on our way here. And King Khonun of the Tuha-na-Anu we found hanging from a tree not ten yards from him, discovered by the Ghoolegh we think. And do you know of one called Kernyn the Ragged, a man of singular dress and unsanitary habits?"
"I know Kernyn the Ragged," said Corum.
"With a group of those he led, Kernyn was found by my lord Balahr's eye and froze to death before he could strike a single blow."
"Who else?"
''King Ghachbes was slain, and Grynion Ox-rider, and Clar from Beyond the West, and the Red Fox, Meyahn, and the two Shamanes, both the Tall and the Short, and Uther of the Melancholy Dale. Also were slain in great numbers warriors of all the Mabden tribes. And Pwyll Spinebreaker was wounded, probably mortally. The same is true of Old Dylann and Sheonan Axe-maiden and perhaps Morkyan of the Two Smiles ..."
"Stop," said Corum. "Are none of the Mabden left alive?"
"By now I would think it unlikely, though we have traveled for some time. They had little food and were heading for Craig Don, where they could be sure of temporary sanctuary, but they will starve there. They will die at their holy place. Perhaps it is all they want. They know their time upon the earth is over."
"But you are a Mabden," said Ilbrec. "You speak of the race as if it were not your own."
"I am Calatin," said the wizard, as if addressing a child, "and I have no race. Once I had a family, that was all. And the family has gone, too."
"Sent to its deaths on your behalf, as I recall," Corum said savagely.
"They were dutiful sons, if that is what you mean." Calatin laughed lightly. "But I have no natural heirs, it is true."
"And having none of your own, you would see the whole race die?"
"Perhaps that is my motive for doing what I do," agreed Calatin equably. "There again, an immortal has no need of heirs, has he?"
"You are immortal?" "I hope so."
"By what means did you achieve this?" Corum asked him.
"By the means you know. By choosing my allies properly and using my skills wisely."
"And is that why you visit Ynys Scaith, in the hope of finding more allies, even more despicable than the Fhoi Myore?" said Ilbrec, putting his hand upon the hilt of his sword. ' 'Well, I should warn you that the Malibann have no need of the likes of you and that they will deal with you as they have dealt with us. We have had no luck in convincing them to come to our aid."
"That does not surprise me." Calatin's tone was still equable.
‘ 'They will destroy you when they destroy us," said Corum with a certain grim satisfaction.
"I think not."
' 'Why so?" Ilbrec glowered at the wizard who held his old friend Goffanon in thrall. "Why so, Calatin?"
"Because this is by no means my first visit to Ynys Scaith." He gestured toward the cowled figure on his right.' 'You said I have no heirs, but it was on Ynys Scaith, with the help of the Malibann, that my son was born. I like to think of him as my son. And it was on Ynys Scaith that I learned many new powers."
"Then it is you!" said Ilbrec. "You are the ally of the Malibann—the one they mentioned." "I think I must be."
Calatin's smirk was so self-satisfied that Corum drew his sword and ran toward him, but then the flat of Goffanon's axe slammed against his armored chest and he was knocked down onto the filthy beach, while Calatin shook his head in mock despair and said:
' 'Direct your anger at yourself, Prince Corum of the Silver Hand. You have received poor counsel and followed it. Perhaps if you had been at Caer Llud to lead the Mabden the battle would not have gone so ill . . ."
Corum began to rise, reaching for his sword, which lay a few feet from him, but again black-bearded Goffanon used his axe to push the sword away.
"Prince Corum," said Calatin, "you must know that the surviving Mabden blame you for their defeat. They call you turncoat. They believe that you joined sides with the Fhoi Myore and fought against them."
"How could they believe that? Now I know you for a liar, Calatin. I was here
"I know Kernyn the Ragged," said Corum.
"With a group of those he led, Kernyn was found by my lord Balahr's eye and froze to death before he could strike a single blow."
"Who else?"
''King Ghachbes was slain, and Grynion Ox-rider, and Clar from Beyond the West, and the Red Fox, Meyahn, and the two Shamanes, both the Tall and the Short, and Uther of the Melancholy Dale. Also were slain in great numbers warriors of all the Mabden tribes. And Pwyll Spinebreaker was wounded, probably mortally. The same is true of Old Dylann and Sheonan Axe-maiden and perhaps Morkyan of the Two Smiles ..."
"Stop," said Corum. "Are none of the Mabden left alive?"
"By now I would think it unlikely, though we have traveled for some time. They had little food and were heading for Craig Don, where they could be sure of temporary sanctuary, but they will starve there. They will die at their holy place. Perhaps it is all they want. They know their time upon the earth is over."
"But you are a Mabden," said Ilbrec. "You speak of the race as if it were not your own."
"I am Calatin," said the wizard, as if addressing a child, "and I have no race. Once I had a family, that was all. And the family has gone, too."
"Sent to its deaths on your behalf, as I recall," Corum said savagely.
"They were dutiful sons, if that is what you mean." Calatin laughed lightly. "But I have no natural heirs, it is true."
"And having none of your own, you would see the whole race die?"
"Perhaps that is my motive for doing what I do," agreed Calatin equably. "There again, an immortal has no need of heirs, has he?"
"You are immortal?" "I hope so."
"By what means did you achieve this?" Corum asked him.
"By the means you know. By choosing my allies properly and using my skills wisely."
"And is that why you visit Ynys Scaith, in the hope of finding more allies, even more despicable than the Fhoi Myore?" said Ilbrec, putting his hand upon the hilt of his sword. ' 'Well, I should warn you that the Malibann have no need of the likes of you and that they will deal with you as they have dealt with us. We have had no luck in convincing them to come to our aid."
"That does not surprise me." Calatin's tone was still equable.
‘ 'They will destroy you when they destroy us," said Corum with a certain grim satisfaction.
"I think not."
' 'Why so?" Ilbrec glowered at the wizard who held his old friend Goffanon in thrall. "Why so, Calatin?"
"Because this is by no means my first visit to Ynys Scaith." He gestured toward the cowled figure on his right.' 'You said I have no heirs, but it was on Ynys Scaith, with the help of the Malibann, that my son was born. I like to think of him as my son. And it was on Ynys Scaith that I learned many new powers."
"Then it is you!" said Ilbrec. "You are the ally of the Malibann—the one they mentioned." "I think I must be."
Calatin's smirk was so self-satisfied that Corum drew his sword and ran toward him, but then the flat of Goffanon's axe slammed against his armored chest and he was knocked down onto the filthy beach, while Calatin shook his head in mock despair and said:
' 'Direct your anger at yourself, Prince Corum of the Silver Hand. You have received poor counsel and followed it. Perhaps if you had been at Caer Llud to lead the Mabden the battle would not have gone so ill . . ."
Corum began to rise, reaching for his sword, which lay a few feet from him, but again black-bearded Goffanon used his axe to push the sword away.
"Prince Corum," said Calatin, "you must know that the surviving Mabden blame you for their defeat. They call you turncoat. They believe that you joined sides with the Fhoi Myore and fought against them."
"How could they believe that? Now I know you for a liar, Calatin. I was here
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