o do. o draeadying breat as Alessan and one of ting up t beh surprise.

    arted to stand, but tically and o be braced by Alessan. tood staring doely, into her bleeding face.

    Devin looked away.

    Alessans. quot;e sao rying t sort of t; t;Didnt anyone ever tell you?”

    tness of one. quot;I feared for you,quot; ly.

    quot;I couldnt to do,quot; Devin said apologetically. o ;to do someto stop it.”

    Alessans smile oo, in the Nievolene barn.

    It ;Come back do; t;Ill o clean out ts for you.”

    t it  black, and o a semblance of a crescent moon.

    From one end of it ted lock of greying  would be.

    Marius was on , one cening.

    And t, because not at all afraid.

    quot;I t to dance in ;I o tell you ell me if you can do it and t will be all we need say.”

    Marius o stop him.

    s aken to ed. ted some distance a  at noon t urned into a mild, generous day.

    quot;t; t;You kno.

    You probably kno o deny you any request at all. I o do tly. I o tell you  do, so you  ask it and force me to refuse.”

    Alessan nodded. , che King.

    quot;I cannot give you an army,quot; Marius said flatly. quot;Not yet, and peroo green in

    pooo far from tability I need at o lead or even order troops over tains. tradition I o set about ctle time. I am not a young man anymore, Pigeon.”

    Devin felt a leap of excitement ruggled to master it. too serious an occasion for co—at t of—sometude. ole a sidelong glance at