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sky opened before him； dotted with tiny； cold stars； as though Green Angel Tower had torn free of its moorings and now floated above the storm。 He stared； teeth clenched against the bell's fading echoes。 After three heartbeats the black sky clotted with gray and red and the tower was surrounded by storm once more。
Something tugged at his thoughts； fighting against Bright…Nail's unslackening pull。
This 。。。 is 。。。 wrong。 The joy that he had shared； the feeling that he would somehow make things right； ebbed away。 Something bad is happening…something very bad！
But he was already moving again； mounting the stairs toward the dim glow。 He was not the master of his own body。
He struggled。 His limbs felt distant； numb。 He slowed himself； then managed to stop； shuddering in the freezing wind that blew down the stairwell。 Tiny whiskers of ice hung from the walls； and his breath clouded about his head； but he could feel an even greater coldness lurking somewhere above him…a coldness that somehow thought。
He fought for a long time on the stairs； struggling to regain control of his own arms and legs…a struggle against nothing visible that went unobserved except by the cold； inhuman presence。 He could feel its hungry attention as the sweat beading on his skin froze and fell tinkling onto the steps。 Steam rose from his overheated body； and where the warmth left； deadening chill crept in。
The cold took Simon at last； filling him。 It moved him like a puppet on a stick。 He jerked and began to stagger upward once more； screaming silently from the prison of his skull。
He stepped up out of the stairwell and into the vaporous bellchamber； the ice…blanketed walls glimmered and sparkled。 Storm clouds surrounded the high windows and light and shadow moved sluggishly； as though the cold gripped them； too。
Miriamele and Binabik stood beside the door； writhing slowly； caught somehow like flies struggling in amber。 His eyes widened as he saw them and his heart thudded painfully behind his ribs； but he could not call out or even stop his feet from carrying him forward。 Miriamele opened her mouth and made a muffled noise。 Tears filled his eyes； and for a moment her pale face held him like a tamp in a dark room…but the thing that gripped him would not be denied。 It swept him past his friends like a river current； tugging him toward the cluster of pillars at the center of the chamber。
Beneath the frost…furred bells three figures waited； one kneeling。 The part of Bright…Nail that had entangled itself with him danced and leaped 。。。 but the still…Simon part quailed as Elias turned toward him with a face like a dead man's。 The mottled gray sword in his two fists lay against black Thorn； and where they touched there was nullity； an emptiness that hurt Simon's mind。
Shivering； Camaris turned to Simon； his hair and brows powdery with ice。 The old man's eyes stared in abject misery。
〃My fault 。。。〃 he whispered through chattering teeth。
Pryrates had watched Simon's lurching entrance。 Now the priest nodded； smiling tightly。 〃I knew you were in the tower somewhere； kitchen boy…you and the last of the swords。〃
Simon felt himself drawn closer to the place where Thorn and Sorrow met。 Through Bright…Nail； whose song coursed inside him； he could feel the music of the other two swords as well： the dancing throb of life that was within all of them grew stronger as the moment of their joining approached。 Simon felt it like the speeding current of a river's narrows； but he could also feel that there was a barrier that somehow kept the blades apart。 Although two of them were touching； and only a few cubits stood between them and the third； they all remained as widely separated as they had ever been。
But what was different now； what Simon felt deeply and wordlessly in his mind's inmost； was that soon there would be a great change。 Some mighty universal wheel lay loose on its axle； ready to turn； and when it did all the barriers would fall； all the walls would vanish。 The swords sang； waiting。
Before he knew it； he was stepping forward。 Bright…Nail clicked against the other two blades。 The shock of contact traveled not just through Simon； but through the room as well。 The black emptiness where the swords met deepened； a hole into which the entire world might fall and perish。 The light changed all around： the star…glow seeping in through the windows deepened； turning the chamber bloody； and then the dreadful bell tolled a fifth time。
