eyes have no power over him. As to the other boy, the one whom Rawth laid senseless, I
cannot say, I have no knowledge of him."
Maguda stared at the ragged cloth that bound her aide's eyes, as if trying to penetrate it. "But
the dog, you sensed a dog. It remains uncaptured!"
Gizal sniggered. "What does it matter, mistress? Who cares about a stupid dumb animal?"
Maguda was silent for a moment, then she laughed. "Aye, thou are right, the beast is likely
still running. Why fret about a dog? Gizal, ye did a fine job with our other beast, the bear.
Little chance of that one running again. Here, my good friend, take this as a reward, and this
also."
The blind woman felt the five gold coins Maguda pressed into her hand. She also felt the little
glass phial.
"My thanks to thee, mistress. Gold is respected by all, no matter whose hand it comes from.
But what is this bottle?"
Maguda whispered confidentially. "I require thy services. I need thee to act as warden to the
captives. They need to know the meaning of fear. Use the potion sparingly."
Gizal cocked her head quizzically. "Even on the boy thy brother struck down?"
Maguda's eyes widened. "Especially on him!"
Gizal nodded knowingly. "Ye fear him, mistress?"
Maguda's nails sank into the blind crone's arm as she hissed. "I fear no living thing! Cease thy
foolish talk! As queen of the Razan, I have to be cautious. The omens have warned me
against yon lad. But even he cannot resist my potions. Now go!"
The dungeons were little more than side caves deep down in the mountain's lower tunnels,
each one with an iron barred door fitted across its entrance. Karay and Dominic assisted Ben
as the guards shoved them inside and locked the door. They lay on the floor until the sound of
their captors' footsteps faded. Dominic helped Ben to his feet, watching anxiously as his friend
massaged the back of his neck. "Ben, are you alright?"
Smiling ruefully, Ben continued rubbing. "Oh, I think I'll live, mate. That ruffian had a very
heavy hand, though."
Karay stood gripping the bars, peering back along the way they had been brought. "Did you
see the poor old bear? I caught a glimpse of him as they marched us along here. They've got
him locked up a couple of cells back, three I think."
Dominic placed a sympathetic hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm sorry for the bear, too, but
wouldn't it be wiser to look at our own situation first? We're hardly in a position to help
ourselves at the moment."
Karay sat down on the floor and sighed. "You're right, Dom. So, what do we do now?"
Ben found himself a dark corner and snuggled down into his cloak. "Right now all I want is a
bit of sleep. That was a cold, hard march up the mountain."
Within a few minutes the other two had joined him, both of them wrapped tightly in their own
cloaks and huddling together for warmth in the dank underground cave.
Ben immediately shut his eyes and concentrated on making contact with Ned. No matter how
hard he tried, however, there was not a single trace of the black Labrador's thoughts drifting
anywhere in his mind. Ben hid his disappointment by reassuring himself that the dog would
reach him when the moment was right. He drifted into a dreamless sleep.
Arnela watched the black Labrador as he wandered into her cave, limping and looking weary.
Surrounded by her goats, the big woman had been dozing by the fire. At first she thought it
was a dream, until one of the nanny goats bleated at the sight of the dog. Arnela came fully
awake then. She began pushing goats out of her way. "Ned, is that you? What's happened?"
The dog replied mentally, knowing she could not hear him. "I wish I could tell you, my dear
lady, but first I must get this paw seen to. Look!"
Whining softly, Ned offered Arnela the sore paw. She inspected it gently. "You've sliced that
on some sharp rock, poor boy—there's a flap of skin hanging from the pad. Let me fix it."
Ned bumped a big goat aside. "It's my paw she's fixing, not yours. Anyhow, you've got little
hooves, bet they never get cut on the rocks. Listen, mate, if I give you a message, could you
communicate it to Arnela?"
The goat's jaws were working furiously around a mouthful of dried grass. It bleated dumbly at
the dog: "Maaaahahaaa!"
Ned sniffed disdainfully. "If that's the best you can do, then don't bother. Oh, and mind your
manners, keep your mouth closed when you're eating, disgusting beast!"
Arnela cleaned grit out of the wound with warm water, talking in a comforting voice to Ned
as she worked. "Don't worry, boy, I won't hurt ye. Stand still now. There, it's nice and ' clean
now. I'll put some balm on it. This is good stuff for healing wounds. I make it myself with
herbs and white ashes from the pinewood I've burned. Feels good and soothing, doesn't it?"
The goatherd did not expect an answer, though Ned replied thoughtfully, "It feels wonderful,
you kind, clever lady!"
Arnela caught hold of a young billy goat with long, silken hair as he tried to skip by her.
"Hold still a moment, Narcissus, I need to borrow a tuft or two from your coat."
With a small pair of shears she clipped a portion from where the goat hair grew longest.
Narcissus bleated pitifully. The goatherd sent him on his way with a pat. "Go on, you great
baby. That didn't hurt you a bit, stop whinging!"
As Ned watched her separating the hair, he thought, "What are you going to do with that, my
friend?"
Arnela continued talking as she ministered to him. "Hair from a young billy is better than any
bandage. I wind it around your paw like this, and it protects the wound nicely. By the time
your paw's better, it'll have dropped off!"
Ned gazed trustingly at the goatherd. "It feels very good, thank you, marm. I'll trust your word
as to its dropping off eventually. I mean, it'd look a bit foolish, wouldn't it—a black dog with
a white goat-hair paw? Pretty odd, I'd say."
Arnela fed him a bowl of soup and one of fresh goat milk. Ned took them gratefully. She
watched until he was finished, then took his front paws in her lap. "Now, where are the
children?"
Ned could only gaze at her beseechingly.
She continued, "Have they found Adamo?"
A sudden brain wave struck the dog. He shook his head slowly.
Arnela was astonished. "You shook your head! Does that mean you can understand me, Ned?"
The dog nodded solemnly.
Arnela's eyes lit up with wonderment. "You can! You can understand me. Oh, you clever
dog!"
Ned licked her hand, thinking to himself, "I could listen to your compliments all night, my
friend, but there isn't time. Go on, ask me another question!"
Arnela stared deep into Ned's eyes. "So, what's happened to our friends? Sorry, let me put it
another way. Did you get lost from them? Are they still searching?"
Ned shook his head emphatically.
Arnela looked anxious. "Are they lying injured someplace? I heard the avalanche."
Ned shook his head, waiting on her next words.
"Have they been taken by the Razan?"
The dog nodded vigorously several times.
"They're prisoners—do you know where they are?"
Ned held his head still a moment, then nodded twice.
Arnela shooed away an inquisitive goat before she spoke. "Ned, can you lead me to them?"
Again he nodded in the affirmative.