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"The Medium will tell me," Lia answered "It always does"

"Really? You can actually feel it in the Stews? I have not felt its spark since we left the Claredon thisThis is a sick and diseased place It will succuht in a moment, if it already has not You think the Medium will direct us to her?"

Lia craned her neck and felt a throb in her heart For the last severala basket against her hip, wearing a shawl to cover her hair, though sonized the color

"It already is," Lia said and started to walk faster The girl walked and dodged through the street ahead of thenized the stride, the irl turned sharply to an alley, hunched over, and retched into the gutter She was sick No one took notice of her, except Lia

"What is it?" Kieran asked, seeing her stare "The girl? That is Forshee’s sister?"

Lia shook her head, watching as the girl wiped soain Lia had a glimpse of her face

"No," Lia whispered "Her naht struck her as it always did, just a little whisper of knowledge Just as it had pointed her out in the crowd Without seeing her face, Lia knew "She is with child Dieyre’s child," she whispered

CHAPTER FIVE:

Lia’s Leering

The swa the lowlands of Muiras known as the Bearden Muir, but neither Prince Alluwyn nor Martin Evnissyen knew it by its local name For them, it was a wet and sick land, so different from the lush valleys of Pry-Ree thick with fat sheep and jackrabbit and thrush No, the swamps reminded them more of the mountains, the ancient mountains called the Myniths where ancient beasts roamed and tortured travelers with their worst fears The Bearden Muir was full of sinkholes and bogs, clouds of gnats and crooked oaks crowning the bu fro on the slope of a hillside that wound down to a little hamlet fixed near the sea The hipped at their cloaks and large blots of rain spattered the ground The Prince looked down at the orb, which had stopped spinning

"By Cheshu, a village," Martinlast Is that Muirwood? I do not see the Abbey Is it hidden in the woods?"