The Prize in the Game by Jo Walton Page B

are good people. They'd have been glad to share their feast with us."
    "We still could go," Emer said, all at once eager for it.
    "It's two hours' walk," Conal said. "And it's nearly dark already."
    "We could take the chariot," Emer said. "We'd be there much sooner. And people won't stop celebrating tonight until late."
    "Do you mean stay the night out there?" Conal asked.
    Emer felt her cheeks heat. Elba came by before she could say anything and gave Conal a little push. "Take your places, we're starting," she said. Emer realized that almost everyone was lined up ready to begin the dance. Conary was at the head, with Orlam ap Ringabur. Elenn was with Ferdia, and Darag with Nid. Conal and Emer hastily took up a place as the music grew insistent.
    Some of the champions grinned at them and made teasing remarks.
    "Yes, I did mean stay the night, but not what I said before," Emer whispered under the music as they started to move. "I believe what you said. But if nobody minds where we sleep, then we could just sleep out there, in a storehouse or something, and come back in the morning. No parents, no Darag, no Elenn. Strangers are lucky on the Feast of Bel, they'll be glad to see us."
    Conal danced in silence for a moment, looking torn. They circled the bonfire, then Conary led the chain of dancers around the wall of the dun. "Can you drive in the dark?" Conal asked at last.
    Emer raised her eyebrows and smiled. "Of course." "Have you done it?" Conal persisted.
    "It won't be very dark," she said. "There's light in the sky still, and the moon is rising. And you know the way."
    Conal shook his head and grinned. "All right," he said. "Let's do it. Straight after the dance."
    Emer felt as if they were escaping as they made their way down the hill. Nobody noticed them in the general confusion. People were preparing food and hurrying children to bed and bringing animals to be led around the fire. They could still hear the merriment as they came to the stables.
    There was nobody there, and no horses either except for one strange horse. "That will be Orlam's horse,"
    Conal said. He dragged out the chariot while Emer went out to the paddock and caught the horses. She had been afraid they might be hard to catch, but they all came running as soon as she whistled, and the problem was separating out the pair she wanted. She had to light a Page 34

    lantern to see what she was doing with the harness, but before long, she had them safely yoked to the chariot. She looked up. Conal was watching, smiling at her in a way that made her feel warm all through, despite the chill of the night.
    "We should have brought cloaks," she said. "The wind's cold, even if it is the Feast of Bel."
    "Our armor coats are down here," Conal said. "They'll be warm."
    As they were coming back with the coats, they heard the sound of someone whistling a plaintive tune. They glanced at each other guiltily. The chariot was waiting outside; there was no sense in trying to hide. The whistling stopped as they came out. Meithin ap Gamal was looking at the chariot. She laughed when she saw them. "Oh, so it's you two new champions?
    I might have guessed."
    "We were justmdash" Conal began.
    "Sneaking out?" Meithin laughed again. "Well, you're not children, I'm not going to stop you. I'm not even asking you for an explanation. I'm just here to fetch my Swiftfoot and Windeyes up to take around the fire, and if anyone asks, I haven't seen you. But what horses have you got?"
    Emer breathed a sigh of relief and set down the lantern beside the chariot so Meithin could see them properly. "Whitenose and Crabfoot," she said.
    "Very sensible of you," Meithin said approvingly. "Nobody's going to want the geldings tonight.
    You have been careful to put Crabfoot on the right?"
    "Yes, I'm quite used to him," Emer said.
    "We make sure you have difficult horses for training so that you get used to challenges," Meithin said.
    "You're not going to do anything crazy, are you, not going to blindfold