He leans against her, shaking his head. "I thought I was out of ka's path too. I told you. Didn't I? I remember I told you we were beyond ka." Roland pauses a moment, and when he continues, his voice is hard. "I'll not make that mistake again."

"If I'm here, Susannah, if you're here--" His hands grip her shoulders a moment, then slide down as he sags, leaning back against the wall. "Oh, I don't know. There must be something." All the hardness has left his voice by now. Mostly, he only sounds tired. "You say those who took you have nothing to do with Los' or his ilk?"