With that, the princess touched Hiatea's talisman and cast her last healing spell. The spear's silver flames flickered to life, sending a wave of searing heat deep into the scout's abdomen. He gasped in pain, his eyes rolling back in their sockets as a thin line of yellow fire shot from the slash. The flames continued to burn for a moment then, beginning at one end of the gash, slowly died away, leaving the lips of the wound melted together. The black thread remained untouched by the magical blaze, for it would be some time before the skin alone was strong enough to keep the cut from ripping open.
Once the spell was finished, Tavis's eyes rolled back into their normal positions. He was even more pale than before Brianna had healed him, with a cold sweat running down his brow.
"Now will you listen to me?" he asked.
"If that will make you feel better," Brianna said, giving him an overly sweet smile. She laid her talisman upon the scout's bruised chest, taking care to position it directly over the scout's heart. "Just let me do one more thing."
Brianna closed her eyes, preparing to cast a spell that would prevent any lies from slipping his from lips.
"No!" Rog's voice shook the entire platform. "Wait!"
Brianna opened her eyes to see the hill giant laying Greta at her side. The ogre's arrow still protruded from the beast's flank, while his fur was matted and dark with drying blood.
"First fix Greta." The hill giant locked a threatening glare on the princess.
Brianna's stomach knotted in panic. She could cast no more healing spells today. But if she explained that to the hill giant, Tavis would wonder what spell she intended to cast on him. The princess took a deep breath, then said, "I'm sorry, Rog. It's more important that I use this spell on Tavis than on Greta."
"Liar!" Rog stooped over and pressed a huge finger to Tavis's bruised chest, drawing a groan of pain from the scout. "Him not die from little bruise. You say that!"
"Still, this spell is for him," Brianna said.
"No, use it on Rog's wolf," Tavis insisted. He took her amulet off his chest and returned it to her, at the same time pulling his lips to Brianna's ear. "We want him on our side."
"I doubt Hiatea will grant her magic on behalf of a dire wolf," Brianna countered.
"Why not? She's the goddess of the hunt as well as the family," he pointed out. "And dire wolves are nothing, if not hunters."
"But-"
"Save Greta!" Rog insisted. "Rog's other wolves all dead. You not tell him about ogres!"
"There wasn't time." Brianna objected.
As the princess spoke, Morten stepped to her side, axe in hand. Brianna knew he would be hard pressed to defend her against a single giant, let alone three.
Rog seemed to know this better than the princess. He dropped to his hands and knees, in the process brushing Morten aside and nearly knocking him from the platform.
"Not matter," Rog growled. The hill giant, eyes narrowed, hovered over Brianna. "How you feel if Rog not watch where he step and squish horse? Same thing, huh?"
"There's nothing I can do for Greta," Brianna said. Her jaws ached with nausea, for her lungs were filled with the giant's breath, a foul odor that smelled like rotting swamp grass and rancid meat "Maybe tomorrow-"
"Cast the spell on the wolf!" Tavis urged. "Or do you want to get everyone else killed along with yourself?"
"Tavis not worry." Rog said. "Tavis friend-save Greta."
It did not escape the notice of either Brianna or her bodyguard that the hill giant had limited his reassurances strictly to the scout. Morten stood and carefully moved forward to place himself near the princess.
At the same time, Brianna lowered her head until her lips were next to the scout's ear. "I need you on my side," she whispered. "If I cast my spell on the wolf, all it'll do is howl in its sleeps-if it does that much."
"What do you mean?" Tavis demanded.
"I've run out of healing spells for today," Brianna replied. She spoke loudly enough so the hill giant could hear also. "The spell I was going to use on you was true speaking-so I'd know you were telling the truth."
Tavis's jaw dropped. "You can do that?"
Brianna nodded. "As long as you don't resist-which is why I haven't tried it before now," she explained. "I was trying to take you unaware."
The scout shook his head in astonishment. "Women!" he hissed. "I'll never understand you. Why didn't you just ask?"
"You'll let me cast the spell on you?" Brianna did no! know whether she was more astonished or confused. Even the most honest of men were reluctant to give someone complete access to their innermost thoughts. "And I can ask you anything?"
The scout nodded. "If Rog lets you live that long," he said, glancing above her.
Brianna looked up and saw the hill giant's head still poised above her. His lips were twisted into an angry snarl, and his brow was furrowed in confusion.
"Can't save Greta?" he demanded.
"Then kill humans," suggested one of his friends. "Don't taste good anyway."
