ew。 Gods； did it smell good！
I rose so swiftly my head spun。 I almost passed out。 Food！ The hell with anything else。 I ate like the starved animal I was。
I had not quite finished when the door slammed inward。 Exploded inward； ringing off the wall。 A huge dark form stamped through。 For a moment I sat with spoon halfway between bowl and mouth。 This thing was human？ It stepped to one side； weapon ready。
Four imperials followed； but I hardly noticed； so taken was I with the giant。 Man； all right； but bigger than any I'd ever seen。 And looking lithe and spritely as an elf for all his size。
The imperials paired to either side of the doorway； presented arms。
〃What？〃 I demanded； determined to go down with a defiant grin。 〃No drumrolls？ No trumpets？〃 I presumed I was about to meet my captor。
I can call them when I call them。 Whisper came through the doorway。
I was more startled by seeing her than by the dramatic advent of her giant thug。 She was supposed to be holding the western boundary of the Plain 。 。 。 Unless 。 。 。 I could not think it。 But the worm of doubt gnawed anyway。 I had been out of touch a long time。
〃Where are the documents？〃 she demanded； without preamble。
A grin smeared my face。 I had succeeded。 They had not caught the others 。 。 。 But elation faded swiftly。 There were more imperials behind Whisper； and they bore a litter。 Raven。 They dumped him roughly onto a cot opposite mine。
Their hospitality was not niggardly。 It was a grand cell。 Plenty of room for the prisoner to stretch his legs。
I found my grin。 〃Now； you shouldn't ask questions like that。 Mama wouldn't like it。 Remember how angry she became last time？〃
Whisper was always a cool one。 Even when she led the Rebel； she never let emotion get in the way。 She did remind me； 〃Your death can be an unpleasant one； physician。〃
〃Dead is dead。〃
A slow smile spread upon her colorless lips。 She was not a lovely woman。 That nasty smile did not improve her looks。
I got the message。 Down in the dark inside me something howled and gibbered like a monkey getting roasted。 I resisted its call to terror。 Now； if ever there was one； was a time to act as a brother of the Black pany。 I had to buy time。 Had to give the others the longest head start possible。
She might have read my mind as she stood there staring； smiling。 〃They won't get far。 They can hide from witchery； but they cannot hide from the hounds。〃
My heart sank。
As if cued； a messenger arrived。 He whispered to Whisper。 She nodded。 Then she turned to me。 〃I go to collect them now。 Think on the Limper in my absence。 For once I have drained you of knowledge； I may deliver you to him。〃 Smile again。
〃You never were a nice lady；〃 I said； but it came feebly and got said to her departing back。 Her menagerie went with her。
I checked Raven。 He seemed unchanged。
I lay on my cot； closed my eyes； tried to push everything out of my mind。 It had worked once before when I needed contact with the Lady。
Where was she？ I knew she was near enough to sense last night。 But now？ Was she playing some game？
But she had said no special consideration 。 。 。 Still。 There is consideration and consideration。
Chapter Thirty…Eight： THE FORTRESS AT DEAL
Bam！ The old door trick。 This time I had heard the man…mountain stomping down the hall； so I did not react except to ask； 〃Don't you ever knock； Bruno？〃
No response。 Till Whisper stepped inside。 〃Get up； physician。〃
I would have made a crude remark； but something in her voice chilled me beyond the chill due my straits。 I rose。
She looked terrible。 Not that she was much different physically。 But something inside had gone dead and cold and frightened。 〃What was that thing？〃 she demanded。
I was baffled。 〃What thing？〃
〃The thing you were traveling with。 Speak。〃 I could not； for I hadn't the slightest notion what she was blathering about。
〃We caught up。 Or my men did。 I arrived only in time to count the bodies。 What shreds twenty hounds and a hundred men in armor； in minutes； then disappears from mortal ken？〃
Gods； One…Eye and Goblin must have outdone themselves。
Still I did not speak。
〃You came from the Barrowland。 Where you were tampering。 Did you call something forth？〃 She sounded as though she were musing。 〃It's time we found out。 It's time we found out how tough you really are； soldier。〃 She faced the giant。 〃Bring him。〃
I gave it my best shot by playing my dirtiest。 I pretended meek for just long enough to let him relax。 Then I stomped his foot； running the side of my boot down his shin。 Then I spun away and kicked at his crotch。
