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.She held out her right hand."I need it back now.I must be whole to accomplish this task.""Oh," said Cashel."Right, it'll take me a moment."He leaned the quarterstaff into the crook of his elbow so he had both hands to work with.The iron cap was likely to skid on the slab, so he held it between the toes of his right foot."Are you just going to give me the locket?" Tenoctris said, her voice sharp and rising."Yes, ma'am," Cashel said, concentrating on what he was doing.He had to be careful or he'd pull the thin chain in half."Here you go."He held out the locket and chain in the palm of his hand instead of dropping it into hers.That'd let her use both hands to put it on without snagging her hair."Cashel, I have a demon inside me!" Tenoctris said."Didn't you wonder where my new power came from? With this locket in my possession, there'll be nothing and no one who can control me!""But you'll control yourself," Cashel said.He felt silly holding the locket and her not taking it.She'd even lowered her hand so he couldn't just drop it in her palm after all.He cleared his throat uncomfortably."Tenoctris," he said, "I saw the demon.He didn't want to try conclusions with me, and I don't guess he got very far with you either.At any rate, you're still Tenoctris.So here's your locket back, if you need it."Tenoctris took the locket."You were a very good shepherd, weren't you, Cashel?" she said.He smiled."Yes, ma'am," he said."And I hope I still am."He took the wool out and wiped his staff, especially the part he'd stuck into the salt water.He hoped he'd be using it for many years to come; and if he wasn't, well, at least at the end he wouldn't have to be ashamed that he hadn't taken care of his tools.Tenoctris starting chanting words of power.A disk of wizardlight flickered between her upraised arms and began to extend into a tubeCashel put away his wool and watched his friend.He just stood where he was, smiling faintly with his feet braced.To anyone looking at him, he was as solid as the Fulcrum of Worlds itself.* * *"All right," Lord Attaper said.He sounded irritated and a little bored, but certainly not frightened of the behemoth crawling toward them."Captain Ascor, get her highness out of here fast.Get her back to Valles, I think.I'm afraid you'll have to improvise on logistics.""No," said Sharina.She nodded to the Corl wizard."I need to stay with Rasile."The ground shook as the creature lurched toward the siege lines.Four paddle-like legs drove it, so it as much swam as walked.It's certainly not a crab, the back of Sharina's mind noted.Her mouth smiled at the way people think about trivia when they have only moments to live."Ascor, I said—" Attaper roared, blasting his anger out at his subordinate because he couldn't, even now, shout at the Princess Sharina.Sharina stepped between the men, facing the guard commander at inches distance.She was tall for a woman, tall enough to meet his eyes or nearly so."Attaper," she snapped, "the world will live or die because of what that wizard—"She pointed toward Rasile without turning her head."—is able to do right now.If she needs help with her art—with her wizardry, Attaper—are you going to understand what she's asking for?"Attaper edged backward.His expression had gone from furious to neutral; when his eyes flicked to follow Sharina's gesture, he frowned in concern.A few of the Blood Eagles were comfortable around wizardry, but their commander wasn't among them."Right," said Sharina, turning away."You do your job, milord, and leave me to mine."And the crab would do its job or anyway take its pleasure, and then Sharina wouldn't have to worry about the problems of ruling the kingdom or much of anything else.She stood with one hand on the wicker battlement, facing Rasile.If the wizard did unexpectedly request something, Sharina'd be ready to supply it.Rasile held the First Stone out at arms' length as she wailed her chant.A faint azure circle began to sparkle in front of her
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