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Tiamak； too； was overwhelmed。 The rough corridors of the outer tunnels had given way…to a decayed splendor he could never have imagined； and even now could scarcely believe。 Vast chambers which seemed to have been painstakingly carved out of living rock。 every surface a minutely detailed tapestry； seemingly endless stairways； thin and beautiful as spiderwebs； that curled up into shadow or stretched across black emptiness； entire rooms carved in the likeness of forest clearings or mountainsides with waterfalls； though everything in the chamber was solid stone…even as crumbling ruins； Asu'a the Great was astonishing。
They Who Watch and Shape； Tiamak thought； seeing this place has made every bit of my suffering worthwhile。 My lame leg； my hours in the ghant nest…I would not trade them if I must also lose the memories of this hour。
As they wound through the dusty byways； Tiamak tore his eyes away from the wonders that surrounded him long enough to observe the strange behavior of his Sithi panions。 When Likimeya and the others stopped to let the mortals rest； in a high…roofed chamber whose arching windows were clogged with dirt and rubble； Tiamak sat beside Aditu。
〃Forgive me if my question is rude；〃 he asked softly； 〃but do your people mourn their old home？ You seem。。。 distracted。〃
Aditu inclined her head； bending her graceful neck。 〃In part； yes。 It is sad to see the beautiful things our people built in such a state…and for those who lived here 。。。〃 she made an intricate gesture； 〃it is even more painful。 Do you remember the chamber carved with great flowered steps…the Hall of Five Staircases； as we call it？〃
〃We stopped there a long time；〃 Tiamak said； remembering。
〃That was the place where my mother's mother； Briseyu Dawnfeather； died。〃
The marsh man thought of how Likimeya had stood expressiontessly in the center of that wide room。 Who could know these immortals？
Aditu shook her head。 〃But such are not the greatest reasons we are； as you put it； distracted。 There are 。。。 presences here。 Things that should not be。〃
Tiamak had himself felt more than a touch of what he thought Aditu meant…a riffle of wind on the back of his neck that seemed insistent as probing fingers； echoes that almost sounded like faint voices。 〃What does it mean？〃
〃Something is awake here in Asu'a that should not be awake。 It is hard to explain。 Whatever it may be； it has given a semblance of life to what should not have one。〃
Tiamak frowned； unsure。 〃Do you mean 。 。。 ghosts？〃
Aditu's smile was fleeting。 〃If I understood First Grandmother when she taught me what the mortal word means； no。 Not as such。 But it is hard to show the difference。 Your tongue is not suited for it； and you do not see or feel what we do。〃
〃How can you tell？〃 He looked across to Josua； but the prince was staring fixedly at the ornately carved walls。
〃Because if you did；〃 Aditu replied； 〃I suspect you would not be sitting there so calmly。〃 She rose and crossed the rubble…strewn floor to where her mother and Jiriki stood in quiet conversation。
In the middle of emptiness； Tiamak suddenly felt surrounded by danger。 He slid closer to Josua。
〃Do you feel it； Prince Josua？〃 Tiamak asked。 〃The Sithi do。 They are frightened。〃
The prince looked grim。 〃We are all of us frightened。 I would have liked a full night to prepare for this； but Camaris took that away from me。 I try not to remember where it is we are going。〃
〃And all with no idea of what to do when we get there；〃 Tiamak mourned。 〃Was there ever a battle fought so confusedly？〃 He hesitated。 〃I have no right to question you； Prince Josua； but why did you follow Camaris？ Surely others less crucial to our success than you could have tried to track him。〃
The prince stared ahead。 〃I was the only one there。 I sought to bring him back before he was lost to us。〃 He sighed。 〃I feared others would not e in time。 But even more 。。。〃
The strange perturbation of air and stone came again； sudden and disorienting； cutting Josua off in mid…speech。 The Sithi's lights jittered； although the immortals themselves seemed not to move。 For a moment； Tiamak thought he sensed the presence of a host of others； a shadowy horde disposed all through the ruined halls。 Then the feeling was gone and everything was as it had been but for an odd； lingering smell of smoke。
〃Aedon's mercy！〃 Josua looked down at his feet as though surprised to discover them still on the ground。 〃What is this place？〃
The Sithi had paused。 Jiriki turned to the mortals。
〃We must go faster；〃 he said。 〃Can you keep up？〃
