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The duke frowned。 〃It is so。 But because you pretend to be Camaris； don't believe you are Camaris： you need to stay alive and on your horse so you can be seen。 Take no foolish chances。〃
Isorn flashed him an unhappy glance； angry after all his experiences to be treated like a child。 Isgrimnur almost regretted his fatherly worry…almost； but not quite。 〃So then。 Who shall mime Josua？〃
〃Are there any that can fight with their left hands？〃 Sludig asked。
〃S'right；〃 said Freosel。 〃None'll believe Josua with a right hand。〃
Isgrimnur felt his frustration growing。 This was madness…like choosing courtiers to act in the Tunath's Day pageant。 〃He need only be seen； not fight；〃 Isgrimnur growled。
〃But he must be somewhere in the fighting；〃 Sludig insisted； 〃or no one will see him。！〃
〃I will do it；〃 said Hotvig。 The scarred Thrithings…man lifted his arm and his bracelets jangled。 〃I can fight with either hand。〃
〃But 。 。 。 but he does not took like Josua；〃 said Strangyeard apologetically； 〃。。。 does he？〃 He had sobered since the duke had seen him earlier； but still seemed distracted。 〃Hotvig。 you are 。。。 you are very broad in the chest。 And your hair is too light。〃
〃He will be wearing a helm；〃 Sludig pointed out。
〃The harper Sangfugol looks much like the prince；〃 Strangyeard offered。 〃At least he is slender and dark…haired。〃
〃Ha。〃 Isgrimnur barked a laugh。 〃I would not send a singer into the middle of such a bloodletting。 Even if he need not fight； he must sit his horse in the clamor of fierce fighting。〃 He shook his head。 〃But I cannot spare you； either； Hotvig。 We need your Thrithings…men…you are our fastest horsemen； and we must be ready in case the king's knights make a sally from the gate。 Who else？〃 He turned to Seriddan。 The Nabbanai captains had been silent； stunned by Josua's disappearance。 〃Have you any ideas； Baron？〃
Before Seriddan could reply； his brother Brindalles stood。 〃I am close to the prince's size。 And I can ride。〃
〃No； that is foolish；〃 Seriddan began； but Brindalles halted him with a raised hand。
〃I am not a fighter like you； my brother； but this is something I can do。 Prince Josua and these folk have risked much for us。 They faced imprisonment or even death at our hands to bring us the truth； and then helped us to drive Benigaris from the throne。〃 He looked around the tent somberly。 〃But what good is that to us if we do not survive to enjoy it； if our children are unhomed by Elias and his allies？ I am still somewhat baffled by all this talk of swords and strange magics； but if this stratagem is truly necessary； then it is the least I can do。〃
Isgrimnur saw his calm resolve and nodded。 〃It is done； then。 Thank you； Brindalles； and may Aedon give you good luck。 Isorn； get him into things of Josua's as will fit； then you can take whatever else of Camaris' that you need。 From what Jeremias said； I doubt he took his helm with him。 Freosel？〃
〃Yes； Duke Isgrimnur？〃
〃Tell the engineers to make ready。 Everyone else； go to your men and make ready。 God's grace on us all。〃
〃Yes；〃 Strangyeard said suddenly。 〃Yes； of course…God's grace on us all。〃
He Who Always Steps on Sand； Tiamak prayed silently； I am going into a dark place。 I am far from our swamps； farther than I have ever been。 Please do not lose sight of this marsh man！
The sun was invisible beyond the storm； but the deep blue of night was beginning to pale。 Tiamak looked up from the Kynslagh beach at the faint shadows that must be the turrets of the Hayholt。 They seemed impossibly far away； distant and forbidding as mountains。
Bring me out alive and I will。 。。 and 。。。 He could not think of any promise that might tempt the protector…god。 I will honor you。 I will do what is right。 Bring me out alive again； please！
The snow swirled and the wind moaned； whipping the black Kynslagh to a froth of waves。
〃We go； Tiamak；〃 Aditu said from behind him。 She was near enough that he jumped in surprise at the sound of her voice。
Her brother disappeared into the black mouth of the cave。 Tiamak followed； the noise of the wind began to diminish behind him。
Tiamak had been surprised to find the Sithi such a small group； and even more surprised to find Likimeya a part of it。
〃But isn't your mother too important to leave your people and e down here？〃 he whispered to Aditu。 As he scrambled down a boulder； clinging to the shining globe that Jiriki had given him； he saw Likimeya turn to look back at him with what he felt sure was disgust。 He was embarrassed and angry with himself for underestimating the Sithi's keen ears。
