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popped into his thoughts. What had caused the blinding light? He’d wondered if the sun had exploded. What had Arton done? Cregan laughed. If he could learn the secret, he could lead the wizards instead of his father.
    Mecador carried a basin into the tent. He dropped cloths into the water and squeezed them dry. He placed them on Cregan’s burned skin. “There’s an herb in this to draw the pain. Why didn’t you let the guards oil your body?”
    Cregan shrugged. “The guards are former clansmen. I feared they would harm me, especially when Arton has their favor.”
    “Stow your fear. You will win, but this must appear to be a real contest.”
    Cregan sighed with relief. “How did Arton raise that brilliant light?”
    “I don’t know. Neither does he. His wand and the stone completely disintegrated. “Pack your things. We leave for the citadel at dusk. To linger could bring trouble and a fight we’re not ready for.”
     
     
     
    Chapter Three
     
    Lorana stood with the other women of the hareem facing the grille into the outer courtyard and watched the wizards leave the citadel. Not all the wizards joined the line of men. She raised her head and studied those on the wall walkway. Three council members remained, ten second level wizards, and all the younglings except Arton and Cregan. There were also a dozen guards.
    The beating of her heart changed from slow and steady to rapid pounding. She clamped teeth on her bottom lip to keep joy contained. An inner knowledge filled her thoughts. The time to escape was near. Tonight she would complete her preparations and stash everything in the fyrethorn thicket. Leaving tonight tempted her, but the wizards would be too close to the citadel. They could return and use their wands to find her. Three of those who departed had kissed her. She feared that touch would aid them in locating her. She must wait until they were gone for days.
    The last of the men left. The heavy wooden gate closed.
    “Girls.” Hag Mother clapped her hands. “While they were gone we will clean the citadel from the cells to the towers.”
    Lorana heard groans from the other women. She hoped by remaining silent she would be assigned to a chore that wouldn’t exhaust her.
    “Lorana, take the younger girls to the storeroom. Have them clean the shelves and organize the shelves. Check carefully for pests and vermin. Remove all contaminated material. You know how to mix the herbs to drive these creatures away.”
    “Yes, Hag Mother.” Lorana bowed her head. She couldn’t have asked for a better job. A dozen gifts moved to her side. She explained what they were to do. The giggles and chatter made her smile. She opened the storeroom door and assigned each of the girls to a row of free standing shelves. To prevent discovery of her escape route, she chose the shelves nearest the secret exit.
    Before starting to clean her area Lorana found two sets of herbs. One for ants, flies and other such creatures and the second for rodents. She mixed them in pots. Later she would light them to smoke the room overnight. Though that meant she wouldn’t be able to enter the storeroom tonight. Hag Mother would suspect any escape plan if she left them unlit.
    How long would the wizards be gone? She thought of the time last spring when the wizards had gone to the clans. For several of those days she had been fevered. Days had passed without her knowing how many. She would plan for ten or twelve, giving her a window to make her escape.
    She stopped to inspect the work of the younger women. She checked the items they had set aside to be tossed. Among them she found a travel pack with a strap to be mended. She also noticed a second water flask and a sling with a pouch of metal balls. She tucked them in the pack and went to her area. She pushed her spoils into a deep corner of the shelves.
    Once the young women finished their work, she inspected each row. She instructed them to carry the contaminated articles to the main room.