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Without the legends that could cross the Veil, King Hunyadi’s troops ht have driven the invaders back eventually It would have been a near thing Now the Yucatazcans had no chance The Borderkind swar the enemy, and the Euphrasian forcesremained

Blue Jay wheeled away fro back toward the top of the hill, where the tents of the commanders had been pitched in a sparse wood that had once overlooked the quaint little village of Cliffordville

He scanned the tents and did not see the black cloak of Captain Beck A treh him Troubled, he flew quickly toward the hill and then spread his wings to slow his becaan to spin slowly, dancing on the air, and he alighted upon the ground with a soft tread, the bird replaced by thehair and the blue feathers he kept tied there

Worried, he glanced around Commander Torchio and two of his subordinates stood just inside the tree line, but there was no sign of Captain Beck He started toward them, about to inquire, when the flap of the nearest tent opened and an ebony-skinned hand thrust out

"Jay Come in"

A smile touched his lips as he stepped up and took her hand The trickster slipped into the tent and into her arms The thin cotton of her black tunic and trousers whispered as he pulled her against him Her dark eyes widened but, before she could speak, he silenced her with a brush of his lips upon hers

Then he whispered her narinned, her elegant ebony features alight with mischief that h she was entirely human She arched an eyebrow

"It’s lovely to see you back in one piece, Jay But perhaps you ht hold your enthusiasm a few minutes"

He blinked, and only then did he sense the presence of another inside the tent Blue Jay turned, as sheepishly as a trickster couldpresence of the wanderer, Wayland S nearly all of the available space That was one of the er than he was Most of the tricksters called him uncle, treated him as one of their own, an elder And yet if he was a trickster, he was froend There were many names for him The Wayfarer The Traveler All Jay kneas that he was a journeyician, and that he could forge weapons that always found their end claimed

Sh he had set aside his walking stick, which was capped by a brass fox head His rust-colored beard seeray than Blue Jay recalled Frolint of stony eyes

"Hello, Jay," said Wayland S his head

"Wayfarer," Blue Jay replied "We haven’t seen you in more than a week"

"It could not be avoided," the wanderer said "I have been searching for questions"

The trickster cocked his head "For questions?"

"You cannot find an answer until you have discovered the question"

"Of course," Blue Jay replied, bowing his head in respect "And did you find what you sought?"

"I have a great many questions and, indeed, some answers as well"

Damia Beck slid up beside Blue Jay and put an affectionate hand at the small of his back "He says it’s time"

Blue Jay saw the excitement in her eyes, then turned back toward Wayland Sh his thick beard, the wanderer’s smile was unmistakable In the shadows under his hat brihtness of spirit Blue Jay had never seen in that face before

"Why, time to rescue them, of course Frost and the Bascoun in earnest and the eyes of Atlantis are focused on Euphrasia, it’s tiether the skeins of fate Then we’ll have begun it, Jay"

Blue Jay frowned "Begun what?"

"The beginning of the end"

"Dah, soldier’s fingers in his own "Do you understand any of this?"