was feeling. That anger quickly found a focus. “Why don’t you
try worrying about the Valemen? Do you have any idea at all
what’s happened to them? Why have we left them behind like
this?”
“Ah.” The other spoke the word softly. “So that’s what’s
really eating at you, is it? Well, Highlander, the Valemen are
likely better off than we are. We were seen getting out of that
Gatehouse, remember? The Federation isn’t so stupid that it will
overtook the report of what happened and the fact that two so-
called guards are somehow missing. They’ll have our descrip-
tion. If we hadn’t gotten out of the city right away, we likely
wouldn’t have gotten out at all!”
He jabbed his finger at the Highlander. “Now the Valemen,
on the other hand-no one saw them. No one will recognize
their faces. Besides, Damson will have them in hand by now.
She knows to bring them to the Jut. She’ll get them out of Tyrsis
easily enough when she has the chance.”
Morgan shook his head stubbornly. “Maybe. Maybe not.
You were confident as well about our chances of retrieving the
Sword of Shannara and look what happened.”
Padishar flushed angrily. “The risks involved in that were
hardly a secret to any of us!”
“Tell that to Stasas and Drutt and Ciba Blue!”
The big man snatched hold of Morgan’s tunic and yanked
him forward violently. His eyes were hard with anger. “Those
were my friends that died back there, Highlander-not yours.
Don’t be throwing it up in my face! What I did, I did for all of
us. We need the Sword of Shannara! Sooner or later we’re going
to have to go back for it-Shadowen or not! You know that as
well as I! As for the Valemen, I don’t like leaving them any
better than you do! But we had precious little choice in the
matter!”
Morgan tried unsuccessfully to jerk free. “You might have
gone looking for them, at least!”
“Where? Where would I look? Do you think they would be
hidden in any place we could find? Damson’s no fool! She has
them tucked away in the deepest hole in Tyrsis! Shades, High-
lander! Don’t you realize what’s happening back there? We un-
covered a secret last night that the Federation has gone to great
pains to conceal! I’m not sure either of us understands what it
all means yet, but it’s enough that the Federation thinks we
might! They’ll want us dead for that!”
His voice was a snad. “I caught a glimpse of what’s to come
when I passed you through the gates. The Federation authorities
no longer concern themselves merely with doubling guards and
increasing watch patrols. They have mobilized the entire garri-
son! Unless I am badly mistaken, young Morgan Leah, they
have decided to eliminate us once and for all-you and me and
any other members of the Movement they can run to earth. We
are a real threat to them now, because, for the first time, we
begin to understand what they are about-and that’s something
they will not abide!”
His grip tightened, fingers of stone. “They’ll come hunting
us, and we had best not be anywhere we can be found!”
He released the Highlander with a shove. He took a deep
breath and straightened, “In any case, I don’t choose to argue
the matter with you. I am leader here. You fought well back
there in the Pit, and perhaps it cost you something. But that
doesn’t give you the right to question my orders. I understand
the business of staying alive better than you, and you had best
remember it.”
Morgan was white with rage, but he kept himself in check.
He knew there was nothing to be gained by arguing the matter
farther; the big man was not about to change his mind. He knew
as well, deep down inside where he could admit it to himself,
that what Padishar was saying about staying around in an effort
to find Par and Coil was the truth.
He stepped away from Padishar and smoothed his rumpled
clothing carefully. “I just want to be certain that we are agreed