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at the light blooming in the darkness came from their torches； I pinched the flame to extinguish my candle pletely。 However glad I was to find them； I guessed they would not feel the same about me。
I crept closer to the light； but could not see Tellarin and the others because something like a cloud of smoke blocked my view。 It was only when I reached the base of the curving stair and stepped silently on to the floor of the great chamber that I could actually see the four shapes。
They stood in the middle of a room so cavernous that even the torches my lover and Avalles held could not carry light to its highest corners。 Before them loomed the thing I had thought was smoke。 I still could not see it clearly； despite the torch flames burning only an arm's length from it； but now it seemed a vast tree with black leaves and trunk。 A shadow cloaked it and hid all but the broadest outline； a dark shroud like the mist that hid the hills on a winter morning； but it was not mist in which the tree…shape crouched； I felt sure。 It was pure Darkness。
'You must decide whether to listen to me or a young soldier'； the witch was saying to my stepfather。 'I will tell you again … if you cut so much as a leaf； you will mark yourselves as ravagers and it will not go well with you。 Can you not feel that？'
'And I think Tellarin is right'； Avalles proclaimed； but his voice was less sure than his words。 'She seeks to trick us。'
My stepfather looked from the tree…shadow to the witch。 'If we may not take any wood； then why have you brought us here？' he asked slowly； as though it cost great effort just to speak。
I could hear the sour smile in Valada's answer。 'You have held me captive in your damp pile of stones for two moons； seeking my help with your mad questions。 If you do not believe that I know what I know； why did you shackle me and bring me here？'
'But the wood 。。。 ？'
'I did not say you could not take anything to burn； I said that you would be a fool to lift axe or knife to the Great Witchwood。 There is deadfall beneath； if you are bold enough to search for it。'
Sulis turned to Avalles。 'Go and gather some dead wood； nephew。'
The young knight hesitated； then handed his torch to my stepfather and walked a little unsteadily towards the great dark tree。 He bent beneath the outer branches and vanished from sight。 After an interval of silence； Avalles stumbled back out again。
'It is 。。。 it is too dark to see'； he panted。 His eyes were showing white around the edges。 'And there is something in there … an animal； perhaps。 I。。。 I can feel it breathing。' He turned to my stepfather。 'Tellarin's eyes are better than mine 。。。〃
No！ I wanted to scream。 The tree…thing sat and waited； cloaked in shadows no torchlight could penetrate。 I was ready to burst from hiding and beg my beloved not to go near it； but as if he had heard my silent cry； Lord Sulis cursed and thrust the torch back into Avalles' hand。
'By Pelippa and her bowl！' my stepfather said。 'I will do it myself。'
Just before he stepped through the branches； I thought I heard the leaves whisper； although there was no wind in the chamber。 The quiet hiss and rattle grew louder； perhaps because my stepfather was forcing his way beneath the thick branches。 Long moments trudged past； then the rustling became even more violent。 At last Sulis emerged； staggering a little； with what seemed a long bar of shadow clasped under each arm。 Tellarin and Avalles stepped forward to help him but he waved them off； shaking his head as though he had been dealt a blow。 Even in the dark room； I could see that he had gone very pale。
'You spoke the truth； Valada；' he said。 'No axe； no knife。'
While I watched； he bade Avalles and my beloved make a ring on the ground from the broken stones that littered the chamber。 He crossed the two pieces of wood he had gathered in the centre of the circle； then he used kindling from a pouch on his belt and one of the torches to set the witchwood alight。 As the strange fire sputtered into life； the room seemed to bee darker； as though the very light from the torches bent towards the firepit and was sucked away。 The flames began to rise。
The rustle of the shadowy tree stilled。 Everything grew silent … even the flames made no sound。 My heart pounded as I leaned closer； almost forgetting to keep myself hidden。 It was indeed a Black Fire that burned now in that deep； lost place； a fire that flickered like any blaze； and yet whose flames were wounds in the very substance of the world； holes as darkly empty as a starless sky。
