“Go to it, sir,” rumbled Ulfar, standing on the Bishop’s right and looking boldly at the white Knight who could slay him. “Give ’em hell from us.”

Wings beat in the sky, and theutas soared down to land on Rogard’s left. In the hot light, the blued metal of his armor was like running water. His horse snorted, curveting and flapping its wings; he sat it easily, the lance swaying in his grasp, the blank helmet turned to Flambard. One more such leap, reckoned Rogard wildly, and he would be able to assail the King of Cinnabar. Or—no—a single spring from here and he would spit Evyan on his lance.

And there is a Barrier between us!

“Watch yourself, Queen!” the arrogant leukan voice boomed hollow out of the steel mask.

“Indeed I will, Sir Knight!” There was only laughter in Evyan’s tone. Lightly, then, she sped up the row of black squares. She brushed by Rogard, smiling at him as she ran, and he tried to smile back but his face was stiffened. Evyan, Evyan, she was plunging alone into her enemy’s homeland!

Iron belled and clamored. The white guardsman in her path toppled and sank at her feet. One fist lifted strengthlessly, and a dying shrillness was in the dust: “Curse you, curse you, mikillati, curse you for a stupid fool, leaving me here to be slain—no, no, no—”

Evyan bestrode the body and laughed again in the very face of Earl aracles. He cowered back, licking his lips—he could not move against her, but she could annihilate him in one more step. Beside Rogard, Ulfar whooped, and the trumpets of Cinnabar howled in the rear.

Now the great attack was launched! Rogard cast a fleeting glance at Bishop sorkas. The lean white-coped form was gliding forth, mace swinging loose in one hand, and there was a little sleepy smile on the pale face. No dismay—? sorkas halted, facing Rogard, and smiled a little wider, skinning his teeth without humor.” You can kill me if you wish,” he said softly. “But do you?”

For a moment Rogard wavered. To smash that head—!

“Rogard! Rogard, to me!”

Evyan’s cry jerked the King’s Bishop around. He saw now what her plan was, and it dazzled him so that he forgot all else. leukas is ours!

Swiftly he ran. diomes and boan howled at him as he went between them, brushing impotent spears against the Barriers. He passed Queen dolora, and her lovely face was as if cast in steel, and her eyes followed him as he charged over the plain of leukas. Then there was no time for thinking, Earl rafaeon loomed before him, and he jumped the last boundary into the enemy’s heartland.

The Earl lifted a meaningless ax. The Law read death for him, and Rogard brushed aside the feeble stroke. The blow of his mace shocked in his own body, slamming his jaws together. rafaeon crumpled, falling slowly, his armor loud as he struck the ground. Briefly, his fingers clawed at the iron-hard black earth, and then he lay still.