"How do they know where the teeth have been placed?"

"They know, sir. I do not know how they know. Perhaps the knowledge comes in dreams. Perhaps the water-kings issue sendings, like those of the Lady and of the King of Dreams."

"So we will shortly be overrun by a horde of wanderers?"

"I think so, sir."

Etowan Elacca tapped the tooth against the palm of his hand. "Simoost, why have you spent the night in the niyk orchard?"

"Trying to find the courage to tell you these things, sir."

"Why did it require courage?"

"Because I think we must flee, sir, and I know you will not want to flee, and I do not wish to abandon you, but I do not wish to die, either. And I think we will die if we stay here longer."

"You knew about the dragon-teeth in the garden?"

"I saw them placed, sir. I spoke with the scouts."

"Ah. When?"

"At midnight, sir. There were three of them, two Liimen and a Hjort. They say that four hundred thousand people are heading this way out of the eastern Rift country."

"Four hundred thousand people will march across my land?"

"I think so, sir."

"There won't be anything left once they've passed through, will there? They'll come through like a plague of locusts. They'll clean out such food supplies as we have, and I imagine they'll plunder the house, and they'll kill anyone who gets in their way, so I would suppose. Not out of malice, but merely in the general hysteria. Is that how you see it also, Simoost?"

"Yes, sir."

"And when will they be here?"

"Two days, perhaps three, so they told me."

"Then you and Xhama should leave this morning, should you not? All the staff should go right away. To Falkynkip, I would say. You ought to be able to reach Falkynkip before the mob gets there, and then you should be safe."

"You will not leave, sir?"

"No."

"Sir, I beg you—"

"No, Simoost."

"You will surely perish!"

"I have perished already, Simoost. Why should I flee to Falkynkip? What would I do there? I have perished already, Simoost, can't you perceive that? I am my own ghost."

"Sir—sir—"

"There's no more time to waste," said Etowan Elacca. "You should have taken your wife and gone at midnight, when you saw the teeth being placed. Go. Go. Now."

He swung about and descended the slope, and as he passed back through the garden he replaced the dragon-tooth where he had found it, in the pinnina bed.

In midmorning the Ghayrog and his wife came to him and implored him to leave with them—they were as close to tears as Etowan Elacca had ever seen a Ghayrog come, for Ghayrog eyes have no tear ducts—but he stood firm, and in the end they departed without him. He called the others who had remained loyal together, and dismissed them, giving them such money as he happened to have on hand, and much of the food from the larder.