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The oaks were overrun with scraggly vines with bronze-colored leaves The brush around her was thick with it when she noticed it The vines were everywhere, dozens and dozens of leagues frorave Every direction she looked, except where she had corowth choked the oaks She was careful – very careful – not to touch it But it covered the ground as well With cautious steps, she bounded this way and that, until she felt the burning Leering ahead on the hilltop She sensed it before she saw it

Crowning the hilltop was a stone boulder, enormous in size, like that of awas carved into its eastward side, but it was so blackened and crue was of a man or beast The eyes were pock-rowth of the poisonous leaves sled vines The Leering drew her nearer, whispering for her to touch it Lia approached carefully, listening for sounds – searching for the tra but the primeval woods The rock shimmered with heat

Every sound in the forest stilled except the beckoning whisper froe to be sick The Myriad Ones crooned at her in delight Slowly, she approached the ragged scorched face

The urge to touch it beca eyes, into the depths of an excruciating agony, a torture beyond anything she could i with her to end it To heal the burning The Alder her of theout, she pressed her pal, confident it would not scald her hand There was heat and war that scorched her In fact, in all her years in the Alderle tih and scarred

"I release you," she whispered, invoking the Medium

In her mind’s eye, she saw Scarseth turn and look at her She could see his that protected the Abbey grounds He stared at her, knohere she was as she knehere he was For a mohts thrusted against her violently

There you are!

Even with all the distance between thee to connect with her To push all of his deep, filthy thoughts into her mind, to surround her with fear and despair, and hopelessness To force her to do his will But he had not counted on so She was a ain,

The cracked and pitted stone began to cool as the fire guttered out, obeying her There was no rigid defiance, no angry throb of regret With a sharp crack, the stone split apart, sheared into huge slabs and slices With it went the bond with Scarseth She took a breath of relief, grateful that the Leering had not defied her as the other one had There were no blisters on her palers She turned and looked down the other side of the hill The woods were thicker, rich and green with ferns and catmint

A sick worry bloomed in her stomach Scarseth was still in the woods outside Muirwood, and now he knew that she was gone

After warning Dieyre and Colvin about touching the poisonous plant sap, she led thee and into the lush lowlands on the other side The rich and fertile land was a stark contrast and she knew they had exited the Bearden Muir They rode forward hastily, knowing it would be a hard ride to reach the town before twilight A hard ride perhaps, but possible

The orb led theled woods north instead of east, which surprised Lia Low-hanging branches clawed at therowth so heavy in places it was difficult to see far Treacherous ravines were abundant, but the orb guided thees constructed by local woods out

Lia started The scream was followed by the shouts of men’s voices Sharp co the other two to stop Slipping off the saddle, she threaded an arrow in the string Whose voice was it? Ellowyn’s? Marciana’s? There was no way to tell, but the orb was pointing in the direction of the sound

"Have we caught up with therabbed her arm "The Queen’s men? Or the Pry-rians?"