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You know I am。 A grinning； tongue…lolling reply。
Burrich flinched as if poked。
〃Nighteyes；〃 I admitted quietly； rendering the image of his name into human words。 Dread sat me。 Burrich had sensed him。 He knew。 No point in denying anything anymore。 But there was a tiny edge of relief in it as well。 I was deathly tired of all the lies I lived。 Burrich rode on silently； not looking at me。 〃I did not intend for it to happen。 It just did。〃 An explanation。 Not an apology。
I gave him no choice。 Nighteyes was being very jocular about Burrich's silence。
I put my hand on Sooty's neck； took fort in the warmth and life there。 I waited。 Burrich still said nothing。 〃I know you will never approve；〃 I said quietly。 〃But it is not something I can choose。 It is what I am。〃
It is what we all are。 Nighteyes smirked。 e； Heart of the Pack； speak to me。 Will not we hunt well together？
Heart of the Pack？ I wondered。
He knows it is his name。 It is what they called him； all those dogs that worshiped him； when they all gave tongue in the chase。 It was what they taunted one another with。 〃Heart of the Pack； here； here； the game is here； and I have found it for you； for you！〃 So they all yelped and tried to be first to yelp it to him。 But now they are all gone； taken far away。 They did not like to leave him。 They knew he heard； even if he would not reply。 Had you never heard them？
I suppose I tried not to。
A waste。 Why choose to be deaf？ Or mute？
〃Must you do this in my presence？〃 Burrich's voice was stiff：
〃Beg pardon；〃 I said； gravely aware that he was truly offended。 Nighteyes snickered again。 I ignored him。 Burrich would not look at me。 After a bit he nudged Ruddy and cantered forward to overtake Kettricken's guard。 I hesitated； then kept pace with him。 He formally reported to Kettricken of all he had done before leaving Buckkeep； and she nodded gravely as if accustomed to taking such reports。 At a signal from her； we were honored to fall back and ride to her left； while her captain of the guard； one Foxglove； rode to her right。 Before dawn found us； the rest of the mounted soldiers from Buckkeep had caught up with us。 When they joined us； Foxglove slowed the pace for a time； to allow their winded horses to breathe。 But after we had e to a stream and let all the beasts water； we pushed on determinedly。 Burrich did not speak to me。
Years earlier； I had made a trip to Neatbay as part of Verity's entourage。 Then it had taken us five days； but we had traveled with wagons and litters； jugglers and musicians and valets。 This time we traveled by horse； with seasoned warriors； and we need not keep to the wide coast road。 The only thing that did not favor us was the weather。 By midmorning of our first day out； a winter storm swept in。 It was miserable riding； not just for the physical disfort but in the unsettling knowledge that the driving winds would slow our panion ships。 Whenever our path took us overlooking the water； I watched for sails； but never saw any。
The pace Foxglove set was demanding but not destructive to horse or rider。 While stops were not frequent； she varied the pace and saw that no animal wanted for water。 At such stops； there was grain for the horses and hard bread and dried fish for their riders。 If anyone ever noticed a wolf shadowing us； no one spoke of it。 Two full days later； as dawn and a gap in the weather found us； we were looking out over the wide river valley that opened onto Neatbay。
Bayguard was the Keep of Neatbay。 And Bayguard was the home Keep of Duke Kelvar and Lady Grace； the heart of Rippon Duchy。 The watchtower was on a sandy cliff above the town。 The Keep itself had been built on fairly level land； but fortified with a series of earthen walls and ditches。 Once I had been told that no enemy had ever made it past the second wall。 It was no longer true。 We halted and looked out over the destruction。
The five Red…Ships were still drawn up on the beach。 The boats of Neatbay； mostly small fishing vessels； were a burned and scuttled wreckage spread along the beach。 The tides had played with them since the Raiders had destroyed them。 Blackened buildings and smoldering wreckage fanned out from where they had landed； marking their path like a spreading contagion。 Foxglove stood in her stirrups and pointed out over Neatbay； bining her observations with what she knew of the town and Keep。 〃It's a shallow； sandy bay； all the way out。 So when the tide goes out； it goes way out。 They've drawn their boats up too high。 If we can force them to retreat； we want to do it on a low tide； when their ships are sitting high and dry。 They've cut through the town like a hot knife through butter： I doubt there was much of an effort to defend it； it's not really defensible。 Probably everyone headed for the Keep at the first sight of a red keel。 It looks to me like the Outislanders have battered their way in past the third circle。 But Kelvar should be able to hold them off almost indefinitely now。 The fourth wall is worked stone。 It took years to build。 Bayguard has a good well； and her warehouses should still be fat with grain； this early in winter。 She won't fall unless she falls to treachery。〃 Foxglove stopped gesturing and settled in her saddle again。 〃It makes no sense； this attack；〃 she said more softly。 〃How can the Red…Ships expect to sustain a long siege？ Especially if they are； in turn； attacked by our forces？〃
〃The answer could be that they did not expect anyone to e to Bayguard's aid；〃 Kettricken said succinctly。 〃They have the town to pillage for supplies； and perhaps other ships are expected。〃 She turned to Kerf； motioned him alongside Foxglove。 〃I have no battle experience；〃 she said simply。 〃You two will have to plan this。 I listen now； as a soldier。 What should we do next？〃
I saw Burrich wince。 Such honesty is admirable； but not always good leadership。 I saw Foxglove and Kerf exchange measuring glances。 〃My queen； Kerf has more battle experience than I。 I would accept his mand；〃 Foxglove offered quietly。
Kerf looked down； as if mildly ashamed。 〃Burrich was Chivalry's man。 He has seen far more battles than I have；〃 he observed to his mare's neck。 He looked up suddenly。 〃I mend him to you； my queen。〃
Burrich's face was a struggle of conflicting emotions。 For a moment his eyes lit。 Then I saw a hesitation build。
Heart of the Pack； they will hunt well for you； Nighteyes urged him。
〃Burrich； take mand。 They will fight with heart for you。〃
My skin prickled to hear Queen Kettricken virtually echo Nighteyes' thought。 From where I sat； I could actually see a shiver run over Burrich。 He straightened in his saddle。 〃We have no hope of surprising them in this flat country。 And the three circles they have already gained can bee defenses for them。 We are not a vast force。 What we have most of； my queen； is time。 We can pen them。 They have no access to fresh water。 If Bayguard stands； and we keep the Outislanders trapped where they are； between the third earthwork and the wall； we can simply wait for our ships to arrive。 At that time we can judge if we wish to join an attack on them； or simply starve them out。〃
〃This seems wise to me；〃 the Queen approved。
〃They are fools if they have not left at least a small force with their ships。 Those we will have to contend with immediately。 Then we must set our own guards to the ships； with orders to destroy them if it looks like any of the Outislanders have gotten past us and are trying to escape。 If not； you will have ships to add to King…in…Waiting Verity's fleet。〃
〃This； too； seems sensible。〃 The idea clearly pleased Kettricken。
〃It is tidy； but only if we act swiftly。 They will soon be aware of us； if they are not already。 Certainly they will see the situation as clearly as we have。 We need to get down there； and contain those besieging the Keep and destroy those guarding the ships。〃
Kerf and Foxglove were both nodding。 Burrich looked at them。 〃I want your archers for our circle around the Keep。 We want to contain them there； not get into any close fighting。 Simply pin them down where they are