〃I have a lame leg；〃 Tiamak replied。 〃But I will do my best。〃
Josua laid his hand on the Wrannaman's shoulder。 〃I will not leave you behind。 I can carry you if need be。〃
Tiamak smiled； touched。 〃I do not think it will e to that； Prince Josua。〃
〃e； then。 The Sithi need haste。 We will try to give it to them。〃
They moved at a fast trot through the winding passageways。 Watching the backs of the Sithi； Tiamak had little doubt that if they chose they could leave their mortal panions far behind。 But they did not； and that said much： the Sithi thought that Tiamak and Josua could do something important。 He ignored the pain in his leg and hurried on。
They seemed to run for hours； although Tiamak had no way of knowing if that was true： just as the substance of Asu'a itself seemed strangely unstable； so too did time move in a manner that Tiamak no longer trusted himself to interpret。 The lag between steps sometimes seemed to stretch for long moments； then an instant later he would be in another part of the ruined sub…castle； still running； with no memory of the intervening journey。
He Who Always Steps on Sand； keep me sane until I have done whatever I can do； he prayed。 Beside him； the prince too seemed in silent munication with something or someone。
For a while the Sithi were so far ahead that their lights were little more than a glow in the tunnel before them。 Tiamak's own globe； jiggling in his clutch； provided inconstant light； he and Josua found themselves stumbling through wreckage they could barely see； suffering more than a few cuts and bruises； until they caught up to the immortals once more。
The Sithi had halted beneath a high archway where they stood silhouetted by a diffuse glow from the chamber beyond。 As Tiamak hobbled to a stop beside them； gasping for breath； he wondered if they had finally reached the light of the upper world。 As he sucked air into his lungs； he stared at the dragonlike serpent carved on the arch。 Its tail stretched down one side and was carved across the dusty floor of the archway as well； then rose up the other side and back to the lintel； where the tip was clasped in its owner's mouth。 There were still flecks of paint on its thousands of minute scales。
The smoky light behind the Sithi made them seem distorted； freakishly lean and without firm edges。 The nearest； Jiriki； turned and looked back at the panting mortals。 There was passion on his face； but it battled with more pressing emotions。 〃Beyond is the Pool of Three Depths；〃 he said。 〃If I tell you it is a Master Witness； you may have some idea of what kind of forces are at work here。 This is one of the mightiest of the places of power； the great worms of Osten Ard once came to drink its wa… ters and share their wordless wisdom； long before my people set foot in this land。〃
〃Why have we stopped here？〃 Josua asked。 〃Is Camaris。。。 ？〃
〃He may be； or he may have already been here and passed on。 It is a place of potency as I said； and it is one of the sources of the change we have felt all around us。 He may very well have been drawn here。〃 Jiriki lifted his hand in warning； for the first time； Tiamak could see the weariness on the immortal's face。 〃Please do nothing without asking。 Touch nothing except the floor where we walk。 If something speaks to you； do not reply。〃
Tiamak was chilled。 He nodded his understanding。 There were a thousand questions he longed to ask； but the tension
he saw in the Sithi was a strong argument for silence。
〃Lead on；〃 said Josua。
Appearing a little hesitant themselves； the Sithi stepped through the archway into a wide chamber full of indirect light。 Where Tiamak could see the walls through the strange mistiness of the air； they seemed almost new…built； undamaged and ribbed with great sculpted pillars that stretched up toward the hidden ceiling。 The pool； a circular expanse of scintillant water； lay in the center of the chamber。 A circular staircase whose landing touched on the pool's far side spiraled up； massive yet graceful； and vanished in the mists above。
Something in the room was 。。。 alive。 Tiamak could think of no other way to describe the sensation。 Whether it was the pool itself； with its shifting blue and green glows flickering up from the depths； he could not say； but there was far more to this place than water and stone。 The air was thunderstorm…taut； and he found he was holding his breath as they moved forward。 The Sithi； moving as cautiously as hunters stalking a wounded boar； fanned out along the edge of the pool； growing unaccountably more distant from