The Sorcerer's Plague

T'Noth shrugged. "I was in it when I brought her into my house." "Your brother won't be happy."

"He rarely is."

"Your brother?" Jy

"Yes."

"I thought you looked alike." She turned to S'Doryn. "And are you their father?"

As soon as T'Noth began to laugh, she knew she'd said the wrong thing. She felt her color rising.

"No," S'Doryn said with a grin. "I'm just a friend. An older friend." "Much older, it would seem," T'Noth said, and laughed again.

"I'm sorry," Jy

But S'Doryn shook his head. "It's nothing, child. He's just a foolish, small-minded man. If it wasn't this, he'd find some other way to make my life miserable." He said it all with a smile, giving Jy

T'Noth nodded once. "Right."

S'Doryn put his hand on Jy

She nodded and made herself smile, though it took a good deal of effort. Strange. Until yesterday, she'd always thought of herself as being quick to smile. Not anymore. Not ever again.

S'Doryn opened the door to leave and nearly collided with T'Kaar. S'Doryn stood in the doorway, eyeing the man. Then he stepped aside and let him into the house before leaving. The two of them didn't exchange so much as a nod.

"You heard?" T'Noth asked, as he began to pile food on the table- dried fruits and bread, salted meat and a block of cheese.

"You're fools, both of you," T'Kaar said. But he didn't sound angry. Rather, he seemed resigned to their decision. "This undertaking would be folly, if it weren't so dangerous." His eyes flicked toward Jy

"So you believe me now?" Jy

A faint smile flitted across his features. He wasn't as handsome as T'Noth-his face wasn't as square, his cheeks were a bit too fat-but he would have been nice-looking if he smiled more.

"I suppose I deserved that."

Jy

"I should come with you," T'Kaar said, turning back to his brother. T'Noth frowned. "Why?"

"Because neither you nor S'Doryn has healing magic. You might need it."

Jy

"No, I'm sure I don't. But I think I should."

"Fine, then," T'Noth said. "We'll need more food, and S'Doryn wants to be on our way before midday."

T'Kaar took a breath. "All right. I'll be back soon." He let himself out of the house.

T'Noth continued to stare at the floor, as if lost in thought. At last, he shook himself and looked up at Jy

It wasn't long before S'Doryn returned with several horses, all of

them far too large for Jy

"Good," she said, still watching the animals. She'd seen horses before, of course, but never the mounts of the Fal'Borna. They were not only the finest horses she'd ever seen, but also the largest. Though she thought them beautiful, Jy

"T'Kaar is coming with us," T'Noth said, tying the satchel of food to one of the saddles.

S'Doryn looked at the younger man, saying nothing for a long time. "That right?" he said at last.

"He says we may need a healer."

"What about A'Vinya?"

T'Noth shrugged. "He's willing to make the journey, and he knows that we have to wait before returning."

"All right." S'Doryn looked like he might say more, but at that moment T'Kaar came into view, carrying two travel sacks.

I don't like him, Jy

Jy

The distance between Tivston and Lowna had seemed impossibly great the night before, but on this day, carried by the great Fal'Borna mounts, they came within sight of Jy

"Jy

She stared at the village, trying to spot her house, searching desperately for someone-anyone-who might have survived the night. "No" was all she said.

They rode on, advancing on the village, all of them silent now. Jy

It was the birds-the carrion eaters-that first drew her eyes to the bodies. The first one made her stomach heave, and she clenched her teeth to keep from being ill. Then she spotted another, and a third. By the time they steered the horses onto the lane leading through the marketplace, she could see so many that she lost count. Already they had started to grow rank, and flies buzzed everywhere. As they rode among the buildings the kites flew off and began to circle overhead, complaining loudly. The crows, though, weren't so easily driven off. They'd flutter away as the mounts stepped past, but would quickly return to their feast.

Jy

When at last they came to what was left of her home, Jy

"Your family?" S'Doryn asked.

She merely nodded.

"I'm sorry, Jy

They stayed there for some time, until at last S'Doryn must have given a signal for them to ride on, because the horse she was on started to turn.