Simon trembled and cried out as the tower shook and the energies of the swords； still pent but fighting now for release； traveled through him。 His heart stuttered； hesitated； and almost stopped。 His vision blurred and darkened； then gradually came back。 He was inextricably caught in something that burned like fire； that dragged like a lodestone。 He tried desperately to pull away； but a supreme effort only made him sway gently； caught on Bright…Nail's hilt like a fish dying on a hook。 The bell's echoes died out。
Even through the music of the swords； Simon could sense the chill presence he had felt on the stairs growing stronger； vast and weighty as a mountain； cold as the gaps between stars。 It was closer now； but at the same time it hovered just beyond some inprehensible wall。
Elias； who seemed almost unmoved by the exuberating power of the swords； raked Simon with mad green eyes。 〃I do not know this one； Pryrates；〃 he murmured； 〃…although there is something familiar about him。 But it does not matter。 All the bargains have been kept。〃
〃Indeed。〃 The priest moved past； so close that his robe touched Simon's arm。 A buried part of Simon shrieked with disgust and fury； but no sound passed his quivering lips： he was now little more than something that held Bright…Nail。 The sword's vaulting spirit； connected now to its brothers； uncaring of human struggles and human hatreds； waited only for whatever would happen next； eager as a dog expecting to be fed。
〃All bargains are kept；〃 Pryrates rasped as he took a place beside the king's shoulder； 〃and all is now set in motion。 Soon Utuk'ku the Eldest will have harnessed the Pool of Three Depths。 Then we will have pleted the Fifth House； and all will change。〃 He looked at Simon and his eyes glittered。 〃This one you do not know is Morgenes' kitchen…whelp； Highness。〃 Pryrates grinned。 〃This is satisfying。 I saw what you did to Inch； boy。 Very thorough work。 You saved me some tiresome effort。〃
Simon felt a powerful rage bubbling up inside him。 In the red light the priest's smug face seemed to hang bodilessiy； and for a moment Simon could see nothing else。 He struggled to move his limbs； to pull Bright…Nail away from its brothers so he could smash out the murderer's life； but he was helpless。 The flame of anger blazed without release； so hot that Simon felt sure it would scorch him to ashes from within。
The tower rocked again to the thunderous voice of the bell。 Simon stared； even as the floor shook before him and his ears popped； but the bronze bells at the center of the chamber did not move。 Instead； a ghostly shape appeared； a bell of sorts； but long and cylindrical。 For a moment； as the phantom bell vibrated； Simon saw flames sheeting again outside the windows； the sky gone endlessly black。
When the noise had died； Pryrates lifted his hands。 〃She has conquered。 It is time。〃
The king lowered his head。 〃God help me； I have waited long。〃
〃Your waiting is over。〃 The priest crossed his arms before his face； then lowered them。 〃Utuk'ku has captured the Pool of Three Depths。 The swords are here； waiting only for the Words of Unmaking to release that which binds them； then the force that was prisoned within them will sing free and bring you everything that you have desired。〃
〃Immortality？〃 asked Elias； shy as a child。
〃Immortality。 A life that outlasts the stars。 You sought your dead wife； Highness； but you found something far greater。〃
〃Do not 。。。 do not speak of her。〃
〃Rejoice； Elias； do not grieve！〃 Pryrates brought his palms together and lightning scratched across the sky outside the tall windows。 〃You feared you would have no heir when your disobedient daughter ran away…but you yourself will be your own inheritor。 You will never die！〃
Elias lifted his head； his eyes shut as though he basked in a warming sun。 His mouth trembled。
〃Never die；〃 he said。
〃You have gained powerful friends； and in this hour they will pay you back for all your suffering。〃 Pryrates stepped away from the king and thrust his red…sleeved arm toward the ceiling。 〃I invoke the First House！〃
The great invisible bell sounded again； crashing like a hammer in a god's smithy。 Flames ran through the betlchamber； capering across the icy walls。 〃On Thisterborg； among the ancient stones；〃 Pryrates intoned； 〃one of the Red Hand is waiting。 For his master and you he uses the power of that place and opens a crack into the between…places。 He unfolds the first of the A…Genay'asu'e and brings forth the First House。〃
Simon sensed the cold； dreadful something that waited growing stronger。 It was all around Green Angel Tower； drawing nearer； like a hunting beast ing s