Aditu slithered down beside him； nimble as a deer。 〃If someone must speak for Year…Dancing House； Uncle Khendraja'aro will be there。 But the others will make their decisions as things happen； and all will do what needs to be done。〃 She stopped to pick something off the floor and stared at it intently； it was too small for Tiamak to see。 〃In any case； there are things at least as important to be done down here； and so those most able to do them have e。〃
He and Aditu were at the back of the small pany； trailing Jiriki and Likimeya； as well as Kira'athu； a small； quiet Sitha…woman； another woman named Chiya； who seemed to Tiamak inexplicably more foreign than even the rest of the alien group； and a tall； black…haired Sitha…man named Kuroyi。 All moved with the odd grace Tiamak had long noted in Aditu； and except for Aditu and her brother； none seemed to take any more notice of the Wrannaman than of a dog following in the road。
〃I found sand；〃 Aditu called to the rest of the party。 She had been careful to speak Westerling all morning； even with her kin； for which Tiamak was duly grateful。
〃Sand？〃 Tiamak squinted at the invisible something she held prisoned between finger and thumb。 〃Yes'？〃
〃We are now far in from the water's edge；〃 she said。 〃But this is rounded； formed by the motion of stone in water。 I would say we are still on Josua's track。〃
Tiamak had thought the Sithi were following the prince by some kind of immortals' magic。 He did not know quite what to make of this revelation。 〃Can't you 。。。 don't you just 。。。 know where the prince and Camaris are？〃
Her amused smile was very human。 〃No。 There are things we can sometimes do to make finding someone or something easier…but not here。〃
〃Not here？ Why？〃
The smile went away。 〃Because things are changing here。 Can you not feel it？ It is as powerful to me as the wind was loud outside。〃
Tiamak shook his head。 〃If anything dangerous es toward us； I hope you will tell me。 This is not my marsh； and I do not know where the dangerous sands lie。〃
〃Where we go was our place once；〃 Aditu said seriously。 〃But no more。〃
〃Do you know your way？〃 Tiamak looked around at the sloping tunnel； the countless crevices and nearly identical cross…passages； black beyond the range of the lighted globes。 The thought of being lost here was terrifying。
〃My mother does； or at least she soon will。 Chiya also lived here。〃
〃Your mother lived in this place？〃
〃In Asu'a。 She lived there for a thousand years。〃
Tiamak shivered。
The pany followed no logical path that Tiamak could see； but he had long resigned himself to trusting the Sithi； although there was much about them that frightened him。 Meeting Aditu on Sesuad'ra had been strange enough； but she had been singular； a freak； as Tiamak himself must have seemed to the drylanders。 Seeing them together； either in their great numbers on the hillside east of the Hayholt； or here in a group that； despite making many decisions without discussion； seemed always in accord； he felt for the first time the true force of their strangeness。 They had ruled all of Osten Ard once。 History said they had been kind masters； but Tiamak could not help wondering if they had been truly kind； or had just given no attention at all； tyrannical or otherwise； to their mortal inferiors。 If that was true； they had been cruelly repaid for their heedlessness。
Kuroyi halted and the others stopped with him。 He said something in the liquid Sithi speech。
〃Someone is there；〃 Aditu quietly told Tiamak。
〃Josua？ Camaris？〃 He did not want to think it could be something worse。
〃We will find out。〃
Kuroyi turned into a passageway and took a few steps downward。 A moment later he danced back out； hissing。 Aditu pushed past Tiamak and ran to Kuroyi's side。 〃Do not run！〃 she called into the dark space。 〃I am Aditu！〃
After a few moments a figure appeared； sword leveled。
〃Prince Josua！〃 Relief flowed through Tiamak。 〃You are safe。〃
The prince stared at them for a long moment； blinking in the light of the crystal globes。 〃Aedon's Mercy； it is truly you。〃 He sank down heavily onto the floor of the tunnel。 〃My 。。。 my torch burned out。 I have been in darkness some time。 I thought I heard footsteps； but you walk so quietly I could not be sure。。。。〃
〃Have you found Camaris？〃 Tiamak asked。
The prince shook his head miserably。 His eyes were haunted。 〃No。 I lost sight of him soon after I followed him in。 He would not stop； no matter how I ca