He got to his feet.

"Lordship! Lordship!"

"Sleet? Here!"

The small, lithe figure of Sleet appeared out of the darkness. Carabella was, with him, and Tunigorn not far behind. Solemnly Valentine embraced each of them. Carabella was shivering uncontrollably, though the night was warm, and had grown humid now that the parched wind had blown itself out. He drew her against him, and tried to brush away the patches of wet sand that clung to her clothes, as to his, like a thick constricting crust.

Sleet said, "My lord, two of the floaters are lost, and I think a good many of their passengers with them."

Valentine nodded grimly. "So I fear. But surely not all!"

"There are some survivors, yes. As I came to you I heard their voices. Some—I have no idea how many—scattered along both banks. But you must prepare yourself, my lord, for losses. Tunigorn and I saw several bodies along the shore, and very likely there are others who were swept downstream and drowned far away. When morning comes we'll know more."

"Indeed," Valentine said, and fell silent a while. He sat crosslegged on the ground, more like a tailor than a king, and fell into a long silence, drawing his hand idly through the sand that lay heaped as though it were some strange kind of snow to a depth of some inches on the ground. There was one question he dared not ask, but after a time he could no longer keep it within himself. He glanced up at Sleet and Tunigorn and said, "What news is there of Elidath?"

"None, my lord," said Sleet gently.

"None? None at all? Has he not been seen, or heard?"

Carabella said, "He was beside us in the water, Valentine, before our floater went down."

"Yes. I remember that. But since then?"

"Nothing," said Tunigorn.

Valentine gave him a quizzical look. "Has his body been found, and are you not telling me?"

"By the Lady, Valentine, you know as much as I about what has happened to Elidath!" Tunigorn blurted.

"Yes. Yes. I do believe you. This frightens me, not knowing what has become of him. You know he means much to me, Tunigorn."

"You think you need to inform me of that?"

Valentine smiled sadly. "Forgive me, old friend. This night has unsettled my mind some, I do believe."

Carabella put her hand, cool and damp, over his; and he put his other on hers. Quietly he said again,

"Forgive me, Tunigorn. And you, Sleet, and you, Carabella."

"Forgive you, my lord?" Carabella asked, amazed. "For what?"

He shook his head. "Let it pass, love."

"Do you blame yourself for what has happened tonight?"

"I blame myself for a great deal," said Valentine, "of which what has happened tonight is but a small part, though to me it is a vast catastrophe. The world was given into my stewardship, and I have led it to disaster."

"Valentine, no!" Carabella cried.

"My lord," said Sleet, "you are much too harsh on yourself!"