Sparhawk reined Faran in at the outer end of the bridge and waited. There were certain formalities involved in gaining entry into a Pandion chapterhouse. Oddly, he found that he did not chafe at those formalities. They had been a part of his life for all the years of his novitiate, and the observance of these age-old ceremonies seemed somehow to mark a renewal and a reaffirmation of his very identity. Even as he awaited the ritual challenge, the sun-baked city of Jiroch and the women going to the wells in the steel-grey light of morning faded back in his memory, becoming more remote and taking their proper place among all his other memories.

Two of the armoured knights rode forward at a stately pace, the hooves of their chargers booming hollowly on the foot-thick planks of the drawbridge. They halted just in front of Sparhawk. ‘Who art thou who entreateth entry into the house of the Soldiers of God?’ one of them intoned.

Sparhawk raised his visor in the symbolic gesture of peaceable intent. ‘I am Sparhawk,’ he replied, ‘a soldier of God and a member of this order.’

‘How may we know thee?’ the second knight inquired.

‘By this token may you know me.’ Sparhawk reached his hand into the neck of his surcoat and drew out the heavy silver amulet suspended on the chain about his neck. Every Pandion wore such an amulet.

The pair made some pretence of looking carefully at it.

‘This is indeed Sir Sparhawk of our order,’ the first knight declared.

‘Truly,’ the second agreed, ‘and shall we then – uh –’ He faltered, frowning.

‘– Grant him entry into the house of the Soldiers of God,’ Sparhawk prompted.

The second knight made a face. ‘I can never remember that part,’ he muttered. ‘Thanks, Sparhawk.’ He cleared his throat and began again. ‘Truly,’ he said, ‘and shall we then grant him entry into the house of the Soldiers of God?’

The first knight was grinning openly. ‘It is his right freely to enter this house,’ he said, ‘for he is one of us. Hail, Sir Sparhawk. Prithee, come within the walls of this house, and may peace abide with thee beneath its roof.’

‘And with thee and thy companion as well, wheresoever you may fare,’ Sparhawk replied, concluding the ceremony

‘Welcome home, Sparhawk,’ the first knight said warmly then. ‘You’ve been a long time away’

‘You noticed,’ Sparhawk answered. ‘Did Kurik get here?’

The second knight nodded. ‘An hour or so ago. He talked with Vanion and then left again.’

‘Let’s go inside,’ Sparhawk suggested. ‘I need a large dose of that peace you mentioned earlier, and I’ve got to see Vanion.’

The two knights turned their horses, and the three rode together back across the drawbridge.

‘Is Sephrenia still here?’ Sparhawk asked.

‘Yes,’ the second knight replied. ‘She and Vanion came from Demos shortly after the Queen fell ill, and she hasn’t gone back to the motherhouse yet.’