There was no mistaking the race of the man who stumbled in to them. A bloody gash could not disguise Estcarp features. He fell forward and Koris caught him about the body. Then they were all nearly rocked from their feet as a blast of sound and displaced air beat in on them and the very ground moved under them.

The man in Koris’ hold moved, smiled, tried to speak. Deafened momentarily they could not hear. Briant slammed shut the gate and set its locking bars. Together Simon and the Captain half carried, half supported the fugitive into the house.

He recovered enough to sketch a salute to the witch as they brought him to her. She measured some bluish liquid into a cup and held it to his lips as he drank.

“Lord Vortimer?”

He leaned back in the chair into which they had lowered him. “You just heard his passing, lady — in that thunder clap! With him went all of our blood fortunate to reach the embassy in time. For the rest — they are being hunted in the streets. Yvian has ordered the three times horning for all of Estcarp or of the old blood! He is like a man gone mad!”

“This too?” She pressed her hands tight against her temples as if she might so ease some almost intolerable pain. “We have no time, no time at all?”

“Vortimer sent me to warn you. Do you choose to follow him along the same path, lady?”

“Not yet.”

“Those who have been horned can be cut down without question wherever they are found. And in Kars today the cutting down does not come swiftly as a clean death,” he warned dispassionately. “I do not know what hopes you may have of the Lady Aldis—”

The witch laughed.”Aldis is no hope at all, Vortgin. Five of us…” She turned the cup around and around in her fingers and then looked directly to Simon. “More depends upon this than just our lives alone. There are those in the outer parts of Karsten of the old blood, who, warned, might safely get through the mountains to Estcarp, and so swell our ranks. Also what we have learned here, patchy though it is, must be taken back. I could not hope to summon power enough — you will have to aid me, brother!”

“But I don’t know how — I have no use of power,” he protested.

“You can back me. It is our only hope.” Koris came away from the window where he had been peering into the garden.

“Shape changing?”

“It is the only way.”

“And how long will it hold?”

She shrugged.

Vortgin ran his tongue across his lips. “Set me outside this cursed city and I’ll rouse your countryside for you. I have kin in the backlands who’ll move on my word!”

“Come!” She led the way to that tapestried room of magic. But just inside the door Koris halted.