Silvie jerked out two of her knives, flipped them into the air in perfect symmetry, caught them by their blades, and flung them at a dead log with a flip of her wrists. They plunged into the wood with scarcely a splinter to separate them.

“You haven’t lost your skill,” Johnis said. “You’ve searched these cliffs?” he asked, pointing absently at the mounds of rocks and hills.

“Every last mole hole.”

“No sign of Darsal or Karas.”

“Or Alucard,” she said. “Or Billos.”

“Time,” he said, facing her.

“Clearly it’s not a consistent thing.”

He nodded. “I left only moments after you and appeared hours later.”

“For all we know, Karas has been here for a month,” Silvie said.

“And if we’re in the Histories Thomas spoke about, we’ve gone back in time perhaps thousands of years.”

Silvie retrieved her knives and slipped them into sheaths on either thigh. “None of this helps the situation.”

“No, but it gives us a starting point.”

“Darsal and Karas,” Silvie said. If she hadn’t spent so much time looking for them already, she might share some of his enthusiasm. “Like I said—”

“We have to get into that city,” Johnis interrupted, looking east.

She instantly noticed the boyish look that suddenly brightened his eyes. “Not before we understand what we’re getting into.”

He jerked his head to face her. “No, now. While we still have a chance of finding Karas and Darsal. Before they end up in captivity . . . or worse.”

“What makes you think they went into the city?”

“Where else would they go?”

“We are not going into the city without a plan that makes perfect sense to both of us,” Silvie said. “We don’t have the third fighting group to sacrifice this time.”

It was a low blow, but he let the accusation roll off his back.

“You said you saw one of their roads over the hills?” he demanded, turning south. “How far?”

“A half-hour walk, right over the large knoll. But I don’t want to rush off without feeling better about this. Not after last time. Please, we can’t just walk down the road in our battle dress, climb to the top of their tallest tower, and scream for Darsal and Karas to come out of hiding.”

“I do have a plan,” Johnis said, with a slight grin. “Are you with me?”

“What plan?”

“Part of the plan is that you trust me. Are you with me?”

Silvie was surprised by the sudden comfort his confidence brought her. And to be perfectly honest, she did trust him. Almost as much as she loved him.

“Will we live to tell?” she demanded.

“I have no idea.”

She paused, then walked past him toward the road, guessing his plan started there. “Something is definitely wrong with us.”

“RIGHT OVER THE KNOLL,” SILVIE HAD SAID. BUT THE ROAR from the road announced its presence loudly enough.