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though he well understood how inseparable the two were. He wanted to keep his wife with him, and
at the same time was eager to remove her to a place where she could get better care, remote from
the dangers of the battlefield. Violent conflict now seemed unavoidable.
Also, as Mark confided to his friends and aides, the farther Kris was kept from Murat, the more
she would be spared continual reminders of her lover's presence nearby. And the less likely
that Ardneh forbid she would ever be exposed to the Mindsword again.
Another need, in itself enough almost to compel Mark's return to the capital, was his postponed
meeting with the governing Council. He had to admit the Council was right in demanding to see him
soon.
The royal couple and their party traveled swiftly, but by the time they came in sight of the
capital, it seemed to him that Kristin's affliction had already lasted an eternity. The Prince
found it necessary to keep reminding himself, as the wagon bore his wife in through the great city
gates of Sarykam and toward their familiar quarters in the palace, that three full days had not
yet passed since Kristin had walked away from her lover, taking herself out of the range of
influence of the Sword of Glory.
Only when at least that length of time had elapsed, so Karel had repeatedly warned Mark, would he
have any right to hope that his wife would begin to show some basic change in her attitude of
utter devotion to Murat,
Another major concern for Mark was Ben. Nothing had been heard from the huge man, or of him, since
his disappearance from Rostov's headquarters encampment, at the same time that Sightblinder
vanished. He would have had unchallenged access to the tent where the Sword was kept. The only
reasonable assumption that could be made was that Ben had stolen Sightblinder and carried it away.
Almost no one who was even slightly acquainted with Ben would have questioned his loyalty in
ordinary circumstances, and Mark had often enough trusted him with his life. The inescapable
conclusion was that Ben, in the course of the skirmish fought during his last patrol, must have
fallen foul of the Mindsword.
"Therefore," said Mark to Karel, as they were entering the city of Sarykam, "the report he gave us
on his return from the patrol must have been all lies."
The old wizard shook his head. "Perhaps not entirely lies."
"Meaning?"
"Well, for example, it might very well have been Carlo and not Murat who was really leading the
enemy squad just as Ben reported. Information from the other survivors of the patrol confirms
that."
"Then Ben would have become enslaved to Carlo but do you think Murat would have entrusted his son
with the Sword?"
"It's possible. And consider, Prince if it were Murat to whom our comrade became bound by the
Sword's magic, then Ben's first act on returning to our camp would most likely have been to
attempt your murder."
Mark, considering, had to admit that that seemed probable.
"But in fact," Karel continued, "Ben attempted nothing of the kind. Which would seem to mean that
he does not consider you his master's most important enemy."
"Then what is he doing, to serve Carlo?"
"I have been pondering that. Were I fanatically devoted to that young Culmian's welfare, I think I
should consider either Vilkata or the demon his worst enemy with his own father perhaps not far
behind."
"Ah. Yes." And Mark rode for a little time in silence. Then he said: "At least Ben's three days
should be up very soon, if not already."
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"My Prince, there is no magical significance to that precise period of time. Recovery from the
Sword's power may come more quickly for some people. Or it may not come at all. But at least after
about three days we may begin to hope."
Once it became apparent that Ben must have fallen victim to the Mindsword, Karel had hastened to
make sure that none of the other loyal Tasavaltans in Ben's patrol had been similarly affected.
The wizard had tested these men carefully for indications of Skulltwister's influence, with
negative results. Those surviving troopers had been ques- tioned closely before the royal couple
and their escort started for the capital, but they were able to add nothing substantial to the
information they had already provided.
Ominously, all the men involved agreed that Ben had been separated from them for a considerable
period during the skirmishing. For all they knew, their leader during that time might very well
have encountered someone armed with the Mindsword. What little information they could offer about
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