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a universe that is pitiless. I don t think that will happen now.
Then go ahead, Garth said quietly.
The shadow started to rear up and extended its arms.
Garth smiled and slowly raised his arms as well.
The shadow hesitated and then laughed.
You never did answer what I first wanted to know. You undoubtedly had
figured it out that I killed the winners of the Festival so that they would
not one day be a threat. So why did you come forward and win?
Because, Garth said evenly, I think I can beat you as well.
The shadow laughed.
So you will be like me. You certainly had good training. You left your
servant to die, and you murdered a woman who loved you for the chance.
You would have killed her in turn, Garth said coldly. I would like to
think that I saved her.
You sound like a philosopher with that logic. You still killed her.
With an angry cry Garth raised his hand to strike.
The shadow, laughing easily, dodged the fireball.
If that is all you can start with, this will be boring. Bid my greetings to
your father.
Garth felt a rushing of wind, and the air around him raced inward. He tried
to breathe and, doubling over, gasped and started to choke in a green cloud of
sulfurous smoke.
* * *
Hammen, his arms around Varena s shoulders, struggled to remove her body while
Zarel and all the others were diverted by the presence of the Walker.
Varena s body servant moved feebly, shaking with tears.
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Shut up, girl, and help me, Hammen snapped.
Keep your filthy hands off of her, the girl replied. Let her rest.
Damn it all, girl, I m trying to save her before the cord of her spirit is
severed, now help me.
The girl looked over at him wide-eyed, unable to move.
Damn all women, Hammen whispered under his breath, tempted to simply let the
body drop and beat a hasty retreat before it was too late.
He continued, however, to struggle with the body, slowly dragging it away.
Though he did not want to,
he finally looked up and saw the Walker moving up to stand before Garth.
Damn it, no.
He lowered Varena to the ground and started to stand up. The Walker started
to raise his hands.
Torn between loyalties, he finally decided. Taking the amulet and mana that
Garth had given him, he placed the amulet upon Varena s brow. Drawing on the
mana he called to her spirit, sensing that none but the slenderest of threads
still linked it to her body. The spirit, to his surprise, struggled against
him, attempting to break free and break the cord to its mortal form, holding
him to his task so that he had to reach outward with all his strength to seize
hold of her and pull her, struggling, back into her body.
Varena s servant gasped with astonishment when a groan escaped from her
mistress. A dark cloud suddenly blocked out the sun and Hammen looked up at
the swirling storm rising heavenward. He looked over fiercely at the girl.
Keep the amulet on her forehead!
Reaching down with a dagger, he cut Varena s satchel free and stood up,
sensing the powers she controlled.
He looked over his shoulder and saw a knot of Orange fighters approaching and
motioned for them to take the body.
He stood up and pointed.
Zarel, you bastard!
His voice carried across the arena and the mob, which had been watching the
ascension of the Walker, stirred and fell silent at Hammen s challenging cry.
Zarel looked over at Hammen and started to raise his hands.
You bastard. The games are a hoax! You know, and the House Masters know,
that the winner is not taken to be a servant of the Walker. The winner is
taken to be murdered by him. And you are his accomplice!
Screaming with rage, Zarel pointed at Hammen, who with a sneer of contempt
drew on Varena s mana and easily diverted the fire. He raised his hand in
turn, knocking Zarel over with a blast of answering fire.
The arena erupted in chaos. From the corner where Garth had stood before the
final match Norreen, sword raised high, came charging forward, turning to look
back at the mob, urging them on. They came swarming out of the stands like a
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