Page 9 (1/2)

"Strange," she said

"What is strange?"

"I never think to count Princess Sapientia, although surely she must be counted before all others in our party Even Lady Bertha forgot to mention her when those farmers refused to let us pass"

He turned to look where she looked Sister Petra caught up with her charge and herded her back toward the safety of the chapel and the fire

"What will become of her?" Hanna asked

Fortunatus only shook his head, but she could not tell whether the gesture meant "I do not know" or "may God haveout of the twilight They turned to see five shadowy figures and the three dogs striding along the road that led from the town The tautness of those shoulders and the cant of those heads told of trouble

Hanna ran to meet them, but Lady Bertha brushed past her and hurried on toward the camp with the three soldiers Sister Rosvita halted, took hold of Fortunatus’ arripped her side as at a spas Princess Sapientia within the walls of their makeshift fort, she frowned "Best hurry What of thefor their answer she cli at each other There was nothing to say As they picked their way through the fallen re

"Bring the horses up We’ll need a guard on theht I want those ht"

"What’s wrong?" asked Hanna

Frole the slope of the hill hid the town It was by now too dark to see the fields as anything distinct, only alternating shades of gray in patches that ended abruptly in the darker line of trees

"The orchard trees were chopped down, not blon," Rosvita said, still wheezing "Fresh sawdust fro, scattered everywhere The mist hid the pockets of sht have been attacked yesterday"

"God havethe circle at his chest

"Were there corpses?" Hanna asked "Any survivors?"

"We did not search closely If an ene will be soon enough"