eginning to settle into place. Rakhal, seeking the matter
transmitter and some key to the nonhuman sciences of Wolf--I knew now
what the city of Silent Ones had reminded me of!--had somehow crossed
the path of the Toymaker.

Evarin's words now made sense: "_You were clever at evading our
surveillance--for a while._" Possibly, though I'd never know, Cuinn had
been keeping one foot in each camp, working for Kyral and for Evarin.
The Toymaker, knowing of Rakhal's anti-Terran activities, had believed
he would make a valuable ally and had taken steps to secure his help.

Juli herself had given me the clue: "_He smashed Rindy's Toys._" Out of
the context it sounded like the work of a madman. Now, having
encountered Evarin's workshop, it made plain good sense.

And I think I had known all along that Rakhal could not have been
playing Evarin's game. He might have turned against Terra--though now I
was beginning even to doubt that--and certainly he'd have killed me if
he found me. But he would have done it himself, and without malice.
_Killed without malice_--that doesn't make sense in any of the
languages of Terra. But it made sense to me.

Miellyn had finished her brief recitation and was drowsing, her head
pillowed on the table. The reddish light was growing, and I realized
that I was waiting for dawn as, days ago, I had waited for sunset in
Shainsa, with every nerve stretched to the breaking point. It was dawn
of the third morning, and this bird lying on the table before me must
fly or, far away in the Kharsa, another would fly at Juli.

I said, "There's some distance limitation on this one, I understand,
since I have to be fairly near its object. If I lock it in a steel box
and drop it in the desert, I'll guarantee it won't bother anybody. I
don't suppose you'd have a shot at stealing the other one for me?"

She raised her head, eyes flashing. "Why should you worry about Rakhal's
wife?" she flared, and for no good reason it occurred to me that she was
jealous. "I might have known Evarin wouldn't shoot in the dark! Rakhal's
wife, that Earthwoman, what do you care for her?"

It seemed important to set her straight. I explained that Juli was my
sister, and saw a little of the tension fade from her face, but not all.
Remembering the custom of the Dry-towns, I was not wholly surprised when
she added, jealously, "When I heard of your feud, I guessed it was over
that woman!"

"But not in the way you think," I said. Juli ha