It is hard to believe； but that is what I saw。 I could look through the flames of the Black Fire； not to what stood on the other side of the fire but to somewhere else … into nothingness at first； but then colour and shape began to expand outward in the space above the firepit； as though something turned the very air inside…out。
A face appeared in the fire。 It was all I could do not to cry out。
The stranger surrounded by the black flames was like no man I had ever seen。 The angles of his face were all somehow wrong； his chin too narrow； the large eyes slanted upward at the corners。 His hair was long and white； but he did not look old。 He was naked from the waist up； and his pale； glossy skin was marked with dreadful scars； but despite the flames in which he lay； his burns seemed old rather than new。
The Black Fire unshaped even the darkness。 All that was around it bent； as though the very world grew stretched and shivery as the reflection on a bubble of river water。
The burning man seemed to slumber in the flames； but it was a horribly unquiet sleep。 He pitched and writhed； even brought his hands up before his face； as though to protect himself from some terrible attack。 When his eyes at last opened； they were dark as shadow itself； staring at things that I could not see； at shadows far beyond the fire。 His mouth stretched in a silent； terrible scream； and despite his alien aspect； despite being so frightened I feared my heart would stop； I stiil ached to see his suffering。 If he was alive； how could his body burn and burn without being consumed？ If he was a ghost； why had death not ended his pain？
Tellarin and Avalles backed away from the firepit； wide…eyed and fearful。 Avafles made the sign of the Tree。
My stepfather looked at the burning man's writhing mouth and blind eyes； then turned to the witch Valada。 'Why does he not speak to us？ Do something！'
She laughed her sharp laugh。 'You wished to meet one of the Sithi； Lord Sulis … one of the Peaceful Ones。 You wished to find a doorway； but some doorways open not on elsewhere； but elsewhen。 The Black Fire has foundyou one of the fair folk in his sleep。 He is dreaming； but he can hear you across the centuries。 Speak to him！ I have done what I promised。'
Clearly shaken； Sulis turned to the man in the flames。 'You！' he called。 'Can you understand me？' The burning man writhed again； but now his dark unseeing eyes turned in my stepfather's direction。 'Who is there？' he asked； and I heard his voice in the chamber of my skull rather than in my ears。 'Who walks the Road of Dreams？' The apparition lifted a hand as though he might reach through the years and touch us。 For a moment； astonishment pushed the agony from his odd face。 'You are mortals！ But why do you e to me？ Why do you disturb the sleep of Hakatri of the House of Year…Dancing？'
'I am Sulis。' The tremble in my stepfather's voice made him seem an old； old man。 'Called by some 〃the Apostate〃。 I have risked everything I own … have spent years studying … to ask a question which only the Peaceful Ones can answer。 Will you help me？'
The burning man did not seem to be listening。 His mouth twisted again； and this time his cry of pain had sound。 I tried to stop my ears； but it was already inside my head。 'Ah； it burns！' he moaned。 'Still the worm's blood burns me … even when I sleep。 Even when I walk the Road of Dreams！' 'The worm's blood 。。。 ？' My stepfather was puzzled。 'A dragon？ What are you saying？'
'She was like a great black snake'； Hakatri murmured。 'My brother and I； we followed her into her deep place and we fought her and slew her； but I have felt her scorching blood upon me and will never be at peace again。 By the Garden； it pains me so！' He made a choking sound； then fell silent for a moment。 'Both our swords bit'； he said； and it was almost a chant； a song； 'but my brother Ineluki was the fortunate one。 He escaped a terrible burning。 Black； black it was； that ichor； and hotter than even the flames of Making！ I fear death itself could not ease this agony 。。。〃
'Be silent！' Sulis thundered； full of rage and misery。 'Witch； is this spell for nothing？ Why will he not listen to me？'
'There is no spell； except that which opens the doorway'； she replied。
'Hakatri perhaps came to that doorway because of how the dragon's blood burned him … there is nothing else in all the world like the blood of the great worms。 His wounds keep him always close to the Road of Dreams； I think。Ask him your question； Nabban…man。 He is as like to answer it as any other of the i