rocks from Doulos's left.

"Cheyne?" came the weak answer. "Is that really you?"

A hail of stones rained down on the snarling, laughing canistas, and they broke off the attack and scattered through the low brush in all directions.

"We are here, Muje! By the tree," cried Doulos.

Just then, the canistas, no longer confused, herded back together and bounded through the brush and charging Cheyne and Yob. Half the pack separated and circled warily around the ore while three others took turns rushing Cheyne. The beasts were quicker than anything Cheyne had ever fought, and seemed to enjoy dancing in and out of his dagger's range, snapping at his heels as he whirled around and around, keeping them away. The others, wide grins on their slavering jaws, paced around Yob and began to narrow their circles.

They were within seconds of closing in when Doulos began to yell an ancient Neffian war cry at the top of his lungs from the tree. The shrill sound bounced around the flinty rocks and echoed off the mountainSONG OF TIME

side, causing the canistas to hesitate just long enough for the big ore to drive through their circle and reach Cheyne. As they met, Cheyne pressed himself to Yob's back, and when the canistas rejoined the attack, two of them had their throats slit before they knew it. They fell slowly, never seeming to notice they were dying, their jaws continuing to snap and snarl. The others hopped over the bodies of their packmates with no concern. Frustrated, Doulos could not aim his spear for their constant motion.

"Over to the fire, Yob," cried Cheyne. The ore grunted his understanding and they began to move slowly, a step at a time, toward the dying fire. "Good. Get ready."

Cheyne took his opening when one of the beasts jostled another and fell into the firepit. The fire caught at its fur instantly, but the beast died before it felt the burning as Doulos finally got his opportunity to stab it. Cheyne leapt away from Yob, retrieved the spear with a quick jerk, and rolled the dead canista off the embers.

He took the stick on which Doulos had roasted a rabbit and stirred the embers into new life as Yob moved around behind the fire, keeping the rocks at his back. The canistas drew back, growling low. Cheyne cautiously worked the fire until it caught on the greasy stick, then he advanced on the canistas, swinging the flaming stick in the midst of them.

He tossed Yob the spear, then ran from behind the firebed, crushing the pack together, causing them to turn and bite one another in their fear and frenzy. There were still too many. At least they still couldn't get to Javin. The biggest of them broke from the fur fight and loped off a short distance to gather speed, then ran back at Cheyne. Cheyne stood his ground as the beast charged, and opened him from breastbone to belly with his dagger as the canista leapt onto him. Their leader dead, the others scattered, wailing and crying and snickering into the night.

"Good fighting, master. We don't have long," said

Teri McLaren

Yob. "They'll come back again. Canistas are a worthy enemy. They never give up."

"Neither do I, Yob. We'll play until we win," said Cheyne, wiping the dark, sticky blood from his dagger and hands. "Come on."

They found favin with Doulos crouched protectively over him, quietly weeping. Javin appeared to have lost a lot of blood from several bites, Javin was calling for his son. Cheyne bent over him, straining to hear what his foster father was saying.

"Cheyne… I thought I would never see you again. Are you safe?"

"Yes, very safe. And so are you, now, Javin."

"1 found him… the Collector."

Cheyne smiled, his ears alert for the canistas. "I'm glad, Javin."

"There is something you must know." Javin's breathing had suddenly become shallow and far too fast.

"What's wrong with him? He's not hurt that badly." Cheyne clutched at Doulos as he ground out the words. Doulos pointed to Javin's exposed arm, where the poison had advanced up to his shoulder.

"He says it was the Raptor. He followed you because you are in terrible danger," said Doulos, his face bleak in the starlight. Cheyne let the slave go and bent closer to hear, hoping Javin had the strength to say what he intended.

"The caravan. You were right, Cheyne, I never told you… all. But if I had, the way I hid you from him would never have worked. I was on my way to the forest with that caravan to dig for the Collector. When the Raptor came, you were bringing water to the animals. One of the droms had loosened its hobbles, and you had gone far afield to find it. By the time you returned, the Raptor's agent, an elf with a scar across his cheek, had killed everyone but me. But he didn't know about you. That day, when you came back from the wood, I took you and hid you from him.

"Your amulet… for centuries, we have passed it

down one to another, in the Circle. It was the Collector's, and some of his magic has remained upon it. I am no good with magic, but I used the amulet to take away the picture in your mind of your identity. That's why you cannot see yourself. If you do not know who you are, then he cannot know who you are.

"Cheyne, the Circle ends with me… I am the last. The Raptor, he has hunted us down over the centuries, finding us no matter how well we hid. Many times, I have been within his grasp, and he let me go. This time he tried to kill me. It could only be because of you, and the Clock…"

"Because of the treasure?" Cheyne repeated incredulously.

"Yes, but it is you he wants… has always wanted. You are the one, you see…"

Cheyne looked up at Doulos, who shook his head in bewilderment. Doulos hushed Javin for a moment, listening. Cheyne raised his dagger, thinking the canistas had returned. They waited in silence for awhile, but heard nothing else. Doulos slipped around the boulders for a look, but found only Yob, his spear firmly in hand. From the high branches of the big oak, Naruq leapt and landed without a sound, already counting his fortune.

Cheyne was still holding Javin's head when he began to talk again. "The Clock is really a weapon, made by the Collector long ago, when the brothers fought. The book-"

"Javin, you have the book? The little bronze-bound one? I… I found it in the crypt and took it with me. I'm sorry, Javin, I was angry with you. I should have left it for you. I thought it lost forever!"

"It's all right. The book must explain how the Clock works; it has to. The juma writings say… it's where the Collector left his clues. You cannot let the beast get out. The Raptor still believes the crystal wall shields a treasure. He will stop at nothing to get it- and you. He is a madman, no man at all anymore…