Leesil slid his hand across her back, glancing at Sgaile.

Wynn shared Leesil's concern over whatever had whispered to Magiere in her dream and showed her the six-towered castle coated in ice. But in their travels, they had uncovered no other clues regarding the whereabouts of the artifact. Wynn felt they should do everything possible to help Magiere, and not continue questioning the lead they had.

"This is the only ship," Sgaile said, his voice tight, "unless you wish to linger here even longer. The elders arranged passage once-they would not do so again. It is either this vessel, or we travel back across the Broken Range on foot… by whatever way you found to reach us. And then head south. What is your choice?"

Magiere slowly turned her head toward him.

Wynn lost sight of her companion's pale face, but she saw Sgaile's large eyes narrow. He crossed his own arms. Magiere turned away again, staring out over the bay, and Wynn knew Magiere's answer.

"Their belongings have arrived," a crew member called out to Brot'an.

Another skiff pulled in beside the ship, and two elves in the small vessel hoisted up baggage. Wynn hurried to help Osha as he began hauling in their belongings, which had increased during their visit in Ghoivne Ajhajhe.

Magiere's comment about being trapped was not precisely correct. They had used their time in the city to prepare for the coming journey. Magiere was not certain about their path, but she knew their destination lay in a mountain canyon so high up it was locked in snow and ice all year.

"Ah, here are your new coats," Osha said in Elvish, and tapped Leesil's shoulder as he pointed down to the skiff.

"In Belaskian," Wynn chided without thinking. "You need the practice."

Osha gave her a sheepish smile and repeated in broken speech that Leesil and Magiere could understand.

Wynn had not spoken much to Osha since his arrival. It seemed they easily fell back into a pattern in which she insisted he speak an appropriate language that her companions could understand.

One elf in the skiff below climbed halfway up to hand off their new coats. Magiere had specifically requested these garments.

Made of sheepskin with the woolly side inward, they were also lined with a thick layer of rough-spun cotton fabric. The outer hide had been deeply oiled against bad weather, something Brot'an added to their specifications. The new garments would maximize body heat retention in a cold climate.

Meanwhile, Wynn and Leesil had arranged for smoked meats and dried fruits, water flasks, tea, and other goods. They had little to trade, but Sgaile handled the negotiations, ushering them out of any shop to await him. Wynn had an uneasy feeling that most of the items had been donated, since an anmaglahk had requested them.

The hkomas's harsh voice called out for sails to be set. Wynn watched the crew scramble into the rigging to ready the ship. And it struck her that they were truly leaving. She sighed and returned to her companions. Magiere appeared calmer, but Leesil swallowed hard, looking more uncomfortable.

Wynn heard Brot'an talking in low tones to Sgaile as the master anmaglahk prepared to descend to the waiting skiff. Then Brot'an handed something to Sgaile. Both his words and gift, if that was what it was, passed too quickly for Wynn to catch.

Sgaile glared at Brot'an with his fists closed tightly on the hidden object.

Osha tensed up, his expression aghast. Sgaile seemed about to argue or question, but Brot'an raised a finger and his lips moved in one brief phrase.

"Chein'as?" Osha whispered too loudly.

"Tosajij!" Sgaile hissed at him.

The younger elf cringed in embarrassment. His wide amber eyes flicked toward Leesil, who wavered as he tried to lift baggage from the deck.

Wynn wondered at the word Osha spoke, and why Sgaile ordered him into silence.

Chein'as-the… "burning" ones?

Brot'an started to descend, and Wynn's thoughts rushed to all he had done for her and her companions. She knew how much she irritated him at times, but he had been their protector and adviser-at a cost Wynn could not even estimate.

"Brot'an…," she called, and then lost her nerve.

Brot'an halted, then stepped back up on deck. He came closer, until he towered over Wynn, and grasped her gently by the shoulders.

"Farewell, little one," he said, and lowered his head to whisper, "and do not stop asking questions."

Wynn nodded with a sting in her eyes.

Brot'an turned away, pausing once before Magiere. A shadow of sadness crossed her pale face. She, too, had depended on his wisdom in this strange land. But Leesil…

He remained crouched over the baggage and did not rise. Too much had happened between Leesil and the master anmaglahk for him to ever trust the man. Brot'an climbed over the ship's side and vanished from sight.

Sgaile turned hard eyes on Osha and pulled him away toward the ship's aft.

Wynn desperately wanted to follow and listen, though she knew such action would not be considered appropriate. She was about to go help Magiere and Leesil with the baggage when she noticed that Chap was gone. She spun about, searching the deck.

He stood poised upon a crate near the rail-wall, gazing toward the shore. Wynn came up behind him and stroked his back. She knew what he had been doing all the early mornings and evenings when he had disappeared into the forest.

Out beyond the city, Chap had spent his last days with Lily, the white majay-hi.

He had said his good-bye to her the day they had arrived in Ghoivne Ajhajhe, but the unexpected delay had weakened his resolve. Lily's entire pack had gone home, but she stayed behind to be with Chap. The white majay-hi feared the populated city, and so he slipped out into the forest whenever possible.

"I am sorry you have to leave her," Wynn said.

She would not come.

"I know."

All around Wynn, the crew bustled with activity as they prepared to leave harbor. All except for one young woman. Wynn caught the girl watching her and Chap. Dressed in too large boots, with a heavy braid hanging forward over one shoulder, she turned quickly away and up the forecastle out of sight.

As the sails caught the wind, the ship turned slowly toward the open sea, and Wynn thought she felt a strange, rhythmic thrum through the deck beneath her feet. Chap whined softly, his gaze still on the coastline, and Wynn felt overwhelmed by loss.

There were so many reasons that they had to leave, but they left so much behind.

Hkuan'duv stood on his vessel's deck and watched the ship carrying the humans as it sailed out of harbor. He waited until darkness came.

Of all the orders Most Aged Father had ever given, this one troubled Hkuan'duv the most. Sgailsheilleache and Osha, two of Hkuan'duv's own caste, were on the vessel he would track, and they knew nothing of his presence. Such a thing had never happened in his memory.

As he stared toward the open sea beyond the harbor, a slender hand gripped the rail-wall beside him, and a soft voice spoke.

"Your thoughts run in circles tonight."

Danvarfij-Fated Music-looked him directly in the eyes. Her nose was too long and her cheekbones were a touch wide, but her skin was clean and creamy, like tea stirred with goat's milk. She had been his last student, studying under him for five years, and there was always a quiet honesty in her eyes.

When her skill with a bow clearly exceeded his, it was the final sign that their time together as teacher and student was over. He had spoken for her before Most Aged Father, and she had been given a word-wood in recognition. When she left on her first solo purpose, Hkuan'duv chose to take no more students.

He did not respond to her comment. She knew him too well.

"Have you seen our quarters?" he asked.