"I will arm the city," said Rogain. "I dare not do otherwise. But I will
tell you this." An astonishing unpleasant look came into his eyes. "If
the attack does not come--if you have set a whole city by the ears for
nothing--I will have you flayed alive and your body tumbled over the
Wall for the carrion birds to feed on."
He strode out, taking his retinue with him. Balin smiled. "He will do
it, too," he said, and dropped the bar.
Stark did not answer. He stared at Balin, and then at Thanis, and then
at the belt hanging on the peg, in a curiously blank and yet penetrating
fashion, like an animal that thinks its own thoughts. He took a deep
breath. Then, as though he found the air clean of danger, he rolled over
and went instantly to sleep.
Balin lifted his shoulders expressively. He grinned at Thanis. "Are you
positive it's human?"
"He's beautiful," said Thanis, and tucked the cloths around him. "Hold
your tongue." She continued to sit there, watching Stark's face as the
slow dreams moved across it. Balin laughed.
It was evening again when Stark awoke. He sat up, stretching lazily.
Thanis crouched by the hearthstone, stirring something savory in a
blackened pot. She wore a red kirtle and a necklet of beaten gold, and
her hair was combed out smooth and shining.
She smiled at him and rose, bringing him his own boots and trousers,
carefully cleaned, and a tunic of leather tanned fine and soft as silk.
Stark asked her where she got it.
"Balin stole it--from the baths where the nobles go. He said you might
as well have the best." She laughed. "He had a devil of a time finding
one big enough to fit you."
She watched with unashamed interest while he dressed. Stark said, "Don't
burn the soup."
She put her tongue out at him. "Better be proud of that fine hide while
you have it," she said. "There's no sign of attack."
Stark was aware of sounds that had not been there before--the pacing of
men on the Wall above the house, the calling of the watch. Kushat was
armed and ready--and his time was running out. He hoped that Ciaran had
not been delayed on the moors.
Thanis said, "I should explain about the belt. When Balin undressed you,
he saw Camar's name scratched on the inside of the boss. And, he can
open a lizard's egg without harming the shell."
"What about you?" asked Stark.