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The horse reacted with a slight shake of its head, ruffling its mane. At a terse nod from Peregriff, the
individual thus singled out felt free to respond.
 Thank you, Lord.
 Think nothing of it. Good work is to be rewarded. Failure is well, why don t you and this fine young
gentleman here next to you ride out and bring back your hapless former associate? At a gesture from
their master, the two riders turned their mounts and galloped off in the direction of the outer gate.
Peregriff was uncertain.  Lord, he is not dead?
 Of course not. What do you think of me, Peregriff? He had to be punished, and of course he is
dismissed from the troop, but I would not kill someone simply because they proved unable to live up to
the standards set for the guard. Besides, the man has a wife and infant. Having only the standards of the
lower classes to aspire to, they have done nothing wrong. Therefore I will not deprive them of this man s
company, however graceless it may be.
Walking back to the front of the troop, he eyed them from beneath his helmet for a long moment. Hands
on hips, he addressed them prior to departing.
 You are a credit to your countrymen and to all of Ehl-Larimar! I am proud to call you members of my
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personal household, and am confident that should the time ever come that it is necessary to place my life
in your hands, then it will be in the finest care available anywhere in the world. I salute you! Raising one
mailed hand, he held it, palm outward, toward them.
Lances rose, the small gold and blue pennants secured just below where blade met shaft dancing in the
slight breeze that always blew from the mountain heights down toward the sea. Thus dismissed, they
broke ranks and prepared to return to their barracks.
As Hymneth and his general were mounting the steps that led back into the inner castle, trailed by the
snuffling, silent eromakadi, the two soldiers who had been dispatched to bring back the deserter
returned, leading the man s mount between them. Across the saddle lay an oddly slack body. Its legs and
arms were twitching, as was its neck, but it was as if they were no longer connected to one another. The
man was beyond screaming now, reduced to a piteous sobbing that shook the spirits of all within and
without the castle who happened to overhear it.
Dismounting, the pair of soldiers relieved the other horse of its burden. The man screamed anew when
they pulled him off the saddle. He could no longer sit on his horse, or anywhere else. As he could not
stand, he had to be carried off by his former comrades in arms. Since he had lost weight they were able
to move him without much effort, though they had to be careful of his middle. It sagged flaccidly, chest
and stomach sinking toward the ground as if that part of him were melting in the sun.
Hymneth paused long enough to watch the unfortunate being carried out of sight.  I suspected he was
spineless when I first set eyes on him. Now he is for sure. Turning away, he led his second in command
back into the castle. The inspection had made him hungry.
* * * *
They ate together. Not in the formal dining room, but out on one of the second-floor terraces that
overlooked the city and the sea. If there was anywhere else on earth that could boast of weather as
serene and tranquil as that of Ehl-Larimar, Hymneth had not heard of it. Peregriff agreed; it was another
fine day.
 You must be pleased, Lord, to know that you are so well protected. It must help you to sleep well at
night. Before imbibing, the general considered the white wine in the superb fluted glass set before him,
savoring the bouquet while admiring the color.
 The guard is a window dressing, Peregriff. Stalwart men and women in shiny uniforms to awe the
people. I have never relied on them to protect me.
The general looked surprised.  But Lord, you said 
 I said what I did for their benefit. It s hard to motivate those who serve if you tell them that ultimately
even the potential sacrifice of their lives means nothing. Enjoying the sun that struck his face through the
helmet, he gazed out across his realm, at ease if not content.  Oh, they are fine for making minor arrests
and for dealing with undistinguished miscreants like that deserter or ordinary assassins. But anyone or
anything powerful enough to seriously threaten me would toss them aside like straw. He sipped at his
own drink.  Still, they look fine on parade.
The general considered carefully before commenting.  So you still feel that the Worm s warning was
inaccurate, and that those whose coming he predicted will not reach Ehl-Larimar? Or is it that you do not
believe the necromantic powers it spoke of are strong enough to pose a threat?
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 Pose a threat? There is no threat, Peregriff. It doesn t matter if the Worm s prophecy proves to be
correct or not. He gestured diffidently.  You may pass the order to the navy to relax their alert. The
household guard may stand down, and the instructions that were given to the border patrols to be on the
alert for any unusual group of travelers seeking to enter the country are to be withdrawn.
Despite his master s mellow, even exuberant mood, the general was not reassured.  Is that wise, Lord?
Maintaining a heightened military status does not require a great deal in the way of additional effort or
expenditure. If it will ensure your safety ...
Hymneth waved him off.  I m telling you, Peregriff: It doesn t matter. If these individuals exist, and if they
manage to reach and cross the border, and if one of them happens to be a sorcerer of some small skill, it
does not matter. Even if they succeed in reaching the castle there is no need for concern. Setting his
wine aside and leaning across the small feast that had been provided for the midday meal, he lowered his
voice in what the shocked general could only interpret as an intimate manner.
 There is no longer any reason to worry about such matters, Peregriff. Everything is well in hand. More
so than you can imagine. Things have changed. Let them come to the castle. I am curious to meet those
who would suffer such hardships and travel so far on behalf of the stiff and self-important aristocracy of
far Laconda. Sounding as satisfied as the general had ever heard him, the lord of Ehl-Larimar sat back
in his chair and did a most remarkable thing: He put his long legs up on the banister and crossed them
contentedly. Rising from the porch, the eromakadi hovered above his feet, shading them from the sun.
To Peregriff s way of thinking, only one explanation seemed possible.  You have made some unique
preparation in expectation of their possible arrival, Lord. Groundwork that you feel sure will counter
anything they can do, no matter how unexpected or powerful.
 Something like that. More than anything, the ruler of Ehl-Larimar sounded amused. Peregriff was at a
loss to know how to proceed.
 You want no special measures carried out, no extra guards posted either in the city, here at the fortress,
nor even in your private quarters?
 Peregriff, calm yourself. Should anything untoward occur, and it will not, no blame will accrue to you. I
know perfectly well what I am doing. If the augury of the Worm turns out to be true, no harm can befall
me. If it turns out to be false, no harm can befall anyone else. I await with anticipation the resolution of
this conundrum that has so bedeviled my thoughts for far too long. You will see. He sipped from his
glass.  Life will continue not as before, but better than ever. You have my word on it. He extended the
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