head. "Are you sure Francle and I cannot come? We would welcome the opportunity to pay Mordo for his treachery."

"Not this time." Mark let Megaan go and jumped onto his mount. He gave them all one last long look. He tried to imprint their faces on his memory.

It was time to leave.

A warning blast sounded from the tower, immediately followed by two more. Mark pulled up. He had waited too long. Mordo was already there.

"I'll lead them away," Mark shouted. He sank his heels into the mount's sides and raced down the road.

Two warriors were scrambling to close the front gate. Mark darted through the narrow opening and stopped on the other side. In the distance Mordo and his army were marching toward the village.

Mark stood by the wall and waited until he was sure they could see him clearly. Then he headed for the mountain.

It worked. Mordo and his army broke into a run and came after him.