of the Taken with them。
Goblin and One…Eye showed up as I began knocking the tent down。 Goblin still looked like hell。 One…Eye carried half his stuff。 〃Where's the kid？〃 he asked。
I had paid no attention to his absence。 It hadn't surprised me。 〃Gone。 How are we going to carry Raven？〃
My answer stepped out of the woods。 Tracker。 Looking a little the worse for wear； but still healthy。 Toadkiller Dog was covered with blood。 He seemed more animated than I had seen before。 〃Let's get him out of here；〃 Tracker said； and moved to take one end of the litter。
〃Your stuff。〃
〃No time。〃
〃What about the wagon？〃 I lifted the other end。
〃Forget it。 I'm sure they found it。 March。〃
We marched； letting him lead the way。 I asked； 〃What was all that uproar？〃
〃Caught them by surprise。〃
〃But 。 。 。 〃
〃Even the Taken can be surprised。 Save your breath。 He isn't dead。〃
For a few hours it was put one foot in front of the other and don't look back。 Tracker set a tough pace。 In a corner of my mind where the observer still dwelt； I noted that Toadkiller Dog kept the pace with ease。
Goblin collapsed first。 Once or twice he had tried to catch me and pass something along； but he just did not have the energy。 When he went down； Tracker stopped； looked back irritably。 Toadkiller Dog lay down in the wet leaves； rumbling。 Tracker shrugged； set his end of the litter down。
That was my cue to drop。 Like a stone。 And damn the rain and mud。 I couldn't get any wetter。
Gods； my arms and shoulders ached。 Needles of fire drove into me where the muscles start swooping up to the neck。 〃This isn't going to work；〃 I said after I caught some breath。 〃We're too old and weak。〃
Tracker considered the forest。 Toadkiller Dog rose； sniffed the wet wind。 I struggled up long enough to look back the way we had e； trying to guess which direction we had run。
South； of course。 North made no sense and east or west would have put us in the Barrowland or river。 But if we kept heading south we would encounter the old Oar road where it curved in beside the Great Tragic。 That stretch was sure to be patrolled。
With my breath partially restored and my breathing no longer roaring in my ears； I could hear the river。 It was no more than a hundred yards away； churning and grumbling as always。
Tracker came out of a reflective mood。 〃Guile； then。 Guile。〃
〃I'm hungry；〃 One…Eye said； and I realized I was too。 〃Reckon we'll get a lot hungrier； though。〃 He smiled feebly。 He now had enough strength to look Goblin over。 〃Croaker。 Want to e check him out？〃
Funny that they aren't enemies when the pinch es。
Chapter Thirty…Seven： THE FOREST AND BEYOND
Two days passed before we ate； courtesy of Tracker's skill as a hunter。 Two days we spent dodging patrols。 Tracker knew those woods well。 We disappeared into their deeps and drifted southward at a more relaxed pace。 After the two days Tracker felt confident enough to let us have a fire。 It was not much； though； because finding burnable wood was a pain。 Its value was more psychological than physical。
Misery balanced by rising hope。 That was the story of our two weeks in the Old Forest。 Hell； trekking overland； off the road； was as fast or faster than using the road itself。 We felt halfway optimistic when we neared the southern verge。
I am tempted to dwell on the misery and the arguments about Raven。 One…Eye and Goblin were convinced we were doing him no good。 Yet they could e up with no alternative to dragging him along。
I carried another weight in my belly； like a big stone。
Goblin got to me that second night while Tracker and Toadkiller Dog were hunting。 He whispered； 〃I got farther in than One…Eye did。 Almost to the center。 I know why Raven didn't get out。〃
〃Yeah？〃
〃He saw too much。 What he went to see； probably。 The Dominator is not asleep。 I 。 。 。 〃 He shuddered。 It took him a moment to get hold of himself。 〃I saw him； Croaker。 Looking back at me。 And laughing。 If it hadn't been for One…Eye 。 。 。 I'd have been caught just like Raven。〃
〃Oh； my；〃 I said softly； mind abuzz with the implications。 〃Awake？ And working？〃
〃Yes。 Don't talk about it。 Not to anybody till you can tell Darling。〃
There was a hint of fatalism in him then。 He doubted he would be around long。 Scary。 〃One…Eye know？〃
〃I'll tell him。 Got to make sure word gets back。〃
〃Why not just tell us all？〃
〃Not Tracker。 There's something wrong with Tracker 。 。 。 Croaker。 Another thing。 The old…time wizard。 He's in there； too。〃
〃Bomanz？〃
〃Yes。 Alive。 Like he's frozen or something。 Not dead； but not able to do anything 。 。 。 The dragon 。 。 。 〃 He shut up。
