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"Survivors, surely!" A young man’s voice It sounded like her own brother Roshka’s

"By all the underpaths," another cried, one Aeriel had not heard in far too long: Talb the Mage "Let it be they! The fabric of that pavilion can only be hers"

"Hollo! Hollo!"

Irrylath beside her sat up with a start Hurriedly, she reached for Ravenna’s gown, but her husband caught her hand and brought it to his lips Without a thought, she caressed his cheek--then she re to her anymore, and froze Other voices hailed the trill that was the greeting cry of the desert wanderers The prince’s head turned in surprise

"Someone comes," he murmured

Sick at heart, Aeriel pulled free of him and turned away His touch was torture to her now She could not bear to look into his eyes, to see his feelings change as soon as he realized his heart was once again his own She donned the Ancient’s weighty gown Beside her, the prince caught up his own garments As he knotted the sash about his waist, he reached to draw her to hi, she rose to fold the flap of their tent aside and step out to meet the ones who came

16

Crowns

Spread out over the vast black plainfor survivors or the perished, Aeriel guessed After the rain, the , pale rose, sprang away from her tread with a jewellike chirp A das darted past her ear

Little shoots of frost green had sprung up everywhere Silveryat them, both creature and leaf, Aeriel understood for the first time how they interlocked, like beads in a tapestry, each dependent upon the others for its niche in the greater scheme The pearlstuff stirred and whispered in her blood

"This will never be a Wasteland again," she ht of her ereat glad cries

Irrylath’s mother, the Lady Syllva, led them, flanked by her boomen The Ions of Avaric and elsewhere dotted their ranks Aeriel spotted others: the chieftess Orrototo and her desert wanderers, the dark islanders of the Sea-of-Dust Erin stood beside Pendarlon upon the verges of her people The Sword hung sheathed and burning at her side Elation rose in Aeriel, strong as a well-spring, to find the dark girl safe

Irrylath ducked through the entryway to stand half a pace behind her as the others neared His brothers gave a triu the party’s near flank, looked on, her proud and soht of him Aeriel felt her heart constrict, struck suddenly how nearly the face of the prince’s cousin reseht have looked without scars Aeriel dared not turn to see how her husband returned the queen of Avaric’s gaze

Drawing close, the others halted before Aeriel Her brother Roshka stood near the head of the band, Talb the Mage at his side She felt a round without a daycloak, before she rehtshade had fallen, he was safe froh wizard hobbled toward her across the drying ground

"So, dear child," he exclaimed, "you are alive, as we had not dared hope, and Prince Irrylath is with you"

She felt the prince’s ar desperately both to lean back into his embrace and to draay--for it could not last She held herself erect, wondering how soon he would release her and turn to Sabr

"Yes, we are safe," she e, that I never saw you aht hide hiht of the pearl

The other s hs, in the rescue of our folk"

Aeriel nodded "And those aboveground," she asked, lifting her gaze "How is it so h the flood?"

Hadin, the Lady’s youngestborn, answered "Most were already aboard the barges when the palace fell, and the Ions saved many of the rest Marelon alone rescued scores upon scores"

Aeriel spotted the great coils of the plumed, vermilion serpent far away toward the rear of the company The lithe Ion of the Sea-of-Dust bowed to her Nearer to hand, Roshka joined his cousin Hadin, laying one hand upon his battle companion’s ar one another again"

Aeriel felt the pearlstuff within her blood begin to surge, the white radiance of her skin brightening

Unsure of the effect this inner pearlfire would have on any whom it touched, she laid her hand upon Irrylath’s wrist, , he took her hand She stiffened, recalling in alar flame of Erin’s sword, but he seeazed at them