Micum and the wizard followed cautiously.

"Looks like they're settling in," Micum said, watching as several soldiers set to work felling trees at the edge of the clearing. "And right in Seregil's path, too. You can see the ledges from there."

"He must have seen them earlier," Nysander replied, heading back to the pine shelter.

"Let's hope so," Micum muttered. "I didn't like the way he stormed out of here. You know, there's nothing to do here just now. Maybe I should head out looking for him. Will you be safe?"

Nysander smiled. "From that lot? Oh, yes. You go on."

Keeping behind the underbrush along the road, Micum passed the Plenimaran camp without being seen. From the cover of a fallen tree, he counted ten soldiers in the clearing. That left two unaccounted for.

When he was well away from the camp he moved out onto the ledges and looked south for some sign of movement. Nysander had not been specific on how far away Alec was. Checking the sun, he guessed Seregil had been gone a little better than an hour.

The incoming tide boomed against the rocks as he continued south. Another hour passed before he finally caught sight of two figures moving toward him in the distance. Though too far away still to make out details, he could see that Seregil was supporting Alec as they made their way unsteadily over a rocky stretch of shore.

Seregil drew his sword at the sight of him, then sheathed it again as he recognized Micum.

"By the Flame, we found you after all!" Micum exclaimed joyously as he reached them. Throwing an arm around Alec, Micum gave him a welcoming hug and helped him to a seat on a driftwood log. The boy was hollow-eyed with exhaustion, and dressed in Seregil' boots, tunic, and cloak.

"Are you all right? Where's Thero?"

"Dead or captured," Alec told him, and Micum heard the strain in his voice.

Seregil gave Micum a quick warning look. "Thero helped him escape. He's had a rough time of it these last few weeks. We've still got a ways to go, Alec. Do you want to rest before we go on?"

"No, let's just keep going," Alec replied.

"Where's Nysander?"

"Don't you worry about him. He's safe. And by the Flame, so are you!" Micum said warmly, clasping Alec's shoulder. "Bilairy's Balls, Alec, I was afraid we'd lost you."

"Have the second group of scouts reached the place yet?" asked Seregil.

"Two hours ago, I'd say. They staked out a camp just below the temple. I didn't want the two of you running into them by accident, so I came out to meet you."

"Thanks. I'll need you to get him the rest of the way." Seregil glanced down at Alec with concern.

"He doesn't have much left in him. I'm surprised we made it as far as we did."

"I'll be all right," Alec insisted, swaying as he got to his feet again.

"We'd better stick to the woods," Micum said, slipping an arm under Alec's. "It's too exposed out here and I don't know where they've posted guards. How far behind would you say Mardus is?"

"I lost all track of distance last night," Alec confessed. "If the scouts have reached you, he can't be much more than half a day behind."

"What kind of force does he have with him?"

"I'm not certain, but I think he has at least forty soldiers, plus a gang of prisoners—maybe a hundred. And there's the necromancer and a dyrmagnos."

Micum's eyes widened in alarm. "Damnation! He's got one of those things with him? And prisoners?"

"I imagine it takes a lot of blood to make this Helm of theirs," Seregil said bitterly. "Alec claims there were sacrificial murders on the ship as they came over, and more since they landed and met up with another force. That's where this bunch of prisoners came from."

"And the four of us are here to stop them?" Micum shook his head as they climbed up to the forest and started back.

With the help of Micum and Seregil, Alec managed to make it to the salt pine.

"Here you are at last, dear boy!" Nysander whispered, embracing Alec as he collapsed onto the carpet of dried needles. "I knew you would come back to us. And only just in time."

"Seregil told me about the eclipse tomorrow," said Alec, yawning as he settled with his back to the trunk.

"I know how weary you must be, but you must tell me all that you've learned. Then I promise, you shall rest. And you must eat!"

Seregil passed him some biscuit, cheese, and a skin of fresh water. Alec took a long gulp before he began.

"You were right, both of you," he said, looking ruefully at Micum and Seregil. "I should've stayed at Watermead that night, but I was worried about Seregil. When I got back to the Cockerel—"

He paused, blinking back fresh tears.

"They know," Seregil told him, moving closer beside him. "I got there at dawn and saw everything. What happened after that?"

"They jumped me as soon as I came in, Ashnazai and his men. I managed to wound a couple of them before they took me down."

"Vargul Ashnazai?" asked Nysander. "Ah, yes, I have heard of him."

Alec smiled bitterly. "You won't anymore. I killed the bastard last night. That's how Thero and I got away. At least I did."

He looked around at the others earnestly. "He saved my life. Whatever else he did, he saved my life and he's probably dead now because of it. He used his magic to help us escape, then he changed me into a stag the way you did, Nysander." Alec's chin trembled but he didn't stop. "I–I ran away. He chased me off and I ran. I can still hear—"

The wizard clasped Alec's hands between his. "I won't tell you not to grieve, dear boy, but you mustn't blame yourself. Please, continue with your story. You were speaking of the inn."

Alec wiped at his nose with a dirt-streaked forearm. "I don't remember much after that, until I woke up aboard the ship. Mardus was there, and Ashnazai, another necromancer I didn't see much of, and a dyrmagnos woman called Irtuk Beshar."

Steeling himself, he related his treatment aboard the Kormados.

Nysander listened in silence until he reached the nightmarish dinner with Mardus. "Mardus himself told you that the Helm must be given lives to build its power? You are certain of this?"

Alec nodded grimly. "He said the younger the victim, the more power the death gives. It was Mardus' idea of revenge to have Thero and me be the last sacrifices at the final ceremony."

Seregil looked up sharply at this. "That's the key! If we strike quickly, before they complete the sacrifices, maybe we have a chance against this thing."

"Perhaps, but we must not underestimate its initial capabilities," warned Nysander. "It may well have some degree of power from the moment of completion. Very well. Go on, Alec."

Too tired to be anything but matter-of-fact about the nightly horrors Vargul Ashnazai had visited on them, Alec quickly outlined the details of the overland journey.

Seregil went pale as he described the visitation by Cilia and the invectives she'd hurled at him.

"Phantasms, nothing but illusions conjured up by this terrible man," Nysander assured him. "Such spells turn your own fears and imaginings against you."

"But what about when I saw Seregil?" Alec asked. "That was real. I touched him, felt him bleeding. There was blood on my hands the next day."

"More illusion," said Nysander. "He created Seregil's image using some poor victim so that the death would be convincing. Someone certainly died in front of you that night. I imagine Ashnazai meant to break your spirit once and for all."

Alec glanced guiltily in Micum's direction. "I enjoyed killing him. I know that's wrong, but I did."

"Don't fret over it," Micum said with a grim smile. "I'd have felt the same in your place. There's no dishonor in killing a mad creature like that."

Seregil chuckled blackly. "I plan to enjoy killing Mardus just as much."

"Vengeance is not our purpose," Nysander reminded them firmly. "Never allow yourselves to forget that their god can use our own emotions and weakness against us. Now allow Alec to finish his account so he can rest."