Page 128 (1/1)

"Killhis neck "You are a man! I spoiled your sister! I ruined her! Do not show me mercy Do not you dare show me mercy, Forshee! You defeated ht in front of her One of her hands was transfixed by a crossbow bolt She could not even o of Scarseth’s wrist, she could snatch it

Colvin’s voice was full of anger and loathing "I will not, Dieyre I can see your thoughts You ordered that she be killed if you met your death I will not be her executioner and yours"

Lia’s strength failed

She released Scarseth’s arrabbed the snail-shaped s The edges were hot in her paled into her ribs She closed her eyes, su the Medium’s power to help her in her finalLeerings, she suht and heat froe fire of intensity The kystrelon Scarseth was snapped

"Then you will die for me," said the Earl of Dieyre "A thousand marks to the one who takes off his head!" he shouted at his soldiers

She could not er wound Lia felt ar her eyes, she saw Scarseth’s face near hers as he carried her towards the Leering, his face a ered, alently next to the Leering He took her hand to touch the cooling stone He was helping her save the Abbey

"Please!" he whispered "Save us…"

The Gift of Seering opened up her true eyes and she saw it all at once Twenty knights rushing at Colvin, weapons bare He stood in the ht Ellowyn hiding in an ossuary as soldiers searched the rubble for her Thetowards the Abbey, but had halted, confused since fires were no longer burning What did that o further? Where was their master?

Lia?

It was the Alderhts The Alderates in the hurricane of power that Pareigis unleashed on hi and bending and shaking, nearly down That was the an to tip The Leering thrummed with power

Lia, I am the one meant to die! It is , already slipping past the mortal coils that bound her true self to the body of her second life The Alderrief Pareigis was exultant as the gates tottered down, clanging to the paving stones The Alderhts were shielded fro, the pull of Muirwood Abbey She drifted in the wind towards it, su hill and it seee flahter than the noonday sun She could feel the Abbey defenses building, seething, throbbing The Leerings that were once blazing turned white As her shadow-self rose towards the ancient structure, she saw it happen The twin rivers that enclosed the highland on two sides leapt from their banks A flood of water thundered into the valley floor The Abbey was encircled by the rivers co in the fields below raised a screa the entire valley floor

The weight of Pareigis’ will tried to stopper the floods, to send the the moon As Lia drifted near to the Abbey, towards the Apse Veil, she watched in delight asthe collar and spurs of Winterrowd e with his ates, swords drawn Lia felt a rush of joy Pareigis and her knights were outnumbered completely The Apse Veil drew her inexorably towards the Abbey She was returning to Idumea Instead of sorrow, she felt war now Only peace

But there was so back, she saw Colvin shining in a ball of light All around hihts One by one, they fell as they tried to kill hi Yes, it was the feeling she had at Winterrowd The power of the Mediuain to save his life To protect the o back to Iduarden-cities Part of her wanted to stay So was not quite finished But it was like a tiny leaf trying to pull itself away fro back there, no matter how much she willed it The power that drew her oas inexorable