The Bishop of Penambra did not move until the last wagon and the last of the rearguard had vanished into the obscurity of the snowy woods. Then he said, 'So they do not only harvest - they glean also, so that those who follow after must make a meal off the chaff.'

Aide glanced up at his tall figure, her face flushed with shame. She stammered, 'We - we have need of all we can find. Alwir is raising an army, sending to the Emperor of Alketch for troops. They will burn out the Nests of the Dark at Gae, and so establish a place of safety from which we can reconquer the earth from the Dark.'

The straggly eyebrows raised, sending a whole laddering of wrinkles up the high forehead. 'On several occasions the Empire of Alketch has been likened to the Devil, my lady, and it is true in this regard: they say that the Devil cannot enter any man's house unless he is first bidden, but afterward, no man may bid him to leave. I think your brother would profit to take in the seven hundred or so warriors left to me, who are loyal to the heir of the House of Dare, before he gives his bread to enemies.'

'My brother says...' Aide began. She stopped, too ashamed to go on.

'Your brother is a man who keeps his own counsel,' Maia finished gently. He reached out his big, bony hand with its two crippled fingers, to rest on the black, soft fur that fell over her shoulders. 'I understand, my lady. But speak to him for us. Tell him he will need our swords. Tell him anything. We cannot hold out here long, and there is no place on the face of the earth left to which we can go.'

'I will tell him.' Aide looked up into the gaunt, waxy face towering above her own.

'Speak for us,' Maia said, 'and if ever you should need them, my lady, you may count on our swords and our hearts.'

'We can't just leave them to starve!' Aide said fiercely. The twilight of the lonely road had closed down around them. Evening lay like a veil over the dark trees.