She had already seen it. "And there's another… a village, perhaps."

Magiere counted about twenty dwellings, something like a common house, and even what appeared to be a smithy with smoke rising from its scavenged-stone chimney. All of it looked surprisingly well maintained.

At the village's nearer edge, an old woman with two small children turned and saw them. Her expression grew cautious, but not openly frightened, and Magiere guessed that the fighting had not reached this far southeast.

"Hello," Leesil called in a lazy tone, and he smiled with a quick but exaggerated bow.

He could put people at ease no matter what he felt inside. Magiere sometimes wished she possessed such a talent.

The woman nervously half-turned and called into the smithy. "Cameron, you there?"

A barrel-chested bear of a man, with brown sweat-matted hair and a leather apron, stepped out, wiping his hands on a scrap of burlap.

"What now, Mother?"

Then he spotted the strangers. He quickly tossed the burlap back inside and stepped in front of the old woman and children. His gaze settled longest on Chap and Wynn, and his suspicion softened slightly. Osha wore his cloak loose with the hood up over his hair and ears, but he still looked far too tall.

"Can we purchase supper and a night in your common house?" Leesil asked.

At the word "purchase," Magiere set the bundled orb between her feet and swung her pack off to dig inside. It felt strange to take the purse out. How long since coin had been useful to them?

The enormous smith stepped a bit closer, still cautious.

"I am Cameron," he said. "This is Katrina, our village elder." He looked at them in surprise. "You came from the Everfen?"

"We're passing through on our way to Belaski," Leesil answered, sidestepping the question. "Can you offer a roof for the night?"

"We can pay," Magiere added, pouch in hand.

Coin wasn't common here, but was still useful for taxes or purchases in the larger cities. Magiere frowned. They had some silver among their gold, but little of it was in small coin. No pennies or groats, and even shils were a bit flashy in these backwoods.

"Come with me," Cameron said and turned down the path.

As they followed, Magiere noticed Osha hanging back, and she realized this was his first time in a human settlement. Hopefully Wynn would keep an eye on him, but the large smithy didn't seem to give much notice. With the sage's knack for languages, she'd picked up some Droevinkan, but Osha spoke none at all.

Katrina reached the door first and opened it, shooing off more children who'd gathered at the sight of strangers-most especially to see the large silver-gray dog.

"Off with you all. Go on home!" she said, then stepped inside, waving for the guests to follow. "Not many pass this way, but I can find some oat-cakes and goat cheese."

"That would be fine," Magiere answered. "Thank you."

Chap trotted around, sniffing the floor. The place was dry, and a decent mud and stone hearth rested in the back wall. Three rough-cut tables accompanied by stools filled the room.

"We heard talk of fighting," Wynn blurted out. "Is it safe to pass through?"

Abrupt as this was, Magiere watched Cameron, eager for his answer.

"No fighting here," the smithy said in his baritone voice. "But we hear things… it is bad north of here, near the capital… and has been for a long while."

"What have you heard?" Magiere asked.

"Bits and pieces, whenever our own go elsewhere for trade. The Varanj accused the antes of murdering one of their barons. They demanded restitution, as well as the surrender of those involved. Prince Rodek denied knowledge of it. Rumors claim his brother accused the Varanj of carrying out the deed themselves. Fighting broke out inside the walls of Keonsk, the capital. After that, we all kept out of the way. We heard hundreds died the first day, not all of them soldiers. The last I heard, the Varanj had laid siege to Enemusk."

"What about Chemestuk?" Magiere asked.

Cameron frowned. "I think I've heard of it. To the north, across the Vudrask River, yes? I've never traveled that far. No one here has."

"I have family there," Magiere said, fighting to remain calm and steady. "Have you heard anything at all?"

The big smith shook his head. "If it's where I think, then it's well within war's reach. Anyone with wits would've run long ago or ended up dead… or conscripted."

Magiere's first instinct was to bolt and keep running, to reach the capital and grab any barge or boat headed for her village. Anything, at any cost, to make certain that Aunt Bieja had gotten out alive.

Leesil grabbed her hand. When she turned, her gaze landed on Wynn.

The little sage leaned tiredly against Osha's side.

"What about a safe route?" Leesil asked. "We just need to get through to Belaski."

"Head west," Cameron counseled. "Don't veer north for at least six days. The forest is thick and the roads are bad, but I doubt any house will have soldiers that far out. It's mostly minor houses out there, and they can't afford to be dragged in between the major princes."

Magiere breathed deeply. Common sense quelled some of her fear. Aunt Bieja could be in Miiska already, long gone in the past season-Magiere had to believe that.

Osha reached his arm around Wynn.

Magiere did not begrudge either of them a companion's comfort. Far from it, but she worried about something Brot'an had once told her. She had to speak with Wynn at the first opportunity.

"I'll go find that cheese for you," Katrina said and slipped out.

Magiere turned back to Cameron. "Our thanks, and I hate to ask, but might you have a packhorse or mule we can purchase?"

Beasts of burden were dear in this land, but Cameron nodded.

"There's an old horse I'd planned to take to the next market fair. Long past his prime, but he'll do all right… even as far as Belaski. Might as well sell him to you as anyone else."

Magiere handed Leesil the pouch. "Would you take Chap and Osha to go see about the horse? Wynn and I will settle our gear."

Leesil raised one eyebrow at her. For one thing, she had just handed him all their money, relinquishing her tightfisted ways to his openhanded ones. And two, she'd suggested he take Osha out into the village.

But in true Leesil fashion, he waved Osha along and then smiled at Cameron. "Lead the way."

The last thing Magiere wanted was to speak to Wynn alone about matters of the heart. But she had to.

Wynn was confused when Magiere sent Osha off with Leesil and Chap, but not curious enough to ask why. She was too tired-in body, mind, and spirit.

Since Sgaile's death, she had been wrung out with exhaustion every day beneath the canopy of the Droevinkan forest and its perpetual false dusk. Now all she could do was try to comfort Osha, but the pain of effort left her weary. She did not even want bread and cheese, only sleep.

"Wynn…," Magiere began, then faltered.

"What is it?" Wynn asked.

Magiere pulled out two stools at the nearest table. "Sit with me a while."

She ran a hand through her black hair as Wynn settled across from her. Twice Magiere opened her mouth then closed it again, dark eyes blinking rapidly as if she had no idea how to begin.

"Are you in love with Osha?" she asked suddenly.

Wynn flushed in embarrassed shock and sputtered, unable to get a word out.

"It's important," Magiere said, and her voice grew firm. "Do you remember the night in Crijheaiche… when Brot'an tossed you and Chap out of the tree dwelling, so he could speak privately with me?"

Wynn remembered quite clearly.

"He told me something about… about his people," Magiere added, squirming upon the stool. "When they choose a mate, it is for life. If they lose that mate, they suffer. Some don't recover-ever-and some even… it's part of what they are. They are different from us… humans."