Traitor's Moon

when they passed the mouth of Rhíminee harbor later that day. Gazing longingly at the distant city, he could make out scores of vessels at anchor on both sides of the moles. Beyond them, atop her towering grey cliffs, the upper city glowed like gold in the slanting afternoon light. The glass domes of the Orëska House and its four towers gave back a burning glare like points of flame, leaving black spots in front of his eyes when he looked away. Blinking, he searched the deck for Seregil and found him leaning against the aft castle wall, arms folded across his chest as he gazed up at the city he’d forsaken. Alec took a hesitant step in his direction, but Seregil walked away.
    As Rhíminee slowly slipped from sight behind them, the three ships struck south east across the Osiat with a fresh following wind. A growing air of tension hung over the three vessels as sailors and soldiers alike kept watch for striped Plenimaran sails. As darkness fell, however, conversation grew freer. A waning moon rose above them, spangling the waves with silver.
    Seregil and Torsin retired to the bow with Klia to discuss negotiation tactics. Left to their own devices, Alec and Thero paced the deck. They could make out the dark shapes of the escort ships sailing abreast of the
Zyria
a few hundred feet to either side. It was a calm night, and voices carried easily across the water. Some unseen musician aboard the
Courser
struck up a tune on a lute.
    Braknil and his riders had gathered around the hatchway lantern on the foredeck. Spying Alec and the wizard, the old sergeant waved them over.
    â€œThat’ll be young Urien strumming away,” he said, listening to the distant music.
    When the song ended, someone aboard the
Wolf
answered with the first verse of a popular ballad.
    A pretty young maid strolled down the shore, with naught but her shadow beside her
.
    Over in the bushes hid the farmer’s lad and lustfully he eyed her
.
    One-eyed Steb produced a wooden flute, and his comrades bawled the melody across the water.
    Steb’s lover, Mirn, gave Alec a playful jab with his elbow. “You too good to sing with us tonight? You’re the closest thing to a bard here.”
    Alec made him an exaggerated bow and took up the next verse:
    â€œOh, come with me, my sweet pretty maid,” the farmer’s lad said he
.
    â€œI’ll make you my wife and keep you for life if only you’ll lie with me.”
    Mirn and young Minál hoisted Alec onto a hatch cover and helped lead the interminable randy verses. Thero hung back by the rail, but Alec could see the wizard’s lips moving. When the song was done, cheers and catcalls echoed from the other ships.
    â€œWell now, isn’t this a hard life?” Sergeant Braknil chuckled, lighting his pipe. “We’re like a bunch of nobles off on a pleasure voyage.”
    â€œI don’t suppose it’ll be much harder once we get to Aurënen,” a veteran named Ariani agreed. “As honor guard, we’re just along for show.”
    â€œYou’ve got that right, girl. After a few weeks of standing about on guard duty, we’ll be happy enough to get back to the fighting. Still, it’s something to be the first to see Aurënen after all these years. Lord Seregil must’ve told you something of it, Alec?”
    â€œHe says it’s a green place, warmer than Skala. There was a song he sang—”
    Alec couldn’t recall the tune, but some of the words had stayed with him. “ ‘My love is wrapped in a cloak of flowing green, and wears the moon for a crown. And all around has chains of flowing silver. Her mirrors reflect the sky.’ There’s more to it, all very sad.”
    â€œMagic is more common there, as well,” Thero added with mock severity. “You’d all better mind your manners; the ‘pretty young maids’ might answer an insult with more than clever words.”
    A few of the riders exchanged worried looks at this.
    â€œA strange land with strange folk in it,” Braknil mused around his pipe stem. “As I hear it, they’re handy with their swords and bows, too. But you only have to look at Lord Seregil to see the truth in that. Or did, anyway. And perhaps it’s what makes you such a fine archer, eh, Alec?”
    â€œMore like having an empty belly if I didn’t shoot true.”
    Someone brought out dice, and Alec joined in a friendly game. Thesoldiers