That was what he said, that he would not kill her unless he thought the war was entirely lost."

"And does he think that now?" Hissune asked.

"No, Lord Hissune. He thinks the war is far from lost: he is about to release new creatures against you, and new diseases, and he feels he is on the threshold of victory."

"Then why kill the Danipiur?"

"To ensure his victory."

"Madness!"

"I think so too, my lord." Aarisiim's eyes were open wide, now, and burned with a strange harsh gleam.

"He sees her, of course, as a dangerous rival, one whose inclinations are more toward peace than war. If she is removed, that risk to his power is gone. But there is more than that. He means to sacrifice her on the altar—to offer her blood to the water-kings, for their continued support. He has built a temple after the design of the one that was at Old Velalisier; and he will put her upon the stone himself, and take her life with his own hands."

"And when is this supposed to happen?"

"Tonight, my lord. At the Hour of the Haigus."

"Tonight?"

"Yes, my lord. I came as quickly as I could, but your army was so large, and I feared I would be slain if I did not find your own guards before your soldiers found me—I would have come to you yesterday, or the day before, but it was not possible, I could not do it—"

"And how many days' journey from here is New Velalisier?"

"Four, perhaps. Perhaps three, if we do it very swiftly."

"Then the Danipiur is lost!" Hissune cried angrily.

"If he does not sacrifice her tonight—"

"You said tonight was the night."

"Yes, the moons are right tonight, the stars are right tonight—but if he loses his resolve, if at the last moment he changes his mind—"

"And does Faraataa lose his resolve often?" Hissune asked.

"Never, my lord."

"Then there is no way we can get there in time."

"No, my lord," said Aarisiim darkly.

Hissune stared off toward the dwikka grove, scowling. The Danipiur dead? That left no hope of coming to any accommodation with the Shapeshifters: she alone, so he understood it, might soften the fury of the rebels and allow some sort of compromise to be negotiated. Without her it must be a battle to the end.

To Alsimir he said, "Where is the Pontifex today?"

"He is west of Khyntor, perhaps as far west as Dulorn, certainly somewhere in the Rift."

"And can we send word to him there?"

"The communications channels linking us to that region are very uncertain, my lord."

"I know that. I want you to get this news through to him somehow, and within the next two hours. Try anything that might work. Use wizards. Use prayers. Send word to the Lady, and let her try dreams. Every imaginable channel, Alsimir, do you understand that? He must know that Faraataa means to slay the Danipiur tonight. Get that information to him. Somehow. Somehow. And tell him that he alone can save her.