Tracker arrived； carrying a brace of squirrels。 We barely let them warm before we attacked them。
We rested a day before tackling the tamed lands。 Henceforth it would be scurry from one smidgen of cover to the next； mouselike； by night。 I wondered what the hell the point might be。 The Plain of Fear might as well be in another world。
That night I had a golden dream。
I do not recall anything except that she touched me； and somehow tried to warn me。 I think exhaustion more than my amulet blocked the message。 Nothing stuck。 I wakened retaining only a vague sense of having missed something critical。
End of the line。 End of the game。 Two hours out of the Great Forest I knew our time was approaching。 Darkness was inadequate insulation。 Nor were my amulets sufficient。
The Taken were in the air。 I felt them on the prowl once it was too late to turn back。 And they knew their quarry was afoot。 We could hear the distant clamor of battalions moving to bar retreat into the forest。
My amulet warned me of the near passage of Taken repeatedly。 When it did not； as it seemed not always to do…perhaps because the new Taken did not affect it…Toadkiller Dog gave warning。 He could smell the bastards ing a league away。
The other amulet did help。 That and Tracker's genius for laying a crooked trail。
But the circle closed。 And closed。 And we knew that it would not be long before there were no gaps through which we could slide。
〃What do we do。 Croaker？〃 One…Eye asked。 His voice was shaky。 He knew。 But he wanted to be told。 And I could neither give the order nor do it myself。
These men were my friends。 We had been together all my adult life。 I could not tell them to kill themselves。 I could not cut them down。
But I could not allow them to be captured； either。
A vague notion formed。 A foolish one； really。 At first I thought it simple desperation silliness。 What good？
Then something touched me。 I gasped。 The others felt it； too。 Even Tracker and his mutt。 They jumped as if stung。 I gasped again。 〃It's her。 She's here。 Oh； damn。〃 But that made up my mind。 I might be able to buy time。
Before I could reflect and thus chicken out； I shucked my amulets； shoved them into Goblin's hands； pushed our precious documents at One…Eye。 〃Thanks； guys。 Take care。 Maybe I'll see you。〃
〃What the hell you doing？〃
Bow in hand…the bow she had given me so long ago…I leaped into darkness。 Soft protests pursued me。 I caught the edge of Tracker asking what the hell was going on。 Then I was away。
There was a road not far off； and a little sliver of moon up top。 I got onto the one and trotted by the light of the other； pushing my tired old body to its limit； trying to build as big a margin as possible before the inevitable befell me。
She would protect me for a time。 I hoped。 And once caught； I might stall on behalf of the others。
I felt sorry for them； though。 Neither Goblin nor One…Eye was strong enough to help carry Raven。 Tracker could not manage alone。 If they made it to the Plain of Fear； they would not be able to evade the unenviable duty of explaining everything to Darling。
I wondered if any of them would have what it took to finish Raven 。 。 。 Bile rose。 My legs were going watery。 I tried to fill my mind with nothingness； stared at the road three steps ahead of my feet； puffed hard； kept on。 Count steps。 By hundreds； over and over。
A horse。 I could steal a horse。 I kept telling myself that； concentrated on that； damning the stitch in my side； till shadows loomed before me and imperials began to shout； and I hared off into a wheat field with the Lady's hounds abay behind me。
I nearly gave them the slip。 Nearly。 But then the shadow descended from the heavens。 Air whistled past a carpet。 And a moment later darkness devoured me。
I weled it as the end of my miseries； hoping it was permanent。
It was light when I regained consciousness。 I was in a cold place； but all places are cold in the north countries。 I was dry。 For the first time in weeks； I was dry。 I harkened back to my run and recalled the sliver of moon。 A sky clear enough for a moon。 Amazing。
I cracked one eye。 I was in a room with walls of stone。 It had the look of a cell。 Beneath me； a surface neither hard nor wet。 How long since I had lain on a dry bed？ Blue Willy。
I became aware of an odor。 Food！ Hot food； on a platter just inches from my head； atop a small stand。 Some mess that looked like overcooked stew。 Gods； did it smell good！
I rose so swiftly my head spun。 I almost passed out。 Food！ The hell