Windhaven

The land-bound were waiting eagerly for the competition to start, most of them unaware that anything was amiss. It was, after all, a beautiful, clear day. And, atop the cliffs, the judges were setting up their station and taking their seats. The competition could not wait on the weather; contests in this sluggish air might not be as exciting, but they would still be tests of skill and endurance.

Maris saw Sena leading the Woodwingers across the sands toward the stairs leading up the cliffs. She hurried to join them.

A line had already formed in front of the judges' table, behind which sat the Landsman of Skulny and four flyers, one each from the Eastern, Southern, Western, and the Outer Islands.

The Landsman's crier, a massive woman with a chest like a barrel, stood on the edge of the cliff. As each of the challengers named an opponent to the judges, she would cup her hands and shout out the name for all to hear, and her apprentices would take up the cry all along the beach, shouting it over and over until the flyer challenged acknowledged and moved off toward the flyers' cliff. Then the challenger would go to meet his or her opponent, and the line would shuffle forward. Most of the names called were vaguely familiar to Maris, and she knew they were in-family challenges, parents testing children, or — in one case — a younger sibling disputing the right of her older brother to wear the family wings. But just before the Woodwingers reached the judges' table, a black-haired girl from Big Shotan, daughter to a prominent flyer, named Bari of Poweet, and Maris heard Kerr swear softly. That was one good target gone.

Then it was their turn.

It seemed to Maris to be quieter than it had been before. The Landsman was animated enough, but the four flyer judges all looked grave and nervous. The Easterner was toying with the wooden telescope that had been set before her on the table, the muscular blond from the Outer Islands was frowning, and even Shalli looked concerned.

Sher went first, followed by Leva. Both named flyers that Maris had suggested to them. The crier bellowed out the names, and Maris heard the shouts being repeated up and down the beach.

Damen named Arak of South Arren, and the judge from Eastern smiled slyly at that. "Arak will be so pleased," she said.

Kerr named Jon of Culhall. Maris was not happy with that. Jon was a weak flyer, a likely opponent, and she had been hoping that he would be challenged by one of the academy's better prospects — Val, S'Rella, or Damen. Kerr was the poorest of their six, and Jon would probably escape with his wings.

Val One-Wing moved to the table.

"Your choice" rumbled the Outer Islander. He was tense, as were the other judges, even the Landsman.

Maris realized she was on edge as well, afraid of what Val might do.

"Must I choose only one?" Val said sardonically. "The last time I competed, I had a dozen rivals."

Shalli replied sharply. "The rules have been changed, as you very well know. Multiple challenges have been disallowed."

"A pity," Val said. "I had hoped to win a whole collection of wings."

"It will be unfortunate if you win any wings at all, One-Wing," the Easterner said. "Others are waiting.

Name your opponent and move on."

Val shrugged. "Then I name Corm of Lesser Amberly."

Silence. Shalli looked shocked at first; then she smiled. The Easterner chuckled softly to herself, and the Outer Islander laughed openly.

"Corm of Lesser Amberly!" the crier thundered. " Corm of Lesser Amberly!" A dozen lesser voices echoed the call.

"I shall have to disqualify myself from this judging," Shalli said quietly.

"No, Shalli," said the judge from Eastern. "We have confidence in your fairness."

"I do not ask you to step aside," Val said.

She looked at him, puzzled. "Very well. You con-tribute to your own fall, One-Wing. Corm is no grief-stricken child."

Val smiled at her enigmatically and moved off, and Maris and Sena accosted him instantly. "Why did you do that?" Sena demanded. She was furious. "I have wasted my time with you, clearly. Corm! Maris, tell him how good Corm is, tell this willful fool how he has just thrown away his wings."

Val was looking at her. "I think he knows how good Corm is," Maris said, meeting his eyes. "And he knows Shalli is his wife. I think that was why he chose him."

Val had no chance to disagree. Behind them, the line had moved on, and now the crier was shouting out another name. Maris heard it and whirled, her stomach twisting. "No," she said, though the word caught in her throat and no one heard. But the crier, as if in answer, shouted the name once again. " Garth of Skulny! Garth of Skulny!"

S'Rella was walking away from the judges, her eyes downcast. When she looked up at last to see Maris, her face was reddened, but defiant.