Guess I'm getting old and slow。 Course； he was a lot faster than a man his size should be。 He leaned back； caught my foot； and threw me across the room。 Two imperials got me up and started dragging me。 I went with the satisfaction of seeing the big man limp。
I tried a few more tricks； just to slow things up。 They did little more than get me knocked around。 The imperials strapped me down in a high…backed wooden chair in a room where Whisper had set up to practice her magicks。 I saw nothing especially villainous。 That only made the anticipation worse。
They got two or three good screams out of me and were working themselves up to get unpleasant when the tableau suddenly broke up。 The imperials ripped me out of the chair； hustled me toward my cell。 I was too foggy to wonder。
Till； in the hallway a few yards short of that cell； we encountered the Lady。
Yes。 So。 My message had gotten through。 I'd thought the brief touch I'd made a response in wishful thinking at the time。 But here she was。
The imperials ran。 Is she that terrible to her own people？
Whisper stood her ground。
Whatever passed between them did so unspoken。 Whisper helped me to my feet； pushed me into the cell。 Her face was stone but her eyes were asmoulder。
〃Curses。 Foiled again；〃 I croaked； and fell onto my cot。
It was plain daylight when the door closed。 It was night when I wakened and she was standing over me； wearing her guise of beauty。 She said； 〃I warned you。〃
〃Yes。〃 I tried to sit up。 I had aches everywhere； both from maltreatment and from pushing an old body beyond its limits before my capture。
〃Stay。 I would not have e had my own interests not demanded it。〃
〃I would not have called otherwise。〃
〃Again you do me a favor。〃
〃Only in the interest of self…preservation。〃
〃You may； as they say； have jumped from the frying pan into the fire。 Whisper lost many men today。 To what？〃
〃I don't know。 Goblin and One…Eye 。 。 。 〃 I shut up。
Damn groggy head。 Damn sympathetic voice。 Said too much already。
〃It wasn't them。 They haven't the skill to raise anything like that。 I saw the bodies。〃
〃I don't know； then。〃
〃I believe you。 Even so 。 。 。 I've seen wounds like those before。 I'll show you before we leave for the Tower。〃 Was there ever any doubt about that？ 〃When you make your examination； reflect on the fact that the last time men died in such fashion my husband ruled the world。〃
None of this added up。 But I was not worried about it。 I was worried about my own future。
〃He has begun to move already。 Long before I expected。 Will he never lie quietly and let me get on with my work？〃
Some sums started toting。 One…Eye saying something had gotten out。 Raven having been caught because of it 。 。 。 〃Dumb shit Raven； you did it again。〃 On his own； trying to care for Darling； he had damned near let the Dominator break through at Juniper。 〃What did you do this time？〃 Why would it follow and protect One…Eye and them？
〃This is Raven； then？〃
Screwup Number Two for Croaker。 Why can't I keep my big damned mouth shut？
She bent over him； rested a hand on his forehead。 I watched from beneath my brows； unfocused。 I could not look at her direct。 She did have the power to sway stone。
〃I will return soon；〃 she said； heading for the door。 〃Fear not。 You will be safe in my absence。〃 The door closed。
〃Sure；〃 I murmured。 〃Safe from Whisper； maybe。 But how safe from you？〃 I looked around the room； wondering if I might end my life。
Whisper took me out to look at the carnage where hounds and imperials had overhauled One…Eye and Goblin。 Not pleasant； I'll tell you。 The last I saw the like was when we went up against the forvalaka in Beryl； ere we joined the Lady。 I wondered if that monster was back and tracking One…Eye again。 But he had slain it during the Battle at Charm。 Hadn't he？
But the Limper survived 。 。 。
Hell； yes； he did。 And two days after the Lady took off…I was imprisoned in the old fortress at Deal； I'd learned…he made an appearance。 A little friendly visit； just for old time's sake。
I sensed his presence before I actually saw him。 And terror nearly unmanned me。
How had he known？ 。 。 。 Whisper。 Almost certainly Whisper。
He came to my cell； buoyed on a miniature carpet。 His name no longer really described him。 He could not get around without that carpet。 He was but the shadow of a being； human wreckage animated by sorcery and a mad； burning will。
He floated into my cell； hovered there considering me。 I did my best to appear unintimidated； failed。
A ghost of a voice st