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they need us。 You run。 Didn't belong here。〃
〃Nobody belongs here；〃 Simon gasped。 〃I'll e back for you。〃
〃Won't be here。〃 Stanhelm turned away。 〃Go on now。〃
Simon clambered to his feet and stumbled toward the watercourse； pain arrowing through him with every step。 A pair of forge workers had lifted Guthwulf out of the water； the blind man lay on the cavern floor； struggling for air。 The men who had saved him stared； but did nothing further to help。 They seemed curiously numbed and slow； like fish in a winter pond。
Simon bent and tugged at Guthwulf。 The last of the strength Maegwin's sacrifice had lent him was eddying away。
〃Guthwulf！ Can you get up？〃
The earl flailed his hands。 〃Where is it？ God help me； where is it？〃
〃Where is what？ Inch is dead。 Get up！ Hurry！ Where do we go？〃
The blind man choked and spat water。 〃Can't go！ Not without 。。。〃 He rolled over and forced himself up onto hands and knees； then began scrabbling along the ground beside the watercourse； pawing as though to dig himself a hole。
〃What are you doing？〃
〃Can't leave it。 I'll die。 Can't leave it。〃 Suddenly； Guthwulf gave an animal cry of joy。 〃Here！〃
〃Aedon's mercy； Guthwulf； Pryrates will be here any moment！〃
Guthwulf took a few staggering steps。 He lifted something that reflected a yellow strip of torchlight。 〃I should never have brought it；〃 he babbled。 〃But I needed something to cut the rope。〃 He gasped in more air。 〃They all want to take it。〃
Simon stared at the long blade。 Even in the shadowy forge chamber； he knew it。 Against all sense； against all likelihood 。。。 here was the sword they had sought。
〃Bright…Nail；〃 he murmured。
The blind man suddenly lifted his free hand。 〃Where are you？〃
Simon took a few painful steps closer。 〃I'm here。 We have to go。 How did you get here？ How did you e to this place？〃
〃Help me。〃 Guthwulf put out his arm。
Simon took it。 〃Where can we go？〃
〃Toward the water。 Where the water goes down。〃 He began to limp along the edge of the channel。 The forge workers drifted back to let them pass； watching with nervous interest。
〃You're free！〃 Simon croaked at them。 〃Free！〃 They stared at him as though he spoke a foreign tongue。
But how are they free； unless they allow us？ The forges are still locked； the doors still barred。 We should help them。 We should lead them out。
Simon had no strength left。 Beside him； Guthwulf was mumbling； shuffling his feet like a lame old man。 How could they save anyone？ The forge workers would have to make their own way。
The water ran foaming down through a fissure in the cavern wall。 As Guthwulf felt his way along the stone； Simon was momentarily certain that the blind earl had lost what few wits he had left…that they had escaped drowning once； but would now be washed down into blackness； But there was a narrow track along the edge of the watercourse； one that Simon could never have found in the shadows。 Guthwulf； to whom light was useless； made his way downward； tracking the wall with his fingers as Simon struggled to help him and still remain balanced。 They passed out of the last gleams of torchlight and into blackness。 The water churned noisily beside them。
The darkness was so plete that Simon had to struggle to remember who he was and what he was doing。 Fragments of the things Leieth had showed him floated up from his memory； colors and pictures as swirlingly confused as an oil film on a puddle。 A dragon； a king with a book； a frightened man looking for faces in the shadows…what did all these things mean？ Simon did not want to think any more。 He wanted to sleep。 To sleep 。。。
The roar of the water was very loud。 Simon emerged suddenly from a haze of pain and confusion to find himself leaning sideways at a precarious angle。 He grabbed at the cracked wall of the fissure； pulling himself upright。 〃Guthwulf！〃
〃They speak so many tongues；〃 the blind man murmured。 〃Sometimes I think I understand them； but then I am lost again。〃 He sounded very weak。 Simon could feel him trembling。
〃I can't。。。 go much longer。〃 Simon clung to the rough stone。 〃I have to stop。〃
〃Almost。〃 Guthwulf took another stumbling step along the slender track。 Simon forced himself away from the wall； struggling to retain his clutch on the blind man。
They trudged on。 Simon felt several openings in the stone wall pass beneath his fingers； but Guthwulf did not turn。 When the tunnel began to resonate with loud voices； Simon wondered if he were sliding into Guthwulf's madness； but after a short while he saw a gleam of amber torchglow on the cavern wall and realized that someone was ing down the sluiceway behind them。
