Chapter 4

           Themisfortunebehavedintheeternalmannerofmisfortunesandhawks–ithungoverthemforsomewhilewaitingforanappropriatemomentbeforeitattacked.Itchoseitsmoment,whentheyhadpassedthefewsettlementsontheGwenllechandUpperBuina,passedArdCarraighandplungedintotheforestbelow,desertedandintersectedbygorges.Likeahawkstriking,thismisfortune’saimwastrue.Itfellaccuratelyuponitsvictim,anditsvictimwasTriss.

           Initiallyitseemednastybutnottooserious,resemblinganordinarystomachupset.GeraltandCiridiscreetlytriedtotakenonoticeofthestopstheenchantress’sailmentnecessitated.Triss,aspaleasdeath,beadedwithsweatandpainfullycontorted,triedtocontinueridingforseveralhourslonger,butataboutmidday,andhavingspentanabnormallylongtimeinthebushesbytheroad,shewasnolongerinanyconditiontositonasaddle.Ciritriedtohelpherbuttonoavail–theenchantress,unabletoholdontothehorse’smane,sliddownhermount’sflankandcollapsedtotheground.

           Theypickedherupandlaidheronacloak.Geraltunstrappedthesaddle-bagswithoutaword,foundacasketcontainingsomemagicelixirs,openeditandcursed.Allthephialswereidenticalandthemysterioussignsonthesealsmeantnothingtohim.

           "Whichone,Triss?"

           "Noneofthem,"shemoaned,withbothhandsonherbelly."Ican’t…Ican’ttakethem.