Skagara stared at the Gargant headman in stunned silence.

"Kitai," rumbled Doroga. "Step into the horto."

The boy that had cut Tavi before appeared nervously at the head of the crowd-from behind the ranks of Clan Horse, Tavi noted. Doroga saw it as well and scowled. "Get in here, whelp."

Kitai hesitated at the edge of the stones, then hurried inside, steps carrying him lightly over to stand on the ground beside Doroga's stone.

Doroga put his hand on Kitai's shoulder. "In this, I ask you to stand for me. Will you?"

Kitai swallowed and nodded, without speaking.

Skagara snarled. "Then draw the circle. Bare the contestants. Let the spawn of Doroga show the strength of the sire. The Aleran is no match in a Trial of Strength, even for your whelp, Doroga."

"The trial of Clan Gargant is the Trial of Strength," Doroga said. "But Kitai is not yet Bound to a Clan. And the trial of Clan Fox, the Clan of my whelp's mother, is the Trial of Wits. Kitai may accept challenge in either. And I decree that in this the Fox Trial best serves the interest of the Marat."

Hashat frowned at Doroga, as though she didn't fully understand, but she said, "I second Doroga's opinion. Let us bring the question before The One."

"No," Skagara spat. "The Fox Clan is no more."

Doroga spun toward Skagara again and advanced a step on the other man. His hands closed into fists with a rippling crackle of popping knuckles, and his jaws bulged where he clenched them. He came to a stop, across the pool from the Wolf headman, shaking with a visible effort to restrain himself.

"I think," Hashat said, quietly, "that Doroga believes you mistaken, Skagara. I think he wishes to bring the matter before The One in the Blood Trial of the Wolf Clan."

Skagara gave one glance to Hashat and then stumbled back and off of

his rock. "I will not forget this, Doroga," he said, voice strained, high. "Atsurak will know how you have perverted our laws for your purposes."

"Get out of my sight," Doroga said in a quiet, dreadful voice.

Skagara retreated, behind an uneasy wall of warriors of Clan Wolf and down off of the hilltop.

Uneasy talk broke out among the Marat watching, but Doroga turned in a circle, speaking to them. "Go back down. Hashat and I will arrange the trial. We will let The One help us decide what path we will walk."

The Marat departed then, peaceably, though there continued to be much talk among them, and though the Wolves seemed to retreat down the hill cautiously, many fangs bared, low growls warning away those who came too near.

A few moments later, Tavi and Fade stood with the three Marat alone. Doroga gave his shoulders a shake and blew out a long breath. "Very well," the Marat said. "Hashat. What do you think is an appropriate trial?"

The Horse headman shrugged her shoulders. "The usual for this horto."

Kitai drew in a quick breath.

Doroga grimaced. "You know what I'm trying to do."

"The Wolf is right about one thing. You challenge tradition with this, if not the law. If you stretch things too much, you will lose the support of your own Clan, and mine. Best, I think, if you stay close to tradition wherever you can now."

Doroga looked at Tavi, then at Kitai. "Are they old enough?"

Tavi stepped forward. "Wait just one second, here. I did what you said you wanted me to do, Doroga. What have I gotten myself into?"

Hashat turned to Tavi. "Aleran. You are alive, and not a meal. For that, you should give your thanks to Doroga, and be silent."

Tavi snapped, "I don't think so. This place almost exploded today. I'm being used. I think it's polite to at least tell me how. And why."

Hashat narrowed her eyes and laid a hand on the hilt of her saber, but Doroga shook his head. "No. He is correct." Doroga moved back to his stone and sat down, heavily. "Valleyboy, you have agreed to a Trial of Wits with Kitai. The victor in the trial will be considered to hold the favor of The One in the question you raised."

Tavi frowned. "You mean, if I win, then I'm right, and my people are not the enemy of the Marat."

Doroga grunted assent. "And my Clan, and Hashat's, will refuse the leadership of Atsurak, who moves against your people."

Tavi's eyes widened "You're kidding me Half the Marat horde just vanishes' Just like that'" He turned to look at Fade, his heart beginning to pound "Fade, did you hear'"

"You haven't won the trial," Kitai said, spitting the words "Nor will you "

Doroga frowned at his whelp and then said to Tavi, "It is my wish that you should win I can take my people from this conflict But it may not be the desire of The One "

"I know it isn't mine," Kitai said The young Marat nodded to his father and then said to Hashat, "Is your offer still open'"

The Horse headman glanced at Doroga Then nodded to Kitai "Of course "

Kitai nodded at that and then stepped close to Tavi, multicolored eyes narrowed "Wits or strength, it doesn't matter to me, Aleran I will beat you " Then he shot Doroga an angry glance and stalked off down the hill

Tavi blinked "But I would have thought he'd want to help you " He glanced at Doroga

The Marat shrugged "My whelp will try to defeat you As it should be It is a good trial before The One "

“But " Tavi swallowed "Trial of Wits' What is it'"

Doroga said to Hashat, "See to it that they are prepared " Then he turned and walked down the hill after his whelp

Hashat folded her arms over her chest and eyed Tavi

"Well'" Tavi asked "What am I supposed to do'"

"You will leave this night, to return with the Blessing of Night from the Valley of Trees," Hashat said, simply "Who returns with it first is the victor of the trial Follow me " The Marat started off down the hill, lean legs taking long steps

"Blessing of Night, Valley of Trees Right, fine " Tavi turned to follow her, but stopped as Fade caught at his shirt Tavi turned to the man, frowning "What is it'"

"Tavi," Fade said "You must not do this Let me face the trial "

Tavi blinked "Uh Fade It's a Trial of Wits, remember'"

Fade shook his head "Valley of Trees Remember that "

The boy frowned, turning to Fade "What do you remember'"

"It is what the Marat call the Wax Forest" Fade looked past Tavi to the retreating Hashat, his scarred face haunted "One of you will surely die "

Chapter 27

Fidelias stopped, panting, as he and Aldrick emerged from the heavily forested regions northeast of Bernardholt and reached the causeway that led down the Valley and ultimately to Garrison. His feet, though he had wrapped them in strips of his cloak and urged his furies to ease his way, had worsened. The pain alone was nearly enough to stop him, even without the fatigue from too long spent walking, casting back and forth in a fruitless effort to catch the wily Steadholder.

Fidelias sank onto a flat stone beside the causeway, while the swordsman paced restlessly out onto the road. "I don't get it," he said. "Why don't you just zoom us along like before?"

"Because we haven't been on a road," Fidelias said from between clenched teeth. "Riding an earthwave along a road is simple. Using one in the open countryside, without intimate knowledge of the local furies is suicide."

"So he can do it, but you can't."

Fidelias suppressed a sharp comment. "Yes, Aldrick."

"We're crowbait."

Fidelias shook his head. "We're not going to catch him at this rate. He left a half-dozen false trails behind him and waited until we bought one of them before he raised his wave and went."

"If we had the horses-"

"We don't," Fidelias said bluntly. He lifted his foot and unwrapped some of the cloth.

Aldrick paced over to him. He stared down at his feet and swore. "Crows, old man. Can you feel them?"