A dozen windwhales hovered to the east, beyond the river. I had thought them long departed. The sky there burned with dawn's conflagration. "First test," the Lady said. "A feeble monster." She frowned in concentration. Our carpet began to glow.

A white horse and white rider came from the town. Darling. Accompanied by Silent and the Lieutenant. Darling rode into an aisle marked by pennons. She halted beside the last.

The earth erupted. Something that might have been first cousin to Toadkiller Dog, and even more closely related to an octopus, burst into the light. It raced over the Barrowland, toward the river, away from the null.

Darling galloped toward town.

Wizards' fury rained from the carpets. The monster was a cinder in seconds. "One," the Lady said. Below, men began another aisle of pennons.

And so it went, slowly and deliberately, all the day long. Most of the Dominator's creatures broke for the river. The few that charged the other way encountered a barricade of missile fire before succumbing to the Taken.

"Is there time to eliminate them all?" I asked as the sun was setting. I had been itchy for hours, sitting in one place.

"More than enough. But it won't stay this easy."

I probed, but she would not expand upon what she had said.

It looked slick to me. Just pick them off and keep picking them off, and go for the big guy when they were all gone. Tough he might be, but what could he do enveloped in the null?

When I staggered into the barracks, to my room, I found the Limper still at work. The Taken need less rest than we mortals, but he had to be on the edge of collapse. What the hell was he doing?

Then there was Bomanz. He had not appeared today. What was he trying to slip up his sleeve?

I was eating a supper very much like breakfast when Silent materialized. He settled opposite me, clutching a bowl of mush as if it were an alms bowl. He looked pale.

"How was it for Darling?" I asked.

He signed, "She almost enjoyed it. She took chances she should not have. One of those things almost got to her. Otto was hurt fending it off."

"He need me?"

"One-Eye managed."

"What're you doing here?"

"It is the night to bring Raven out."

"Oh." Again I had forgotten Raven. How could I number myself among his friends when I seemed so indifferent to his fate?

Silent followed me to where I was staying with One-Eye and Goblin. Those two joined us shortly. They were subdued. They had been assigned major roles in the recovery of our old friend.

I worried more about Silent. The shadow had passed over him. He was fighting it. Would he be strong enough to win?

Part of him did not want Raven rescued.

Part of me did not, either.

A very tired Lady came to ask, "Will you participate in this?"