The Born Queen

The spear stuck there, so Neil released it and rolled away, noticing as he did another of Robert's guards stumbling about headless.

The last man he could see coming from the left, but he was off balance, and there was no way to dodge the blow.

He threw up his forearm to meet the sword at an angle. He heard the snap of bone breaking, and white light seemed to explode from everything.

Between one footfall and the next, the arrows suddenly blurred back to speed, and Aspar followed right after them, vaulting over Leshya and drawing back the ax for a blow. The Vaix's head whipped around as the arrows hit him. The Sefry stumbled, and Aspar chopped him in the back of the head with the ax as he went by, thrusting at the utin's eye with the dirk. The dagger went in deep, but the monster hit him with a backhand that slung Aspar back against a tree, then sank its talons into his shoulder and gaped a mouthful of needles at him. Aspar hit the butt of the knife with his palm, driving it in to the hilt. The beast screamed and fell, writhing so furiously in the cramped space that Aspar couldn't get by it for several long moments. When he was finally able to retrieve his knife and move on, he found two men waiting for him, and beyond he could see the wide opening inside the living lodge where Fend, Wi

The men confronting him stared at him in what could only be terror.

"You can walk out of here," Aspar snarled, "or I can kill you."

A look of resolve flashed over the face of one of them, and he cut at Aspar with the sword. He ducked so that the edge thunked into a tree branch and stayed there while Aspar disemboweled the wielder. The other howled and swung wildly, hitting Aspar on the side of his head with the flat. Aspar stumbled back, ears ringing, as the man shouted something in a language the holter didn't know.

He threw the ax, and it buried itself solidly in the fellow's breastbone. He stared at Aspar as he walked up, yanked it out, and kicked him over.

"Fend!"

Fend drew a pair of knives.

"How did you do that?" the Sefry asked.

Aspar didn't reply. He just stepped into the leafy hall, feeling a sort of calm settle over him.

"Aspar!" Wi

"It's already too late," Fend said. "It's already begun."

"Not too late to kill you, though," Aspar said.

"Is that all you ever think about? I helped you."

"Only to get Wi

"Well, true. I really should have done it sooner, but I had a sense I would need you, and I was right. I only pla

"And I will."

"You remember the last time we fought? You're even older and slower now, and I'm more powerful than ever. I'm the Blood Knight, you know."

"No playing this time," Aspar said.

"We can still do this together," Fend said. "It needs doing."

"Even if it does, you said it's already begun. So what do I need you for?"

"I guess you don't."

"Aspar!" Wi

Fend leapt at him, faster than a Mamres monk, his right-hand dagger slashing toward Aspar's face. The holter ducked, stepped in, and took Fend's other knife in the gut, then drilled his dirk under Fend's jaw so hard that he lifted the Sefry clean off his feet. He felt the man's spine snap.

"I said no playing," Aspar told him. Then he dropped the gurgling man and slumped down to one knee, lowering his gaze to the knife still stuck in his belly.

He took another look at Fend, but the Sefry was gazing back from beyond the world.

"About time," he muttered, lowering himself down and scooting toward Ehawk to cut his bonds.

"You let him stab you," the boy said.

"If I'd fought him, he would have won," Aspar said. "I'd be dead, and he'd still be alive." He handed Ehawk the knife. "Cut Wi

He got up and walked over to Wi

"Sceat," he said. "I'm sorry, love."

"It's killing her," Ehawk said.

"Yah," he replied.

"What should I do?"

"I don't know," Aspar said. "Go bring Leshya here; maybe she knows. She's right near the entrance."

Ehawk nodded and left.

Aspar was finding it hard to take a deep breath. It was as if something were pushing down on him.

"Wi

Wi

"Still love you," she said.

"Yah. I still love you. Nothing will change that."

"Our baby…" She closed her eyes again. "I can see her, Aspar. I see her in the forest with you, with her father. She's got my hair, but there's something wild in her, something from you, and she's got your eyes."

Aspar reached to stroke her hair, saw he had blood all over his hand, and wiped it on the ground first.

When his hand touched the earth, everything went still, and he felt his fingers reach into the soil, dividing, splitting, faster and faster, and his skin was expanding, moving out through the valley, across the hills, to the dying earth around it, and then he was back up north, staring into the eyes of the Briar King as he died.

Holter.

He lifted his hand and was back where he'd started, next to Wi

Fend was looking down at him.

"Ah, sceat," Aspar said.

"It's time," Fend said. Except that it wasn't Fend at all, not anymore. It was the witch.

Cazio stood for a moment in a daze, wondering what had just happened, but then he realized that Austra was awake, looking at him.

"Love," he said. "Are you well?"

As she pulled up, the other people who had been in the crypt rushed out, probably to see what A

"I'm fine," she said. "I was asleep."

"For days, yes," Cazio said. "Do you know what happened?"

"I was with A

"Do you know the way out of here?"

Austra looked around. "We're in Eslen-of-Shadows?"

"Yes."

"There's a path up to the castle, yes. But we have to find A

"Well, she just flew off with the Kept," Cazio said. "Can you walk?"

"I feel fine."

"Let's go, then."

He helped her to her feet and kissed her.

"Come on," he said. "Let's go see what's happening."

"A moment there," a familiar voice said.

Marche Hespero stood in the doorway to the crypt. He looked disheveled, and his voice sounded strained.

Cazio drew Acredo.

"I just need her," Hespero said, pointing at Austra. "She's the link; she's the way to A

"You?" Cazio nearly laughed the word. "You expect me to believe you're trying to save us?"

"Listen," Hespero said. "The man who brought you here and A

Cazio stepped in front of Austra.

"About all of that, I know nothing. You might be lying, you might be telling the truth. If I had to guess, I would say the first. It doesn't matter."

"He isn't lying," Austra murmured.

"What are you talking about?"

"A