Anvar was racing toward the pool before the first heart-stopping echoes could die away. Yazour and Eliizar were close behind, their weapons drawn. By the time they reached the edge he was floundering through the water, searching for any trace of the Mage. They joined him, Yazour diving cleanly beneath the surface, Eliizar breaststroking across the pool. Then the clamor ceased abruptly, leaving only Anvar’s anguished cries: “Aurian! Aurian!”
The atmosphere in the camp was tense with apprehension. The women and children huddled together in the farthest corner away from the sinister pool, guarded by armed warriors. A squad of bowmen had their weapons trained on the still waters, ready to shoot at the first sign of a ripple on the smooth surface. A grim council had gathered by the Prince’s fire, and Harihn looked fearfully round at the faces of the small group. “Some beast must have taken her,” he insisted. “What else could have done this?”
“Sire, the pool was empty,” Yazour protested. “I had it searched thoroughly, and there is no underwater access. There was no blood, or any remains—”
“No!” Anvar cried. The cup of hot liafa that Nereni had forced upon him spilled, soaking into the blanket that she had draped around his shivering shoulders. Yazour glanced at him apologetically, and Nereni took his hand, her tearstained face filled with pity.
“There must have been a creature,” Harihn insisted, with a nervous glance at the pool. “What else could make such dreadful cries? What if it should return? Must others die to convince you?”
“There is no proof—”
“We could search again—” Eliizar and Yazour, wet and shivering in their own blankets, spoke simultaneously, but Anvar heard the doubt in their voices. Harihn shook his head and stood up. “It is pointless. She is surely dead. Prepare to leave, Yazour. We dare not linger in this place.”
“You bastard!” Anvar flung his blanket aside, and leaping over the fire, leveled a punch at the Prince. The blow, with the impetus of his body behind it, knocked Harihn sprawling. Anvar landed on top of him, hitting out at him blindly. “Coward!” he screamed. He was aware of blows on his body, but his rage made him oblivious to the pain. He felt strong arms pulling him, dragging him off the Prince. Anvar fought the new assailants in a frenzy, resisting their attempts to pin him down, until a drench of cold water hit him hard in the face. The shock brought him sharply to his senses. Eliizar and Yazour were holding him down. Nereni stood over him, a dripping bowl in her hands.
Anvar blinked water and tears from his eyes. “I thought you were my friends,” he muttered.
“We are, Anvar,” Yazour told him sadly, “but the Prince, unfortunately, is right.^ He gestured to one side, pointing at the small group of children who huddled together, weeping and terrified. “Would you sacrifice them also?” the warrior asked softly.
“I’m not leaving her!”
“You most certainly are not!” Harihn was scowling, and Anvar noted with satisfaction that his face was beginning to bruise and swell. The Prince kicked out viciously, catching him beneath the ribs, and Anvar convulsed in pain.
“Sire!” Yazour’s voice rose sharply in disgust at the cowardly attack. “He will die if you abandon him here!”
“You have your orders, Yazour. For attacking me, this churl deserves to die! Anvar will be left behind.”
“Your Highness, the man is distraught! You cannot hold him responsible for his actions ai such a time.”
“I’ll have him executed now, if you’d prefer.” Harihn wiped blood from the corner of his mouth, glaring venomously at Anvar, who smiled grimly.
“Any excuse, eh, Harihn?” Anvar said. “Well, at last you have what you’ve wanted all along—but it’s too late. You may get rid of me, but you’ll never have Aurian now!” Turning his head, he spat at the Prince’s feet.
Harihn’s face was livid. “Silence, dog!” he roared. “Yazour _make certain that all provisions are packed or destroyed! As you slowly starve, Anvar, I will rejoice in the thought of your suffering.”
“If Anvar is to be abandoned, he will not be alone.” Eliizar’s voice rang outWI would rather stay with him, than travel another mile with you!”
“And I!” Nereni strode bristling to her husband’s side. Anvar tried to protest, but he was astonished into silence by a voice that seemed to come from within his own head. “I too will stay.” He stared in amazement as Shia’s face appeared, her eyes blazing into his own. Bohan joined her, nodding his own silent support.
Harihn shrugged. “Very well.”
“At least leave them horses, sire, and some provisions,” Yazour protested.
“No! And if I hear another word from you on the subject, you will die beside them!”
The warrior blanched. “All this time I have served you,” he said tightly, “and I never knew what you were. I look into your face, and I see your father.” Turning his back on the Prince, he walked away to assemble his men.
The friends were guarded by a ring of bowmen while the others made their preparations for leaving. Though Anvar was desperate to continue the search for Aurian, Harihn had left orders that they were to be shot if one of them so much as stirred. While they waited, he tried in vain to persuade his companions not to sacrifice themselves, but Eliizar and Nereni were united in their indignation at such an idea, and Bohan looked hurt at the mere suggestion. Shia, though she did not speak again, snarled at him so fiercely that Anvar would have backed away if he could. She looked so savage that he wondered if he had imagined her voice in his mind. As soon as night fell outside, the Prince’s company departed, and the cavern seemed eerily quiet after they had gone. Anvar, without a word, got up and strode back to the pool. The others fanned out to search the cave once again.
Anvar sat, lost in wretchedness, beside the cavern entrance, his aching head buried in his hands. Reflected dawn light gleamed through the opening. They had searched all night, and still found no sign of Aurian, How long had it been now? He cast his mind back over the hours since their arrival in accursed Dhiammara. They had eaten first—their laughter during that feast seemed like a distant dream now^-and slept in each other’s arms through the remainder, of the day and part of the following night, Then Aurian had gone to bathe in the pool. Oh, Aurian! Why didn’t I just let you sleep? he thought. She had been lost for the rest of that night, the following day, and another night of frantic, fruitless searching. Surely there could be no hope now?
Someone touched his shoulder, and he turned to see Nereni. “Yazour hid some supplies for us at the back of the cave. Come and eat, Anvar. This does you no good.”
“How can you expect me to eat?” Anvar wanted to shout at her to leave him alone, but he knew that she was grieving too, and concerned for him.
She put a maternal arm round his shoulders. “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I koqw how much you loved her.”
“You don’t!” he retorted bitterly. “I didn’t know myself— not until I lost her.’’
Nereni went away sighing. Anvar wished that she and the others had saved themselves, and gone with Harihn. For himself —he didn’t care. What a cruel irony. Until these last weeks, when his discovery of magic had brought them so closely together, he had never admitted the depth of his feelings for Aurian—and now it was too late. It had all started long ago, ever since that wonderful Solstice night when they had celebrated with Forral . . . But Anvar had hidden the truth from himself then.
I knew in my heart that she was not for me, and never could be, he thought despairingly. But Aurian’s love of Forral, my own hatred of the Magefolk, then the return of Sara, all allowed me to run away from the fact that I loved her. How could I have been so blind? Self-protection, he thought ruefully, Aurian’s love for Forral was unswerving while he lived, and has remained that way since his death. I knew she’d never want anyone else. And now I’ll never even see her again. Never again will I feel the comfort of her friendship, the joy of her presence.