〃They're after us！ I think it's Pryrates。〃 He slipped and released his hold on the blind man to steady himself。 When he reached out again； Guthwulf was gone。
A moment of plete panic ended when Simon found the opening to a spur tunnel。 Guthwulf was just inside。 〃Almost；〃 the earl panted。 〃Almost。 The voices…Aedon； they're screaming'…but I have the sword。 Why are they screaming？〃
He headed down the tunnel； lurching against the wans。 Simon kept his hand against the earl's back as Guthwulf turned several more times。 Soon Simon could no longer remember all the turnings。 That was hopeful…whoever followed them should find it no easier。
The trudge through blackness seemed to go on and on。 Simon felt bits of himself drifting away； until he thought himself a spirit again； an unhomed ghost like the one that had roamed the gray spaces alone。
Alone except for Leieth。 And Maegwin。
Thinking of those who had helped him there； he reached down for a last increment of resolve and struggled on。
Walking in a daze； he did not notice that they had stopped until he felt Guthwulf abruptly drop forward； when Simon's hand found him again； the blind man was crawling。 When Guthwulf stopped； Simon reached down and felt crumpled cloth strewn across the stone。 A nest。 Letting his hand travel farther across the floor； Simon touched the earl's quivering leg； then the cold metal of the sword。
〃Mine；〃 Guthwulf said reflexively。 His voice was muddy with fatigue。 〃This； too。 Safe。〃
At that moment； Simon no longer cared about the sword； about Pryrates or any soldiers who might be following； or even whether the Storm King and Elias might bring the whole world tumbling down around his ears。 Every breath burned； and his arms and legs were a…twitch with agonizing cramps。 His head hammered like the bells in Green Angel Tower。
Simon found a place of his own amid the scattered rags； then surrendered to the dark pull。
25
Living in Exile
Jiriki took his hands off the dwarrow…stone。
Eolair did not need to be told。 〃She is gone。〃 The count stared at Maegwin's pale face； relaxed now as though in sleep。 〃Gone。〃 He had been preparing himself for this moment； but still felt as though a huge emptiness had opened inside him； a void that would never be filled。 He reached out and grasped her hands； which were still warm。
〃I am sorry；〃 said Jiriki。
〃Are you？〃 Eolair did not look at him。 〃What can the short life of a mortal mean to your kind？〃
The Sitha did not speak for a moment。 〃The Zida'ya die； just as mortals do。 And when those we held in our hearts have passed from us； we； too； are unhappy。〃
〃Then if you understand；〃 Eolair said； struggling for control； 〃please leave me alone。〃
〃As you wish。〃 Jiriki stood； a catlike unfolding from his seat on the pallet。 He seemed about to say something more； but instead went silently out of the tent。
Eolair stared at Maegwin for a long time。 Her hair； damp with sweat； lay in tight curls across her forehead。 Her mouth seemed to hint at a smile。 It was almost impossible to believe that life had left her。
〃Oh； the gods have been cruel masters；〃 he groaned。 〃Maegwin； what did we do to be so ill…treated？〃 Tears started in his eyes。 He buried his face in her hair； then kissed her cooling cheek。 〃It has all been a cruel； cruel trick。 It has all been for nothing； if you are dead。〃 His body was shaken by sobs。 For a while he could only rock back and forth； clutching her hand。 The dwarrow…stone was still in her other palm； held against her breast as though to keep it from theft。
〃I never knew。 I never knew。 You foolish woman； why did you tell me nothing？ Why did you pretend？ Now all is gone。 All is lost。。。。〃
Jiriki； white hair streaming in the wind； was waiting for him when he emerged。 Eolair thought he looked like a storm…spirit…like a harbinger of death。
〃What do you want？〃
〃As I said； Count Eolair； I am very sorry。 But there are things I think you should know…things that I discovered in the last moments of the Lady Maegwin's life。〃
Oh； Brynioch preserve me； he thought wearily。 The world was too much for Eolair； and he did not think he could bear any more Sithi riddles。
〃I am tired。 And we must leave tomorrow for Hernystir。〃
〃That is why I wish to tell you now；〃 Jiriki said patiently。
Eolair stared at him for a moment； then shrugged。 〃Very well。 Speak。〃
〃Are you cold？〃 Jiriki asked this with the