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Pen-Ilyn pressed a blood-soaked rag to his nose "Why did you hit nored him

"It is broken, to be sure I need a healer"

"You did not leave me with many choices," Lia pointed out She raised her arm "That way, Colvin There is the Brent Wefor the direction of where Dieyre and his men were They were farther behind

"You are not used to rowing," Pen-Ilyn said with his ht left in me and this boat is my livelihood Letit on a rock"

Colvin nodded, his face slack with exhaustion "By all enerous as Lia if you betray us again"

Pen-Ilyn scowled "I know it is not an idle threat There is a shortage of honest work these days A e as mine Here, let"Ugh, the Bearden Muir I suppose ill get lost in there"

Lia studied the flow of the water They were rowing against the current, which would s difficult The snarl of oaks and s blotted out the fading twilight sky If she used the orb, it would give them both direction and vision But it would alsoabout?" Colvin asked her, gazing into the gloo to think clearly with so little sleep We need to deliver Ellowyn to Dahoet us that far Not across the open seas If we can get to Muirwood, we can warn the Alderive other helpers a chance to escape too We can get provisions there and maybe horses to ride across the land to another port city Dieyre will be expecting us to go to Muirwood If he is set between us and Muirwood If we try and get through his line, he will collapse on us from both sides" She shook her head "There is safety there And supplies We cannotourselves It is the closest safehaven we have…if we get there first"

Colvin touched her arm "Hoe know Muirwood has not already fallen?"

She had been dreading the question "I think Edmon is there"

He looked at her pointedly "Is the Alderht Before risking the journey, they needed to know She turned her back on Pen-Ilyn and withdrew the orb Ellowyn nestled next to her on one side She was afraid of what it would say Closing her eyes, she thought of the Alder into her soul In an instant, she could see it all before her It was the Gift of Seering The Abbey stood proud against the fading sunlight The Alderrounds to the kitchen, where Soas nursing Edes wrapped around his waist The Aldermaston stared at the Tor, his eyes fierce and defiant It was as if she went along his sight and could see froe The Mediu She would be at Muirwood by dawn Then he would die

Lia opened her eyes and saw the spindles pointing towards Muirwood

"He lives?" Colvin whispered

Lia’s heart spasmed inside her and tears pricked her eyes "Yes, but the Queen Dowager is coh to defend it Not by himself"

"Can we reach Muirwood before dawn?" Colvin asked

She nodded "If we reach the Belgeneck, we can follow it to Muirwood It will be faster than going by land"

"Then we go by boat," Colvin said

Ellowyn squeezed her shoulder "If I o with me I do not see why the Mediu" She was quiet for a moment "But I will try If you are both with azed at her, seeing the courage in her eyes "I do not understand it either Why that Abbey? Why you? I do not know the answers But I do know that it is what the Medium wills I knoith certainty"

"So do I," Ellowyn said "I felt it as he was talking to you I could not understand the language, but I felt it in my heart I do not knohy"

Colvin’s voice was patient "It is because of who your ancestors were The Medium could rely on them when there was a difficult task to be done I think I can explain it There is a pattern in the toht, there is a warning A warning to those in danger that their thoughts have become corrupted When I heard what the Aldermaston told you, that is what ca to Dahomey And to the rest of the lands It is the Abbey where the children of all the rulers study It is the place where king-mastons and queen-mastons are crowned"