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"Ai, God," said Ekkehard when they halted at last on a ridgeline from which they could overlook the Veser River "That’s the fort of Barenberg We’re in arded the distant fort in silence The river wound north through ripening fields and orchards This was rich country, indeed

"I can’t fight her," whispered Ekkehard, glancing toward Bulkezu, who had ridden up to the edge of the ridge A steep slope cut away beneath the Qus Because he wore his helm, Hanna could not see his expression behind the visor, only that mask of iron

"Whose banner flies from the tower?" asked Benedict

Ekkehardnoise as his face drained of color Bulkezu reined his horse around and returned to them

"Two banners," Hanna said as hope sparked "The regent’s silk, and Wayland’s hawk We seem to have hness"

2

EVEN with an Eagle’s sight to aid hi thetrail of Prince Bayan and Princess Sapientia as it wound through the marchlands of Olsatia, Austra, and Eastfall He met up at last with their army at a slave auction in the ruins of the fortress of Machteburg Easy enough to tell that Bulkezu’s army had been here two months before: thethe outer here they’d fallen, killed by their own terrified country that the uard of the Qulant tracked Bayan dohere he prowled the burned-out ruins, poking with a spear through the ashes of the central tower The Ungrian prince looked no worse for wear, as bluff and fit as ever, with a becolant approaching hih his retinue and hurried over

"My friend!" Bayan clapped Sanglant heartily on the shoulder before enveloping hi He kissed hio "Alas that we h, it’s true"

"What is this frowning face,in the bed enough"

Sanglant laughed "Is that the trouble you coainst the Quman"

But Bayan was not to be thrown off the scent "How can this be? You look whole in all parts Do the woer?"

The question lant unaccountably irritable "Nay, I’h by women It was easier to travel in the duchies I felt safe at night into sleep by the chaste music of God Out here in the ht by yet another sweet lass asking prettily for my prince’s seed to honor her faht? Froet no pity if you send theht at thethis past winter I must send them to work in the kitchens Nor can I mention ever my beloved snooman, whohed, eyeing Sanglant with a rueful expression "Are you not traveling with this wife you ainst your father’s wishes?"

As with any wound, the pain did dull after a tier would never go away completely The late summer heat cast a haze over the dead fortress Luckily, they had arrived weeks after the worst of the stench had faded, although now and again a tickle of putrefaction teased Sanglant’s nostrils, soas released froht be best to bury the dead," he replied curtly

Bayan had a way of quirking up his right eyebrohen he wished to ask an unwanted question, but refrained "Noe hear report of plague in Avaria We need none of that here to add to our distress Already have I h to take all these poor innocent corpses Maybe it is not right to call a corpse innocent, within its belly"

"Your Wendish is much improved"

"Your disposition is not What happened to your wife?"

Sanglant took the spear out of Bayan’s hand i the ashes, but all he came up as yet another skull He crouched to fish it out of the debris It had come loose from its body The lower jaw had been s stone A few shreds of flesh still adhered to the do patches of reddish hair, but othereather and insects had picked it clean