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money. You can just owe me a favor. Friends deal in favors.
Up until now, Dreibrand had carefully avoided being sucked into Faychan s
personal schemes, but he could not deny Faychan this time.
 Things are going badly for me. I doubt I will have any favors to give,
Dreibrand warned.
Faychan scoffed,  You are just having a bad night. Soon you will be a very
powerful man. You have not been doing charity work for Shan.
Dreibrand made no comment. Indeed, Shan had much to give.
 Enough of this, Miranda decided.  He is in pain and can talk no more. Stop
talking about money when he needs help. Along with her concern for
Dreibrand s physical needs, she believed he was too vulnerable to talk to the
Kezanada.
Faychan shot Miranda a look but commented pleasantly,  You have a crafty
woman, Dreibrand. She makes me work on credit and then tells me not to discuss
the bill.
With a strained voice, Dreibrand said,  We will talk later, Faychan. But let
there be friendship between us.
 Good, Faychan declared.
 Dreibrand, can you stand yet? Miranda asked.
He made a cautious effort but his pain defeated him. Frustration pooled in his
eyes and he lay back.
Faychan grabbed him and helped him on his next attempt. Smothering a moan,
Dreibrand got to his feet. He swayed between Miranda and Faychan until he
forced some strength back into his legs.
Accepting his pain, he resolved to struggle back to camp.
~
The glow of energy faded between Shan and Quylan as their minds returned to
their individual bodies. While connected by mind and body, they had shared the
pleasures of flesh and spirit.
Shan kissed her face and lips, still marveling at the reality of her. He and
Quylan had glimpsed each other s hearts and seen goodness in each other. They
had seen dark places too, but those had only brought them closer.
 You are so powerful, Quylan murmured.
 So are you, Shan whispered.
Caressing her new lover, Quylan said,  Each time there will be more pleasure
between us.
Shan agreed, believing that they could master the needs of each other s
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bodies. Then, ecstasy would become like a simple spell.
 I will always choose you, Quylan sighed.
Shan clutched her tighter. She was the most wonderful thing he had ever known.
He believed that she loved him, but it was a young love. A few centuries
around Onja had made Shan s heart hard
and practical. He cherished her pledge but he did not believe it.
 Do not be so quick to say such words, Quylan, Shan cautioned sadly.
Unconcerned by his warning, Quylan asked,  What rys could compare to you?
 I hope in your eyes, none ever do, Shan admitted and kissed her again.
Magic glowed in her eyes and her mind reached out to him. Shan wanted to yield
to his desire and become lost in her again, but his responsibilities nagged at
him. When he resisted the urgings of her body, he felt her disappointment.
 Sweet Quylan, you know I must return my attention to our enemy, Shan said.
 Let us share our joy one more time, Shan. I have longed to be near you, and I
am so afraid of the days to come, she said.
Shan trembled in his weakness for her. He could have spent days in that tent
with Quylan, but he suspected that he had already ignored his problems too
long.
 Soon Onja will be gone and I will devote much time to you, he promised
passionately.  But until then, all of us are in danger, and I must not be
distracted by pleasure.
Knowing how completely she depended on him for protection, Quylan let her arms
slip away from his body. Shan sat up and started dressing. Quylan could feel
his mind retreat from her. Already she coveted his attention, and giving it up
hurt. But she understood that a rys who would be King of Jingten had many
things to think about besides her.
Shan pulled his chainmail on and ran his hands over the crystals on his
sleeves. He felt troubled.
After a moment of puzzlement, he realized the source of his unease. Pain
washed over him and
Shan sensed that Dreibrand had been hurt. Shan s mind raced through the trees
and located his friend. Memories of Taischek stoked his panic.
Shan burst out of his tent and startled Tytido.
 Lord Shan! he cried.  I have been waiting for you.
 Dreibrand is hurt. Have we been attacked? Shan demanded.
 Yes, well, no, Tytido stumbled before blurting the bad news.  King Kalek
took him prisoner in the forest. Miranda went with the Kezanada to save him so
the Yentay would not be involved in a conflict with the Temu.
 The Kezanada? They are here already? Shan wondered and looked to the stars
to judge the time. The night was half gone and he reproached himself for
spending hours with Quylan. Her arrival had overwhelmed him more than he
thought it would.
 The Kezanada came to talk to you, Lord Shan, Tytido said.
Shan nodded absently and asked Tytido to tell him everything that had
happened. As Tytido gave his lord the details, Shan was amazed at the amount
of trouble Kalek had caused.
After absorbing the report, Shan said,  Lieutenant Tytido, you were right not
to bring the Yentay against the Temu King. That damage could not have been
repaired.
The judgment relieved Tytido somewhat. It had been hard not to rush to
Dreibrand s aid.
Quylan emerged from the tent and Tytido tried not to give her a curious look.
 Lord Shan, but what of General Veta? We must help him, he said.
 He approaches from the northeast right now. Go help him back to camp, Shan
commanded.
Tytido gladly complied. When he intercepted Dreibrand outside of camp, only a
few Kezanada remained with Miranda. The majority of the force had been sent to
a hiding area.
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 You can take him from here, Faychan said and Dreibrand tumbled to the ground
from Faychan s saddle.
Tytido jumped down and picked up his general with help from some Yentay.
 I will contact Lord Shan tomorrow night, Faychan told Miranda before he
quickly slipped away into the night.
Miranda vaguely heard him but her only concern was for Dreibrand. As the
Yentay hurried him back to their camp, he moaned and finally passed out. When
Shan ran up to meet them, only then did
Miranda dare to hope.
 Get him to his tent! Shan cried.
The Yentay carried Dreibrand into his tent and Miranda followed in a daze of
distress. She clutched his armored jacket that he had been too hurt to put
back on.
Quylan hovered outside the tent, uncertain what to do. She had a received a
cold look from the woman who had just brushed by her.
A lantern flared in Shan s hand as they clustered around Dreibrand. For the
sake of room, Tytido ordered the other two Yentay out. Dreibrand shivered in
the mountain cold, but remained unconscious. Miranda put a blanket over him.
Shan called to his friend several times but got no response.
 Where is his sword? Did Kalek take it? Shan asked. His rys eyes narrowed as
he began to truly become angry.
 No. He did not have it. He did not even have his horse, Miranda answered.
 Please, Shan, tell me how bad is he hurt?
The mystery of the missing sword and horse would have to wait, and Shan eased
away the blanket so he could touch Dreibrand s torso. Tentatively, the blue
fingers gently examined the battered body.
Miranda and Tytido waited with unbearable patience for the assessment. Their
stress rose when
Shan s features finally betrayed his concern.
 Two ribs are broken Shan reported.
Miranda wanted to be relieved by the mild news, but she knew things had to be
worse.
Brushing a hand over the big scar on his abdomen, Shan said,  He is bleeding
inside.
Miranda gasped and took Dreibrand s hand.  What can you do? she asked
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