"Easily," she said, and laughed. She was very proud, and sure of her strength, and glad to be alive. "Oh, very easily. You guessed the truth about me--I am of the Twice-Born, the Ramas. I hold the secret of the Sending-on of Minds, which this great ox Kynon pretended to have. I can give you life now--and forever. Remember, wild man--forever!" He bent his dark face to hers, so that their lips touched, and murmured, "Would I have you forever, Berild?" "Until you tire of me--or I of you." She kissed him, and then added mockingly, "Delgaun has had me for a thousand years, and I am weary of him. So very weary!" "A thousand years is a long time," said Stark, "and I am not Delgaun." "No. You're a beast, a savage, a most magnificent cold-eyed animal, and that is why I love you." She touched the muscle of his breast, and then his throat, and added, "It's a pity there will never be another body like this one. We must keep it as long as we can." "What is your plan?" Stark asked her. "Simply this. I will place your mind in Kynon's body. You will _be_ Kynon, with all his power. You will be able then to keep Delgaun in check--later, you can destroy him, but not until after the battle is won, for we need the men of Valkis and Jekkara. You can keep your own body safe from him, and at the worst, if by some chance he should succeed in slaying the man he believes to be you, _you_ will still be alive." "And after the battle," said Stark softly. "What then, Berild?" "We will rule together." She held his palms against hers. "You have strong hands, wild man. Would you not like to hold a world between them--and me?" She looked up at him, her eyes suddenly shrewd and probing. "Or do you still believe the nonsense you talked to Kynon, about the tribes?" * * * * * Stark smiled. "It's easy to have principles when there's no gain involved. No. I am as my name says--a man without a tribe. I have no loyalties. And if I had, would I remember them now?" He held her, as she had said, between his hands, and they were very strong. But even then, Berild could warn him. "Keep faith with me, then! My wisdom is greater than yours, and I have powers you don't dream of. What I give, I can take away." For answer, Stark silenced her mouth with his own. When she drew away, she said rather breathlessly, "Let us hurry. The tribes are gathered, and Kynon was to have given the signal for war at dawn. There is much I must teach you between now and then." She paused with her hand on the lid of the golden coffer. "This is a secret place," she said quietly. "Since before the ocean died, it has been secret. Not even Kynon knew of it. I think only Delgaun and I, the last of the Twice-Born, knew--and now you." "What about Fianna?" Berild shrugged. "She is only my servant. To her, this is only a little cavern where I keep my private wealth."