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Luckily, Meggie hadn’t read his thoughts this time "Resa?" She tasted the roast meat and thanked Doria with a smile "She rode over to see Roxane"

"Roxane? But Roxane is here" Mo glanced at the tent used as an infirmary for the sick One of the robbers was in there, curled up in pain probably froi -- and Roxane stood outside the tent talking to toie looked at her, bewildered "But Resa said she’d arranged to meet Roxane"

Mo pinned the flower that had beenhas she been gone?" He did his best to sound casual, but Meggie was not to be deceived Not by him

"She set out around midday! If she’s not with Roxane, then where is she?"

She was looking at hietting that she didn’t know Resa nearly as well as she knew hiet acquainted with your own otten our quarrel? he wanted to reply She’s gone to see Fenoglio But he bit back the words Fear ladly have believed it was fear for Resa But he was as bad at lying to himself as to anyone else

He was not afraid for his wife, although he had reason to be He feared that so read aloud that would take hiht in a river and flung back into the pond it carily Who is going to read the Words, even if Fenoglio really did write them for Resa? Well, a voice inside him whispered, who do you think?

Orpheus

Meggie was still looking at him in concern, while Doria stood beside her hesitantly, unable to take his eyes off her face

Mo turned "I’ll be back soon," he said

"Where are you going? Mo!"

Meggie hurried after hio over to the horses, but he did not turn again

Why in such a hurry, Mortimer? the voice inside him mocked YOU think you can ride faster than Orpheus can speak the words with his oily tongue? Darkness was falling fro, the colors, the birdsong Resa Where was she? Still in Ombra, or on her way back already? And suddenly he felt the other fear as bad as the fear of those words The fear of footpads and nocturnal spirits, the memory of women they had found dead in the bushes Had she at least taken the Strong Man with her? Mo uttered a quiet curse No, of course not He was sitting there with Battista and Wayfarer by the fire, and he had already drunk so ht to have known Resa had been very quiet since their quarrel Had he forgotten what that one off with the Black Prince instead of talking to her again about what made her so silent --

almost as silent as in the days when she had lost her voice

"Mo, what are you doing?" Meggie’s voice sounded faint with fear Doria had followed the to him, and he set off toward the Prince’s tent

"Dahtened the horse’s girth He wished his fingers weren’t shaking soto look for her?

You can’t leave this ca to him Then Doria came back with the Prince Mo cursed and put the horse’s reins over its head

"What are you doing?" The Black Prince stopped behind hio to Oie aside and reached for the reins