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Despite her exhaustion, Isana could not sleep

She spent the night holding Odiana&039;s head in her lap,the woman&039;s fever, with little else she could do for her Pale light carey, winter dawn rose over Kordholt Isana could hear anihter

Despite the cold air drifting in fro, the ring of coals around the toan to si,

and at tih air into her lungs, so that she swayed and had trouble sitting up

Once, when Odiana tossed restlessly, Isana rose and went to the far side of the ring of coals Her head spinning with heat and thirst, she gathered her skirts and made to step over the coals, a short leap to the far side-even though she knew the door would be locked and bolted, thereshe could use as a weapon in order to make an atteh, the ground on the far side of the coals stirred, and the swift, heavy forround, ht in her throat, and she lowered her foot again

The malformed fury subsided and sank slowly back into the earth

Isana clenched her fists in her skirts, frustrated, then moved back over to Odiana and took the woain In her sleep, the collared wo beneath their lids as she dreamt Once, she let out a pathetic cry and flinched, and her hands spasmed toward the collar Even in the woman&039;s dreams, it appeared, Kord&039;s collar continued its assault on her senses, her will Isana shuddered

The light waned, shadows shifting over the floor by infinitely slow degrees Isana let her head fall forward, her eyes closed Her stomach turned and twisted orry Tavi and Bernard and Fade Where were they? If they were alive, why hadn&039;t Bernard followed her here? Had the ones attacking them been too much for her brother to handle? Bernard would never allow her to remain in Kord&039;s hands-not while he lived

Could he be dead? Could the boy be dead as well? Surely he had escaped ahead of the flood, surely he had evaded anyone who may have pursued him even after

Surely

Isana shook, and gave no voice to the sobs that racked her No tears would fall Her body had hoarded back all the ed for the freedom to weep, at least But she did not have it She drifted that way, head bowed, sweltering and dizzy, and thought of Bernard, and of Tavi

The grey of twilight was in the air when the bolt at the door rattled, and Aric entered He held a tray in his hands, and he did not lift his face toward

Isana Instead, he walked to the circle of coals and stepped over, setting the tray down

There were two cups on the tray Nothing more

Isana looked steadily up at Aric He rose and stood there for a ht from foot to foot, his eyes down Then he said, "Snow&039;s starting up again Heavier"

Isana stared at hi

He sed and stepped back out of the ring of coals He went to the hod of coal and began scooping out buckets again, to spread the, fresh fuel "How is she?" he asked

"Dying," Isana said "The heat is killing her"

Aric sed He du some out sloppily, and went for more "The water&039;s clean, at least This time"

Isana watched him for a moment and then reached for one of the cups She lifted it to her h it was all she could do not to start gulping frantically The water was cool, pure She had to steady herself with a deep breath and hold the cup in both shaking hands She drank, slowly, giving each sip tio down

Isana only allowed herself half the cup The rest she gave to Odiana, half-hauling the wo her to drink, slohich she did with a listless obedience

She looked up to see Aric watching her, his face pale Isana lowered the collared woman back down and brushed a few loose strands of hair back from her neck "What is it, Aric?"

"They&039;re co to finish the Odiana and then put the collar on you"

Isana sed and couldn&039;t stop the chill that went down her spine

"After dinner," Aric said He slopped more coals down "It&039;s like a celebration for hi out wine"

"Aric," Isana said "It isn&039;t too late to do soether "It is," he said "There&039;s only one thing left now" Without speaking, he finished carelessly dashing coals onto the ring of fire around theed by a low tre Steadholder banged open the door with one fist and stepped inside, glowering Without a word, he cuffed Aric&039;s head, hard

enough to stagger the younger ainst the wall "Where is that tar, boy?"

Aric left his head down, his body held in a crouch, as though expecting to be hit again "I haven&039;t got it done yet, Pa"

Kord sneered at hi his fists on his hips Isana noticed the drunken sway to his balance as he did "Then you can just get it done while the rest of us eat And if you fall off the crows-eaten roof in the dark, that&039;s your own affair Don&039;t go crying to "

Aric nodded "Yes, Pa"

Kord growled soet that other glass of water before ures out it&039;s there"

Odiana let out a soft noise, curling in on herself Kord watched her with a slitter in his eyes as he prepared to speak again, and interrupted him "Kord She&039;s nearly dead as it is Leave her be"

Kord narrowed his eyes at Isana, lips lifting away froiving orders," he ht, after I&039;m done with that one, we&039;ll see what it&039;s like We&039;ll see who gives the orders and who takes theh his words made her heart thud with dull, exhausted fear "You&039;re a fool, Kord," she said

"What are you going to do about it, huh? You&039;re nothing No one What are you going to do?"

"Nothing," Isana said "I won&039;t have to You&039;ve already destroyed yourself It&039;s just a matter of time now"

Kord flushed red and took a step toward Isana, his hands clenching into fists

"Pa," Aric said "Pa, she&039;s just talking She&039;s just trying to get to you It doesn&039;t "

Kord rounded on Aric and swept his fist at hie the blow, so much as he let it catch his shoulder and throw hirowled, chest heaving "You don&039;t tell ot because I gave it to you You will not disrespect me, boy"

"No, sir," Aric said, quietly

Kord got his breathing under control and shot Isana another glare "Tonight," he said "We&039;ll see"

The ground shook again as he turned and lumbered out

Coals sizzled in silence for a few moments Then Isana turned to Aric and said, "Thank you"

Aric flinched at the words, more than he had from his father&039;s blows "Don&039;t thank athered himself to his feet and picked up the bucket "Still have to lay out the tar The ice didn&039;t stick to the roof, but I have to tar it tonight or he&039;ll feed an

"Be quiet," Aric hissed He shot a glance at the door Then said, to Isana, "Snow&039;s starting up again"

He left, and bolted the door behind hi to puzzle out hisShe took the second cup of water and took a bit ave the rest to the semiconscious Odiana

Outside, the wind rose She heardaround the steadholt One of the out a few crude phrases Odiana flinched and whihter went up froreat hall What sounded like a fight broke out, ending in cheers and jeers, and all the while it grew darker, until only the red coals gave any light to the sainst the wall, wood against wood Then steps Feet on a ladder Sohty object on the roof, and then hauled himself onto it

"Aric?" Isana called quietly

"Shhhh," said the young "