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once spent time in Gallos and Kyphros, he said.
Been a long time back, a long time, when Deorca was younger than Flait
here.
What can you tell me about Quessa or Hierna?
Hierna, ah, yes, that was the next town but one from Zrenca, and Zrenca,
that was where I found Deorca. A smile creased the thin and pale lips. A
long time back.
How far is Hierna from Tellura?
Not too far a piece. There s a day, a short day between Hierna and Zrenca,
but Zrenca is but a hamlet, not a proper town at all, you know.
And how far is Tellura from Zrenca? Cerryl asked politely.
I d say, if there were a road, straight that is, it might take two days by
horse, but the hills and the streams they don t flow straight, and the roads
wind more than the streams.
Zrenca is two days straight west from Tellura? pursued Cerryl.
Mostly, but I d be guessing&
And Hierna is another day west from Zrenca?
Ah& no. Hierna& you go as much north as west from Zrenca, and a short day,
a half day hard riding.
Have you ever heard of a town called Quessa?
Lwelter shrugged. Knew it be west of Hierna, more than a few days& two,
mayhap three.
How big is Hierna?
You been to Weevett, young fellow?
In the background, the stubby-fingered young potter winced ever so
slightly.
Well, Hierna s half again as big as Weevett, lessen one s growed more than
the other in the last ten years. Lwelter laughed.
Do you know anything about Quessa?
Some said it was a hamlet like Zrenca. Never went there. Deorca had a
cousin consorted with a miller there.
Did you ever go to the Westhorns from Zrenca? asked Cerryl.
Me? I was a potter, not a herder. Sides, even then, folks worried about
the black she-angels. Folks say they re all dead. Don t you believe it.
Lwelter cackled, shaking his head. Don t like the lowlands, the angels
don t.
Da. The word was firm. The white mage knows all about the angels.
Lwelter stopped cackling. You didn t say he was a mage.
He did, Cerryl said. You have been very helpful. Thank you He fumbled
in his purse and handed a pair of coppers to the younger potter before turning
and leaving.
& could have gotten us turned to ashes&
& never said&
Ignoring the recriminations behind him, Cerryl walked quickly back to the
wizards square.
The dinner bell was ringing as he opened his cell door, and he washed
quickly and hurried toward the meal hall. The others who ate there were
already seated with platters, and he found himself alone at the serving table.
After taking a chunk of oat bread, some cheese, noodles in white sauce, and
a mug of the light ale, he sat down across from Faltar. He absently let his
senses range over the food, though outside of the poisoned cider, he d never
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found any other sense of chaos in food in the halls.
Where have you been? asked the blond student mage.
Beside Faltar, the curly-haired Heralt raised his eyebrows as he chewed
some of the tough bread.
Trying to find out where Quessa is-and Hierna, and Zrenca, and& Cerryl
broke off a corner of the bread and dipped it in the white sauce.
Too bad scriveners can t use glasses like real student mages& came the
murmur from Bealtur at the adjoining table.
Cerryl stiffened momentarily, then smiled and turned to Faltar. For some
reason, the honored Jeslek did not want me to use a glass, and I would not
think of going against his expressed wishes. His face hardened slightly. I m
sure he wouldn t like to learn that anyone had suggested otherwise.
There was a satisfying gulp from the adjoining table.
Faltar grinned. So did Heralt, if momentarily.
Cerryl didn t. He had too much drawing and copying ahead. Instead, he took
a chunk of the oat bread and began to chew.
LVI
The isle of Recluce was hotter than the Sand Hills raised by the treachery of
Nylan, and drier as well, and not even the sorceries of the dark mages nor the
fires of Megaera could bring forth water from the dry earth and barren rock.
Children shriveled and died; despite even the spells laid by Creslin upon
his followers, more and more voices were raised in anguish and in pain, asking
why Creslin had brought them to such a desolate place. He answered them not,
but withdrew into himself, then sent forth ships to plunder the seas. Yet the
plunder would not buy water, nor food enough&
Why should all the gentle rain fall upon Candar and upon the lands of our
enemies, and those who have sworn to destroy us? asked Creslin of Megaera. Why
should we not turn the great winds so that the rains return to Recluce as they
once must have fallen?
Even the faceless black mages shivered as they heard Creslin s words
whisper across the barren rocks and bleached sands.
Yet none would raise his voice when Creslin and Megaera set forth to raise
the waters and the skies and fought the winds of Heaven, nor was a word spoken
when fires blazed out of the sky and floods of water cascaded across Recluce.
The fires burned across dry Montgren and the crops of Certis. Even the
hardy oilseeds withered and dried, and the forests of Sligo blazed through the
long summer.
The floods subsided, and rains fell upon Recluce, and Creslin and Megaera
rejoiced, never looking into a glass or caring about the destruction which
they had wrought upon Candar&
Colors of White
(Manual of the Guild at Fairhaven)
Preface
LVII
A woman in green crossed the hall and started toward the courtyard and the
front building as Cerryl stepped out of the library workroom with his map in
hand-a woman in green with red-blonde hair& a young woman.
Cerryl looked for a moment, just looked. Could it be the girl from his
glass? She was definitely a woman now.
He glanced toward the steps to Jeslek s quarters, then in the direction she
had gone, pursing his lips. After a moment, he turned toward the courtyard.
Even with that momentary delay, by the time he passed the fountain and reached
the end of the foyer of the front building, she had turned and was headed up
the steps to the tower.
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Cerryl walked more quickly, holding the map high so that he wouldn t trip
or drag it along the polished stones. He dodged around Lyasa, who gave him a
questioning look, and offered a harried look that he hoped would cover his
action.
Lyasa raised both eyebrows but said nothing.
By the time Cerryl reached the pair of guards at the base of the tower,
breathing slightly harder than he would have liked, the young woman in green
had vanished. No sound of feet echoed down the steps to the higher levels,
either.
He looked at the guard standing on the right. Hertyl& the woman who just
went up the steps& do you know her?
Young ser, it be not my business to know any like her.
Cerryl caught the twinkle in the young guard s eye and grinned. Nor I& but
you might know her name.
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