The Door Into Shadow

— and then knew them.

She could not move. " 'Kani, what happened? We were in bed. ." the man said, looking at the woman with distress. His voice, the voice that had frightened her, praised her, laughed with her. The woman turned to him. Her face. The sight of it made Segnbora weak behind the knees, as if struck by a deadly blow. "Mother," she whispered.

"Hoi, no," Welcaen said. "The innkeeper woke us up, he said the horses were loose—" She broke off, horrified by the memory. Segnbora was stunned. That beautiful, sharp, lively voice was dulled now, like that of anyone who died by vio-lence. "They tricked us into coming out here," the voice continued, finally. "He had an axe. His wife had—"