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"You must consider it, Conrad," said Theophanu "All the e for their departure"

He rose threateningly, dark cheeks changing color "Marry hi time now"

"When my father returns--"

"If your father returns"

She went on as if he had not spoken "Whenpast tihter up where she’s needed Tiet ot the louder he spoke; they had given up ued "Why should I aid you, Theophanu? Why should I aid Wendar at all, now that your father see down imperial feasts into Aosta? He’s stripped Wendar of its army, and cleaned out my warehouses and levies in Wayland, so ill you use to fight the invaders--"

"For God’s sake, my lord and lady," Hanna cried, "he can understand every word you say!"

She had never known anyone to move that fast

He hit her so hard across the face that she actually blacked out Of the gap between the pain of the blow and the ground s Acid burned in her throat Lights danced in her vision She couldn’t feel her legs Distantly, she heard Boso’s wretched coughs as he heaved up again, and again

"I would not try that, Duke Conrad," said Bulkezu pleasantly "I’ But I won’t hesitate to signal if there’s any trouble I can have Prince Ekkehard’s head delivered to you," he snapped his fingers, "like that, if you wish it Perhaps you’ve noticed th Don’t you recognize Judith of Austra?"

Hanna still couldn’thad sharpened

"Oh, my God," said Conrad "For God’s sake, Milo," he said in a low voice, "take hter back to the fort At once" After a stifled protest, footsteps rieve atuntoward had happened, as if she and Conrad hadn’t betrayed their secrets, as if Bulkezu hadn’t walked theh the oldest trick in the ancient tales As if Wendish quarreling weren’t the greatest weakness of all, just as Bulkezu had said "As I rave Judith But alas, Prince Bulkezu, just so we understand each other, he is only King Henry’s third child"

"His fourth, surely, or did one of the elder two die?"

Sensation returned to her fingers She got her bound hands under her and pushed herself up Her head spun, and she alot to her knees Conrad and Theophanu becaht, and slowly receded back into two

"I believe we have told youin return Give le She’s of no possible use to you"

"How can you knohat is of use to ht eye was already swelling shut, and the whole right side of her face throbbed agonizingly Dust kicked into her face as she coughed out spittle colored by blood Hands grabbed her and jerked her roughly to her feet The fasther had no ed her away as she voht unconsciousness

Was that Theophanu, asking in that passionless voice to have the Eagle returned? All she could distinguish as the light hazed over and she gasped for air was Bulkezu’s hated voice answering

"Five thousand pounds of silver and one thousand of gold, and I’ll ride past Barenberg with my army and leave it and the lands around it untouched"

She passed out

She woke at the touch of hands pressing a poultice against her throbbing cheek The coolShe opened one eye Struggled a , until she realized the other eye ollen shut, not gouged out

Cherbu sat next to her, hu under his breath He held a cup to her lips Warm liquid stea, she got a bit of the broth doithout feeling queasy, was even able to lever herself up and s the rest The light in the small tent had splintered into dozens of colors It took her ainside the sharound lurched violently under her, and the patchwork ceiling swayed as they began to move